Coaching Notes: Trestman, Bowles, Shanahan
We learned earlier today that Mike Smith was unlikely to return as coach of the Falcons in 2015, but there are plenty of head coaching candidates for whom the future appears much brighter, along with a number of others who are likely to be relieved of their duties or otherwise on the move. Let’s take a look:
- As we passed along earlier, Bears head coach Marc Trestman is expected to be fired after the season.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is a top head coaching candidate for the Jets and Bears, and the Dolphins have not ruled out a reunion with Bowles.
- Although the University of Michigan apparently has a legitimate chance to land 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh as its next head coach, the Wolverines also have the Ravens‘ John Harbaugh, the Saints‘ Sean Payton, the Bills‘ Doug Marrone, and the Cowboys‘ Jason Garrett on their radar, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Outside of Jim Harbaugh, however, the other named candidates are highly unlikely to appear in maize and blue next year.
- In the same piece, La Canfora writes that Jim Harbaugh briefly accepted the Michigan job in 2011 before changing his mind shortly thereafter.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that UCLA’s Jim Mora and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn are two collegiate coaches whom NFL teams may consider for head coaching vacancies in 2015. Rapoport adds (Twitter links) that he would expect the 49ers to have interest in Mora and the Dolphins to have interest in Malzahn.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that Mike Shanahan has not ruled out a return to coaching in 2015, and Florio lists the Falcons and 49ers as possible destinations. However, Shanahan, who was responsible for drafting Jay Cutler, maintains his belief that Cutler is a franchise quarterback, and the Bears (assuming they hang on to Cutler) may want to pursue Shanahan.
NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez
49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.
Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
- Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
- Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
- With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
- The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.
Ian Rapoport On Jim Harbaugh’s Future
Earlier today, our own Ben Levine put together a few notes on Jim Harbaugh’s future, whether it be in the NFL or going back to coach in college. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com takes an interesting look at the timeline involved with Harbaugh’s decision in a series of tweets.
Although the University of Michigan would like an answer sooner rather than later, Harbaugh will wait until his season is over before entertaining future options. He will meet with key members of the organization after he meets with the players once the season is over, which will likely be next Monday or Tuesday (via Twitter).
We already know from a number of reports that Harbaugh is conflicted about whether he should pursue another NFL job or go to Michigan. The reports are that his heart is in NFL, but Rapoport writes that he is surprised by how hard his alma mater is pursuing him (via Twitter).
Although the reports are out there on Michigan’s interest in their former quarterback, Rapoport also notes that Harbaugh has yet to speak directly with the university. He has not had any face-to-face meetings with Michigan officials, and all contact so far has come through intermediaries (via Twitter).
When he does meet with the 49ers’ officials on next Monday or Tuesday, as Rapoport predicts, he will likely tell the team what he has decided. At that time, he will let them know whether he has decided to leave for Michigan, or whether they should explore a trade with another NFL team (via Twitter). He believes Harbaugh already has a good idea of which NFL teams would be interested in acquiring his services (via Twitter).
Assuming Harbaugh leaves, Rapoport believes that the 49ers’ top in-house candidate would be defensive line coach Jim Tomsula (via Twitter). He also notes that head coaching candidates outside the organization would include top offensive assistants Adam Gase of the Broncos and Josh McDaniels of the Patriots.
Latest on Jim Harbaugh
We learned yesterday that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was seriously considering Michigan’s job offer, with his family pushing him to take the college gig. However, reports suggest that Harbaugh wants to stay in the NFL, or at least explore the options that will open up following the season.
Of course, the Harbaugh rumblings have continued as everyone awaits the head coach’s decision. Let’s check out some of the notable whispers…
- As Harbaugh debates whether he wants to accept the job at Michigan or stay in the NFL, the Wolverines are anxiously awaiting the decision. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the head coach is likely waiting to see which NFL opportunities open up. Meanwhile, Michigan would like to fill their head coaching vacancy before the top candidates sign elsewhere.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports opines that Harbaugh will stay in the NFL, and he points to the Raiders as the likeliest landing spot (via Twitter). The writer adds that Harbaugh is “10,000 percent” leaving the 49ers.
- ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson writes that Harbaugh will surely be allowed to bring his own general manager if he signs with the Raiders. Williamson suggests Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel Tom Gamble and Patriots coaching assistant Michael Lombardi as a fit.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com believes the top candidate from outside the 49ers organization to replace Harbaugh would be Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The writer notes that McDaniels turned down a chance to interview with San Francisco in 2011 (via Twitter).
- ESPN’s Chris Mortensen also suggests McDaniels, and he mentions another candidate to replace Harbaugh: Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase (via Florio).
