Tag: John Lynch

Kyle Shanahan ‘pumped for Washington’ after Commanders hired Dan Quinn and Adam Peters

Kyle Shanahan praising Washington? Times have indeed changed.

When Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris was looking to reshape his team this offseason, rumors were that he liked the Baltimore Ravens’ business model.

However, Harris’ No. 1 target to lead the franchise was San Francisco 49ers assistant general manager Adam Peters. Peters, Harris, and a small advisory committee Harris assembled led the Commanders to Dan Quinn as their new head coach.

So, instead of modeling the Ravens, Washington’s model closely resembles the 49ers. Peters landed in San Francisco in 2017, the same year as head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

Shanahan joined the 49ers after two seasons as the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator, where he worked under Quinn.

Arguably, the most important people in the Commanders’ organization have close ties to Shanahan. Interestingly enough, Shanahan spent four seasons as Washington’s offensive coordinator from 2010-13 but departed under challenging circumstances.

While Shanahan held a grudge against the Washington organization for years, he said the animosity was gone ahead of the 49ers’ game against the Commanders in Week 17.

Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder were long gone.

Now, Shanahan sings a much different tune regarding the organization that once fired him and his father.

Why? Because of Peters and Quinn.

“I’m so pumped for Dan, and I’m so pumped for Washington,” Shanahan said Monday at the Super Bowl. “Dan’s a helluva coach; they got a helluva one. I know they’ve gone through a lot of stuff these last 20 years, but having AP (Peters) and DQ (Quinn) is as good as it gets. Dan taught me so much in Atlanta, I’m very grateful for how much he’s helped my career. And him and Stacy (Quinn’s wife), and just what he’s going to do for their organization, knowing Adam, knowing Jim, they’re set up very well.”

Shanahan then discussed what he appreciated about Quinn when they worked together in Atlanta.

When Kyle Shanahan praises Washington, times have indeed changed.

 

Broncos Wire podcast: Coaching updates + Courtland Sutton status

On our latest podcast, Ryan O’Leary and Jon Heath discuss coaching staff changes, Courtland Sutton’s status, Super Bowl LVIII and more.

Bring on the NFL offseason!

On the latest episode of the Broncos Wire podcast, I joined host Ryan O’Leary to discuss coaching staff changes, Courtland Sutton’s trade status, Super Bowl LVIII and more.

You can listen to episode No. 104 below:

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

You can view our notes from this week’s episode below.

NFL coaching carousel updates
  • Raiders stick with Antonio Pierce (5-4 as interim)
  • Chargers land Jim Harbaugh, who turned down Greg Penner last year and remained at Michigan. Now having won a national championship, Harbaugh will return to the NFL and he’s landing in the AFC West.
  • Would we rather have Harbaugh and last year’s 1st-round pick and this year’s 2nd-round pick or Sean Payton right now?
  • At least neither Bill Belichick nor Mike Vrabel have landed in the division. Belichick for Broncos defensive coordinator??? 👀
  • After losing DC  Ejiro Evero last year, Payton wanted to hire Vic Fangio as DC, but Fangio did not return to Denver. Fangio then joined the Dolphins and after one season he is leaving Miami for a lateral move to the Eagles.
  • The Broncos, meanwhile, have said nothing about the status of DC Vance Joseph, so he’s presumably sticking around for 2024? DBs coach Christian Parker has drawn interest from Pats and Packers as DC candidate.
  • Not a coach update, but front office related: Broncos hired Saints assistant college scouting director Cody Rager as their new vice president of player personnel. GM George Paton is sticking around, but Rager is a “Payton guy” and I can’t help but wonder if a promotion might be in store for him down the road …

Courtland Sutton expecting to leave Broncos in 2024?

  • Sutton wrote a post on his Instagram page that kind of sounded like a goodbye to Broncos fans. Part of it read, “I know all things happen for a reason and I trust my Gods plans over everything including whatever is next for me. Just know I gave everything to this team and organization every time I stepped on that field! All Love 14 🤟🏾.”
  • Last offseason, when there were rumors of the Broncos potentially trading Sutton, he wrote “I just want to be where I’m wanted and appreciated” on his Twitter page. No trade happened and he scored 10 touchdowns in 2023.
  • Now going into 2024, Denver has six draft picks and GM George Paton has said they would like to get more through trades. Players like Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Justin Simmons might be trade candidates as the Broncos look to acquire more picks and enter a rebuilding phase.
Super Bowl LVIII
  • Go 49ers, go!
  • Broncos fans can’t help but wonder what the team would look like if Mike Shanahan’s son was Denver’s coach, Ed McCaffrey’s son was their star running back and Hall of Fame Broncos safety John Lynch was their GM.
  • Kyle Shanahan interviewed for Denver’s HC job in 2017 but Joe Ellis and John Elway hired Vance Joseph instead.
  • Elway helped mentor John Lynch as a GM trainee — he sat in on Broncos’ drafts — and late former owner Pat Bowlen offered Lynch a job with the team “many times.” Lynch chose to instead wait for the perfect opportunity and he got it when the 49ers offered him their GM job in 2017.
  • It’s a bummer that the Broncos were not able to land Shanahan, McCaffrey and Lynch in 2017, but we’ll definitely be rooting for them to beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Consider me a die-hard San Francisco fan!

