Extra Points: Suh, David, Accorsi, Draft
Lions star Ndamukong Suh has a chance of winning the appeal of his suspension, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. If Suh can win the appeal, he’ll be in action for Sunday’s playoff game against the Cowboys. While we wait to see how that plays out, let’s take a look at more news from around the NFL..
- Discussing linebacker Lavonte David, Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said the team would “like to lock him up now,” tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, adding that negotiations on a new deal are underway. The 2012 second-round pick becomes extension-eligible this offseason for the first time.
- The Bears announced today that they’ve hired former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi as a consultant as the team searches for a new GM and head coach, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Meanwhile, team president and CEO Ted Phillips confirmed today that besides offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer, whose contract was terminated, all of the other Bears assistants are still with the team (Twitter link). That includes defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.
- Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown and Arkansas defensive tackle Darius Philon may be playing their final college games tonight, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), who says both players are leaning toward entering the 2015 draft. The two players’ teams square off in the Texas Bowl.
- Former star NFL wideout Cris Carter indicated today (via Twitter) that his son, CFL receiver Duron Carter, will visit the Colts on January 5 and the Vikings on January 9.
- According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (all Twitter links), Carter isn’t the only notable CFL player drawing significant NFL attention. Caplan reports that Hamilton Tiger-Cats cornerback Delvin Breaux has 18 teams interested in bringing him in for a visit and/or a workout, including the Eagles, Patriots, Texans, Jaguars, Dolphins, Cardinals, Steelers, Lions, 49ers, and Broncos.
- Utah offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi announced that he will enter the 2015 draft, as Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. Poutasi projects as a mid-round prospect.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
49ers Notes: Beckham, Tomsula, Harbaugh
The 49ers liked Odell Beckham Jr. quite a bit in the 2014 draft, but GM Trent Baalke says the price was just too rich for his blood, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. “He’s a heck of talent,” Baalke said. “He was graded as a heck of a talent by our scouts, by our coaches, by all parties. But what it would have taken to make that move would have cost us our first-, our second- and one of our third-round picks and maybe something on top of that. So, in essence, you would have been giving up (cornerback) Jimmie Ward, you would have been giving up (center) Marcus Martin or (linebacker) Chris Borland and you would have given up (running back) Carlos Hyde, plus somebody else. So you would have given up three young quality players to get one. And that was decision that collectively we weren’t willing to make.” Tonight’s look at the Niners..
- The 49ers will be interviewing their defensive line coach, Jim Tomsula, for the head coaching opening, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- Baalke said the 49ers will spend “seven to ten days interviewing” candidates to be team’s next head coach, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today.
- Baalke says he will have control of the 53-man roster with the new head coach, according to Christian Gin of Examiner (on Twitter). He went on to say that at least one NFL team contacted him about some possible trade for Jim Harbaugh.
Reserve/Futures Contracts: Monday
Teams have been announcing their reserve/futures deals all day long, but not every club has made those pacts official. Here are the odds and ends from today as we await the full slate:
49ers
- Garrison Smith, DL (via agent David Canter on Twitter)
- Chris Martin, OL (via agent Brett Tessler on Twitter)
Bears
- Conor Boffeli, G
- Jonathan Brown, LB
- Rashad Lawrence, WR
- Jacob Maxwell, TE
- Jason Weaver, T (all via Adam Hoge of WGN on Twitter)
Broncos
- Jeremy Kelley, WR
- Curtis Marsh, CB
- Chase Vaughn, DE
- Kyle Williams, WR (all via Troy Renck of the Denver Post on Twitter)
Buccaneeers
- Matthew Masifilo, DT (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times on Twitter)
- Shelton Johnson, S (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times on Twitter)
Eagles
- Josh Andrews, OL (via Tessler on Twitter)
Falcons
- Brandan Bishop, S (via agent David Canter on Twitter)
Saints
- Toben Opurum, FB
- Willie Snead, WR (via Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune on Twitter)
Washington
- Lakendrick Ross, DL (via ESPN 980 on Twitter)
East Notes: McDaniels, Jets, Giants
A look at the AFC and NFC East..