Extra Points: L.A., 49ers, Draft, Daniels
The Chargers recently confirmed that they’ll continue to play in San Diego for the 2015 season, and it sounds as if the Rams could be the next team to make a similar announcement. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link) and Albert Breer of the NFL Network both indicate that officials in Missouri are expected to present the franchise with a plan containing “substantial public funding” soon, which will make it difficult for the club to justify leaving for Los Angeles in the short term. While there have been plenty of whispers about the possibility of one or two teams making the move to L.A., the smart money says it probably won’t happen in 2015, according to Breer.
Let’s round up a handful of other items from around the NFL….
- The 49ers have already begun the process of researching potential head coaching candidates from other organizations, writes Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Cole writes that this is further proof that the organization will move on from Jim Harbaugh this offseason.
- Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins announced (via Twitter) that he’ll return to school for another season. Meanwhile, Alabama safety Landon Collins is viewed as a lock to enter the draft, sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- As NFL executive Troy Vincent points out (via Twitter), the requests for early evaluation from NCAA underclassmen dipped from 214 last year to just 147 this year. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that perhaps this means the number of early entrants will decline by a similar rate this year, but as Rand Getlin and Dan Wentzel of Yahoo! Sports write, the NFL instituted new limits this year on the information the league will provide potential early entrants. Only five underclassmen per college program can receive info, and the league will only tell those players if they’re first- or second-round picks.
- Seahawks backup quarterback B.J. Daniels had his salary increased from the practice squad rate up to an active roster rate, reports Brian McIntyre of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Patriots had three defenders – defensive end Cam Henderson, defensive lineman Antonio Johnson, and edge defender Rufus Johnson – in for tryouts this week, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
- Washington is staring at the possibility of a second consecutive three-win season, and the team hasn’t even shown signs of trending upward, according to John Keim in his mailbag for ESPN. With issues between the coach and quarterback, Washington is having a season to forget.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Breer’s Latest: Coaches, Bears, Whaley
As usual, Albert Breer of the NFL Network touches upon several notable topics in his weekly notes piece for NFL.com, leading off with a look at the Falcons and head coach Mike Smith. Unapologetic about the fact that his team could sneak into the playoffs with a 7-9 record, Smith was also adamant that he doesn’t feel as if he’s coaching for his job as the season winds down. Still, one has to imagine, given how available the NFC South crown has been for the taking this season, that if the Falcons lose one of their final two games and miss out on a playoff berth, the team will have to think long and hard about making changes.
Here’s more from Breer:
- Suggesting that perhaps the adversarial relationship between Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden in Washington has been overblown, Breer writes that the head coach simply wants the former second overall pick to earn his playing time, just like everyone else on the roster.
- One veteran NFL executive predicted to Breer earlier this year that Bears head coach Marc Trestman would have trouble navigating off-field frustrations in Chicago, since he “doesn’t have the ability to control the locker room.” Considering all that’s happened since then – from the blowout losses to the Aaron Kromer incident to Jay Cutler‘s benching – it’ll be hard for the Bears to bring back Trestman next season, and general manager Phil Emery‘s job isn’t safe either, writes Breer.
- A source told Breer earlier this week that the University of Michigan is “very much in the game” for Jim Harbaugh.
- GM Doug Whaley may be on the hot seat if the Bills fail to make the playoffs after giving up their 2015 first-round pick to win now, but Whaley can point to his construction of an elite defensive unit if and when he makes a case to keep his job, says Breer.
- Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly will likely consider making the leap to the NFL in January, or at least weigh the idea more seriously than he has in the last two years, according to Breer, who indicates that Kelly is frustrated with the school’s administration. The 49ers could be connected to Kelly since owner Jed York is a Notre Dame alum, but defensive line coach Jim Tomsula still appears to be the favorite to take over for Harbaugh.
Latest on Jim Harbaugh, Michigan
Jim Harbaugh has been in the news recently, as the 49ers have been eliminated from playoff contention and tensions between him and the organization have culminated in a disappointing season. Harbaugh’s alma mater, the University of Michigan, has reportedly offered him a mammoth $48MM contract to be their head coach.
Here are a few notes regarding Harbaugh’s purported next coaching stop:
- Harbaugh’s family and friends have encouraged him to take the job coaching the University of Michigan, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. However, Harbaugh still wants to coach in the NFL, even if it is with a team besides the 49ers. He will likely wait for NFL jobs to come open in order to see what is available before getting back to Michigan regarding their opening. Schefter also writes that NFL teams may not be willing to open up the checkbooks as wide as Michigan is, as the Wolverines are starved to return to their winning ways.
