LDN - Sports

NFL notebook: Gruden says "good chance" he will coach Raiders

[January 04, 2018] Should owner Mark Davis and the Oakland Raiders call Jon Gruden this month, the former NFL head coach sounds ready to answer in more ways than one.

Gruden told ESPN Radio on Wednesday morning that there was a "good chance" he would be coach of the Raiders if Davis offers him the job. However, Gruden shot down speculation hatched by ESPN's original report on the Raiders' interest that Davis was planning to include an ownership stake in the franchise. Oakland is scheduled to move to Las Vegas as soon as 2019.

The Raiders fired Jack Del Rio after four consecutive losses to complete a 6-10 record. Del Rio went 12-4 with the Raiders in 2016, ending a 14-year playoff drought, and signed a contract extension prior to the 2017 season.

Davis and Gruden have remained friendly since Gruden's previous stint as head coach in Oakland ended in 2001. The Raiders traded Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February after that season, and then Gruden guided his new team to a Super Bowl victory over the Raiders.

--Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T.J. Ward was arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Ward, 31, was arrested at his Tampa apartment at 8:11 a.m. Wednesday on an outstanding warrant relating to a previous arrest, according to the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Department. He was booked and released on $2,500 bond at 11:46 a.m.

Ward, a three-time Pro Bowler, signed with the Bucs in September on a one-year deal worth $5 million after being released by the Denver Broncos. He made 43 tackles in 12 games (five starts) with no interceptions this season. He will become a free agent in March.

--Antonio Brown continues to rehab a partially torn left calf muscle, but his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates believe he will be ready to play in the postseason.

The star wide receiver's status for the Steelers' AFC divisional playoff game isn't yet known, but teammates expect to see him on the field next weekend.

"Yes, I do," running back Le'Veon Bell told reporters. "I know how hard he works. And I know all the work and the time ... he's been putting in and I'm confident he'll be back."

Brown suffered the injury in the second half of the Dec. 17 loss to the New England Patriots. He immediately vowed that he would return for the playoffs. Brown caught 101 passes for 1,533 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

--The Kansas City Chiefs placed cornerback Phillip Gaines on injured reserve and signed defensive tackle Stefan Charles ahead of Saturday's wild-card playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium.

Gaines dislocated his elbow just before halftime in last Sunday's 27-24 win against the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale. The 2014 third-round pick, who finished the season with 30 tackles and three passes defensed in 14 games, is not under contract next season and may have played his final game for the Chiefs.

Charles did not see any action during the 2017 regular season. He has played in 49 games over the last four years with the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, making 60 tackles and five sacks.

--After missing the 2017 season due to August surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee, quarterback Ryan Tannehill still has Adam Gase's support as the Miami Dolphins' starter, the head coach told reporters.

"I see him as the starting quarterback next year," Gase said, adding that the 29-year-old QB will "probably be stronger than he's ever been" in 2018.

Tannehill landed awkwardly on a non-contact play in practice Aug. 3 and was placed on injured reserve before having season-ending surgery. He was wearing a brace on the knee when the play in question happened, protection after a similar injury late in 2016.

[to top of second column]

The 2012 first-round pick has gone 37-40 with a QB rating of 86.5 across six seasons with the Dolphins. Before missing the final three games in 2016, Tannehill posted career bests in completion percentage (67.1), yards per attempt (7.7) and QB rating (93.5) in his first campaign under Gase's direction.

--The Green Bay Packers have fired offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, according to multiple reports.

The moves represent the latest fallout after Green Bay finished 7-9 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Earlier in the week, the Packers announced that general manager Ted Thompson would transition to another role in the organization and defensive coordinator Dom Capers would not return.

Bennett, 48, spent the past three seasons as Green Bay's offensive coordinator, though head coach Mike McCarthy has been the team's playcaller throughout that span. Bennett also spent six years as the team's running backs coach and four years as its wide receivers coach.

Van Pelt, 47, spent the past six seasons on Green Bay's coaching staff, including the past four years as quarterbacks coach. He also has served as an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Buffalo Bills.

--The Cincinnati Bengals retained offensive coordinator Bill Lazor as head coach Marvin Lewis begins reshaping his staff for next season.

Lazor assumed control of the Bengals' offense when previous coordinator Ken Zampese was fired two games into the 2017 season. The unit finished the season ranked 32nd in total offense and 26th in scoring offense but showed improvement during the year.

"We have a lot of talent on this roster and I am excited for the opportunity to build the high-powered offense we have the potential to be," Lazor said. "This offseason will give us the chance to continue the success we had at the end of the year as we develop into a dynamic offense in 2018."

--The Denver Broncos and Houston Texans have been selected to coach the 2018 Senior Bowl from Jan. 22-27 in Mobile, Ala., the event's website announced.

The Broncos, who hold the fifth overall pick in April's NFL Draft, will coach the North Team, while the Texans -- who do not have a first-round pick after trading it as part of a package to draft Deshaun Watson 12th overall last year -- guide the South.

Senior Bowl rosters will be announced later in January, before players arrive Jan. 22. Both teams will practice the next three days before playing Jan. 27 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium at 2:30 p.m. ET.

--Officials in Henderson, Nev., approved a deeply discounted sale of land to the Raiders, with the Oakland franchise planning on making the area its team headquarters when the move from Oakland is made in the next two years.

NFL owners approved relocation of the franchise to Las Vegas, where a new stadium is scheduled to open in 2020. It remains unclear when the Raiders will officially move, but the team has committed to play the 2018 season in Oakland and could stay through the 2019 season.

The Raiders will spend about $75 million to build the complex, which came at a 50 percent discount on the $12 million value for 55 total acres. The Raiders paid $77.5 million for land to build a stadium on a 62-acre site across the freeway from the popular Vegas strip.

--Field Level Media

Back to top