Raiders To Release Derek Carr
FEBRUARY 14: The Raiders officially released Carr, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Carr will hit the market a month before free agency, allowing him to determine his 2023 plans weeks ahead of his free agent QB peers. The Raiders save $29.3MM in cap space by making this move.
FEBRUARY 13: With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, Derek Carr‘s guarantee vesting date is fast approaching. The Raiders do not plan to wait until the deadline. They will release their longtime starting quarterback Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).
The Raiders would have until 3pm CT Wednesday to find a Carr trade partner, but the veteran passer has already indicated he will not waive his no-trade clause. That leaves the Raiders with little choice here, given their actions to this point. They will cut Carr to avoid paying the $40.4MM guarantee.
This unique free agency derby will feature a few teams. The Saints, whom Albert Breer of SI.com notes are the only team to send the Raiders a Carr trade offer, will be one. The Jets are believed to view Carr as an Aaron Rodgers backup plan, while Rapoport notes the Panthers, Titans and perhaps others will be in the mix.
Tuesday’s transaction will not only end this unusual divorce and spur a fascinating pursuit — one that will put teams to decisions on going after Carr now or waiting for other options later — but it will also wrap the Raiders’ longest-running partnership with a starting quarterback. Although Ken Stabler was a Raider longer than Carr, the Hall of Famer did not begin his run as a full-time starter until his sixth season (1973). The Raiders needed Carr from the jump, plugging him into the lineup in Week 1 of his rookie season. Carr ended up starting 142 games as a Raider, but the team stopped that streak abruptly with a benching ahead of its Week 17 game last season.
The Raiders, who will only be hit with $5.6MM in dead money by this release, gauged Carr’s fit in Josh McDaniels‘ offense via their three-year extension agreement. But that deal’s escape hatch — the Feb. 15 guarantee vesting date — will trigger Las Vegas’ quarterback search. Carr constantly landed in trade rumors under previous regimes, but the Raiders held onto him through the Jack Del Rio and Jon Gruden‘s stays. The Raiders did not have much luck at quarterback in the years immediately before taking Carr in the 2014 second round, with the Carson Palmer and JaMarcus Russell moves in particular costing the team dearly. But McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler will replace Carr this year.
Carr, 32 in March, could have been a potential chip at last year’s trade deadline, but The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes (subscription required) the Raiders were not ready to pull the plug at that point. Even after a 24-0 loss to the Saints, the Raiders hoped Carr and McDaniels would mesh down the stretch. The 2-5 team stayed the course, but late in a season that saw Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow sidelined for extended stretches, the Silver and Black showed their cards with the benching. Davante Adams has said he remains committed to the Raiders, despite Carr driving him to seek out Vegas as a destination last year.
Carr and his wife trekked to New Orleans for a Raiders-approved visit — the only meeting the team permitted — and the summit lasted two days. Carr wanted to meet with every interested team, per Tafur, but the Raiders worried the 10th-year veteran would use those summits to work out a free agency agreement. Now, instead of Carr following the Matthew Stafford or Alex Smith winter trade paths, he will be a free agent. Connections to a host of teams are sure to follow.
The Raiders wanted a third-round pick. It is unclear if the Saints offered that, but they will have a chance to woo Carr on the market. New Orleans would need to backload a Carr contract, being nearly $60MM over the cap. While February cap gymnastics are old hat for GM Mickey Loomis, the Saints appear set to enter a competitive chase for a free agent quarterback for the first time since they signed Drew Brees in 2006. New Orleans, which waded deep into the Deshaun Watson trade sweepstakes last year, is unlikely to retain Jameis Winston and has not been aggressive in attempting to re-sign Andy Dalton. Carr appears the target, though he will be for other teams as well.
The Jets’ recent inquiry about Rodgers’ availability makes sense, with Carr about to hit the market. New York’s might be the most intriguing decision: go after Carr now or risk striking out on Rodgers. Jimmy Garoppolo also looms as a later potential Rodgers consolation prize — for both the Jets and Raiders — and the Titans’ involvement here points to Ryan Tannehill being available as well.
