Browns Close To Hiring D-Coordinator
6:28pm: Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com named three finalists for the defensive coordinator job in Cleveland today. Per Cabot, the two external candidates are both still in consideration, but of the two internal options, Banda will not be considered moving forward. In the next day or two, the Browns will be choosing between Undlin, Tarver, and Rutenberg for their defensive coordinator position.
11:52am: Nine days since Jim Schwartz resigned as their defensive coordinator, the Browns are getting closer to naming his replacement. Head coach Todd Monken‘s decision could come “within the next day or two,” Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports.
Monken has spent this weekend conducting in-person interviews with candidates, according to Cabot. Two finalists, Texans defensive pass-game coordinator Cory Undlin and Falcons PGC Mike Rutenberg, have met with Monken.
Browns linebackers coach Jason Tarver and safeties coach Ephraim Banda are also still in contention. Thanks in part to his defensive coordinator experience with the Raiders from 2012-14, Tarver is the “stronger internal candidate” than Banda, Cabot writes.
Banda was the co-defensive coordinator at Miami from 2019-20 and the DC at Utah State between 2021-22, but he has spent all three of his NFL seasons coaching safeties. If professional coordinator experience is preferred, Banda and Rutenberg may fall behind Undlin (the Lions’ DC in 2020) and Tarver in the pecking order.
Rutenberg has combined for 15 years in the league with Washington, Jacksonville, San Francisco, the Jets and Atlanta, but the longtime Robert Saleh colleague has never run a defense. He has also never been on the same staff as Schwartz. Considering Monken intends to keep Schwartz’s system in place, that may be important.
With Schwartz then the Eagles’ DC, Undlin spent four years under him (2016-19) as their defensive backs coach. They won a Super Bowl together in 2017. In addition to his experience with Schwartz, Undlin has also worked with Monken. The two overlapped as Jaguars assistants from 2009-10.
Tarver and Banda helped Schwartz’s defense finish 2025 fourth in scoring and 14th in yards. With a record 23 sacks, Myles Garrett steamrolled his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger, Tarver’s pupil, was a tackling machine (156) who chipped in 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. That was enough for the second-rounder from UCLA to collect the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award.
The Browns have a lot of problems to fix on the offensive side of the ball, but Garrett and Schwesinger help make their DC job an attractive one. With the Browns in the final stages of their search, here’s a refresher on the other names they’ve considered:
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Raiders To Conduct OC Interview With Andrew Janocko
Once the Raiders hired Klint Kubiak as their new head coach, attention turned to the possibility of other Seahawks staffers following him to Seattle. Andrew Janocko is among them. 
Not long after Kubiak’s hire, Janocko was identified as the favorite for Vegas’ offensive coordinator position. As Kubiak and the Raiders evaluate their OC options, Janocko will – to no surprise – receive a look. An interview has been arranged for today in Vegas, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Janocko and Kubiak worked together in Minnesota and New Orleans prior to their joint Seattle stint during the 2025 season. A hire on this front would certainly not come as a shock as a result. Of course, the potential for an OC position with the Seahawks loomed as well in this case. With that having changed earlier this afternoon, though, a hire with the Raiders would be expected by many. Per Schefter, Janocko is indeed now in line to be hired as Vegas’ OC.
The Seahawks were thought to prefer an internal promotion to fill the OC vacancy. Janocko was one of four in-house staffers who interviewed for the position recently, and he presumably remained in the running until today. Seattle also spoke with Jake Peetz, Justin Outten and Mack Brown as internal candidates before reaching an agreement with Brian Fleury.
The Raiders’ approach on offense will be a major storyline around the league. Improvements in many areas will be needed as the team seeks to rebound from a 3-14 campaign in 2025. That is widely presumed to include the addition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in April’s draft. Kubiak himself will obviously be a central figure in Vegas’ efforts to take needed steps forward on offense, but his OC hire will be critical as well. Particularly if a familiar face in the form of Janocko is brought in, expectations could be raised in relatively short order.
Kubiak has been busy on several fronts within the first few days of his initial head coaching opportunity. The Raiders already have their DC (Rob Leonard) and special teams coordinator (Joe DeCamillis) in place. Bringing in Janocko would/will fill another notable vacancy on the sidelines.
