Falcons Request Joe Douglas GM Meeting
The NFL currently does not feature a second-chance GM. The two most recent such execs — Trent Baalke, Tom Telesco — were fired early in the 2025 offseason. But the Falcons will consider one.
Atlanta sent an interview request to Philadelphia staffer Joe Douglas, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. The former Jets GM has settled back into a role on Howie Roseman‘s Eagles staff, as a senior personnel director; this marks his first interview request since his 2024 Jets firing.
Matt Ryan is heading up the Falcons’ front office, and Kevin Stefanski is helping guide the team to a GM. This setup will naturally make this GM role less impactful than most others. But with Ryan not having any experience, the Falcons are naturally seeking a seasoned staffer to pair with he and Stefanski.
Douglas, 49, was part of Roseman’s Super Bowl LII-winning front office before landing the Jets’ GM job in 2019. Douglas took that job after the Jets had a head coach (Adam Gase) in place. The Jets fired Gase following the 2020 season, giving Douglas the chance to hire his own coach. That became Robert Saleh in 2021, and this partnership became memorable for the wrong reasons.
Although the arrangement deteriorated in 2024, the Jets did build a strong defense during Douglas’ time. Douglas was not in place for the team’s Quinnen Williams draft choice, but he did select Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald. Douglas also was in place when the Jets added All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams and steady cornerback starter D.J. Reed. Douglas drafted Garrett Wilson as well, though another Wilson he chose came to define his tenure.
Douglas made the mistake of trading Sam Darnold upon earning the 2021 No. 2 overall pick. That became Zach Wilson, a megabust who largely sank Saleh’s tenure. The Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers in 2023, and after the all-time great’s Achilles tear prompted Woody Johnson to give Saleh and Douglas a mulligan, the owner fired both in 2024. Johnson fired Saleh without Douglas’ approval in October 2024 and then canned Douglas, after largely stripping the GM of power that year, weeks later. This period included the infamous Madden-rating story involving Johnson, one that prompted Douglas to allegedly say he “answer(ed) to a teenager (Brick Johnson). The Eagles rehired Douglas in May.
With the Falcons announcing their interviews with James Liipfert and Andy Weidl are complete, here is how their GM search looks so far:
- Mike Bradway, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Interview requested
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
- Joe Douglas, senior personnel director (Eagles): Interview requested
- James Liipfert, assistant general manager (Texans): Interviewed 1/22
- Andy Weidl, assistant general manager (Steelers): Interviewed 1/22
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Interview requested
Rams Designate RT Rob Havenstein For Return
Although the coaching carousel has ignited PFR’s search trackers into high gear, our IR Return Tracker is still covering four teams. And a few are making moves ahead of this weekend’s conference championship round.
The Broncos have designated both J.K. Dobbins and Luke Wattenberg for return, while the Patriots saw Mack Hollins return to practice Thursday. The Seahawks designated running back George Holani for return as well. The Rams are now on the board here, as their longest-tenured player — right tackle Rob Havenstein — is back at practice after several weeks off, per the AP’s Greg Beacham.
Havenstein has not played since Week 11, a win over the Seahawks, but could be back in time for the team’s rubber match. Havenstein, who has only played in seven games this season, has missed extensive time due to ankle and knee trouble. The Rams were without their 11th-year right tackle for a three-game stretch in October as well. Although he returned for some November work, he has been on the shelf since the Rams’ home win over the Hawks.
Havenstein, 33, has been the Rams’ RT starter since Nick Foles‘ lone season at the controls. The former St. Louis second-round pick — the only Ram left from their Missouri years — has started 148 games for the team, having signed two extensions to stay in Los Angeles. That ranks seventh among O-linemen in the Rams’ near-90-year history as a franchise. If the two-time Super Bowl starter returns for the 2026 season, he could move past Orlando Pace and into the top five.
But the Rams have seen their once-durable blocker run into persistent injury trouble over the past two seasons. Havenstein missed six games last year, battling ankle trouble in 2024 as well. He also missed three games in 2023. The Wisconsin product was on the field for the Rams’ two playoff games last season, before undergoing surgery on both shoulders, and will have a chance to return for Sunday’s NFC decider. If the Rams do not activate Havenstein and win Sunday, they could activate him for Super Bowl LX.
