Bills Interested In Frank Reich
With Doug Marrone no longer employed as the Bills‘ head coach, the team will have to look elsewhere to replace the man who brought Buffalo its second winning season in the past 15 years.
Although news of Marrone’s departure only became public last night, the fallout has been quick, and the Bills may already have a frontrunner to replace him as head coach in Buffalo. The team will have a strong interest in Chargers‘ offensive coordinator Frank Reich, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Reich, who was the team’s backup quarterback behind Jim Kelly for the great Bills teams of the late 80s and early 90s, famously leading the team to a comeback victory over the Oilers after trailing 35-3 in the second half.
The team is also considering defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and could be interested in former Steelers’ coach Bill Cowher, but Vic Carrucci of The Buffalo News writes that Reich immediately became the team’s top target.
Reich would be the favorite for Bill Polian, who is expected to take over as the team’s head of football operations within the next month.
In anticipation of the hire, Mathew Fairburn of Syracuse.com put together a list of five things to know about the connection between Reich and the Bills. He obviously has a long history with the franchise, but Fairburn also points out that when Polian took over the expansion Carolina Panthers, he brought Reich in to be the team’s first quarterback.
Fairburn also writes that Reich worked under successful head coaches Tony Dungy, Ken Whisenhunt, and most recently Mike McCoy.
Bills’ Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Reed believes Reich would be a great hire in Buffalo, writes Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.
I think he would make — definitely would make a great head coach anywhere,” said Reed. “He’s definitely a viable candidate. I think he would do a great job. Not only would he bring a lot of credibility, but Bills fans would probably — the roof would probably come off if he came in there and became the head coach. I’m definitely a proponent of him being the head coach there, if that’s the way and that’s what goes down.”
Reich is coming off his first year as an offensive coordinator and play caller in San Diego, and while Chargers’ general manager Tom Telesco understands the interest, he is not looking forward to losing Reich, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego.
“I think Frank, in his first year, did a very good job,” Telesco said. “He’s smart. He’s detailed. He’s prepared for this for a long time. He’s a great teacher, a great communicator, and he can really handle a room as far as handling the offense. He did an excellent job, and I’m not surprised that some teams would have interest in him. But selfishly, I hope he stays here.”
While Telesco may hope to retain Reich, his history in Buffalo and the opportunity to become a head coach for the first time may be difficult to pass up.
Chargers GM Talks Rivers, RBs, Offseason
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco addressed reporters in an end-of-season press conference today, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune passed along several of the GM’s more notable comments. Here are the highlights from the presser, with all links headed to Gehlken’s Twitter account:
- Philip Rivers is under contract for one more year, and the Chargers will “definitely” work to extend his contract this offseason, said Telesco, adding that he thinks the quarterback has several good years left in him, and he wants Rivers to finish his career in San Diego. Still, Telesco admitted that he has to keep an eye on “what’s next” at the QB position, which may mean adding a young player to develop in the not-so-distant future.
- Telesco is pleased with the culture and the foundation in place in San Diego, and thinks the next step is for the Chargers to continue developing their current young players and adding complementary pieces — no overhaul of any kind is necessary.
- Discussing San Diego’s running backs, Telesco said Donald Brown – who is under contract for 2015 – will be back and that the front office knows what Ryan Mathews means the team. Mathews is a free agent, and the GM appreciates having time to make a decision on him.
- Telesco also acknowledged that the running game must improve, which involves upgrading the offensive line as well.
- The Chargers have “a number” of contracts to extend or restructure heading into the offseason, according to Telesco, though he didn’t identify specific deals.
- The interest Frank Reich is receiving as a head coaching candidate doesn’t surprise Telesco, but the GM “selfishly” wants the offensive coordinator to remain in San Diego. The club won’t stop Reich from pursuing head coaching opportunities.
- Telesco is comfortable with D.J. Fluker at right tackle moving forward.
Extra Points: Chargers, Goodell, Peterson
Eric Weddle, a Pro Bowler at free safety, is the Chargers‘ only starting defensive back under contract for 2015. He badly wants to see fellow safety Marcus Gilchrist and cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Shareece Wright return to San Diego next year, Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego writes. “Hopefully we’re not starting with three new guys,” he said. “Hopefully, we can get them all back because they all played extremely well this year. We’re a tightly-knit group, and we played well with each other. So, hopefully, they can figure it all out and get them back.” More from around the NFL..
- Michael Freeman of Bleacher Report sat down with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss 2014, a year he’d probably like to forget.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com looked at notable players who cashed in on performance bonuses in 2014, including Elvis Dumervil of the Ravens.
- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer‘s comments earlier today on Adrian Peterson were rather non-committal, notes Michael Rand of the Star-Tribune.