The Titans have used Tannehill as their primary starter for the past four seasons, and while the team promoted OC Tim Kelly, a Carr chase makes Tannehill’s Tennessee status tenuous. The Titans can save $27MM by designating Tannehill as a post-June 1 cut. A past restructure would make a standard Tannehill release more costly for the AFC South franchise. Even though the Titans kept Tannehill in the loop regarding Kelly’s hire, per Titans.com’s Jim Wyatt, one season remains on his contract.
Carolina has sought a long-term QB answer since cutting Cam Newton in 2020. But the Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield efforts fell short of expectations. Frank Reich went through a few veterans in Indianapolis as well, which would make the Panthers diving back into the veteran market interesting. The Panthers hold the No. 9 overall pick, putting them in play for a quarterback pick or a trade-up maneuver. A Carr acquisition would presumably prevent either. Carolina looks to be a second-tier suitor here, per David Newton of ESPN.com, who notes the Panthers could be interested if the price drops below its expected point (Twitter link).
Titans Hire Packers’ Chad Brinker As Assistant GM
FEBRUARY 14: The move is now official, per a team announcement. Brinker’s diverse background in terms of his inter-departmental work in Green Bay was noted as a key reason for his hire.
“Chad brings a unique skill set to our franchise,” Carthon said in a statement. “He has touched every facet of the personnel department – working in pro personnel, college scouting, cap management and analytics. We are excited to add his knowledge and experience to our evolving personnel group.”
FEBRUARY 8: The Titans are arranging their pieces this week. A day after promoting Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator, the team will soon have its top front office lieutenant in place.
Tennessee will hire Green Bay executive Chad Brinker as its assistant general manager, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The veteran staffer has been with the Packers for the past 13 years, serving in scouting and executive roles with the NFC North franchise.
Brinker will join new GM Ran Carthon with the Titans, who continue to make changes in the wake of Jon Robinson‘s late-season firing. Although Brinker has not been a GM candidate, the Patriots attempted to interview him for a position during the 2021 offseason. The Packers blocked the move at that point, but the Titans job comes with a significant responsibility bump.
A Ted Thompson hire, Brinker joined the Packers as a scouting assistant in 2010. He served as a pro scout from 2012-17 and moved up the ladder by becoming the team’s assistant director of pro scouting. Brinker also served as a salary cap analyst at points for the Packers, who promoted him again in 2021. Brinker’s scouting background aside, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) he has made major contributions to Packers’ financial side in recent years. Brinker worked with Packers director of football ops Russ Ball on this front.
Brinker and Carthon have not previously worked together, with Carthon coming over after six years with the 49ers. Brinker has only worked with the Packers, beginning his career as an intern with the team in 2009. However, both were college running backs in the early 2000s — Carthon at Florida, Brinker at Ohio. Both then became UDFAs, though Carthon’s NFL playing career lasted a tough longer than Brinker’s.
After two years as one of Brian Gutekunst‘s right-hand men and nearly 15 with the Packers, Brinker will attempt to help Carthon build a foundation with the Titans.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.
For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
- Chicago Bears: 3-14
- Houston Texans: 3-13-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Carolina Panthers: 7-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-10
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-10
- New England Patriots: 8-9
- Green Bay Packers: 8-9
- Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
- Detroit Lions: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
- Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- New York Giants: 9-7-1
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 13-3
- Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
- New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
- Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
Titans’ Taylor Lewan Expects To Be Released; LT Open To Returning At Reduced Rate
Ending the season with a backup-laden offensive line, the Titans are not expected to bring back their most accomplished blocker. At least, not at his current salary. Taylor Lewan said this week the Titans are prepared to release him.
The three-time Pro Bowl left tackle, who suffered ACL tears in 2020 and 2022, also said he is contemplating retirement. Even if the nine-year veteran opts to play in 2023, he will no longer be attached to the five-year, $80MM extension he signed back in July 2018.