- One job that has not become available yet that Harbaugh might be interested is with the Dolphins, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN. If the Dolphins decide to move on from Joe Philbin, he may be a top candidate as his replacement. The organization pursued him very adamantly the last time he was available, and could be interested again.
- Despite reports that Harbaugh is set on staying in the NFL, Marcellus Wiley of ESPN reports that he has two sources that confirm Harbaugh will be the next head coach at the University of Michigan (via Twitter). According to Wiley, the announcement will come after the NFL season.
- Not everyone is sold on Harbaugh leaving for college however, and one adamant doubter is Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. He writes that the move for Harbaugh to return to college, after the NFL success he has experienced, would be unprecedented. He writes that while it is not impossible, that it would be surprising to see him make that move.
Minor Moves: Thursday
We’ll round up Thursday’s minor moves from around the NFL, including practice squad signings and cuts, in this space, with the latest transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Seahawks added former Dolphins tight end Gator Hoskins to the practice squad, according to the NFL’s personnel notice (via Brian McIntyre on Twitter). Safety Dion Bailey was released to make room.
- The 49ers are promoting nose tackle Mike Purcell to their 53-man roster for this Saturday’s game, head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters today (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). The team had an opening on its roster after releasing defensive lineman Ray McDonald.
Earlier updates:
- The Ravens have moved on to their third long snapper of the season, signing Patrick Scales today to replace Kevin McDermott, who is headed to injured reserve with an elbow injury, according to the team. McDermott had been signed in October to replace Morgan Cox, who sustained a season-ending knee injury. Within the same release, the club also announces a change to its practice squad, with running back Tauren Poole replacing tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi.
- The Broncos have filled up their practice squad once again by signing offensive lineman Demarcus Love to take the 10th and final opening, tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
AFC West Notes: Carr, Sparano, Broncos
Chargers head coach Mike McCoy has no concerns about Philip Rivers heading into this week’s contest against the 49ers, writes Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. “Philip had an outstanding day,” McCoy said. “A ball did not hit the ground in all the throws he made today. Philip was Philip, so he’ll be ready to roll.” The QB missed his first official practice in several years one day earlier, but all indications are he still start Saturday night against the 49ers. More out of the AFC West..
- There has been speculation for months about who will be the next coach of the Raiders but if he had it his way, rookie quarterback would like to have Tony Sparano stay in the position, writes Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group. “Yeah, we love him,” Carr said. “He’s our leader. Absolutely. We love him. Obviously, those decisions are going to happen, and we have no control in that. Those decisions will be made, and whoever is here is who we’ll play for.”
- Mike Klis of The Denver Post looked at the Broncos that could depart in free agency, including Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas. “I don’t want to leave,” said the 335-pound athlete lovingly referred to as Pot Roast. “I want to be here. But I’ve been in the position before, and I know how it works.” Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton is also set to hit the open market and while he’s not as integral as the two offensive superstars, he badly wants to stay in Denver.
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com discussed the University of Michigan’s rumored offer to 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and how it impacts the Raiders. Williamson feels that if Raiders owner Mark Davis really wants Harbaugh, he knows that he’ll have to pay big, so matching or exceeding the Wolverines’ offer is not out of the question.
Michigan Offers Jim Harbaugh $48MM Deal
The University of Michigan has its sights set on Jim Harbaugh and they’re not giving up. After initially being rebuffed by the polarizing coach, the Wolverines have upped their offer to a six-year, $48MM deal, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter).
A week ago, Harbaugh indicated to UM officials that he preferred to stay in the NFL, according to Rapoport, but this whopping offer might bring about a change of heart. It’s clear that the former Michigan quarterback is their top choice to take over for their coaching vacancy and with the 49ers out of the playoff picture, this could be the right time for them to strike. Harbaugh had previously indicated he wouldn’t give the Michigan gig serious consideration but a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that’s changed very recently.
Harbaugh is under contract through 2015 with San Francisco but there has been talk all season long that there are some in the front office and in the locker room that would like to see him go. Back in October, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported that there was “no way” the 49ers would bring Harbaugh back for that season; not even if he won the Super Bowl.
The offer is potentially bad news for the Raiders, who have been said to have Harbaugh at or near the top of their list. With Jon Gruden effectively contracted to stay in the Monday Night Football booth through 2021, the Raiders would be dipping into their secondary tier of coaching candidates.
The Michigan deal would carry an average annual value of $8MM. Assuming that $48MM total is base salary and does not include incentives, it would make him the highest paid coach in college football, edging out Nick Saban of Alabama, who is earning $7.16MM this season before bonuses (h/t USA Today Sports).