Extra Points: Allen, Wayne, Eagles, Bears
Washington GM Bruce Allen held his year-end press conference today and was put in a position where he more or less had to defend his job, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. At the presser, Allen defended the signing of free agent defensive end Jason Hatcher and putting the franchise tag on linebacker Brian Orakpo. Orakpo was given the franchise tag despite a serious injury history and Hatcher was given a lucrative deal despite mild production prior to his walk year. Here’s more from around the league in our New Year’s Eve edition of Extra Points..
- If pressed for a decision, Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne says he’d come back for 2015, ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes. “If I had to answer that question today, I’d say I’ll be back… as long as the Colts would have me,” he said on his weekly radio show on WNDE-1260 AM in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
- The Eagles released Tom Gamble, their vice president of player personnel, earlier today. The move adds weight to speculation that coach Chip Kelly and general manager Howie Roseman have not seen eye to eye over the last year, ESPN.com’s Phil Sheridan writes.
- The Bears have requested to interview five GM candidates, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter): Chris Ballard (Chiefs), Lake Dawson (Titans), Eric DeCosta (Ravens), Brian Gaine (Texans), and Ryan Pace (Saints).
- Colts backup Matt Hasselbeck isn’t under contract for 2015, but he’s also not thinking about retirement, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Neither he nor the Colts have discussed a return just yet, but he sounds very open to the idea.
-
The Buccaneers like Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, but they could have competition for his services, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. A source says that Koetter is held in high regard by two other head coaching candidates: Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked ahead at what’s in store for the Titans this offseason.
- Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson declined a plea bargain on an October arrest, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Johnson becomes a free agent in early March and has said that he will seek a multi-year deal.
Coach Notes: Jets, Ryan, McDaniels, 49ers
Not long after he was fired by the Jets, Rex Ryan jumped on a plane to Florida to watch his son’s Clemson Tigers play in the Russell Athletic Bowl, as Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post writes. When asked what it was like to speak with his players for the final time, Ryan said, “It was rough, man. But hey, that’s the way it is.’’ With a vacancy in New York and others elsewhere, here’s a look at the latest coaching rumors..
- Charley Casserly, who is now consulting the Jets, inquired about UCLA head coach Jim Mora‘s buyout clause and contract language last week, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter).
- Former Jets coach Rex Ryan has interviews scheduled with the Falcons and 49ers for their openings, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
- Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will interview with the Falcons and 49ers this week, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- The 49ers will interview Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn tonight, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- There may not be a head coaching candidate more sought after this offseason than Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles — according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter), every team with a head coaching vacancy has contacted the Cards about interviewing Bowles. That includes the Raiders and Bears, which hadn’t been previously reported. Since Arizona plays in the Wild Card round, Bowles won’t be able to interview with any teams until next week.
- The Bears are the third team to request permission to speak to Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Falcons and 49ers had previously asked to interview Gase, who can talk to clubs during Denver’s bye week.
- The Titans‘ and Jaguars‘ coaching staffs will participate in the Senior Bowl game, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The 2-14 Buccaneers passed on the opportunity, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) is curious about the team’s motives, considering the benefits of participating in the game. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that he heard last week from one Jaguars official that the Bucs may pass on the Senior Bowl because they’d be busy looking for an offensive coordinator — of course, as of today, the Jags are in the same boat.
Latest On Jets, Bears GM Searches
Of the five teams hunting for new head coaches, two have an even more daunting task ahead of them, as the Bears and Jets are also on the lookout for new general managers to head their football operations departments. The Jets have tasked two consultants, Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, with identifying potential candidates, while the Bears hired former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi as an advisor for their search.
Heading into today, we’d heard Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner and Vikings assistant GM George Paton linked to the Jets’ opening, while things had been relatively quiet on the Bears’ front so far. More rumors and rumblings on both positions are starting to surface though, so let’s round up the latest updates:
- The Jets intend to interview their current senior director of football administration Rod Graves for their GM opening, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). Mehta, confirming the report, tweets that it’s a “courtesy” on the Jets’ part.
