Extra Points: McCoy, Hue Jackson, CJ2K
Chargers head coach Mike McCoy says he’s not concerned about job security, as ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes.
“I’m taking this job one day at a time like I do every day,” McCoy said. “I just keep plugging away every day and put great plans in, week in and week out. And I take it one day at a time here.”
The Chargers are 21-22 under McCoy, and 1-1 in the postseason. The Bolts have struggled of late, losing 11 of their past 15 dating back to last season. McCoy has one year left on his deal beyond 2015 and it’s far from a certainty that he’ll get to coach through the end of that contract.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- USC wanted to interview Bengals OC Hue Jackson for head coach job, but the timing of it did not and could not work out during the NFL season, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jackson has been mentioned as a top candidate for NFL head coaching vacancies in 2016 and Bengals owner Mike Brown says he wouldn’t be surprised to see Jackson get another head coaching gig.
- Chris Johnson‘s injury could prove to be costly, as Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Johnson signed a veteran’s minimum deal with the Cardinals that would have expanded to $2MM in compensation if he reached 1,300 yards and the Pro Bowl. Now, it looks like Johnson’s season could be over with 814 yards gained on the ground.
- The Bengals worked out cornerback Tony Carter today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Earlier today, it was reported that the Bengals auditioned six defensive backs in total, including Bradley Fletcher.
- Colts inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman is week-to-week with a Grade 2 hamstring injury, according to Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter). Holder adds that Freeman will likely be “out for a couple of games or so.”
La Canfora’s Latest: McDermott, Lions, Kroenke
Let’s take a look at some of the latest notes and observations from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:
- Both La Canfora and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com have delved into some of the most notable names who will be connected to head coaching vacancies this offseason. Rapoport mentions Bears OC Adam Gase, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Jaguars offensive line coach Doug Marrone, and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable as veterans of the head coaching interview circuit who will be generating plenty of buzz this offseason. Other less familiar candidates who have also piqued the interest of teams around the league include Panthers coordinators Mike Shula (offensive) and Sean McDermott (defensive), and Bills RB coach Anthony Lynn (all Twitter links). La Canfora explores the case for McDermott in more detail, noting that Carolina’s defense under McDermott’s watch has been among the league’s best for some time, but given the Panthers’ success this season, McDermott has been getting more attention around the league. La Canfora says it would not be a surprise if McDermott met with four to six teams during wildcard weekend, which is likely to be a bye week for the Panthers. Per La Canfora, a team that hires McDermott would do well to add current Chargers head coach Mike McCoy as its offensive coordinator. McCoy is rumored to be on his way out of San Diego at the end of the year, and he and McDermott share a “mutual admiration” for each other. The addition of McCoy would also help to alleviate concern regarding McDermott’s abilities on the offensive side of the ball.
- La Canfora also has a look at potential candidates for the Lions GM job, noting that the team may have difficulty courting some of its top choices given the questions concerning team ownership and the fact that new team president Ron Wood is an unknown commodity in football circles. However, the Lions’ resurgence in recent weeks, the talent on the roster, and the fact that the club has a history of “unwavering loyalty” to its front office executives could allow the team to nab a prized candidate. Those candidates include names like Seahawks pro personnel director Trent Kirchner, Packers player personnel director Eliot Wolf, Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn, and Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta. Of those names, Quinn may be the most likely option, considering that Wolf and DeCosta are both fairly comfortable in their roles as GM-in-waiting for their current clubs, and Kirchner will be the top candidate for a number of teams.
- If Stan Kroenke‘s plan to move the Rams to Los Angeles falls though, La Canfora identifies several other options for the St. Louis owner. The league knows that if Kroenke loses out to the Chargers and Raiders in the race to LA, it would have to work actively to find other solutions for Kroenke, with London and Denver representing two such solutions. Kroenke–who remains focused on LA at the moment and has not actively considered any alternatives–has business interests in England and owns Premier League powerhouse Arsenal. Colorado, meanwhile, serves as Kroenke’s base, and his family owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. La Canfora’s sources indicate that Kroenke could purchase the Broncos at some point down the road–La Canfora writes that team ownership will be in flux when Pat Bowlen passes on–and sell the Rams to an investor looking to keep the team in St. Louis. However, Broncos Vice President of Public Relations Patrick Smyth took to Twitter shortly after La Canfora’s report, tweeting that the plan is to keep ownership of the Broncos in the Bowlen family.
Extra Points: Amukamara, Chargers, LA, Steelers
A quick look around the NFL as we draw closer to Sunday’s Week 12 action. . .
