Adam Gase Changes Agents
During the Broncos’ bye week, offensive coordinator Adam Gase has decided to change agents, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
Gase is one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the NFL, securing interviews with the Falcons, Bills, Bears, and 49ers.
The 36-year old offensive whiz is a favorite to land one of those jobs, and is among the most sought after assitant coaches in the NFL, after leading a record setting offense in 2013 to a Super Bowl appearance and a 12-4 Broncos team in 2014.
Gase was formerly represented by Bob Lamonte, who also represents Broncos’ coaches John Fox and Jack Del Rio, Gase’s predecessor Mike McCoy, and other notable names such as Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid and Washington’s Jay Gruden.
Gase’s new representation will come from agent James Sexton, whose notable clientele includes Tim Tebow, according to Klis.
NFC West Notes: Shanahan, Quinn, Cardinals
While the 49ers have interviewed former Washington and Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, the Niners’ main focus is deciding whether they’re better off going with a big hire like Shanahan, or if they can take the time to develop a young coach such as Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase or Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
- 49ers‘ CEO Jed York did say Shanahan was high on his list of candidates, writes Cole (via Twitter).
- Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group responded to Cole’s tweet by noting that York stated he wants the next coach to be with the team for 10 years (via Twitter). Shanahan is already 62 years old.
- Pro Football Talk adds that Shanahan would be much easier to deal with than Harbaugh was, which is a big plus after the most recent coaching situation (via Twitter).
- Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has drawn strong interest as a head coaching candidate, but his top choice for general manager and partner was Vikings assistant GM George Paton, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Unfortunately, Paton decided not to interview with the Jets or Bears, and will remain with the Vikings.
- The Cardinals are currently playing the Panthers in the Wild Card round, and star receiver Larry Fitzgerald could be in his final game with the team, writes Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Patra notes that colleague Ian Rapoport reported the team is expected to ask Fitzgerald to take a pay cut after the season, but no official decision has been made.
- Cardinals nose tackle Dan Williams could draw interest in free agency this offseason, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Williams could be set up for a contract in the range of $6MM per year, and the team’s cap situation might make it difficult to keep.
Reserve/Futures Contracts: Saturday
We’ll keep track of today’s reserve/futures contract signings here:
49ers
Chiefs
- Corbin Louks, WR (via Mike Wilkening of ProFootballTalk)
Washington
- James Gayle, LB
- Kenny Horsley, DT (via Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com on Twitter)
Coaching Rumors: Marrone, Phillips, Del Rio
As the carousel continues to spin, we’ll get you caught up on all the latest coaching rumors right here..
- The Jets will formally meet with Doug Marrone today, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips will interview for Washington‘s defensive coordinator opening this week, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- The Raiders asked for permission late last night to speak to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and an interview could come as soon as today, according to ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson (on Twitter). Del Rio, he adds, has to be considered a favorite in Oakland (link).
- Gary Kubiak is generating interest, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). When the Ravens’ season is over, Rapoport expects the 49ers and Jets to talk with him. Of course, if the Ravens’ season extends to February, there’s no guarantee those teams will wait for him.
- The Bills will interview Mike Shanahan and it could take place as early as this weekend, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Facebook).
- Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is interviewing today with the Bills for their head coaching job, according to Rapoport (on Twitter).
- The Bills will interview Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich on Sunday and the Jets will speak with him on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
- The Bills requested permission to interview Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, a team source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Coach Updates: Cowher, Quinn, Jets, Raiders
Shortly after Doug Marrone opted out of his contract with the Bills, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was mentioned as a potential target for Buffalo, but appearing today on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Cowher took himself out of the running for the Bills’ job or any other head coaching openings.
“I’m in a really good place. I really enjoy my job at CBS,” Cowher said. “You’re not going to see me on the sidelines. I enjoy it, you miss it, but not enough to get back.”
Here are a few more coaching-related tidbits that have trickled in since our last round-up:
- Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a jam-packed schedule today and tomorrow, according to Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Schefter reports that Quinn interviewed for the Jets‘ head coaching job this morning, and will speak to the Bears tonight, the Falcons tomorrow morning, and the Bills tomorrow night.
- In addition to interviewing Quinn, the Jets also completed their interview with Seahawks assistant Tom Cable today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur interviewed with the Raiders today, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Shurmur is the second candidate to interview with the club, following Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
- While the 49ers and Falcons were able to schedule interviews with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels within this week’s allotted window, the Bills were not, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). That doesn’t mean Buffalo couldn’t try to speak to McDaniels later on, but the team may not want to wait.
