NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Giants, Eagles
Once Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers inevitably part ways at some point this week, the club will need to begin its search to find his replacement as head coach. Appearing on FOX Sports, Jay Glazer (Twitter link via his colleague, Mike Garafolo) listed several candidates that San Francisco will likely interview: Dan Quinn, Todd Bowles, Jim Tomsula, Teryl Austin, Adam Gase, Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, and interestingly, UCLA head coach Jim Mora. Mora, who’s held head coaching positions with both the Falcons and Seahawks, was also mentioned as an NCAA coach likely to jump to the NFL by Albert Breer of NFL.com on Daniel Jeremiah’s Move the Sticks podcast two weeks ago. Here’s more from the NFC…
- Bears assistant coaches believe they will believe they will be fired after today’s game, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes that “wholesale changes” could be coming to Chicago. In the same vein, David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune examined what the future holds for the Bears, who are expected to fire head coach Marc Trestman and possibly GM Phil Emery.
- Tom Coughlin hasn’t been made aware of his status for 2015, but the expectation is that he will return to coach the Giants next year, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has been unequivocal in explaining that he won’t give New York a deal when it a comes to negotiations, and today he offered an even stronger, and quotable, declaration of his feelings. “Do you give discounts?” he asked Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter link). “Do you get discounts when you go to Macy’s?”
- Eagles FB/TE James Casey is due $4MM next season, and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter) doubts that he’ll return to Philly next season. Per Berman, Casey signed on with the Eagles in the hopes of getting extensive time on offense, but he’s become more of a special teams player.
- 49ers linebacker Dan Skuta is a free agent at season’s end, and Cam Inman of the Mercury News believes (Twitter link) that he’ll follow current San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to his next stop.
Jim Harbaugh Rumors: Sunday
There’s been no shortage of news regarding 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh — most recently, Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports reported that Harbaugh’s family is on its way to Ann Arbor, and that Harbaugh has accepted the Michigan job. But until the news is officially announced, we’ll keep track of the latest developments below:
- People at Michigan believe that Harbaugh will be its head coach, and Harbaugh has reportedly reached to out to several assistant coaches to determine their interest in joining him at UM (Twitter links via SportsCenter).
- The 49ers and Harbaugh will definitely part ways, and that may happen as soon as tomorrow, according to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (Twitter links). But nothing is definite between Harbaugh and Michigan, and although university officials are hopeful a deal will be struck, Raiders management still wants a shot at Harbaugh. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN says (via Twitter) Oakland will make a “concerted effort” to convince Harbaugh to lead its club.
- Michigan’s university plane is waiting in California for Harbaugh, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), who notes that if Harbaugh gets on said plane, it will be a clear indication he’s accepted the UM position.
- The university sounds confident that it will reign in Harbaugh, as it is telling incoming recruits that it will have a new head coach by the middle of this week, tweets Schefter.
- In the event that Harbaugh does land in Ann Arbor, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders how long he’ll stay, given that each of his professional coaching stints have been short-lived. After spending two years with the Raiders, three with the University of San Diego, and four with Stanford, Harbaugh is wrapping up his fourth season with San Francisco.
- 49ers assistant coaches are still in limbo, as they haven’t been made aware of any decision by Harbaugh, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- In the unlikely event that Harbaugh declines Michigan’s offer, Rapoport says (Twitter link) to keep an eye on the Bears as a potential destination. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that Chicago doesn’t make sense for Harbaugh, as the club has never paid a coach the salary that Harbaugh is looking for.
Jim Harbaugh Expected To Take Michigan Job
12:04pm: A source tells Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that Harbaugh’s family is flying into Ann Arbor on Monday, yet another indication that he’ll be taking the Michigan coaching job.