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is a popular man. A source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) that the Falcons and 49ers have asked for permission to chat with him.
- The Jets will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn in Seattle on Saturday, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter). Even though they’ll chat with him about their coaching vacancy, the organization’s preference is to get a GM in place first.
- The Jets have requested to interview Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Kirchner is GM John Schneider‘s right-hand man and has been mentioned as a possibility for the Jets in the past.
- Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that Steve Spagnuolo is a possibility for the Giants‘ defensive coordinator job if Perry Fewell is let go. However, it’s not a certainty that Fewell will be fired.
Dan Quinn Receiving Interest As Head Coach
Three teams with head coaching openings – the 49ers, Falcons, and Jets – have requested an interview with Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), those clubs haven’t necessarily filed formal requests yet, but all three are expected to do so shortly.
Quinn, who drew interest as a head coaching candidate a year ago, led the Seattle defense to another outstanding season in 2014. The Seahawks ranked first in the league by a wide margin in yards allowed per game, giving up a mere 267.1 — the second-place Lions allowed 300.9 yards per contest. The Seattle D, which allowed the third-fewest rushing yards per game, was also the only unit to allow fewer than 200 passing yards per game (185.6).
Because the Seahawks have a first-round bye, Quinn is permitted to interview for head coaching jobs this week, and it looks like he’ll have the opportunity to be in the mix for at least three of the five current vacancies.
Of the teams linked to Quinn so far, the division-rival 49ers represent perhaps the most interesting potential destination. According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Quinn isn’t the only NFC West defensive coordinator the Niners are eyeing early in the process — the club has also asked permission to interview Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Arizona is scheduled to play its Wild Card game this Saturday, so Bowles won’t be permitted to interview for any head coaching jobs this week.
Coaching Rumors: Harbaugh, Coughlin, Gase
There has been plenty of action since our first round of coaching rumors this morning, with five teams – the 49ers, Raiders, Jets, Falcons, and Bears – now in the market for new head coaches. We’ve had enough news and rumors since then to warrant another round-up of the latest coaching-related updates, so let’s dive in….
- Although an agreement appears to be in place between Jim Harbaugh and the University of Michigan, NFL teams like the Bears, Jets, and Raiders continue to make overtures to try to change his mind, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report confirms (via Twitter) that the Raiders are still making a push to try to land Harbaugh, even if it looks like a long shot at this point.
- Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has been told he’ll be back to coach the team in 2015, but has a meeting scheduled for this afternoon with co-owner John Mara to discuss possible changes to the coaching staff, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
- The Falcons and 49ers have already requested permission to speak to Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Coaches who currently work for playoff teams with first-round byes are allowed to interview for jobs this week, so Gase is one coordinator whose name figures to surface frequently in the next few days.
- In addition to Gase, the Falcons may also look to talk to Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has several tidbits for us, tweeting that Jack Del Rio could emerge as a coaching candidate for the Raiders, the Falcons will contact Rex Ryan, and Mike Shanahan could have interest in the Bears‘ job.
- Former 49ers head coach Mike Singletary, who currently serves as an advisor to NFL executive Troy Vincent, would have interest in interviewing for the Bears‘ head coaching job, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Coaching Rumors: Ryan, Falcons, Bears, 49ers
Black Monday is underway, and a handful of teams are expected to make announcements today regarding changes to their coaching staffs and/or front offices. Here are a few of the latest rumors to start off the day:
- The Jets were the first team to formally announce the firing of a head coach this morning, and Rex Ryan appreciated the quick, definitive decision from owner Woody Johnson, since he feels as if he has a chance at another head coaching job, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. Per Mehta (Twitter links), Ryan will explore head coaching opportunities, and if he doesn’t land a job, he believes his next role will be with ESPN — he doesn’t have interest in any defensive coordinator positions.
