Giants’ Charlie Bullen Withdraws From DC Searches, Signs Extension
Despite interest from the Browns and Cardinals, Giants outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will stay put in 2026, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Bullen has withdrawn from defensive coordinator searches in favor of a contract extension with the Giants. He’ll also add run-game coordinator to his duties.
Next season will be the third in New York for Bullen, who joined then-head coach Brian Daboll‘s staff in 2024. Two weeks after the Giants fired Daboll last November, interim head coach Mike Kafka canned defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Kafka handed interim DC responsibilities to Bullen for the rest of the year.
Although the Giants’ defense improved on Bullen’s watch, his future had hung in the air since the Giants brought in new head coach John Harbaugh in mid-January. Harbaugh went on to pick Dennard Wilson as his defensive coordinator. However, evidenced by Bullen’s extension and promotion, the 41-year-old has clearly won over Harbaugh.
In his first season working with Harbaugh and Wilson, Bullen will play a key role in attempting to improve a bottom-of-the-barrel run defense. The 2025 Giants gave up 145.3 rushing yards per game, the worst mark in the NFC and the second-highest figure in the league. Only the Bengals (147.1) had a tougher time against opposing ground games.
Meanwhile, both Cleveland and Arizona have now seen two potential defensive coordinators withdraw from their searches. Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso elected to stay in Houston last week. Bullen is also content in his current role, leaving rookie Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur and first-year Browns HC Todd Monken to look elsewhere. The next DC in Cleveland will have an especially difficult act to follow replacing the acclaimed Jim Schwartz, who resigned after the team didn’t promote him to head coach.
Cor’Dale Flott Changes Agents Ahead Of FA
With the new league year just around the corner, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is changing his representation as he prepares to leave the Giants and hit free agency, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Flott, 24, was previously represented by AthElite Agency and will now be moving to Athletes First, one of the most prominent agencies in the NFL. Their client list includes Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Micah Parsons, and Kyle Hamilton, among many others.
Originally a third-round pick out of LSU in 2022, Flott started six games for the Giants as a rookie and seven in his second year. He moved to a bigger role in 2024 with 10 starts and started all 14 games in which he appeared in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound cornerback has not appeared in more than 14 games in a season due to injuries, though he only landed on IR once, at the end of the 2025 season.
Flott’s resume should position him for a solid payday in a market that has risen significantly in the last year. There are a number of solid cornerbacks set to hit free agency, but Flott will be the youngest one with meaningful starting experience. He only has three interceptions in his career, but he amassed 23 passes defended. He had 11 in 2025 alone, along with a career-low 52.2% completion rate and 73.3 passer rating when targeted.
Offseason Outlook: New York Giants
The Giants have finished with double-digit losses nine times since the 2014 season. The second half of Eli Manning's career has stalled his path to Canton, while Daniel Jones bombed on his second contract. The latter development led Brian Daboll to the firing precipice, but the Giants still let their embattled head coach drive the bus for a Jones successor. Struggles closing games in Jaxson Dart's rookie year prompted the franchise to fire Daboll, but GM Joe Schoen remains.
This offseason included several instances of teams holding HCs accountable for undesired results while keeping GMs employed. Schoen, however, has drifted downward in the Giants' organizational pecking order. After four unsuccessful coaching hires post-Tom Coughlin, the Giants swung big and landed this market's top prize. John Harbaugh agreed to take over in New York, and the longtime Baltimore leader now runs the show. The Super Bowl-winning HC will be tasked with turning around a franchise that has not experienced sustained success since Manning's early years.
