The GM's, Coach's, Carousel

Eagles already getting Jonathan Gannon from Indy. Harris would only come as a lateral move if he and Washington agree.

 

Lmao!

Dan Cambell's introductory press conference was unforgettable! lol! Dude went Big Lebowski on us.....

Might have to pad up for the executive meetings with Campbell and Speilman in the room.

 

Chargers hiring Saints QBs coach Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator

Perhaps the biggest voice in Justin Herbert's ear moving forward has been decided.

Joe Lombardi, who's spent the past five seasons coaching quarterbacks for the Saints, has agreed to terms with the Chargers to be their offensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. It's an opportunity Lombardi has been working toward for some time.

The 49-year-old assistant was briefly the OC for the Lions, joining Jim Caldwell in Detroit in 2014. That season produced a playoff appearance and Matthew Stafford's lone Pro Bowl selection. But after the Lions struggled to a 1-6 start to begin the following campaign, Lombardi was sent packing. He would return to New Orleans, where he'd already served as Drew Brees' QBs coach from 2009-13 and contributed to a Super Bowl title.

The Chargers and new coach Brandon Staley will be looking for similar results in pairing Lombardi with Herbert, who's fresh off a record-breaking rookie season. While the 2020 first-round pick's supporting cast figures to be about the same on the field, he'll be working with a markedly different crew on the sidelines. Former OC Shane Steichen left L.A. to be the OC for the Eagles, while QBs coach Pep Hamilton has generated outside interest as an OC.

The relationship and results between Lombardi and Herbert will be pivotal for the Chargers' immediate and, possibly, long-term future.

NFL.com

 

Report: Seahawks to hire Shane Waldron as new offensive coordinator



The Seattle Seahawks are raiding a division rival to fill their vacancy at offensive coordinator.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Seahawks are planning to hire Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Shane Waldron to serve as their next offensive coordinator.

The Seahawks fired Brian Schottenheimer after the season following three years in the role for the team.

Waldron has spent the last four years with the Rams with the last three as their passing game coordinator. He served as the team’s tight ends coach in 2016 after following head coach Sean McVay to Los Angeles from the Washington Football Team.

The Seahawks had been speaking to many candidates about the job. Former head coaches (Anthony Lynn, Doug Pederson, Adam Gase) and current assistants (Kirby Wilson, Ken Dorsey, Joe Lombardi) were among the candidates reportedly connected to the position for Seattle.

Waldron would become the fourth offensive coordinator for Pete Carroll during his 12 seasons as head coach in Seattle. Jeremy Bates served in the position for one year before Darrell Bevell took over in 2011. He was let go after the 2017 season with Schottenheimer being hired for the job.

Waldron is the fourth coach and sixth member of the front office to depart the Rams staff this offseason. Brandon Staley took over the head coaching job of the Los Angeles Chargers with Joe Barry following to become his defensive coordinator. Aubrey Pleasant left to coach defensive backs and serve as defensive passing game coordinator for the Detroit Lions. Brad Holmes and Ray Agnew left to take over the front office in Detroit as General Manager and Assistant G.M.

NBC

 

Texans are hiring David Culley as their head coach



The Texans have agreed to a deal to make David Culley their next head coach, according to a source.

Culley remains in Houston after a long day of interviews. Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was the only other candidate who got a second interview with Texans General Manager Nick Caserio and team chairman Cal McNair.

Culley, 65, is a surprise hire to most, but he will become the second minority coach to get a head coaching job this cycle, the first Black coach. The Jets hired Robert Saleh.

Culley becomes the oldest first-time head coach in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The fact that Culley blew away the Texans in his virtual and in-person interviews is not a surprise to all who know him. He served as the assistant head coach for Andy Reid and for John Harbaugh and worked for Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh.

Culley currently is the Ravens’ assistant head coach/passing game coordinator and receivers coach and received a strong endorsement from Harbaugh.

