Coach Notes: Bucs, Bears, Marrone, Coyle
The Buccaneers have parted ways with quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Arroyo stepped in to run Tampa Bay’s offense during the 2014 season during Jeff Tedford‘s absence, but hadn’t been mentioned as a candidate to step into the role permanently since the team officially let Tedford go at season’s end.
Let’s round up a few more afternoon news items and rumors on the coaching front….
- One coach the Buccaneers tried to interview for their OC opening was Mike Mularkey of the Titans, but Tennessee turned them down. John Fox and the Bears are expected to seek permission to speak to Mularkey about the offensive coordinator position in Chicago, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), so we’ll see if the Titans say no to Fox as well.
- Following Teryl Austin‘s lead, Doug Marrone has canceled his head coaching interview with the Broncos, which had been scheduled for Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Marrone will wait to see what happens with Gary Kubiak, who is set to talk to Denver on Sunday, and is viewed as the frontrunner for the position.
- Despite some initial uncertainty at the end of the regular season, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle will remain with the Dolphins for the 2015 campaign under head coach Joe Philbin, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Current and former Falcons coaches are among Jack Del Rio‘s targets for the Raiders, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter links). Williamson continues to hear that Del Rio has interest in Mike Tice, but Atlanta won’t give the Raiders permission to interview the offensive line coach. Per Russini, Del Rio is trying to hire Mike Smith as his defensive coordinator, but it most likely won’t happen.
- Russini (Twitter link) is hearing that Mike Shanahan may be in play for the 49ers‘ offensive coordinator job under Jim Tomsula.
- Former Bills offensive coordinator Nate Hackett is interviewing with the Jaguars today for the team’s OC opening, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that at least two other clubs are also interested in Hackett.
- We can also add the Jaguars to the list of teams looking to interview Adam Gase for their offensive coordinator opening, tweets Schefter. The Falcons and Rams want to speak to Gase about an OC role as well.
- If Teryl Austin lands the Falcons‘ head coaching job, Packers safeties coach Darren Perry looks like a candidate to become his defensive coordinator, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Peterson, Broncos, Fox, Tryouts
Vikings general manager Rick Spielman made it clear earlier today that he wants Adrian Peterson on his squad next season, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
“I don’t know if there’s a team in the NFL that wouldn’t want Adrian Peterson on the football team. If you can name me one. And I don’t want to speak for other teams. I’m being a little sarcastic with that. But I know he’s a pretty good football player.”
However, as the writer points out, Spielman did not specify what would happen to the star running back when he’s eligible to be reinstated in April…
“I’ve known Adrian his whole career and what type of person Adrian is. But I also know that we have to follow everything that’s put in place for us. Is there a resolution? Not right now. All I know is where we stand today. Does that change? I’m sure it’s going to change. Until those things change and get resolved, right now, we have Adrian Peterson, who is under contract for next year, who is currently suspended by the NFL. That’s pretty much all I can go into right now.”
Let’s take a look at some assorted notes as we wrap up this Wednesday evening…
- Gary Kubiak is the wrong choice if Broncos GM John Elway wants a strong coach, writes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports believes if John Fox gets the head coaching job with the Bears, he’d bring along Dennis Allen and Kyle Shanahan as his coordinators (Twitter link).
- CFL defensive back Delvin Breaux worked out for the Buccaneers and Jaguars this week, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (via Twitter). Breaux has been a popular name in NFL circles and seems to have drawn some degree of interest from more than half the league.
- Duron Carter met with the Panthers on Wednesday and will visit with the Browns on Thursday, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Following his workout with the Giants last week, outside linebacker Phillip Hunt worked out for the Titans recently, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Links: Bills, Jets, Titans, Chung
Rex Ryan was introduced earlier today as the Bills head coach, and the 52-year-old addressed some of the leftover whispers surrounding his signing. Ryan disputed claims that the Bills were his “third choice” behind the Falcons and 49ers (via John Kryk of the Toronto Sun)…
“No, that’s definitely false. Did I interview with the Falcons? Did I interview with the 49ers? Absolutely. There were plenty of opportunities.”
The coach also discussed the team’s search for a quarterback, including former Jets play-caller Mark Sanchez…
“Certainly, he’ll be a guy under consideration. We’ll explore every avenue. If we think there’s a free agent like Mark or somebody else out there that we think can help us, then we’ll absolutely explore it.”