5 Key Stories: 2/8/26 – 2/15/26
Today marks the first Sunday of the NFL offseason. The coming months will see plenty of notable changes, though, and recent days have also produced a number of headlines. Here is a quick recap of the past week:
- Raiders Hire Kubiak, Promote Leonard: As Klint Kubiak oversaw Seattle’s offense during the Super Bowl, it was widely known he would be departing for a head coaching gig. Indeed, the one-year Seahawks offensive coordinator was officially hired as the new head coach of the Raiders shortly after the big game. Kubiak’s stock has risen in recent years, but the 38-year-old has never been a head coach at any level. He will play a leading role in leading Vegas’ rebuild, one which will no doubt soon include the selection of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick of the draft. Kubiak has elected to promote from within by tapping Rob Leonard as defensive coordinator; meanwhile, veteran staffer Joe DeCamillis will serve as his special teams coordinator.
- Carr Contemplating Comeback: Last spring, Derek Carr ended his Saints tenure by announcing his retirement. His injured throwing shoulder left an in-season return unfeasible, but things could be different now. Carr’s shoulder has healed, and he is open to resuming his career under the right circumstances. The four-time Pro Bowler is, to no surprise, interested in joining a Super Bowl-caliber team and will thus be picky when considering his options. Carr, 34, is a veteran of 11 seasons and 169 starts in the NFL. During an offseason where demand will again outweigh supply at the QB spot, Carr could be seen as a viable free agent option for at least some suitors.
- Rams’ Havenstein Retires: Throughout his 11 years with the Rams, Rob Havenstein operated as the team’s starting right tackle. That streak will not continue into 2026, however, with the veteran announcing his retirement. Injuries were present through much of Havenstein’s NFL tenure (which included time in St. Louis and Los Angeles), and he was limited to just seven games in 2025. Instead of testing the open market this spring, the 33-year-old will turn his attention to his post-playing days. The Rams will need to find a replacement starter at the right tackle spot, and the team will of course hope for a sustained run of play at the level Havenstein provided.
- Taylor Promoted To Bears OC: The Bears saw Declan Doyle depart to join the Ravens as their new offensive coordinator as part of this year’s hiring cycle. That left Chicago in need of a new OC for head coach Ben Johnson‘s second season at the helm. Instead of going outside the organization, the Bears have promoted Press Taylor to the offensive coordinator role. Zac Taylor‘s brother has OC experience at the NFL level, having held that title for three seasons during his tenure in Jacksonville. Taylor will not call plays, as Johnson will retain those responsibilities for 2026. Nevertheless, he will occupy a key role as the Bears aim to duplicate their 2025 success.
- Seahawks Could Produce Record-Breaking Sale: The Seahawks continue to celebrate their Super Bowl victory, but this offseason could prove to be busy on a number of fronts. One of those could be a sale of the franchise, and that process is expected to begin shortly. Once Jody Allen has completed the process of lining up a buyer, a new record in terms of valuation is expected. The Seahawks could generate a price tag between $9 and $11 billion, something which would shatter the record regarding the sale of a North American sports franchise. The Commanders sold for just over $6 billion in 2023, but the ongoing surge in values for NFL teams could easily see that figure eclipsed. The league is looking to get the sales process underway shortly, and next month’s league meetings could see further developments emerge.
WR Kendrick Bourne Wants To Re-Sign With 49ers
Kendrick Bourne returned to the 49ers in 2025. The veteran wideout is set to reach the open market next month, but his preference would be to continue his second San Francisco stint. 
“The year went great,” Bourne said when reflecting on his situation (video link). “Hitting free agency this year, it’s gonna be fun. I want to go back to San Fran, so that’s the plan, but it’s all got to make sense.”
After spending his first four seasons with the 49ers, Bourne wound up signing a pair of three-year contracts with the Patriots. His deal was terminated during 2025 roster cuts, however, which resulted in a brief free agency period. The 30-year-old returned to the 49ers on a one-year pact; that decision allowed him to operate as a regular presence on offense.
Bourne totaled 551 yards in 2025, recording the second-highest yards per reception average (14.9) of his career. The former UDFA did not score a touchdown, but he did enough to trigger a $500K incentive in his contract. With plenty of questions yet to be answered at the receiver spot, it would not come as a surprise if San Francisco opted for another short-term contract in this case.