Culley has never served as a coordinator in his 27-year coaching career, which makes him “an outside-the-box” choice as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle put it.

NBC

 

Watson wants out even more now

 

Texans, Lovie Smith finalizing deal to become new defensive coordinator

Lovie Smith is back in the NFL.

Smith is joining new Texans head coach David Culley's staff in Houston as defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Smith's addition and the hiring of Tim Kelly as offensive coordinator and Pep Hamilton as quarterbacks coach should be finalized Friday, per Rapoport.

Smith spent the last five years attempting to turn around the program at the University of Illinois, but was fired after finishing with a record of 17-39. His last stint in the NFL came as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he went 8-24 in two seasons.

Prior to his struggles of the last half decade, Smith was among the more respected, successful coaches in the NFL. He rose to prominence as the defensive coordinator in St. Louis, where he helped the Rams improve from 23rd in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed in 2000 to third and seventh, respectively, in 2001, Smith's first season in St. Louis.

That turnaround earned him the head-coaching job in Chicago, where he led the Bears to three playoff appearances, one NFC title and an appearance in Super Bowl XLI. Led by an incredibly stingy, suffocating defense, the Bears won 15 games (13 in the regular season, plus two playoff games) before falling to Tony Dungy's Indianapolis Colts in a rain-soaked affair.

A year earlier, Smith earned AP Coach of the Year honors after helping the Bears flip their 5-11 record in his first season to 11-5 in year two. Smith remained in Chicago through 2012 before he was fired after the Bears went 10-6 but missed the playoffs.

The Texans are in desperate need of a new direction defensively after finishing 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game, 30th in yards allowed per game and 27th in points allowed per game. If Smith can engineer a turnaround even remotely similar to the ones he led in St. Louis and Chicago, this will have been a wise hire for Culley.

NFL.com

 

Culley’s probably a smart choice...checks the minority box, isn’t going to be worrying about his next career move...all he has to do is create/maintain some level of a positive environment while they take their rebuilding lumps and keep the seat warm for whomever will nudge him into retirement when they’re ready to compete again.

 

Titans promote TEs coach Todd Downing to offensive coordinator; OLB coach Shane Bowen to defensive coordinator

The Tennessee Titans have found their replacement for Arthur Smith, and they didn't have to exit the building to do so.

Tennessee is expected to promote tight ends coach Todd Downing to offensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.

Tennessee later announced the promotion of Downing, along with officially naming outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen the team's defensive coordinator.

This wouldn't be Downing's first stint as an NFL OC. Downing also served as Jack Del Rio's head offensive man in Oakland in 2017 with the Raiders, directing an offense led by Derek Carr to a finish in the lower half of the league in yards (17th) and points scored (23rd). The unit's regression from an explosive 2016 season was a large reason for the firing of Del Rio and his staff, which included Downing.

However, those statistical rankings can't be mentioning without including the fact Carr suffered a transverse process fracture in his back in October of that season, and was already coming off a broken leg suffered near the end of the previous campaign.

That leaves Downing's evaluation incomplete as an offensive coordinator. The hope in Tennessee is that he can follow in the successful footsteps of his predecessor, who was also a tight ends coach before he was elevated to OC and led Tennessee to a tie for the second-best offense in the NFL in terms of yards per game and fourth-best in points per game.

Smith left the Titans after just two seasons as offensive coordinator (he'd been with the Titans in a variety of roles since 2011) to take the head coaching job in Atlanta. Downing will have most of the group back from Tennessee's offense in 2021, including its most important players -- Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill and A.J. Brown -- and will hope to pick up where Smith left off.


Previously, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel had stated Bowen was essentially the team's defensive coordinator in 2020 without the title, but he received the title on Friday. Along with the coordinator positions, the Titans announced they promoted Luke Steckel to tight ends coach, Ryan Crow to OLB coach and Matt Edwards to assistant special teams coach. The Titans also hired Kenechi Udeze as assistant defensive line coach.

