NFC Notes: AP, Bynes, McCown, 49ers, Eagles
The Vikings announced today that they’ve promoted Kevin Warren to chiefs operating officer of the franchise, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wondered this morning if that could mean the end of Adrian Peterson‘s time in Minnesota. After all, when Peterson said during the 2014 season that someone in the organization was working against him, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the running back was referring to Warren.
However, on a conference call this afternoon, Warren told reporters, including Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (all Twitter links), that he’d welcome back Peterson with open arms. Although Warren didn’t deny Schefter’s report, he did say, “I can tell you my feelings about Adrian are very positive. I hope he finishes his career here in Minnesota.”
As Goessling observes in his latest ESPN.com article on Peterson, the tone from the Vikings’ front office when discussing the running back seems to have shifted. Whether that signals an increased willingness from the Vikings to bring back the former MVP, or perhaps a desire to improve their trade leverage, things should get interesting as his reinstatement nears, writes Goessling.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- Linebacker Josh Bynes, who had been eligible for restricted free agency, won’t receive a contract tender from the Lions, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Nonetheless, the Lions have informed Bynes that they’d still like to re-sign him, presumably at a rate closer to the minimum salary. The 25-year-old will have a chance to speak to other suitors next month.
- There’s no truth to rumors that Josh McCown could’ve remained with the Buccaneers if he had been willing to accept a pay cut, according to the quarterback (link via Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune). McCown also indicated that at least a half-dozen teams have already expressed interest in signing him (Twitter link via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
- The 49ers have key free agents in Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, and Mike Iupati, but the franchise tag isn’t a viable option to keep any of those three players, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. I reached the same conclusion last weekend when I looked at the NFC West’s franchise tag candidates.
- Examining the inside linebacker position for the Eagles, Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com says he thinks the team should try to extend Mychal Kendricks this offseason. Kapadia also admits he has “no clue” which direction the Eagles will go with DeMeco Ryans, who is generally productive when healthy, but has a pricey cap hit ($6.9MM) that includes no guaranteed money.
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Lynch, 49ers
Both Cardinals GM Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians have excelled since entering their roles and they’re both on the verge of being rewarded with extensions, according to team president Michael Bidwill. “I think it’s the right thing to do, and I want to reward people that have had success and brought success to the team,” Bidwill told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “I can’t think of two people more deserving — coach of the year, two times in three years, executive of the year. They’ve both done tremendous jobs, brought tremendous leadership and success to the organization and I want to be in the habit of rewarding people that bring that kind of success.” More out of the NFC West…
- Seahawks GM John Schneider told KJR that he’s not sure if Marshawn Lynch is contemplating retirement because he wants a new contract or because he’s possibly done with football, according to Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times (on Twitter).
- When asked about free agent cornerback Byron Maxwell, Schneider stated the obvious. “He would be very sought after [if he reaches the open market],” the GM said (link). He added that the Seahawks will put up a big fight to try and keep him, but he doesn’t know if that effort will ultimately be enough (link).
- Defensive lineman Justin Smith, who is contemplating retirement, has been a regular visitor at the 49ers’ Santa Clara facility since the end of the season, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. Smith has one season remaining at a salary of $4.25MM and this could be a sign that he’s leaning toward returning in 2015.
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times still expects to see Beast Mode in a Seahawks uniform next season. Condotta also digs in to Schneider’s comments regarding contract talks with Russell Wilson. He believes that the GM was hinting that Wilson would be willing to iron out a deal that would be cap friendly, but not necessarily one that would call for a big hometown discount. Schneider’s comments also inferred that it will take some time to come together as they wait for some dominoes to fall, in Condotta’s view.
- Former NFL signal caller Jeff Garcia will interview for the Rams‘ quarterbacks coach job on Thursday, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN (on Twitter).
West Notes: Lynch, Raiders, 49ers
If Marshawn Lynch winds up walking away, the Seahawks need a solid Plan B, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. There are two prime candidates at the position: DeMarco Murray and Adrian Peterson. Murray could hit the open market if the Cowboys do not work out a long-term deal and don’t use the franchise tag. Meanwhile, the Seahawks would make plenty of sense for a veteran like Peterson who is hungry to win a championship. More from the West divisions…
- The Raiders‘ top remaining free agent is center Stefen Wisniewski, ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson writes. The two sides have talked, but they still appear to be pretty far apart on terms. Oakland could also look to keep cornerback Tarell Brown.
- New isn’t always better and many are wondering what the 49ers have done this offseason with their coaching shakeup, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “You can get a different defensive coordinator, but you’re not going to get a better one than Vic Fangio,” said former Super Bowl-winning coach Brian Billick, later adding: “The battle (for the 49ers) is: ‘Can we replace what we just lost?’ (Because) what we lost was pretty darn good.’”
