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OFF-SEASON REPORT #2
Published, February 11, 2015
Copyright © 1995-2015
Guru Fantasy Reports, Inc. All Rights Reserved
IN THIS ISSUE:
Off-Season Report #2: 2015 Coaching Changes - 2/11
ONLINE NOW:
- Off-Season Report #1: 2014's Lessons Learned - 2/2
- Depth Charts - 2/10
- Keeper/Dynasty League Rankings - 2/4
- SOS Adjusted RB PPR Scores 2014 - 2/4
- 2014 Reviews/2015 Preview: All 32 teams
- SOS Adjusted RB Non-PPR Scores 2014 - 1/29
- SOS Adjusted QB Scores for 2014 - 1/22
UP NEXT:
- Off-Season Report #3: 2015 Free Agency Preview (Late February)
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2015 Coaching Changes
Published, 2/11/15
Once we review the lessons learned from the previous season, our first order of business each year, as we begin our coverage on another NFL season (#21 for us), is to break down the league’s coaching changes and the fantasy ramifications thereof.
This year, there are seven new head coaches, the same number as last year. And for the second consecutive year, there wasn’t a particularly “splashy” hire, at least in terms of fantasy. Of the seven new head coaches, six made their names on the defensive side of the ball. Four of the head coaches have already seen extended tenures as head men elsewhere, and two more (Jim Tomsula and Todd Bowles) have had stints as interim head coaches. Only a couple of offensive coordinator hires – and there are a bunch overall – haven’t had previous OC experience.
So while it’s overall a “boring” set of hires, it at least gives us more information to build on when writing the article and getting started on previewing 2015.
In this article, we analyze every new head coach and coordinator hire in the NFL, as we try to get a grasp on what these teams may look like in 2015, especially for fantasy purposes. In all, a ridiculous 18 teams made at least one head coach or coordinator change, so as always there is plenty of turnover in the league.
Note: After the draft and the bulk of the 2015 free agency activity, we’ll revisit this article and update it to include more insight on overall offenses and defenses and specific players.
Arizona Cardinals
Head Coach: Bruce Arians (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Harold Goodwin (holdover)
Defensive Coordinator: James Bettcher
About Bettcher: The hire is simple here, as Bruce Arians himself said on the Cardinals’ official website. After the departure of Todd Bowles to become the head coach of the Jets, Arians wanted stability on Arizona’s defense, including keeping the same terminology and philosophy. So he promoted Bettcher, who at 36 is one of the youngest coordinators in the game. Bettcher served two years as the Cardinals’ outside linebackers coach under Bowles, after coming with Arians from Indy. While in Indianapolis, Bettcher was a special assistant to Chuck Pagano and outside linebackers coach. He had previously coached at multiple universities. Bettcher takes over for a defense that ranked 24th in the NFL in total yardage in 2014, but a defense that suffered critical injuries and/or suspensions on every level, including to Darnell Dockett, Daryl Washington, and Tyrann Mathieu. Under Bowles the previous year, the Cardinals were the #6 defense in the NFL, and one of the most relentless and aggressive. With a fuller deck, expect Bettcher to keep the pressure on opposing QBs.
Atlanta Falcons
Head Coach: Dan Quinn
Offensive Coordinator: Kyle Shanahan
Defensive Coordinator: Richard Smith
About Quinn: The Seahawks have produced some special defenses in recent seasons, and their last two coordinators have benefitted with head coaching jobs elsewhere. Quinn spent 10 years coaching NFL defensive lines before becoming the defensive coordinator at the University of Florida from 2011-12. He took the Seahawk DC job after Gus Bradley left for Jacksonville, and Quinn’s units were 1 yard away from back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Quinn doesn’t have the easiest job replacing the winningest coach in Falcon history in Mike Smith, who finished 66-46 in seven seasons and made the playoffs in four of his first five seasons. However, his teams regressed the last two seasons, and the Falcons won just one playoff game in his seven years. Quinn starts his tenure armed with an offense that is ready to go, but he needs to fix up his side of the ball. Quinn will be heavily involved in the defense with DC Richard Smith and Raheem Morris, who is the defensive passing game coordinator. The challenge is obvious: Quinn is going from the best defense in football the last two seasons to arguably the worst defense in that time. The Falcons made the switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 last season, but they used multiple looks throughout the season. Quinn is more than likely to go back to more 4-3 alignments, and he wants his defenses to be fast and physical (really, who doesn’t?) The Seahawks have had versatile front sevens, and they used primarily Cover-3 zones in the secondary but also some man-to-man coverage. Quinn will have a much tougher challenge this season with a significant talent drop-off, but he does have some young pieces to build around. CB Desmond Trufant might not quite be Richard Sherman, but he’s one of the best young CBs in the game and a good starting point for Quinn. The Falcons owned one of the worst pass rushes the last two seasons, and he needs DL Ra’Shede Hageman to step up in his second season. Quinn will have final say on the 53-man roster and the practice squad, which will make the dynamic between GM Thomas Dimitroff and Quinn pretty interesting.
About Shanahan: While Shanahan is just 35, he’s been coaching at the NFL level for the last 11 years and with a fair amount of success. Shanahan spent the last year in Cleveland and asked to be released from his contract with the Browns in January because of issues with the front office. The Brown offense actually played pretty well until C Alex Mack’s injury, even with QB Brian Hoyer leading the charge. Shanahan will work with his best QB to date in Matt Ryan, and Shanahan’s good friend Dan Quinn wants him to use a more balanced attack than Dirk Koetter has used in Atlanta the last three seasons. Shanahan spent four seasons (2010-13) as the OC in Washington under his father, Mike Shanahan. Before that, he spent four seasons with the Texans under Gary Kubiak, initially as WRs coach then QB coach before his promotion to OC for 2008-2009. Shanahan has adjusted his offensive philosophy and schemes in the past and will be doing the same in Atlanta. He used the pistol with Robert Griffin III in Washington as a way to integrate the zone read. While working with Kubiak in Houston, Matt Schaub led the league in passing in 2009, Andre Johnson had consecutive 1,500-yard seasons, and even Steve Slaton was a fantasy stud. The Shanahans have used zone-blocking schemes that use cut blocks, which has translated into multiple 1000-yard rushers, the latest being Alfred Morris, who ran for 1,606 and 1,275 yards in 2012-13, respectively. While Shanahan would like to just feed a single player to keep a consistent ground game going, we’ve seen him use of multiple backs throughout a season – like last season in Cleveland – or as it’s know in the fantasy world, “Shanahanigans.” As expected, Shanahan said in his introductory press conference that he plans to run a lot of zone blocking concepts up front, and he’s looking for a true three-down threat at the position (he also said he liked Devonta Freemancoming out of college). Another interesting note: Shanahan also said he is looking for a complete TE who can catch and block, which isn’t really the type of player Levine Toilolo is. It could be a position of priority for the Falcons in the draft and free agency. All in all, Shanahan will have to adjust his schemes to fit Ryan at QB, but we’re guessing he’s looking forward to doing it after working with Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, and RGIII recently. He told reporters in his introductory press conference that he plans to play an up-tempo style, which a veteran QB like Ryan will help to do.
