NFL Notes: Los Angeles, Buccaneers, Chargers, Colts, & Titans

Los Angeles

• Albert Breer reports that there are separate camps within the NFL who are focusing on different aspects Los Angeles situation.
• One camp, led by led by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, is looking at the viable stadium project options that will benefit league in the long run. According to Breer, this group is favoring the Rams’ Inglewood project.
• The other group is led by Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who are trying to determine which groups are neediest and have done the most for the league. They are backing Chargers owner Dean Spanos in a potential deal with the Raiders.
• Neither teams reportedly has the necessary 24 votes needed to relocate.

Buccaneers

• According to Albert Breer, the Buccaneers aren’t focusing on hiring either an offensive minded or defensive-minded head coach.
• Bucs OC Dirk Koetter is still consider the “early leader in the clubhouse,” according to Breer, but not a sure thing.

Chargers

• Chargers GM Tom Telesco indicated that interim special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman is likely to remain in place for the 2016 season. (Michael Gehlken)

Colts

• Alex Marvez reports that Colts LBs coach Jeff FitzGerald has been fired.

Titans

A high-ranking Titans source explained to Albert Breer that protecting QB Marcus Mariota is a major priority for them after the injuries they’ve sustained at the position in recent years.

“The quarterbacks are getting hit a lot, and it’s exactly what happened last year,” said Breer’s Titans’ source. “We had [Jake] Locker on IR, [Zach] Mettenberger on IR. The quarterbacks were getting crushed. And now, Mariota’s gotten hit a lot. Mettenberger got killed against Houston, he was sacked seven times and there wasn’t any help in protection. … We just got done with Locker, and now we have another, and you have to protect the quarterback. Some of it is the offensive line. Some of it is not.”

With this in mind, Breer mentions that there’s skepticism in Tennessee’s building over the idea of them hiring Chip Kelly to work with his college quarterback.

While Kelly, the Eagles dealt with a number of injuries to quarterback such as Michael Vick, Nick Foles, and Sam Bradford. According to Breer, the Titans see the idea of hiring Kelly as a serious risk, even if it could offer high-end potential.