Coaching/front office:
- Retained GM Joe Schoen, changed reporting structure
- Hired John Harbaugh as head coach
- Hired Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator, Dennard Wilson as DC
- Hired Chris Horton as special teams coordinator
- Interim HC Mike Kafka joined Lions' staff
- Added Brian Callahan as quarterbacks coach, Mike Bloomgren as O-line coach
- Interim DC/OLBs coach Charlie Bullen on Browns, Cardinals' DC interview lists
- Greg Roman added as senior offensive assistant
- Senior VP Kevin Abrams fired; Dawn Aponte handed same title
The Chiefs' reign atop the AFC held back the Bills and Ravens, with only the Bengals sneaking through to a Super Bowl between 2019-24. Buffalo also bested Baltimore twice in the playoffs during Lamar Jackson's run. More Jackson injury trouble surfaced in 2025, and a do-or-die game going the Steelers' way without D.K. Metcalf available proved too much for Steve Bisciotti to stomach. The Ravens' 8-9 season ended with Harbaugh refusing to separate from OC Todd Monken, with the coach's relationship with Jackson not believed to be on solid ground by season's end. The Ravens fired their 18-year head coach soon after Tyler Loop's season-ending missed field goal.
Giants To Hire Brian Callahan As Quarterbacks Coach
FEBRUARY 11: The Giants are hiring Callahan as their QBs coach and passing-game coordinator, per Garafalo and NFL Network colleague Ian Rapoport.
FEBRUARY 10: Brian Callahan has been unemployed since his tenure as head coach of the Titans ended midway through the 2025 season. The veteran staffer was also shut out of the offensive coordinator hiring cycle. 
Nevertheless, Callahan may soon have his next gig lined up. He will interview with the Giants for the role of quarterbacks coach, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. That is a position familiar to Callahan. The meeting will take place today, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan adds.
After entering the NFL coaching ranks in Denver, Callahan worked as a QBs coach with the Lions for two seasons (2016-17). That was followed by a one-year stint with the Raiders in the same capacity. Callahan was then hired by the Bengals to serve as their offensive coordinator in 2019; he remained in Cincinnati for five years before receiving his first head coaching opportunity.
Callahan did not call plays over the course of his Bengals tenure, but he was tasked with guiding the Titans’ offense upon arrival in 2024. Tennessee went 3-14 during the 41-year-old’s first (and only) full season at the helm. Tennessee got off to a 1-5 start in 2025, resulting in Callahan’s dismissal. No interest in any of the league’s 10 HC openings emerged in his case during this winter’s hiring cycle.
Callahan did find himself on the radar of multiple teams during their searches for an offensive coordinator, however. That included a connection to the Giants while they contemplated their options upon finding out Todd Monken would no longer be available. New York wound up hiring Matt Nagy as OC, giving John Harbaugh an experienced member of his staff. Callahan would represent another veteran presence for the Giants.
2025 first-rounder Jaxson Dart took over starting duties after Russell Wilson was benched early this past season. The development of Dart, 22, will be the franchise’s top priority while Harbaugh and Co. aim to lead the Giants back to contention. That effort could soon include Callahan handling an important role in New York.
Browns To Conduct DC Interview With Aubrey Pleasant; Team Requests Jonathan Cooley, Charlie Bullen Meetings
With the Browns‘ head coaching position going to Todd Monken, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will not be with the team any longer. His resignation has created a DC opening in Cleveland for the first time in three years. 
The list of candidates to replace Schwartz has grown. Rams defensive pass-game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant will speak with the Browns this afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Meanwhile, Charlie Bullen, currently the outside linebackers coach of the Giants, has received a Browns interview request, per Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo.
Both Pleasant and Bullen are also candidates for the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator opening. That is not the case for Panthers defensive pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, but he too is on Cleveland’s radar. Cooley has received a DC interview request as well, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Pleasant’s first NFL coaching gig came in 2013. That season, he worked as an intern with the Browns. Since then, the former UDFA has held a number of roles on various NFL teams. Much of Pleasant’s coaching career has come with the Rams, though. He has worked with the team during two different stints; back in Los Angeles since 2023, he received the added title of assistant head coach one year later.
