NFL Nation: David Gibbs
Vance Joseph: CBs will challenge routes
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireNew Texans secondary coach Vance Joseph inherits the league's worst passing defense from 2010.Houston had the worst pass defense in the NFL in 2010, yielding 267.5 yards a game. The Texans gave up single-game passing totals of 419, 403, 329, 305 and 301 yards.
Their plan to rely on young cornerbacks Kareem Jackson, Glover Quin and Brice McCain backfired.
“They are terrible,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said of Houston’s defensive backs. Veteran safeties Eugene Wilson and Bernard Pollard could both be replaced.
“In fact, they are right there with division-mate Jacksonville as the worst secondary in all of football. The Texans' safeties -- who are terrible in coverage -- deserve a lot of blame, as does a pass-rush that could use upgrading," Williamson said.
Bob Levey/Getty Images2010 first-rounder Kareem Jackson, right, struggled through his rookie season.“I would classify Brice McCain and Troy Nolan as ‘just a couple of guys’ and they need to be down-the-line contributors. Glover Quin is the best of the group right now, but in the end, I like him as a No. 3 corner with Jackson as one starter [possibly] and someone to be determined as the opposite starter. As for adding a veteran [Champ Bailey?], I am all for it. Not only does this secondary need veteran leadership, but so does the entire football team.”
Surely the Texans will be players in free agency -- if and when there is free agency. If they add a superstar corner like Nnamdi Asomugha or Bailey, shift each corner the Texans already have down a peg, find better safeties and get a better pass rush out of the 3-4 being installed by new coordinator Wade Phillips, things could be a lot better.
But Vance Joseph, who after five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers replaces David Gibbs as Texans secondary coach, can’t depend on that big addition. He’s got to focus on who he has right now.
Joseph has met and talked with his young guys about having clean slates and about how they can develop.
As is the nature of football in February, Joseph is relatively upbeat.
Joseph Dishes On His Young DBs
New Texans secondary coach Vance Joseph scouts four of his key, young defensive backs.
On Kareem Jackson: "He hasn't played corner very long, he only played in college two years, so he's got a lot of room to grow. He's tough, he's not afraid. He's a blank page, he can work on everything from technique to football IQ."
On Glover Quin: "He's a really good football player. He's a guy with some flexibility, he plays inside, he plays outside. Being around this kid, he shouldn't change a thing. Just continue to get better.
On Brice McCain: "He's probably our best movement guy in terms of quickness and feet and all that stuff. I like Brice. Hopefully he can get stronger."
On Troy Nolan: "He's very bright, he's a raw talent. He can continue to get stronger, continue to grow his football IQ and he'll be fine."
“Obviously getting some pass rush helps, having some scheme things tweaked where they won’t be on their own a lot helps. But you regain confidence by playing well. So until they play better, that won’t be the case.”
When a new position coach joins a team to help fix a problem area, I want to know what he sees early on that he believes can be changed. Joseph said he often saw guys in position who couldn’t make the play.
Joseph said while secondary guys always need to be wary of getting beat for a big play over the top, fear of that can really cost a defense.
Expect the 2011 Texans to be closer to pass catchers on shorter stuff.
“That’s the part I’ve got to get right, finishing and making plays and giving them tools to make and finish plays,” Joseph said. “…On early downs, it’s back-pedaling, staying square and challenging routes. In the NFL, [receivers] are going to catch balls, but you want to make them bang-bang plays. When they catch the ball, I want them tackled.
“That’s something we can help them with, playing more square from the line of scrimmage and not bailing as much. When you’re bailing, you’re conceding most routes. You say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to get beat deep but I’m going to give you a 20-yard comeback.’ We’re going to play square and we’re going to challenge routes.”
While Joseph hopes his group will be able to play a wide variety of coverages, he also believes it’s important that in times of crisis they can fall back on something standard.
Last season, the defensive backs rarely seemed to have that reset mode. Going forward, Joseph’s hope is they always can return to something they know they are good at that can help them get through a tough day with a good result.
Phillips’ new defensive system won’t affect the secondary like it will the defensive line and linebackers. But there will be benefits out of a more unpredictable front for defensive backs.