About Smith: There’s no question that new HC Dan Quinn will be heavily involved in this Falcon defense with Smith and Raheem Morris, who is the assistant head coach/defensive passing game coordinator. But Smith does bring 36 years of coaching experience with him, so he’s a veteran coach whom Quinn will trust to make some decisions. Smith previously worked as a defensive coordinator in Miami (2005), where Quinn worked as his defensive line coach, and in Houston (2006-08). He most recently worked with the linebackers in Denver the last four seasons. Smith ran an aggressive 4-3 scheme in Houston, with plenty of blitzes, but he didn’t have much success. He needs to significantly improve this Falcon front seven, especially at linebacker and with pass rushers. Smith will see if he can get more out of this group than former HC Mike Smith and DC Mike Nolan were able to get recently, but this defense will have Quinn’s fingerprints all over it.
Baltimore Ravens
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Marc Trestman
Defensive Coordinator: Dean Pees (holdover)
About Trestman: Initially, it looked like OC Gary Kubiak would remain with the Ravens for the 2015 season, but when the HC job in Denver opened up, Kubiak decided to take an interview and was eventually hired by the Broncos, leaving an opening for the Ravens at OC. The Ravens acted quickly to sign Trestman to a three-year deal after a two-year stint as the HC of the Bears. Trestman went 13-19 in two seasons, including an embarrassing 5-11 performance in 2014 that put the team in the basement of the NFC North. Trestman may not have had a great handle on his team as a HC, but there’s no denying the improvements he made to the Bear offense after underwhelming seasons under HC Lovie Smith and the multiple OCs he employed to fix things. Of course, you have to point to Trestman’s 2013 season, which saw the Bears finish second in scoring (445) and eighth in YPG (381.8). During that season, Jay Cutler was injured multiple times, so the team had to turn to journeyman Josh McCown and ended up having strong results. McCown made 8 appearances (5 starts), going 149/224 (66.5%) for 1829 yards, with 13 TDs to just 1 INT. Trestman was also able to produce a pair of nearly 1300-yard WRs in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery in addition to 1900+ yards, 75 receptions, and 13 TDs from RB Matt Forte. The 2014 season was not as productive. While Cutler completed 66% of his 561 attempts for 3812 yards, he had 28 TDs to 18 INTs and those numbers were padded by a team playing from behind far too often. Jeffery topped 1100 yards and the team produced three receivers with 85+ catches including Jeffery, Forte (102 catches), and TE Martellus Bennett (90). Forte ran 266 times for 1038 yards (3.9 YPC) and 6 TDs, but added another 4 TDs through the air. The Bears finished 21st, with just 327.1 YPC and 23rd with 319 total points. Before his time with the Bears, Trestman won the 2009 and 2010 Grey Cup as the HC of the Montreal Alouettes. In 1995-1996, he served as the OC/QB coach of the 49ers, where he helped QB Steve Young and the offense rack up league-highs in points (457) and yards (4779). In 1997, Trestman was the QB coach for Scott Mitchell in Detroit. Mitchell had one of his best seasons, throwing for 3484 yards and 19 TDs (although he had a far better season in 1995). Trestman would move on to the Cardinals in 1998, serving as OC/QB coach in a season that saw the team get back to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years, with QB Jake Plummer throwing for 3737 yards, the second-most in his 10-year career. Trestman initially joined the Raiders in 2001 as QB coach, but when HC Jon Gruden left, Trestman was promoted to OC, helping QB Rich Gannon to an MVP season and the team’s offense led the league in total yards per game (389.8) and passing yards (279.7) on their way to the Super Bowl. That same season, RB Charlie Garner caught a whopping 91 balls for 941 yards and 4 TDs, in addition to the 962 yards and 7 TDs he had on the ground. While Trestman’s resume boosts lots of strong offensive performances, he’ll have something to prove in Baltimore. The Ravens had a solid season under Kubiak, finishing 8th in total points (409) and 12th in YPG (364.9). They were 8th in rushing and 13th in passing, despite a lack of high-end talent. Trestman ran a version of the West Coast Offense in Chicago and doesn’t plan on changing much from what the Ravens did under Kubiak. In fact, Trestman told reporters at his introductory press conference: “I think the framework and the formula for this is for me to go in and learn the offense. Why would I have 40-some guys learn a new offense when I’m just one person? Isn’t it easier for me to learn it instead of starting over with everybody else, including coaches?” HC John Harbaugh wants to stick with the run, and after Trestman’s Bears ran just 355 times (30th) in 2014, he’ll have to ramp that part of his playcalling up since the Ravens ran the 11th-most times (448) in what was a very successful season for RB Justin Forsett. Harbaugh said the zone-blocking scheme will remain the same, much to the delight of the Raven OL, and with a capable pass-catcher in Forsett, the Ravens would be wise to bring him back. Trestman won’t have the same size in his WRs that he had in Chicago, although that’s a bit up in the air sinceTorrey Smith is a free agent and Steve Smith is expected to return, but turns 36 in May. We don’t expect much to change for QB Joe Flacco and while Trestman had Cutler in the shotgun often, he doesn’t feel the need to stick with it, as evidenced by how he’s evolved over the years. Admittedly, Trestman doesn’t have as much talent in Baltimore as he did in Chicago, but he’ll also be changing his ways somewhat to fit the personnel and based on his track record, we’d expect more success in 2015.
Buffalo Bills
Head Coach: Rex Ryan
Offensive Coordinator: Greg Roman
Defensive Coordinator: Dennis Thurman
About Ryan: Ryan won’t leave the AFC East after signing a five-year deal to become the HC of the Bills, after holding the same position with the Jets from 2009 until he was fired at the end of the 2014 season. Over six seasons with the Jets, Ryan compiled a 46-50 record and while he never won the division, he led the team to appearances in the AFC Championship round in his first two seasons. Unfortunately, the team never reached the same heights and failed to fare better in any of 8-8 in the next four years, including a putrid 4-12 record in his final season. Obviously, it wasn’t all bad for Rex with the Jets, but with one of the worst offenses in the league and a secondary that lacked talent, the team didn’t have much of a chance to succeed and save Rex’s job for another season. The lack of talent on the backend was apparent over the last two seasons, as they ranked 14th and 22nd against the pass. However, they were still a top-5 defense against the rush in both of those years and finished 6th and 11th in total defense during that time. In Ryan’s six years with the Jets, finishing 11th in total defense in 2013 was the worst placement for a defense that didn’t dip lower than 8th in any other season and finished in the top-5 three times. The pass defense finished among the top-6 four times and the run defense was in the top-8 four times. Ryan said he wants to be the top defense in the league in 2015, but still decided to part ways with DC Jim Schwartz, despite the Bills leading the league in sacks in 2014. While Schwartz ran a 4-3 scheme, Ryan has always used a variety of schemes to keep opponents guessing and based on his track record, it’s worked quite well. Ryan knows he has a ton of talent and believes they can do more. At his introductory press conference, Ryan said, “Fourth in the league is probably a little disappointing, to be honest with you, because that's not where my expectations are. I know we'll lead the league in defense. That's just the way it goes."
