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San Francisco 49ers News & Rumors

49ers To Interview Mike Shanahan, Anthony Lynn

By | at January 5, 2016 3:59 pm

3:59pm: The scheduled meeting between Shanahan and the Niners is “on hold for now,” tweets Russini, who adds that talks between the two will continue over the phone.

3:35pm: As they search for a replacement for former head coach Jim Tomsula, the 49ers will meet again with a candidate they considered last year before hiring Tomsula. According to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link),Mike Shanahan Mike Shanahan is sitting down with the Niners on Wednesday to discuss the team’s coaching vacancy.

Shanahan, the former head coach in Washington and Denver, was one of several candidates who reportedly reached out to the Niners to convey interest in the job once Tomsula was dismissed. As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets, it was less than a year ago that San Francisco met with Shanahan for six hours to discuss its head coaching job, so no introductions should be required this time around.

In addition to interviewing Shanahan, the 49ers will also speak to Bills assistant head coach and running backs coach Anthony Lynn this week about their head coaching position, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. The Niners are the second team with reported interest in Lynn — the Buffalo assistant has also lined up an interview with the Dolphins for their head coaching job.

Shanahan and Lynn join Hue Jackson and Sean Payton as likely candidates for the San Francisco job, with Chip Kelly and Mike Holmgren believed to have expressed interest as well. You can follow the latest developments with our head coaching search tracker.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Latest On Sean Payton, Colts

By | at January 5, 2016 12:32 pm

Will Sean Payton be coaching the Saints in 2016 or will he be elsewhere? The latest here:

  • The Colts had interest in Payton before extending Chuck Pagano, according to ESPN and a report from the Terre Haute Tribune Star. According to The Tribune Star, the Colts were in talks with Payton while simultaneously discussing a deal with Pagano. Technically, teams are not allowed to negotiate with Payton while he’s under contract, so the Colts have extra reason to keep those talks secretive.
  • Nothing has changed with regards to Payton’s status with the Saints so far, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. He and GM Mickey Loomis met Monday and are expected to continue discussions. A source denied that Payton’s representatives were in negotiations with the Colts, though that’s not a denial of the team expressing interest in him.
  • It will be the 49ers or the Saints for Payton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Rapoport hears that the Colts did not speak with Payton’s agent before re-signing Pagano, so it’s not quite clear what transpired between the Saints coach and Indianapolis.
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NFC West Notes: 49ers, Mangini, Rams

By | at January 4, 2016 10:23 pm

The 49ers have not interviewed any candidates yet nor scheduled any, GM Trent Baalke told reporters, including Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (on Twitter). He added that there are no in-house candidates at this time which is interesting given the presence of defensive coordinator Eric Mangini. Geep Chryst, the team’s offensive coordinator, has had head coaching buzz in the past, but his stock isn’t terribly high after a dismal 2015 season in San Francisco.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

  • While keeping option open at the position, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said that quarterback Case Keenum will enter the 2016 season as the starter at quarterback, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets.
  • Fisher also said that team intends to bring in competition for kicker Greg Zuerlein, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets. Zuerlein is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Fisher liked the job Rob Boras did as offensive coordinator, but has not made a decision yet on whether Boras will keep the job, Thomas tweets. Fisher indicated that there could be coaching staff changes made this offseason.
  • In addition to offensive coordinator Frank Reich, the Chargers announced that offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, wide receiver coach Fred Graves, defensive line coach Don Johnson, and tight end coach Pete Metzelaars have been let go.
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49ers, Dolphins Ask Permission To Interview Hue Jackson

By | at January 4, 2016 9:14 pm

Both the 49ers and the Dolphins have asked permission to interview Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, according to reports from Mike Silver of NFL Network (on Twitter) and PFT. Jackson has been tagged as a hot coaching candidate all season after turning the Bengals offense into one of the league’s best. Hue Jackson (vertical)

When asked about Jackson’s head coaching candidacy back in November, Bengals owner Mike Brown admitted that he might lose him this offseason:

“Hue is a very qualified coach. We think the world of Hue…We’ve had (Jay) Gruden and (Mike) Zimmer leave, and I’m sure after this year Hue will be a candidate,” Brown said. “It is a compliment to Marvin and maybe some others here as well. I like to see it when they achieve. It’s flattering when that happens. It works against our best interest because we have to regroup and reestablish ourselves but it’s also heartwarming to see your people achieve their ambitions.”