“The beauty, I think, of playing defensive back in the 34 is the disguise mechanisms,” Joseph said. “You’re going to start in a basic two-shell, then move into your coverages. When you’re a 4-3 team, they know the four rushers, they’re down with their hands on the ground.
“Now, we can hold our coverage and the offense doesn’t know where that fourth rusher is coming from …. It kind of helps protect corners. Until a ball is snapped, that quarterback won’t know what we are in.”
Young guys, in disguise, able to fall back on something they know they are good at, eager to prove they are better than 32nd in the league. It’s like a lot of offseason recipes, filled with hope and promise.
Shooting for the stars is fine, but the Texans' secondary doesn’t have to be filled with stars to alter its reputation and play winning football.
“We don’t need guys who are going to Hawaii every year,” Joseph said. “We’ve got to stress here that we just need guys who fit what we do and are capable of doing the job within the system.”
AFC South coaching staff status reports
Houston Texans
Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips are looking to fill position coach slots at linebacker and defensive back, and they are crucial hires going forward.
The linebacker coach who replaces Johnny Holland will need to have some experience in the 3-4 front that Phillips will install. The secondary coach who follows David Gibbs may have as many eyes on him as any assistant in the league when the 2011 season rolls around.
He’ll be expected to help fix a pass defense that rated dead last in the NFL.
Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison is a candidate for the top job in Denver. Kubiak has been the playcaller, so it wouldn’t be a deadly loss. But it would mean a third coordinator in three years for Matt Schaub. And Dennison could take an assistant or two with him.
Indianapolis Colts
Jim Caldwell said Sunday he isn’t expecting any staff changes.
“Don’t anticipate it, but certainly you know how things happen in this league and it is certainly a possibility,” he said.
I do not know the contract status of the staff heading toward the likely lockout. Caldwell is signed through 2012.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Because Jack Del Rio’s staff is moving forward as lame ducks, the team will grant permission for any assistant to talk to other teams about jobs.
A deal for more than a year will be attractive to anyone who can get one and Del Rio will have a hard time attracting a quality replacement because he can’t offer any long-term assurances.
If offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter lands Denver’s head-coaching job, he could pull a couple of guys with him as he'd be able to offer longer contracts.
Tennessee Titans
With only one-year contract extensions to offer, Jeff Fisher could see Hall of Famer Mike Munchak, his offensive line coach, and defensive line coach Jim Washburn leave for better offers with more stability.
The interior offensive line had issues this season and the defensive line wore down. But the Titans would be far better off with two staples of Fisher’s staff a part of the fix.
Only one member of his staff has a deal for next year. Fisher controls his staff. There are some rumblings about changes that would include some shuffling. It’s hard to predict what that could be now.
Texans plan potential 'Aw shucks' festival
Patrick Green/Icon SMIFormer Cowboys coach Wade Phillips might resurface in Houston as an assitant.Phillips can be a high-quality defensive coordinator.
The biggest issue I see is one that was pointed out to me by a reader (sorry, I can’t find our exchange to give you proper credit): It will leave the team headed by two guys with “Aw, shucks” personalities.
That trait -- which would be shared by Kubiak and a new, powerful defensive coordinator -- wouldn't solve one of the team’s primary issues: its lack of a strong identity and anything resembling a killer instinct.
Those are traits that can trickle down from the top men when a team takes on the personality of a strong, forceful head coach.
It’s not how it will work in this setup.
So if this is how things play out in Houston, I think Kubiak and Phillips will need to work hard to find ways to strengthen the team’s backbone. They shouldn’t pretend to be people they aren’t, but they can change to a degree -- and will need to.
That has been my experience in covering the NFL since 1998.
I've helped push for better media access to assistants through the Professional Football Writers of America. I've also learned more about some of the issues important to coaches, including some outlined in this recent story about the NFL Coaches Association.
The chart shows NFLCA team reps as the association talks about forming a union.
Kevin Spencer (Cardinals), Johnnie Lynn (49ers), Dan Quinn (Seahawks) and Andy Sugarman (Rams) are the reps for NFC West coaching staffs. The 49ers' Jimmy Raye is president of the NFLCA executive committee.
It's not clear yet whether the NFLCA will move to unionize and such an effort would face a challenge even if the association did decide to move in that direction. But as coaches consider their options, these assistants presumably will be active behind the scenes.
