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NFL

Plenty on to-do list for 49ers' Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — True to form, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick took a moment in his Monday news conference to point out that his franchise is now working from a disadvantage and must try to catch up to the rest of the league in planning for the 2017 season.

“As great as today is, in all honesty, we’re five weeks behind 30 teams in the league in preparing for the 2017 season,” Belichick said.

The statement drew chuckles from the audience, considering Belichick and the Patriots had just won their fifth Super Bowl in epic comeback fashion. But Belichick is correct. Many teams around the league have already begun planning for free agency and the NFL draft. And though the Patriots’ personnel department has certainly been doing its share of preparation, the coaching staff was game planning.

Still, the trade-off of five weeks of studying potential draftees and free agents for a Super Bowl victory is one the rest of the league would happily make. Which brings us to the San Francisco 49ers.

New 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is taking over a team that is likely to soon be without a quarterback under contract, with Colin Kaepernick expected to opt out of his deal. Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Niners’ season ended with most of the NFL’s, on Jan. 1 (after a 2-14 season), and they have spent the past month searching for and waiting to hire general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. Although the Niners’ personnel department has been making the rounds on the college all-star circuit, that task was made more difficult by the lack of direction from a coach and general manager.

What’s worse, they don’t have the benefit of a Lombardi Trophy to make the extra hours of playing catch-up go faster. That isn’t to say the 49ers should regret doing what they did. What it does mean is there’s a whole lot of work in front of Shanahan and Lynch as they begin the process of rebuilding the 49ers.

“I am very excited to dedicate myself to the process that lies ahead,” Shanahan said in a statement Monday. “The first step in that process is identifying talented individuals who love the game of football as much as John and I do — coaches, players and staff. We are looking for individuals who work hard and are dedicated to doing things the right way, always in the best interest of the team. Most importantly, we want to give our fans a team they can be proud of on and off the field.”

There are plenty of tasks, both big and small, ahead for Shanahan & Co., but for now, here’s a look at the three most pressing issues they must address:

1. Hire a staff

Because it wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret that he would become the 49ers’ coach, Shanahan had some time to ponder what his coaching staff might look like. In fact, it’s safe to assume he floated some names to the Niners and Lynch at their second interview in Atlanta, allowing them to begin working through the appropriate channels.

Expect Shanahan to start putting his staff in place this week and to potentially get most of it done by the end of the week. Chances are there will be some holdovers, with outside linebackers coach Jason Tarver, secondary coach Jeff Hafley and running backs coach Tom Rathman expected to return in some capacity.

Perhaps of most importance will be what happens at defensive coordinator. Shanahan is known for his offensive background, and the Niners had the worst defense in the league in a number of categories last season. FoxSports.com reported Sunday that Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores could be in the mix for the job, NFL Network mentioned former Jaguars linebackers coach Robert Saleh, and the Sporting News offered Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson as an option. Jim O’Neil, who was the Niners’ defensive coordinator in 2016, worked with Shanahan in Cleveland.

As for the personnel department, Lynch already hired Adam Peters as his vice president of player personnel, but other changes could be in the offing.

Regardless, with a first-time head coach and a first-time general manager, hiring top-notch coaches and talent evaluators will be of the utmost importance in the days and weeks to come.

2. Prepare for free agency and the trade market with an eye on a quarterback

When all is said and done, the Niners figure to have upward of $80 million in salary-cap space when the new league year begins in March. They’re going to need it, given the roster holes that need to be filled.

First and foremost, Shanahan will have to figure out what direction he wants to go at quarterback. Colin Kaepernick is still expected to opt out of his contract, which would leave the team with no signal-callers under contract for 2017.

One of Shanahan’s career hallmarks has been his ability to get the most out of his quarterbacks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that Shanahan would like to bring veteran Matt Schaub with him to San Francisco. Schaub would be a good mentor for whomever else the Niners bring in because of his knowledge of Shanahan’s system.

The Niners have also been connected to Washington’s Kirk Cousins and New England’s Jimmy Garoppolo in possible trade scenarios, and Chicago’s Jay Cutler has been mentioned as a possibility. The next few weeks will offer Shanahan a chance to gauge the quarterback market and what it will cost to land a top target — and find the best fit.

3. Look toward the draft

Like most decision-makers, Shanahan and Lynch will want to put much of their attention on building through the draft. The good news for them is they have the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s selection process. They’ll have to start diving into college tape right away.

