NFC Staff Updates: Lions, Rams, Commanders, Seahawks, Cardinals, Eagles
Lions team president Rod Wood is set to retire sometime before the 2026 season, and Detroit is currently in the process of finding his replacement.
The team has only interviewed internal candidates so far. A search firm is working to identify external candidates who will begin interviewing in April, Wood said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). The panel will include Wood, owner Sheila Hamp, and a number of other top executives including former Lions linebacker Chris Spielman. Head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes will also have the opportunity to offer their input.
“In terms of what I’m looking for, I’m looking for the best person to lead the Lions,” Wood continued. “Ideally somebody who’s got the right kind of executive presence and leadership skills, some COO or CEO experience running a big organization. It doesn’t necessarily have to be somebody with football experience but that would be an advantage if it works out.
A number of other NFC teams have also made staffing moves in recent weeks:
- The Rams added former Browns general manager Phil Savage as a consultant in their personnel department, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Savage most recently worked for the Jets, starting in 2019 as a senior personnel advisor. He finished the 2024 season as the interim general manager after Joe Douglas was fired and served as a consultant to the new regime last year.
- The Commanders hired John Glenn as a special teams assistant, per a team announcement. He will work alongside special teams coordinator Larry Izzo and his assistant, Brian Schneider, who is going through cancer treatment, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
- Former University of Washington offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jimmie Dougherty has been hired by the Seahawks as an offensive assistant, a NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will become the latest Huskies coach to move to the local NFL team, a pipeline that included his predecessor, Ryan Grubb.
- The Cardinals reunited with Nick Hart as a scouting assistant, according to Inside the League’s Neil Stratton. He previous worked in Arizona as a Nunn-Wooten scouting fellow.
- Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni indicated (via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP) that former offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland would not return to Philadelphia this year, though he did not rule out the possibility.
49ers Finalize 2026 Coaching Staff
The 49ers made a number of coaching changes this offseason with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh accepting the Titans’ head coaching job and taking a number of assistants to Tennessee.
San Francisco gradually filled their vacancies and recently announced their full staff, including official titles for new hires and several internal promotions.
Jerry Gray arrived in San Francisco in February and has since been announced as the team’s defensive pass game coordinator. He is entering his fourth decade of coaching defensive backs and will work closely with cornerbacks coach Ray Brown.
The 49ers also promoted a few members of their defensive staff. Johnny Holland, who has primarily worked with linebackers in his nine seasons with the club, will now serve as the defensive run game coordinator. Replacing him as the linebackers coach will be K.J. Wright, who spent 11 years playing the position for the Seahawks and Raiders. He first joined the 49ers in 2024 as a defensive quality control coach.
The team made a number of internal promotions on the offensive side of the ball, too. Joe Graves was promoted from offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach to run game coordinator. Taking his role will be Jacob Webster, who is being promoted from an offensive quality control role. The same is true of Deuce Schwartz, now an offensive assistant/tight ends coach.
Roman Sapolu, who was also hired in February, will be the assistant offensive line coach, overseeing the position he once played at Oregon State and coached at multiple college programs. He will serve under offensive line coach/assistant head coach Chris Foerster.
Prospect Profile: Monroe Freeling
Ever since about the midway point of the 2025-26 NCAA season, the same few names have been atop 2026 NFL Draft position rankings for offensive lineman. Though some questions have arisen over whether these players will be guards or tackles at the next level, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Utah’s Spencer Fano, and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor have repeatedly been projected as the first offensive linemen off the board in some order. In recent weeks, though, Monroe Freeling has started to test the boundary between those three and the rest of the draft class’s top linemen.
A member of the Class of 2023, Freeling was a top 10 offensive tackle recruit in the country, per 247Sports, receiving some five-star grades but not locking down a consensus five-star rating behind the likes of Proctor and Mauigoa. A gigantic prospect, it didn’t take long for Freeling to burst onto the recruiting scene. Despite hiding out at Oceanside Collegiate Academy in South Carolina, Freeling received his first offers in his sophomore year, and they were big ones. His first offer came from the school he would eventually commit to, Georgia. Over the next few months several other big offers began to roll in. In the summer before his senior year, Freeling took official visits to Notre Dame, Florida, and Miami, as well as an unofficial visit (paid for on his own dime) to Alabama.
Committing to the Bulldogs in the final days of the summer, Freeling saved his final official visit for a trip to Athens in December. Two weeks later, he signed his letter of intent and enrolled about two more weeks after that. As the offensive line shuffled around pieces throughout his true freshman season, Freeling only saw the field in garbage time and special teams, appearing in nine contests and burning his redshirt. In his sophomore season, Freeling established a bigger role, starting the year as a core special teamer and coming off the bench as the Bulldogs’ primary swing tackle. Nine games into the season, he was asked to step in for a struggling, injured Earnest Greene III at left tackle, and he started the final five games of the season.