L.A. has used Warren McClendon as its Havenstein replacement. McClendon, a 2023 fifth-round pick, has started 10 games this season. All 667 of his 2025 snaps have come at right tackle. Pro Football Focus has graded McClendon 15th among all qualified tackles, giving the Rams a potential option in 2026. Havenstein’s three-year, $34.5MM contract expires at season’s end.
Ravens Hire Jesse Minter As HC
Jesse Minter is officially coming back to Baltimore. The former John Harbaugh assistant will be hired as his successor. The Ravens announced the decision Thursday.
Canceling his second Browns interview earlier today, Minter has chosen one of Cleveland’s AFC North rivals. The fit is natural, given Minter’s past in Maryland. The two-year Chargers DC has worked under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and in Los Angeles, but prior to that, he spent four seasons as a Ravens assistant. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport initially reported the Minter hire was close.
It is rather interesting the Ravens will hire one of John Harbaugh’s former assistants given Steve Bisciotti‘s comments regarding the HC’s underachievement. But Minter drew widespread interest from around the league. Following Bisciotti’s comments about giving the new hire a long runway, Minter received a five-year contract (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
The Ravens have also been known for in-house hires. They promoted GM Eric DeCosta to succeed Ozzie Newsome and previously elevated position coaches to replace coordinators. Minter never rose above the position coach tier during his previous Baltimore stint, which involved defensive back coach roles, but he has impressed during his years as a defensive coordinator — at both the college and pro levels.
Minter, 42, did go through a second interview with the Raiders, who conducted that meeting on Tuesday. Minter did his second Ravens interview Wednesday. He also met about the Steelers’ HC job. That interview followed summits with the Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Falcons, Giants and Titans.
Minter was one of this cycle’s most popular names, and the Chargers look to have anticipated him leaving. L.A. began DC research recently, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. While DBs coach Steve Clinkscale has come up as a frontrunner to succeed Minter as the Bolts’ DC, the team will at least need to meet with one external minority candidate to constitute a search.
The Raiders were believed to have “heavy interest” in Minter, per insider Jordan Schultz. While Las Vegas has been tied to preferring an offensive HC, Minter came up Wednesday as the team’s top defensive option. But Minter canceled his Browns meeting after his second Ravens interview, following Mike McDaniel in bowing out of that search. That will add some more spice to the long-running Baltimore-Cleveland rivalry, as the Browns held him as a clear finalist.
Jim Harbaugh brought Minter with him from Ann Arbor in 2024, and the Chargers have ranked as a top-10 scoring defense each season. Minter restored a defense that was unable to take flight under Brandon Staley. The Bolts ranked first defensively in 2024 and ninth this season. The team did so despite minimal investments, as we discussed in September, on that side of the ball. Derwin James and Khalil Mack were the only Bolts defenders earning more than $6.5MM per year, and teams noticed Minter maximizing his talent.
The Ravens gave Minter his first NFL job, hiring him as a defensive assistant in 2017. That came after Minter served as Georgia State’s DC 2013-16. Previously, he was Indiana State’s DC for two seasons. The Sycamores hired Minter for that role at age 27, and he has steadily climbed the ladder since. The Ravens promoted Minter to assistant DBs coach in 2019 and DBs coach in 2020, when he served under Don Martindale.
Minter became Vanderbilt’s DC in 2021 before joining Jim Harbaugh for the same role at Michigan. The Wolverines steamrolled to a 15-0 national championship-winning season in 2023, and their defense — co-coordinated by Minter and Clinkscale — led Division I-FBS with 10.4 points allowed per game. Harbaugh gave Minter the nod at DC upon coming to L.A., and the Bolts completed a quick turnaround to book a wild-card spot. They repeated as a playoff team in 2025, and Minter — who did not draw any HC interviews on last year’s cycle — became a coveted candidate in 2026.
This is only the fourth HC hire in Ravens history, thanks to Brian Billick and John Harbaugh’s lengthy tenures. Baltimore fired Bill Belichick and hired Ted Marchibroda in 1996. This marks the first defense-based HC hire in franchise history, with Marchibroda and Billick coming from offensive backgrounds and Harbaugh a former special teams coordinator. Harbaugh lasted 18 seasons, but blown leads and repeated playoff shortcomings during the Lamar Jackson era keyed the end of his wildly successful run.