About Roman: Roman left an uncertain situation in San Francisco to join Ryan’s staff in Buffalo, where once again, he’ll have to handle a young, raw QB. The results in San Francisco with Colin Kaepernick looked promising just a few years ago, but when Kaepernick showed regression in 2014, that optimism disappeared quickly. Over his four seasons in San Francisco, Roman’s offenses ranked 26th, 11th, 24th, and 20th in 2014. From a passing standpoint, they were in the bottom-4 in attempts each of those seasons and in the bottom-4 of yards three times. Kaepernick never developed into the pocket passer the team was hoping to see under Roman, and the offense remained run-heavy, which is why they were still able to have success. Roman’s offense ranked in the top-8 of rushing offenses and never ended up lower than 9th in rushing attempts, which makes sense, considering their issues at QB and having a reliable power back in Frank Gore. We doubt Fred Jackson will be carrying the ball as much, but the Bills and Roman will likely be relying heavily on the run in 2015 with Jackson, Bryce Brown, and anyone else they decide to add through free agency and/or the draft. The biggest issue for Roman will once again be the QB, as EJ Manuel has shown very little over his first two seasons, which includes just 14 starts, including zero after Week Four of the 2014 season. Manuel may not have as much raw ability as Kaepernick, but he’s also an unfinished product and still may be salvageable under Roman, although that doesn’t mean we expect a quick fix, which could be frustrating for WR Sammy Watkins. Both Roman and Ryan have said Manuel will get a clean slate, but the team is also expected to explore the free agent market for a veteran QB since they don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft. When asked about Manuel, Roman told reporters at his introductory press conference: “I definitely think he's done some very good things and displayed some good traits. I'd say we just have to get his level of consistency a little bit greater. What he might've been asked to do or done in the past is really not relevant to what we may or may not ask him to do." It will be another tough challenge for Roman, but luckily, he should have another great defense to rely on so the offense doesn’t have to carry the team.
About Thurman: Instead of keeping DC Jim Schwartz, Ryan decided to let him go and make Thurman the new DC in Buffalo after Thurman held the same position with the Jets over the last two seasons. When former DC Mike Pettine left the Jets after the 2012 season, Ryan promoted Thurman from the DBs coach job he had for four years to DC. He’s been in the NFL since 2002 in some capacity, and he started his coaching career with the Phoenix Cardinals back in 1988. While Thurman didn’t have a lot of talent over his two years as the team’s DC, they still finished 6th in 2014 and 11th in 2013 in total defense. Ryan has been working with Thurman dating back to 2002 in Baltimore, so there’s obviously a lot of familiarity and continuity when it comes to the pair bringing their style of defense to an already talented Bills’ roster.
Chicago Bears
Head Coach: John Fox
Offensive Coordinator: Adam Gase
Defensive Coordinator: Vic Fangio
About Fox: It’s clear that Fox is a very good football coach. In 13 years as a head coach, he’s won 119 regular-season games, and has appeared in two Super Bowls. Yes, he rode Peyton Manning to one of them, but also took a Jake Delhomme-quarterbacked team to the verge of a title. Hell, he managed to win a playoff game with Tim Tebow at QB. But if there’s a knock on Fox’s record, that’s it – he’s been “on the verge” of a title, as head coach or defensive coordinator, three times. And he’s 0-3 (also including a Super Bowl loss as the Giants’ defensive coordinator back in 2001). His Bronco teams with Manning went one-and-done twice in three years, including a loss in which Fox’s defense had a monumental mental lapse against the Ravens two years ago. But Bears fans, who have seen a single playoff appearance in the last eight years, would love to be able to taste the postseason. And history suggests that if they want improvement, Fox is their man. In his previous two stints as a head coach, Fox showed instant results. He took a 1-15 Carolina team to 7-9 in 2002, his first year as Panthers coach, and then to 11-5 and an NFC title the next year. He took a 4-12 Denver team to 8-8 and the playoffs in his first year as Broncos coach, with Tim Tebow at QB. He inherited a Bronco defense that was the worst in the NFL in scoring in 2010, and got it to a top-five unit in two years. And that’s going to be one of Fox’s two biggest challenges. The once-proud Bear defensive tradition has been reduced to a joke of late, as the Bears have fielded one of the NFL’s worst defenses over the last two seasons, under Marc Trestman and Mel Tucker. The other challenge for Fox will be getting the most out of talented but mercurial QB Jay Cutler, which no coach has managed to do for more than a fleeting stretch. (As an aside, Fox strangely referred to Cutler as “Jake” multiple times in his introductory press conference.) But Fox, long known as a “players’ coach” who likes to shoot straight with his players, has already taken a big step to placating Cutler by hiring Cutler favorite Dowell Loggainsas QB coach. Fox has a long history of rebuilding foundations, but can he then climb over them in Chicago?
About Gase: Gase follows head coach John Fox from Denver to Chicago. And here’s the thing: We’re not certain we actually know all that much about him. Yes, Gase turns just 37 in March and has had incredible success in the NFL thus far, but both of his NFL seasons as coordinator have come withPeyton Manning at QB. On the flip side, it’s been well-reported since Manning’s arrival in Denver that the veteran QB has a high level of respect for Gase, first as QB coach and then as offensive coordinator. Even before the Broncos fired Fox and let his staff go after Denver’s playoff one-and-done, Manning was talking up Gase and admitted he’s personally given his endorsement to several teams (perhaps including the 49ers) who were considering him for a head-coaching job. Manning has lauded Gase’s flexibility, preparation, and gameplans, and although Peyton is a legendary audible master, he’s said Gase regularly puts the offense in a good spot. And if Gase has picked up anything from working with one of the best, perhaps he can teach it to Jay Cutler. Obviously, Peyton is great, but the offenses he runs and that Gase ran the last two years typically aren’t complicated – they’re amazingly simple, just well executed. It’s an offense that stretches the field both horizontally and vertically, and as such we can expect Gase to adjust his offense to the needs of his quarterback. With that in mind, Gase’s work under Mike Martz (vertical, downfield passing game) as an assistant with the Lions and 49ers in the past may fit better than his recent work with Manning. Expect a friendly environment for Cutler, but also an offense that creates ideal situations forMatt Forte, Alshon Jeffery, Brandon Marshall, and Martellus Bennett (all willing blockers, which also is key in Gase’s offense). We’re especially excited to see Jeffery, one of the NFL’s leaders in yards after the catch in 2014, to get some of the rocket screen looks Demaryius Thomas has thrived on in recent seasons. While working with Manning will make many a coach look good, we’re pretty convinced Gase is a talented play-caller and schemer in his own right. Remember, he had to adjust Denver to a run-first team over the last month of season when Peyton was playing hurt. Gase may struggle to slap some sense into the disappointing Cutler, as most coaches have before him, but we like Gase’s potential scheme better than we did Marc Trestman’s. It’s a fantasy-friendly offense, in both the run and pass games, for a team with a lot of fantasy options. In Gase’s two years as coordinator in Denver, the Broncos had at least a top-4 QB, a top-10 RB, two top-12 WRs, and a top-5 TE in both.