Freeling entered his junior year as the starting left tackle for Georgia, retaining the role from the end of his sophomore campaign. Despite earning that leading role, he was still very much an unfinished product. A high-ankle sprain slowed him down a bit as the team got into SEC play, but he improved in each showing from week to week. Learning as he went, Freeling tended to rely heavily on his intelligence and physical gifts to make up for short-comings in his technique and abilities.
Those physical assets are a big reason he’s flown up draft boards lately. Ever since he started playing football, Freeling has worked hard to fill out his long, broad frame. He uses every inch of that frame to fill up space and absorb rushers. Unsurprising for a Georgia lineman, his biggest strengths are in the run game, where his burst off the ball gives him an early edge on moving defenders, and his raw power does a lot of work opening holes. That same quickness off the line gives him a good head start in pass pro, where he is alert and ready to defend against stunts and counters.
The longer plays go on, though, Freeling’s focus tends to slip. He can sometimes overextend himself in the run game, ending up on the ground a bit too often. Late in pass pro, he may stop moving his feet and get caught lunging at persistent, late rushers. He puts himself in good position when landing heavy hands on rushers, but when he goes too wide with his hands early and misses, defenders can have success getting into his body and using his high center of gravity to stand him up on his heels.
Overall, Freeling is a bit of a project but a quick, smart learner. He has elite size and excellent athleticism, but with only one full year of starting experience under his belt, any team drafting him will need to be prepared to put the finishing touches on him as an NFL tackle. Depending on whether or not a team feels confident in their ability to develop him, Freeling currently projects as a first-round prospect, improving on early second- to third-round projections. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network ranks Freeling as the 20th-best overall prospect and the fourth-best tackle, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic slots him at 17th overall and third for offensive tackles.
Freeling may fit best with a team that can afford to bring him up slowly into a starting role. If needed, though, Freeling’s time in Athens proved that he can succeed while learning on the job and could start right away, if needed. His elite physical traits will ensure he hears his name in the draft; the only question will be how early into the process it gets called.
Injury Updates On Giants WR Malik Nabers, RB Cam Skattebo
One of the reasons that John Harbaugh took the Giants’ head coaching gig was his excitement about the young talent on their roster. However, he will have to wait a while longer for two of those players to be healthy enough to join the rest of the team on the field.
Wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo were both present for the start of the Giants’ offseason program this week, but both are still rehabbing from major injuries that ended their 2025 seasons. Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee in Week 4; Skattebo suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in Week 8.
Harbaugh indicated that Skattebo would be on the field “at some point” for spring practices, per Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. Any OTA or minicamp participation from the second-year running back would be a good sign for his ability to take the field at the start of training camp.
Skattebo is ahead of Nabers, who will be back “closer to the season,” Harbaugh added. His pronouncement somewhat contradicts general manager Joe Schoen‘s previous prediction that Nabers would be “ready for training camp.”
Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart may not have his top wideout and running back on the practice field at the beginning of OTAs, but he will be able to start building chemistry with free agent signing Darnell Mooney. The veteran wide receiver signed in New York for a one-year, $3MM contract that includes another $7MM in incentives, which range across a number of categories, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Mooney can earn $250k for playing at least 75% of the Giants’ offensive snaps. $375k is available for eclipsing 35 receptions, which increases every 10 with a maximum of $2.5MM for 75 catches or more. The same is true for receiving yards, starting at $375k for 450 yards and increasing every 150 with up to $2.5MM available for recording at least 1,050 yards. Mooney will also receive $375k for three touchdowns, $750k for five, $1.25MM for 7, and $1.75MM for nine or more.
Mooney did not hit any of these numbers in 2025, a down year for the veteran receiver, so all of his incentives are considered Not Likely To Be Earned. They will not count against this year’s salary cap, and if Mooney hits any of them, the Giants will be charged on next year’s cap.
Miami T Francis Mauigoa Undergoing Imaging For Back Issue
While it’s still to be determined who the top offensive lineman taken in the 2026 NFL Draft will be, many of the same names are routinely included in consideration. One such player, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, will reportedly be present at Combine Rechecks this Friday to undergo testing for a minor back issue, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Arriving in Coral Gables as a consensus five-star recruit ranked as the second-best offensive tackle in the country, Mauigoa earned an immediate starting role with the Hurricanes at right tackle and started every game there from his true freshman season opener to the team’s National Championship Game loss in their home stadium a few months ago. Rapoport reports, though, that the 20-year-old is dealing with a disc issue that “caused him some discomfort late in the season.”