The NFL scouting combine is set to begin at the end of the month, and college pro days will follow. Perhaps the team will opt for a quarterback there, but in what’s expected to be a class without a clear-cut top option at the position, the Niners will have to do a lot of homework on anyone they might consider.

NFL

Report: Falcons DC, DL coaches to be replaced

Falcons defensive coordinator Richard Smith will not continue in that role following Atlanta’s historic collapse in Super Bowl LI, The Sporting News is reporting.

The website, citing sources, reported late Tuesday that Smith could be moved to another staff position, although it did not have details. Sporting News also reported that Bryan Cox will be replaced as defensive line coach.

The Falcons led the New England Patriots 28-3 early in the second half of Sunday’s game but surrendered 31 consecutive points in a 34-28 overtime loss.

The Falcons will replace defensive coordinator Richard Smith, left, according to a report. AP Photo/John Bazemore

Smith, 61, became Atlanta’s defensive coordinator when Dan Quinn was hired as head coach in 2015.

Cox, 48, has coached the Falcons’ defensive line since 2014. He has a decade of experience as a coach in the NFL and was an All-Pro linebacker during a 12-year playing career.

Earlier Tuesday, the Falcons hired Steve Sarkisian to replace offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan, who oversaw the league’s highest-scoring offense, was hired as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

NFL

Next challenge for Matt Ryan, Falcons: Avoid Super Bowl hangover

HOUSTON — This one will sting for a while. Ricardo Allen knows it.

The Atlanta Falcons free safety could practically feel the Lombardi trophy in his arms, considering his team held a 28-3 lead midway through the third quarter of Super Bowl LI before Tom Brady and the New England Patriots rallied for a stunning, 34-28 overtime victory. The colossal collapse was the worst in Super Bowl history and left Allen thinking about one thing: getting back to work this week.

“How do you get this feeling out your stomach? You never do,” Allen said. “You don’t. It’s going to hurt me. It’s going to bite me for forever. It’s going to be painful. I never forget anything, especially something like this. It was another game, but it was the biggest game of the year. And we needed to bring this back to Atlanta, and we didn’t do that. We played really well early, and we slowed down.”

Following their Super Bowl meltdown, Matt Ryan emphasized how the Falcons must keep moving forward in order to again challenge for the Lombardi trophy. AP Photo/Eric Gay

The empty feeling is sure to follow the Falcons into Tuesday morning’s open locker room session, as the players clean out their items for an extended break. But there will be constant reminders of how they all but gave away a Super Bowl title, which would have been the first in franchise history.

There’s no erasing the game film completely.

“I’ll probably watch it 10 times a day,” Allen said. “I’ll probably watch it over and over and over again just to see to what went wrong and when it went wrong and why it went wrong.”

Cornerback Robert Alford had the same line of thinking.

“At the end of the day, it’s going back and watching the film,” Alford said. “I’m probably going to watch it at least three or four times just to see what I could have done better to help my team win and to keep this feeling with me to use as motivation as a grind for next season.”

As painful as it feels, the Falcons have to find a way not to let the devastating loss transform into an extended Super Bowl hangover. The window of opportunity to win a title is extremely small for most teams not named the Patriots. But there’s no reason why the Falcons can’t build off a surprising 2016 run and put themselves in contention once again next season.

It starts with MVP Matt Ryan, who has been around enough to know how to handle adversity.

“I think everybody is disappointed, for sure,” Ryan said after the game. “It’s not easy when you’ve come this far and didn’t get the result that you want. Like all things, we’ll move past it, come together, and hopefully put ourselves right back in the position.”

Playoffs

Patriots 34, Falcons 28 (OT)

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There’s no guarantee such will occur. Remember last year, MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers felt confident about recovering after being dominated in a Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos. But rather than retool, the Panthers regressed and failed to make the playoffs.

To avoid taking a step back next season, the Falcons have to first absorb the loss of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who officially became coach of the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. Although Shanahan took much criticism for his second-half playcalling in the Super Bowl, no one can deny he helped elevate Ryan and the offense to another level. Keeping Shanahan’s scheme intact with an internal candidate or coach from the same coaching tree would be wise, considering coach Dan Quinn already said the offensive system is “100 percent” in place.

The young players on defense — specifically the four rookies and three second-year players in the starting lineup — have to view the Super Bowl loss as determining the champion for this specific season and not defining the outlook for the future of the unit.

