NFL Notebook: Jones unsure on Romo, Shanny going no OC

Kyle Shanahan will not be hiring an offensive coordinator and the Rams locked down their coaching staff.

Bob Donnan—X02835
Feb 5

Jones unsure how Romo situation endsSeveral weeks ago Cowboys owner Jerry Jones asked everyone to please stop talking publicly about the situation involving quarterback Tony Romo. He should probably start talking to himself.Jones, in an interview with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, said “I don’t know” how the Romo situation will be resolved.”It’s no secret that I just think so much of him as a person and think so much of him as a player,” Jones said in a radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The team we have, especially the offensive side of the ball, was built for Tony. So this is what it is. It’s a juncture that we have to address.”I don’t know how ultimately we will resolve this. Nobody should be alarmed because you don’t have all the answers. There are some issues here that you just got to see how the cards are played. But we’ll work through this. We have a sound enough foundation together that on an individual basis we’ll get through this.”The Cowboys would like to trade Romo but his salary issues may complicate the situation too much. Romo is not interested in retirement, which may mean the Cowboys are forced to release the long-time quarterback who was replaced by Dak Prescott as the starter this season.Rams fill out coaching staffLos Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay finalized his coaching staff on Wednesday, adding Matt LaFleur as an offensive coordinator and bringing special teams coordinator John Fassel back for a sixth season. The Rams previously announced the hire of Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator.Joining McVay’s offensive staff are Andy Dickerson (assistant offensive line), Aaron Kromer (offensive line), Zak Kromer (offensive quality control), Greg Olson (quarterbacks), Skip Peete (running backs), Zac Taylor (assistant wide receivers), Shane Waldron (tight ends) and Eric Yarber (wide receivers).Defensively, the Rams’ staff consists of Joe Barry (assistant head coach/linebackers), Thad Bogardus (defensive quality control), Ejiro Evero (safeties), Bill Johnson (defensive line), Aubrey Pleasant (cornerbacks), and Chris Shula (assistant linebackers) and Ted Rath (strength and conditioning).Falcons replacing DC SmithThe Atlanta Falcons confirmed Wednesday they will replace Richard Smith as defensive coordinator, just days following the historic collapse in the overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.The team also said defensive line coach Bryan Cox was fired. Smith could return to the Falcons in an advisory role but he plans to explore other options.The Falcons are considering three internal candidates in secondary coordinator Jerome Henderson, defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel and linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.Falcons head coach Dan Quinn took on more of the play-calling after the bye week this season. Quinn was the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks before becoming Atlanta’s head coach in 2015.Shanahan not hiring an OC in SFThe 37-year-old Shanahan plans to coordinate the 49ers’ offense and intends to hire Atlanta Falcons offensive assistant Mike McDaniel as the team’s “run-game guru” and Rich Scangarello as the quarterbacks coach, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.McDaniel, 33, has worked with Shanahan in Houston, Washington and Cleveland. Scangarello, the offensive coordinator at Wagner College, was a quality control coach with Shanahan and the Falcons in 2015.Packers release CB ShieldsThe Green Bay Packers released cornerback Sam Shields after the seven-year veteran spent nearly the entire 2016 season in the NFL’s concussion protocol.Shields, 29, suffered a concussion in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars and missed the final 15 regular-season games and the team’s three playoff contests. It was Shields’ fifth documented concussion in his NFL career and Packers coach Mike McCarthy said at the postseason news conference last month that Shields still had not cleared concussion protocol.”I think we can all focus on Sam getting healthy,” McCarthy said on Jan. 26. “Having a chance to visit with Sam in Atlanta briefly, he needs to get healthy for himself and his family. That’s the primary focus.”Panthers bring back LB JacobsThe Carolina Panthers re-signed linebacker Ben Jacobs, who was set to become a restricted free agent this offseason, to a two-year deal.Jacobs, 28, returned to the team for the final four games last season after being released with an injury settlement (ankle) in September before the 2016 regular season started.”I spent 13 weeks at home watching games on the couch and not knowing if I’d ever get the chance to play again. So when I got that call, I wanted to take full advantage,” Jacobs told the team’s website.