Bullen is also a veteran staffer, with experience at the college and pro levels. The 41-year-old joined the Giants’ staff in 2024, and he took over from Shane Bowen midway through this past campaign after Bowen’s dismissal. New York brought in Dennard Wilson as defensive coordinator, ensuring Bullen would not receive the gig on a full-time basis. His first full season leading a defense would come about in 2026 in the event of a Browns (or Cardinals) hire.
Cooley had not been connected to any D-coordinator openings prior to today. A former Rams staffer, he worked under Ejiro Evero in Los Angeles. The two were reunited in Carolina in 2023. Cooley worked as the Panthers’ secondary coach during his first season with the team. For the past two years, he has held his current title.
Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Browns:
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/9
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Final 2026 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.
The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.
This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Giants Hire Mike Bloomgren As OL Coach
The Giants will hire Mike Bloomgren as their offensive line coach, Bob Brookover of NJ Advance Media reports. Bloomgren held the same position with the Browns in 2025, his lone year on the job.
The 49-year-old Bloomgren, known as a disciple of renowned offensive line coach Bill Callahan, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 1999. Bloomgren’s first NFL opportunity came as an offensive quality control coach with the Jets in 2007. Callahan joined their staff a year later. The two spent three seasons together until Blomgren returned to the college level.
Bloomgren was Stanford’s O-line coach from 2011-17, a seven-year stint in which he also served as the run game coordinator for two seasons and the offensive coordinator for five. He then earned a promotion as Rice’s head coach. Although Bloomgren held the post for almost seven full seasons, the Owls went just 24-52 under him. Rice fired Bloomgren after a 2-6 start in 2024.
Bloomgren is now coming off a rough season in Cleveland, whose offensive line dealt with a rash of injuries. Guard Joel Bitonio appeared in all 17 games and played almost 100% of snaps, but fellow guard Wyatt Teller, tackles Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin, and center Ethan Pocic all missed significant time. The Browns’ banged-up line ended the season as Pro Football Focus’ 31st-ranked group.
Now on his way to the Giants, Bloomgren will work with head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for the first time. Bloomgren will take over for Carmen Bricillo, whom the Titans hired last week, and inherit a better situation up front than he had in Cleveland.
With Bricillo’s help, PFF graded the Giants’ line as the ninth-best unit in the league in 2025. Cornerstone left tackle Andrew Thomas, left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and center John Michael Schmitz are all under contract for 2026. However, right-side starters Jermaine Eluemunor (tackle) and Greg Van Roten (guard) are on track to hit free agency in March. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen will have offseason decisions to make at those spots.
Elsewhere on New York’s staff, Harbaugh is expected to bring in former Broncos cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch as the Giants’ defensive backs coach, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. After two years as a defensive quality control coach, the Broncos elevated Lynch to a bigger role this past season. Although Ja’Quan McMillian enjoyed an especially strong 2025 campaign under Lynch, the Broncos fired the coach last week.
Also a former assistant with the Chargers, Raiders and Lions from 2018-22, Lynch doesn’t have any working experience with Harbaugh or new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. They’ll attempt to improve a pass defense that finished a middling 16th in 2025 after adding a pair of pricey free agents, cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, last offseason. The Giants are now facing the potential exits of corner Cordale Flott and safety Dane Belton in free agency this year.
NFC Staff Updates: Cardinals, 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, Buccaneers
New Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur quickly hired Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator, and he is now looking for coaches to run his defense and special teams.
Arizona is interviewing a number of candidates for defensive coordinator, while Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial has emerged as a leading candidate to take over as special teams coordinator, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Ghobrial, 37, has spent the last two years with the Giants. Before that, he served as the Jets’ assistant special teams coordinator on Robert Saleh‘s staff, overlapping for two years with LaFleur. Ghobrial previously worked for a number of college programs as well as the Lions in 2017.
