Week In Review News & Rumors

San Francisco’s dual searches continue. Technically, the 49ers have still not named a new head coach, but that’s only because their overwhelmingly likely choice — Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan — is still coaching in the playoffs. Shanahan will likely meet with Niners ownership on Tuesday to discuss candidates for San Francisco’s vacant general manager position. A number of contenders have recently dropped out of the running, leaving the Vikings’ George Paton and the Cardinals’ Terry McDonough as the remaining choices.

Colts make a change. Indianapolis has finally made an alteration to its decision-making structure, announcing Saturday that it had fired general manager Ryan Grigson. Reports of discord between Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano had existed for some time, forcing the Colts to part ways with Grigson despite that fact that he recently signed an extension through the 2019 campaign. Incumbent Indy executive Jimmy Raye III is considered the favorite to take over as GM, but given that the position is viewed as highly attractive, multiple candidates figure to emerge.

Viva Las Vegas. The Raiders made it official last week, filing relocation papers for their intended move to Las Vegas. The city of Oakland made “no progress” in retaining the club, and most observers don’t buy the city’s plan for a new stadium. Instead, the Raiders and owner Mark Davis hope to move into a $1.9 billion proposed facility in Vegas in time for the 2020 season. The plan still needs to be approved by the NFL’s owners, but the proposal is reportedly “gaining momentum.”

Chip Kelly getting nibbles. Although Chip Kelly’s single season with the 49ers certainly wasn’t a success, he’s still respected around the league as an offensive mind, and has garnered a bit of interest over the past week. The Jaguars interviewed Kelly both for their head coaching job and their offensive coordinator position, but decided to go with internal hires. The Patriots — and Kelly friend Bill Belichick — reportedly met with Kelly last week, while the Falcons could also express interest if Kyle Shanahan heads to San Francisco.

Coordinator change galore. Now that all but one head coaching slot has been filled, clubs have begun to assemble their coaching staffs by first installing new coordinators. Gus Bradley (Chargers), Mike Vrabel (Texans), and Greg Manusky (Redskins) are a few of the new coaches on the defensive side of the ball, while Rick Dennison (Bills), Nathaniel Hackett (Jaguars), and — likely — Matt Cavanaugh (Redskins) join them on offense. Follow all the latest staff news by bookmarking PFR’s 2017 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Tracker.

Ch-ch-ch-changes. Two more clubs parted ways with their head coaches, as the Chargers decided to fire Mike McCoy while the 49ers dismissed Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke. San Diego and San Francisco join Buffalo, Denver, Jacksonville, and Los Angeles in the head coaching hunt, and interviews are already taking place, with Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, Anthony Lynn, and Dave Toub among the most popular candidates. Follow all the latest on the hiring cycle with PFR’s 2017 Head Coaching Search Tracker.

Indy stays the course. While the six clubs above are overhauling their respective coaching staffs, the Colts opted not to do so, announcing that general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano will both return in 2017. Both men signed extensions to remain in Indianapolis last season, but rumors had surfaced indicating that the Colts could redesign their leadership structure. Instead, the club will opt for continuity and hope to contend next year in the AFC South.

Killer Bees likely staying in Pittsburgh. With Ben Roethlisberger under contract for the foreseeable future, the Steelers are turning their attention to the other two key members of their prolific offense. Pittsburgh is likely to use the franchise tag to retain running back Le’Veon Bell, while the club is also interested in working out an extension with running back Antonio Brown, who is under contract for one more season. A long-term deal with Bell is possible even after the franchise tag is used, of course, but if no contract is agreed to, Bell would earn north of $12MM in 2017.

Seahawks add a legendary returner. With primary returner Tyler Lockett sidelined for the rest of the season, Seattle signed one of the all-time greats to fill in for the time being, agreeing to a deal with free agent Devin Hester. Now 34 years old, Hester was released by the Ravens earlier this year and is probably not the top-notch athlete he once was. But he should still be able to add another dimension to the Seahawks’ return game as they continue their run through the postseason.