- The Jets have received permission to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan, Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich, and Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller for their GM spot, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). All three men, along with Trent Kirchner, will interview in the next five days.
- Penn State offensive tackle Donovan Smith has decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and will enter the draft, according to a press release from the Nittany Lions. Smith’s 31 career starts are tied for second-highest on the 2014 squad. The announcement comes as a surprise since Smith has had very little draft buzz surrounding him.
Coach Rumors: Raiders, Jets, Ryan, Holmgren
Black Monday wasn’t quite as eventful around the NFL in 2014 as it has been in some recent years, with only three head coaches being handed their walking papers. Still, with the Raiders on the lookout for a more permanent head coach, and the 49ers and Jim Harbaugh agreeing to part ways, that makes a total of five teams currently conducting coaching searches. That should make for an interesting few weeks, as those clubs – the Jets, Falcons, Bears, Raiders, and Niners – eye several of the same candidates. Here are the latest coaching-related rumblings from across the league:
- Current 49ers assistant and former Browns and Jets head coach Eric Mangini is scheduled to interview with the Raiders for the club’s head coaching job, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). In his five seasons in New York and Cleveland, Mangini recorded a 33-47 overall record, earning one playoff berth with the Jets. In addition to Mangini, Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will also interview for the Raiders’ position, according to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com (Twitter link).
- Garafolo has more details on the Raiders‘ head coaching hunt, reporting that the team actually offered more money to Harbaugh than the University of Michigan did, extending a proposal that would have made him the NFL’s highest-paid head coach (Twitter video link).
- In addition to setting up an interview with Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, the Jets have also requested permission to speak to Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Seahawks assistant head coach Tom Cable, Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, and Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
- While former Jets head coach Rex Ryan intends to explore potential head coaching opportunities, he’s meeting with ESPN executives today for a possible role with the network, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). It sounds as if TV would be Ryan’s second choice after a head coaching job, but it may depend on what opportunities are available for him.
- Speaking to Dave Mahler of KJR in Seattle (Twitter link), former Packers and Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren said he’s “gotten a couple of inquiries” from teams searching for a head coach, though he didn’t identify the clubs. According to Mahler (via Twitter), Holmgren said he’s “mulling things over” when it comes to current coaching opportunities.
- The Buccaneers currently have an opening at offensive coordinator, and the team is interested in Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Atlanta has kept Koetter on board for now, after firing head coach Mike Smith yesterday, but if the team parts ways with its OC, the Bucs will almost certainly be in touch.
Chargers Notes: Royal, Johnson, Freeney, Rivers
A win yesterday would have secured the Chargers the sixth seed in the AFC, but the team’s offense couldn’t get anything going against the Chiefs, losing the game and ceding that final playoff spot to the Ravens. That gives the Chargers an early and unwelcome head-start on their offseason. Here’s the latest out of San Diego:
- Chargers wide receiver Eddie Royal earned a $250K bonus yesterday by surpassing 700 receiving yards on the season, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter).
- Jarret Johnson‘s cap hit will jump from $3.5MM this year to $7.5MM in 2015, which raises some questions about his future with the Chargers. Even if San Diego decides to hang onto him, Johnson isn’t sure whether or not he’ll continue his playing career — the 33-year old tells Gehlken, “If I hung it up, I’ll hang it up happy” (Twitter link).
- Another Chargers linebacker, Dwight Freeney, also has an uncertain future, telling Gehlken that he’ll give it about a month before deciding on his next move (Twitter link). Freeney will turn 35 in February, and doesn’t have a contract yet for next season. If the veteran pass rusher decides to retire, he’ll have a future in television, says Gehlken.
- Philip Rivers is headed into the final year of his contract, and San Diego is expected to try to extend him this offseason. However, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune says the Chargers shouldn’t even bother if they don’t intend to also invest heavily in protecting their franchise quarterback.
Draft Order Set For Non-Playoff Teams
The 2015 NFL Draft is looking clearer now, after the Ravens clinched the final playoff seed in the AFC. That means the 20 teams to miss the playoffs have their orders set.
The Chiefs will pick right after the Chargers based on divisional tiebreakers.
The first 20 picks are as follows, based on overall record and strength of schedule, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
- Buccaneers
- Titans
- Jaguars
- Raiders
- Washington
- Jets
- Bears
- Falcons
- Giants
- Rams
- Vikings
- Browns
- Saints
- Dolphins
- 49ers
- Texans
- Chargers
- Chiefs
- Browns (from Bills, via trade)
- Eagles
Minor Moves: Saturday
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves right here, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list…
- The Seahawks re-signed defensive tackle Jimmy Staten to their practice squad today, releasing linebacker Mike Zimmer to accommodate the move, tweets Brian McIntyre.
- Washington has claimed defensive tackle Travian Robertson off waivers, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Seahawks released Robertson yesterday.