During the season, Bourne was named as a likelier wideout than Jauan Jennings to be retained for 2026. Jennings is also a pending free agent, while it has been clear for quite some time Brandon Aiyuk has played his last snap for the 49ers. San Francisco’s WR depth chart also includes the likes of Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing as things stand.
Additions could be made, and the 49ers are currently 10th in the NFL in projected cap space. That represents an unusual amount of financial flexibility for the team. Keeping Bourne in the fold would likely not require much more than a duplicate of the one-year pact he signed in the fall which contained a maximum value of $5MM. It will be interesting to see if the team reciprocates Bourne’s desire to work out another new deal.
Chargers Not Expected To Place Franchise Tag On Odafe Oweh
A Raven for the opening four-plus seasons of his career, former first-round edge rusher Odafe Oweh recorded a career-high 10 sacks in 2024. However, five games into 2025, Oweh had yet to register a sack. With the Ravens off to a 1-4 start, they traded Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-rounder.
The change-of-scenery swap worked out for both players, especially Oweh. In 12 games with the Chargers, Oweh recorded 7.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits and 39 pressures. While Oweh impressed in the regular season after the trade, he saved his best for the playoffs. Oweh sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye three times and forced two fumbles in the wild-card round, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Chargers’ inept offensive performance in a 16-3 loss.
With Oweh scheduled to become a free agent in less than a month, his masterful showing against the Patriots may go down as his last game with the Chargers. The former Penn State Nittany Lion’s body of work in the pros, especially over the past two seasons, should lead to a sizable contract with the Chargers or another team in the coming weeks.
If the Chargers aren’t nearing a multiyear deal with Oweh, they’ll have the option of applying the franchise tag between Feb. 17 and March 3. That would cost around $27MM.
Although the Chargers have a projected $83MM in spending room (via OverTheCap), they’re not expected to use the franchise designation on Oweh. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, “sources would be surprised” to see the Chargers tag the 27-year-old.
Along with Oweh, teammate and fellow pass-rushing standout Khalil Mack is also a pending free agent. Both players will be in demand if they make it to free agency, which is hardly a shock. As things stand, Oweh and Mack are slated to join the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson, the Eagles’ Jaelan Phillips and the Colts’ Kwity Paye as top-of-the-market edge rushers. It would be eye-opening if the Chargers allowed both Oweh and Mack to walk out the door, though.
Mack could have explored his options around the league last offseason, but he instead stuck with the Chargers on a one-year, $18MM deal. Set to turn 35 on Feb. 22, Mack will probably reel in another high-paying, short-term contract this offseason. That’s assuming the nine-time Pro Bowler returns for a 13th season in 2026, which isn’t a given. As of mid-January, Mack was undecided on retirement. Meanwhile, with the tag unlikely in play, Oweh’s in prime position to secure a lucrative, multiyear pact.
Giants HC John Harbaugh, Rex Ryan Discussed Defensive Coordinator Job
When new Giants head coach John Harbaugh was assembling his staff in late January, he didn’t dismiss the possibility of hiring Rex Ryan as his defensive coordinator. That didn’t occur, but Harbaugh confirmed he discussed the position with Ryan.
“I talked to Rex about that job at length,” Harbaugh told Ian O’Connor of The Athletic. “Rex is a guy I love and have a lot of respect for.”
Harbaugh wound up passing on Ryan and other D-coordinator candidates in favor of Dennard Wilson, who ran the Titans’ defense from 2024-25. He chose Wilson after receiving a recommendation from rookie Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, O’Connor reports.
Now the successor to Harbaugh in Baltimore, Minter worked for him as a Ravens assistant from 2017-20. Like Minter, Ryan was also on Harbaugh’s staff at one point. In 2008, Harbaugh’s first year as a head coach, Ryan was in his fourth and final season as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator. He left to become the Jets’ head coach the next year.
In Ryan’s first two seasons in charge, his ferocious defenses overcame Mark Sanchez‘s poor quarterback play to lead the Jets to back-to-back AFC title game appearances. However, the franchise has suffered through a league-worst 15-year playoff drought since then. From 2011-14, the first four years of the Jets’ skid, they mustered an ugly 26-38 mark. That led to Ryan’s ouster, but he immediately resurfaced as the Bills’ head coach in 2015.