SUNDAY, 8:31am: A slew of others have reported that Harbaugh is likely to take the Michigan gig, including Dave Feldman of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), who says Harbaugh will be announced on Tuesday, and Feldman’s collegaue Matt Maiocco, who reports (Twitter link) that the 49ers have agreed to let Harbaugh of out his contract. Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that no deal has officially been signed, news which Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (multiple Twitter links), noting that while Michigan’s plan is rein in Harbaugh and introduce him Tuesday, Harbaugh hasn’t informed the Raiders that he won’t accept their head coaching job, and hasn’t told close friends that he’s going to Ann Arbor.
SATURDAY: Our own Dallas Robinson wrote last night that there would be a resolution between Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers on the future of the two parties within 72 hours, and rumors of those decisions are already coming to the forefront. Two members of the 49ers staff and a third NFL source have said that they expect Harbaugh to accept the $48MM offer to become the next head coach at the University of Michigan, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
“That’s what everybody on staff believes is going to happen this week,” one of the sources said. “Jim has figured out that his style is best-suited for the college game. His shtick works better with young guys who are gone after three or four years.”
Cole also writes that Harbaugh will be bringing along several 49ers assistant coaches to Michigan, including Reggie Davis and John Morton.
Harbaugh had been pushing the 49ers toward paying closer in the range of $10MM per year for top level head coaches, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio surmises that if NFL teams are unwilling to increase head coach salaries as revenues increase, then Harbaugh would be best off heading to Michigan for a reported $8MM annual salary.
Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News has examined reports that Harbaugh and Michigan representatives were planning to meet. He cited a report by CBS5 Arizona’s Joe Pequeno that Michigan could announce their hire as early as Tuesday. It was known that Harbaugh was considering that Michigan offer, but there was also evidence that he would have preferred to stay in the NFL, presumably taking over with the Raiders or Dolphins.
Should Harbaugh return to coach his alma mater, that decision would likely be made very soon, as they would not be comfortable waiting as other great candidates found college jobs as the offseason progresses.
While a coach of his stature could have fetched a pretty nice trade haul at one point, Harbaugh’s value and the team’s leverage have deteriorated as it has become clear he would not return to the team in 2015. A PFR Poll posted by Ben Levine on Christmas asked what was the possible compensation the 49ers could receive, however nearly 45% of voters believed the team would release him from his contract without receiving anything in return.
If he leaves for Michigan, that is exactly what the 49ers will get back for him.
La Canfora’s Latest: Texans, Browns, Harbaugh
Let’s check out the latest from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:
- The Texans are expected to make a change at general manager during the offseason, with current GM Rick Smith shifting into a new role that doesn’t involve football operations. Head coach Bill O’Brien will have significant input on who is hired to fill the position, and sources tell La Canfora that the club already has several candidates in mind. Patriots executive Nick Caserio would likely be O’Brien’s top choice, as the two worked together in New England. Other external options include the Eagles’ Tom Gamble and the Pats’ Jon Robinson, while internal candidates could include scouting director Mike Maccagnan and director of pro personnel Brian Gaine. Texans vice chariman Cal McNair has denied La Canfora’s report, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
- Meanwhile, changes could also be coming in Buffalo and Tennessee, writes La Canfora. Bills GM Doug Whaley doesn’t have a great relationship with head coach Doug Marrone, and given that the current Buffalo front office was responsible for the selection of E.J. Manuel, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the club completely overhaul its management team. Meanwhile, the Titans could opt to fire general manager Ruston Webster, and replace him with executive Lake Dawson.
- The Browns are growing increasingly frustrated with both Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel, sources tell La Canfora. Gordon, who was suspended for today’s game after missing a walkthrough on Saturday, will file a grievance against the team in order to maintain his free agent status after 2015. But Cleveland officials say Gordon “has to go,” although La Canfora says it’s unclear whether owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to trade the talented wideout. For his part, Manziel was also absent yesterday, and team security was forced to go to his house to retrieve him. The rookie quarterback reportedly threw a team party Friday night (which led to several Browns being late on Saturday), the latest questionable decision by a player who recently vowed to take the game more seriously.
