Kelly To Be Titans' Pass-Game Coordinator
- Tim Kelly will serve as the Titans’ new passing-game coordinator, per TennesseeTitans.com’s Jim Wyatt. Kelly, the Texans’ OC from 2019-21, will work alongside Titans OC Todd Downing. Tim Kelly, the older brother of ex-Titans right tackle Dennis Kelly, and Mike Vrabel worked together on Houston’s staff ahead of the latter’s move to Tennessee. The Titans also hired Bobby King to be their inside linebackers coach. King also worked in Houston alongside Vrabel in 2017; he finished his Texans tenure as the team’s D-line coach this past season.
Titans Extend Mike Vrabel, GM Jon Robinson
Although the Titans could not turn their No. 1 seed into a postseason win, they are rewarding the top power brokers responsible for the team earning that first-round bye.
Mike Vrabel and GM Jon Robinson signed extensions with the team Tuesday. Vrabel is entering his fifth year as Titans head coach, while Robinson is going into his seventh as GM.
The Robinson-Vrabel partnership has changed the course of the Titans, who have made the playoffs in three straight seasons. This past 12-5 result gave Tennessee its first No. 1 seed since 2008, and the season could well lead to Vrabel earning Coach of the Year acclaim at this week’s NFL Honors banquet.
Vrabel has yet to have a losing season as Titans HC, and he broke the team’s four-year run of 9-7 seasons by winning the AFC South with an 11-5 record in 2020. He also oversaw upsets of the Patriots and Ravens in the 2019 playoffs, leading the Titans to their first AFC championship game since 2002.
The Titans gave Vrabel a five-year deal when he took the job in 2018, which would have made 2022 a walk year for the former Super Bowl-winning linebacker and Texans defensive coordinator. Vrabel, 46, has solidified himself in this role and is the longest-serving Titans HC since Jeff Fisher. The Titans battled through numerous injuries this season, deploying a historically high number of players due to the various maladies. Vrabel’s team defeated three of the four conference finalists this season — the Chiefs, Rams and 49ers — but its upset loss to the Bengals ended the run early.
Robinson, 46, has been with the Titans since coming over from the Buccaneers in 2016. Robinson’s teams have made the playoffs in four of the six seasons under his watch. Under Robinson, the Titans managed to land a starting quarterback in a trade package headlined by a fourth-round pick. While Ryan Tannehill has not been a top-tier QB, the former injury-prone Dolphins starter has stabilized his career in Tennessee. The Titans also landed Derrick Henry, Harold Landry and A.J. Brown in the second round under Robinson, who has built the most consistently good Titans teams since Fisher’s run in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Steelers To Interview Louis Riddick For GM
The search for a new general manager in Pittsburgh has led the team to Louis Riddick. The ESPN analyst is scheduled for an interview (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).
[Related: Steelers Interview Three GM Candidates]
The 52-year-old began his front office career as a scout in Washington in 2001. He spent seven years there, then an additional six with the Eagles. The final four seasons of that time, in which he was Philadelphia’s director of pro personnel, represent his most senior job title. He has been out of the NFL since 2013, most recently working as an analyst on Monday Night Football. Last offseason, though, he received GM interest from the Lions, Texans and Jaguars.
A Pennsylvania native, Riddick played college football at Pitt, so he would certainly represent a hometown candidate to replace Kevin Colbert. He will be the fourth external candidate to interview for the role, though there are no details on when the sit-down will take place.
Here is where the Steelers’ GM search stands so far:
- Ryan Cowden, vice president of player personnel (Titans): Interviewed by 2/4
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed by 2/4
- Omar Khan, vice president of football and business administration (Steelers): Mentioned as candidate
- Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Scheduled to interview
- JoJo Wooden, director of player personnel (Chargers): Interviewed by 2/4
Giants Interview Jim Schwartz For DC
Four former defensive coordinators have now interviewed with the Giants. Jim Schwartz was the latest to do so, going through a virtual meeting with the team Saturday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
A Titans assistant, Schwartz has extensive experience as a defensive coordinator. He gained plenty of intel on recent Giants teams from his five-year post as Eagles DC. The Eagles hiring a new head coach last year ended up sending Schwartz back to Tennessee, where he aided Mike Vrabel‘s staff from a non-DC position this season.
The Giants have now met with Schwartz, ex-Ravens DC Don Martindale, multi-stint DC Teryl Austin and 2021 Bears defensive play-caller Sean Desai. After being prepared to keep Patrick Graham on for a third season, Brian Daboll appears to prefer Graham’s replacement have coordinator experience. Graham agreed to become the Raiders’ DC on Friday night.
Schwartz, 55, is best known for his time with the Lions. Inheriting a team coming off an 0-16 season, Schwartz guided Detroit to a 10-6 slate in 2011. After the Lions fired Schwartz following the 2013 season, he resurfaced as the Bills’ DC before moving to Philly and collecting a Super Bowl ring. The Colts interviewed Schwartz recently but ended up hiring Gus Bradley as their defensive leader.