While Ryan at least experienced some success with the Jets, his tenure in Buffalo was fruitless and fleeting. After winning 15 of 31 games, the Bills pulled the plug on Ryan with a week left in the 2016 season.
Now a 63-year-old ESPN analyst, Ryan hasn’t coached anywhere since the Bills fired him. The possibility of Ryan returning to New York as the Giants’ DC will go down as an interesting what-if, but Harbaugh will roll with Wilson instead.
Bucs LB Lavonte David Mulling Retirement
With linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Mike Evans scheduled to hit the open market in March, the Buccaneers are facing the departures of two franchise icons. While there is hope the 32-year-old Evans will continue his career in 2026, David is weighing retirement at the age of 36 (h/t: Mike Florio of PFT).
“I feel good. You know, I’m healthy. I’m happy,” David told the Caps Off podcast (via JoeBucsFan.com). “I’m undecided [on retiring]. I’m genuinely undecided, like I don’t know. I don’t know. I still got a lot of football left in me. I know that for sure. I still love the game. I know that for sure. The other side is I want to spend more time with my daughter. She’s in school, so [I’ve been] taking her to school and it’s a good feeling.”
Fourteen years ago, David joined the Buccaneers as a 2012 second-round pick (No. 58) out of Nebraska. It quickly became clear the Buccaneers stole David, who made an instant impact during a 139-tackle rookie campaign.
Dating back to his first year, David has started in all 215 career appearances and recorded a dozen 100-tackle seasons. Despite consistently superb production, David has only made a single Pro Bowl and picked up one first-team All-Pro nod.
In 2025, David’s second straight 17-game season, he notched 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. With a 97.99% snap share, the Buccaneers continued to rely heavily on David, who finished second among their defenders in playing time (safety Antoine Winfield was first). Although Pro Football Focus ranked David a less-than-stellar 66th among 88 qualifiers at his position, losing him would create an obvious void on the Bucs’ defense and in their locker room.
If David continues his career in 2026, it’s likely he’ll secure a fourth consecutive one-year deal. This is the third winter in a row David has considered retiring, but he stuck around for $8.5MM in 2024 and $10MM last season. Another pact in that price range could be in order, whether David re-signs with the Buccaneers or goes someplace else.
It’s hard to imagine David donning a different uniform, but other teams showed interest in him before he re-upped with the Buccaneers a year ago. Those clubs could circle back if David reaches the market in March. In the meantime, he’ll have to decide whether to keep playing.
Raiders To Hire Joe DeCamillis As STC
After three years coaching in college, longtime NFL special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis is returning to the pros. The Raiders are expected to hire DeCamillis as their special teams coordinator, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports.
The 60-year-old DeCamillis spent the last two seasons at South Carolina as its associate head coach/ST coordinator. He was a special assistant at Texas in 2023. Before that, DeCamillis racked up 34 years’ experience in the NFL.
DeCamillis’ career began in 1991 as Denver’s assistant special teams coach. He went on to run ST units for the Giants, Falcons, Jaguars, Cowboys, Bears, Broncos, Jaguars and Rams over the next three decades. A two-time Super Bowl champion, DeCamillis won a ring with the Broncos in 2015 and the Rams in 2021.
During his second stint in Denver from 2015-16, DeCamilis worked for head coach Gary Kubiak. He’ll now serve under Kubiak’s son, new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, in Las Vegas. Once official, DeCamillis will be the second coordinator hire for the 38-year-old Kubiak, who promoted defensive line coach Rob Leonard to DC on Saturday.
DeCamilis will take over a special teams unit that struggled mightily and went through an in-season coaching change in 2025. With the Raiders off to a 2-7 start in early November, former head coach Pete Carroll fired ST coordinator Tom McMahon. Assistant Derius Swinton II, who’s now with the Steelers, took the reins for the rest of the year. Pro Football Focus ranked the Raiders’ special teams a woeful 31st in the league. Kubiak will expect better results from the DeCamillis-led group in 2026.
QB Derek Carr Confirms He Would Consider Return To NFL
It’s the era of unretiring quarterbacks in the NFL, apparently. Though we’ve seen it from other positions, as well (most notably tight ends — Jason Witten, Rob Gronkowski, Darren Waller), quarterbacks seem to be the most notorious culprits of playing with the emotions of their fans. 