Ryan and I will return with new episodes when news pops up during the offseason.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can check out previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your podcast service of choice. Please consider giving the podcast a positive rating and review!

You can listen to every past episode below or at this link.

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Panthers reportedly targeting Chiefs exec for 49ers-like FO structure

The Chiefs and 49ers are two pretty good teams to copy from, and the Panthers may be doing just that.

For the third consecutive year, the NFL’s Conference Championship Round will be featuring both the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers—and it seems like Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has taken note.

According to ESPN senior insider Adam Schefter, Tepper may be looking to follow in the footsteps of two of the game’s juggernauts. They could start with hiring Chiefs vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, whom Schefter reports is being targeted by the Panthers.

His report from Saturday night also notes a possible job description Carolina might have in mind for Tillis. Schefter writes:

Tilis is likely to land a similar role to 49ers chief contract negotiator Paraag Marathe, who has the title of executive vice president of football operations, according to sources. Then the Panthers would have Morgan and Tilis work in much the same way that Lynch and Marathe do.

Tilis, who interviewed for Carolina’s now-previous vacancy at general manager, is currently in his 14th season for Kansas City. Before his current role, he served as a salary cap and contract analyst, the director of salary cap and football operations analyst and the director of football administration.

As far as copying the structure from out west, the Panthers’ interest shouldn’t be too surprising considering the consulting firm they’ve worked with during their offseason searches. Sportsology, whom Tepper reportedly enlisted, also helped San Francisco land on head coach Kyle Shanahan in 2017.

So if you’re trying to model your organization after another, you can definitely do worse than the Chiefs and the 49ers.

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49ers GM John Lynch on new Commanders GM Adam Peters: ‘He’s a very bright guy’

John Lynch full of praise for his former protege.

Adam Peters spent the past seven seasons working for the San Francisco 49ers before signing a deal to become the new GM of the Washington Commanders this week.

During his time with the 49ers, Peters served as San Francisco’s vice president of player personnel from 2017-20 before being promoted to assistant general manager in 2021.

His boss? Pro Football Hall of Famer John Lynch.

Lynch announced his retirement from the NFL in 2008 after a stellar 15-year career. He then immediately began a broadcasting career with FOX. He thrived in that role until Jan. 2017, when he was shockingly named general manager of the 49ers.

He was paired with new head coach Kyle Shanahan. However, Lynch, who didn’t have a traditional personnel background, needed to find someone with a strong scouting background. So, he reached out to the Denver Broncos and their GM at the time, the legendary John Elway, and wanted to hire his right-hand man.

That man was Peters.

Since 2017, Peters has worked hand-in-hand with Lynch to build the 49ers’ roster. San Francisco has arguably the NFL’s best roster and the combination of Lynch and Peters built it through the draft and supplemented it with trades and free agency.

In his introductory press conference as Washington’s new general manager, Peters said he would use the same formula with the Commanders.

“We’re going to build through the draft here and supplement through free agency,” Peters said on Tuesday. We’re going to be very process-driven and diligent in who we select in free agency.”

Now that Peters is officially the new GM in Washington, what does Lynch think of his old protege?

“His core principles are extremely solid,” Lynch told Zach Selby of commanders.com. “His process is extremely thorough. He’s a very bright guy. He really is. And he’s a tireless worker.”

It’s not surprising to see Lynch praise Peters. The 49ers didn’t want to lose Peters, but they’ve always felt this moment was inevitable since he came to San Francisco in 2017. Peters is known as one of the NFL’s best evaluators, but his ability to build relationships sets him apart. 

Peters said on Tuesday that he sees Washington’s current situation as similar to the one he, Lynch, and Shanahan inherited with the 49ers. Peters described the Commanders as an opportunity of a lifetime, but he understands there’s plenty of work to be done. 