- From a business standpoint, it would make a lot more sense for the Chargers to head to Los Angeles than stay in San Diego, writes Dan McSwain of the San Diego Union-Tribune. If the Chargers get a new stadium in San Diego, which doesn’t appear likely, projections indicate it would boost the team’s revenue by $50MM per annum. Conversely, the yearly revenue increase accompanying a new stadium in LA could be anywhere from $300MM to $500MM. Thus, the league’s relocation fee of $500MM to $600MM doesn’t look as if it should serve as much of a deterrent to either the Chargers or any other team eyeing LA.
- Though Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara will be a free agent at season’s end, he’d like to stay where he is. “This is the organization that took a chance on me,” he told Steve Serby of the New York Post. “It’s a first-class organization.” Amukamara, who has missed 25 of 74 regular-season games since he was a first-round pick in 2011, added that he doesn’t “think the Giants would ever have to worry about the corner position again if I could stay on the field.”
- Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams has had a disappointing career since the team used a second-round selection on him in 2012, appearing in only 41 games (20 starts). Adams – who won’t play at all this year because of a back injury – will be a free agent after the season, but he might end up remaining with the Steelers, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. As Kaboly notes, the Steelers have just two tackles signed next season (Marcus Gilbert and Alejandro Villaneuva), so it’s possible they’ll bring back Adams as a depth player on a team-friendly deal.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Dolphins, Chargers
The Broncos’ acquisition of tight end Vernon Davis at the trade deadline earlier this month didn’t pay dividends in the 10th-year man’s first two games with the team. The longtime 49er was on the receiving end of just five targets in those two games – both losses – and totaled a pair of catches for 19 yards. Davis’ role increased last Sunday, though, when quarterback Brock Osweiler made his first career start in place of an injured Peyton Manning. Osweiler was perfect when he targeted Davis, finding him on all six attempts for 68 yards, and the Broncos beat the Bears, 17-15. Not surprisingly, Davis praised Osweiler after the duo’s first game together.
“Sometimes it takes awhile to get on the same page and develop that chemistry with a quarterback. But with this guy, it’s like we connected from Day One,” said Davis, per Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post.
Davis also had kind words for head coach Gary Kubiak, saying, “I dreamed of being in a place like this, a system, a coach who understands talent.'”
As a free agent in a few months, Davis certainly isn’t a lock to remain in Denver beyond this season. But more performances like the one he turned in last week will increase the 31-year-old’s chances of continuing his career under Kubiak.
More from the AFC:
- Edge defender Quinton Coples has practiced just three times for the Dolphins since being claimed off waivers from the Jets, but he appears poised to play this weekend against his old team, as James Walker of ESPN.com. As Coples himself observes, playing against the Jets after spending three and a half seasons with the team – and less than a week after they cut him – should be “quite interesting.”
- Despite being well respected in NFL training circles, according to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, ex-Dolphins trainer Kevin O’Neill has been unable to find a job as a trainer since the team fired him in 2014 and the odds of getting another are slim. O’Neill believes he’s a scapegoat for Miami’s bullying scandal in 2013, one that mainly involved offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin. O’Neill, according to Martin, laughed as players hurled racially charged insults at Asian-American trainer Naoshisa Inoue. O’Neill downplayed the severity of the incidents, however. “They made fun at how he talked a little bit,” said O’Neill. “He laughed about it. I laughed about it, too. I didn’t laugh about anything that had to do with anybody’s mom or girlfriend, or somebody using a racial slur.”
- At 2-8 and coming off a 30-point drubbing at the hands of the Chiefs, it’s fair to say there aren’t many players on the Chargers’ roster who deserve to be viewed as part of the solution going forward. One rarity is standout cornerback Jason Verrett, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Said head coach Mike McCoy, “He is out here every day, competing. That’s why he’s as good a player as he is: he loves to compete.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Breer’s Latest: Cousins, Jets, L.A., London
After spending some time looking back on the long-time Tom Brady/Peyton Manning rivalry, which won’t get another installment this weekend, Albert Breer of the NFL Network surveys the rest of the NFL, and passes along a handful of noteworthy nuggets. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….
- Sources tell Breer that Washington and Kirk Cousins‘ representatives have engaged in “very preliminary” extension talks. However, both sides have acknowledged that those discussions are unlikely to really get serious until after the season.
- As Washington considers a long-term deal – or perhaps the franchise tag – for Cousins, the club needs to decide if he’s a franchise quarterback. Jay Gruden‘s assessment? “That’s what we need to find out,” the Washington head coach said. “The quarterback position, you gotta be consistent. And if there is a knock on Kirk, it’s that he played great here for a quarter or a half, and then he has a couple brain farts and throws a couple bad balls. He needs to be highly consistent over time. But arm talent-wise, leadership skill-wise, there’s no question he can be a very good quarterback for a long time. You just keep repping him, keep coaching him. Every week is different.”
