The GM's, Coach's, Carousel

Report: Ravens interviewed James Urban, George Godsey for OC



The Ravens have reportedly talked to several external candidates about their vacancy at offensive coordinator. But they’re also considering at least a pair of internal candidates.

According to Jeff Zrebiec of TheAthletic.com, head coach John Harbaugh has interviewed quarterbacks coach James Urban and tight ends coach George Godsey for the position.


Urban has been with the Ravens since 2018 as the club’s QBs coach. There would be some clear continuity with Lamar Jackson if the club elevated his position coach to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Urban was previously the Bengals receivers coach from 2011-2018. He was also on Andy Reid’s Eagles staff with Harbaugh from 2004-2007.

Godsey just joined the Ravens as TEs coach in 2022 after three seasons with the Dolphins from 2019-2020. He was Miami’s co-offensive coordinator in addition to tight ends coach in 2021.

Broncos offensive coordinator Justin Outten, Browns receivers coach Chad O’Shea, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales, Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson, and Vikings passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio have also drawn interest from the Ravens to be their next offensive coordinator.

PFT

 

Being an OC or considering it in Baltimore at the moment must be a real hum-dinger given the Lamar Jackson drama.

 

Cowboys’ Kellen Moore to Interview for Panthers Job, per Report

Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is the latest assistant coach to land an interview for the Panthers coaching job, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The interview is scheduled for Tuesday. Moore is the ninth coach to be interviewed for the position, according to Panthers.com.

Dallas led the NFL in scoring and total yards in 2021 and this past season they were ranked third in the league in total touchdowns at 55 scored. Moore, 34, was an NFL quarterback from 2012 to ’17 and played for both the Lions and Cowboys—the team he last played for before retiring in 2018.

He transitioned to coaching and his first stop was as the quarterbacks coach for Dallas in 2018 and he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019.

He joins the likes of former Saints coach Sean Payton, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, former Colts coach Frank Reich, Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks and former Lions coach Jim Caldwell to interview for the Carolina job.

Carolina fired Matt Rhule on Oct. 10 after a 1–4 start to the season, but Wilks was able to go 6–6 in his limited time as interim coach, leading the organization to a 7–10 mark on the season.

PFT

 

Cowboys whack five assistant coaches, so far



The best argument for the Cowboys keeping coach Mike McCarthy is that he presided over consecutive 12-win seasons. That argument presumably would also apply to the various members of the coaching staff who now find themselves out of work.

In addition to senior defensive assistant George Edwards and running backs coach Skip Peete, the Cowboys have parted ways with offensive line coach Joe Philbin, assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett, and assistant head coach Rob Davis, according to Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.


As PFT noted earlier in the week, the contracts had expired for all but four members of the coaching staff. But it’s still a firing, as a practical matter, to not offer them new contracts.

And it makes me wonder whether something else is going on behind the scenes. Something like owner Jerry Jones discreetly lining up the replacement for the head coach before firing the head coach, because Jones will fire the head coach only if he gets the replacement Jones wants.

In unrelated (or not) developments, Sean Payton’s candidacy with the four teams that had expressed interest in his services seems to have become bogged down, by something.

PFT

 

I can understand firing them, but getting wacked is pretty extreme!

One of my favorites to play on the guitar when i need a lift.

 

Jets hire Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator



The Jets have found their new offensive coordinator.

The team announced the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett on Thursday morning. Hackett replaces Mike LaFleur, who left the team after the end of the regular season.


Hackett spent the first 15 games of the 2022 season as the head coach of the Broncos, but he was fired with two weeks left in the season after he made a series of in-game blunders and was unable to put together a capable offense after the offseason trade for Russell Wilson.

The Jets had their own disappointing Wilson at quarterback in 2022, but the Hackett hiring is likely to lead to speculation about the team moving on from Zach Wilson this offseason. Hackett was the offensive coordinator in Green Bay before taking the Broncos job and his arrival with the Jets will have some people thinking about the AFC East team trying to make a trade for Aaron Rodgers this offseason.

There were similar thoughts in Denver when Hackett was hired, but that obviously didn’t come to fruition. Whether Rodgers comes to New Jersey or not, the Jets will be hoping that Hackett avoids a repeat of his on-field results with the Broncos.

PFT

 

Dan Quinn has decided to stay in Dallas... wont pursuit an HC job.

 

Mike McCarthy: Jerry Jones wants me to coach Cowboys as long as Tom Landry did

“As far as my relationship with Jerry, just using his words, we’re in an excellent spot,” McCarthy said in a news conference Thursday. “The partnership that we have, he’s excited about. He told me a number of times this week that he wants me to coach here as long as coach Landry did. And I said, ‘OK, that’s a long time.’ I feel really good about our relationship. I think or ability to discuss and disagree we do a good job of that, and I think that’s important.”

 

Jerry Jones is a masocist.

 

Report: Rams to hire Mike LaFleur as offensive coordinator




The Rams will once again have a LaFleur as their offensive coordinator under Sean McVay.

