Titans Release Michael Griffin
After spending nine seasons and 141 games with the Titans, Michael Griffin‘s time in Tennessee has come to an end. The veteran safety published a tweet today strongly suggesting that the team has informed him that he’s being released, and Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com confirmed (via Twitter) the move. The Titans have since made it official, via a press release.
[RELATED: Offseason Outlook: Tennessee Titans]
“I knew one day my time would come and I cherished every minute of it,” Griffin tweeted. “It’s been real Tennessee✌. Thanks for everything. #nextchapter.”
Griffin’s release is a move that had been anticipated, with the former Texas Longhorn suggesting in December that his future was uncertain. Griffin had been set to enter the final year of his current contract, and was set to earn a $6.5MM base salary, with a cap hit of $8.3MM. By releasing him, the Titans will clear his entire $6.5MM salary from their books for the coming year. Griffin was the first player we mentioned when we identified potential cap casualties in our preview of the Titans’ offseason.
In his nine seasons with the Titans, Griffin missed just three games, including one in 2015. Earning Pro Bowl spots in 2008 and 2010, the former first-round pick totaled 761 tackles, 25 interceptions, and 11 forced fumbles during his time with the team.
“I want to thank Griff for his time here with the organization,” Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said in a statement. “He was a leader who showed up to work every day in an effort to get better, and I appreciated his effort both on and off the field for this team. He touched a lot of people in this community and in our organization. I want to wish him the best, and I hope he will always be remembered as a great Titan.”
Now that the move is official, Griffin is immediately free to sign with a new team without having to first pass through waivers. Reaching the open market a month before 2016’s free agent period opens will give him a head-start on this year’s crop of free agents when it comes to finding a new job.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Titans’ Ownership
Commissioner Roger Goodell wants each of the NFL’s 32 franchises to have a singular owner representing it, but the Titans haven’t been in compliance since the death of franchise founder Bud Adams in 2013. They’re in the process of fixing that, however, writes John Glennon of The Tennessean. Amy Adams Strunk currently controls 33 percent of the Titans (the other two-thirds belong to fellow heirs of Bud Adams) and should soon be in position to represent the club, according to a statement issued Friday by team president and CEO Steve Underwood.
“We are confident that the next time we meet with the Commissioner, he will be satisfied that Amy Adams Strunk has exactly what he said she needs — local operating control and full authority to represent the Titans in league decisions.”
Underwood’s statement came in response to comments Goodell made Friday during his state of the league address.
“We have ownership policies, the ownership policies are lengthy, but essentially they require a single owner, to represent the club locally, but also at the league level,” he said. “We work on the basis of 32 individual owners, each having a vote. When league matters come up, whatever they may be, we work on a vote of 24 of the 32. It’s a very important principle to owners and their partners.”
Goodell added that the league has “to continue to work with the Tennessee ownership group to see how that’s going to conform with our policies. We’ll be meeting with our finance committee in the next few weeks. That’s a subject we’ll be discussing.”
South Notes: Titans, D. Martin, Colts, M. Martin
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota obviously has some pull with his franchise, but he told Pro Football Talk that he didn’t want to be significantly involved with the team’s head coaching search.
“I didn’t want any input or anything like that,” Mariota said. “They did ask. They asked about Chip Kelly, about Coach (Mike) Mularkey. They obviously asked my opinions about people here and there, but I wanted them to make their own decision.”
Last month, the Titans made the call to elevate Mularkey from interim head coach to head coach, while Kelly – Mariota’s old head coach at Oregon – joined the Niners.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s South divisions:
- Buccaneers running back Doug Martin is eligible to hit the open market in March but on Thursday, he took yet another opportunity to profess his love for Tampa Bay. “I love Tampa and Tampa loves me,” Martin told PFT. “I’ve got a house out there so I do wish I’ll go back to Tampa.”