- The Jets are seeing “years of shaky drafting” catch up to them, so GM Mike Maccagnan will have to figure out how to restock the roster this winter. According to Breer, there’s a good chance that Maccagnan will try to accumulate draft capital on the trade market — Muhammad Wilkerson would be an interesting chip if the club decides to use its franchise tag on him.
- With the Chargers, Rams, and Raiders – the three teams considering a move to Los Angeles – all struggling in recent weeks, it’s fair to wonder if one or more of those franchises will undergo overhauls this offseason, particularly if any relocate to Los Angeles. As Breer observes, there were four teams that relocated in the 1990s, and three of them fired their coaches at that time. Any club that moves to L.A. in 2016 would have to take a hard look at every aspect of its operation, particularly since the league as a whole “cannot afford to fail when it comes to Los Angeles,” as former Raiders exec Amy Trask tells Breer.
- One of the three games scheduled to be played in London in 2016 features the Rams and an unknown NFC East opponent for now, as the league waits to see how the standings will line up. As Breer explains, the move is designed to test how the U.K. fan base will react when it only knows one of the two teams, since tickets are set to go on sale next week.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/23/15
Here are Monday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Chris Matthews (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun)
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: S Ras-I Dowling (Twitter link via team)
- Cut: G Reese Dismukes
Chicago Bears
- Cut: CB Terrance Mitchell (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DE Quanterus Smith (Twitter link via Tad Dickman of Jaguars)
New York Jets
- Signed: S Ronald Martin (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: TE Sean McGrath (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com)
San Francisco 49ers
- To be signed: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
Washington
- Signed: LB Derrick Mathews, LB Lynden Trail (press release via team)
- Cut: CB Deveron Carr
West Notes: Lynch, Chargers, Fisher
Following up on a Sunday report, which indicated that Marshawn Lynch is visiting a specialist in Philadelphia about a possible sports hernia, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms that the Seahawks running back is believed to suffering from a sports hernia. If Dr. Williams Meyers, that Philadelphia specialist, agrees with that diagnosis, Lynch would likely undergo surgery immediately, and may miss the rest of the regular season.
It’s worth noting that Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns visited Dr. Meyers last week for an abdominal injury, and ultimately decided to put off possible sports hernia surgery until after the season, returning to action for Jacksonville last Thursday against the Titans. Of course, not every sports hernia injury is the same, and it’s possible Lynch’s will require more immediate attention, but we shouldn’t officially write off Beast Mode for the next few weeks quite yet.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:
- With the Chargers out of the 2015 playoff picture, it’s time for team chairman Dean Spanos to consider the club’s long-term prospects, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, who suggests that both head coach Mike McCoy and general manager Tom Telesco are on the hot seat in San Diego.
- McCoy must go, says Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Acee, who argues that the Chargers head coach should be relieved of his duties at season’s end, it means something that McCoy hasn’t lost the team this season, but “it just doesn’t mean enough.”
- Another head coach whose seat appears to be getting a little warmer is Jeff Fisher, writes Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. While the Rams haven’t enjoyed very strong quarterback play during Fisher’s tenure in St. Louis, it’s worth noting that Fisher pushed for the acquisition of Nick Foles, who was benched during the club’s current three-game losing streak, notes Garafolo.
- Within that same piece, Garafolo also addresses the Colin Kaepernick situation, indicating that sources close to Kaepernick were “adamant” that the 49ers quarterback didn’t consider his contract status when he made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery. Still, it could become a sticking point this offseason — Kaepernick’s 2016 salary is guaranteed for injury only until April 1, and while the Niners expect the QB to be able to pass a physical by then, those physicals are somewhat subjective. Kaepernick’s camp could cite other physicians with differing opinions and try to fight the team to get his salary guaranteed if he’s cut before April.
West Notes: Lynch, Washington, Manning
Marshawn Lynch will visit a specialist in Philadelphia, with a possible sports hernia injury, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Pete Carroll noted after Lynch missed the Seahawks‘ victory against the 49ers that injury hasn’t been ruled out, and such a diagnosis would shelve Lynch for a while.
The Seahawks appear to be in solid shape due to Thomas Rawls‘ presence, however, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio didn’t mince words when characterizing what the rookie’s 255-total-yard day means for the 29-year-old Lynch’s future in Seattle, saying the sixth-year Seahawk will not be back with the team for a seventh season due to the gulf between the backs’ contracts.
With a cap number of $11.5MM, Lynch would be the third-highest-paid Seahawk in his age-30 season. Should the Seahawks take Florio’s advice and turn their backfield over to 2015 UDFA Rawls, who’s slated to make $530K next year, Lynch’s recent extension which runs through the 2017 season contains $5MM worth of dead money going into next season.