- Mike Smith is “absolutely done” in Atlanta, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That coincides with what we’ve heard in recent weeks, and is no surprise, considering how the Falcons finished their regular season yesterday. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates (via Twitter) that while Smith’s tenure with the Falcons is “on life support,” the same doesn’t appear to be true for general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
- While multiple reports have suggested the Bears will likely part ways with head coach Marc Trestman, Trestman himself is preparing as if he’ll return for the 2015 season, writes Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Rapoport tweets that the Bears head coach figures to make a “strong case” to save his job, perhaps pointing to the performance by quarterbacks not named Jay Cutler in his system. Still, it’s hard to imagine the club bringing Trestman back for another year.
- The 49ers are in no hurry to name their next head coach, according to Rapoport, who tweets that the search is expected to be “lengthy and methodical.” One in-house candidate, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, won’t be joining Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. As for Harbaugh’s offer from Michigan, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that it could ultimately get up to $9MM per year, since there was some “quiet bidding” over the weekend.
- The Raiders were “truly in the mix” for Harbaugh before he decided to go to Michigan, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, adding that Harbaugh was the Raiders’ top choice and they were disappointed not to land him. Oakland is now expected to cast a wide net as the club attempts to identify its next coach, though if it were up to the players, perhaps interim coach Tony Sparano would be the top choice, says Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group. Sparano will have the opportunity to interview for the permanent job, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com.
- Titans CEO Tommy Smith reiterated yesterday that head coach Ken Whisenhunt and GM Ruston Webster will both be back for the 2015 season, writes Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com.
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
Jim Harbaugh, 49ers Agree To Split
49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh have agreed to mutually part ways, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Harbaugh has coached his last game for the team, and is now free to pursue other employment.
Harbaugh was clear in his post-game press conference that he would not be returning in 2015, but allowed room for the team to release their statement before making any announcement himself, according to Dylan DeSimone of CSNAuthentic.com (via Twitter).
49ers’ CEO Jed York made a statement regarding the situation, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). “Jim and I have come to the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interest to move in different directions.” York is now looking towards his next coach, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). “We are now squarely focused on finding next head coach of 49ers … confident in Trent’s ability to lead that process.”
The 49ers are no longer responsible for paying the remainder of his contract, according to Garafolo (via Twitter). Of course, the team is also no longer entitled to compensation should Harbaugh take another NFL job.
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report remarks that the only way the 49ers would let him out of his contract is if he was going to Michigan for sure (via Twitter). He believes the team would not have agreed to this if there was a chance he would go to Oakland or another NFL team.
In response to questions about the Michigan job, Harbaugh announced that there will be an announcement made regarding his future, according to Dan Murphy of ESPN (via Twitter). Regarding whether he would miss the NFL if he left, Harbaugh was non-committal according to Nick Baumgardner of MLive Media Group (via Twitter). Harbaugh simply replied, “Is the NFL going somewhere?”
Justin Smith Expected To Retire
After wrapping up his fourteenth NFL season later today, 49ers defensive end Justin Smith is expected to retire, reports Alex Flanagan of NBC (Twitter link). Smith, 35, has spent the past seven years in San Francisco after playing the first half of his career with the Bengals.
A first-round pick out of Missouri in 2001, Smith was a fixture on a mid-2000s Cincinnati team that made the playoffs just once during his tenure. In 2008, he joined the 49ers on a six-year, $45MM contract, and became a stalwart of SF’s defensive line, playing at both tackle and end in the Niners’ 3-4 scheme. An extremely durable player, Smith has missed just three games during his career. All told, he’s started 216 games, racking up 87 sacks, 613 tackle, and 16 forced fumbles.
Even in his final season, Smith grades out well according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, rating as the ninth-best 3-4 defensive end among 46 qualifiers (subscription required). Per PFF, he was dominant from 2009-11, when he graded as the No. 1 overall 3-4 DE each season.
Losing Smith will be just blow to the 49ers defense during the offseason. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio are expected to depart, fellow defensive lineman Ray McDonald was released following sexual assault allegations, and most of the club’s reliable cornerbacks are unrestricted free agents.