Latest On Browns’ HC Search
Following their Thursday interview with Mike McCarthy, Browns brass will head to Santa Clara, Calif., to meet with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).
Saleh’s interview has now been scheduled for Saturday. The third-year San Francisco DC has never interviewed for a head coaching post and is thus far not connected to the other two coaching vacancies. However, one way the Browns may be considering going is a staff featuring multiple 49ers assistants.
Cleveland is also interested in 49ers offensive assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur, each a Kyle Shanahan lieutenant at multiple stops. Saleh appears to be the San Francisco candidate the Browns are zeroing in on, but if the team hires the fiery DC, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that either LaFleur or McDaniel would then be a candidate to become the Browns’ offensive coordinator. HC interviews with McDaniel and LaFleur are believed to be on the docket, though it’s not known yet when they will occur.
Both were with Shanahan in Cleveland in 2014. Shanahan spent one season as the Browns’ OC and since took LaFleur and McDaniel to Atlanta and San Francisco. They serve as the 49ers’ pass- and run-game coordinators, respectively.
Shanahan blocked Mike LaFleur from joining brother Matt in Green Bay last year but let assistant Rich Scangarello defect to Denver because the Broncos were offering play-calling responsibilities. With Saleh being a defensive-minded coach, the Browns would then hand over their play-calling reins to whomever they hire as OC.
Latest On 49ers' Kwon Alexander
- J.J. Watt‘s return from a torn pectoral muscle has prompted questions about Kwon Alexander potentially doing the same. The 49ers linebacker is eligible to return for the team’s divisional-round game, but Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area hears such a re-emergence remains unlikely. The 49ers, however, have not completely given up on their highest-paid linebacker coming back for a potential NFC championship game. (Though, Kyle Shanahan deemed this unlikely.) The 49ers have yet to use their second IR-return slot. Like Watt, Alexander missed his team’s final eight regular-season games.
Latest On Browns’ Head Coaching Search
The Browns’ GM search is underway. On Tuesday, the Browns fired John Dorsey (or, mutually agreed to part ways with the veteran exec, depending on who you ask).
Before that, the Browns axed first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens. After that, the Browns wasted little time in requesting interviews. Here’s the latest on the names being considered for the job:
- 49ers’ run game coordinator Mike McDaniel is likely to interview with the Browns, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). No date has been set yet, but McDaniel figures to be one of three SF coaches to get a look. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and passing-game coordinator Mike LaFleur will also reportedly be interviewed this weekend.
- In addition to that Niners trio, the Browns have also requested an interview with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, as Schefter tweets. It’s shaping up to be a busy bye week for Bienemy, who has also drawn interest from the Panthers and Giants.
49ers To Sign Earl Mitchell
The 49ers have agreed to sign Earl Mitchell, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). Mitchell will give the 49ers some help on the defensive line following Jullian Taylor‘s knee injury. 
[RELATED: Jullian Taylor Suffers Knee Injury]
Mitchell spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with San Francisco before signing with (and later getting released by) Seattle. The 32-year-old announced his retirement in November, but it turned out to be more of a boxer’s retirement.
Mitchell briefly latched on with the Seahawks this summer, but didn’t stick. Now, he returns to the Niners with a chance to make an impact in the playoffs. To date, Mitchell has appeared in 130 career regular season games with 66 starts.
He’ll have time to get familiar (again) with the 49ers. Thanks to their first-round bye, the Niners’ postseason won’t get underway until the divisional round kicks off on Jan. 11.
Black Monday Rumors: McDaniels, Bieniemy, Browns
The Giants have fired head coach Pat Shumur, the Browns have fired head coach Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland GM John Dorsey‘s fate is up in the air, Bruce Allen is out with the Redskins, Ron Rivera looks like he’s in, and we have a lot more to pass along:
- The Giants are rumored to be targeting Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, but they have requested an interview with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that the Panthers have also requested a summit with Bieniemy, a branch of the fruitful Andy Reid coaching tree whom Reid feels is ready for an HC job.
- We heard this morning that the Browns have requested an interview with Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, and they also want to interview Ravens OC Greg Roman, per Schefter (via Twitter). Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets that Cleveland is expected to interview Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski again. Stefanski was a finalist for the Browns’ HC job last year before they elected to hire Kitchens.
- Schefter says the Browns have asked permission to interview 49ers DC Robert Saleh (Twitter link), and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the team plans to interview Mike McCarthy as well (Twitter link). Cleveland had an interview scheduled with McCarthy last year, but by that time, the club had already zeroed in on Kitchens, so the interview never happened. McCarthy and Dorsey worked together in Green Bay, so Dorsey may be rooting for a McCarthy hire.
- In addition to the Browns, the Giants and Panthers have also requested interviews with McDaniels, as Schefter tweets.
- Despite recent reports indicating that he wants to stay in Baltimore, Ravens DC Don “Wink” Martindale is generating a great deal of HC buzz, as Rapoport tweets. If he is hired, Martindale would want to pluck LSU passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Joe Brady from the collegiate ranks to be his OC. If you’ve watched college football this year, you can’t blame Martindale for that choice.
- Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone will meet with owner Shad Khan tomorrow to discuss his fate, as NFL insider Adam Caplan tweets.
49ers Lose Another DL For Season
- The 49ers placed another defensive lineman on IR. Defensive tackle Jullian Taylor will end his season on the injured list because of an ACL tear sustained in practice this week, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. A 2018 seventh-round pick, Taylor played in six 49ers games this season. Defensive linemen Taylor, Ronald Blair, D.J. Jones and Damontre Moore reside on San Francisco’s IR list.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/19
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jordan Franks, WR Trenton Irwin
- Placed on IR: CB William Jackson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Anthony Pittman
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: TE Ross Travis
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Chris Slayton
- Placed on IR: TE Rhett Ellison
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DT Kevin Givens
- Placed on IR: DT Jullian Taylor
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: S Kenny Ladler, WR Jester Weah
- Placed on IR: CB Fabian Moreau, S Montae Nicholson
49ers DT Jullian Taylor Suffers Knee Injury
Just as Jullian Taylor was set to return to the lineup, the 49ers defensive lineman has gone down with another injury. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows tweets that Taylor suffered a knee injury during today’s practice.
While the diagnosis is unknown, the player is set to undergo an MRI. Barrows reports that the team is also calling free agent interior defensive linemen.
Taylor was thrust into the nose tackle role after D.J. Jones was placed on injured reserve, and the lineman ended up contributing nine tackles in six games. However, an elbow injury sidelined Taylor for the past three games, but there was optimism that he’d be able to play in the season finale against the Seahawks. Barring some unexpected news, it doesn’t sound like that will be the case.
The team had to activate Kentavius Street for their Week 16 win over the Rams. Barrows suggests that the team could promote rookie defensive lineman Kevin Givens from the practice squad.
Barrows also suggests that a familiar face could be an option: Earl Mitchell. The veteran spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with San Francisco before signing with (and later getting released by) Seattle. The 32-year-old announced his retirement back in November.
NFL Playoff Scenarios For Week 17
The final week of the regular season is upon us.
Here’s the official rundown of NFL playoff scenarios as we get set for Week 17:
AFC
Clinched:
Ravens – AFC North division & home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs
Texans – AFC South division
Chiefs – AFC West division
Patriots – AFC East division
Bills – playoff berth
Chiefs clinch a first-round bye with:
Chiefs win + Patriots loss
New England clinches a first-round bye with:
Patriots win or tie OR
Chiefs loss or tie
Raiders clinch a playoff berth with:
Raiders win + Steelers loss + Titans loss + Colts win + Raiders clinch strength-of-victory tiebreaker over Steelers*
*Raiders clinch strength-of-victory tiebreaker over Steelers if ONE of the following teams win or tie:
Bears, Lions, Chargers, or Patriots
Steelers clinch a playoff berth with:
Steelers win + Titans loss or tie OR
Steelers tie + Titans loss OR
Titans loss + Colts win + Raiders loss or tie OR
Titans loss + Colts win + Steelers tie Raiders in strength-of-victory tiebreaker*
*Steelers ties Raiders in strength-of-victory tiebreaker if ALL of the following teams win:
Vikings, Packers, Chiefs, and Dolphins
Titans clinch a playoff berth with:
Titans win OR
Titans tie + Steelers loss or tie OR
Steelers loss + Colts loss or tie
NFC
Clinched:
Packers – NFC North division
Saints – NFC South division
Vikings — playoff berth
49ers — playoff berth
Seahawks — playoff berth
Cowboys clinch NFC East division with:
Cowboys win + Eagles loss
Packers clinch a first-round bye with:
Packers win OR
Saints loss OR
Packers tie + San Francisco loss OR
Packers tie + Saints tie
Packers clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
Packers win + San Francisco loss or tie OR
Packers tie +San Francisco loss + Saints loss or tie
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-3) (at Carolina (5-10); 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Saints clinch a first-round bye with:
Saints win + Packers loss or tie OR
Saints win + 49ers loss or tie OR
Saints tie +Packers loss OR
Saints tie + 49ers loss OR
49ers loss +Packers win or tie
Saints clinch homefield advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
Saints win + Packers loss or tie + 49ers loss or tie OR
Saints tie + Packers loss + 49ers loss
Eagles clinch NFC East division with:
Eagles win or tie OR
Cowboys loss or tie
49ers clinch NFC West division title with:
49ers win or tie
49ers clinch a first-round bye with:
49ers win OR
49ers tie + Packers loss or tie OR
49ers tie + Saints loss or tie
49ers clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
49ers win OR
49ers tie + Packers loss or tie + Saints loss or tie
Seahawks clinch NFC West division with:
Seahawks win
Seahawks clinch a first-round bye with:
Seahawks win + Packers loss
Seahawks clinch home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:
Seahawks win + Packers loss + Saints loss
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: G Colby Gossett
- Placed on IR: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: OT Quinn Bailey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed: DL Jeremiah Valoaga (from 49ers)