About Fangio: There was a moment when it looked as if Fangio – and not Jim Tomsula – would be the coach promoted to replace the departing Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco. And that would be completely understandable, considering Fangio fielded a defense that was top-5 in points allowed, yards allowed, and takeaways over his four years with the 49ers. But in the end, Tomsula got the job, and Fangio was left to explore his options. It’s a testament to his skills that new Bear coach John Fox, typically a 4-3 coach, is bringing in 3-4 enthusiast Fangio to coach up the Bear D. Fangio inherits a defense that has totally collapsed the last two years, following the departure of Lovie Smith. Smith’s defense ranked #5 in total yardage allowed in 2012, his last year, but Chicago plummeted to 3rd-worst in each of the last two seasons under Mel Tucker. And perhaps the biggest indictment of all for the Bear defense under Tucker is that they were boring. A proud defensive tradition in Chicago came to a screeching halt, and it’s up to Fangio to fix it. First of all, we do expect the Bears to transition to a 3-4, and they’ll need improved personnel to do that. Fortunately, it’s a great time for the Bears to transition, since they’d need improved personnel no matter what defense they run. They’re old, ineffective, and overmatched. Expect Fangio to create improvements defensively simply by scheming. He can blitz, but he’s not blitz-heavy. He’ll run different fronts depending on the situation. This was a Bear defense the last two years that was playing a simple scheme, which can work (look at Seattle). But the Bears didn’t have the talent or discipline to run it. Even if the Bears can’t complete a talent overhaul in just one off-season, you can be damn sure Fox and Fangio will fix the discipline aspect.
Cleveland Browns
Head Coach: Mike Pettine (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: John DeFilippo
Defensive Coordinator: Jim O’Neil (holdover)
About DeFilippo: DeFilippo hasn’t had a ton of time to make a name for himself in the NFL, but we appreciate the Browns trying to go off the grid a little bit to replace the departed Kyle Shanahan, rather than bringing in another retread (of course, they may have had to, given the reported unrest in the Browns’ power structure). DeFilippo at least has a history of working with young QBs, as he was the Jet QB coach in 2009 when Mark Sanchez was a rookie, and most recently coaxed an impressive season out of Derek Carr in Oakland last year. What we don’t know is exactly who DeFilippo will be coaching in his first year as a play-caller. Brian Hoyer is a free agent, and Johnny Manziel’s future is up in the air as the second-year QB just entered rehab at the beginning of this month. What’s more, Josh Gordon failed another drug test (for alcohol), which will leave him suspended for the season. In his introductory press conference, DeFilippo stated the obvious, that he isn’t sure if the Browns’ QB of the future is on the current roster. DeFilippo also constantly talked about the need to be versatile and flexible on offense, and he insinuated he’s going to build Cleveland’s offense around the talent he has, and not the other way around. That will mean that he’s likely to build inside out, as the offensive line and run game are clearly the top strengths of the Browns’ offense as it stands right now, and DeFilippo hinted that he’s likely to lean on a zone-blocking scheme, with some elements of power mixed in. DeFilippo is young, turning 37 in April, so there’s quite a bit to learn about him. But again, we like the Browns taking a shot on someone with some upside, even if experienced coaches didn’t want to work under Jimmy Haslam.
Denver Broncos
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak
Offensive Coordinator: Rick Dennison
Defensive Coordinator: Wade Phillips
About Kubiak: Kubiak’s tenure in Houston ended poorly in 2013, but he absolutely had success putting football back on the map in the city. He reestablished some clout in terms of public opinion by coaxing the best season ever out of Joe Flacco in Baltimore last year, and that led to his nabbing what is ostensibly his dream job in Denver. As a player or a coach, Kubiak has spent 30 years in the NFL. Of those 30 years, 20 have already been spent in Denver – nine years as John Elway’s backup QB, then 11 years as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator under Mike Shanahan. Unless Kubiak is forced to leave his job as coach, he’s not going anywhere, and it’s why he went back on his promise to stay as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore. So what’s the word on Kubiak? Well, he was 61-64 during his eight seasons as Texan coach, and led the team to division titles in 2011-2012, but went no further than the Divisional Round in each of those seasons. Houston took a major step backwards in 2013, and Kubiak was let go with the team sitting at 2-11. Under Kubiak, the Texan offense ranked among the top 10 four times over his last six seasons as coach, and he did this with the solid (but never better) Matt Schaub at QB. Then, in his only year as Raven offensive coordinator, Baltimore ranked #12 in total offense, the best finish for the franchise since 1997.Joe Flacco had easily the best statistical year of his career. So Kubiak knows offense, and he puts his personnel in a place to succeed. Let’s start with the good, then: For fantasy, Kubiak is a dream. He employs a zone-blocking offense that creates lanes for running backs, and he prefers a one-back type of system (Arian Foster, Justin Forsett). The top backs in a Kubiak offense are almost always relevant, which bodes well for C.J. Anderson, if he can hang onto his job. Additionally, he typically gets excellent production out of his “X” receiver (Andre Johnson, Steve Smith) and his tight end (Owen Daniels). But we have some questions in Denver, obviously. Above all, will Kubiak have Peyton Manning in 2015? And if he does, will he have to adjust his offense to be a little less “vertical,” given Peyton’s waning arm strength? Kubiak’s offense often employs play-action rollouts and deep balls, an element he may need to tweak with Peyton. Second of all, it’s worth pointing out that since becoming a head coach in 2006, just once has Kubiak’s offense fielded two top-30 PPR WRs (Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, 2008). In Peyton’s three years in Denver, the Broncos have fielded two top-12 WRs in each. The talent of Demaryius Thomas (if he returns) and Emmanuel Sandersprobably trump all here, but it’s a situation worth monitoring. Anyway, if Peyton returns, Kubiak won’t be so foolish that he’ll force Peyton into constant deep throws. But could the Broncos employ an offense built around the run, as they did late in 2014? That’s very much a possibility.
