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Here are the latest NFL rumors from the folks at Pro Football Weekly:
|  | | Pete Carroll lasted three years in New England. |
Despite his team's gritty performance against the Bills in Week 16, all indications are that Patriots coach Pete Carroll will be fired after this season. It appeared as though several players quit on Carroll during the Week 15 loss to the Eagles -- a defeat that some Patriots pundits have called the franchise's low point of the '90s. We hear it's less likely Patriots owner Robert Kraft will fire player-personnel boss Bobby Grier, who has been with the club for 18 years. However, it's possible Grier will be reassigned within the organization.
Some Patriots players have been grumbling over the fact that the coaches do not allow quarterback Drew Bledsoe to audible, except in a few specific situations. Tackle Bruce Armstrong said that after some play calls "you stand there with your fingers crossed." Said one unnamed player: "It's totally ridiculous to have a guy like Bledsoe as quarterback and not have an audible system."
Chargers linebacker Junior Seau was extremely upset over not making the Pro Bowl and vowed to take out his frustration on every opponent he faces. Seau had made eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. Seau's teammates and coaches say his play has not fallen off at all this year. Coach Mike Riley called the snub of Seau a "travesty."
49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice has been hearing plenty of talk this year about how he's on the decline, but Rice has quietly been grading out better than the rest of the team's receivers for several weeks in a row and is feeling as good as he has in years.
It sounds as if there is relatively no chance that 49ers defensive end Charles Haley will be back next season. His disappointing play has rendered him a virtual non-factor, and he isn't likely to figure into the 49ers' future rebuilding plan.
The days of Ravens owner Art Modell answering to no one are apparently over. Modell found Stephen Bisciotti as a minority investor, and Modell will now have to keep him informed and operate with someone watching over him for the first time in his reign. Under the terms of the deal, Bisciotti holds the option to buy the remaining 51 percent of the franchise in 2004.
If Mike Ditka were to be invited back as coach in New Orleans, wholesale changes could be made, and they might be as far-reaching as both coordinators.
The Cardinals are concerned again about Eric Swann's knee problems, which have forced him to miss the past two games. He had already missed the second half of the 1998 season and much of this season while recovering from last year's knee surgery. The knee that was surgically repaired is sore, and the frustrated Swann has once again stopped talking to the media, so it is difficult to gauge how serious the current problem is.
Buccaneers director of player personnel Jerry Angelo is one of the candidates for the GM job in Houston.
Running back Bam Morris doesn't appear to figure in the Chiefs' plans next season. We hear the sixth-year veteran will likely be weeded out, with Mike Cloud the early front-runner for the No. 1 job in 2000. Rashaan Shehee's role as a third-down back could also increase.
Packers defensive end Vaughn Booker has enhanced his free-agent value with a fine campaign. The sixth-year veteran has played well all season and put good pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
With rookie defensive end Russell Davis out of the picture for now, Van Tuinei has made the most of his opportunity with the Bears. Though he goes out in passing situations, Tuinei has made some big plays on earlier downs, forcing turnovers and pressuring the quarterback.
Titans defensive back Anthony Dorsett wasn't particularly enamored with being named to the AFC Pro Bowl team as an alternate special-teamer. Had he won the starting job, it might have helped him in the free-agent market, but apparently even having his name mentioned wasn't enough. Said Dorsett: "Wherever I'm playing next year, to be honest, I hope I'm not a big part of special teams. I want to be in the secondary making a contribution." We hear that probably won't happen in Tennessee.
The Dolphins are working on a contract extension for kicker Olindo Mare, who is slated to become a restricted free agent after this season. Coach Jimmy Johnson believes that because Mare is more athletic than most kickers, he is less likely to fall prey to prolonged slumps.
The Jets are a little concerned about their ability to re-sign emerging, young cornerback Marcus Coleman, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Coleman could demand as much as $3 million a year on the open market.
The play of second-year Patriots wide receiver Tony Simmons has continued to decline. Simmons has shown flashes of big-play ability but hasn't been able to sustain anything.
Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson said that in hindsight, he wishes he had played rookie running back Autry Denson more earlier this season. Despite J.J. Johnson's injuries and Cecil Collins' suspension, the coach has been reluctant to use Denson, who has had trouble picking up Miami's audible system.
Material from Pro Football Weekly.
Visit PFW's web site at http://www.profootballweekly.com
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