“In the next couple of weeks, I will be cut by the Tennessee Titans – that will happen,” Lewan said, via Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “I truly believe that in my heart of hearts. Then I have to go into a situation that I’ve never been in in my entire life: I have to weigh the pros and cons of playing football, or not playing football.”
Lewan’s contract has fallen to 11th among left tackles, but the $50MM in guarantees still rank as a top-five figure at the position. Although Lewan could collect a small sum (by NFL standards) via injury protection in the event of a release, his guarantees have run out. The Titans can save $14.8MM by cutting Lewan at any point this year. The team is $21MM-plus over the 2023 cap.
Tennessee has been unable to rely on its blindside bastion for a bit. Even as he finished the 2019 and ’21 seasons, the former first-round pick missed a combined eight games in those slates. Lewan, 31, said last year a knee issue from 2021 also never fully healed. The Michigan product was one of the game’s top left tackles during the latter part of the 2010s, however, and played an intermittent role in the Titans venturing to three straight playoff brackets from 2019-21.
The Titans also finished last season with center Ben Jones and guard Nate Davis on IR. Davis is set for free agency and projects as one of the top O-linemen available; a Davis defection could give Tennessee needs at both guard spots. Lewan, who said he has spoken with new GM Ran Carthon, did not rule out returning to the Titans after taking a pay cut. Though, his health will play a major role in determining if that path is viable.
“Obviously my contract is $14MM next year,” Lewan said. “If they come back and are like, ‘If you want to come back, this is the number we’ll bring you back at,’ I’m sure there will be somewhat of a conversation of, ‘How does your knee look? Are you interested in playing?‘
“Mike [Vrabel] and I have a fantastic relationship. Mike and I talk; we text; he makes fun of me and Will [Compton, Lewan’s podcast cohost] on a group chat on a consistent basis. It’s a great relationship. So, there will be a lot of transparency and he’ll tell me how he feels and what he thinks and if he thinks that’s a good thing for them, then there is absolutely a conversation to be had. If I was going to play another year, my preferred spot would be where I’ve been for the last nine years. I’m a loyal guy, and it would feel very uncomfortable for me to wear a different uniform.”
Eric Bieniemy Has Not Taken Any OC Interviews; Commanders, Ravens Remain Interested
1:29pm: Neither the Commanders nor the Ravens have hired an offensive coordinator, and neither team can interview Bieniemy until after Super Bowl LVII. Bieniemy’s statement regarding OC jobs notwithstanding, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter notes (on Twitter) he remains a prime candidate for both Baltimore and Washington.
A move to either team would not be a lateral shift; both the Commanders and Ravens are looking for their next play-caller. Each team has proceeded methodically here. The Commanders’ job became open on Jan. 10; the Ravens moved on from Greg Roman on Jan. 19.
9:58am: Another team with Eric Bieniemy on its interview wish list filled its offensive coordinator vacancy this week. The Titans promoted from within, elevating Tim Kelly to the post.
Tennessee is not the only franchise to show interest in Kansas City’s OC for a non-head coaching position this year. Baltimore and Washington requested Bieniemy interviews weeks ago, but the 10-year Chiefs staffer — whose inability to land a top coaching job has drawn extensive scrutiny over the past several years — said he has only taken one interview this year. Bieniemy spoke with the Colts about their HC position, but no other teams reached out to him regarding their top sideline gigs.
“I have not taken any interviews for any offensive coordinator positions. I’ve only taken one interview, for a head coaching position. Right now, I’ve interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts. I thought it went great,” Bieniemy said, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (on Twitter). “We’ll see where that goes. Now, as far as the offensive coordinator stuff, right now I am where my feet are. And right now I’m focusing on helping us win this game this weekend.”
The Colts are proceeding with one of the most thorough HC interview processes in recent history, potentially planning a third round of meetings. Bieniemy not confirming he spoke with the Colts a second time may well point to yet another team bypassing him. The Colts have interviewed eight candidates twice, including Shane Steichen, who is in the same scheduling boat as Bieniemy due to NFL rules regarding Super Bowl assistants. Bieniemy was linked to being a finalist for the Indianapolis job, but that was before the host of second interviews went down.