QB trade on the horizon? Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron received a few starts at the end of the 2015 campaign after Andy Dalton suffered an injury, and now McCarron sounds open to a trade. Outside of Kirk Cousins, the free agent quarterback market is barren, and McCarron could represent an intriguing option for a QB-needy club. Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, meanwhile, tweeted last week that moving McCarron was part of the Bengals’s offseason “itinerary,” calling it a question of “when” rather than “if” Cincinnati will deal its No. 2 signal-caller.

Quarterbacks — and postseason chances — go down. A week after the Dolphins lost QB Ryan Tannehill for an indefinite amount of time, both the Raiders and Titans saw their starting signal-callers fall victim to injury. Derek Carr suffered a broken fibula and is unlikely to return for a playoff run, meaning Oakland will head into the tournament with Matt McGloin under center. Marcus Mariota went down with the same injury, and Tennessee subsequently fell to Jacksonville — eliminating the Titans from the postseason — with Matt Cassel leading the way. The quarterbacks Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots are likely to face in what now looks like an easy run through the AFC playoffs? Ben Roethlisberger, Alex Smith, Matt Moore, McGloin, and Tom Savage.

Jaguars fire Gus Bradley. After a three-plus year run with Jacksonville, head coach Gus Bradley was handed his walking papers after posting a 14-48 record (which translates to a .226 winning percentage, the second-lowest mark in league history). the Jaguars promoted offensive line coach Doug Marrone to interim head coach, and have seemingly already begun their search for a permanent solution. Both Tom Coughlin (link) and Kyle Shanahan (link) are thought to be candidates, while the club could also be interested in placing Coughlin in a front office role. Meanwhile, the next Jaguars head coach won’t be tied to quarterback Blake Bortles.

The search gets underway in LA. The Jaguars aren’t the only team on the hunt for a new coach, as the Rams are also looking for a new leader after firing Jeff Fisher. Los Angeles is reportedly focusing its efforts on ESPN commentator Jon Gruden, although Gruden said he has “no intention of coaching.” Kyle Shanahan is also possibly on the Rams’ list, while Saints coach Sean Payton reportedly has “sincere” interest in the position.

Legion of Boom to stay intact. All Pro safety Earl Thomas will return in 2017, dispelling any notion that he might instead opt for retirement after suffering a major injury a few weeks ago. Considered by many observers to be the key to Seattle’s defense, Thomas is among the best defensive players in the league, and his loss would have represented a significant blow to the Seahawks.

No Jamaal Charles for playoffs. The Chiefs opted to bring linebacker Justin March-Lillard off injured reserve last week, meaning that running back Jamaal Charles won’t be rejoining the club for a postseason run. Charles landed on IR in early November, but he likely would have been cleared for the playoffs had Kansas City decided to wait. But given the club’s lack of depth at linebacker, the Chiefs decided to go with March-Lillard instead.

Rams fire Jeff Fisher. One day after he tied the NFL record for most losses by a head coach, Jeff Fisher was handed his walking papers by the Rams, who fired him and installed special teams coordinator John Fassel as interim head coach. Los Angeles is said to be searching for a new coach with experience on the offensive side of the ball, and PFR’s Zach Links looked at 10 of the most likely candidates for the job. Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is thought to be willing to listen to the club’s pitch, while Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has already ruled himself out.

Brock to the bench. The Texans have finally seen enough of quarterback Brock Osweiler, and benched him today in favor of Tom Savage. Houston signed Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM contract that contained $37MM in guarantees over the offseason, but he’s responded by completing less than 60% of his passes and tossing 14 touchdowns. With Savage leading the way, the Texans pulled out a victory over the Jaguars and remain in the thick of the AFC South race.

Rex done in BUF? The Bills are “preparing to move on” from head coach Rex Ryan after the season, as Adam Scheter of ESPN.com reported this morning on the heels of last week’s report that Ryan was unlikely to return in 2017. Ryan’s relationship with general manager Doug Whaley is reportedly strained, and given that Whaley has built a relationship with the club’s ownership, Ryan looks to be on the outs. Whaley, for what it’s worth, is not thought to be on the hot seat.