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
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| Running back Steve Slaton's sophomore season has not fulfilled the promise shown in his rookie year. |
2009 Schedule/Results
Where they stand: The Texas, at 5-3, were two games over .500 at the midpoint of the season for the first time in their history. But Sunday’s penalty-riddled loss at Indianapolis knocked them back a bit. Still, they are in position to post a mark better than 8-8 for the first time and could earn a spot in the AFC’s playoff field.
While they need better offensive balance, Matt Schaub’s been outstanding leading the NFL’s third-ranked passing offense. And after a shaky start, the defense has improved. Narrow losses to division foes Jacksonville and Indianapolis could be ones the Texans are left to regret the most.
Disappointments: Running back Steve Slaton was electric as a rookie and seemed to be a solution to run-game woes. But he’s regressed with a rushing average of 3.1 yards a carry and major fumbles that got him benched early in a game in Buffalo and still have him playing a reduced role.
Chris Brown, who was supposed to fill the role of the big complementary running back, proved he’s not the right man to get the ball when the team needs a tough yard. That wasn’t his strength when he was with the Titans, either.
Surprises: Since Gary Kubiak became coach in 2006, the Texans have rolled through starting strong safeties and always seemed unsettled at the spot with unreliable positioning and unsure tackling. But Kansas City castaway Bernard Pollard, with an endorsement from Houston’s new defensive back coach David Gibbs, was signed. His insertion into the lineup has coincided with a real defensive renaissance.
Rookie strongside linebacker Brian Cushing has been a solid player from the start, helping upgrade the front and combining with DeMeco Ryans to be a formidable linebacking duo.
Outlook: Injuries have hurt, with starting guards Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel and standout tight end Owen Daniels all lost for the season. Even without them, the Texans have enough firepower to be a factor in the AFC wild card race. But after the sloppy showing in Indianapolis, where the Texans still could have forced overtime but for a missed 42-yard field goal by Kris Brown at the end, there is still a sense from the outside that there is something missing.
If they can figure out what it is and add it, the Texans finally might fulfill their expectations.
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| Bob Levey/Getty Images | |
| Bernard Pollard has shored up the strong safety position for the Texans, who haven't had a steady presence at the position during Gary Kubiak's tenure. |
Since Gary Kubiak became head coach of the Houston Texans in 2006, he’s deployed seven different starting strong safeties.
A secondary in need of a steady physical presence didn’t get great consistency out of Glenn Earl, Jason Simmons, C.C. Brown, Brandon Harrison, Nick Ferguson, Dominique Barber or John Busing. Injuries prompted some of the changes.
But in Bernard Pollard, whose insertion into the lineup has coincided with improved defensive play, perhaps Kubiak and the Texans finally have found their man.
In October, the Texans were the fifth-best defense in the league based on yardage surrendered, and 10th in scoring defense. The defensive improvements from the first three games to the last five are remarkable, as you can see in this handy chart the team provided.
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All these defensive developments are wonderful for a team with the third-ranked passing game and eighth-ranked offense. Defensive consistency is a major boon for any team keyed around a potent and efficient passing attack.
What has Pollard brought?
“I take pride with my tackling, I take pride in being in the right places,” he said. “I watch games around the league and you see guys get interceptions. I wish that could happen with me. But I don’t have time to try to bait quarterbacks, because when you try to bait, things happen. Some guys get away with it.
“I’m not that player. I am a player if you expect me to be wherever on the field, that’s where I am going to be. If that makes the quarterback go to another read, then that’s going to be a coverage sack or he’s going to go somewhere else. But I take pride in tackling, I take pride in coming in with high intensity and trying to get my teammates around me to get pumped up.”
Pollard was initially a 2006 second-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Purdue, selected 54th overall. In 2008, he delivered the hit that ended Tom Brady's season, carrying himself with grace after the accident.
The Chiefs’ new regime made him part of its roster turnover and released him on Sept. 5. But David Gibbs, the Texans' new defensive backs coach, had come to Houston from K.C. He helped facilitate adding Pollard to Houston’s roster.