Heavy Bieniemy HC interest emerged in past offseasons, but it has waned. The five-year Chiefs OC only interviewed for two of the 10 available jobs last year and one of this year’s five openings. Despite the Chiefs leading the league in offensive DVOA after trading Tyreek Hill, Bieniemy has not received too much credit for the team’s success with Patrick Mahomes. Andy Reid, understandably, has received the bulk of the praise for best stretch in Chiefs history. Bieniemy’s persistent hurdle has led teams to inquire about his interest in becoming a play-calling OC, in an effort to show he can lead a successful offense independent of Reid. Though, past Reid Kansas City lieutenants Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy secured HC jobs during Alex Smith‘s stay as K.C.’s starter.
Bieniemy has reached agreements to stay in Missouri in each of the past two offseasons. He re-signed via a one-year pact in 2022, Jhabvala adds. While the former NFL running back did not confirm he would be back with the Chiefs in 2023, saying he will “have that conversation with coach Reid at that particular time,” the team would naturally have interest in retaining its OC. The Chiefs may yet again have the opportunity to retain Reid’s right-hand man.
Coaching Notes: Panthers, Kocurek, Leftwich, Titans
Yesterday, Joseph Person of The Athletic provided a breakdown of the Panthers‘ recent search for a new head coach that ended in the hiring of Frank Reich. There were a few notes of interest that we took away from the behind the scenes look.
The first note of interest is the revelation that, when interim head coach Steve Wilks interviewed for the official role, he laid out his full offensive plan for the search committee. Part of Wilks’ offensive plan relied on the pursuit of Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Johnson’s year coaching a phenomenal season by quarterback Jalen Hurts made him a name to watch for many of the open offensive coordinator jobs around the league. He did end up interviewing with the Rams and Jets for jobs that went to Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett, respectively.
A second note of interest is likely a clue as to why Wilks didn’t end up as the official head coach of the Panthers. Of the nine candidates Carolina looked at for the position, seven had offensive backgrounds. Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has a belief that “offensive coordinators-turned-head coaches might have an edge in game management.” That explains why Wilks was so detailed in his offensive plan and, perhaps, how much of an uphill battle he faced.
Lastly, it was reported that Reich was becoming the clear choice for the job by his second interview. “The first time he came in, he was dialed in, laid out his plan,” Fitterer said. “Then when he came back in the second time, he took that plan and went deeper, went to a different level.” Reich was offered the position the next day, prompting an immediate response from the legal team representing Wilks and Brian Flores in their lawsuit accusing the league of racial discrimination.
Here are a few other notes of coaching developments occurring around the NFL:
- Even though Wilks didn’t get the head coaching position he coveted, he ended up landing a top coordinator position in the league with the 49ers, following the departure of DeMeco Ryans. San Francisco defensive line coach Kris Kocurek received some interest for the Texans defensive coordinator position under his former coordinator and was in consideration for the job that Ryans vacated and Wilks took. Wilks apparently was able to convince Kocurek to stay in the Bay Area, keeping a respected defensive assistant on his staff, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
- Former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich could be headed to the college ranks, following his recent dismissal from Tampa Bay. According to Grace Remington of 247Sports, Leftwich reached out to Notre Dame about the offensive coordinator position vacated by Tommy Rees, who left to become the offensive coordinator in Tuscaloosa. Leftwich has reportedly remained in contact with the head coach of the Fighting Irish, Marcus Freeman, and remains a strong contender for the job.
- A slew of coaching updates in Nashville were provided earlier today, with a few smaller assignments sliding under notice. Formerly the running backs coach over star Derrick Henry, Tony Dews has transitioned to the tight ends coaching position for the Titans, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It was recently reported that former Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust was making her way to Tennessee. Wilson provided clarification that she has been brought on in a defensive quality control role. Justin Hamilton will reportedly join her in a similar role. Finally, Wilson provided news of a departure, reporting that secondary coach Anthony Midget will not be retained in 2023.