Brett Favre retired with the Packers before coming back to play and retire with the Jets before coming back to play and retire with the Vikings. Favre’s first retirement lasted about four months before he asked the Packers for his release; his second lasted just over two months before the Jets let him go. Tom Brady retired after two seasons with the Buccaneers before announcing, 40 days later, that he would return for another year. The most notorious — and egregious — example came to us this past season when Philip Rivers made a comeback for the Colts nearly five years after initially hanging up his cleats.
That’s what made it unsurprising, at this point, when reports sprouted up last week that former Raiders and Saints quarterback Derek Carr could consider returning to play in 2026 after retiring last year. As Carr dealt with a shoulder injury and the potential need for surgery, it was announced that he would be hanging it up. Initial reports indicated that Carr was “extremely unlikely” to unretire, but he had called around the league to gauge interest before making the decision and, eventually, began to change his tune. When both the Bengals and Colts came calling, though, Carr remained retired, not yet getting coaxed out of unemployment.
Then, last week’s reports came out, and in an installment of Carr’s Home Grown podcast that he hosts with his brother, David Carr, on Thursday, Derek confirmed the reports that unretirement was a possible consideration. “Would I do it? Yes,” Carr communicated to his brother and listeners. “Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not. I’d have to be healthy, and I’d want a chance to win a Super Bowl, and obviously, that’s a tough thing to find. That’s hard to do. That’s not easy.”
The 34-year-old passer seemed to indicate that health is not an issue at this point in time and, perhaps, alluded to the contender-status requirement being the reason he didn’t unretire for the Bengals and Colts last year, saying he “had to say ‘no’ a couple times, so far.”
The Bengals had shown in 2024 that even with Joe Burrow playing at an MVP level, their defense kept them from even making the playoffs, and while the Colts looked like the team to beat in the AFC after a 7-1 start to the season, cracks had already started to appear even before Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury. Indianapolis lost three of its last four games with Jones at quarterback with the only win coming in overtime over the Falcons.
It’s unclear, then, exactly what the scenario would need to look like for him to seriously consider returning to the field. One would assume that perennial quarterback-hungry teams like the Jets, Raiders, or Browns would not entice him to unretire.
Other teams with potential quarterback openings could be the Dolphins, Steelers, Colts, Vikings, Falcons, and Cardinals. It’s hard to argue any of those teams are necessarily a Derek Carr away from winning it all, but the situation Carr may be looking for could be one in which an expected title contender loses their passer and is looking for a veteran to carry them to the finish line, à la Nick Foles in 2017.
Regardless, the option appears to be on the table and, given the return of the 44-year-old Rivers last year, it could remain on the table for years to come. It only remains to be seen whether or not the stars will align for Carr to dust off his cleats and see if they still fit.
Offseason Outlook: Washington Commanders
While Jayden Daniels' injuries protected him from labels of a sophomore slump, the Commanders acted swiftly with interesting changes following their wildly disappointing season. The 2024 NFC runner-ups crashed back to earth with a 5-12 finish. Washington cleaned house on the coordinator level, booting Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt after two seasons. Their replacements are less experienced, and Dan Quinn has moved closer to the hot seat.
The Commanders also came into last season with the NFL's oldest roster. They have plenty of work to do to surround Daniels and other core players with younger supplementary pieces as they attempt to dig out of this current hole.
Coaching/front office:
- Parted ways with OC Kliff Kingsbury, DC Joe Whitt
- David Blough promoted to OC; Daronte Jones hired as DC
- Hired Eric Henderson as defensive run-game coordinator
- Fired assistant OLBs coach Ryan Kerrigan, assistant D-line coach Sharrif Floyd
- Hired D.J. Williams as quarterbacks coach
- Promoted Darnell Stapleton to offensive line coach
- Run-game coordinator Anthony Lynn interviewed for Bills, Browns' HC jobs
Quinn yanked play-calling duties from Whitt midseason, making the Washington DC position likely to become vacant. But the Kingsbury ouster was unexpected. Resurfacing as a coveted HC interviewee in 2025, the veteran play-caller was out of a job a year later. Teams still called up Kingsbury for HC interviews this offseason, but his Commanders exit brings significant questions.