Muscle HamsterMartin also said that he was surprised by the firing of coach Lovie Smith, though he’s excited about playing for Dirk Koetter, who was elevated from offensive coordinator. - Colts owner Jim Irsay told WISH-TV’s Anthony Calhoun that he hopes to see Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning retire as a member of the Colts, signing a one-day contract with Indianapolis when he decides to call it a career. Of course, rumors have been swirling in recent weeks that Super Bowl 50 could be Manning’s final game. Then again, maybe this won’t be Manning’s “last rodeo” — the Rams have reportedly discussed Manning internally as they gear up for their move to Los Angeles.
- Titans defensive lineman Mike Martin has had to adjust to several different schemes throughout his college and NFL career, as his teams made multiple coaching changes. As he tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com, Martin – a pending free agent – is hoping for some stability with his next team, assuming he isn’t back with Tennessee.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Titans, D. Robinson
After spending big on veteran free agents last offseason, Colts owner Jim Irsay doesn’t expect to take the same approach this time around. While Indianapolis will delve into free agency a little if there’s a good fit, Irsay wants to recommit to building the roster through the draft, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com details.
“The draft is where we’re really going to get better,” Irsay said. “I think over the next two drafts, continue to identify guys, particularly defensively, that are going to be key guys going forward.”
Let’s check in on the rest of the teams in the AFC South…
- According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, NFL personnel executives say there’s a real chance that the Titans will select Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil with the first overall pick in this year’s draft, assuming the team keeps the pick and doesn’t trade down. Having drafted Marcus Mariota a year ago, Tennessee doesn’t need a quarterback, so Tunsil or Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa look like the most logical targets for the club.
- Jaguars running back Denard Robinson is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, and tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com that he “definitely” wants to stay in Jacksonville. “It’s a great place and I enjoy it, enjoy the coaches and everything,” Robinson said. Still, the former fifth-round pick acknowledged that there have been no discussions with the Jags about a new deal so far.
- The NFL has been tentatively planning to play a game in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium in 2016, and it appears that game will feature the Texans and Raiders, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. The Raiders are a logical candidate to be the “home” team since they’re currently without a stadium lease, while the Texans have a growing fan base in Mexico and have expressed interest in being a part of the league’s international series.
Coaching Notes: Cowher, McDermott, Hirings
With CBS broadcasting this year’s Super Bowl, Bill Cowher is in San Francisco to cover the game for the network. But just because he’s on the media side of things now doesn’t mean he can avoid questions about a potential return to coaching.
Asked on Monday about that possibility, Cowher said that he didn’t have any contact with the Giants about their head coaching job after Tom Coughlin resigned, but the former Steelers head coach didn’t rule out a return to an NFL sideline, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News details.
“You know what? I’ve never shut a door,” Cowher said. “I don’t think you need to shut a door that you don’t need to. I’m very happy at CBS. I love what I’m doing. I’m 58 years old. I feel young. I still feel involved in the game. But this element of the game gives me a life that I was never able to experience before…. I never say never, but I’m very, very satisfied with where I’m at.”
Here are several more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:
- Speaking to the media on Monday night, Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott confirmed that he spoke to Howie Roseman about the Eagles‘ head coaching opening, despite not having a formal interview with the team, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We had some preliminary talks,” McDermott said. “It was clear from the beginning they wanted to go offense.”
- The Cowboys are looking to hire a replacement for defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, who joined the Falcons, and the next coach Dallas is talking to is former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- Alex Marvez of FOX Sports has the details on a couple additions to the Browns‘ coaching staff, reporting (via Twitter) that the team has hired Johnny Holland and Eric Sanders. Holland, who had been working in the CFL, resigned from the B.C. Lions last month because he knew he would have a position on Hue Jackson‘s staff, according to Marvez, who adds that Holland will be the Browns’ inside linebackers coach (Twitter links). Sanders, a Stanford defensive assistant, will join the Browns in the same capacity.