- Costello adds (via Twitter) that the Jets have also asked the Browns permission to interview personnel executive Bill Kuharich.
Earlier updates:
- The Jets are interested in interviewing Texans director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan for their GM vacancy, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. A source confirms to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link) that the Jets have indeed asked Houston for permission to speak to Maccagnan.
- Mehta also reports (via Twitter) that the Jets have requested permission to interview Eagles director of pro personnel Rick Mueller. Mueller has previously worked for the Jaguars and Saints as well.
- The Jets are expected to make a strong push for Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) points out, DeCosta is contractually designated as Baltimore’s GM-in-waiting behind Ozzie Newsome — he’s a strong GM candidate for rival clubs, but is in a good situation with the Ravens and is “highly valued” by the organization. For now, the Jets have asked for permission to interview him, tweets Mehta.
- Four interview targets have emerged for the Bears‘ general manager opening, according to Rapoport, who lists the following candidate (via Twitter): Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, Giants VP of player evaluation Marc Ross, Titans VP of player personnel Lake Dawson, and Ravens director of pro personnel Vince Newsome.
AFC South Notes: Posluszny, Jags, Titans
Linebacker Paul Posluszny is currently on the Jaguars‘ books for a team-high $9.5MM cap hit for 2015, but would “absolutely” be open to reducing that number in exchange for an extra year added to his contract, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Posluszny, whose 2014 season ended prematurely due to a torn pectoral muscle, is currently under team control for two more years. More from the AFC South..
- Michael Griffin told reporters, including Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (via Twitter), that if the Titans came to him and said they wanted him back for less money, it would come down to a family decision and what is best for them.
- Titans offensive tackle Michael Roos says the odds are over 50% that he will retire this offseason, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean (via Twitter).
- Wyatt (Twitter link) says the Titans will do their due diligence on guys like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, but can’t see them taking either with the No.2 pick. Ultimately, he envisions Zach Mettenberger as the leading candidate to start in 2015 with added quarterback competition (link).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Titans Sign Eight To Futures Contracts
The Titans have officially re-signed eight players from off of their practice squad to reserve/futures contracts, the club announced today in a pair of tweets. Here are the players that reached agreements with Tennessee following the team’s regular-season finale on Sunday:
- Ri’Shard Anderson, CB
- Nate Askew, LB
- Justin McCray, OL
- Will Poehls, T
- Lache Seastrunk, RB
- Yawin Smallwood, LB
- Chaz Sutton, LB
- Alex Tanney, QB
Of Tennessee’s 10 practice squad players, defensive lineman Chigbo Anunoby and wide receiver Derek Moye are the two names not on this list, so they presumably remain unsigned for now.
South Notes: Falcons, Bucs, Marks, Pickett
Discussing his team’s decision to part ways with head coach Mike Smith today, Falcons owner Arthur Blank told reporters – including Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link) – that he’s seeking a clear leader who has a vision for success, player development skills, and represents the club’s culture values. According to Blank, it’s less important whether Atlanta’s next head coach is offensive- or defensive-minded, and more about finding someone who is adaptable and has a vision, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Blank added that the team’s entire football operations will be under scrutiny, and that the head coaching search begins today, with interviews starting as soon as possible (Twitter links).
Let’s round up a few more notes from out of the league’s two South divisions….
- Armed with the top two picks in the draft, the Buccaneers and Titans will both have a strong front office presence at this week’s Rose Bowl, per Peter Schrager of FOX Sports and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter links). Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston – the consensus top two quarterbacks expected to be available in 2015’s draft – will square off in the game.
- With the Buccaneers considered likely to select a quarterback using the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, current signal-caller Josh McCown is realistic about his future – or possibly lack thereof – with the team, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
- Jaguars defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks enjoyed the best season of his career in 2014, establishing a career-high with 8.5 sacks. However, his year ended on a sour note — according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter), Marks suffered a torn ACL yesterday in Houston. The injury raises questions about Marks’ potential availability for training camp and the start of the 2015 season, and could impact the Jags’ offseason plans.