- Saints nose tackle John Jenkins has been placed on injured reserve, according to the team’s official Twitter page. The team has signed quarterback Ryan Griffin off the practice squad on to the active roster.
Earlier updates:
- The Jets have placed safety Rontez Miles on the injured reserve, tweets Aaron Wilson. The team will promote wideout Quincy Enunwa to take his place.
- Connor Shaw will start at quarterback for the Browns this weekend, and the team promoted him to the active roster this morning, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The team also promoted rookie offensive lineman Jamie Meder. To make room on the roster, the Browns waived linebacker Eric Martin and tight end Ryan Taylor.
- The Lions have promoted center Darren Keyton to the active roster, reports Tim Twentyman (via Twitter). The lineman will replace Dominic Raiola, who was suspended for this weekend’s game.
- As expected, the Chargers finally placed punter Mike Scifres on the injured reserve, according to U-T San Diego’s Michael Gehlken (via Twitter). Center Jeff Baca was promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.
Workout Notes: Saturday
We’ll keep track of today’s workout information right here, as well as a couple of notes from yesterday…
- Besides working out wideout Austin Pettis, the Chargers also worked out wide receiver John Chiles, tweets Aaron Wilson. The former Texas standout went undrafted in 2011, and he’s spent time in the CFL and with the Saints and Rams.
- The Giants worked out a pair of former CFL players (via Wilson on Twitter): defensive back Jalil Carter and offensive lineman Brett Jones.
Extra Points: Harbaugh, Draft, Titans, Pettis
The 49ers are expected to part ways with Jim Harbaugh in less than 72 hours, and interested parties are positioning themselves to land the successful, if controversial, head coach. According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports (Twitter link), the University of Michigan, which reportedly has a six-year, ~$50MM offer on the table, will send officials (and its search firm) to the Bay Area this weekend to meet with Harbaugh. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms the Michigan news, and reports that the Raiders will also speak with Harbaugh this weekend (Twitter link). Rapoport also adds (via Twitter) that Harbaugh will resolve his situation with the 49ers before he meets with either entity. Here’s more from around the league…
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net passes along the latest regarding NCAA draft entrants, reporting that while defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches of Southern Mississippi and running back Devontae Booker of Utah will likely enter the draft (Twitter links), Rutgers receiver Leonte Carr will likely return to school for another year (Twitter link).
- Meanwhile, UCF receiver Breshad Perriman didn’t receive a top-three round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, so he’s still considering whether or not to enter the draft, tweets Pauline.
- With one week left in the NFL season, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap updates both the playoff odds and the favorites for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
- While the Titans will have a chance to draft either first or second in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zach Mettenberger believes the team already has the quarterback of its future, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. “There’s not another guy out there who can do what I can do and bring what I can bring to this game.,” said Mettenberger. “Obviously (the Titans) have seen how hard I work and know that I’m a gym rat, and know that I am going to continue to get better. Really all I can do is continue that and show that I am going to continue doing it.”
- Ex-Rams receiver Austin Pettis, released by St. Louis on October 20, worked out for the Chargers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). San Diego’s Keenan Allen is nursing a collarbone injury, so Pettis could provide some insurance at the WR position.
- After releasing defensive tackle Travian Robertson earlier today, the Seahawks don’t plan on making a roster addition before Sunday’s contest, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Chargers To Place Mike Scifres On IR
Nearly three weeks after breaking his clavicle, Chargers punter Mike Scifres is expected to be placed on injured reserve, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Scifres is reportedly progressing well from surgery, but San Diego is facing a roster crunch, forcing them to make a move now (link).
The Chargers will likely use their newly-created to roster spot to add a center, per Marvez. San Diego has used five different players at center so far this season, with Nick Hardwick, Rich Ohrnberger, Doug Legursky, Chris Watt, and Trevor Robinson all seeing time at the position. Watt went down after suffering a leg injury in last Saturday’s game against the 49ers, forcing the club to turn to Robinson, who was signed in October. He’ll presumably continue to start, while the Chargers look to add a backup. Jeff Baca, currently on SD’s practice squad, is probably an option to be promoted to the 53-man roster.
According to Marvez, the Chargers want to create roster space without moving either Keenan Allen or Ryan Mathews to injured reserve. Neither Allen, who, like Scifres, is dealing with a collarbone injury, or Mathews, who’s working through an ankle problem, is expected to play in Week 17, but San Diego likely wants to keep its two primary playmakers active in case the team makes the postseason. The Chargers can earn a wild card berth with a win over the Chiefs on Sunday.
With Scifres out, veteran Mat McBriar, signed immediately after Scifres’ injury, will continue to act as San Diego’s punter, and will continue to do so if the team enjoys a playoff run.