- The Chargers have hired former Titans quarterbacks coach John McNulty as their new tight ends coach, according to Marvez (via Twitter). McNulty has a longtime connection to former Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who has now returned to the offensive coordinator role in San Diego.
- The Titans have completed their coaching staff, hiring Keith Willis as the team’s assistant defensive line coach and Brandon Blaney as a defensive assistant, the club announced in a press release.
Offseason Outlook: Tennessee Titans
Pending free agents:
- Antonio Andrews, RB (ERFA)
- Byron Bell, T
- Zach Brown, LB
- Dorin Dickerson, TE
- Brandon Harris, CB
- Sammie Lee Hill, DT
- Steven Johnson, ILB
- Joe Looney, G
- Mike Martin, DT
- Jamon Meredith, T
- Coty Sensabaugh, CB
- Craig Stevens, TE
- Al Woods, DT
Top 15 cap hits for 2016:
- Jason McCourty, CB: $8,800,000
- Michael Griffin, S: $8,300,000
- Brian Orakpo, OLB: $8,250,000
- Jurrell Casey, DE: $8,120,000
- Kendall Wright, WR: $7,320,000
- Derrick Morgan, OLB: $6,312,500
- Da’Norris Searcy, S: $6,312,500
- Perrish Cox, CB: $5,833,333
- Marcus Mariota, QB: $5,503,176
- Delanie Walker, TE: $5,275,000
- Harry Douglas, WR: $4,483,333
- Wesley Woodyard, ILB: $4,250,000
- Andy Levitre, G: $4,200,000 (dead money)
- Chance Warmack, G: $3,871,205
- Ropati Pitoitua, DE: $3,803,125
Notable coaching/front office changes:
- General manager: Hired Jon Robinson to replace Ruston Webster.
- Head coach: Retained Mike Mularkey after interviewing other candidates.
- Offensive coordinator: Hired Falcons WRs coach Terry Robiskie to replace Jason Michael, who becomes new QBs coach.
- Defensive coordinator: Promoted assistant HC/defense Dick LeBeau to replace Ray Horton.
- Special teams coordinator: Hired Jets ST coordinator Bobby April to replace Nate Kaczor.
Draft:
- No. 1 overall pick
- Acquired sixth-round pick from Falcons in deal for G Andy Levitre.
Other:
- Current projected cap room (via Over the Cap): $40.62MM
- Must exercise or decline fifth-year option for 2017 for G Chance Warmack.
- NFL has concerns with team’s ownership situation.
Overview:
After reportedly turning down multiple offers from the Eagles in exchange for the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, the Titans had to be happy they did so, as they player selected at that slot, quarterback Marcus Mariota, looks like the club’s franchise signal-caller. But Mariota’s play wasn’t enough to save the job of head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was fired after less than two years with the team.
Tennessee posted a 2-7 record under interim head coach Mike Mularkey, and its 3-13 overall mark means it owns the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. The man making the decision on draft day will be new general manager Jon Robinson, hired away from the Patriots after a long search process. His first move as GM was to install Mularkey as the full-time head coach, inking him to a three-year deal.
The Titans opted for continuity on their coaching staff, but for a club that’s finished a combined 5-27 over the past two seasons, settling for more of the same isn’t going to be an option going forward, at least from a roster standpoint. Some observers have argued that Tennessee possesses the worst 53-man roster in the league, so Robinson, Mularkey, & Co. will have their work cut out for them as they aim to overhaul the club’s personnel in the coming months.
Key Free Agents:
Unsurprisingly, for a club that finished 3-13, there aren’t a ton of impending free agents on the Titans’ roster who must be retained. In fact, it could be argued that none of the free agents listed above are locks to be re-signed, at least based on their 2015 performance.