About Dennison: Gary Kubiak’s a familiar face in Denver, but with him usually comes Dennison, who has spent 29 years in the NFL as a player and coach, 24 of those years in Denver. The Colorado native and Colorado State alum spent nine years as a Broncos linebacker, then 15 as a coach in Denver starting in 1995. Dennison filled multiple roles, from a special teams assistant all the way up to offensive coordinator, a role he filled from 2006 through 2008 after Kubiak’s departure for Houston (he then spent another year as offensive line coach under Josh McDaniels). Dennison’s tenure as coordinator included the 2008 season under Mike Shanahan, when the Broncos had the #1 offense in football. He then served four years under Kubiak as OC in Houston, before again following Kubiak as the Ravens’ QB coach last year. Dennison typically doesn’t get the credit that Kubiak does for the offenses he coaches, but he’s a quiet type who simply works tirelessly behind the scenes. An offensive line expert, he has his fingerprints all over Kubiak’s zone-blocking schemes, and Dennison’s offenses have typically been among the more balanced and efficient in the NFL. He and Kubiak will occasionally switch off play-calling, but Dennison’s biggest impact is behind the scenes, when devising specific gameplans. In the event Peyton Manning returns, expect him to work hand-in-hand with Dennison. You just might not see it happening in public.
About Phillips: No, a defensive coach would never say in an introductory press conference that he’s going to play a boring brand of football that focuses on passive tactics. The word “attack” is used more often than you can possibly count when defensive-minded head coaches or new defensive coordinators are introduced. But a coach like Phillips has the history to back up those kinds of words. The guy has been a coach for nearly 50 years, and spent six of those seasons in Denver, first as defensive coordinator and then as head coach, from 1989 through 1994. He later spent three seasons under Gary Kubiak in Houston, and then succeeded Kubiak as the Texans’ interim coach for three games in 2013. On paper, Phillips is an excellent fit in his return to Denver. He’s expected to transition the Broncos to his preferred 3-4, but it shouldn’t be too difficult a transition – the Broncos ran multiple fronts underJack Del Rio, and the Broncos have two rushers who fit the system very well (Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, who played under Phillips in Dallas). He has players who fit the 3-4 DE spots very well (Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe). Phillips also likes to provide pressure from different spots, but he doesn’t typically blitz his corners, which will work well considering he has two really good perimeter corners in Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. If the Broncos can find a viable nose tackle (Pot Roast Knighton is a free agent), this should be a very strong defense yet again. Phillips’ job is to get better pass-rush production out of this group, an element that ultimately became one of Denver’s downfalls in 2014.
Green Bay Packers
Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (holdover)
Associate Head Coach/Play-calling Duties: Tom Clements
Offensive Coordinator: Edgar Bennett
Defensive Coordinator: Dom Capers (holdover)
About Clements and Bennett: HC Mike McCarthy talked last summer about giving up his play-calling duties if it ever became a detriment to the team. We guess the Packers’ complete mismanagement in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship Game was enough for McCarthy to give up those duties. Clements has been elevated from offensive coordinator to associate head coach and play-caller, and Bennett will jump from WR coach to offensive coordinator. McCarthy might not be calling plays any longer, but his fingerprints will be all over the offensive game planning and schemes leading up to gameday. The Packers have led the league in scoring two of the last four seasons, and QB Aaron Rodgers is coming off his second MVP season. Clements will no doubt keep the offense in Rodgers’ hands, running their no-huddle, pass-heavy attack. It’s not a bad promotion for Clements, as he inherits arguably the best QB and the best offense, but with the promotion also comes huge expectations. Clements has worked with the Packer QBs (2006-11) and served as the OC the last three seasons, and he previously served as an OC back in 2004-05 with the Bills. The Packers have ranked in the top 10 in scoring in eight of his nine seasons with Green Bay, but working with Rodgers and Brett Favre in that time certainly helps. Bennett got his start with the Packers in player development in 2001 before coaching RBs for six seasons. He then took over as WR coach in 2011, and he’s helped develop one of the best WR tandems in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb (the latter of whom is a free agent). Bennett, a former RB for the Packers, has helped bring some of his toughness to the WR position, as Packer receivers are excellent after the catch.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Head Coach: Gus Bradley (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Greg Olson
Defensive Coordinator: Bob Babich (holdover)
About Olson: The Jaguars finished 31st in total yards out of 32 teams last season under OC Jedd Fisch, so naturally if you’re the Jags you go after the OC of the 32nd-ranked offense. That’s exactly what the Jags did when they hired former Raiders OC Olson in January. He served as the OC the last two seasons in Oakland, and he’s previously been the OC in Tampa (2009-11), St. Louis (2006-07), and Detroit (2005). Olson worked with HC Gus Bradleyfor a season in Tampa, and Olson spent a season in Jacksonville in 2012 as the assistant head coach/QB coach under Mike Mularkey. Olson has a 45-97 record, he’s never made the playoffs, and his offenses have scored 30+ points only 11 times as an eight-year NFL coordinator, according to The Florida Times-Union. The Raiders may have finished last in offense last season, but rookie QB Derek Carr played well most of the year under Olson. His #1 task this season will be to get the most out of the #3 overall pick Blake Bortles in his second season. This is now Olson’s fifth chance to run NFL offenses, but this will likely be his last opportunity if he doesn’t develop Bortles. Olson has worked with Drew Brees (Purdue), Marc Bulger (St. Louis), Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay), and Carr (Oakland), so he’s had some success working with the QB position. GM Dave Caldwell and Bradley also thought that young players seemed to be improving under Olson in his last couple of stops, which is important since the Jags had five rookies start at least seven games last season. The Jags actually hired former Bill HC Doug Marrone a day before Olson, and they gave him the title of assistant head coach/offensive line coach. We’ll have to keep our eye on the dynamic between Olson and Marrone. Bradley comes from Seattle where they ran the ball effectively and play nasty defense, and Olson will be asked to coordinate a more run-based offense to control the ball and to cut down on Bortles mistakes (17 INTs in 14 games). Olson also has a history of adapting his offenses to the strengths of his team – like he did in 2013 with Terrelle Pryorand in 2014 with Carr – so we’ll see what he can do with a versatile QB and some fast, young WRs.