- Veteran nose tackle Ryan Pickett isn’t sure whether or not he’ll retire, but he enjoyed his time with the Texans this season, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. “If I did come back, I’d want to play here,” Pickett said. “I feel like this team is headed somewhere and I’d like to be a part of that.”
Coaching Rumors: Ryan, Falcons, Bears, 49ers
Black Monday is underway, and a handful of teams are expected to make announcements today regarding changes to their coaching staffs and/or front offices. Here are a few of the latest rumors to start off the day:
- The Jets were the first team to formally announce the firing of a head coach this morning, and Rex Ryan appreciated the quick, definitive decision from owner Woody Johnson, since he feels as if he has a chance at another head coaching job, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets. Per Mehta (Twitter links), Ryan will explore head coaching opportunities, and if he doesn’t land a job, he believes his next role will be with ESPN — he doesn’t have interest in any defensive coordinator positions.
- Mike Smith is “absolutely done” in Atlanta, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That coincides with what we’ve heard in recent weeks, and is no surprise, considering how the Falcons finished their regular season yesterday. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates (via Twitter) that while Smith’s tenure with the Falcons is “on life support,” the same doesn’t appear to be true for general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
- While multiple reports have suggested the Bears will likely part ways with head coach Marc Trestman, Trestman himself is preparing as if he’ll return for the 2015 season, writes Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. Rapoport tweets that the Bears head coach figures to make a “strong case” to save his job, perhaps pointing to the performance by quarterbacks not named Jay Cutler in his system. Still, it’s hard to imagine the club bringing Trestman back for another year.
- The 49ers are in no hurry to name their next head coach, according to Rapoport, who tweets that the search is expected to be “lengthy and methodical.” One in-house candidate, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, won’t be joining Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, says Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. As for Harbaugh’s offer from Michigan, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that it could ultimately get up to $9MM per year, since there was some “quiet bidding” over the weekend.
- The Raiders were “truly in the mix” for Harbaugh before he decided to go to Michigan, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, adding that Harbaugh was the Raiders’ top choice and they were disappointed not to land him. Oakland is now expected to cast a wide net as the club attempts to identify its next coach, though if it were up to the players, perhaps interim coach Tony Sparano would be the top choice, says Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group. Sparano will have the opportunity to interview for the permanent job, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com.
- Titans CEO Tommy Smith reiterated yesterday that head coach Ken Whisenhunt and GM Ruston Webster will both be back for the 2015 season, writes Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com.
Draft Order Set For Non-Playoff Teams
The 2015 NFL Draft is looking clearer now, after the Ravens clinched the final playoff seed in the AFC. That means the 20 teams to miss the playoffs have their orders set.
The Chiefs will pick right after the Chargers based on divisional tiebreakers.
The first 20 picks are as follows, based on overall record and strength of schedule, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com.
- Buccaneers
- Titans
- Jaguars
- Raiders
- Washington
- Jets
- Bears
- Falcons
- Giants
- Rams
- Vikings
- Browns
- Saints
- Dolphins
- 49ers
- Texans
- Chargers
- Chiefs
- Browns (from Bills, via trade)
- Eagles
La Canfora’s Latest: Texans, Browns, Harbaugh
Let’s check out the latest from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:
- The Texans are expected to make a change at general manager during the offseason, with current GM Rick Smith shifting into a new role that doesn’t involve football operations. Head coach Bill O’Brien will have significant input on who is hired to fill the position, and sources tell La Canfora that the club already has several candidates in mind. Patriots executive Nick Caserio would likely be O’Brien’s top choice, as the two worked together in New England. Other external options include the Eagles’ Tom Gamble and the Pats’ Jon Robinson, while internal candidates could include scouting director Mike Maccagnan and director of pro personnel Brian Gaine. Texans vice chariman Cal McNair has denied La Canfora’s report, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
- Meanwhile, changes could also be coming in Buffalo and Tennessee, writes La Canfora. Bills GM Doug Whaley doesn’t have a great relationship with head coach Doug Marrone, and given that the current Buffalo front office was responsible for the selection of E.J. Manuel, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the club completely overhaul its management team. Meanwhile, the Titans could opt to fire general manager Ruston Webster, and replace him with executive Lake Dawson.