Enduring a streak of starts that lasted 42 games despite the potential back injury, Mauigoa has gone on to perform at his pro day without experiencing any of the discomfort that bothered him at the end of the year. Rapoport adds that a full professional consultation determined that Mauigoa is “not considered a candidate for immediate surgery.” Still, some teams have requested additional imaging to learn more about the issue, and with nothing to hide, Mauigoa has agreed to undergo the additional testing.
Rapoport followed up his initial report to relay that “the initial belief is that this will not cause” Mauigoa to fall in the draft. Field Yates of ESPN’s sources also seemed to indicate that Mauigoa’s draft stock has not been “affected much, if at all.” Both reporters caution, though, that teams interested in Mauigoa will continue to monitor the situation as they fashion their draft boards and prepare for draft night.
Assuming his draft stock remains untouched over the next three weeks, Mauigoa is expected to be a top 10 pick. He’s been projected throughout the top half of the Day 1 picks, mocked as high as No. 2 overall and as low as 14th overall. He’s in competition with Utah’s Spencer Fano, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, and recently, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling for top lineman honors.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/8/26
Here are today’s midweek minor transactions:
New York Jets
- Signed ERFA tender: LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Received roster exemption (international player): LB Julius Welschof
Going undrafted out of Indiana in 2022, McCrary-Ball will be back for his fourth year in New York. After serving solely on special teams in his first two years, McCrary-Ball saw some extended time on defense for the first time in his career last year.
Welschof has been with the Steelers since he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent two years ago out of Charlotte, where the German-born defender had transferred after five years at Michigan. With the international player roster exemption, the Steelers will be able to place Welschof on their practice squad in the regular season without him counting against the 16-man limit.
S Jessie Bates Wants To Retire A Falcon
The Falcons lost a notable contributor to retirement when right tackle Kaleb McGary hung up his cleats Wednesday. Shortly before the McGary news broke, safety Jessie Bates declared that he would like to spend the rest of his career in Atlanta (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic).
“I want to retire as a Falcon,” the eight-year veteran said. “My family loves it here.”
Unlike McGary, the 29-year-old Bates is not ready to walk away. But with just one season left on his contract, Bates’ long-term future with the Falcons is in question. The sides have not engaged in extension talks.
A highly productive Bengal over his first five seasons, the former second-round pick left Cincinnati for Atlanta after the 2022 campaign. The Falcons gave Bates a four-year, $64MM contract, then one of the five all-time richest deals at the position.
The Falcons have extended their playoff drought to eight years since they added Bates, but he has been worth the investment. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder has not missed a game in Atlanta, where he has started in all 51 appearances. His defensive snap shares have ranged from 98.38% to 99.47% in each of his Falcons seasons, and he has added 13 interceptions and eight forced fumbles. The ball-hawking Bates picked off a career-high six passes and amassed 132 tackles in 2023, which is surprisingly his lone Pro Bowl season to date. He also earned second-team All-Pro honors.
Bates was a second-team All-Pro for the third time last season, during which he came down with another three INTs and upped his career total to 27. After working with safeties Richie Grant and Justin Simmons over his first two years in Atlanta, Bates teamed with a new partner in Xavier Watts last season. Watts emerged as a core defender as a rookie, giving the Falcons at least one long-term safety starter.
Bates is set to join Watts for at least another year, but it could be their last as a tandem. While Bates wants to ride out his career in Atlanta, his fate is in the hands of a front office that was not in place when he joined the team.
Browns Meet With WR KC Concepcion, TE Kenyon Sadiq
The Browns are clearly lacking receiving weapons as the 2026 NFL Draft nears. Armed with two first-round picks, they could snag at least one pass catcher with a high selection. The team hosted a pair of likely first-rounders in Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq on Wednesday, per reports from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Cleveland is light at wideout, especially after Jerry Jeudy‘s production plummeted last season. Jeudy went from 90 catches and 1,229 yards in 2024 to 50 and 602 in those categories in 2025. No other returning Browns receiver even reached the 25-catch mark, and they have not added anyone of note to the group this offseason. That explains their interest in Concepcion and several other draft-bound receivers. Concepcion may be more realistic for the Browns’ second first-rounder (No. 24) than their top selection (No. 6).
The Browns are not expected to re-sign longtime starting tight end David Njoku, who remains a free agent, after finding a replacement last year. A third-round rookie in 2025, Harold Fannin was a rare bright spot in Cleveland’s offense. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder led the Browns in catches (72), yards (731) and receiving touchdowns (six). Fannin’s presence suggests the Browns do not need to make a major investment in a tight end. However, as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2023-25, new Browns head coach Todd Monken made use of the Mark Andrews–Isaiah Likely pass-catching duo.