Pollard has not solved the Texans' troubles by himself. He has been a positive influence in exemplifying the theme that’s so popular around the league: Do your job while trusting that the guy to your right, to your left, in front of you, and behind you will do his. He said he’s seen that trust grow, and with success comes additional confidence.
Now he will try to help slow Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts' offense Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in a game that’s fair to rate as the biggest in the Texans’ history.
A win would put the Texans at 6-3, three games over .500 for the first time ever. A victory will keep them in range of the AFC South-leading Colts, who would be 7-1. A rematch at Reliant Stadium on Nov. 19 looms.
One of Manning’s biggest weapons, tight end Dallas Clark, said the Texans' defense starts up front, but that Pollard’s on his radar.
“Their two ends [Mario Williams and Antonio Smith] and their linebackers, that's the strength of their defense,” Clark said. “The safeties and the corners, a lot of the things they do is because of the pressure and [the ends] getting the quarterbacks to make bad decisions. Still, they're there to make the play, which is what their defense needs. But I think everything they do well starts up front …
“[Pollard] is a big safety. He's a guy who loves to hit and loves to make plays. As a receiver, you have to make sure you know where he is.”
Tackling was a major issue early this season, when, for example, Tennessee Titans halfback Chris Johnson accounted for 284 yards against Houston. Sixty-nine of them came when he lined up wide to the left uncovered. Kerry Collins got the ball to him immediately, and the Texans didn’t even have a chance to miss tackles. It was Barber’s mistake, and he was benched for it with Busing replacing him.
Now concerns over such matters are much smaller.
“He’s done a nice job of coming in and kind of taking up what we are teaching, our concepts, our program,” Texans defensive coordinator Frank Bush said of Pollard. “He’s brought a physical presence to us first of all. The kid’s a big [6-foot-1, 224 pounds] and physical football player, he enjoys the contact. He seeks it. He’s the most physical presence in that secondary and all the guys try to emulate what he’s doing.”
“He’s smart, he takes good angles to the ball, he tries to keep himself out of harm’s way as far as angles on running backs and then he brings a load to the party when he hits you.”
That’s a pretty good addition when you sign a guy after the season’s under way and he quickly becomes a player others are looking to follow. Bush was surprised to get such a quality player at such a time.
Pollard appears to be a solution at what has been a questionable spot.
“He’s kind of shored it up for us and let us feel confident about what we want to call. He’ll go out and execute our program,” Bush said.
After being part of two miserable seasons in Kansas City where the Chiefs were 6-26, Pollard said he’s thrilled to be on a 5-3 team that’s got reasonable expectations of a playoff berth.
But he’s not yet sure he’s a long-term answer for a team who’s been searching for a solution at his spot.
“I hope I ended it,” he said. “Nothing’s settled until you actually sign a long-term deal and you know you are in this city for a certain amount of time. So no player gets that gratification until it’s actually done. I am very happy with what I am doing, where I am. And I hope that I prove myself. It’s still a long season and things can happen.
“Do I look for them to happen? No. I’m going to prepare myself to bring my A-game and to get my teammates, and for them to get me, hyped as can be to play football at a high level every Sunday from here on out.”
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| Getty Images | |
| While the Texans made some expensive offseason additions to their defense, they did not add any high-profile competition for Nick Ferguson and Eugene Wilson, their presumed starters at safety. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Defensive upgrades were to be the theme of the offseason for the Houston Texans.
They grabbed defensive lineman Antonio Smith with a big-dollar free-agent contract. They drafted linebacker Brian Cushing with the No. 15 pick overall.
But outside of adding fourth- and sixth-round cornerbacks and a seventh-round safety/special-teamer in the draft, the Texans didn't add anyone of note to their secondary.
What does that say?
Either the Texans liked what they had enough to believe it will work better with an upgraded front seven, or they didn't like the options in free agency or the high value spots in the draft. Perhaps both.
"We have some quality guys back there, that if things are going correctly, they can contribute and make plays for us," said defensive coordinator Frank Bush, who took over as defensive coordinator for Richard Smith, whom Gary Kubiak let go. "Of course it's all tied together. Hopefully the front seven can do some things that are going to ease some of the pressures on the back end."
Bush said his veteran safeties are smart, contentious and understand the system and that the younger guys at the position are following suit.