New York Giants
Head Coach: Tom Coughlin (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Ben McAdoo (holdover)
Defensive Coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo
About Spagnuolo: Spagnuolo’s success as the Giants defensive coordinator from 2007-08 helped him land his only NFL head coaching job with the Rams from 2009-11. Well, Spagnuolo is back to the place where he had his most success, winning a Super Bowl in his first season working with HC Tom Coughlin back in 2007. Spagnuolo worked the last two years under John Harbaugh and Dean Pees in Baltimore before reuniting with Coughlin. Spagnuolo replaces old DC Perry Fewell, who won his own Super Bowl in 2011, but the Big Blue defense fell on some hard times recently. Spags’ task will be much tougher this time around without the likes of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora. Spagnuolo uses a 4-3 base defense, and he’s not afraid to blitz out of these packages, even sending corners and safeties at the quarterback. Spagnuolo has used smaller defensive linemen to get to the quarterback in the past, and he’ll use three or four defensive ends in obvious passing situations. He’s also recognized for making in-game adjustments, an area where Fewell had taken some criticism. Spags failed miserably at his last DC job in New Orleans in 2012, trying to pick up the pieces left behind by Gregg Williams and Sean Payton after the “BountyGate” controversy. He also finished his tenure in St. Louis with a 10-38 record, so he’s had a lot failure since the 2007 Super Bowl. This current Giant defense is closer to the units he worked with in St. Louis and New Orleans and not the 2007 Super Bowl unit he inherited, so he’s got a lot of work to do.
New York Jets
Head Coach: Todd Bowles
Offensive Coordinator: Chan Gailey
Defensive Coordinator: Kacy Rodgers
About Bowles: Bowles gets his first HC job with the Jets after spending the last two years as the DC in Arizona. He took over a strong defense from Ray Horton, and while his defenses were considered strong over the last two seasons, the numbers didn’t always reflect those performances. After having the #6 group in total defense in 2013, the Cardinals dropped to 24th in 2014, mostly because their pass defense went from 14th to 29th. Their run defense was the best in the league in 2013, but fell to 13th this past season. Two big issues for the Cardinals were the loss of DE Darnell Dockett in the preseason to a torn ACL and the year-long suspension of LB Daryl Washington. Arizona’s defense was also hurt by the losses of QB Carson Palmerand RB Andre Ellington, as their defense ended up being on the field far too much and had to carry a bigger burden with a below-average offense. Before his time in Arizona as the DC, Bowles primarily coached the secondary in stints with the Jets (2001), Browns (02-04), Cowboys (05-07), Dolphins (08-11) and Eagles (2012). Bowles will use multiple schemes, but likely won’t ask his CBs to play as much man coverage as they did under HC Rex Ryan, which was a problem for an inexperienced and oft-injured secondary last season. Ryan didn’t have the proper personnel to handle such important responsibilities, whereas Bowles can work with the younger players like CB Dee Milliner and FS Calvin Pryor to find a better fit in his scheme.
About Gailey: Gailey’s hire by the Jets doesn’t exactly instill a lot of excitement. The 63-year-old has been out of football since retiring following a three-year head-coaching stint with the Bills from 2010-2012. He went 16-32 in three seasons with the Bills with his offenses ranking 25th, 14th, and 19th over that span. Gailey has been in and out of the coaching ranks since 1974. While Gailey last ran a spread offense during his time with the Bills, it doesn’t exactly fit the current Jet roster that well, since they don’t have a lot of talent in their offense and need to develop QB Geno Smith, unless they decide to give up on him as use the #6 pick to draft a QB in April. Gailey did use some of the Pistol in Buffalo with Tyler Thigpen of all people, so we could see that return with Smith, although this team definitely needs more talent around Smith if they are going to be better than their #22 ranking from 2014. This move is a bit of a head-scratcher and may need to be reassessed after the draft and free agency to determine just how well the pieces fit and what kind of offense Gailey plans on installing. Either way, it’s going to be a change for Smith, and considering his inconsistent play and lack of development, we hope the learning curve isn’t too steep.
About Rodgers: Rodgers remains in the AFC East, but moves up the coast coming to the Jets from the Dolphins after spending six years as their DL coach. Bowles and Rodgers worked together dating back to 2005 in Dallas all the way through 2011 in Miami before Bowles left to join the Eagles. Rodgers has worked with defensive standouts such as Cameron Wake, Paul Soliai, and Randy Starks and should provide the Jets with a strong mind up front, while Bowles has an extensive background in coaching secondary players. According to the Sun-Sentinel, only the Vikings and Eagles registered more sacks than the Dolphins under Rodgers, although that wasn’t a big issue for the Jets last season, as they finished tied for 8th with 47 sacks. The familiarity of Rodgers and Bowles should continue to make this unit one of the better ones in football, although we’d expect to see a little bit more of the 3-4 scheme compared to the variety of fronts under Ryan.
Oakland Raiders
Head Coach: Jack Del Rio
Offensive Coordinator: Bill Musgrave
Defensive Coordinator: Ken Norton Jr.
About Del Rio: The Raiders have gone the first-time head coach route recently, and it hasn’t exactly worked out, so they decided to go with a veteran head coach this time around. Del Rio is the first Raider head coach with previous head-coaching experience in their last five hires (Dennis Allen, Hue Jackson, Tom Cable, andLane Kiffin). Del Rio was the head coach in Jacksonville for nine seasons (2003-11) and compiled a 68-71 record, two playoff appearances, and a playoff victory. Del Rio’s track record isn’t too bad considering the Jaguar organization has been just as dysfunctional as the Raider organization the last decade. The Jags are an incredible 11-42 since they fired Del Rio back in Week Twelve of 2011. Del Rio spent the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator in Denver, and he served as the interim HC for four games when John Fox had heart surgery in 2013. Del Rio’s defenses have ranked in the top-10 in yards allowed in 7 of the last 12 years. The Broncos have had top-12 fantasy defenses the last three years under Fox, but the Raiders clearly don’t have the same talent on defensive side of the ball as the Broncos did. Still, he’s got some young studs to work with in OLBs Khalil Mack and Sio Moore, and Mack is one of the best young defenders in the entire league. Del Rio coached both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes in Denver, and he’s comfortable with both fronts, and the Raiders could use some 3-4 looks because Mack and Moore can both get to opposing quarterbacks. It also doesn’t hurt that Del Rio has coached for the Broncos and against the other AFC West teams the last three years.