Among the Titans’ offensive free agents, right tackle Byron Bell was the most oft-used contributor, as he played on 99% of Tennessee’s offensive snaps. Bell, 27, isn’t a star by any means, and his (below-average) time spent protecting Cam Newton‘s blindside in Carolina might affect his value around the NFL. But the Titans’ offensive line was one of the worst in 2015 (No. 32 in pass protection per Football Outsiders’ metrics), so the club can use any modicum of talent it can get. Bell has the ability to play both tackle and guard, and isn’t expected to cost much, so he could be brought back on short-term deal.
29-year-old Jamon Meredith is very similar to Bell in that he can play tackle and guard, but simply put, he’s just not as talented as Bell. Tennessee needs to get younger up front, and if they do decide to keep a veteran swing tackle/guard, they should probably opt for Bell, making Meredith redundant. The Titans were Meredith’s ninth NFL stop, and could be his last.
Guard/center Joe Looney does have youth on his side — the former 49er is just 25 years old — but he probably doesn’t have a role on the Titans going forward. Although he started six games last season, Chance Warmack and Quinton Spain figure to open the 2016 season at guard, with Jeremiah Poutasi backing up both spots. At best, Looney would be the club’s fourth option.
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Coty Sensabaugh saw the most action of any Tennessee free agent, playing on 95% of the team’s defensive snaps. Miscast as a No. 1 corner in the absence of Jason McCourty, Sensabaugh struggled mightily, grading as league’s No. 89 corner, among 113 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. The 27-year-old has experience, to be sure, but at this point, the Titans can only be comfortable retaining Sensabaugh as a depth piece.
Elsewhere on defense, linebacker Zach Brown probably has the strongest argument of any Titans free agent to be re-signed. A former second-round pick, Brown missed the entire 2014 season after tearing his pectoral muscle in Week 1, but rebounded in 2015, staying healthy for the duration of the year, starting five games, and playing on nearly half of the team’s snaps. Still, with Avery Williamson and Wesley Woodyard manning the middle in Dick LeBeau‘s 3-4 defense, Brown can probably find a larger role elsewhere.
Along the defensive line, the Titans have two veterans — Al Woods and Sammie Lee Hill — heading for free agency. Both contributed last season (34% snap percentage for Woods, 18% for Hill), but both are also closing in on 30 years old. On a team that needs an infusion of youth, defensive line is a solid place to start, because the club can set up a rotation of young talent. Neither Woods nor Hill figure to be retained.
Possible Cap Casualties:
Michael Griffin has been a solid force in the Titans’ secondary for a long time, but at 31 years old, it’s probably time for the club to move on. Griffin finished as just the 60th-best safety in the league last season, among 88 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, and he’s set to count $8.3MM against the cap in the final year of his deal. Cutting him would save Tennessee $6.5MM.
Elsewhere in the defensive backfield, Jason McCourty is also a candidate for release, as the Titans could save $7MM by releasing the 28-year-old. Underrated for much of his career, McCourty played in just four games in 2015 as he dealt with injury. The team could ask him to rework his contract and lower his cap charge, but if he balks, they might have no other option but to keep him. As noted below, the Titans’ secondary is so porous that hoping for a rebound season from McCourty might be worth the (expensive) risk. If he is cut, the Patriots might have interest, as they reportedly considered dealing for him near the trade deadline.
Defensive lineman Ropati Pitoitua played only 31 defensive snaps during the entirety of last season, so as outside observers, we can take that as a clear indication of how Tennessee’s coaching staff feels about him. Despite the Titans’ need for depth along their defensive line, there’s no way the 30-year-old Pitoitua is coming back with his 2016 cap charge of about $3.1MM.
On offense, wide receiver Harry Douglas and tight end Anthony Fasano both look like potential cap casualties, but I’d argue that neither is a foregone conclusion. Douglas knows new offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie from their Atlanta days, so while Douglas is due a a $4.48MM cap charge, he might stick around due to his knowledge of the offensive system. Fasano isn’t quite as expensive (about $3.2MM), and he’s an excellent run blocker. Tennessee needs to establish the run in order to help quarterback Marcus Mariota, so I could see Fasano being retained.