Minter will have big shoes to fill, but the Ravens have joined the Steelers in presenting a high floor. The Ravens lost more than 10 games in a season just once during Harbaugh’s time — the 2015 campaign that featured a season-ending Joe Flacco injury — and they have Jackson signed through the 2027 season.
Extension talks with the superstar quarterback are expected, and Jackson was believed to have provided input during the coaching search. The Ravens still have Kliff Kingsbury on their OC radar, according to Rapoport. Joe Brady, who also met about Baltimore’s HC position, is also believed to be a coordinator candidate. Brady, though, remains up for a promotion in Buffalo. He is also part of multiple HC searches. Five jobs remain open.
Kingsbury came up as a Ravens option shortly after Harbaugh’s ouster, and he interviewed for both the team’s HC and OC jobs. Considering the success Kingsbury had with Jayden Daniels in 2024, he would be an appealing staffer to pair with Jackson. It will also be interesting to see if this hire impacts Harbaugh’s ability to fill out his Giants staff, as Minter could be interested in retaining some assistants. Harbaugh already got to work dismantling the Giants’ staff Wednesday.
The Ravens still employ some defenders from Minter’s first Baltimore stint. Marlon Humphrey arrived during Minter’s first season, playing under the then-DBs coach, while Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington were 2020 draftees. The Ravens traded for two-year Minter pupil Alohi Gilman before the deadline. This hire would point to the team being interested in re-signing the ex-Chargers starter.
Entering the 2025 season having ranked below 10th defensively just once over the past nine seasons, the Ravens finished 18th in scoring defense and 24th in yardage. Minter will be tasked with restoring Baltimore to its upper-crust version. His OC hire will be critical, but the Ravens have employed HCs without offensive backgrounds throughout the Jackson and Flacco eras. Running the risk of losing play-callers is nothing new here, and unlike the 2008 Harbaugh hire, the Ravens will opt for familiarity rather than taking a chance on someone with no history with the franchise.
Bills QB Josh Allen May Undergo Procedure On Foot
The Bills’ press conference with owner Terry Pegula and general manager Brandon Beane drew a lot of headlines on Wednesday, but one piece of information seems to have slipped under the radar.
Beane revealed (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) that star quarterback Josh Allen may undergo a procedure on his foot this offseason. It is not expected to affect his availability for OTAs.
Allen’s foot injury popped up in Week 17 and sidelined him for multiple practices in Week 18. The issue continued to hamper Allen for the rest of the season, though he did not appear to be playing with any limitations in the playoffs.
The 2024 MVP has not missed a game due to injury since his rookie year. His only absences have been games at the end of the season with the Bills’ playoff qualification and seeding already set.
Allen’s procedure should not alarm anyone in Buffalo. Even if he were to miss any offseason training time as he recovers, it seems extremely unlikely to affect his availability beyond mandatory minicamp.
Lions OL Dan Skipper Announces Retirement
Lions offensive lineman Dan Skipper announced his retirement via Instagram on Thursday.
The 31-year-old spent time with seven different teams in his seven-year career, though he is best known for his time in Detroit. He signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas in 2017, but eventually made his way to Detroit for his NFL debut later that year. Skipper spent time with the Broncos and Patriots over the next two seasons before seeing his next regular-season action with the Texans in 2019.
Skipper returned to Detroit in 2019 where he would spend the rest of his career aside from brief stints with the Raiders and Colts. In 2022, he made his first start at left guard; he would go on to start five games that year, all at guard, a position he had not played in the NFL. Skipper then served as the Lions’ swing tackle from 2023 to 2025 with 10 starts at left tackle in the last two years.
The Lions also introduced Skipper’s now-signature role as the Lions’ sixth offensive linemen in 2022. Then-offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would frequently roll out ‘jumbo’ packages which would typically feature Skipper as an extra blocker. He would occasionally run a route and caught two passes, including a touchdown in 2023. The strategy often confused the defense and sometimes the referees. It also made Skipper beloved among Lions fans.
Injuries were a factor in Skipper’s decision, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network. He will now move into coaching and already has his first gig set up as the offensive line and tight ends coach for the East/West Shrine Bowl next week.
