FFToolbox - Bill Musgrave rejoins Raiders as offensive coordinator plus 8 more

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Bill Musgrave rejoins Raiders as offensive coordinator
Bears new head coach John Fox noncommital on Cutler's future with the team
Packers WR Randall Cobb wants to stay in Green Bay
Seahawks might bring back RB Marshawn Lynch. Or he could retire after Super Bowl
Report: Seahawks CB Richard Sherman has a sprained elbow
Rick Dennison follows Gary Kubiak to Broncos as OC
Seahawks S Earl Thomas has dislocated shoulder
Falcons to name Kyle Shanahan offensive coordinator
2015 Wide Receiver Tier Jumpers

Bill Musgrave rejoins Raiders as offensive coordinator

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 10:13 PM PST

The Raiders gave Bill Musgrave his first NFL coaching job in 1997. They have turned to him again in 2015. Musgrave was hired Monday to be Oakland's offensive coordinator. He served as the team's quarterbacks coach 18 years ago. Since then, Musgrave, 47, has spent time as the OC of the Eagles, Panthers, Jaguars and Vikings. He and new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio worked together when Del Rio was the head man and Musgrave was the offensive coordinator for the Jags in 2003 and 2004. FANTASY ANALYSIS: When he's not acting as an OC, Musgrave has had a good number of stops as a QBs coach. And yet, his quarterbacks have struggled with him as a coordinator. Byron Leftwich and Christian Ponder certainly didn't flourish under him. However, Musgrave was on board for Adrian Peterson's 2,000-yard season and a couple of strong years from Fred Taylor. Perhaps that bodes well for Latavius Murray's future, but Musgrave might not be the guy who can get the most out of Derek Carr and the athletes who make up this passing offense.

Bears new head coach John Fox noncommital on Cutler's future with the team

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 08:56 PM PST

On Monday John Fox held a press conference, officially announcing his reign as the Bears 18th head coach. When asked about Jay Cutler, Fox admitted that he hadn't met the team's quarterback yet, but that he was quot;looking forward to getting to know Jay." The nearly 60-year-old spoke a lot about winning in Monday's meeting with the media. In fact, when a reporter inquired as to what Fox wants in a signal-caller, the Bears HC simply replied by saying, "One that wins." FANTASY ANALYSIS: Fox will certainly have is work cut out for him as winning hasn't proven to be Smokin' Jay's forte. Due to an imposing seven-year contract, it's unlikely that the Bears will be able to move Cutty. Fox has expressed an interest in reestablishing the ground game, which bodes well for Matt Forte and, perhaps even, Ka'deem Carey owners. Cutler's fantasy future is up in the air, but even if he stays in Chicago he's no more than QB2 fodder for FF enthusiasts.

Packers WR Randall Cobb wants to stay in Green Bay

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 08:34 PM PST

Packers WR Randall Cobb is heading into the offseason not knowing where he'll play next year. When asked if he'd like to return to Green Bay, the 24-year-old slot man simply answered quot;of course." Having lost to the Seahawks in overtime on Sunday in the Conference Championship Game, Cobb's 2014 season is officially over. He'll have to wait until March - when free agency begins - before making any definite future plans. FANTASY ANALYSIS: For the first time since entering the league, Cobb managed to stay healthy for the entire season and started 19 games overall. Not coincidentally, he also had the best statistical year of his career, catching a total of 106 balls for 1,465 yards and 13 touchdowns. He and and QB Aaron Rodgers have some of the best chemistry in the NFL as evidenced by Cobb's impressive conversion rate (91 receptions on 127 targets). I'd be shocked if the Packers and the Pro Bowl receiver didn't come to an agreement. If, for some reason, the two sides can't strike a deal, first-year player Davante Adams would have a chance to claim Cobb's place on the team.

Seahawks might bring back RB Marshawn Lynch. Or he could retire after Super Bowl

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 04:11 PM PST

That Marshawn Lynch is playing his final season as a Seattle Seahawk has been popular belief for at least a couple of months now. But perhaps that belief will turn out to be false after all. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Seattle's brass is open to the idea of retaining Lynch for the 2015 season when the 29-year-old would be owed $7 million in salary and bonuses. However, that's far from a guarantee. Actually, it's far from a guarantee that Lynch will play for any team next season, depending upon what the Seahawks do in Super Bowl XLIX. quot;The other thing is [the Seahawks] could win the Super Bowl and Lynch has told people privately, if they do, there's a good possibility he simply walks into the sunset, probably knowing Lynch, without uttering a word," Rapoport said. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The retirement buzz is nothing new for Lynch. We heard that before and during this season. And if Lynch does retire after one more win, it should surprise nobody. Part of what makes Lynch so fascinating is not just his ferocious playing style but his enigmatic personality. We don't know much about Lynch -- he likes it that way -- but we do know he does what he wants with little regard for what anyone else thinks. He's also a subversive who clearly doesn't care for the NFL's finicky dress code and strict media obligation rules. But beyond it all, he is one heck of a football player. While the Seahawks' offense couldn't get out of its own way against the Packers for the first 57 minutes, Lynch looked like the best player on the field, constantly pushing the pile, slipping arm tackles and bursting through running lanes. His toughness can not be understated. People were concerned that Lynch might break down this season following three consecutive years of at least 310 physically demanding touches. All he did in 2014 was top that number again while recording more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage and a career-high 17 touchdowns. Those who were against drafting Lynch so early in drafts last summer will probably reprise their role this summer and use the same arguments. But even as he approaches 30, the Seahawks' execs know he is the face of their offense and one of the faces of their franchise. He's a beloved figure in Seattle who still has plenty of gas left in the tank; the conference championship game was a clear indication of that. Perhaps $7 million isn't too much to give. The bigger question, I believe, is whether Lynch really wants to stick around to earn that money or just find something else to do with his time.

