Panthers hire Turner as offensive coordinator
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have hired Norv Turner as their new offensive coordinator.
Turner, 65, replaces Mike Shula, who was fired earlier this week after seven seasons with Carolina, including five as offensive coordinator.
Turner inherits an offense that includes 2015 league MVP Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey and Greg Olsen. The Panthers finished 12th in the league scoring in 2017, but ranked 28th in passing.
He’s the latest member of the Turner family to join the Panthers. His brother, Ron Turner, works as the team’s offensive consultant and nephew Cameron is the assistant quarterbacks coach. Turner is expected to bring son Scott Turner on as quarterbacks coach.
Turner was head coach in San Diego from 2007-12, during which time current Panthers coach Ron Rivera worked as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Bills fire Dennison after offense fizzles
Buffalo fired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison after the team finished 29th in offense. The Bills’ running attack fell to sixth after leading the league the past two seasons.
Buffalo scored just three
points in last weekend’s wildcard loss to Jacksonville, the franchise’s first playoff game in 18 years.
Dennison spent one year with the Bills. He was offensive coordinator for the Texans from 2010-13 on Gary Kubiak’s staff.
Bears hire ex-Oregon head coach Helfrich
The Chicago Bears hired former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich as offensive coordinator and announced that Vic Fangio is returning as defensive coordinator.
Fangio re-signed Friday and will continue to lead a defense he helped transform the past
three seasons. He was the first candidate to interview for the Bears’ coaching job after John Fox was fired, but general manager Ryan Pace ultimately decided to go with former Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
With Fangio back, the Bears have filled all three coordinator spots.
The team named Chris Tabor as special-teams coordinator. The Bears also brought in Charles London to coach running backs and Mike Furrey as wide receivers coach.
Helfrich led Oregon to a 37-16 record in four seasons, including a run to the first College Football Playoff championship game during the 2014 season with Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. He was fired after a 4-8 finish in 2016.
Browns’ staff gets overhaul by Jackson
Cleveland announced that coach Hue Jackson has hired former Giants wide receivers coach Adam Henry for the same role and former Cincinnati offensive coordinator Ken Zampese will coach the Browns quarterbacks. The team is expected to use either the No. 1 or No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft to select a quarterback.
Henry previously coached tight ends under Jackson with the Oakland Raiders. Zampese took over as the Bengals coordinator when Jackson was hired by the Browns in 2016.
Jackson has also served as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator the past two seasons, but may hire one for next season. He interviewed Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan this week.
The Browns said the team has parted with quarterbacks coach David Lee, running backs coach Kirby Wilson and that special teams coordinator Chris Tabor left to join Chicago’s staff.
Odds and ends
The Jaguars expect to have four players return from injury for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh. Linebackers Telvin Smith (ankle), Paul Posluszny (abdomen) and cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey (Achilles) and Aaron Colvin (illness) practiced in full Friday. Backup receiver/ punt returner Jaydon Mickens (hamstring) and reserve linebacker Blair Brown (ankle) were the only players listed as questionable for the game. Both practiced on a limited basis Friday. … Saints receiver Brandon Coleman (neck) has been declared out of Sunday’s playoff game at Minnesota. … The Chiefs hired Deland McCullough off the staff at Southern California to coach their running backs. … Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis says the 2018 season will be his last.