Titans Promote Tim Kelly To Offensive Coordinator, Add Charles London To Staff
The Titans created an offensive coordinator opening early this offseason, but not much had come out on the team’s search recently. The team has made a decision, however, going with in-house staffer Tim Kelly. This will be the third consecutive time in which the Titans are promoting from within to fill their OC position.
A former Texans OC, Kelly has been on Mike Vrabel‘s staff since last year. The Titans are elevating Kelly from the passing-game coordinator title they are handing to another of their OC candidates. Charles London, who spent the past two years as the Falcons’ quarterbacks coach, is coming to Tennessee to work in the same role. Tennessee did not conduct an expansive search, with London and Kelly the only confirmed interviewees. The team had also requested meeting with Chiefs staffers Eric Bieniemy and Matt Nagy.
London, who joined Kelly in interviewing for the Tennessee OC post, is also believed to have interviewed for Washington’s still-vacant OC position. He worked with Kelly in Houston during the 2010s. An in-house promotion and the addition of a two-year Arthur Smith assistant points to the Titans prioritizing continuity here. They had previously promoted Smith to OC, replacing Matt LaFleur, and bumped up Todd Downing to the role after Smith accepted the Atlanta HC job. The Titans fired Downing just after the season ended.
The timing of this announcement also comes shortly after the 49ers hired Steve Wilks as their defensive coordinator. That decision appears to finally provide some Chris Harris clarity. The veteran assistant had been set to trek from Washington to Nashville, agreeing to join Vrabel’s staff more than two weeks ago. But DC interest soon followed. The 49ers interviewed Harris for their DC gig, and the Texans requested a DC meeting Monday. Connected to many teams (including the Bears) this offseason, Harris looks set to choose the Titans — who loomed as his top backup plan in the event the 49ers path did not open — and become one of Shane Bowen‘s top lieutenants.
Kelly, 36, spent three seasons as Houston’s OC. Bill O’Brien elevated Kelly, one of his original Houston hires back in 2014, ahead of the 2019 season. David Culley kept Kelly on in 2021, but the Texans fired both after that season. Although the Panthers interviewed Kelly for their OC job in 2022, Kelly ended up in Tennessee. Kelly called plays for three seasons in Houston; two of those ended with Deshaun Watson Pro Bowl invites. The Texans also advanced to the divisional round in 2019. Davis Mills showed progress late in the 2021 season. The third-round pick the Titans made at QB last year, Malik Willis, did not display similar readiness during his outings in 2022. The Titans did receive surprisingly effective play from late-season pickup Joshua Dobbs, who generated an early spark for the injury-ravaged team in its do-or-die Week 18 game in Jacksonville.
But continuity this time around comes after a poor season. After trading A.J. Brown and losing a number of players to injury, the Titans trotted out one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Tennessee ranked 30th in passing offense and 28th in scoring. In 2023, Kelly and London will be in charge of either overseeing Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth season as the team’s starter or be tasked with integrating a new quarterback to the Titans’ system.
Although London, 47, was also an O’Brien-Kelly coworker at Penn State and in Houston, he spent the 2011 season as a Titans offensive assistant. Over the past two years, Kelly transitioned from coaching Matt Ryan to helping in an offensive redesign for run-based ex-Titan Marcus Mariota. The team ranked 31st in passing but had moments — including upset wins over the 49ers, Buccaneers and Seahawks — during a 7-10 season did saw Mariota’s run-game capabilities contribute to third-ranked rushing attack. Mariota gave way to third-round rookie Desmond Ridder, prompting an in-season adjustment to Atlanta’s offense.
Harris, 40, will coach the Titans’ cornerbacks. After the run of interest, the former NFL safety will come to Tennessee after three seasons as Washington’s DBs coach. The Titans will also make a change on their offensive line. Jason Houghtaling will take over for Keith Carter, whom the team fired along with Downing. Carter is now the Jets’ O-line coach. Formerly a head coach at Division I-FCS Wagner, Houghtaling made his NFL coaching debut in 2021 with the Titans. Luke Steckel, who interviewed for the Chargers’ OC gig, will also move from tight ends coach to run-game analyst. The team’s previous QBs coach, Pat O’Hara, is not leaving the team; he will stay on in an analyst role.