- The Browns are growing increasingly frustrated with both Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel, sources tell La Canfora. Gordon, who was suspended for today’s game after missing a walkthrough on Saturday, will file a grievance against the team in order to maintain his free agent status after 2015. But Cleveland officials say Gordon “has to go,” although La Canfora says it’s unclear whether owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to trade the talented wideout. For his part, Manziel was also absent yesterday, and team security was forced to go to his house to retrieve him. The rookie quarterback reportedly threw a team party Friday night (which led to several Browns being late on Saturday), the latest questionable decision by a player who recently vowed to take the game more seriously.
- Five clubs — the Raiders, Jets, 49ers, Falcons, and Bears — are expected to make coaching changes in the coming days. The Raiders still have their eye on Jim Harbaugh, but if he takes the Michigan job as expected, the club could bring in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. And while the 49ers are expected to look at some of the younger offensive coaches during their search, the Jets, Falcons, and Bears are looking to hire an established head coach, per La Canfora. Rex Ryan is an option in Atlanta, though if the Falcons lose today and miss the playoffs, general manger Thomas Dimitroff could be axed there. In Chicago, the club could look to reunite Mike Shanahan with Jay Cutler.
- The Raiders will indeed attempt to make their pitch to Harbaugh, and would even engage in trade talks with the 49ers if possible. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that NFL executives won’t believe Harbaugh has a deal with Michigan until it’s officially signed.
- Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is a name to watch regarding head-coaching vacancies. La Canfora says sources have compared Autin’s rise to that of Mike Tomlin, who went from an unknown position coach to leading the Steelers in rapid time. Austin is expected to garner several interviews, including one with the Falcons.
Extra Points: Harbaugh, Draft, Titans, Pettis
The 49ers are expected to part ways with Jim Harbaugh in less than 72 hours, and interested parties are positioning themselves to land the successful, if controversial, head coach. According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports (Twitter link), the University of Michigan, which reportedly has a six-year, ~$50MM offer on the table, will send officials (and its search firm) to the Bay Area this weekend to meet with Harbaugh. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms the Michigan news, and reports that the Raiders will also speak with Harbaugh this weekend (Twitter link). Rapoport also adds (via Twitter) that Harbaugh will resolve his situation with the 49ers before he meets with either entity. Here’s more from around the league…
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net passes along the latest regarding NCAA draft entrants, reporting that while defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches of Southern Mississippi and running back Devontae Booker of Utah will likely enter the draft (Twitter links), Rutgers receiver Leonte Carr will likely return to school for another year (Twitter link).
- Meanwhile, UCF receiver Breshad Perriman didn’t receive a top-three round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, so he’s still considering whether or not to enter the draft, tweets Pauline.
- With one week left in the NFL season, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap updates both the playoff odds and the favorites for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
- While the Titans will have a chance to draft either first or second in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zach Mettenberger believes the team already has the quarterback of its future, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. “There’s not another guy out there who can do what I can do and bring what I can bring to this game.,” said Mettenberger. “Obviously (the Titans) have seen how hard I work and know that I’m a gym rat, and know that I am going to continue to get better. Really all I can do is continue that and show that I am going to continue doing it.”
- Ex-Rams receiver Austin Pettis, released by St. Louis on October 20, worked out for the Chargers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). San Diego’s Keenan Allen is nursing a collarbone injury, so Pettis could provide some insurance at the WR position.
- After releasing defensive tackle Travian Robertson earlier today, the Seahawks don’t plan on making a roster addition before Sunday’s contest, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Zach Links contributed to this post.