San Francisco will miss Peters, but Washington is thrilled that he will lead the franchise into a new — and hopefully — winning era.

Commanders officially announce Adam Peters as new general manager

It’s official. Peters calls Washington “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

It’s official. The Washington Commanders have hired Adam Peters as the team’s new general manager.

The news broke Friday that Washington was hiring Peters, but it wasn’t official until the team confirmed. On Monday, the team confirmed.

Peters, 44, comes to Washington from San Francisco, where he spent the past seven seasons. The 49ers hired Peters as their vice president of player personnel in 2017, and in 2021, he was promoted to assistant general manager.

Peters is often credited for helping build one of the NFL’s best rosters with the 49ers as John Lynch’s top assistant.

Peters entered the NFL in 2003 as a scout with the New England Patriots. He spent six seasons in that role before going to Denver in 2009. Peters was with the Broncos for eight seasons, beginning as a scout and finishing as the director of college scouting before leaving for the 49ers.

Commanders owner Josh Harris said the following about Harris:

When we embarked on this process, our goal was to find a leader with a track record of excellence and strong work ethic, as well as an innovative and strategic approach to building a championship organization. The DMV and our fans deserve a winning culture and organization. Adam is an impressive executive who is committed to cultivating elite talent, building a positive culture, and helping restore this franchise to the highest levels. I look forward to working with him for many years to come, especially as we navigate this important offseason. I am also extremely appreciative of the support I received from my partners, including Mitch Rales, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and David Blitzer, as well as advisors Bob Myers and Rick Spielman, during this process.

Peters called this “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

I am incredibly grateful to Josh Harris and the Washington Commanders ownership group for this once in a lifetime opportunity. My family and I are thrilled for the chance to be a part of the DMV community and look forward to connecting with such a storied, passionate Commanders’ fan base. I am eternally grateful to the York family, John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan and the entire 49ers organization for an amazing experience. Throughout my career in the NFL, I’ve learned that successful organizations begin with a strong ownership group willing to commit the resources needed to foster a culture of winning. We have that here in Washington and it’s my responsibility and privilege to carry out the mission of delivering a team that will ultimately compete for Super Bowls. I know how much the Commanders mean to our fans, our owners, the legends who paved the way for this franchise, and the NFL. The work starts now.

The Commanders will introduce Peters on Tuesday at a press conference in Ashburn.

5 things to know about new Commanders GM Adam Peters

Get to know Commanders’ new GM Adam Peters.

The Washington Commanders kicked off a new era Friday, hiring San Francisco 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as the franchise’s general manager.

The move has been well received around the NFL due to Peters’ experience and reputation. The 44-year-old has spent the past seven seasons with San Francisco, including the final three as its assistant GM. During that time, the 49ers have built and maintained one of the NFL’s best rosters.

Next up for Peters and Washington is finding a new head coach. Reports have linked the Commanders to Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Regardless, expect Peters to have a significant say in Washington’s next head coach.

Peters becomes the first significant front-office hire of new owner Josh Harris.

Here are five things to know about Peters.

Report: 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters finalist for Commanders GM job

A big change could be on the horizon for the 49ers’ front office:

The 49ers are one step closer to losing assistant general manager Adam Peters, who is a finalist for the Washington Commanders president of football operations job according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Washington narrowed its search to Peters and Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham per Jones’ report.

The Commanders and new owner Josh Harris’ advisory committee that includes former Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers have moved swiftly in their search. Peters was one of their first interviews, and he did well enough to earn a second interview with Harris’ group. They’ll be aiming to hire someone for that role so they can move forward with their offseason.

It’s not a surprise they targeted the 49ers’ assistant GM given his more than two decades of NFL experience and his integral role in the building of a San Francisco roster that’s been to three of the last four NFC championship games. There’s also a connection between Peters and Myers from their days as front office members in the Bay Area.

Peters began in San Francisco’s front office before the 2017 season. Myers at that point was leading the Warriors’ front office in the midst of their dominant run of five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.

If Peters does leave the 49ers it will leave some sizable shoes to fill behind general manager John Lynch. There’s no final decision just yet, but the Commanders will surely be looking to land on a president of football operations sooner rather than later.

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New 49ers teammates Nick Bosa, Chase Young don’t take long to terrorize quarterbacks

It didn’t take long for the 49ers’ new dynamic duo of Nick Bosa and Chase Young to make a huge difference on a Trevor Lawrence sack/fumble.