Running back Dexter McCluster had a nice season in 2016, but a third-down back isn’t worth $3.65MM. I expect the Titans to either try to lower his base salary or release him.
Positions Of Need:
The most pressing area of need on the Titans’ roster is offensive line, as the front five gave up a league-leading 54 sacks and finished last in adjusted sack rate. Outside of left tackle Taylor Lewan, Tennessee could arguably seek upgrades at every other position along the line, but since that that’s unlikely, we’ll start with the most urgent area: right tackle.
As noted above, Byron Bell isn’t the answer as a starting right tackle, but luckily, the upcoming free agent market is flush with tackles. Mitchell Schwartz, Andre Smith, Bobby Massie, and Joe Barksdale top the available right tackles, while Russell Okung, Cordy Glenn, and Kelechi Osemele (who could help at a number of positions) are left tackle options. (If the Titans did sign an Okung or Glenn, for example, I’d guess that they’d shift Lewan to the right side.) Via the draft, the club could also pick up Ole Miss’ Laremy Tunsil with the No. 1 pick, or if they trade down, someone like Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley.
The Titans could use an upgrade at center, but there aren’t many free agent options (unless Alex Mack opts out of his Browns contract), so the team will probably stick with some combination of Brian Schwenke and Andy Gallik for the time being. At guard, former first round pick Chance Warmack will likely get another chance to start on the right side, but left guard could be an area where improvement is needed. Alex Boone, Amini Silatolu, and Jeff Allen are a few impending free agents that could make sense for the Titans.
If Tennessee is able to bring in some talent to better protect Marcus Mariota, the club might also find him more weapons at the skill positions. The Titans’ No. 1 receiver in 2015 was tight end Delanie Walker, so it’s clear that the Titans need other options besides Kendall Wright, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Justin Hunter.
Again, youth should be a primary consideration for the Titans, so pass-catchers like Marvin Jones, Rueben Randle, or Brian Quick could be of interest. The Dolphins’ Rishard Matthews might also make sense, but I wonder if he’s too similar to Wright, as both are possession-type receivers. While he’s not certainly not young, Roddy White would be a candidate to follow offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie to Tennessee if he’s cut by the Falcons.
The Titans’ running game was putrid last season — 32nd in DVOA — but I’m not sure I’d invest any money (or draft capital) on a running back if I were Tennessee. Improving the offensive line should help matters immensely, so the club could probably just use a rotation of Antonio Andrews and David Cobb — and take a final look at former second-rounder Bishop Sankey — instead of bringing in new blood.
On defense, Tennessee can afford to revamp much of its secondary, and the first step might be spending big on a No. 1 corner. The Titans did give a large contract to Perrish Cox last offseason, and given how that’s worked out so far, they might be reticent to do so again. Nonetheless, there are so many high-quality options available that I think the club needs to bite the bullet and use some its $40MM+ in cap space on a new cornerback. I’d target one of Sean Smith, Janoris Jenkins, and Trumaine Johnson, each of whom finished inside the top 30 of Pro Football Focus’ CB rankings. If none of those three bite (or even if one does), the Titans should also take a long look at Casey Hayward, who would shut down opposing teams’ slot receiver. At the lower end of the market, Prince Amukamara might have to take a discounted deal given that he missed a significant portion of the season with injury.
Safety could also be an area of need, especially if the Titans release Michael Griffin. Like cornerback, safety has a number of intriguing free agent options available. George Iloka makes a lot of sense, as he’s a young, ball-hawking safety capable of manning center field while Da’Norris Searcy plays closer to the action. Rodney McLeod would be my second choice, but if Tennessee wants a veteran in the back end, Eric Weddle and Reggie Nelson are also on the market.