Los Angeles is hiring former Mike LaFleur to be their new OC, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.


LaFleur had been the Jets offensive coordinator for the last two seasons. He headed there after working with New York head coach Robert Saleh with the 49ers. LaFleur was previously San Francisco’s passing game coordinator from 2017-2020 under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

LaFleur also worked alongside Shanahan with the Falcons from 2015-2016 and the Browns in 2014.

But while LaFleur called plays for the Jets, he may not be doing so with Los Angeles. McVay has called plays since he was hired back in 2017. But with McVay reevaluating plenty of things in the offseason, LaFleur could, in theory, end up with that responsibility for Los Angeles in 2023.

LaFleur’s older brother, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in McVay’s first year coaching the Rams. Kevin O’Connell is another former Rams OC who has gone on to be a head coach.

PFT

 

Falcons hire Ryan Nielsen as defensive coordinator



The Falcons have their new defensive coordinator.

Ryan Nielsen, who has spent the last six seasons coaching the defensive line in New Orleans, is the new defensive coordinator in Atlanta, the Falcons announced today.


Other candidates the Falcons were known to be considering included former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, Steelers senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach Brian Flores, Panthers interim defensive coordinator Al Holcomb and Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. The Falcons have been looking for a new defensive coordinator since Dean Pees retired at the end of the season.

The 43-year-old Nielsen worked at North Carolina State, Northern Illinois, UT-Martin, Central Connecticut State, Ole Miss and USC before he was hired by the Saints.

PFT

 

DeMeco Ryans a ‘Top Candidate’ for Texans Job, per Report

49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is a “top candidate” for the Texans head coaching job, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report. Ryans will meet again with Houston after San Francisco plays on Sunday and, according to Rapoport, there is mutual interest between the two for this position.

Ryans played the bulk of his career in Houston as a star linebacker from 2006 to ’11, spending four seasons with the Eagles through ’15 before entering coaching with the Niners in 2017. Over the past two years, Ryans has been one of the top defensive coordinators in the game as he prepares to coach in a second straight NFC championship game.

There are currently four head coach openings available, as the Panthers hired Frank Reich on Thursday. the first domino to fall in the coaching cycle. Ryans is also scheduled for a second interview with the Broncos next week.

According to SI’s Albert Breer, Ryans is coveted by both Houston and Denver, and may be able to pick the spot he prefers.



Once Houston makes a decision, it will be hiring its fifth head coach in the last four seasons. The Texans’ last two head coaches, David Culley and Lovie Smith, were fired after their first seasons leading the team.

SI

 

Report: Bucs plan to interview Todd Monken next week



The Buccaneers plan to interview University of Georgia assistant coach Todd Monken next week for their open offensive coordinator position, Jeanna Laine of ESPN reports.

Monken currently is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UGA, a job he has held since 2020.


He was offensive coordinator for the Bucs from 2016-18 before serving as the Browns’ offensive coordinator in 2019.

Monken’s other experience is in the college ranks.

The Bucs fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich on Jan. 19, one of nine vacancies they have to fill on their coaching staff for 2023.

They have interviewed Jaguars passing game coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell and Broncos passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak for the offensive coordinator opening. The Bucs have requested an interview with Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney.

PFT

 

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Monken interviewed for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator vacancy this week. Monken is also slated to interview with the Buccaneers next week.

 

Report: Falcons working on a deal to hire Packers assistant Jerry Gray



The Falcons hired a new defensive coordinator Friday, naming Saints co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Packers defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Jerry Gray interviewed for the job.

Gray appears headed to Atlanta anyway.


The Falcons are working on a deal with Gray, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.

Gray has spent the past three seasons as an assistant on the Packers’ staff, but he isn’t under contract for 2023, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Gray and Falcons head coach Arthur Smith were on the same staffs in Washington in 2007-08 and with the Titans in 2011-13.

Gray was the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2001-05 and the Titans’ defensive coordinator in 2011-13.

Gray also interviewed with the Bears for an unspecified position on their staff.

PFT

 

Commanders, Ravens, Titans seek interviews with Eric Bieniemy for offensive coordinator



Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been unable to land a head-coaching job, but he may have options if he wants to take an offensive coordinator job elsewhere.

The Commanders, Ravens and Titans, all of which currently have offensive coordinator vacancies, have all requested interviews with Bieniemy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Jets also asked to interview Bieniemy before hiring Nathaniel Hackett as their new offensive coordinator.

Bieniemy might be willing to take a lateral move to one of those tams because he would have full authority over the offensive game planning and play calling, which he doesn’t have working for Andy Reid.

Bieniemy is also among the many candidates to become the next head coach of the Colts.

PFT

 

Colts Plan Second Interview With Shane Steichen

Rich Bisaccia Set For Second Interview With Colts

 

I read this morning the Broncos are looking for more possible candidates for HC... seems odd to me and a lot of others, but CEO Penner must have his reasons. I blame Harbough, he even had another visit with them after stating he would remain HC for that team up north of me.

 

The Colts cant seem to make up their minds on a HC also.