Had there been a "gotta have him" first-round safety, he could have landed in Houston. There wasn't, so at organized team activities (OTAs) this week the Texans have lined up with Nick Ferguson at strong safety and Eugene Wilson at free safety on the first-team defense, with Brandon Harrison and Dominique Barber behind them.
The résumé lines for the four, with assessments from Bush:
Ferguson
Ferguson has played nine seasons with the Jets, Denver and Houston. Last year he was considered a nice addition for depth and to assist in further establishing the culture coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith wanted to grow.
Bush: "Nick's a very tough kid. He hits a ton, he studies a tremendous amount. He's got real good zone coverage awareness. He might have a little bit of problem with some man-coverage things, but all in all, he's solid."
Wilson
Wilson has 12 interceptions in five seasons playing both corner and safety. He was a second-rounder, 36th overall, for New England in 2003 and was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams. He signed as a free agent in Tampa Bay last year and didn't stick before finding a home in Houston. He started the last nine games of 2008 at free safety.
Bush: "He's been playing safety, but he played corner in college. He's more athletic, more of a coverage safety, more in the middle of the field, a ball hawk. He's a willing tackler. He will come down in the box and lay some wood on you when he has to. But he's really comfortable ball-hawking, breaking on the ball and making plays on the ball."
Harrison
Harrison was a fifth-round pick by the Texans out of Stanford in 2007 but missed his rookie year with an injury. He played in 15 games, starting six last season.
Bush: "Harrison is a Stanford kid, so of course he's smart. He's a big, physical presence. He's probably over 220 pounds, a kid that can strike you, runs well and moves real well for a big guy. His biggest deal is to keep getting quality reps and more experience. A big kid like that, you probably want him closer to the box. He's got almost linebacker size, but he's capable of playing in the middle of the field."
Barber
Barber was presumed by many to be heading for the starting strong safety spot opposite Wilson this year, and still could be. At 6-foot, 218, he's thick and can thump if he's finding his way to the right spots.
Bush: "He actually played some nickel-type linebacker for us last year. He's another kid you like towards the box. But he has a tremendous understanding of the game -- his dad played, his brother played -- he really understands football. We're able to put him in the middle of the field and he can help guys get lined up and do things that way. He's got a lot of football savvy."
Troy Nolan, the seventh-rounder out of Arizona State has nice ball skills, but will have his initial opportunities on special teams.
If things pan out as the Texans envision, the club will get improved pla
y from the group of holdovers, boosted by a pass rush that will consistently force quarterbacks to make quicker decisions. If they don't, the spotlight will very likely chase the safeties and feel more like a searchlight.
It seems they have three candidates to be the in-the-box kind of guy. But they could have set things up better for competition at free safety, where I will be interested to see how Wilson can do.
"It's going to be on the DBs to cover so that the front seven can work and get those sacks," Barber said. "We know the front seven is going to get that push and it's going to come down to us making that play on the ball."
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| Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMI | |
| New coordinator Frank Bush is looking for more discipline and accountability from his defense. |
During this offseason work, the safeties have an additional chance to prove themselves as leaders. Cornerback Dunta Robinson will re-emerge eventually, either after signing the franchise tender that upset him or with a long-term contract. Without him around, Jacques Reeves -- a popular target of fans -- and Fred Bennett are the frontline corners.
Part of the appeal of fourth-round defensive back Glover Quin out of New Mexico was his versatility, but Bush said Quin is working with the corners for now along with sixth-rounder Brice McCain out of Utah.
The expectations Bush has for the safeties and defensive backfield are in line with the message for the whole defense, he said.
"More than anything, more discipline, being more consciously aware and accountable for their techniques and the things that we ask them to do," he said. "We're going to be sticklers for the details and by doing so make those kids more prepared to do the same things over and over and over again and get the same looks instead of , I won't say just ad-libbing it, but instead of having different techniques. We want the same things over and over and over again, so it becomes habit."
Barber said new defensive backs coach David Gibbs has streamlined a big piece of the safeties' lives.
"He's helped simplify a lot of the calls for the safeties and it makes all of the adjustments easier," Barber said. "And in three days of practice, you can tell we are flying around and have made a lot of progress already."