NFL.com

 

Mike Pettine out in Green Bay



The Packers need a new defensive coordinator.

Mike Pettine’s contract is expiring and he will not return to Green Bay in 2021, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

That’s not a big surprise, given that the Packers’ defense had some letdowns in their NFC Championship Game loss to the Buccaneers, most notably giving up a long touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Scotty Miller just before halftime. A lapse like that wouldn’t cost a coach his job if everything else were going swimmingly, but there were plenty of times during the 2020 season that the Packers’ defense didn’t look particularly well-coached, and head coach Matt LaFleur hinted after the loss to the Buccaneers that he wasn’t happy with Pettine.

Now Pettine, the former Browns head coach who has also been a defensive coordinator with the Jets and Bills, will try to find a new job. And the Packers will try to find a coordinator who can get their defense playing at a Super Bowl level after a year in which they fell just short.

NBC

 

Report: Packers plan to hire Joe Barry as defensive coordinator



Jim Leonhard didn’t want to become the Packers defensive coordinator and the team has reportedly moved on to a deal with another candidate.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports that Joe Barry will become the team’s defensive coordinator. Barry was set to join Brandon Staley’s staff with the Chargers as the linebackers coach/passing game coordinator after working with Staley on the Rams staff last year.


Barry was the Rams’ linebackers coach and assistant head coach for the last four seasons. He and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur were both on the 2017 Rams staff.

He has two previous stints as a defensive coordinator. He worked under father-in-law Rod Marinelli with the Lions in 2007-2008 and held the role in Washington in 2015-2016.

NBC

 

Chiefs, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy expected to reach new agreement in coming weeks

The Chiefs and Eric Bieniemy were so convinced he'd be a head coach by now, neither side bothered to even push for a contract for the 2021 season.

Kansas City's offensive coordinator is coaching his final game under his current deal, which is set to expire after the Super Bowl against the Buccaneers, sources informed of Bieniemy's contract status have said. Often coaches have a "rollover" year in their deals, which automatically triggers after the previous season ends, though that's not the case with Bieniemy.

Neither side is concerned about Bieniemy's status, as they expect to reach a new agreement in the coming weeks. One source said there was outside interest in Bieniemy's services as an offensive coordinator, though teams who were exploring that possibility quickly became aware Bieniemy, who loves Kansas City, was only leaving one way -- as a head coach.

The only problem is Bieniemy was passed over again.

"Eric is a damn good coach and there's no reason why he should be excluded from our sidelines as an NFL head coach," Rod Graves, the executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, told the Washington Post.

Bieniemy will now have to wait for the next head-coaching hiring cycle. He has stated his desire to be a head coach, and sources close to him have wondered whether he will look to the college ranks for that opportunity rather than wait for an NFL job that has yet to present itself.

NFL.com

 

Who’s in danger of getting fired by Tuesday morning?

Teams with head-coaching vacancies as of 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, along with teams who have told their coaches they won’t be back, can begin interviewing assistant coaches from other teams, 12 days before the conclusion of the regular season. So which other coaches could learn in the next 40 hours or so that they’re out?

Here’s a list of guys who potentially have reason to be concerned, ranging from those who should be most concerned to those who should be least concerned.


Matt Nagy, Bears: Dysfunctional teams do dysfunctional things. And the Bears seem to be sufficiently dysfunctional to fire a guy with two playoff appearances in three seasons, eight months after authorizing a trade up to get a potential franchise quarterback, whom the next coach may not want. If they’ve already decided to make a change, there’s no reason to delay the implementation of the move. Which probably means they will.

Matt Rhule, Panthers: Owner David Tepper covets having greatness at quarterback, coach, and G.M. Once he decides that a given guy won’t be great, Tepper cuts the cord. Will he do that after a pair of so-so seasons from Rhule? The buyout would be enormous, but it’s the cost of doing business. Tepper, if he’s no longer sold on Rhule, would rather pay him not to coach and to pay someone else to do the job.