Back comes AP. Adrian Peterson made a surprise announcement on Friday, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio that he would come off IR and play in the Vikings’ Week 15 contest against the Colts. Peterson had returned to practice earlier in the week, but it was unclear whether he’d be ready to go on Sunday. Despite Peterson’s appearance, Minnesota took a beating today, losing to Indianapolis 34-6 as Peterson managed only 22 yards on six carries. The Vikings’ playoff hopes are just about over, as FiveThirtyEight gives the club less than a one percent chance of making the postseason.

Michael Floyd changes teams. After being arrested for DUI, Michael Floyd was waived by the Cardinals, but landed in a better situation just one day later as he was claimed by the Patriots. New England will pay Floyd less than $1MM for his services over the rest of the regular season and the postseason, giving him something of an audition before he hits free agency next spring. Floyd is expected to be handed a suspension in 2017, however, which could limit his market.

Injuries hit contending teams. A number of possible playoff clubs were affected by injury issues this week, as Seahawks safety Earl Thomas (link), Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (link), Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson (link), and Vikings safety Harrison Smith (link) all went down and now face various recovery times. Thomas and Johnson are done for the season (but Johnson, even at age-34, isn’t considering retirement), but Pierre-Paul and Smith could possibly return later this year, depending on their respective teams’ postseason chances.

Trouble in La-La Land? The Rams recently announced extensions for general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, but discord between the two decision-makers could threaten to disrupt the franchise. As Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reported last week, the animosity between Snead and Fisher has been an “open secret in league circles for some time, and some sources even labeled the club “Rams Junior High.” Both Snead and Fisher, predictably, have denied any such rancor.

Changes possible in Buffalo. Bills general manager Doug Whaley last week refused to commit to quarterback Tyrod Taylor, on whom the club holds an option that would kick in an extra $30.5MM in guarantees. Although some reports have indicated that Buffalo hasn’t yet made a decision on Taylor, the trend line seems to show that the team won’t exercise its option. Meanwhile, head coach Rex Ryan‘s relationship with Whaley is strained, and he could be fired as soon as Monday if the Bills continue to lose.

RG3 in CLE. For the first time since Week 1, Robert Griffin III was back on a football field, as he started today’s Browns game against the Bengals. Frankly, RG3 wasn’t effective in today’s loss, as he completed only 12 of 28 attempts for 104 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception (though he did add 31 yards rushing). Head coach Hue Jackson, however, has already indicated that Griffin will start again next week as Cleveland uses this final four-game stretch to decide whether RG3 will return in 2017.

Late-season extensions in vogue. As the year progresses, teams that have a good deal of 2016 cap space left over are trying to use it up, extending young players while taking the financial hit immediately. The 49ers locked up tight end Vance McDonald to a five-year, $35MM deal, the Falcons signed cornerback Robert Alford for four years and $38MM, and the Browns inked cornerback Jamar Taylor to a three-year, $15MM pact.

Down goes Gronk. The Patriots have lost their top offensive weapon for the remainder of the season, as All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski underwent back surgery last week to repair a herniated disc. New England officially placed Gronkowski on injured reserve, and because the Pats already used their IR/return slot on quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Gronk has no chance of playing again this year. Gronkowski’s most recent back injury isn’t career-threatening, although he may have to play through pain for the rest of his NFL tenure. Meanwhile, fellow New England tight end Martellus Bennett turned down a $7MM/year extension offer before the season, but talks are expected to continue next year.

End of an era in Chicago? Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is done for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery last week, and it’s possible — and perhaps likely — that Cutler won’t throw a pass for Chicago again. Reports all season have indicated that the Bears regime is finished with Cutler and are prepared to move on after the season, saving a chunk of cap space in the process. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said last week that Chicago could circle back to Cutler if it isn’t able to find a better option. Matt Barkley will be under center for the reset of the season in the Windy City.