- Five clubs — the Raiders, Jets, 49ers, Falcons, and Bears — are expected to make coaching changes in the coming days. The Raiders still have their eye on Jim Harbaugh, but if he takes the Michigan job as expected, the club could bring in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. And while the 49ers are expected to look at some of the younger offensive coaches during their search, the Jets, Falcons, and Bears are looking to hire an established head coach, per La Canfora. Rex Ryan is an option in Atlanta, though if the Falcons lose today and miss the playoffs, general manger Thomas Dimitroff could be axed there. In Chicago, the club could look to reunite Mike Shanahan with Jay Cutler.
- The Raiders will indeed attempt to make their pitch to Harbaugh, and would even engage in trade talks with the 49ers if possible. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that NFL executives won’t believe Harbaugh has a deal with Michigan until it’s officially signed.
- Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is a name to watch regarding head-coaching vacancies. La Canfora says sources have compared Autin’s rise to that of Mike Tomlin, who went from an unknown position coach to leading the Steelers in rapid time. Austin is expected to garner several interviews, including one with the Falcons.
Extra Points: Saints, Raiders, Jags, Eagles
After a disappointing season in New Orleans, Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan wasn’t interested in speculating about his job security. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com details, Ryan vowed to do his best to right the ship if he gets the opportunity.
“If I get a chance, that’d be awesome. But, hey, the numbers are what they are. They don’t look good,” Ryan said. “But hell, it is what it is. This is a win business. And, hey, this is a ‘tough-people’ business, too. So I’ll be great with whatever happens.”
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Raiders have yet to interview a minority candidate for their head coaching job, so the team likely won’t be ready to make a quick offer to anyone at season’s end, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
- If the first year of the David Caldwell/Gus Bradley era in Jacksonville was about survival and the second was about discovery, the third will be about winning, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who expects the Jaguars to be very active this offseason as the team reaches the point in its rebuild where contending is a priority.
- Jaguars defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, a former first-round pick, is eligible for free agency this offseason, but is “excited about the future” in Jacksonville, and hopes to remain with the team, O’Halloran writes in a separate Times-Union piece.
- Expect the Eagles to make significant changes to their secondary this offseason, says Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines Vic Fangio‘s candidacy for a head coaching job, either with the 49ers or another club.
Extra Points: Harbaugh, Draft, Titans, Pettis
The 49ers are expected to part ways with Jim Harbaugh in less than 72 hours, and interested parties are positioning themselves to land the successful, if controversial, head coach. According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports (Twitter link), the University of Michigan, which reportedly has a six-year, ~$50MM offer on the table, will send officials (and its search firm) to the Bay Area this weekend to meet with Harbaugh. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms the Michigan news, and reports that the Raiders will also speak with Harbaugh this weekend (Twitter link). Rapoport also adds (via Twitter) that Harbaugh will resolve his situation with the 49ers before he meets with either entity. Here’s more from around the league…
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net passes along the latest regarding NCAA draft entrants, reporting that while defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches of Southern Mississippi and running back Devontae Booker of Utah will likely enter the draft (Twitter links), Rutgers receiver Leonte Carr will likely return to school for another year (Twitter link).
- Meanwhile, UCF receiver Breshad Perriman didn’t receive a top-three round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, so he’s still considering whether or not to enter the draft, tweets Pauline.
- With one week left in the NFL season, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap updates both the playoff odds and the favorites for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
- While the Titans will have a chance to draft either first or second in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zach Mettenberger believes the team already has the quarterback of its future, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. “There’s not another guy out there who can do what I can do and bring what I can bring to this game.,” said Mettenberger. “Obviously (the Titans) have seen how hard I work and know that I’m a gym rat, and know that I am going to continue to get better. Really all I can do is continue that and show that I am going to continue doing it.”