Vic Fangio, Broncos: New G.M. George Paton surely wants to hire his own coach, but the Broncos remain in the fringes of the playoff chase. Also, the possibility of a looming change in ownership could prompt the current power structure to tread water so that the new owner can hire the next coach, perhaps after 2022.

Mike Zimmer, Vikings: They remain alive for a playoff berth, and there’s not an ideal interim replacement on the staff. Which means that the Vikings will sit tight and then fall behind the other teams looking for new coaches, after the Vikings inevitably fail to make the playoffs.

Pete Carroll, Seahawks: He wasn’t originally on this list, but Sunday’s loss to the Bears merits a mention. No one knows what owner Jody Allen will do when the dusts settles on the season, but she could decided to kick up plenty of dust by nudging Carroll aside now. If she has decided to do it after the season ends, there’s no reason to wait. Other than to show respect to Carroll by letting him finish the season.

David Culley, Texans: He has seemed overmatched from the get go, but it’s becoming more and more clear that he got the job so that G.M. Nick Caserio can essentially be the shadow coach, communicating with Culley during games on matters of strategy and whatnot. Caserio would lose plenty of that influence and freedom with a coach who would scoff at the idea of being micromanaged by the G.M. That will make Caserio inclined to stay the course. A late-season winning streak doesn’t hurt, despite the damage it will do to Houston’s draft priority.

Robert Saleh, Jets: It’s highly unlikely that Saleh will be one and done. The bigger potential problem would happen if the Jets fire G.M. Joe Douglas and then hire a new boss who may want a different coach. Like Douglas did after he got the job.

Joe Judge, Giants: He’s reportedly safe. Some think he shouldn’t be. But all that matters is what ownership wants. And ownership apparently wants to break its trend of firing coaches after two seasons.

PFT

 

Matt Rhule: I didn’t ask if my job is safe, but Panthers owner David Tepper has shown confidence



Panthers coach Matt Rhule is among the NFL coaches whose job could be in jeopardy, but he says owner David Tepper is confident in him — even if Rhule hasn’t been told whether his job is safe.

Rhule said today that he talked to Tepper and the two had a positive conversation.


“I talked to Dave today,” Rhule said. “He’s been unbelievably supportive. All of our conversations this morning were about the best things to do moving forward. He’s been tremendously supportive and shown me a ton of confidence. We’re certainly not where we want to be but we knew that this was something that was gonna have to be done right. Dave’s been nothing but great to me and I appreciate his confidence.”

Rhule said he didn’t ask directly whether his job is safe and will let Tepper speak to that if he chooses to.

“I don’t ask those direct questions and I certainly would never speak to his words,” Rhule said. “I would never speak for him. I would feel like that’d be out of line.”

There’s no doubt that Rhule has fallen short of what Tepper was expecting. But at this point it’s unknown whether Tepper thinks he can make the Panthers better by moving in a new direction.

PFT

 

Matt Nagy operating under assumption he’ll coach Bears last two games



Bears head coach Matt Nagy has ostensibly been on the hot seat all year.

But with teams being allowed to request interviews with assistants for head coaching positions beginning Tuesday at 8 a.m. ET, there is some more relevance to Nagy’s job security.


Nagy was asked directly in his Monday press conference if he’s operating under the assumption he’ll coach the Bears’ last two games and replied, “Yes.” He was also asked if he would be speaking with the Bears’ higher-ups about year-end evaluations soon and noted that nothing has changed on the usual timeline.

“We stay on the same path as far as the communication that we have with George [McCaskey], Ted [Phillips], Ryan [Pace], and myself,” Nagy said. “Nothing’s changed there. And every year you’re always aware of the situation of your team and players, coaches, all that stuff. And we’re continuing to move forward this week and prepare for the Giants. … I think we all owe that to each other, for today and for this week with the Giants and finishing out this week on a high note trying to get a win. And then doing it again in the final game of the season. So to answer your question, nothing has changed as far as communication that way.”