- The Seahawks announced that they have promoted Rocky Seto to the position of assistant head coach on defense, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Seto previously served as Seattle’s defensive passing game coordinator.
NFC West Notes: Los Angeles, 49ers, Seahawks
With the Rams seemingly inching closer to Los Angeles, the NFL issued a memo to all 32 teams today to remind them that the league will make the major decisions regarding relocation, not the individual clubs, as Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes. In the memo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the forming of the “Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities,” consisting of owners Clark Hunt (Chiefs), Robert Kraft (Patriots), John Mara (Giants), Bob McNair (Texans), Jerry Richardson (Panthers), and Art Rooney (Steelers).
The newly formed committee will “evaluate the various stadium options available in Los Angeles, oversee the application of the relocation guidelines in the event that one or more clubs seek to move to Los Angeles, ensure proper coordination with other standing committees … and confirm that all steps taken in Los Angeles are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and NFL policies.”
Meanwhile, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, any effort by 31 different businesses to tell one business how (and where) it will do business becomes a potential violation of the antitrust laws. Whether Stan Kroenke is willing to take things to court, however, is a different story. More from the NFC West..
- The 49ers formally announced Jim Tomsula‘s full coaching staff today, including previously reported names like Geep Chryst (offensive coordinator), Tony Sparano (tight ends coach), Eric Mangini (defensive coordinator), and Jason Tarver (senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach).
- At least one 49ers player isn’t enthusiastic about the new staff in San Francisco. According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link), a Niner told him that he thinks the coaching changes will hurt the team: “Everyone will see soon enough.”
- Although Tommy John surgery was originally viewed as likely for Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, he won’t have to undergo the procedure after all, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter links). Since Sherman’s injured elbow is feeling better this week, the team intends to opt for rehab and monitor the situation, with the hope of avoiding surgery.
- According to Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com (via Twitter), another one of Pete Carroll‘s sons will be joining the Seahawks head coach in Seattle. Ariz reports that University of Miami wide receivers coach Brennan Carroll will take a position on the Seahawks’ staff, which already includes assistant WRs coach Nate Carroll.
- Meanwhile, another Hurricanes assistant may be headed to the Seahawks as well, per Thayer Evans of SI.com, who tweets that linebackers coach Michael Barrow is expected to accept the same position in Seattle. The team’s former linebackers coach, Ken Norton Jr., accepted the defensive coordinator job in Oakland last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Kaepernick Faces Uncertain Future
When Colin Kaepernick exploded onto the scene midway through the 2012 season, which culminated in a narrow defeat in Super Bowl XLVII, it was difficult to find anyone who doubted his long-term future with the club. Even the most ardent critics of the read-option seemed to believe that Kaepernick possessed enough arm talent to overcome the inevitable adjustments opposing defenses would make to his running abilities. In short, there was little doubt that he and Jim Harbaugh had firmly established themselves as one of the top quarterback-head coach combos in the league, the West Coast equivalent of Belichick and Brady.
Although 2013 did not bring with it the same explosive success for Kaepernick, the 49ers still came devastatingly close to having another crack at the Lombardi Trophy, with Kaepernick throwing an endzone interception in the waning seconds of the NFC Championship Game to seal a 23-17 win for the eventual-champion Seahawks. Kaepernick finished the regular season with 21 touchdown passes to just eight interceptions, and he added 524 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
But then 2014 happened. Amid reports that Harbaugh was on his way out at the end of the year, Kaepernick saw his performance slip, throwing 19 TDs to 10 picks and ranking as the 28th-best quarterback in the league per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), behind the likes of Mark Sanchez, Shaun Hill, and Kirk Cousins.
Now, as Tim Kawakawi of the San Jose Mercury News writes, 2015 has essentially become a lame-duck year for Kaepernick, as the seven-year, $126MM extension he signed last summer was for all practical purposes a $13MM signing bonus accompanied by seven one-year contracts. That means that the 49ers could, if they wanted, release Kaepernick without blinking an eye and without paying him another dime. Combine that reality with Kaepernick’s cap number, which will be $15.3MM in 2015 and will only go up from there, and throw in the fact that none of the current San Francisco coaches have the same personal investment in Kaepernick as Harbaugh did, and the quarterback’s status with the team becomes more than a little unclear.
And then there is the 2015 season itself, which could see the offense further regress with the possible departures of Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree and a potential schematic overhaul with the promotion of Geep Chryst to offensive coordinator. If that happens, or if the revamped coaching staff and Kaepernick do not mesh, next offseason will bring with it a great deal of uncertainty under center. With the way Kaepernick’s contract is structured, his margin for error is pretty slim, and each season will essentially serve as a new audition for an organization that has proven it is willing to prematurely cut ties with even its most successful personnel.