- Ex-Rams receiver Austin Pettis, released by St. Louis on October 20, worked out for the Chargers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). San Diego’s Keenan Allen is nursing a collarbone injury, so Pettis could provide some insurance at the WR position.
- After releasing defensive tackle Travian Robertson earlier today, the Seahawks don’t plan on making a roster addition before Sunday’s contest, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC West Notes: Gore, 49ers, Cards, Davis
Now that he appears to be a part of the 49ers‘ future beyond this season, running back Frank Gore sounds excited about what’s ahead. “I want to be a Niner,” Gore told Mindi Bach of CSNBayArea.com. “Like I said before, it’s all I know. I’ve been here since I was 21; 21-year-old, like a kid. I know there will be changes, but I think the guys at the key positions, that’s what matters. Next year, I think Kap will get back to himself. Anquan Boldin will come back. Stevie Johnson is still under contract. Vernon Davis is still under contract. Joe Staley, Anthony Davis. I look at Patrick Willis will be back, NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith, for the season. So I think the guys at the key spots are good enough for me to say, ‘Yeah, I want to be back.’” Earlier this week, GM Trent Baalke said that he wants to bring Gore back next season. It was previously speculated that San Francisco would move on from the aging running back in favor of younger options. More news from San Francisco and Arizona…
- The Cardinals have had to go through four quarterbacks in a season before and it’s not a fun place to be, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes.
- Ryan Lindley will start at QB for the Cardinals on Sunday, but it could be his last chance to show that he belongs in the NFL, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.
- In the crazy, hypothetical scenario section of NFL chatter, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes that there is still a way for the Cardinals to get Kurt Warner on the team for the playoff run. Florio explains that if the team were to release Warner, they could then sign him immediately once he passes through waivers. However, Florio writes there is a good chance some team claims Warner to block the move, suggesting Rams coach Jeff Fisher could do it after comments Bruce Arians made about the Rams always being 8-8.
- 49ers right tackle Anthony Davis hasn’t held back in his criticism of the team’s coaching staff, specifically offensive coordinator Greg Roman, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Davis allowed that Jim Harbaugh will be gone after the season, and shared his thoughts as to what the club should do to move forward. “I don’t think it’s that complicated what we need to do. I’m just a player, and I know what we don’t need,” said Davis, now in his fifth season. “I don’t want to be close-minded about a new coach coming in with different views, but (a power-run scheme) would seem like the simplest answer.“
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
49ers Place Boone, Ventrone On IR
5:18pm: Boone has a torn meniscus and will require surgery, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
1:52pm: The 49ers have placed Alex Boone and Bubba Ventrone on IR, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). Filling their spots will be wide receiver Trindon Holliday and cornerback Cameron Fuller, who have been signed to the 53-man roster.
Boone’s knee injury is not considered to be serious, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). The team placed him on injured reserve only to open up a roster spot for the final game of the season.
Boone had reworked his contract after an extended holdout this past offseason, that resulted in language in his contract that precluded the team from using the franchise tag on him when he is set to become a free agent at the end of next year. Assuming Maiocco is correct in his assessment of the injury, it should not affect his ability to be on the field in 2015.
Ventrone is a special teams ace who has played with four teams since coming into the NFL in 2005. He is set to be a free agent this offseason.
Poll: What Could 49ers Get For Harbaugh?
We’ve seen plenty of reports that suggest that 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is on his way out the door. Of course, the 51-year-old is still under contract, but it seems like the organization would be happiest trading Harbaugh for some future assets. The 49ers would certainly get something useful for the former AP Coach of the Year, but what could they reasonably expect to get in return?