When the San Francisco 49ers traded last week for Washington Commanders edge-rusher Chase Young, they did to so upgrade an outside pass rush that had mostly been absent when Nick Bosa wasn’t a part of it. It also reunited two of Ohio State’s most remarkable players in recent years. Bosa, selected second overall in the 2019 draft, and Young, selected second overall in the 2020 draft, now had the opportunity to mess with opposing quarterbacks together as they hadn’t in a while.

Turns out, it didn’t take long for Bosa and Young to reclaim their collegiate magic. With 13:26 left in the second quarter of the 49ers’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bosa and Young met at Trevor Lawrence, causing a fumble which Bosa recovered.

Coming into this game, Bosa led San Francisco’s edge defenders with 44 total pressures. Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell tied for second with 14. Young was having a bit of a career year with 38 pressures, and you can see the cumulative effect of that trade right away.

John Lynch promotion could set up another internal promotion for 49ers

John Lynch got a promotion. There could (should?) be another one coming in the #49ers front office.

The 49ers gave John Lynch an extension in September, and with that came a promotion to President of Football Operations according to the team’s official site. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco originally reported the new title for the general manager.

Lynch continues to hold the GM title, but his promotion may be setting up another internal move up. Assistant GM Adam Peters has been a hot name in the GM search market for the last couple of hiring cycles. Now he could be in line to move up to GM.

Of course, there’s a chance the team leaves the front office as is, but it’s worth noting Peters turned down interviews for the Titans and Cardinals GM jobs this offseason. Combining that with the Lynch promotion makes it easy to speculate that a climb up the front office ladder in San Francisco could be on deck for the assistant GM.

Peters was the vice president of player personnel from 2017-2021, and then moved up to assistant GM ahead of the 2022 offseason. He has a deeper background in player evaluation than Lynch, which makes him a logical replacement in the GM role if Lynch vacates it after receiving his new title.

For now there are no additional moves in the front office, but a bump up for Peters would make a lot of sense if the 49ers are aiming to keep him in the building long-term because there will likely be a GM job out there for him sooner than later.

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Aaron Banks injury could change 49ers plans at trade deadline

The #49ers will improve their team however they can at the trade deadline, but Aaron Banks’ injury could throw a wrench into how they do that.

The 49ers have a number of improvements they could make to their roster at the trade deadline, but an injury to left guard Aaron Banks could shift their priorities.

San Francisco could use some assistance on the defensive line and in the secondary. Given their struggles getting stops the last couple weeks it would make sense if that was the top priority for general manager John Lynch when he’s making calls around the league.

However, Banks injured his toe in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Bengals and will miss a few weeks according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Losing Banks is significant for a 49ers offensive line that doesn’t have a ton of depth.

They’ll ideally get left tackle Trent Williams back after the bye week. Shanahan said he’s hopeful the week off will give Williams enough time to recover from a Week 6 ankle sprain. San Francisco has struggled without him anchoring the left side.

Even if they get him back in Week 10, they won’t have Banks for that game and perhaps a couple after that, leaving the team susceptible to some struggles on the left side of their offensive front. Running that way hasn’t been successful at all for the 49ers since Williams went down, and it could become a problem again with Banks – their second-best offensive lineman.

Jon Feliciano will likely replace him at left guard. When Banks left the team’s Week 5 win over the Cowboys with a shoulder injury it was Feliciano who stepped in and played well in a season-high 32 snaps.

The problem with Feliciano taking over at LG is that it essentially saps all of the 49ers’ quality depth along the interior. Feliciano is their only backup center, and Matt Pryor got all of his work at right tackle during the offseason. Their other option on the interior OL is second-year OL Nick Zakelj, who is still transitioning to guard after spending his college career at tackle. He’s probably not a player the 49ers want to rely a lot on.

That gives San Francisco a couple options in the trade market. They could take a big swing for a starting-caliber guard to plug in while Banks is out. That would certainly improve the team’s depth once Banks returns, and would give them some flexibility at both guard spots moving forward.

Another option is trading for a backup they’re more confident in than Zakelj or Pryor, who does have experience at guard in his career. This would give the 49ers some added flexibility if Feliciano needs to move to C while Banks is out, and some much-needed depth in the second half of the season to insulate them from another injury or two.

Ultimately they’re not going to pass up adding a helpful player at any position. Shanahan and Lynch always say they’ll make any move they believe will improve their team and they should be aiming to do that at the deadline regardless of position. The Banks injury though may change the nature and intention of Lynch’s phone calls as Tuesday’s 1:00pm Pacific Time deadline approaches.

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