Monken and the Browns will at least consider pairing Sadiq with Fannin, though it is unclear if they are interested in using a top-10 pick on the position. Sadiq may not be there at 24, yet six could be too rich in this case. Only three tight ends (including Kellen Winslow II to the Browns in 2004) have come off the board at No. 6 or higher since 2000.
Regardless of whether the Browns take him, Sadiq looks like a shoo-in first-rounder after a second-team All-America season and a spectacular performance at the Combine. He has a notable Cleveland connection in quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who played with Sadiq at Oregon in 2024. That may not matter, though, considering Gabriel is not expected to start for the Browns in 2026.
Falcons To Sign RT Jawaan Taylor
The Falcons may have already found their replacement for retired right tackle Kaleb McGary. Atlanta has agreed to a one-year deal with Jawaan Taylor, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The contract carries a $5MM base value and up to $1MM in incentives.
McGary missed all of last season with a knee injury, but expectations were the longtime Falcon would step back into the starting lineup in 2026. Instead, though, McGary walked away from the game on Wednesday. Having already lost 2025 starter Elijah Wilkinson to the Cardinals in free agency, McGary’s retirement left the Falcons dangerously thin at right tackle. It did not take long for the Falcons to find an experienced option in the 28-year-old Taylor, who will presumably start opposite left tackle Jake Matthews next season.
Taylor entered the NFL in 2019 as part of the same draft class as McGary. The Jaguars took Taylor 35th overall, four picks after the Falcons selected McGary. Taylor has since started in all 111 regular-season games, including 66 as a Jaguar over his first four seasons.
Upon reaching free agency in 2023, Taylor left Jacksonville for Kansas City’s four-year, $80MM offer. Then the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs brought Taylor in to replace Orlando Brown Jr., who signed with the Bengals. Taylor was a 17-game starter in his first year in Kansas City, the most recent title-winning campaign for the franchise. The team went back to the Super Bowl the next season, a 16-start year for Taylor, but the Eagles blew them out.
Taylor had never missed more than one game in a season going into 2025, but a triceps injury held him to 12 appearances. His season officially ended when the out-of-contention Chiefs placed him on IR in late December. Pro Football Focus rated Taylor’s play a subpar 76th among 84 tackles. PFF has never been enamored of Taylor, who topped out at 49th in its rankings back in his rookie season.
With the chance to free up $20MM in cap space, the Chiefs took the expected route and released Taylor in March. Over his three years in Kansas City, Taylor took a whopping 40 penalties. With limited options in free agency, no first-round pick and just five selections in total, the Falcons will gamble on the 6-foot-5, 330-pound Taylor to protect the blind side of a left-handed quarterback. Either Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. will open the season as their starting signal-caller.
CB Jermod McCoy To Visit Panthers
Despite missing last season with a torn ACL, Tennesee’s Jermod McCoy may be one of the two best cornerbacks in this year’s draft class. Two weeks away from the draft, McCoy is on Carolina’s radar. The Panthers will host McCoy on Friday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
This is the first known visit for McCoy, who did his best to allay concerns over his knee at Tennessee’s pro day on March 31. The 20-year-old clocked in at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash, logged a 38-inch vertical jump, and registered a 10-foot, 7-inch broad jump. Along with his athletic gifts, the 6-foot-1, 188-pound McCoy has good size and a quality on-field track record.
McCoy had Ivy League offers going into college, but he committed to Tulane and then flipped to Oregon State. In 2023, which proved to be his lone season with the Beavers, McCoy pulled in a pair of interceptions in 12 games. He then transferred to Tennessee, where he excelled during his healthy Volunteers season. McCoy picked off four passes in 2024 en route to a second-team All-America selection. While he was unable to build on that performance last year, McCoy is nonetheless battling LSU’s Mansoor Delane for top corner honors in this draft. Both players look like surefire first-rounders.
As owners of the 19th overall pick, the Panthers may be out of range for McCoy, whom Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks as the 15th-best prospect available. The Panthers’ most recent first-round investment at corner came when they chose Jaycee Horn eighth overall in 2021. Now a back-to-back Pro Bowler, Horn inked a four-year, $100MM extension last offseason.
McCoy could team with Horn to comprise Carolina’s long-term corner duo, which may eventually push Mike Jackson out of the organization. Jackson was a 17-game starter opposite Horn in each of the past two years. Although Jackson was especially productive in 2025, the 29-year-old has just one season left on his contract. Drafting McCoy could lead Jackson elsewhere in free agency next March.