At 6-foot-10, Skipper was also the NFL’s tallest active player. That title is now passed to a number of players who all stand at 6-foot-8.
Pats WR Mack Hollins Returns To Practice
Mack Hollins could be available to the Patriots in time for this week’s AFC title game. The veteran receiver has returned to practice, as noted by Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. 
An abdomen injury suffered in December landed Hollins on injured reserve late in the regular season. That ensured an absence of at least four games stretching into the start of the playoffs. With New England managing to win at home in the wild-card and divisional rounds, though, a return to action is now in play.
Hollins has played for six teams (including three in the AFC East) over the course of his career. He landed a two-year deal in free agency last offseason to join the Patriots, a move which has proved worthwhile. In 15 games during his first New England season, Hollins posted 550 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 46 catches.
Those totals fall short of his career-best Raiders output from 2022, but they demonstrate Hollins’ importance to New England’s passing attack. Having the 32-year-old back in the fold in time Sunday’s game against a strong Broncos defense could prove to be critical. Overall, the Patriots have 21 days to activate Hollins so a win this week would still leave the door open to a Super Bowl return.
New England has Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte – who ranked first and second in regular season receiving yards by wideouts on the team – in place. Diggs topped 1,000 yards during his debut Patriots campaign, while Boutte’s one-handed touchdown against the Texans played a key role in ensuring the team would advance to this week’s AFC championship. Receiving a secondary contribution from Hollins would of course be welcomed.
The former fourth-rounder is one of three players whose practice windows are currently open. The Patriots have six IR activations available with no more than two games remaining in their season.
Dolphins Request OC Interview With Texans QBs Coach Jerrod Johnson
The Dolphins have requested to interview Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
This is the first official interview request for Johnson, though he is drawing from other teams as well, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. The 37-year-old is a former quarterback who spent time with seven NFL teams, though he never appeared in a regular-season game.
After ending his playing career in 2016, Johnson took coaching fellowships with the 49ers (2017) and the Colts (2019). The latter opportunity turned into a full-time job as an offensive quality control coach. Johnson then took over as the assistant quarterbacks coach in Minnesota in 2022 before moving to Houston to develop first-round pick C.J. Stroud in 2023.
Stroud’s rookie season is certainly a feather in Johnson’s cap, but his regression over the last two years offers some reason for concern. Stroud has taken a step back in nearly every statistical category from his rookie season, though he only took 23 sacks in 2025 after 90 in his first two seasons.
The Dolphins also submitted a request to interview Cowboys assistant special teams coach Carlos Polk for their special teams coordinator vacancy, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Polk has held his current title with five different NFL teams dating back to 2010. This is his second stint in Dallas; he worked under Jason Garrett in 2019 before joining Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff last offseason.
Titans Seeking Experienced OC
Almost every head coaching candidate the Titans spoke to had experience in the position at the NFL level. Robert Saleh‘s staff will unsurprisingly target a veteran play-caller on offense as well. 
So far, the Titans have been connected to former head coaches Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll with respect to their offensive coordinator position. Daboll’s top OC destination appears to be Tennessee, although he is also interested in returning to the Bills as their head coach. The list of Titans targets is set to expand shortly.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Tennessee’s options include former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Packers OC Adam Stenavich and Dolphins pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik. Each have them has been a coordinator at the pro level before, and all but Stenavich have called plays during at least one NFL stint.
Kingsbury has conducted multiple head coaching interviews recently, and he was among the staffers linked to Tennessee in that regard. The former Cardinals HC also met with the Ravens about their offensive coordinator position. Without a hire taking place on either front, Kingsbury remains on the market at this point. His NFL stints have included time overseeing the development of quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels, and working closely with Cam Ward during his second year and beyond will be a top priority for any OC hire.
Smith also met with the Titans early in their head coaching search. The 43-year-old was then linked to OC vacancies in Detroit and Los Angeles. The Lions and Chargers (provided Mike McDaniel does not land a head coaching position) have filled them, however. Smith thus looms as another offensive coordinator option with experience not only as a play-caller but as a head coach as well.
