Fantasy Football

The Titans have requested and received permission to interview Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard for their GM opening, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While it’s not clear yet exactly when Ballard will meet with the team, Buccaneers director of player personnel Jon Robinson will interview for Tennessee’s GM vacancy on Friday, sources tell Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Giants vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross is meeting with the Titans about the position today, a day after the club announced that it had interviewed former Lions general manager Martin Mayhew for the job. In addition to those four candidates, Chris Polian of the Jaguars will interview with Tennessee at some point, though there has been no indication yet that Vikings assistant general manager George Paton will do so — the Titans put in a request to talk to him, but Paton rarely explores jobs outside his current role in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, the Lions, who also requested an interview with Paton, continue their GM search as well, and it’s beginning to sound more and more like they’ll wrap up the interview process by this weekend, which could allow the club to have a GM in place early next week, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Finalizing a decision on that job would allow the Lions to move on to determining whether coaches will be made to the coaching staff.

Kevin Abrams (Giants), Bob Quinn (Patriots), and Trent Kirchner (Seahawks) have been identified as outside candidates for Detroit’s GM job, with current interim GM Sheldon White also earning a meeting about the permanent position.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

The Eagles have not yet scheduled a second interview with Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase for their head coaching position, a league source familiar with the club’s thinking tells Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. While Frank suggests that this contradicts a previous report on Gase, that Wednesday report didn’t actually say a second interview had been formally set up by the Eagles — just that the team wanted to bring him back for a second meeting.

Although it hasn’t been scheduled yet, a second interview between Gase and the Eagles could still happen. However, Frank suggests that the club may not finish its first round of interviews and regroup until next week sometime.

In other coaching news out of Philadelphia, Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson will interview with the Eagles on Sunday for their head coaching job, regardless of how Kansas City does in its playoff game, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Here are several more coaching-related updates from around the NFL:

• The Jets have parted ways with special teams coach Bobby April, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Special teams assistant Steve Hagen and assistant offensive line coach Ron Heller have also been let go by the club.
• If he doesn’t get a head coaching job somewhere, look for ex-Falcons head coach Mike Smith to be a candidate for the Buccaneers‘ defensive coordinator job, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Leslie Frazier is on his way out in Tampa Bay.
• Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says he has talked to several teams looking for a head coach about defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. At the moment, only the Browns have formally asked for an interview, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. McDermott has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Eagles and Giants as well.
• Per Mike Wells of ESPN.com, the Colts have officially confirmed several previously-reported changes to their coaching staff, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Greg Manusky. The club also announced it has parted ways with strength and conditioning coach Roger Marandino and running backs coach Charlie Williams.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

The Eagles have requested an interview with Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Browns, meanwhile, are slated to talk with Guenther on Sunday, following the Bengals’ Saturday playoff game against the Steelers.

Guenther was previously identified an under-the-radar candidate for Chip Kelly‘s former job in Philadelphia. Guenther, 48, is a native Pennsylvanian whose defense leads the league in points per game allowed (17.5). Guenther has been with the Bengals since 2005 and has served as their defensive coordinator since 2013. However, his decade of service in Cincinnati could be coming to an end soon as multiple teams eye him for head coaching roles.

During his three seasons as Eagles head coach, Kelly had a solid 26-21 record. However, after consecutive 10-6 seasons, the wheels came off a little this year, as the new-look roster, which was supposedly tailored to Kelly’s vision, struggled to produce on the field. Kelly also served as Philadelphia’s de facto general manager, so we could see some front office changes take place in the coming weeks as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Redskins RB limited in practice Thursday

RB Matt Jones said hip still healing. If today was game day, he says he probably wouldn’t be able to play. Feels it most when trying to cut. (Mike Jones on Twitter)

Nerdy Football Analysis: Jones hasn’t played since Week 15 and is sounds like he’ll miss Saturday’s game with the Packers. That would leave Alfred Morris, Chris Thompson and Pierre Thomas to handle rushing duties. Green Bay was middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to RBs making Morris an interesting contrarian option in daily formats. He should get the bulk of early-down work against the Pack.

In a move that was long expected, the Buccaneers have decided not to exercise the 2016 option on defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier’s contract, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). The Bucs will also not pick up the options on defensive backs coaches Gil Byrd or Mikal Smith.

Frazier, 56, got his first defensive coordinator job with the Bengals in 2003. After moving around a bit, he landed as the Vikings’ DC in 2007 and eventually ascended to head coach from 2011-2013.. Frazier joined coach Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay in 2014 and he is now following him out the door in 2016. On Wednesday night, the Buccaneers informed Smith that he was being dismissed. The Buccaneers’ head coaching search is now in full swing, though reports are indicating that offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is the heavy favorite to take over.

As a head coach in the NFL, Frasier owns a career 21-32-1 record across his three-and-a-half seasons with Minnesota. It may take some time before he gets consideration for another NFL defensive coordinator job.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.