- A pair of potential candidates cited early in the process for the two Bay Area teams have yet to set up interviews — Bill Williamson of ESPN.com tweets that the Raiders haven’t requested permission to speak to Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio yet, while Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says (via Twitter) that the 49ers have yet to set anything up with Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
- The Buccaneers interviewed current 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman for Tampa Bay’s OC position today, reports Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears that Vic Fangio‘s interview for the 49ers‘ head coaching position lasted more than six hours and was “very impressive.”
- Michael C. Wright and Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com have the details on the coaching recommendations made by the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel.
Coach Notes: Saints, Kelly, 49ers, Jets
The Saints are making some changes to the coaching staff underneath head coach Sean Payton, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network tweets (via these links). New Orleans is parting ways with wide receivers coach Henry Ellard, tight end coach Terry Malone, and defensive backs coach Andre Curtis.
The question now is whether the team will retain defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who is highly respected around the league and in the Saints’ locker room despite the team’s recent struggles. Rapoport personally wouldn’t be surprised to see the Saints keep him and build around his scheme.
Let’s check in on a few more coaching situations around the league….
- Despite speculation that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly may be unhappy in Philadelphia following Tom Gamble’s dismissal, John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (Twitter link) hears that Kelly isn’t going anywhere. Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com tweets that a move is likely forthcoming, but it won’t involve the departure of Kelly or GM Howie Roseman.
- The 49ers will interview Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels tomorrow, a source tells Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- The Jets‘ contingent of Woody Johnson and consultants Ron Wolf and Charley Casserly will meet with Tom Cable today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). The former Raiders head coach currently serves as the Seahawks’ offensive line and assistant head coach.
- A source familiar with the Bears’ coaching search told Adam Jahns of the Sun-Times the team remains steadfast in its desire to find a GM before their next coach, but the Bears couldn’t miss their permitted opportunities to meet with Adam Gase and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn this week.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Poll: Where Will Adam Gase Land?
We learned earlier tonight that the Bills requested an interview with Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their surprisingly vacant head coach position. Gase, who also has interviews scheduled with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears, is quickly establishing himself as perhaps the most sought-after head coaching candidate in the NFL, and the interest in his services is understandable. In each of his two seasons as Denver’s offensive coordinator, Gase has guided the Broncos’ prolific offense to top-three finishes in Pro Football Outsider’s Defense-adjusted Value Over Average metric, and top-four finishes in total points scored (the Broncos were the top-ranked team in both categories in 2013).
Of course, having Peyton Manning and a wide array of elite playmakers at one’s disposal will bolster the resume of any offensive coordinator, but that has not slowed the heavy pursuit of Gase. Given the amount of interest in the 36-year-old, it appears as though head coach John Fox will be replacing his top offensive assistant for the second time in two years, having lost Mike McCoy to division rival San Diego in 2013.
Each member of Gase’s ever-growing list of suitors would present a unique challenge for him, although the San Francisco and Atlanta positions would at least offer the comfort of having a settled quarterback situation, unlike the uncertainty that Buffalo and Chicago face under center. However, no team with a head coaching vacancy offers a quarterback with Manning’s pedigree or the complement of weapons that Denver has boasted over the past several seasons, which will allow Gase the opportunity to prove that he is the offensive architect that much of the league apparently believes him to be. Indeed, Gase was rumored to be the top candidate for the Browns‘ head coaching job last year, before Cleveland ultimately hired Mike Pettine. At the time, however, the Broncos were in the middle of Super Bowl preparations, which allowed Gase to artfully sidestep an undesirable landing spot in Cleveland.
This year, though, figures to see Gase at the helm of his own club, so without knowing which team or teams will ultimately offer him a head coaching position, let’s take a guess at where he might find himself in 2015:
Where will Adam Gase land in 2015?
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49ers 24% (206)
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Falcons 23% (201)
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He will remain the Broncos' OC 21% (181)
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Bears 17% (149)
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Bills 11% (91)
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Another team 3% (28)
Total votes: 856
New Year’s Roundup: Jets, Coaches, Colston
The Jets are moving very quickly in their search for a new GM, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The team interviewed Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich in New Jersey this morning and is currently interviewing Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner. Citing a league source, Costello also tweets that New York plans to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan and Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller on Sunday or Monday. Costello reiterates (via Twitter) that the Jets would like to hire a GM before making a decision on a new head coach, but they of course must stay active in the head coaching market lest they lose a top candidate to another club. According to another tweet from Costello, one of the most significant questions the Jets are asking GM candidates is what coaches they would like to work with.