You can’t go home again. After the University of Oregon fired head football coach Mark Helfrich last Tuesday, speculation instantly arose regarding the possibility of 49ers head coach Chip Kelly returning to Eugene. Kelly, as he’s already been forced to do this season, denied the rumors, and restated his commitment to San Francisco. Previous reports had indicated that some NCAA clubs had privately reached out to Kelly’s representation in the hopes of luring him back to the college game, but it appears as though Kelly will return to the 49ers in 2017.

Latest on relocation talks. The Chargers are progressing towards a deal with the Rams to share a stadium in Inglewood, California, and although owner Dean Spanos is likely to exhaust all options before leaving San Diego, it appears as though the Chargers will be LA-bound in the near future. The Raiders, meanwhile, might face a bit more opposition to their proposed move to Las Vegas, as several owners recently voiced concerns about both Vegas’ small market size and the integrity of one particular investor.

AP to return this year? Disparate reports have emerged on the state of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson‘s health — while some sources have indicated that Peterson is targeting a return later this month, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested last week that the All Pro back could miss the remainder of the season. Peterson has been doing some light running recently (both in a pool and on a field), while fellow Minnesota RB Jerick McKinnon contends that Peterson is “way ahead” of schedule in his recovery.

Several of the top stories from around the NFL this week…

Injuries, injuries, and more injuries: Injuries are part of the NFL, but we still hate to see some of our favorite players miss time. Several notable players were shut down for this season this week, including Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (ACL), 49ers safety Eric Reid (biceps), and Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant (pectoral). It’s not all bad news, fortunately, as we learned that several injured players may actually return this season. There’s still optimism that Bengals wideout A.J. Green will return to the field, while Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is eyeing a December return.

Activations: While several players were lost for the season, we also saw the return of a handful of healthy players. Bills wideout Sammy Watkins was the most notable activation, as the receiver returned to practice for the first time since Week 2. The Buccaneers designated running back Charles Sims as their player to return, while the Panthers did the same with defensive end Ryan Delaire.

Quarterback Futures: Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is reportedly seeking nearly $24MM annually, while the organization could choose to franchise him to a similar one-year deal. This would certainly be a pay increase for the fifth-year veteran, who is currently making $19.95MM. With Jay Cutler being ruled out for the season in Chicago, there was some thought that he may have played his final game with the organization. However, there’s reportedly some optimism that the veteran could return to the Bears in 2017. Finally, the Tony Romo/Dak Prescott saga continues in Dallas.

Webb Cut: Despite signing J’Marcus Webb to a two-year deal over the offseason, the Seahawks cut bait with the offensive lineman this week. The 28-year-old was expected to be a starter for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense, but he ended up losing the gig after only three games. The return of rookie Germain Ifedi cemented Webb’s fate, although it’s not hard to envision the veteran catching on with another team.

McDaniels Wants to Coach: Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is presumably enjoying his renaissance with Tom Brady and the organization, but the 40-year-old said he’d love to get another head coaching gig. McDaniels will presumably be a commodity this winter, although he didn’t have much success when he coached the Broncos several years ago. Denver ended up going 11-17 in one-plus season with McDaniels at the helm.

High price tag on Richardson. The Jets reportedly spoke with both the Cowboys and Broncos about the possibility of dealing pass rusher Sheldon Richardson before the trade deadline, but Gang Green was aiming to recoup expensive compensation. The cost for Richardson was apparently a first-round pick, and neither Dallas nor Denver was willing to acquiesce. Subsequent reports have indicated that Richardson, as well as fellow defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, have been repeatedly late for meetings and walkthroughs. The Jets control Richardson through the 2017 season thanks to his fifth-year option.

Stars returning to the field. Both the Chiefs and the Patriots will get key players back on the field in the near future, as the clubs have activated linebacker Justin Houston and running back Dion Lewis from the PUP list, respectively. Though he’s returned to the 53-man roster, Houston didn’t play today against the Panthers (though he did not suffer a setback). It’s unclear whether Lewis will be active tonight when New England faces Seattle, but if he is, he’ll add another dimension to an offense that’s already among the league’s best.

