Rob Calabrese – Syndication Server

The last time the Broncos played the Saints was the Kendall Hinton game

The last time the Broncos and Saints played was the Kendall Hinton COVID-19 game in 2020.

The Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints are set to face off for the 13th time this week. The last time these two teams met, New Orleans won 31-3 in Denver. It wasn’t an ordinary game.

All four of the Broncos’ quarterbacks that week were deemed ineligible to play against the Saints after they violated COVID-19 protocol. Denver wasn’t able to sign a street free agent in time for the game due to the league’s COVID-19 testing rules that season.

The Broncos asked the NFL if assistant coaches Rob Calabrese or Justin Rascati could suit up at QB, but the league would not allow it because of rules that aim to prevent teams from stashing players on the coaching staff. So Denver turned to practice squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton, who was one month removed from working in sales.

Hinton (6-0, 195 pounds) was beaten up by the Saints, going 1-of-9 passing for 13 yards with two interceptions, one sack and a passer rating of 0.0. Despite the loss, Hinton was praised by fans and pundits for gutting it out and taking on an impossible task.

The Broncos and Saints will face off for the first time since that infamous game on Thursday. Denver leads the all-time series against New Orleans 9-3, including five straight wins leading up to the Hinton game.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

If Rams want to take a shot on Zach Wilson, they have 2 coaches who know him well

If the Rams want to try a reclamation project with Zach Wilson, two of their coaches worked closely with him in New York

Unless the Los Angeles Rams can be certain that Stetson Bennett will play in 2024 and be available all year, they’ll need to make a move at quarterback. Whether it’s re-signing Carson Wentz, bringing in a veteran or drafting someone to be Matthew Stafford’s backup, the Rams have to find more stability behind No. 9.

One potential option is taking a shot on Zach Wilson. After he was benched twice last season and had yet another abysmal season in New York, the Jets could be looking to move on frothanm the former No. 2 overall pick. They’ll look to trade him before releasing him, though it’s unclear if any team would be willing to take on his $5.45 million cap charge for 2024.

If the Rams are even considering this possibility, they’ll surely ask two of the coaches on their own staff. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was the Jets’ offensive coordinator for the first two years of Wilson’s career in New York. Rob Calabrese, who the Rams just hired as an offensive assistant on Tuesday, was the Jets’ quarterbacks coach for the last three years.

Those two coaches worked as closely with Wilson as anyone in the NFL. Therefore, if anyone knows whether Wilson has what it takes to turn things around, it’s LaFleur and Calabrese. The Rams never leave any stone unturned so it’s likely that Sean McVay and Les Snead will talk to both coaches about Wilson to find out whether he’s worth giving a chance.

A reclamation project has never scared the Rams away, giving Blake Bortles, Baker Mayfield and Wentz all a shot under McVay’s tenure. Wilson could be next in line to learn McVay’s scheme in hopes of righting the ship.

Given his poor play in New York, it’s hard to fathom Wilson fetching anything more than a sixth- or seventh-round pick. The Rams have four sixth-rounders and probably won’t find a quarterback with the talent that Wilson has at that point in the draft. Obviously, a sixth-rounder also won’t cost Los Angeles more than $5 million for one season, but there’s always a chance the Rams could get the Jets to eat some of his contract as a way to facilitate a trade.

The safer option would be to re-sign Wentz and keep him as Stafford’s backup, but if McVay, LaFleur and Calabrese see something in Wilson, he could be a player to watch.

Rams hire Greg Williams as ILBs coach, Rob Calabrese as offensive assistant

The Rams have hired Greg Williams to coach their inside linebackers and Rob Calabrese as an offensive assistant

Sean McVay has been busy filling out his coaching staff all offseason after losing several assistants to other teams and on Tuesday, the team announced two more hires. The Rams have brought in Greg Williams to coach their inside linebackers and Rob Calabrese as an offensive assistant.

The Rams interviewed Williams a couple of weeks ago but his hiring wasn’t official until now. He joins the Rams after being the Packers’ pass game coordinator in 2023 and the Cardinals’ cornerbacks coach from 2019-2022.

Calabrese spent the last three years as the Jets’ quarterbacks coach, working on Robert Saleh’s staff in New York. He most recently worked with Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson during the 2023 season, though Rodgers’ campaign ended after only a few snaps due to a torn Achilles.

In total, the Rams have seven new members on McVay’s coaching staff, as well as two coaches who have been promoted to different roles for 2024.

Jets coach Rob Calabrese not getting Kentucky job helps Zach Wilson

Jets QB coach Rob Calabrese sticking around is huge for Zach Wilson’s development in Year 2.

Zach Wilson’s top positional coach is staying with the Jets.

Quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese was being considered for Kentucky’s offensive coordinator position, but 49ers quarterback coach Rich Scangarello ended up getting the job instead.

This is a huge win for the Jets and especially for Wilson. Robert Saleh already decided not to keep senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh and Wilson’s personal coach John Beck because he wanted Calabrese to play a bigger role in Wilson’s development. Now, Saleh won’t have to worry about another assistant leaving after a few were already were hired for other jobs this offseason.

While Calabrese is still a relatively new name in the coaching ranks, he is one of the most important members of the Jets staff. He and Wilson worked closely during the season while Matt LaFleur ran the offense. Keeping Calabrese maintains continuity for Wilson as he progresses in his second year. Wilson has a lot to work on after an overall mediocre rookie season – including efficiency, decision-making and release time.

Wilson will likely continue to work with Beck during the offseason, but now he and Calabrese can pick up where they left off the 2021 season instead of Wilson having to learn how to work with a new coach. This is crucial for Wilson’s development, especially considering how the Jets watched Sam Darnold struggle after switching coaches after his rookie season.

Consistently is key for a young quarterback, and coaching is a huge part of that. The same goes for having a quality offensive line and as many playmakers as possible. The Jets aren’t quite there yet with the last two, but at least they’ll keep some of the most important coaches around their franchise player heading into a pivotal 2022 season.

[listicle id=677999]

Jets coach being considered for Kentucky OC job

Jets QB Rob Calabrese is being considered for a bigger role at the collegiate level.

The Jets could be on verge of losing another assistant coach.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops is considering Jets QB coach Rob Calabrese for the school’s vacant offensive coordinator position, according to Kentucky Sports Radio’s Nick Roush. The Rams hired Kentucky’s former offensive coordinator, Liam Coen, to help Sean McVay run thire offense, which leaves the door open for Stoops to add another coach with a connection to the Shanahan offense.

Calabrese joined the Jets and Robert Saleh last offseason after coaching with the Denver Broncos. He was tabbed with helping develop No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson. The Jets added a couple of offensive assistants around Calabrese, including Wilson’s personal coach, John Beck, and senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh. Neither were retained for the 2022 season.

The plan, per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, is to give Calabrese more autonomy in the QB room without Beck and Cavanaugh, but that idea would crumble if Calabrese jumps to the college ranks after one season. Calabrese previously served as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, USF, and coached at Wagner College prior to his first NFL job with the Broncos in 2019.

Losing Calabrese wouldn’t be the end of the word for the Jets, but it would certainly add another headache for Saleh this offseason. He would need to find another coach for Wilson a year after the two started working together. It doesn’t sound as though Calabrese is a shoo-in for the Kentucky role, but the idea he’s being considered could give the Jets a bit of consternation heading into a critical spring and summer.

[listicle id=653818]

Report: Mike LaFleur, John Benton among 4 coaches joining Robert Saleh’s Jets staff

Robert Saleh’s coaching staff is starting to take shape as the Jets’ head coach has brought two 49ers assistants with him to New York.

Robert Saleh is beginning to form his coaching staff.

The Jets’ head coach is taking two 49ers assistants with him to New York, according to NFL Network’s Michael Silver. Mike LaFleur, who was San Francisco’s passing game coordinator, will serve as Saleh’s offensive coordinator, while John Benton will take on the role of offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

LaFleur is the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. The 33-year-old experienced a quick rise under Kyle Shanahan, serving as an offensive intern for him in Cleveland before becoming an offensive assistant in Atlanta. He then followed Shanahan to San Francisco, where he was the team’s passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2017-18. He dropped the wide receiver coach’s title in 2019 and 2020.

Benton has 33 years of coaching experience, including 16 seasons in the NFL. The new Jets offensive line coach just completed his fourth season in San Francisco. Benton’s notable achievements include serving as the Houston Texans offensive line coach from 2006-13, where his offensive line helped establish one of the NFL’s most potent offensive attacks. The Texans set franchise records for rushing yards (2,448) in 2011 and passing yards (4,564) and total offense (6,129 yards) in 2009.

Benton’s unit was instrumental in San Francisco’s march to the Super Bowl in 2019. The 49ers’ offense ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (144.1) and fourth in the league in total offense (381.1 yards per game).

In addition, Silver also reported that former Falcons quarterbacks coach Gregg Knapp will join the Jets in the same role, while Broncos quality control coach Rob Calabrese will be New York’s passing game coordinator.

Knapp has significant NFL experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, including his work with Michael Vick in Atlanta from 2004-06. Knapp most recently served as the Falcons QB coach from 2018-20.

Calabrese has had a fast rise up the coaching ranks. The former college quarterback was the offensive coordinator at Wagner University before becoming an offensive quality control coach with Denver from 2019-20.