About Musgrave: New Raider HC Jack Del Rio fired Musgrave as his offensive coordinator 10 years ago in Jacksonville, but apparently there were no hard feelings as the two have reunited in Oakland. Musgrave always seems to have a job, and he previously served as an offensive coordinator with the Eagles (1998), the Panthers (2000), the Jaguars (2003-04), and the Vikings (2011-13). He had the best rushing attack in the league in his three seasons with the Vikings, thanks in large part to having the best RB in football in Adrian Peterson. He also successfully used Percy Harvin as a gadget player during his time in Minnesota. Musgrave still wants to use a physical attack to run the ball in Oakland with young RB Latavius Murray, but he also wants to bring some of the schemes he learned from his last stop in Philadelphia. He worked as the Eagle QB coach under Chip Kelly last season, and Musgrave plans on bringing some of the up-tempo, spread offense to the Raiders this season. This is the second straight off-season that an Eagle QB coach has been hired as an OC, as Bill Lazor took the Miami OC job last year. Rookie QB Derek Carr made this Raider OC job more desirable than it’s been in a long time, and expect him to thrive if Musgrave installs some of the Kelly staples. Musgrave worked with a young Matt Ryan during his time as the Falcons QB coach from 2006-10, and Carr looks like a major upgrade over Christian Ponder, who made most of the starts in Musgrave’s last OC job. Even with an intriguing talent at QB, this offense still has plenty of holes to fill before it becomes an above-average unit after finishing dead last in yardage last season. There’s not exactly a ton of hope for Musgrave to get this offense to above average, though, as his offenses have never finished higher than 14th in scoring or 12th in yards. At the least, he very well could get some help early in the draft, as the Raiders could use the #4 overall pick on a stud WR like Amari Cooper.
About Norton Jr.: It took HC Jack Del Rio more than three weeks to find his defensive coordinator, but he finally settled on Norton, the former Seahawk LC coach. The Raiders weren’t allowed to contact Norton until after the Seahawks played in the Super Bowl, which slowed down the process. The Seahawks also passed on Norton for their open defensive coordinator position Norton is longtime assistant of Seahawk HC Pete Carroll, working the last five years in Seattle and spending six years at USC with Carroll. Norton actually hasn’t even held a position under any other coach during his career. This will be Norton’s first work as a defensive coordinator, so Del Rio will have his fingerprints all over this defense. Norton is yet another coach who’s been cherry-picked from Seattle’s successful defenses over the last couple years, joining Gus Bradley (Jacksonville HC) and Dan Quinn (Atlanta HC). Norton played alongside Del Rio from 1989-91, and both played linebacker at USC. Norton worked with some great LBs at USC (Clay Matthews, Brian Cushing, Keith Rivers, and Rey Maualuga) and in Seattle (Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, and Bruce Irvin), and he’ll get the chance to develop young standouts Khalil Mack and Sio Moore. The Raiders will more than likely use 4-3 alignments, and Norton wants his defenses to be fast and physical like the Seahawk defenses. The Seahawks have had versatile front sevens, and they used primarily Cover-3 zones in the secondary.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Todd Haley (holdover)
Defensive Coordinator: Keith Butler
About Butler: Butler has some rather large shoes to fill as he takes over for Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau, one of the NFL’s most influential coordinators of all time. The Steeler defenses haven’t been quite the same since their Super Bowl runs between 2005-10, and Butler will be charged bringing back this unit back to prominence. Butler worked under LeBeau since 2003 as the team’s linebacker coach, and he’s helped to develop James Harrison, Joey Porter, Jams Farrior, Larry Foote, and Lawrence Timmons over the 12 years. Butler has had opportunities to leave Pittsburgh to be the defensive coordinator in Arizona, in Miami, and in Indy in the recent past, but he’s turned the jobs down because he wanted to eventually replace LeBeau. Butler played as a 3-4 linebacker and has obviously coached in the system, but he said they’ll use some 4-3 sub-packages like they’ve done under LeBeau recently. The Steelers have had two of their lowest sack totals the last two seasons (33 in 2013, 34 in 2014), so one of his first tasks will be to get this pass rush trending in the right direction. He’ll also be working with a relatively young group, as the Steelers could have zero starters over 30 years old, a drastic change from recent years.
San Francisco 49ers
Head Coach: Jim Tomsula
Offensive Coordinator: Geep Chryst
Defensive Coordinator: Eric Mangini
About Tomsula: Instead of rebuilding, the 49ers believe they can retool, so they decided to stay in house with the hiring of Tomsula. Tomsula has been with the 49ers since 2007 as the DL coach, and other than a brief stint as the interim HC in 2010, that’s the only position he’s held with the team. Before joining the 49ers, Tomsula bounced around NFL Europe as a DL coach, DC, and HC of the Rhein Fire in 2006. Tomsula’s introductory press conferences and subsequent interviews that followed didn’t give us much in terms of the direction of the team, but according to QB Colin Kaepernick, Tomsula is a “players’ coach” and is always “willing to listen to what the players have to say,” in comments he made to Fox Sports. Of course, Kaepernick is one of the major question marks for the 49ers heading into 2015 and while Tomsula likely won’t have much to do with Kaepernick’s development, the fate of the 49ers will likely depend on the improvement of Kaepernick, who doesn’t have any guaranteed money left on his team-friendly deal. Tomsula’s hire seems to be more about continuity than anything else, although the 49ers did explore outside options for their HC and coordinator positions. We don’t expect to see any significant changes in the offensive or defensive schemes, but the team does have some decisions to make when it comes to free agents like RBFrank Gore and WR Michael Crabtree.
About Chryst: Speaking of continuity, the 49ers are hoping that by elevating Chryst from QB coach to OC that he can continue his development of Kaepernick or maybe more important, get Kaepernick back on the right track after what was a regression in 2014. Chryst may not be a well-known name, but he does have experience as an OC from his time with the Chargers in 1999 and 2000, although that’s the last time he held that position (it was the Ryan Leaf era, so forgive us for forgetting about it). Since then, he’s been a QB coach in Arizona, TE/quality control coach in Carolina, and then spent the last four years as the QB coach for the 49ers. Chryst has 23 years of coaching experience at the college level, the World Football League, and the NFL, but this will be his highest-profile job to date. We don’t expect much to change under Chryst, and that’s pretty much the idea for the 49ers with familiarity being a key to helping Kaepernick get back on the right track. Chryst takes over an offense that was 30th in passing offense and 29th in pass attempts. They were carried by their ground game, which was 9th in attempts and 4th in yardage, although that was only good enough to make them 20th in total offense and 25th in points. We’d expect the 49ers to stick with that formula once again, although with Gore entering free agency, they could lose their best offensive player of the last decade with second-year RB Carlos Hyde waiting in the wings. It’s hard to be excited about this hire, but we may have to revisit the move after the major player personnel moves are made.
About Mangini: Much like Chryst, Mangini will be getting a promotion, but he’ll also be switching from offense to defense. Mangini was hired as a senior offensive consultant by the 49ers in 2013 and served as the TE coach last season, but he’s spent extensive time coaching both sides of the ball dating back to the start of his coaching tenure as an offensive assistant with the Browns under Bill Belichick. He spent time under Belichick with the Jets as a defensive assistant and then five years as a DB coach in New England before becoming DC in 2005. That Patriot defense ranked 26th overall, 31st against the pass, and 8th against the run. He then spent three years as the HC of the Jets, where the defense improved in each of his three seasons, but it never finished better than 16th. He had a 23-25 record with the Jets, including one appearance in the playoffs. He would take the HC position with the Browns in 2009 and while the defense improved over his two seasons, it topped out at only 22nd overall. Mangini went 10-22 with the Browns and eventually took a job with ESPN before returning to the coaching ranks with the 49ers in 2013. Mangini takes over a 49er defense that used a 3-4 scheme under Vic Fangio and is expected to stick with that under Tomsula and Mangini. In fact, GM Trent Baalke made similar statements at the introductory press conference for Tomsula, so the theme of continuity seems to be consistent across the board. Last season, the 49ers were 5thin total defense, 5th against the pass, and 7th against the rush, so Mangini shouldn’t be looking to make any significant scheme changes.