Coaching Notes: Klemm, Solari, Stoutland, Locust, Landow
Former Patriots offensive lineman and current associate head coach/run game coordinator/offensive line coach at the University of Oregon Adrian Klemm has been in consideration for an assistant coaching role with his former team this offseason, reportedly heading to Las Vegas to interview with the staff during their time at the Pro Bowl. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning claimed that he doesn’t anticipate any staff changes, though, indicating that Klemm will be remaining with the Ducks, according to James Crepea of Fox Sports Eugene.
This wasn’t the only coaching position Klemm has been considered for in New England. The 45-year-old assistant coach was also a candidate for the offensive coordinator position that was eventually awarded to Bill O’Brien. Keeping Klemm in Eugene is a big win for Lanning, as Klemm clearly has a lot of potential as a coach in the NFL.
Here are a few other coaching notes that may get swept aside as bigger names and jobs continue to make headlines:
- Longtime offensive line coach Mike Solari will return to a coaching position in Dallas for the first time in 35 years. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Solari will be replacing Joe Philbin as the team’s new offensive line coach. Solari was an assistant offensive line coach and special teams coach for the Cowboys under Tom Landry in the 1987 and 1988 seasons and worked under Mike McCarthy in Green Bay for a year in 2015. He was not coaching in the NFL last year after a four-year stint in Seattle.
- One of the key pieces to the Super Bowl-bound Eagles‘ staff will be sticking around for a bit longer, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Philadelphia’s run game coordinator/offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was an attractive candidate for multiple offensive coordinator jobs this offseason but has reportedly agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in the City of Brotherly Love. The Eagles boasted a top-five rushing attack this year that led the league with 32 rushing touchdowns behind an elite offensive line coached by Stoutland. He has been a huge part of what has helped the Eagles lead the NFC in points and yards this season and will be sticking around to attempt to continue that success.
- The Titans have landed an exciting new defensive assistant, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, signing a deal with former Buccaneers assistant defensive line coach Lori Locust. She reportedly impressed both head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Ran Carthon in the interview process and will continue to work her way up the NFL coaching ladder.
- The Broncos are reportedly parting ways with strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow, as reported by Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The 27-year veteran is seeking other opportunities as new head coach Sean Payton is expected to bring in his own strength and conditioning coach. In a year that saw Denver suffer an unusually large number of injuries, Landow surprisingly avoided much of the blame, which seemed to fall on the shoulders of former head coach Nathaniel Hackett and his unusual practice schedules. Landow has his own practice, Landow Performance, that has seen a remarkable level of success, but he will likely be considered for open strength and conditioning positions for the league in the future.
Jeffery Simmons Wants To Remain With Titans
Titans DL Jeffery Simmons just finished his second consecutive Pro Bowl campaign, and he has positioned himself well for a lucrative contract extension. Because Tennessee exercised the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, Simmons is under club control through 2023, but it sounds as if player and team are interested in a longer arrangement.
In speaking with reporters at this weekend’s Pro Bowl festivities, Simmons said that he recently sat down with new Titans GM Ran Carthon. While Carthon did not make any promises, he told Simmons that a new contract for the Mississippi State product is a priority, and the relationship between the two men is apparently in good shape (via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website).
“We had a great talk, and him saying I am one of his priorities, that meant a lot,” Simmons said. “I feel like he is the person for this job. There’s not much I can say especially with talk of the contract – my (agent) is handling that. But whenever we get to that point – I feel very confident that I’ll be here in Tennessee, and I want to be in Tennessee. So, we’ll see how that goes.”