When Houston played its best defense last season, it was when coaches became less cautious and more aggressive. That was a big theme for Kubiak as he made the change from Smith to Bush, and players have universally talked about how they prefer the mindset.
Does a safety in that line of thinking have to be less afraid of giving up a big play?
"It's a controlled caution, I guess you would say," Bush said. "We will always try to give them the different techniques and the pointers to help them out in those situations. When we feel like we need to be aggressive, we're going to always give them some tools to protect themselves. Football is aggressive. If we can just play to those principles, we should be fine."
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
The theory says there are just six degrees of separation between each of us and anyone else on the planet, that in only six steps we can be connected through common acquaintances.
It's only natural in a league of 32 teams that had about 556 assistant coaches in 2008 that the degree of separation among them, if there is one at all, is usually one.
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| Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US Presswire | |
| Gary Kubiak's defensive staff in Houston will have a new look heading into next season. |
Let us consider that as we attempt to prejudge the promotions and additions Gary Kubiak has made to his staff in Houston. Frank Bush, promoted to defensive coordinator, and David Gibbs, hired as defensive backs coach, each have extensive experience with the Denver Broncos on their resumes.
In a recent, scathing column in the Houston Chronicle, Richard Justice made fun of the franchise for its propensity to lean on people Kubiak and GM Rick Smith know from their previous NFL lives in Denver.
Justice wrote that Smith might not have trusted two staff members who were let go after the Texans' season ended -- strength and conditioning coach Dan Riley and head trainer Kevin Bastin -- "because neither worked for the Denver Broncos, had enough friends with the Denver Broncos or changed planes in Denver."
The strength and conditioning coach job is still open. But Kubiak's staff is otherwise complete and now includes eight assistants with Denver ties and 11 without them. (Relevant aside: Of the four coaches Kubiak let go, defensive coordinator Richard Smith was connected to the Broncos while defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, defensive backs coach Jon Hoke and Riley were not.)
Now, of the team's four most powerful assistants by authority and title -- assistant head coach/offense Alex Gibbs and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Bush and new assistant head coach/defensive line coach Bill Kollar -- only Kollar has no Broncos connection.
That certainly leads some to say, "Hey, coach Kubiak, there's a whole, big football world out there that extends beyond Denver, especially considering that your mentor and the head man out there, Mike Shanahan -- also your offensive coordinator's dad -- was just fired."
Kubiak isn't concerned with perception outside team headquarters, but he was willing to outline how he looks at people he considers hiring or shifting upward.
"This is important and I've been doing it long enough to have coached with a lot of football coaches," he said. "And having some familiarity with how a guy coaches, how a guy teaches, him knowing what you expect and what you stand for, that's is important to me. I can't speak for everyone else out there. At the same time, when you're interviewing coaches that you haven't worked with or you don't know personally, I start pulling from guys I do know that may have worked with them, guys who know their work habits, know what type of person they are.
"In this business, coaches bounce around and we all kind of know each other one way or another."
Reading the coverage: Cap will prevent defensive overhaul for Colts
Greetings from AFC South central. What looked to be a quiet week has found a few story lines. Here's what I found this morning.
Houston Texans
New assistants on the defensive side of the ball, Bill Kollar and David Gibbs, promise to help raise the intensity and aggressiveness, writes John McClain.
McClain says Kollar's got a drill sergeant mentality.
Indianapolis Colts
The departure of defensive coordinator Ron Meeks leaves the unit's philosophy in limbo, writes Mike Chappell.
Another look at Meeks' departure, from Justin A. Cohn.
The cap won't allow for any sort of defensive overhaul, blogs Phillip B. Wilson.
Colts followers might enjoy this piece on Edgerrin James by Charles Robinson.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Secondary coach Donnie Henderson confirmed to Scout.com that he's no longer with the Jaguars, writes Vito Stellino.
Tennessee Titans
Kerry Collins is a late Pro Bowl addition, writes Jim Wyatt.
Another look at Collins-to-Hawaii, from Terry McCormick.
Keith Bulluck is not sure about his long-term future, says McCormick.
Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
Scott Pioli's first order of business when it comes to his new roster in Kansas City will be on the offensive side of the ball.