NFC Notes: Rams, Sam, Packers, Washington
It has been a little over a month since Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced his plan to build a new NFL stadium in Los Angeles, and it’s inching a little closer to becoming a reality, writes David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. According to Hunn, developers have begun to clear land and lay water lines at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, and the stadium still looks like a go, regardless of whether an NFL team like the Rams is lined up to play in it.
“If you have the most modern, the most beautiful NFL stadium in the world, you’re not going to have any problem populating it,” Inglewood mayor James T. Butts said. “If the NFL wants to migrate here, we would welcome it. But that’s not what this is about. This is ‘Field of Dreams’ stuff. Build it and they will come.”
Here are a few more Monday notes from around the NFC:
- Former Rams seventh-rounder Michael Sam has applied for one of approximately 100 spots in the NFL’s inaugural veteran combine later this month, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. While the former Missouri standout is hoping that leads to an NFL contract offer, Pelissero says Sam has a one-year contract offer from the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes on the table as a fallback option. The 25-year-old spent some time on the Cowboys‘ practice squad last season, but wasn’t active for any regular season games.
- Veteran 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari will be leaving San Francisco to join the Packers, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. While it’s not immediately clear what Solari’s role will be in Green Bay, his hiring appears to be part of a larger shake-up to the team’s offensive staff, as we heard yesterday.
- The Packers will have to make a decision at quarterback this offseason, with backup signal-callers Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn both eligible for free agency. As Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com writes, the team’s coaching staff likes Tolzien’s potential, but Flynn gives the club a “security-blanket feel.” For his part, Aaron Rodgers would like to see both backups re-signed.
- Free agency may offer more problems than solutions for Washington, but the team may still need to dip into the open market to find stopgap options for certain positions, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com.
- Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer takes a look at some key issues facing the Panthers this winter, including a possible long-term deal for Cam Newton, finding a solution at left tackle, and adding immediate contributors in the draft.
Minor Notes: Tomsula, Rivera, Ravens
New 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula will bring Adam Henry back to the Bay Area after he mentored two of the NFL’s most explosive rookies while at LSU the past three seasons, reports Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area. Henry will coach the 49ers’ wide receivers alongside Ronald Curry after coaching Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in 2012 and 2013 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Beckham earned offensive rookie of the year honors last season, and Landry came on strong late last season in Miami. Prior to re-entering the college ranks — Henry coached at Division I-FCS McNeese State for 10 years — Henry worked as a Raiders assistant from 2007-11, the last three as the tight ends coach. Curry, who the 49ers recently denied permission to follow former offensive coordinator Greg Roman to the Buffalo Bills, served as an offensive assistant the past two years under Jim Harbaugh. A former Raiders wide receiver, Curry’s final two years as an active player overlapped with Henry’s initial two seasons on the Raiders’ staff.
In other NFC coaching news…
- The Panthers made a legacy choice as their latest assistant-coaching hire, bringing in Cam Turner as assistant wide receivers coach, the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person notes. The nephew of Norv Turner, Cam Turner spent the past two seasons coaching at Florida International under his father, Ron Turner. Cam Turner will assist Ricky Proehl on Ron Rivera‘s staff.
- The Ravens have formed an extensive pipeline into the small-school ranks and may continue to do so, writes Bo Smolka of CSN Baltimore. In addition to selecting Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco out of Division I-FCS Delaware in 2008, the Ravens drafted four small-school prospects in the 2013 draft — including defensive tackle Brandon Williams (Division II Missouri Southern, Round 3) and fullback Kyle Juszczyk (Harvard, Round 4). Last year, they nabbed backup running back Lorenzo Taliaferro in the fourth round from Delaware. Both Williams and Juszczyk played extensively in 2014.
“We’ve tried to find value by more closely looking at small-school players,” assistant general manager Eric DeCosta said to Smolka.
2015 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates: NFC West
The deadline for assigning a franchise or transition tag on a 2015 free-agent-to-be is less than a month away, and we’re in the process of taking a look at players who are candidates to be tagged this year. Last week, we examined all four AFC divisions, covering the East, North, South, and West. This week, we’ve shifted our focus to the NFC — we kicked things off on Tuesday with the East, tackled the North on Wednesday, and looked at the South on Friday. Today, we’ll turn to the West, breaking down the possible franchise and transition tag candidates for the Cardinals, Niners, Seahawks, and Rams:
Arizona Cardinals:
- Candidates: Antonio Cromartie
- Odds of being used: Unlikely
- A handful of Cardinals regulars on the defensive side of the ball are eligible for free agency next month, including defensive tackle Dan Williams, and linebackers Sam Acho and Larry Foote. While I don’t expect all of them to bolt, it’ll be interesting to see if any follow former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to New York, where he’ll coach the Jets. Cromartie is probably the most noteworthy free-agent-to-be on the roster, but even though he had a better year in 2014 than he did in 2013, it’s hard to imagine the cornerback’s $4MM salary jumping up to an eight-digit figure via the franchise tag.
