Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Friday, August 21:
Red flags were raised when the Indianapolis Colts decided to let Chuck Pagano see out the final year of his contract rather than offer him a long-term extension this offseason. Now, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reports there is "consistent chatter around the league about tension between Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson," suggesting Pagano could be allowed to leave if he produces "anything less than a Super Bowl appearance." That would be a little jarring to see, considering Pagano's track record of success and steady improvement since taking over as head coach. However, owner Jim Irsay may believe that many coaches could have had similar success with Andrew Luck at quarterback, and Irsay may be impatient enough to move on to a new coach. Coincidentally, Pagano heaped praise upon the fruits of Grigson's labor on Wednesday, saying, "Our roster is probably better right now than it’s been at any point." Pagano's quote was geared toward explaining why roster cuts will be so challenging, but it also helped illustrate why Irsay might hold Pagano responsible for a less-than-stellar season.
If Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor moved closer toward securing the starting job on Thursday night, head coach Rex Ryan didn't offer any clues. Ryan made it clear that he doesn't plan to announce the team's starting QB until Week 1 against the Colts, saying "We may know [who it is]. But why would we say any difference?" In a series of tweets on Thursday, NFL.com's Albert Breer reported that while Matt Cassel -- who didn't play Thursday night -- has improved during camp, Taylor had the chance to lock up the job with a good outing against the Cleveland Browns. Considering Buffalo's spate of injuries, Taylor was terrific, so it's possible that Ryan has already made his choice. If not, we'd expect the third preseason game to firm things up. Taylor's higher ceiling makes him the favorite at the moment.
It feels like an end to Evan Mathis' time as a free agent may finally be close. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday evening that the former Philadelphia Eagles guard had a visit scheduled with the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, but that Mathis might not make the visit due to interest from other teams. The Hawks' desperate need for help on the offensive line would make them a good fit for the former Pro Bowler, but the Miami Dolphins have been known suitors as well, and perhaps other teams are making bids. After wanting a raise from the $5.5 million he was scheduled to make in Philadelphia this season, Mathis will surely want to play his suitors against each other to drive up his price. Whoever signs the guard, it seems we'll have a resolution soon.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith will be taking over defensive play-calling duties this season, relieving defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier of the responsibility. The Bucs ranked 25th in total defense and points allowed in 2014, Smith's first at the helm. Smith's defenses with the Chicago Bears were often among the league's best, particularly at creating takeaways, but he typically wasn't the defensive playcaller. Schemes heavy on Cover-2 have struggled around the league in recent years, so there's reason to be skeptical about the Bucs' D regardless of who calls plays. Still, Smith taking over the responsibility provides some hope that last season's results can be improved upon.
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News revealed a fascinating story about how the New York Jets nearly wound up with Dan Quinn as their new head coach, which would have led to the departure of Geno Smith and the acquisition of Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins. As Mehta tells it, Quinn was the Jets' top choice (with Todd Bowles a close second), but New York didn't want to miss out on Quinn and Bowles by waiting for the former to finish his season with the Seahawks. Without assurances from Quinn, they went with Bowles. Had Quinn come to New York however, he would have hired then-Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who has since joined Quinn with the Atlanta Falcons. Shanahan wasn't interested in Smith being his QB, preferring Cousins, who he coached in Washington for two years. Mehta adds that Quinn was interested in bringing in former Bucs GM and current ESPN analyst Mark Dominik for a front office role, and that Shanahan believed Dominik could help facilitate a trade for Cousins through his relationship for Washington president Bruce Allen. The game of head coach musical chairs is not particularly surprising, as several teams were interested in Quinn and Bowles, but the thought of Cousins replacing Smith in New York is intriguing. Perhaps Cousins wouldn't have been the Jets' savior, but giving him a chance in Shanahan's system would have been a worthwhile experiment.
Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun offers two interesting nuggets of information: First, he notes that Baltimore Ravens fifth-round tight end Nick Boyle has made "far more plays in the passing game" than second-round tight end Maxx Williams during training camp. That's particularly surprising because Williams is known for his receiving, not blocking, while Boyle is considered more of a blocker. It's possible that Williams struggles to get on the field early on in his rookie season.
Second, Zrebiec opines that during joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, wide receiver Jordan Matthews has been "the best player on the field" when Philly's first-team offense faced Baltimore's starting D. This assessment fits with everything we've heard out of Eagles camp so far, and coming from a reporter who hasn't been watching the Eagles every day, it holds extra water. Matthews looks poised for a huge season.
After completely turning over the position this offseason, it seems like the New England Patriots have settled on a top cornerback pairing. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald called Tarell Brown "clearly the No. 2 CB" after an excellent week against the New Orleans Saints in joint practices. The No. 1 cornerback appears to be Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, who has lined up at left cornerback since the beginning of camp. That leaves Logan Ryan as the likely starter in the slot. The Butler-Brown tandem isn't nearly as accomplished as the Darrelle Revis-Brandon Browner pairing that the Patriots rode to a title in 2014, but Bill Belichick will almost certainly put less pressure on his secondary than he did a year ago.