AFC Coaching Notes: Broncos, Jaguars, Chiefs
As Nathaniel Hackett continues to build his staff with the Broncos, the new head coach interviewed many of the team’s holdover position coaches this week, reports Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (via Twitter). The majority of these coaches are “pretty much on hold,” but a handful of coaches are starting to get clarity on their job security.
As Klis notes, defensive backs coach Christian Parker is one of the coaches who will return next season. The 30-year-old has had a rapid rise through the coaching ranks. Prior to getting hired as the Broncos DBs coach in 2021, he spent time as the defensive quality control coach with the Packers. Of course, Hackett was on that Green Bay staff, so there’s already familiarity between the two.
Meanwhile, long-time coach Reggie Herring won’t be retained (per Klis on Twitter). The linebackers coach had been with the organization since their Super Bowl-winning 2015 campaign. He previously spent time as the linebackers coach with the Bears, Texans (two stints), and Cowboys.
More coaching notes out of the AFC:
- The Jaguars won’t be retaining special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen, reports Aaron Wilson (via Twitter). The former player was added to Urban Meyer’s staff last offseason. The 43-year-old previously spent time with the Seahawks, serving as assistant ST coach, assistant defensive backs coach, and secondary coach.
- SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan tweets that Andrew Breiner could be a candidate for Doug Pederson’s new Jaguars staff, potentially as quarterbacks coach. Breiner was last in the NFL in 2020 when he was the passing game analyst for the Eagles, and he spent the 2021 campaign in the college ranks as the offensive coordinator at FIU.
- The Chiefs have hired Joe Cullen as their new defensive line coach, with former DL coach Brendan Daly moving to linebackers coach (per a team announcement on Twitter). Cullen spent last season as the Jaguars defensive coordinator, and he had talks with the Ravens and Colts about their DC vacancies. He was a DL coach for more than a decade during stints with the Lions, Jaguars, Browns, Buccaneers, and Ravens. Daley had spent the past three seasons as the Chiefs DL coach.
- The Bills are expected to hire Vikings offensive line coach Phil Rauscher in the same role, reports ESPN’s Courtney Cronin (via Twitter). Rauscher was one of several Vikings coaches who were given permission to seek other coaching opportunities. The 36-year-old had previous NFL coaching gigs with the Broncos and Washington.
- Former Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is in talks to join the Titans staff, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter). Only 35, Kelly had a quick rise through the Texans organization. After starting as an offensive quality control coach in 2014, Kelly was eventually promoted to assistant offensive line coach, tight ends coach, and (ultimately) OC. He was fired by the organization after the season. Kelly has ties to Titans coach Mike Vrabel stemming from their stints in Houston.
Steelers Interview Three GM Candidates
Although Kevin Colbert‘s lengthy Steelers GM tenure will not conclude until after the draft, the team is beginning to meet with potential replacements. Three external candidates interviewed for the job this week.
Titans VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden joined Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds and Chargers director of player personnel JoJo Wooden in meeting with Steelers president Art Rooney II in Mobile, Ala., during Senior Bowl week, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes.
All three came up in at least one other team’s GM search this year. Dodds met with two other teams — the Bears and Raiders — ahead of his Steelers interview, which also likely included Colbert and Mike Tomlin, who are also in Mobile. Cowden met with the Giants last month, while the Bears targeted Wooden before hiring Ryan Poles. Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan is also a candidate to succeed Colbert.
While Pittsburgh is in need of a starting quarterback for the first time in nearly 20 years, Colbert’s impending departure vacates the team’s GM chair for the first time in more than 20. Colbert, however, is open to staying with the Steelers in a reduced capacity, Dulac adds (on Twitter). Colbert has been with the Steelers since 2000.
With the Colts since 2017, Dodds withdrew from both the Bears’ 2022 GM search and the Panthers’ search process last year. The former Seahawks exec also pulled out of the Browns’ GM search in 2020. Cowden is in his sixth year with the Titans, coming to Tennessee after 16 years with the Panthers. Wooden has been with the Chargers since Tom Telesco‘s GM tenure began in 2013.
Harold Landry Wants To Stay With Titans
The Titans hope to retain Harold Landry, and the AFC South champions’ top edge rusher would be fine with such an effort coming to fruition.
Although a deal to keep Landry will be costly for the Titans, the free agent-to-be would prefer to spend his prime in Tennessee. The Titans will have the franchise tag at their disposal as well. The tag window opens Feb. 22 and closes March 8.
“It’s no secret that I love playing for the Titans, and my family loves living in Tennessee,” Landry said, via Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “So hopefully we can get a deal done.”
Tennessee shelled out a big-ticket deal for Bud Dupree last year — five years, $82.5MM, with $33.75MM guaranteed — and it did not produce much this season. The Titans also have 2019 first-rounder Jeffery Simmons on track for a monster extension, though the fifth-year option gives the team two more years of rookie-contract control. A Simmons extension is unlikely to happen until at least 2023. Five weeks away from the tag deadline, the Titans are projected to be $7MM-plus over the cap.