Under Jackson’s guidance, the Bengals finished the year with the No. 1 overall offensive DVOA in the NFL. That feat is extra impressive considering that star quarterback Andy Dalton went down with a fractured thumb in December. Jackson, of course, has experience as a head coach after manning the sidelines for the 2011 season in Oakland. Jackson was fired by the Raiders after only one season, a decision that did not sit well with many Raiders fans. The passionate coach returned to Cincinnati where he worked his way up the coaching staff to the OC position. Now, it appears that Jackson could find himself as someone’s head coach in 2016.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

 

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2016 Home And Away Opponents Named For All 32 NFL Teams

By | at January 4, 2016 6:41 pm

Earlier today, the NFL revealed the complete list of home and away opponents for NFL teams in the 2016 season. Dates for these games will not be revealed until the spring, but these are the teams that will be on each club’s schedule, including home and away designation:

Read more

1 comment Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

49ers Rumors: Baalke, Tomsula, Kaepernick

By | at January 4, 2016 2:50 pm

The latest on the 49ers, who are on the hunt for a new head coach after canning Jim Tomsula:

  • 49ers CEO Jed York says that Trent Baalke will remain as GM and that he will be in charge of finding the team’s next head coach, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets.
  • Baalke has three years left on his contract, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes (on Twitter). The GM was given an extension to line up with Tomsula’s years.
  • York is making it clear that he’s relying on his uncle, Eddie DeBartolo, to serve as an advisor and mentor in the search, PFT tweets.
  • When asked if he will sell the 49ers, York made it known that he is not interested in giving up the franchise. “My family owned this team before I was born. They’ll own the team after I’m gone,” York said (via Barrows on Twitter).
  • Tomsula is the only member of the coaching staff who has been let go, but it will be up to the new coach to put together his own staff, York says (via Maiocco on Twitter).
  • York says the 49ers will “eat” the remainder of Tomsula’s ~$10.5MM remaining salary, Barrows tweets.
  • Tomsula will be in demand as a defensive line coach, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. I personally believe that it’s hard to see Tomsula getting looked at as a head coaching candidate right now, but anything is possible.
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s thumb surgery is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday and his full recovery will take three months, Barrows tweets.
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2016 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 4, 2016 10:35 am

Several NFL teams are currently hunting for a new head coach, and amidst reports about interview requests and potential candidates, it’s easy to lose track of the latest updates in the shuffle. So we’ll use this space – which will be updated until every team has hired a new head coach – to keep track of the most recent news and rumors. It can be found on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If and when other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here’s the current breakdown:

Updated 1-18-16 (1:12pm CT)

Cleveland Browns

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

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Coach Rumors: Coughlin, Shula, Shaw, McCoy

By | at January 4, 2016 10:21 am

The Giants have yet to announce a decision one way or the other on head coach Tom Coughlin, but it sounds like we’ll find out shortly whether the club will be in the market for a new coach. According to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Coughlin is scheduled to meet with Giants ownership at 1:00 pm eastern time, and it appears a decision has been made.

As we wait to find out Coughlin’s fate, let’s check in on a few other coaching-related notes and rumors….

  • Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula figures to draw interest from teams searching for a head coach, but he doesn’t plan to interview while Carolina remains alive in the postseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Since the Panthers aren’t scheduled to play until the divisional round, that would mean any potential suitors for Shula would have to wait until at least January 17th, and possibly later, to interview him, which could reduce interest.
  • Rapoport also provides an update on David Shaw, tweeting that the Stanford coach plans to remain in his current role, despite the possibility of garnering interest from the 49ers and/or Colts.
  • Chargers head coach Mike McCoy is scheduled to address the media later today, and as Ben Higgins of 10News in San Diego tweets, that looks like a positive sign for McCoy, since teams don’t typically schedule presser for coaches that are being fired.
  • The Browns‘ unusual approach to their coaching and GM searches could complicate the process for the team, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Since executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown will have final say on the 53-man roster, rival teams will have the option of blocking their own executives from interviewing for Cleveland’s GM job. The Browns also plan to hire a head coach before landing a GM, so while it may be appealing for a head coaching candidate to have the opportunity to bring in his own personnel guy, that guy would have to be unemployed, or employed by a team willing to let him go.
  • Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo is among the candidates the Eagles are expected to consider for their head coaching job, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
2 comments Carolina Panthers Cleveland Browns Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Chargers New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers

Chip Kelly, Mike Shanahan Interested In 49ers’ Job

By | at January 4, 2016 7:40 am

Former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has reached out to the 49ers to express interest in San Francisco’s head coaching job, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), and Kelly is far from the only former NFL head coach interested in the position. Per Michael Silver of NFL.com, former Denver and Washington coach Mike Shanahan has also conveyed interest in the job, after interviewing a year ago for the opening.

While it remains to be seen how strongly Kelly’s and Shanahan’s interest in Jim Tomsula‘s old post is reciprocated by the 49ers, it certainly appears as if the team will have no shortage of candidates interested in the role. Former Packers and Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren has also reportedly reached out to San Francisco to let the club know he has interest in the job.

There may be some concern that Shanahan, 63, and Holmgren, 67, could be past their coaching primes, so Kelly could be the most intriguing name of the bunch for the Niners’ decision-makers. A mobile quarterback like Colin Kaepernick could have bounce-back potential under Kelly, who has a strong relationship with 49ers executive Tom Gamble, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets.

In addition to Kelly, Shanahan, and Holmgren, Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Saints head coach Sean Payton have been cited as options for the 49ers, though those two men will be more difficult to interview, with Jackson’s club alive and well in the playoffs, and Payton still under contract with New Orleans.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears that the Saints will likely want a second-round pick to part ways with Payton, which may deter potential suitors like San Francisco. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints coach is ultimately dealt for a mid-rounder, since he wouldn’t want his new club to give up much.

So far, it doesn’t appear the 49ers have scheduled any formal interviews as they search for Tomsula’s replacement, but that figures to change very soon.

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Top 20 Teams Set For 2016 NFL Draft

By | at January 4, 2016 12:04 am

With the 2015 NFL regular season now complete, the 2016 draft order has been set for the teams that didn’t earn playoff berths this year.

The order for the top 20 is determined first by record — the teams with the worst records get the highest picks. The tiebreaker for teams that finish with identical records is strength of schedules. The easier the team’s schedule, the higher its pick. The thinking there is that if two teams finished with the same record, the team that played the easier schedule is likely the “worst” of the two teams, earning that club the higher pick.

Via NFL.com, here’s how the top 20 breaks down for the 2016 NFL draft, with each team’s record and opponents’ winning percentage noted in parentheses:

  1. Tennessee Titans (3-13, .492)
  2. Cleveland Browns (3-13, .531)
  3. San Diego Chargers (4-12, .527)
  4. Dallas Cowboys (4-12, .531)
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11, .473)
  6. Baltimore Ravens (5-11, .508)
  7. San Francisco 49ers (5-11, .539)
  8. Miami Dolphins (6-10, .469)
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10, .484)
  10. New York Giants (6-10, .500)
  11. Chicago Bears (6-10, .547)
  12. New Orleans Saints (7-9, .504)
  13. Philadelphia Eagles (7-9, .508)
  14. Oakland Raiders (7-9, .512)
  15. St. Louis Rams (7-9, .527)
  16. Detroit Lions (7-9, .535)
  17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8, .481)
  18. Indianapolis Colts (8-8, .500)
  19. Buffalo Bills (8-8, .508)
  20. New York Jets (10-6, .441)

While teams that played weaker schedules will get the higher draft picks – via tiebreaker – in the first round, that’s not the case for every round. Teams that finished with identical records will rotate order throughout the draft, so the Browns, for instance, will pick ahead of the Titans in round two.

As for the remaining 12 spots, those will be determined based on which teams are eliminated from the playoffs first. The four teams knocked out in the Wild Card round will pick 21st through 24th, for example — the clubs with the weaker records will get the higher picks. The full order will be determined after the Super Bowl, with this year’s champion getting the last pick of the first round — unless, of course, that’s the Patriots, who won’t have a first-rounder in 2016.

2 comments 2016 NFL Draft Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Detroit Lions Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets Newsstand Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans
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