Report: Seahawks CB Richard Sherman has a sprained elbow

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 01:10 PM PST

Updating an earlier post, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has undergone an MRI and been diagnosed with a sprained left elbow, a source has told NFL.com's Albert Breer. Breer adds that Sherman quot;should be able to play in the Super Bowl." Sherman played through the injury for basically the entire fourth quarter of Sunday's conference championship win. FANTASY ANALYSIS: The Packers didn't go after the one-armed Sherman nearly at all during yesterday's crushing loss, choosing to sit on the lead and trying to run out the clock. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will likely make it a priority to test Sherman's health, and I expect that we'll hear how Sherman is feeling good and operating with no restrictions as we get closer to the Super Bowl -- even though that may not be true. The "sprain" designation is vague. We probably won't find out the true severity of Sherman's injury until after Feb. 1.

Rick Dennison follows Gary Kubiak to Broncos as OC

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 12:54 PM PST

The Broncos have hired Gary Kubiak to be their head coach, and he is bringing a long-time friend to be on his staff. Rick Dennison has been named the team's offensive coordinator. Kubiak and Dennison's relationship goes back to the many years they spent as teammates on the Broncos during the '80s and early '90s. They also spent parts of 16 seasons as coaches with the Broncos, Texans and last year with the Ravens. Dennison was Baltimore's quarterbacks coach while Kubiak was the OC. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Dennison's new team and title make this a noteworthy hire, but it probably doesn't come with a lot of fantasy impact as Kubiak will most likely be calling the plays in Denver. The Broncos can only hope that Dennison helps Peyton Manning rebound after the coach was a key figure during Joe Flacco's career year in 2014.

Seahawks S Earl Thomas has dislocated shoulder

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 11:58 AM PST

While we wait for more specifics on Richard Sherman's elbow injury, we can pass along that one of Sherman's Legion of Boom wingmen, Earl Thomas, has been diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder. He suffered the injury during Sunday's win over the Packers and spent some time in the locker room, getting checked out. But Thomas did finish the game and is expected to play in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1 versus New England. FANTASY ANALYSIS: Thomas and Sherman will probably be far from fully healthy by the time the big game rolls around, but they would probably have to undergo nothing short of a limb amputation to not play in the Super Bowl. Even with a bum shoulder, expect the All-Pro safety to dish out some hard hits on Rob Gronkowski and company.

Falcons to name Kyle Shanahan offensive coordinator

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 11:31 AM PST

The Falcons will have to kill some time before they can hire their preferred head coach, but they have already found their next offensive coordinator. According to multiple reports, Kyle Shanahan has agreed to become Atlanta's OC. He resigned from his post as the Browns' offensive coordinator earlier this month amid rumors that he didn't get along with quarterback Brian Hoyer and the team's front office. Shanahan has already coordinated the offenses of the Texans (2008-09) and Redskins (2010-13). FANTASY ANALYSIS: It was a(nother) forgettable season for the Browns, full of on-field and off-field messes regarding Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon, among others. But before their late-season collapse, the Browns were 7-4 and being led by a surprisingly strong running game headed by rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West. Those two had some good moments in Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme. Shanahan has led four offenses -- the 2008 and 2009 Texans, and the 2012 and 2013 Redskins -- to top-10 totals in yards per game. He was the OC behind Steve Slaton's one memorable season in 2008 and Matt Schaub's career-best season in 2009. He also got two very productive years out of Alfred Morris. Do the Falcons currently have a running back who can succeed in Shanahan's offense? Steven Jackson would probably be a great fit ... if we were living in 2008. Entering his age-32 season, Jackson can't be depended upon to carry a full load. Jacquizz Rodgers has shown himself to be nothing more than a change-of-pace player through four years. Devonta Freeman is sort of a wild card, but he didn't flash very often in his rookie year and may be too small to be Jackson's successor. It's very possible that the next running back to stand out in Shanahan's offense isn't on the Falcons' current roster. Otherwise, this hire doesn't really change my opinion of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones or Roddy White. They are still fine players to varying degrees. They are who what we think they are. Shanahan definitely won't hurt their fantasy values.

2015 Wide Receiver Tier Jumpers

Posted: 19 Jan 2015 10:31 AM PST

A list of wide receivers who stand to make a substantial jump next season, moving up at least a tier from their 2014 performance. This week's picks include Davante Adams, Odell Beckham, Justin Blackmon, Martavis Bryant, and Michael Floyd.