Daniel Brown of InsideBayArea.com looked back at some of the previous coach trades in NFL history, and the compensation has hardly been consistent. Since 1997, six coaches have been traded for a variety of different picks:
- Herm Edwards; Jets received a fourth-round pick from Chiefs
- Jon Gruden; Raiders received two first-rounders, two-second rounders, and $8MM from Buccaneers
- Dick Vermeil; Rams received a second-round pick, third-round pick, and $500K from Chiefs
- Marty Schottenheimer; Chiefs received two third-rounders from Washington
- Bill Belichick; Jets received a first-round pick and opportunity to swap picks from Patriots
- Bill Parcells; Patriots received first-rounder, second-rounder and fourth-rounder from Jets
There appears to be three tiers of compensation for these trades: multiple first-rounders, a first-rounder and mid-round picks, and a collection of mid-round picks. The various trade packages depended on much more than the coach’s resume, but it’s interesting to compare Harbaugh’s credentials to those before him.
Half of the coaches were given away for middle-round picks, including Schottenheimer, who had compiled a .635 winning percentage in Kansas City, and Vermeil, who had won a Super Bowl only two years prior. Parcells had previously won a pair of championships when he was traded for a first-round pick, but Belichick had only put together a 36-44 when he was swapped for a first-rounder.
The real king’s ransom was the package that the Raiders received from the Buccaneers, which got them a pair of first-rounders and a pair of second-rounders. At the time, Gruden had a 38-26 record and two playoff appearances. Meanwhile, Harbaugh has a 43-19-1 regular season record, and he’s already coached his team to a Super Bowl and two NFC Championship appearances.
There’s a chance that the 49ers could end up with no compensation for their head coach. The team could ultimately decide to relieve Harbaugh of his duties, and such a move would likely precede the head coach moving to the NCAA. There’s also a chance that the two sides could improve their relationship and Harbaugh decides to stick around.
What do you think the 49ers could expect to get back for Harbaugh? Vote in the poll below, and feel free to discuss potential packages in the comment section.
What Will 49ers Get For Harbaugh?
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No compensation (Harbaugh is released from contract) 45% (307)
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Multiple mid-rounders 21% (145)
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One first-rounder and multiple mid-rounders 19% (129)
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Harbaugh stays with 49ers 7% (47)
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Other 4% (25)
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Multiple first-rounders 4% (24)
Total votes: 677
NFC Links: Peppers, Long, McCoy
If you’ve been following our site, you’ll know that there’s been plenty of rumblings surrounding the future of 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Those rumors could certainly wear on a person, but the coach said that he’s ignored the constant whispers. He gave his strategy to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com:
“The interesting thing is if you don’t look at the Internet and you don’t watch TV, you really do not know that it’s going on. That has been exactly what I have done. Put the focus on the week of preparation, put the focus on the players and the coaches and what we are trying to get done here. It works if you really don’t pick up.
“On the way home, you don’t turn on the talk radio and you don’t look at the Internet, you can be completely unaware that anything is swirling. I walk by people and I see their faces. I know something is going on.”
Let’s take a look at some more rumbling from the NFC…
- While Packers general manager Ted Thompson usually is wary of aging players, Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette Media writes that the team shouldn’t move on from linebacker Julius Peppers. The Packers could cut the veteran without severe cap implications, but the writer believes Peppers has produced enough to stick around for at least another season.
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that lineman Kyle Long‘s future position is likely offensive tackle (as opposed to his current guard position), but some of his Bears teammates resented that prediction. “Why would you move him to guard?” said Jay Ratliff . “He’s definitely one of the best. He comes off the ball hard pretty much every single snap and he knows how to make adjustments. A lot of guys come in and you can beat them with something over and over and over again…He adjusts automatically, realizes what he’s done wrong, and self-corrects, almost auto-corrects.”
- LeSean McCoy made another Pro Bowl this season, but as Philly.com’s Zach Berman points out, the Eagles running back’s regular season success has never translated to the playoffs. Is the running back worried that he’ll never taste postseason success while in his prime? “I’m only 26; I’m not really sure,” McCoy said. “I’ve got a lot of years left, I feel like, with the way I play. I have a lot of stuff I want to accomplish. Individual and team goals. At the end of my career, I want to one day hopefully put that jacket on – and win a Super Bowl.”