San Francisco 49ers:
- Candidates: Mike Iupati
- Odds of being used: Unlikely
- The 49ers have multiple players who may have been strong candidates to be tagged in past seasons, such as wide receiver Michael Crabtree and running back Frank Gore. Cornerbacks like Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox were also solid for San Francisco in 2014. But Iupati is the only player I can imagine the Niners tagging, and even then it’s an extreme long shot. Franchise tags for offensive lineman aren’t split up by position, so the club would have to pay Iupati, a guard, like a left tackle to tag him, which isn’t realistic — especially when the team has done such a good job building depth on its line.
Seattle Seahawks:
- Candidates: Byron Maxwell
- Odds of being used: Unlikely
- A recent report suggested that Maxwell may be seeking $12-13MM per year on his next deal, and if the Seahawks felt like he could realistically land that sort of contract, the team would have to strongly consider using a tag. However, that figure seems awfully high for a cornerback who is effective, but not in the same class as teammate Richard Sherman. In any case, Seattle doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility, and still needs to get something done with Russell Wilson as he heads into a contract year. Retaining Maxwell may be a luxury that the team can’t afford, especially at a franchise salary.
St. Louis Rams:
- Candidates: None
- Odds of being used: Extremely unlikely
- Wide receiver Kenny Britt, right tackle Joe Barksdale, and quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Austin Davis are among the notable players who are nearing free agency. None are worth more than fleeting consideration for a franchise or transition tag though.
Extra Points: Winston, Mariota, Keisel, Schaub
Let’s take a look at a few notes from around the league to finish out the night:
- Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News tweets that he has not heard anyone from a team’s personnel department say that they would draft Jameis Winston over Marcus Mariota.
- ESPN’s draft guru Todd McShay offers a contrasting viewpoint in his second mock draft, as he projects Winston will be taken first overall by the Buccaneers (Insider subscription required).
- After Brett Keisel’s season ended with a torn triceps in November, many expected his 13th season with the Steelers to be his last. However, the defensive end wasn’t talking retirement at a charity event on Wednesday. “I’ve been preparing for when that day comes, and by ‘that day’ I mean the end,” Keisel told reporters, including Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. “But right now I’m under contract and I’m going to rehab and see (how) things turn out.”
- Brown (via Twitter) wonders if FSU cornerback P.J. Williams might be of interest to the Ravens. Williams was the Defensive MVP of the 2014 BCS National Championship Game, and would be a solid addition to a secondary in need of an upgrade.
- Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton says, as players are wont to do, that the team does not need to be active in free agency to improve its defense (even if New Orleans had the cap room to be especially active players). Per Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune, Lofton says what the defense really needs is to improve its situational football: “When it comes to situational football, I think of third-and-one, third down, red zone, two-minute — all those things are super-important and lead to wins and losses. If we get better in all those areas, we’ll be pretty good next year.” Lofton said the Saints had not yet approached him about a contract restructure, but New Orleans is expected to convert his $4.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus in order to drop his cap number from $9.25MM to $6.25MM.
- Michael Wagaman of ESPN.com reports that Matt Schaub will either have to restructure his current deal with the Raiders or otherwise be released. Schaub has stated that he does not intend to retire, but if he wants one last crack at being a starting quarterback, he may prefer to get out of Oakland, where Derek Carr is seen as the future of the franchise.
- Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a look at the major changes that could be coming for the 49ers, including the likely retirement of stalwart Justin Smith.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Poll: Best Head Coaching Hire Of 2015?
As our head coaching search tracker shows, all seven NFL teams that parted ways with their head coaches at season’s end have now hired replacements, with the Falcons formally announcing today that Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn would take over Mike Smith‘s old job. The Bills, Bears, Broncos, Jets, Raiders, and 49ers all made coaching changes as well.
While Quinn was one of the most highly-regarded assistants in the league, there are a number of other intriguing names among this year’s group of seven new coaches. A pair of head coaches – John Fox and Rex Ryan – who have had success in the past jumped from one team to another, while other top coordinators like Gary Kubiak and Todd Bowles also landed new jobs leading their own teams.
Time will tell which of these seven teams made the best move, but based on what we know right now, which hiring do you like the most?
What was the best head coaching hire of 2015?
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Chicago Bears: John Fox 34% (959)
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Atlanta Falcons: Dan Quinn 18% (507)
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Oakland Raiders: Jack Del Rio 12% (336)
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Buffalo Bills: Rex Ryan 12% (322)
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New York Jets: Todd Bowles 11% (310)
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Denver Broncos: Gary Kubiak 8% (227)
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San Francisco 49ers: Jim Tomsula 4% (122)
Total votes: 2,783