The linebacker tag price is expected to rise past $18MM — up from $14.8MM in 2021 — thanks to the upcoming cap spike. The Titans will need to carve out sufficient space to have the tag ready for Landry, who is the team’s top free agent. GM Jon Robinson‘s moves to complement Landry in recent years have not panned out. Cameron Wake, Jadeveon Clowney and Vic Beasley bombed in Tennessee, and the jury is out on Dupree, who spent the 2021 offseason rehabbing an ACL tear.
Landry, 25, has provided the Titans solid value for a second-round pick. He finished his contract year with 12 sacks, giving him 31 in four seasons, and ranked in the top 10 in pressures.
AFC Coaching Notes: Broncos, Jets, Raiders, Titans
Nathaniel Hackett filled two major roles on his coaching staff today, adding Justin Outten as his offensive coordinator and Ejiro Evero as his defensive coordinator. Naturally, the team isn’t finished adding to the staff. The Broncos announced that they’ve hired Butch Barry as their offensive line coach and Klint Kubiak as their passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Barry served as the 49ers’ assistant offensive line coach this past season. He previously worked with Hackett in Green Bay, with Barry serving as a senior analyst in 2020. The coach has also had stints with the Buccaneers and University of Miami.
Kubiak was the Vikings offensive coordinator in 2020. The song of Gary Kubiak, Klint Kubiak previously worked with the Broncos when he served as offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach between 2016 and 2018.
More coaching notes out of the AFC…
- A pair of Jets coaches are stepping away from their roles. Senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh won’t be returning to the team in 2022, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). Cavanaugh joined the team in August to replace the late Greg Knapp, and he primarily played a role in the QB room. Cimini tweets that offensive assistant John Beck also won’t be back in 2022. Beck served as Zach Wilson‘s “personal coach” last season.
- After serving as an offensive assistant with the Patriots, Bo Hardegree is joining Josh McDaniels‘ staff in Las Vegas. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), Hardegree has been hired as the Raiders new quarterback coach. Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders will be retaining receivers coach Edgar Bennett. The former Packers OC was considered for jobs elsewhere.
- The Titans have hired former Texans defensive line coach Bobby King to be their inside linebackers coach, reports Aaron Wilson. King previously worked with current Titans head coach Mike Vrabel when the two were in Houston, and King will also have another opportunity to coach long-time Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham.
Titans Aiming To Keep OLB Harold Landry
Harold Landry‘s breakthrough contract year will earn him quite a bit of money soon. The Titans would prefer it be their cash the free agent-to-be collects.
Tennessee’s top pass rusher finished with a career-high 12 sacks and made his first Pro Bowl. The former second-round pick also totaled 43 pressures, seventh in the NFL, and a career-best 22 quarterback hits. Landry, who also added 1.5 sacks in Tennessee’s nine-sack divisional-round performance, is poised to be one of the top free agents available come March.
“I think Harold wants to be [with us], not to speak for him,” Titans GM Jon Robinson said. “We are going to do everything we can to try and keep Harold, but we understand there’s a lot of other things that need to go down, too. … We have to plan and forecast how we are going to allocate salary cap resources.”
The Titans have the franchise tag at their disposal, but the AFC South champions are projected to be nearly $10MM over the 2022 cap at this point. Though, it is still early here. Ryan Tannehill‘s cap number is set to rise from $11.1MM to $38.6MM, in the penultimate year of his deal, as well. The Titans already gave Bud Dupree a five-year, $82.5MM deal. Dupree missed time due to injury but could only register three sacks and eight QB hits in 11 games coming off his 2020 ACL tear, amplifying Landry’s importance.
While other standout edge rushers are set to hit free agency, Landry’s age (25) works strongly in his favor. Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Jason Pierre-Paul and Jadeveon Clowney are among the other big edge names set to hit the market. Of these, only Clowney (29 this month) is under 31. Among the younger pass rushers set for free agency — a list headlined by Haason Reddick, Derek Barnett, Emmanuel Ogbah and Uchenna Nwosu — Landry appears set to command the top value. Projecting the linebacker franchise tag to land north of $18MM, CBS Sports’ Joel Corry views Landry as a prime tag candidate.
Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order
Championship Sunday has come and gone, and with it, we now know the matchup for Super Bowl LVI. The Rams’ win on Sunday guarantees that the Lions’ other first round pick will be in the bottom two, slightly devaluing it relative to if they had lost. Still, it is one of the bargaining chips they hold if they were to attempt to move up into the top spot, from their current position of second. As one of four teams with multiple picks in the opening round, Detroit will certainly be a squad to keep an eye on in April.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.
Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
- Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
- Houston Texans: 4-13
- New York Jets: 4-13
- New York Giants: 4-13
- Carolina Panthers: 5-12
- New York Giants(via Bears)
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 7-10
- New York Jets (via Seahawks)
- Washington Football Team: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
- Cleveland Browns: 8-9
- Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
- New England Patriots: 10-7
- Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
- Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Tennessee Titans: 12-5
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
- Green Bay Packers: 13-4
- Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
* = Remaining playoff teams