Slowik, 39, followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston in 2023. During his two seasons as the Texans’ offensive coordinator, Slowik’s unit ranked 13th and then 19th in scoring. He received an interview request from the Eagles, but one could also be coming shortly from the Titans. Stenavich has been with the Packers since Matt LaFleur‘s arrival in 2019. For the past four seasons, he has operated as Green Bay’s offensive coordinator (albeit without calling plays).
The Titans ranked 30th in total and scoring offense in 2025. Improving on the team’s showing under former head coach Brian Callahan and interim replacement Mike McCoy will be a major priority for next season, and a veteran OC will likely be leaned on to lead the way.
Cowboys Hire Christian Parker As DC
The Cowboys are hiring Eagles secondary coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker as their next defensive coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The two sides agreed to a deal on Thursday afternoon, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Parker, 34, has spent the last two years in Philadelphia coaching a strong secondary featuring ascending cornerback duo Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. In 2024, the Eagles were the NFL’s best passing defense, and though they were not quite as dominant this season, they ranked eighth in yards and seventh in yards per attempt while allowing the fewest touchdowns. The Cowboys, in contrast, ranked 32nd in the first two categories and 31st in the third, which was one of the primary factors in firing their last defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus.
Parker’s arrival in Dallas completes an impressive ascension from Division II defensive assistant to NFL defensive coordinator. He began his coaching career in 2014 as a defensive backs coach at Virginia State and moved up to the same job at FCS Norfolk State in 2016. His first job with a major program came at Notre Dame as a defensive analyst in 2017; the following year, he took the same position at Texas A&M.
Having beefed up his college resume, Parker made the jump into the NFL as a defensive quality control coach under then-Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. (A stunning amount of former Pettine assistants are landing head coach and coordinator jobs this cycle.) He then moved to Denver where he played a key role in the development of future Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain.
In Dallas, Parker will be tasked with reforming one of the NFL’s worst defense from last season. Their stunning decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Packers did not just demolish the Cowboys’ pass rush, it severely hinder their run defense, too. Part of the return from that deal was Kenny Clark, who did not make a consistent impact. The same is true of Quinnen Williams after he arrived at the trade deadline. The team also parted ways with Trevon Diggs at the end of the season and needs to revamp their secondary, which was likely a major motivator in bringing in Parker.
Jesse Minter Cancels Browns HC Interview
Jesse Minter was scheduled to interview with the Browns for a second time today. Instead, that will no longer be the case. 
Minter has canceled his follow-up, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. This news comes as the Chargers defensive coordinator “likely” feels other HC options are more certain at this time, she adds. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Minter’s second interview with the Ravens yesterday went “very well.”
The Raiders are also in the running at this point, Schultz confirms. Minter met with Vegas for a second time on Tuesday. That makes him one of only two finalists still on the market as things stand in the Raiders’ case. Today’s Browns update certainly points in the direction of Minter winding up with either the Ravens or the Raiders relatively soon.
Minter is now the second candidate to withdraw from Cleveland’s ongoing search. Mike McDaniel recently did the same, and he is now positioned to become the Chargers’ next offensive coordinator. The Browns will once again turn their attention elsewhere with Minter no longer in the running as well. Internal and external finalists remain in contention.
The possibility of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being promoted to head coach has long been a talking point during the 2026 hiring cycle. Keeping Schwartz within the organization in one capacity or another is seen as a high priority, and he was recently reported to be the favorite for the HC gig. Todd Monken has interviewed twice with the Browns, meaning he is a candidate to return to Cleveland instead of his expected move of following John Harbaugh to the Giants as their offensive coordinator.
The Browns are also among the teams which have shown considerable interest in Jaguars OC Grant Udinski. The sides will meet for a second interview tomorrow. Meanwhile, Cleveland has also requested a follow-up with Rams pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase. One cannot be arranged until next week, since Los Angeles advanced to the NFC championship game.
Minter was among the finalists for the Falcons before they ultimately hired Kevin Stefanski. A two-year coordinator at the NFL level, Minter has loomed as one of the top defensive HC candidates in particular throughout the hiring cycle. The 42-year-old has previously worked with the Ravens, and his time in the AFC West has made him a familiar face to the Raiders. Signs point to Minter joining one of those teams as the coaching landscape comes further into focus.