NFL Notes: Greg Schiano, 49ers, Browns, Lions, & Patriots

Greg Schiano

• Former Buccaneers HC Greg Schiano is expected to accept an associate head coaching/defense coordinator position with Ohio State, according to Adam Schefter.

49ers

• According to Tom Pelissero, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers won’t pay QB Blaine Gabbert’s $200,000 roster bonus, which is due on the fifth day of the league year in March.

Browns

Tom Pelissero of USA Today writes that there’s really no dispute that the Browns organization is a “teardown job.”

“If anyone’s telling owner Jimmy Haslam otherwise, they’re delusional or trying to save their jobs,” writes Pelissero. “There’s no reasonable way to look at how the Browns are constructed and argue they just have some holes, even if they figure out how to fill the biggest one at quarterback, with Johnny Manziel getting his latest shot Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.”

Lions

• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that veteran ILB Stephen Tulloch‘s future with the Lions remains in doubt.
• Birkett notes tha tthe Lions could free up $6 million in available cap space by releasing him next year.
• Albert Breer mentions that Lions OC Jim Bob Cooter figures to be a name worth watching once new coaching staffs begin to take shape, assuming Detroit fires HC Jim Caldwell and his staff at the end of the season.

Patriots

• Patriots WR Julian Edelman (foot) surprisingly returned to practice on Friday.
• Edelman told reporters that he wasn’t surprised to be back on field, and is focusing on playing it safe and smart with return from a Jones fracture. (Mike Reiss)
• Reiss mentions that a plastic stool was dropped on Edelman’s foot, to which he joked: “There goes my foot. Thanks buddy.”