The Giants had a solid year on special teams in 2025. They ranked fifth in yards per kickoff return (27.7) and 10th in average starting field position (31.3). Cornerback Deonte Banks also recorded one of the NFL’s five kick return touchdowns last year.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks across the NFC:
- Elsewhere in the NFC West, the 49ers are hiring former Dolphins offensive assistant Roman Sapolu to their staff, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He previously served as Hawaii’s offensive coordinator and Fresno State’s run game coordinator. He is also the son of former NFL offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu, who won four Super Bowls with the 49ers between 1983 and 1997.
- The 49ers also promoted team president Al Guido to Chief Executive Officer, per a press release. Guido first arrived in San Francisco in 2014 as the Chief Operating Officer before his promotion to president.
- The Cowboys are retaining Jamel Mutunga, who spent the 2025 season in Dallas via the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. He will be the team’s assistant running backs coach moving forward, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
- The Lions are promoting assistant offensive line coach Steve Oliver to tight ends coach, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will replace Tyler Roehl, who left Detroit to become Iowa State’s offensive coordinator.
- The Buccaneers are making internal promotions to replace cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross (fired) and safeties coach Nick Rapone (retired), according to Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Rashad Johnson will take over Ross’ role while Tim Atkins will succeed Rapone. Both served as assistant secondary coaches in 2025.
2026 NFL Offseason Outlook Series
Pro Football Rumors is breaking down how all 32 teams’ offseason blueprints are shaping up. Going forward, the Offseason Outlook series is exclusive to Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, and that link provides details on how to sign up for an annual membership.
This post will be updated as more Outlooks are published.
AFC East
- Buffalo Bills
- Miami Dolphins
- New England Patriots
- New York Jets
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
AFC West
- Denver Broncos
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
NFC North
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Vikings
NFC South
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
Greg Roman Expected To Join Giants Staff
FEBRUARY 6: Roman is expected to serve as a senior offensive assistant, Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports.
FEBRUARY 5: Greg Roman is set to reunite with John Harbaugh in New York. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there’s a “strong possibility” the veteran coach joins the Giants in a “to-be-determined role.”
[RELATED: Giants To Hire Matt Nagy As OC]
Roman had a six-year stint on Harbaugh’s Ravens staff, including four as offensive coordinator. Baltimore had the league’s best offense during his first season at the helm, and they were a top-10 unit in 2020. However, when Lamar Jackson battled injuries in 2021 and 2022, the Ravens saw their offensive rank drop to the late teens. Roman resigned following that 2022 campaign. Roman also had a stint on Baltimore’s staff between 2006 and 2007, but he didn’t stick around when Harbaugh was hired in 2008.
Following his first Baltimore stint, Roman served as Stanford’s associate head coach under Jim Harbaugh. Roman followed his boss to San Francisco, where he served as the 49ers offensive coordinator for four seasons. While the passing attack struggled under the coach, the 49ers rushing game was one of the best in the NFL, with Roman guiding Frank Gore to four standout campaigns. He later joined Rex Ryan‘s staff in Buffalo, and despite guiding the Tyrod Taylor-led offense to nearly-top-10 showings, he only lasted two years with the Bills.
Roman’s stint in Buffalo was followed by his long tenure in Baltimore. After spending a year out of football, he caught on with Jim Harbaugh’s staff in Los Angeles, where he coached the Justin Herbert-led offense in 2024 and 2025. The Chargers ended up moving on from the offensive coordinator following a three-point showing during the team’s playoff loss to the Patriots. Despite his underwhelming performance with the Chargers, Roman was still a finalist for the Jets OC job that eventually went to Frank Reich.
With that opportunity settled, Roman is now set to reunite with John Harbaugh in New York. It’s uncertain exactly what role he’ll serve on the Giants staff. The team has already added Matt Nagy as their new offensive coordinator, but there are still plenty of open gigs on the staff. Roman has extensive experience coaching tight ends, although the Giants did bring in former Ravens TEs guru Danny Breyer as their new pass game coordinator. Considering his past success with RBs, perhaps Roman could find himself with a key role on that part of the Giants offense.