Finally, the coach acknowledged that his opportunity in Buffalo may be his last shot as an NFL head coach…
“I (have) one more shot to be a head coach and I have to get it done. And I understand I won’t have another opportunity, and don’t want another opportunity. This is the shot I want.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC…
- Like it or not, Steve Serby of the New York Post says Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will forever be connected to Jets head coach Todd Bowles. The writer opines that one day, the organization may regret rushing to sign Bowles instead of waiting for Quinn to finish his playoff run.
- The Titans have a big quarterback decision on their hands as they’ll have to choose between Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and incumbent Zach Mettenberger, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Wyatt runs down the pros and cons of each.
- After inking a three-year extension with the Patriots, Patrick Chung is determined to show New England that he’s worth the money, writes Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. “I’m happy,” he said. “I’m happy. But it’s over now, and I can’t keep talking about it. I’m happy I’m back. I just gotta hopefully show them why they kept me.“
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Ford, Gates, Hill
Today’s minor moves..
- The Titans signed wide receivers Jacoby Ford and Clyde Gates to futures contracts, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ford, a former fourth round choice, spent 2010-2013 with the Raiders. Gates, a former member of the Jets, worked out for the Raiders in December.
- The Panthers announced (on Twitter) that they have signed wide receiver Stephen Hill to a futures deal. The Panthers’ other nine taxi squad players officially signed on Tuesday. Hill, the former second-round pick of the Jets, has yet to produce at the NFL level. Gang Green released Hill in 2014 despite having a thin receiving corps.
- The Broncos will sign safety Ross Madison to a futures contract, according to Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post. Madison, 6-foot, 205 pounds, is a former Toledo standout. He went to camp with Washington last summer before landing in the Fall Experimental Football League.
- The Bengals announced on Twitter that they have signed running back James Wilder Jr. to a futures deal.
Titans GM Talks QB, Offseason, Whisenhunt
The Titans’ 2014 season got off to a promising start, with the team scoring an impressive Week 1 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. From that point on though, Tennessee lost 14 of its remaining 15 contests, with a two-point home victory over Jacksonville the only thing standing in the way of a 15-game losing streak.
Coming off a disastrous first year for new head coach Ken Whisenhunt and armed with the second overall pick in this spring’s draft, general manager Ruston Webster spoke to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean about the coming offseason, and the club’s plan to turn things around. Here are a few of Webster’s notable comments:
On the quarterback position:
“We have to get our quarterback situation squared away — that is probably the most important thing, to have the same guy out there for 16 games. We haven’t had that in quite awhile. If this team is going to progress and progress quickly, that is going to be the major deal.
“We definitely like Zach [Mettenberger], and he is a good fit for the system. He has a lot of talent and he has worked very hard. And he is smart. We have to go through and do our due diligence on all our options and make sure that we make the best decisions for the Titans long-term. Obviously there will be options in the draft, and there may be options in free agency.”
On other positions that need to be upgraded:
“We have to get better in every area. I thought there were positions, and I put this on me, where our depth wasn’t where it needed to be, at receiver and at corner. We have to add a lot of depth. … We need to bring in more 3-4 outside linebackers and get better there. When you are a 4-3 team you keep more defensive linemen, and a 3-4 team needs more linebackers and we need to build our linebacker core.”
On the Titans’ lack of impact free agent signings:
“I am the GM, and I take all the responsibility for that. I do beat myself over it. It is something I think about a lot, and I go through in my mind countless times of, ‘What happened here? What could I have done better there?’ … Free agency is an area where we need to continue to improve.”
On CEO Tommy Smith saying the team will be active in free agency:
“If you say ‘spend wisely’ people say you aren’t going to spend. What you have to do is be smart about what you do and fill needs. Free agency through the years hasn’t necessarily been something that will change a franchise, unless you get the franchise quarterback in free agency. It is something that can be a part of what we do, and we can be active. We just need to make wise decisions.”
On Whisenhunt:
“I am very confident in him moving forward. I think this year was, in a lot of ways, a major transition year. That is not an excuse — that is just the way it was on many fronts, whether it was scheme-wise or wherever else. I think Ken has handled things well, and I really believe if we can have some stability, and can continue to move forward with the same offensive and defensive schemes, add players and continue to help out there, we have a chance to continue to improve and get better. The best franchises in the NFL are the ones that are the most stable, and that is something we are working toward here.”
