Marrone Scurries Out of Buffalo

Doug Marrone is no longer a Bill, but he is certainly a rat. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, because he has been stealing cheese for some time now.

“We are disappointed that Coach Marrone will no longer be an important part of our organization,” Bills owner Terry Pegula said. “We thank him for all of his hard work and leadership during his tenure and wish him and his family the best with the next chapter in their lives.”

I was suspicious of Marrone’s intentions ever since he benched quarterback E.J. Manuel, a 2013 first-round pick, after Week 4 this season. Despite Manuel’s obvious struggles, there is no way pulling the plug on the Florida State product was in the best interests of the organization.

Had Manuel finished out the season as a starter, one of two things would have happened: 1) he would get better for the experience and potentially solidify Buffalo’s long-shaky quarterback position; or 2) he would flame out and the Bills would be in a better draft position as a result. True, the Bills do not have their first-round pick this year because of the Sammy Watkins trade, but their lower positioning in every other round is going to hurt their rebuilding efforts.

So why did Marrone make the change to a low-ceiling veteran like Orton? He was trying to squeeze a few extra wins from a roster not built to win now. He tried to save himself rather than save the organization he was hired to rebuild.

Marrone pulled nine wins out of the Bills, Buffalo’s first winning season since 2004. He will get consideration for other head coaching jobs, especially with the New York Jets, where he served as an assistant from 2002 to 2005. Jets owner Woody Johnson has already called Marrone’s availability “pretty good news,” and the Jets will reportedly bring him in for an interview.

Marrone’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, also represents recently ousted Jets coach Rex Ryan. Although this is purely speculation, it is extremely likely the Jets let Sexton know that if Marrone opted out, New York would be a potential landing spot.

Again, this is Master Splinter-esque.

Personally, I hope Marrone goes to New York. I hope he enjoys coaching a crop of quarterbacks who can’t even hold a candle to E.J. Manuel (which is really saying something). And I hope, when the Bills beat the Jets twice next season, Buffalo players carry their new head coach off the field the same way the Bills carried Jim Schwartz off the field after beating the Lions earlier this season.

As for who that new head coach will be? Keep an eye on Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich, a former Bill who is an aggressive play-caller and well respected around the league. Reich, interestingly enough, has also been contacted by the Jets about their opening.

Ryan to Interview with Falcons, 49ers

Rex Ryan will interview for the head coaching jobs in Atlanta and San Francisco, according to multiple reports. The fit with the Falcons is so perfect it is easy to imagine a deal happening there quickly.

When discussing possible landing spots for Ryan, the common consensus is he has to land somewhere with an established quarterback. That would certainly be the case in Atlanta, where Matt Ryan is one of the best in the business.

Rex Ryan, one of the best defensive minds in the game, could do wonders for a Falcons defense that gave up more yards than any other team this season. Despite some struggles, there are some nice young pieces to work with on that side of the ball, including DE Ra’Shede Hageman, LB Sean Weatherspoon and CB Desmond Trufant.

Rex Ryan would likely attempt to bring some defensive veterans over with him from New York, with pending free agents David Harris and Kyle Wilson both strong possibilities.

The fit in San Francisco isn’t bad, either. However, it seems unrealistic that Ryan is the man the 49ers need to refine Colin Kaepernick’s game and elevate San Francisco’s passing attack. Anyways, who would want to compete against the Seahawks, Cardinals and Rams when you can jockey with the Panthers, Saints and Buccaneers?

Titans, Jaguars to Coach Senior Bowl

The AFC South will be well represented at the Senior Bowl later this month in Mobile, Ala. The Titans and Jaguars, who will pick second and third in the draft, respectively, will coach the North and South teams. It is the second year in a row Jacksonville is coaching in the collegiate all-star game.

Said Tennessee head coach Ken Whisenhunt: “Every year, when we talk about college players and evaluating, one of the things consistently that we say is part of it that’s valuable is the time you get to spend with them at the Combine. Not seeing them do the drills, but the 15-minute interview. If you think about that during the course of the week and then actually being able to see them do some football things, especially things that you’re directing them to do, that’s valuable.”

The Buccaneers, who pick first overall, declined the opportunity to coach because they do not yet have a full coaching staff (Lovie Smith is looking for a new offensive coordinator to replace Jeff Tedford, who missed most of the season). It is a missed opportunity for a Tampa Bay team that needs a strong draft in 2015 to spark a franchise that underperformed more than any other this season.

Coaching in the Senior Bowl is a huge advantage, not so much in on-field evaluations (every team gets an up-close look at the players in practice) but in character assessments. The Titans and Jaguars will get to spend exclusive time with these prospects in meeting rooms throughout the week, seeing how they carry themselves and how they interact with one another.

There is a chance Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, the leading candidate for the No. 1 overall pick, will play in the Senior Bowl. Although he is a junior, Mariota has already earned his undergraduate degree, making him eligible to participate if he chooses to do so. The Titans would likely snatch him up if he falls to No. 2 and would love to get a hands-on look at him if he accepts the invite to Mobile.

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