Quinn will once again emphasize his vision of being one of the toughest, fastest outfits around, while emphasizing the primary goal of the 2017 regular season: owning the NFC South. Dominating the division will be a more daunting task with the potential of the Panthers having a bounce-back season and the possibility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking another step toward becoming a playoff team.

Then with the ’17 schedule, the Falcons face five playoff teams, three at home and two away. One of those road contests will be against the Patriots, which is sure to stir up bad memories about the Super Bowl. But those thoughts of failure can’t linger, not if the Falcons hope to enjoy success for years to come.

“It’s not moral victories, but this was a good building point,” Allen said of the season. “We just have to keep going. We’ve got to keep building.”

NFL

Terrell Owens shouldn't hurt Calvin Johnson's HOF chances, but first ballot is no lock

Terrell Owens is second in NFL history in receiving yards. He’s third in league history with 153 touchdown catches, eighth all-time in receptions and was a first-team All-Pro five times.

Yet he’s not in the Hall of Fame after two years of eligibility.

Yes, there are mitigating factors when it comes to the fiery Owens, as multiple Hall of Fame voters have explained over the past few days that Owens’ attitude and demeanor appear to be at least part of the reason he wasn’t selected either of the past two years, if not the entire reason.

But it also leads to a question. Could Owens taking longer to get in combined with the list of big-time worthy players continuing to grow by the year hurt Calvin Johnson’s chances when the former Detroit Lions great becomes eligible in 2021?

It’s possible.

Owens’ candidacy alone probably won’t hurt Johnson, but considering the list of players who’ll become eligible in the next few years, there’s a decent chance Johnson won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. That is despite being, like Owens, one of the best players of his generation regardless of position.

In comparing Johnson directly to Owens, Owens has better stats and more longevity, although Johnson walked away a year ago on his own accord. Johnson doesn’t have the locker room issues Owens did. Unlike Owens, Johnson was a model teammate at all times. He rarely spoke out and was universally respected, while Owens had some issues with the clubs he played for.

If Johnson isn’t an early-ballot Hall of Famer, though, it’ll likely have more to do with circumstance and other players involved.

Johnson will be entering the eligibility pool in an insanely strong year, with two likely first-ballot locks in Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson as well as candidates such as Marshawn Lynch, and Jared Allen, all deserving of long looks. Plus, there are likely to be leftover candidates from strong classes in front of Johnson, both at receiver and other positions.

At Johnson’s own position, working with the assumption Randy Moss should get in the Hall in either 2018 or 2019, the candidates could include at least one of a group of receivers such as Owens, Hines Ward, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Reggie Wayne. Other than Owens, none were as transcendent as Johnson, but all had better numbers and better overall team success.

Consider, too, that only five receivers — Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, Paul Warfield, Lance Alworth and Raymond Berry — have been first-ballot Hall of Famers. Michael Irvin, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter and James Lofton all had to wait. Orlando Pace, Michael Strahan, Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin recently had to wait at other positions, too.

So there’s a chance Johnson could join either one of those lists, based on circumstances his own career couldn’t control.

Johnson, for what it’s worth, told ESPN in December he hasn’t thought much about the Hall of Fame. The only time he does consider it is when someone — be it his father or someone else — brings it up. Even then, he doesn’t ruminate on it much.

First, his potential enshrinement is at minimum four years away. And second, Johnson is content with how he played in his career. He hit goals that he wanted to. He knows how good he was and how people viewed him.

“My thing is, everything I do, I leave it out there and let the chips fall where they may,” Johnson said. “I put up some great numbers. Hell, like I said, if anything, we didn’t have the playoff success, the team success that I wanted to have, that I’m sure the organization wanted to have.

“It is what it is. I balled out, had some good years, man, had fun and did it with some guys and made relationships that will never end.”

Johnson is No. 22 in career receiving touchdowns (83), No. 29 in yards (11,619) and No. 43 in receptions (731). There are players ahead of Johnson in every category who likely won’t go to the Hall of Fame. Plus, Johnson’s longevity could come into question, although he walked away as still one of the best in the game, with six straight 1,000-yard seasons to end his career. And he never had a down year, either, with over 750 yards receiving in every season he played.

So there’s no doubt he’s worthy, and it would be stunning if he didn’t get in at some point. But when you look at Calvin Johnson — and you look at the Hall of Fame voting — understand that he may have to wait longer than most people might anticipate.

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