Nagy is 33-30 in four seasons with the Bears, including a pair of playoff appearances. Chicago is currently 5-10 after Sunday’s victory over Seattle.

PFT

 

Vic Fangio says he “absolutely” does not worry about his job security



The Broncos could make a coaching change after the season. They could do it now, in order to get a head start on interviewing assistant coaches from other teams.

Coach Vic Fangio told reporters on Monday that he’s not worried about his job security.


“Do I acknowledge it’s out there, could happen? Absolutely,” Fangio said, via Mike Klis of 9News.com. “But do I worry about it? I absolutely do not.”

There’s no reason to worry, because worrying won’t change it. The real question is whether the Broncos will hire a new coach with the strong possibility of an ownership change. The organization could decide to stick with Fangio, who is under contract through 2022, so that the next owner can make the decision on what to do about the coaching situation.

Fangio said he’d be willing to return for the fourth and final year of his contract without an extension. So maybe he will be back.

It would be easy to justify it. They overachieved this year. If they can acquire a high-end veteran quarterback in the offseason, they could make a real move in 2022.

PFT

 

Bruce Arians will “welcome” requests to interview Byron Leftwich, Todd Bowles



The wildcard in the new procedure that allows teams with coaching vacancies to interview assistant coaches from other teams is that the team with the assistant coaches drawing interest elsewhere must consent. It sure sounds as if Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians will give that consent.

“None of the paperwork has been put in yet,” Arians told reporters on Monday when asked whether teams have requested permission to interview offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and/or defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. “They have to go through channels. And I welcome it if it is.”


Leftwich has been linked to the Jacksonville vacancy. On Sunday, Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports reported that the Raiders have interest in speaking to Bowles.

The window for requesting permission opens at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

If a team gives permission for even one interview for an assistant, it must grant permission to all teams interested in the assistant. Some head coaches may resist, given that it can indeed create a distraction. Some teams have lobbied to push the process later, not earlier, so that the assistants will focus on the jobs they have before turning their attention to the one they’re trying to get.

PFT

 

Report: Jaguars interviewing Jim Caldwell on Tuesday



The Jaguars are continuing to get a head start on their head coaching search in Week 18.

According to Eugene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union, the Jaguars are interviewing former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell on Tuesday.


Frenette reports the interview is taking place in person at an undisclosed location outside Jacksonville. The Jaguars interviewed former Eagles coach Doug Pederson in the same manner last week.

Caldwell, 66, compiled a 26-22 record in three seasons as the Colts head coach from 2009-2011 and a 36-38 record as the Lions’ head coach from 2014-2017. Detroit went 9-7 in each of Caldwell’s last two seasons with the team.

The Jaguars are also slated to speak with Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles this week, though that interview will be conducted remotely.

Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will likely be interviewed by the team next week. The Packers have a bye for the first round of the postseason.

PFT

 

Bill O’Brien set to interview with Jaguars next week



The Jaguars’ interest in former Texans head coach Bill O’Brien is great enough that they’ll be bringing him in for an interview.

John Reid of the Florida Times-Union reports that O’Brien will interview for Jacksonville’s head coaching vacancy next week. O’Brien is currently Alabama’s offensive coordinator and will coach in Monday’s national title game before turning his attention toward a conversation with the Jaguars.


O’Brien was 52-48 in the regular stadium and 2-4 in four trips to the postseason while coaching the Texans. He was fired early in the 2020 season and joined Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama this year.

Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is also expected to interview with the team next week and Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is reportedly meeting with them on Friday. Doug Peterson, Jim Caldwell, and Todd Bowles have already spoken with Jacksonville, whose decision to keep General Manager Trent Baalke has added another layer of intrigue to their coaching search.

PFT

 

1, 2, 3 black guys. Jags aren't just interviewing them for the Rooney Rule. That's 1 more external candidate than required.