Seattle Seahawks
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Darrell Bevell (holdover)
Defensive Coordinator: Kris Richard
About Richard: Obviously, there are few drawbacks to fielding a historically good defense multiple years in a row. But one of those drawbacks is that teams from around the league want to tap into the mindset that makes that defense successful. So this off-season, the Seahawks have lost three defensive coaches – coordinator Dan Quinn left to become the head coach in Atlanta, bringing assistant Marquand Manuel with him as defensive backs coach. Then, linebackers coach Ken Norton left to take the defensive coordinator job in Oakland. But the favorite all along to take over for Quinn, in the event Quinn left, has been Richard. The Seahawks’ DB coach each of the last three seasons, he has been a hands-on building block for the “Legion of Boom.” Under Richard, the Seahawks have had the NFL’s #1 pass defense each of the last two years, after finishing #6 in 2012. Richard is known as a discipline freak who refuses to let his players buy into the hype their dominance has created. CB Richard Sherman endorsed Richard in the Seattle Times, saying Richard “built the giant” of the current Seahawk secondary. So the idea behind promoting Richard is simple. The Seahawks have been really good and look to continue being really good, so why do anything drastically different than they’ve been doing? This isn’t a scheme-heavy defense. It’s a defense that wins with talent and discipline. It should continue to do the same under Richard.
St. Louis Rams
Head Coach: Jeff Fisher (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Frank Cignetti
Defensive Coordinator: Gregg Williams (holdover)
About Cignetti: Those who were hoping the Rams would make an inspiring hire following the departure of Brian Schottenheimer to the University of Georgia don’t really know the history of Jeff Fisher, who has made a living off being a decent coach, but rarely better. After reported flirtations with the likes of Adam Gase and Kyle Shanahan, and being denied permission to speak to Rob Chudzinski and Alex Van Pelt, the Rams opted to promote QB coach Cignetti to the job (the other finalist was reportedly TE coach Rob Boras). So it appears the Rams attempted to go out of house, but were either rebuffed or not impressed enough to make the move. That led to the promotion of Cignetti, whose father was a long-time head coach in the college ranks, first at West Virginia and then at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, from where he retired in 2005. After playing for then serving under his dad for around a decade, Cignetti Jr. became a well-traveled college coach. Between 2005 and 2011, he served as offensive coordinator for five different universities (Fresno State, North Carolina, Cal, Pitt, and Rutgers). His NFL experience has been limited to a year as the Chiefs’ quality control coach (1999), a year as the 49ers’ QB coach (2007), and three years as the Rams’ QB coach (2012-2014). The advantage of promoting Cignetti is obvious – the Rams can keep the same terminology from the Schottenheimer years, so the players don’t have to learn yet another system. That’s key, considering Cignetti will be Sam Bradford’s fourth offensive coordinator in six NFL seasons (presuming he’s back). We’ve long heard from our league sources that Schottenheimer is an excellent classroom coach whose gameplans get lost in translation. The hope on our end is that Cignetti shores up those gameday errors and calls a more aggressive and effective game. But without a pro resume to really go on, we’ll just be crossing our fingers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Head Coach: Lovie Smith (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Dirk Koetter
Defensive Coordinator: Leslie Frazier (holdover)
About Koetter: HC Lovie Smith’s teams over the years have had conservative offenses that use effective running games to control the ball. Koetter was anything but conservative during his last three seasons with the Falcons, giving the reins to QB Matt Ryan to throw the ball all over the field toJulio Jones and Roddy White. Koetter’s “Four Verticals” scheme with the Falcons featured mostly one-back, shotgun formations, and they’d spread out defenses with four receivers attacking upfield. But Smith said that Koetter is flexible and will run more of a balanced attack in Tampa. History shows that Koetter can do just that, as he leaned on a run-heavy attack with Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville from 2007-11. If Koetter wants to run a balanced attack, he needs to get more out of Doug Martin, Charles Sims, and this abysmal Buccaneer offensive line (something he dealt with in Atlanta as well). He does have talent at receiver with Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, if Koetter does in fact stick with his Four Verticals scheme. However, Koetter will likely be grooming the #1 overall pick at QB, with Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston likely at the top of their wish list. Koetter has helped to develop a young QB in Ryan, but he also failed with Blaine Gabbert. If Koetter continues to use his Four Verticals scheme, this offensive line will have to improve immensely, as his QBs take deep drops to allow the receivers to get downfield. Health issues prevented old OCJeff Tedford from ever really putting his fingerprints on this offense last season, and he decided to move on and coach in Canadian Football League after Smith didn’t want him to return with five games remaining last season. Koetter brings more experience and success as an NFL coordinator than Tedford did, and it also doesn’t hurt that Koetter has plenty of experience working against the NFC South already.
Washington Redskins
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (holdover)
Offensive Coordinator: Sean McVay (holdover)
Defensive Coordinator: Joe Barry
About Barry: Washington reportedly tried to lure two bigger names in Vic Fangio and Wade Phillips to replace Jim Haslett in the nation’s capital, but in the end they went with Barry, 44, most recently the Chargers’ linebackers coach. Barry isn’t a big-name guy, but he does have defensive coordinator experience – most recently, he called the shots for the 0-16 Lions in 2008. In Barry’s two seasons as defensive coordinator, the Lions ranked dead last in the NFL in both points and yards each time. The results are horrendous, but Barry was coaching a talent-starved roster, and there have been reports that the Tampa-2 defense run in Detroit at that time was more a product of Rod Marinelli than it was of Barry. Whatever the case, Barry’s known as an energetic motivator who can coach multiple schemes, which should allow him to stick with the 3-4 in Washington (he has both a 4-3 and 3-4 background, and was part of a 3-4 alignment in San Diego last year). He’s going to have to coach up one the NFL’s worst defenses, and Washington still lacks talent at some key spots, but there is some youth to inject into the secondary. Barry was part of a staff in San Diego last year that managed to field a top-10 defense despite some key injuries, so Washington coach Jay Gruden felt confident Barry deserves another shot.
FantasyGuru.com’s Joe Dolan, Matt Camp, Tom Brolley, and John Hansen contributed to this report.
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