The Titans could add depth to both their defensive line and their linebacking unit, but those are positions they can target in the draft, rather than exhausting their cap space on high-end deals.
Extension Candidates/Contract Issues:
Delanie Walker turned into the Titans’ No. 1 receiving threat last season, and his contract expires after the 2016 season. The club would obviously like to keep him around, but with his recent track record, he’s going to ask for $7MM+ per season. Walker is already 31 years old, so Tennessee might be better off playing out the string.
On the other hand, receiver Kendall Wright is the type of player the Titans should look into extending right now. He’s still only 26, and coming off a down season riddled with injuries, meaning he shouldn’t break the bank — and he’s probably not the type of pass-catcher who would secure a large deal even if he does hit the open market. Tennessee would be smart to lock up Wright now, and hope for a big season between him and Marcus Mariota in 2016.
While Wright will play under a fifth-year option in 2016, the Titans have to make a fifth-year option decision on guard Chance Warmack for 2017. Warmack has been thoroughly uninspiring to this point in his career, but because he was a top-10 pick, his fifth-year option is likely to going be worth $11MM+. The Titans are unlikely to risk that type of money on Warmack, even though it’s guaranteed for injury only.
Overall Outlook:
The AFC South is a perennially winnable division, but with the Texans looking like they’re just a quarterback away from being solid contenders, Andrew Luck returning to help the Colts, and the Jaguars expected to take another leap, the Titans might be stuck in fourth place again in 2016. There’s no question that Tennessee is in the middle of a rebuild, but a smart offseason will help ensure that it’s not a perpetual remaking.
Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC South Notes: O’Brien, Titans, Khan
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien had a lot of good things to say about his new additions to the coaching staff. Since the end of the season, the organization has added special-teams coordinator Larry Izzo, receivers coach Sean Ryan and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver.
“Larry came highly recommended to me from a number of people,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “When we brought him in to interview, I thought he did an excellent job. He was able to really articulate really his plan for special teams and how he saw things.
“He had studied our tape. He kind of knew what we were doing. I was very impressed with him. I had known him as a player. I had never coached with him. I think he’s going to be a good addition to our staff.”
Check out the link to see what O’Brien also had to say about Ryan, the former Giants receivers coach, and Weaver, the former Browns defensive line coach. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC South…
- The Titans will have some interesting decisions to make with the top overall pick in the draft, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. The writer currently opines that the team should look to trade the pick for extra assets, although he notes that that’s easier said than done.
- Wyatt writes that the team could use help on the offensive line and at running back, although the writer wouldn’t be a fan of signing Ray Rice. Wyatt also points to the secondary and linebackers as areas that could use some reinforcement.
- At the Jaguars‘ State of the Franchise meeting, owner Shad Khan was adamant that the franchise will be staying in Jacksonville. “This is a community that has supported this franchise faithfully and impressively for over two decades,” he said (via Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com). “And we don’t want to just exist here, we want to flourish here.”
AFC Notes: Raiders, Vegas, Jets, Chiefs, Titans
There was a report Thursday that Raiders owner Mark Davis and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson would meet Friday to potentially discuss stadium details. That meeting did indeed happen, as the company tweeted that Davis and Adelson “had a great visit.”
If Davis does try to move the Raiders to Las Vegas, he’s likely to meet resistance from the NFL because of the city’s association with sports gambling, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole adds that the hypothetical Las Vegas Raiders would be a “windfall” for Davis because he wouldn’t have to put much money toward a stadium. Most of the funding would come from Adelson.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- In November, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star reported the Chiefs and free agent-to-be Jaye Howard were discussing a long-term deal. Paylor updated the situation Friday, tweeting that the Chiefs and the defensive linemen “have maintained solid dialogue.” The talks are “fluid,” a source told Paylor. Howard, 27, set career highs in starts (14), tackles (57) and sacks (5.5) during the 2015-16 season, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him a terrific 24th among 123 qualifying interior D-linemen.
