NFL Notes: Jim Harbaugh, Patriots, Raiders & Rams

Jim Harbaugh

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh won’t be returning to the NFL in 2017, but left open the possibility that he could return at some point.

• Rapoport suggested that the Bears could be a job to watch for Harbaugh, considering that Chicago drafted him in the first round.
• Mike Florio has spoken to a few league insiders who speculated that Harbaugh could eventually coach the Colts, which happens to be another organization he played for and would give him another opportunity to reunite with Andrew Luck.

Patriots

• Mike Reiss reports that the Patriots demoted DT Malcom Brown for Sunday’s game against the Jets because he was later for a meeting this past week. According to Reiss, Browns is viewed within the Patriots’ organization as being “mature beyond his years” so this was likely an honest mistake by him.
• Reiss points out that Patriots DB Eric Rowe has played only 40.5 percent of the team’s snaps this year which is important because the Patriots would owe the Eagles a 2018 third-round pick if he reached 50 percent in either 2016 or 2017. If he doesn’t, New England would owe Philadelphia a 2018 fourth-round pick.

Raiders

After Saturday’s game, Raiders HC Jack Del Rio announced that Matt McGloin will take over as the team’s starting quarterback with rookie Connor Cook serving as their backup following the serious injury sustained by Derek Carr.

Del Rio added that it’s up to the team to rally around McGloin moving forward.

“Teams have to find a way to pick up and move on,” Del Rio said, via CSNBayArea.com. “We’ll rally around the next guy as best we can. That’s what you do. It’ll be incumbent on the offensive line and the backs to do more. The defense must do more. As a team, pick it up and do more to fill in. Obviously, it’s a big setback.”

• Field Yates points out that the Raiders S Reggie Nelson earned a $250,000 incentive bonus yesterday by recording his fifth interception of the season.

Rams

• Vincent Bonsignore reports that aside from Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, two others names to keep eye on for the Rams include Bills OC Anthony Lynn and Lions OC Jim Bob Cooter.