No. 1 pick could become No. 1 QB. Although one report has indicated that Rams rookie Jared Goff won’t start for Los Angeles until the team is officially eliminated from playoff contention, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com today reported that Goff could become the club’s starting quarterback as soon as next week. The Rams are currently locked in a defensive struggle with the Jets, and starter Case Keenum hasn’t led Los Angeles on a touchdown-scoring drive yet today. If he takes the reigns next week, Goff would see his first NFL action against the Dolphins at home.

Suspensions hit contenders. Cowboys pass rusher Randy Gregory failed yet another drug test last week, and is now facing a possible one-year ban. Gregory was supposed to return later this season after serving two concurrent bans, but that now seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro is facing a four-game suspension for using Adderall, though Vaccaro has vowed to fight the discipline. New Orleans and Vaccaro are now awaiting the results of a second sample.

Chargers likely in San Diego through next year. Though an initiave to fund a new stadium in San Diego failed on election day, the Chargers are still probably staying in San Diego through the 2017 season, as the club will delay a decision to move to Los Angeles until 2018. Owner Dean Spanos confirmed as much, saying he’ll put the issue of relocating his team on the backburner until next year.

The Browns make a big move. The Indians blew a three game to one lead to lose the World Series to the Cubs, but elsewhere in Cleveland, the Browns made a huge trade, sacrificing a conditional third-round compensatory pick in exchange for Patriots LB Jamie Collins. The reaction to the move was swift, with most observers guessing that Collins simply wants more money that New England was willing to pay — though Collins has disputed wanting a “Von Miller” contract, reports have indicated that he wants to top Luke Kuechly‘s $12MM+ salary. As of yet, the Browns haven’t started negotiating a new deal with Collins, who will be a free agent at season’s end.

Rest of the deadline stays quiet. Besides the Collins trade, the deadline consisted of mostly smoke but no fire. The Browns were reportedly considering moving defensive backs Tramon Williams (link) and Joe Haden, and while the Saints inquired on the latter, no deal was ever swung. Likewise, Cleveland held onto future Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas, and San Francisco did the same with Joe Staley and Torrey Smith. Meanwhile, conflicting reports emerged in regards to Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson — while the Cowboys reportedly made an offer for Richardson (and were interested in Miami’s Cameron Wake), other reports indicated that the rest of the league had limited interest in Richardson.

No more Norv. Norv Turner abruptly resigned as the Vikings’ offensive coordinator last week, ceding his responsibility to tight ends coach Pat Shurmur. While Minnesota sat at 5-2 entering play today, the club’s offense ranked only 24th in DVOA, though injuries can be blamed for many of the team’s struggles. Head coach Mike Zimmer said he was quite surprised by Turner’s decision, and subsequent reports have said Turner was not forced out. Shurmur, meanwhile, will get his third opportunity to work with Sam Bradford, having coached him previously with the Rams and Eagles.

Andre Johnson hangs ’em up. Midway through his 14th NFL season, receiver Andre Johnson announced that he would retire. Johnson is the all-time leader in just about every Texans’ receiving category, and though he sputtered during his final two seasons with the Colts and Titans, he still looks like a surefire Hall of Famer. His 1,062 career receptions places him eighth all-time (just behind Reggie Wayne), while he currently ranks ninth in receiving yards with 14,185. And Johnson was just as exceptional on a rate basis, as his 73.5 yards per game places him ninth in league history.

Percy is back. While Johnson decided to call it quits, fellow receiver Percy Harvin took the opposite tack — he’s coming back to the NFL, having signed a one-year deal to rejoin the Bills. Harvin will earn about $1MM for the remainder of the season, and will try to help spark a Buffalo offense that has been ravaged by injuries. This past offseason, he wrestled with the idea of retirement and flip-flopped a couple of times in the spring. In April, he told the Bills that he was done playing football, but he apparently had a change of heart in recent weeks.