Two major issues need to be cleared on offense and Pioli, whether he keeps head coach Herm Edwards or not, needs to tackle them. Pioli needs to clear up the Tony Gonzalez situation and he needs to figure out if Tyler Thigpen will be the team's quarterback in 2009 or if a franchise quarterback will be pursued.
Gonzalez could ask to be traded and he did in October. He said last month that he'd want to return to the Chiefs if they were committed to winning in 2009. The Pioli hiring has to impress Gonzalez.
Pioli needs Gonzalez. He is coming off one of his best NFL seasons. At 32, Gonzalez can still play. Pioli needs to convince him the Chiefs can win soon.
The Thigpen situation will be interesting. Because he is a no-huddle, spread offense player, Thigpen's style is an acquired taste. Pioli may not want to continue with Thigpen and may want to start the future now.
The Chiefs have the No. 3 pick in the draft so the team could go get a franchise quarterback such as Sam Bradford or Matthew Stafford. It would make sense if Pioli's first move in Kansas City was to try to answer the quarterback issue. His former colleague in New England, Thomas Dimitroff, did just that in his first year in Atlanta last year when he drafted Matt Ryan with the No. 3 pick. That move worked out fairly well, didn't it?
There isn't much deliberation time needed on the Kansas City defense. The questions on defense are simple. It needs a whole lot of help, particularly on the defensive front seven. The Chiefs' concentration in free agency and the draft will likely be on improving the defense.
Pioli has a lot on his personnel plate, but it starts with the Gonzalez and Thigpen questions.
Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
Herm Edwards deserves better.
The Chiefs' season ended 16 days ago. Edwards has been in a holding pattern since then. Those close to him say Edwards had been hearing totally different stories and rumors in the interim. He didn't know what to believe.
When the Chiefs opened the general manager's job 29 days ago, Edwards was told the new general manager would make the decision on his fate. It's doubtful Edwards thought nearly a month would pass with his situation still unclear.
Meanwhile, he showed up to work every day since the end of the season as defensive coordinator jobs started to fill.
If Edwards is fired and he wants to work in 2009, he needs to know his future as soon as possible. It could be a few days before Edwards' situation is clear.
Same goes for the Chiefs' assistants. Some are already making plans elsewhere. Don't be surprised if highly touted secondary coach David Gibbs ends up elsewhere, perhaps Houston.
Edwards has been unable to tell his assistants what to do because he doesn't know. The Chiefs' ownership is said to be big fans of Edwards. But he needed to be communicated with better during this time of flux.
While the last couple of years have been poor on the field, Edwards has represented the Chiefs and the NFL well. He is a good man and he is good for the league.
Yes, we believe the Chiefs' decision to hire Scott Pioli was the right one. And it is prudent for Pioli to make his own hire in Kansas City as he moves forward. It is unlikely an executive as sought after as Pioli was would agree to go to a team in a rebuilding phase without the opportunity to hire his own coach.
If the Chiefs do fire Edwards it is totally understandable, but is also several days too late.Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
Houston Texans
- The Texans talk to Alex Gibbs' son about their open defensive backs coach job, says John McClain.
Indianapolis Colts
- Tony Dungy retires, and Mike Chappell's story gets top billing.
- Bob Kravitz says Dungy won the right way.
- Here's the Indianapolis Star's special report page, with a bunch of links.
- Jim Caldwell is a great unknown, writes Justin A. Cohn.
- More on Dungy from some national folks: Rick Gosselin in the Dallas Morning News; Sally Jenkins in the Washington Post; Thomas George at NFL.com; Brad Biggs in his Chicago Sun-Times blog.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- The Jaguars reconfigure their front office, writes Vito Stellino.
Tennessee Titans
- Kerry Collins is confident he's a starter and Jeff Fisher says he hopes the free agent will continue to start for the Titans, says Jim Wyatt.
- Kevin Mawae will have surgery and miss the Pro Bowl, and Chris Johnson may not be able to play either, according to The Tennessean's notebook.
- Wyatt and Gary Estwick talk Titans.
- Jeff Fisher says the bye week didn't have a bearing on the Titans' playoff ouster, says Estwick.
- Punter Craig Hentrich will consider retiring, according to Wyatt.
- A couple looks at Jim Schwartz's visit to Detroit: Tom Kowalski on mlive.com and Tom Wojnowski at detnews.com.