While the Titans ended the 2022 season on a seven-game losing streak that knocked them out of the postseason hunt, Simmons held up his end of the bargain. In 15 games, he tallied 7.5 sacks and 54 total tackles and once again fared well in the eyes of advanced metrics. Pro Football Focus assigned him a stellar 81.1 overall grade for his work — a top-10 figure among interior defenders — with strong marks for his efforts against both the run and pass.
It therefore makes sense that Carthon would want to keep Simmons as the anchor of Tennessee’s defensive front for the foreseeable future, though that will be a costly proposition. Spotrac presently suggests that Simmons merits a four-year deal worth over $86MM, which would represent a $21MM+ per year payout. That type of contract would put Simmons near the top of the interior defender market, behind only future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Donald‘s $31.6MM AAV.
Interestingly, it appears that Simmons has now secured representation. Reports last summer concerning Simmons’ “hold-in” — which both Simmons and the Titans said was unrelated to his contract status — indicated that he was operating without an agent. Now, however, Spotrac lists Paul DeRousselle as his agent.
If a new contract does not come to fruition, Simmons will earn $10.6MM in 2023.
Coaching Notes: Texans, 49ers, Bengals, Panthers
DeMeco Ryans was a popular name on the head coach market before ultimately landing with the Texans. The now-former 49ers defensive coordinator also generated strong interest from the Broncos, but the coach admitted that his choice to join Houston instead of Denver wasn’t all that difficult.
“When it came down to it, there was no place I wanted to be any more than H-Town,” Ryans said earlier this week (via NFL Network’s Bridget Condon on Twitter). “…It was a no brainer.”
While Ryans’ comments could certainly be interpreted as shade being thrown at the Broncos, his comments were more about his connection to Houston and the Texans organization. Ryans was selected by the Texans in the second round of the 2006 draft, and he proceeded to spend six years with the organization. While the Texans were able to lure their favorite for the job, the Broncos had to pivot to Sean Payton, who was ultimately dealt from the Saints to Denver.
With Ryans now in the building, the focus shifts to the rest of the coaching staff. Naturally, the coach will be looking to some of his former peers for positions, as we previously heard that 49ers passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik as well as 49ers defensive quality control coaches Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Stephen Adegoke are candidates to join Ryans in Houston. Matt Barrows of The Athletic adds another name to the list of targeted 49ers coaches, noting that Ryans leaned heavily on safeties coach Daniel Bullocks when he was in San Francisco. Barrows described Bullocks as Ryans’ “eyes in the coaches’ booth,” so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the head coach recruits his confidante to Houston.
More coaching notes from around the NFL…
- Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher interviewed for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator job before Cincinnati ultimately signed him to an extension. However, the new contract hasn’t stopped teams from inquiring on his availability. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor indicated that “there’s still interest from other teams” in adding Pitcher to their staff, per ESPN’s Ben Baby on Twitter. Pitcher became the club’s quarterbacks coach in 2020, and his work with 2020 No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow over the past few years is starting to pique the interest of other organizations.
- It’s been a bit since we heard that the Commanders requested an interview with 49ers assistant head coach/running backs coach Anthony Lynn for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Earlier this week, Josina Anderson passed along (via Twitter) that Lynn had follow-up and informal conversations with the Commanders to determine “if there is mutual interest.” It’s uncertain if the two sides decided to move on with a formal interview.
- Commanders defensive backs coach Chris Harris interviewed for the 49ers defensive coordinator vacancy earlier this week. If Harris doesn’t land the gig, he’s most likely going to end up on the Titans coaching staff, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). We heard last month that Harris was set to join the Titans as their their defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. However, no deal was finalized, and Harris was clearly waiting out the 49ers’ search before fully committing to Tennessee.
- The Panthers are searching for new coordinators on both sides of the ball, but it sounds like their special teams coordinator will be sticking around under new head coach Frank Reich. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, general manager Scott Fitterer and owner David Tepper encouraged head coaching candidates to retain ST coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen for next season. Following a four-year stint as the Bears special teams head, Tabor joined the Panthers last offseason, with Reich describing the unit as “really strong.” Campen has bounced around a bit in recent years before landing in Carolina for the 2022 campaign.