Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Monday, Dec. 14:
The Atlanta Falcons' drastic collapse since a 5-0 start got even worse on Sunday with a 38-0 stomping at the hands of the Carolina Panthers, prompting owner Arthur Blank to affirm his confidence in head coach Dan Quinn. It's not surprising that Quinn's job is safe -- especially after the Falcons waited until after last season's Super Bowl to hire him -- but perhaps Blank will be making changes in the personnel department instead. The MMQB's Peter King wouldn't be surprised if GM Thomas Dimitroff ends up on the chopping block, while CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora suggests Seattle Seahawks executive Trent Kirchner could be a candidate to be the Falcons' new GM, if the job becomes available. Blank's decision to give Quinn final say over roster decisions upon hiring him did not reflect well on Dimitroff and assistant GM Scott Pioli, and the team's spending spree in 2014 free agency (Tyson Jackson, Paul Soliai and Jon Asamoah) remains a disaster. Atlanta's continued struggles despite the switch from Mike Smith to Quinn could make Dimitroff the scapegoat for another lost season. If Blank does make changes, it's unclear what sort of power structure he would install with a new-look front office. Top GM candidates likely wouldn't be interested in the job if Quinn were to keep final say, but perhaps Kirchner and Quinn would make for a good, collaborative pairing. Stay tuned.
Updating an item we discussed last week, it seems the Cleveland Browns are in for some significant changes this offseason, whether in the coaching staff, front office or both. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport noted Sunday morning that it's "unfathomable" that both Mike Pettine and Ray Farmer will return next season, primarily because of a clear discord between the coaching staff and personnel departments. Pettine hinted at the internal issues last week, but Rapoport provides some details: Those in the scouting department "don't think that the coaches make enough changes in-game" while the coaches "don't think they have enough talent to go out there and compete." This is the sort of mess we're accustomed to seeing on teams that rack up the losses, a situation Cleveland is all too familiar with. Sunday's convincing win over the San Francisco 49ers probably helped Pettine's job status more than Farmer's, but it also furthered support for Johnny Manziel, who Pettine doesn't seem very fond of. The future of the polarizing QB is just one more factor Jimmy Haslam will have to consider when deciding how to shake things up this offseason.
Another team that could be in for front-office changes is the Tennessee Titans, who fired head coach Ken Whisenhunt earlier this season. Rapoport reported Sunday morning that GM Ruston Webster, who was hired in January of 2012, is "very much at risk" of losing his job. A "high-ranking" Titans source told Rapoport, "We won five games the last two years, everyone is at risk. We have to evaluate everything." Sunday's humbling defeat to the New York Jets can't have helped the situation, and it certainly seems more likely at this point for the Titans to bring in a new head coach than to promote interim coach Mike Mularkey this offseason.
If Webster follows Whisenhunt out the door, both of the major decision-makers who selected Marcus Mariota No. 2 overall in April will be gone less than a year later. Considering the promise shown by the rookie, that would be a very surprising result. At the same time, Mariota's potential could make the Titans a prime destination for top coaching and/or GM candidates this offseason.
One more nugget from Sunday morning: Rapoport reported that it's a "long shot" for New Orleans Saints running back C.J. Spiller to remain on the team in 2016, noting that Spiller has "struggled to grasp this offense" and many with the team "doubt some of the explosiveness that he has." Spiller's role basically remained the same this week despite a season-ending injury for Mark Ingram, with Tim Hightower inheriting the bulk of the work instead. Spiller's struggles look even worse considering the four-year, $16 million deal -- with $5.75 million fully guaranteed -- the team gave him in March. As if the Saints' cap situation needed any more issues, Spiller will cost $4.5 million against the cap if he's on the team next season and $3.75 million in dead cap charges if released. If a savings of $750,000 proves worth it to New Orleans this offseason, it will be fair to call Spiller once of the biggest busts of 2015 free agency.