As much of the country fixates on the Sugar Bowl, let’s take a look at a few other notes from around the league:
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com notes a couple of early patterns in the Bears‘ search for a new head coach and GM, pointing out that the early coaching candidates “have a preponderance of winning in their immediate pasts” and that the team is not concerned whether their new coach has more of an offensive or defensive pedigree.
- Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times examines the most important early decisions the Bears‘ new GM must make, which include determinations on the respective futures of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall and how to handle the looming free agency of Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, both of whom are entering the final year of their current contracts.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Washington, seeking to fill its newly-vacant defensive coordinator position, is setting up interviews with 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, 49ers DB coach Ed Donatell, and Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com looks at some of the Eagles‘ potential cap casualties, including James Casey, Trent Cole, and Cary Williams.
- With a new mega-deal in his near future, Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant is focused on Sunday’s playoff game against the Lions, not his next contract, writes Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. Byrant said, “I’m just going to keep working. I can’t worry about the contract.”
- Saints wide receiver Marques Colston knows his future in New Orleans is up in the air, and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that, although Colston would like to stay with the only team he has ever known, he may be released or asked to take a pay cut with two years remaining on his current contract. If asked to take a reduction in pay, Colston said his relationship with Drew Brees and Sean Payton would play a role in his decision.
- Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 tweets that the Buccaneers are expected to request an interview with Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
Coach Notes: Bills, Gase, 49ers, Tomsula
The Bears‘ coaching position is not among the most attractive open positions in the NFL this offseason, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The Chicago job ranks well behind the 49ers and Falcons, and just barely ahead of the Jets and Raiders, according to a poll of 16 NFL executives and coaches, which was conducted before Doug Marrone opted out of his contract with the Bills. Speaking of those Bills, we have an update on their coaching search to kick off our latest round of coaching-related notes, so let’s dive in….
- The Bills have become the latest team to request an interview with Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Gase, who already has interviews scheduled with the 49ers, Falcons, and Bears, becomes the first candidate solidly linked to Buffalo, though Frank Reich, Jim Schwartz, and Bill Cowher have been cited as potential targets as well.
- Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula hasn’t yet officially met with the 49ers to discuss the team’s head coaching position, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who tweets that the Niners brass is conducting a round of meetings on the road.
- As the 49ers search for their next head coach, the team will likely prioritize candidates that fit in with GM Trent Baalke‘s vision for a power running game and a dominating defense, writes Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. That means that defensive-minded coaches may have an advantage during the interview process.
- The Eagles‘ dismissal of Tom Gamble shows that Chip Kelly doesn’t have complete authority in Philadelphia, writes Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who wonders how the decision will affect the head coach’s future with the franchise.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Fitzgerald, Austin, Koetter, Fangio
Despite general manager Steve Keim’s confirmation that the Cardinals won’t release Larry Fitzgerald during the offseason, the veteran receiver still doesn’t expect to return to Arizona next season, a source told Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Fitzgerald, who is set to count $23.6MM against the Cards’ 2015 cap, is said to be unhappy with his role in Arizona’s offense, per Garafolo. He’s due an $8MM roster bonus in March, meaning a final decision will have to made on his future before then. Here’s more from the NFC.
- Confirming earlier reports, Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin told reporters both the Falcons and the 49ers have requested permission to interview him (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). In Austin’s first season as Detroit’s DC, the club finished second it total defense and third in defensive DVOA. Lions head coach Jim Caldwell thinks Austin’s performance has warranted a promotion. “I think he’s deserving of it, and I think he’s going to get one,” said Caldwell, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I think if, once they get an opportunity to see him and listen to him and watch what he’s been able to do, I think it’ll happen for him and I think it’ll be absolutely outstanding.”
- Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will interview with the Buccaneers about the same position in Tampa Bay, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. It’s unclear if Koetter, 55, is still under contract with Atlanta, but the club is probably allowing him to seek other employment following head coach Mike Smith’s firing. Per Marvez, Koetter could also act as an OC under Jim Tomsula or Dan Quinn if either of the two secures a head coaching job.
- If 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio becomes a head coach, he’s expected to make Niners secondary coach Ed Donatell his DC, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Donatell was granted permission to talk with Washington about their coordinator vacancy, while Fangio, who’s a contender for the 49ers HC job, wasn’t (yet).