AFC Links: McCourty, Chargers, Titans
Ravens wideout Steve Smith will be facing off against the Patriots this weekend, and the veteran acknowledged that he was pursued by New England during the offseason.
“Yeah, I talked to [Bill Belichick] and it was a great opportunity as well,” Smith told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “Anytime you have an opportunity to go to some teams, it’s always good. When your phone stops ringing, you need to start thinking about if I’m in the right profession.”
Let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…
- Following news that Patrick Chung signed an extension with the Patriots, Albert Breer of the NFL Network says (via Twitter) there’s been no movement on fellow safety Devin McCourty. The writer suggests that the All-Pro defensive back could be “destined” for the franchise tag.
- ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams writes that the Chargers should bring back veteran Jarret Johnson if it makes sense financially. The linebacker is set to make $5MM next season, but Williams points out that the 33-year-old has already shown that he’s willing to take a pay cut.
- John Glennon of The Tennessean examines the Titans‘ most expensive players in 2015, and the writer suggests that guard Andy Levitre, tackle Michael Oher, tight end Craig Stevens, running back Shonn Greene and safety Bernard Pollard could all be cap casualties.
Extra Points: Shanahan, Trestman, Ryan
Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will consider leaving the Browns, even for a lateral move, because of friction within the organization, writes Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. Shanahan is aiming to become a head coach somewhere (perhaps in Buffalo) but he’d also like to reunite with his father, Mike Shanahan. The 49ers, Raiders, and Bills are have interest in hiring Mike as a head coach with Kyle as the offensive coordinator. More from around the NFL..
- Washington interviewed Rod Graves on Monday for their GM position, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). By interviewing Graves, Washington has satisfied the Rooney Rule, so that is not a roadblock in their talks with Scot McCloughan.
- Former Bears head coach Marc Trestman will interview for the Jaguars‘ offensive coordinator position, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Trestman has already interviewed with the Buccaneers.
- Rex Ryan will be meeting with CBS executives tomorrow to discuss a possible TV role if he doesn’t land a head coaching job, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
- The Eagles have requested permission to interview recently promoted Packers exec Eliot Wolf for their personnel opening, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Wolf was recently promoted by Green Bay, ostensibly to keep him in-house as the heir apparent to their own GM job.
- The Eagles requested GM interviews with Chris Grier (Dolphins), Chris Polian (Jaguars), and Brian Gaine (Texans), sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Texans might have interest in former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli, according to Dan Pompei of Sports On Earth (on Twitter).
- Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson is scheduled to interview with the Jaguars for their offensive coordinator position on Thursday, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Gaine and Lake Dawson, the Titans‘ vice president of player personnel, completed their interviews with the Bears for their GM opening, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune.
- Saints GM Mickey Loomis says that the team will take linebacker Junior Galette‘s arrest “very seriously,” as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. “If at some point we deem it necessary for the club to take some action, we’ll do that,” Loomis said.
- Loomis feels that the Saints are in better shape financially, Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune (on Twitter). “I would say we’re in a better situation than we were a year ago — on pure salary cap.” He also scoffed at a recent report indicating that he will move into a new role with the team (link).
Minor Moves: Monday
We’ll keep tabs on Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Rams have signed to two players to reserve/futures deal, adding tight end Brad Smelley and punter Michael Palardy, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
- The Giants have added a veteran to their offseason roster by singing linebacker Victor Butler to a reserve/futures deal, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Butler, 27, played for the Cowboys from 2009-12, but has bounced around in recent years, spending time with the Saints, Cardinals, and Colts in the past two seasons.
Earlier updates:
- In addition to formally announcing the signing of DeMarcus Van Dyke (noted below), the Vikings also tweeted out word of their signings of defensive end Leon Mackey and defensive tackle Chigbo Anunoby.
- The Jaguars announced three signings today, two of which had been previously reported. The new one is kicker Derek Dimke, who inked a reserve/futures contract with the team, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter).
- Washington also confirmed a handful of signings that had already been reported, and added one more to the list. According to the club (via Twitter), former Abilene Christian wideout Braylon Bell has signed a futures deal.