Here’s some more news coming out of the Western divisions tonight.
- Former Cardinals Pro Bowl linebacker Daryl Washington continues to violate the terms of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, Jay Glazer reported on Fox (as relayed by Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk). The 29-year-old Washington hasn’t played since Week 17 of the 2013 season due to his year-long suspension that hasn’t been revisited. Washington was scheduled to apply for reinstatement in March, and there are concerns his career is over.
- Rams starter Case Keenum sustained a concussion during the team’s loss to the Ravens today, but he continued to play, losing a fumble that led to Baltimore’s game-winning field goal, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. A Timmy Jernigan sack that didn’t count due to an offside penalty negating it did the damage, according to Jeff Fisher. Media learned of Keenum’s concussion only when informed by the St. Louis media relations staff that the quarterback wouldn’t be available for postgame interviews.
- San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer met with Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt to discuss progress on a path to a new Chargers stadium, David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Hunt’s a member of a six-owner committee focused on Los Angeles relocation, and Faulconer’s met with five members of that newly formed coalition thus far. The two didn’t discuss the two LA stadium projects, Garrick reports, with the meeting instead focusing on San Diego’s path to green-lighting construction on its own. Faulconer’s plan features $350MM in contributions from city and county taxpayers, and after California Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent ruling to expedite an environmental review would put this proposal up for a city vote as early as June, but the Chargers have yet to resume negotiations with the city.
- Gary Kubiak hasn’t decided if Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler will start for the Broncos against the Patriots next week, Florio reports. The PFT scribe notes Kubiak said he’d have a difficult time benching Osweiler after his solid performance against the Bears, and if the fourth-year career backup follows it up with an upset over the Patriots, Kubiak’s previous declaration of starting Manning again when healthy will simply resolve itself when the first-year Denver coach deems the 39-year-old of insufficient health to recapture the job.
Latest On Los Angeles
A process that seemed headed toward an inevitable conclusion’s starting to at least show some inconsistency in its timeline. The NFL may not return to the Los Angeles market in 2016, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeting the three-team pursuit’s encountered “gridlock” in terms of having a team there by next season.
Rapoport notes the league still hopes to hold a relocation vote in May 2016, although that is now uncertain, but hears from multiple sources that 2017 may be when LA reacquires a franchise.
Here is some more on the Rams, Chargers and Raiders’ LA jostle.
- Rams owner Stan Kroenke is willing to help broker a deal to keep the Chargers and Raiders in San Diego and Oakland, respectively, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Acee adds that the Rams and Chargers’ decision-makers will conduct some kind of negotiation about playing together in Inglewood, where Kroenke’s project is further along, but notes the NFL will likely try to appeal to the three owners’ sense of humanity and persuade at least one of them to remain in their current markets. With Dean Spanos‘ son living in San Diego and working in the Chargers’ organization, Spanos could be the easiest to persuade, Acee writes.
- St. Louis city comptroller Darlene Green will vote against the latest financing plan for a new St. Louis stadium due to viewing it as “fiscally irresponsible,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Green, one of three members of the city’s Board of Estimate and Apportionment, has been critical of the $1 billion stadium plan that calls for the city to cover approximately $145MM of the costs.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/21/15
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Bryce Brown‘s rocky season continued when the Seahawks waived the now-well-traveled running back and brought up linebacker Eric Pinkins to take his place on the roster, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. Pinkins, a 2014 sixth-round pick who was recently cut and re-signed to Seattle’s practice squad this year, will take the place of injured Bruce Irvin at strongside linebacker Sunday, per Condotta. Also jettisoned from the Bills earlier this year, Brown didn’t play in the two games for which he was on the Seahawks’ roster. The 24-year-old hasn’t played in a game this season.
- Tyrell Williams will ascend from the Chargers‘ practice squad to their 53-man roster, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). A 6-foot-4 rookie, Williams made the team out of training camp and played in one game thus far this season. The Chargers cut tight end Sean McGrath to clear the roster spot.
- The Jets signed defensive end Mike Catapano off their practice squad and cut safety Ronald Martin, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily news tweets. Mehta notes (via Twitter) the team bringing up Catapano, who played in 15 games with the Chiefs in 2013, points toward Sheldon Richardson missing Sunday’s game with a hamstring malady.
- The Texans promoted Akeem Hunt to their active roster, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The rookie who owns a 4.37 40-yard dash clocking had stints with the Giants and Ravens prior to latching on with the Texans. Houston cut third-year defensive end Kourtnei Brown to make room for Hunt, Wilson tweets.
- The Buccaneers have promoted linebacker Josh Keyes to their active roster in advance of Sunday’s game against the Eagles, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.