- Like Howard, Jets running back Chris Ivory is also nearing free agency. The fact that the Jets are low on cap space and have higher priority free agents in Muhammad Wilkerson and Ryan Fitzpatrick could lead to Ivory’s departure, which the Pro Bowler acknowledged Friday. “They want to bring me back but like I said, I think it’s about the cap space. That’s going to be the biggest factor as to whether I’m back or not,” Ivory told Around the League, per Conor Orr of NFL.com. Ivory is coming off his first thousand-yard season (1,070), one which also saw him establish new career bests in carries (247), receptions (30) and touchdowns (eight).
- The Titans have hired Keith Willis as their assistant defensive line coach, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link). Willis, who played in the NFL from 1982-1993, had been the D-line coach for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes since 2013.
South Notes: Titans, McDermott, Falcons
In a fascinating piece for Bleacher Report, former Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist shared some details about his recent interview for the Titans‘ GM position, explaining what he would have done during his first days, weeks, and months on the job if he had been hired by the club.
The entire piece is worth reading, and features a handful of interesting tidbits from Sundquist, who writes that there were some indications that Titans ownership, which wanted to retain head coach Mike Mularkey and stay the course within the front office, “wasn’t necessarily looking for a complete diagnosis of its problems.”
Here’s more Friday reading from around the NFL’s South divisions:
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network echoes what Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reported earlier today, writing that the Titans are “very open to the idea” of shopping the first overall pick. However, Breer cautions that the Titans still want to walk away from the draft with an elite prospect, so there will be a limit to how far the team is willing to trade down. A handful of clubs picking between 11 and 15 could be in the market for a quarterback, but that would be a long way for those teams to move up, and a long way for Tennessee to move down, says Breer.
- While the Buccaneers ultimately opted to name Dirk Koetter their new head coach, Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott interviewed “very, very well” with Tampa Bay, according to Breer. McDermott figures to be a strong candidate for a head coaching job in 2017.
- Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff acknowledged that 2016 feels like a make-or-break year for him, though he added the caveat that he views every year that way, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
- Dimitroff also suggested that the Falcons will continue to shop for discounts and values in free agency rather than making a big splash, and said the team has yet to make a decision on Roddy White‘s future, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details in a pair of articles.
Draft Rumors: Titans, Browns, J. Smith, Cowboys
The NFL season isn’t over yet, but teams around the league are already looking ahead to the draft April, spending this week meeting with and scouting players at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Checking in from Mobile, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report has several interesting draft-related tidbits to pass along, so let’s dive right in and check out the highlights….
- The “biggest buzz” at the Senior Bowl this week is that the Titans are “absolutely” shopping the first overall pick in the draft, says Miller. General managers from rival teams expect the Browns and Rams to have the most interest in trading up to No. 1, though Cleveland exec Sashi Brown said earlier this week that he’d be shocked if his team moves up from No. 2.
- Wherever the Browns end up picking, the expectation around the league is that they’ll target a quarterback, and Miller has heard all week from scouts that Cleveland prefers Carson Wentz to Jared Goff.
- Jaylon Smith, who tore his ACL and LCL in the Fiesta Bowl, is already rehabbing twice a day as he recovers from the major knee injury, sources tell Miller. The Saints are among the clubs keeping a close eye on the Notre Dame linebacker, and it still appears likely that he’ll come off the board in the top half of the first round.
- Miller’s sources don’t expect Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to use his team’s first-round pick on Tony Romo‘s backup and eventual successor. According to Miller, Dallas is more likely to roll the dice on a player like Robert Griffin III or Johnny Manziel — not necessarily as Romo’s successor, but at least as a short-term backup.
- Sources inside the Texans tell Miller that Houston figures to focus on the offensive side of the ball with its first few picks in the draft.
- Miller identifies Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Vernon Butler, Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake, and Temple defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis as some prospects that have improved their stock this week in Mobile.