- Tight end Dorin Dickerson has signed a reserve/futures contract with the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. The team removed Dickerson from their IR list back in August with a settlement, but worked him out again in November.
- The Vikings have signed cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke to a one-year futures contract, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Van Dyke was placed on injured reserve by the Chiefs at the end of the 2014 preseason, and was later released with an injury settlement.
- The Buccaneers have added three players to their list of reserve/futures signings for 2015, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link). The most notable player in the trio is safety M.D. Jennings, who spent his first three seasons with the Packers before being signed and cut by the Bears in 2014. Tampa Bay also signed tight end Taylor Sloat and punter Chase Tenpenny, whose agreement was previously reported.
- Having previously signed nine of their 10 practice squad players to reserve/futures contracts for the 2015 season, the Eagles made it a clean sweep today, announcing that linebacker Brandon Hepburn had inked a deal of his own (Twitter link).
NFC South Notes: Bucs, Falcons, Saints
The Buccaneers had been hoping to interview Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their open offensive coordinator job, but that won’t happen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport tweets that Tampa Bay has been denied permission to speak to Mularkey.
NFL teams aren’t allowed to block assistant coaches from interviewing for – or accepting – a job as a head coach, but that rule doesn’t apply to other jobs, including coordinator positions. In this case, the Buccaneers’ job would qualify as a promotion for Mularkey, but the Titans are within their rights to deny the Bucs the opportunity to talk to him.
Here’s more from around the NFC South:
- The Falcons will interview Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for their head coaching opening today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, by way of his colleague Vaughn McClure (Twitter link).
- Rex Ryan has also scheduled his interview with the Falcons — it’ll happen on Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While Ryan could be a good fit in Atlanta, some observers believe the ex-Jets coach is talking to NFL teams in order to squeeze more money out of ESPN, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
- Examining the reserve/futures contracts signed by the Saints, Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune points out that kicker Dustin Hopkins inked the longest deal, a three-year pact that keeps him under team control through 2017.
- Saints defensive backs Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Corey White had somewhat frustrating 2014 seasons in New Orleans, and aren’t quite sure what the team has in store for them in 2015, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
New Year’s Roundup: Jets, Coaches, Colston
The Jets are moving very quickly in their search for a new GM, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The team interviewed Browns personnel executive Bill Kuharich in New Jersey this morning and is currently interviewing Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner. Citing a league source, Costello also tweets that New York plans to interview Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan and Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller on Sunday or Monday. Costello reiterates (via Twitter) that the Jets would like to hire a GM before making a decision on a new head coach, but they of course must stay active in the head coaching market lest they lose a top candidate to another club. According to another tweet from Costello, one of the most significant questions the Jets are asking GM candidates is what coaches they would like to work with.
As much of the country fixates on the Sugar Bowl, let’s take a look at a few other notes from around the league:
- John Mullin of CSNChicago.com notes a couple of early patterns in the Bears‘ search for a new head coach and GM, pointing out that the early coaching candidates “have a preponderance of winning in their immediate pasts” and that the team is not concerned whether their new coach has more of an offensive or defensive pedigree.
- Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times examines the most important early decisions the Bears‘ new GM must make, which include determinations on the respective futures of Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall and how to handle the looming free agency of Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, both of whom are entering the final year of their current contracts.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Washington, seeking to fill its newly-vacant defensive coordinator position, is setting up interviews with 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, 49ers DB coach Ed Donatell, and Chargers linebackers coach Joe Barry.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com looks at some of the Eagles‘ potential cap casualties, including James Casey, Trent Cole, and Cary Williams.
- With a new mega-deal in his near future, Cowboys star wideout Dez Bryant is focused on Sunday’s playoff game against the Lions, not his next contract, writes Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. Byrant said, “I’m just going to keep working. I can’t worry about the contract.”
- Saints wide receiver Marques Colston knows his future in New Orleans is up in the air, and Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that, although Colston would like to stay with the only team he has ever known, he may be released or asked to take a pay cut with two years remaining on his current contract. If asked to take a reduction in pay, Colston said his relationship with Drew Brees and Sean Payton would play a role in his decision.
- Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 tweets that the Buccaneers are expected to request an interview with Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their vacant offensive coordinator position.