2025 January - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Lions To Explore Kerby Joseph Extension, Have Not Discussed Deal With Carlton Davis

January 23rd, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

With their Super Bowl hopes dashed this past weekend, the Lions will now have to begin a crucial offseason to renew their championship pursuit in 2025.

Detroit has already lost three key coaches to this offseason’s hiring cycle, including offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Johnson took the Bears’ head coaching gig, while Glenn was hired for the same position by the Jets. Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams moved to New England to run the Patriots’ defense under Mike Vrabel.

With so much coaching turnover, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Glenn’s leadership kept an injured unit afloat, the Lions will focus on retaining key talent on their roster.

That effort will begin in the secondary with safety Kerby Joseph. He is still on his rookie contract for the 2025 season, he has already established himself as a long-term piece of Detroit’s defense after a his league-high nine interceptions plus a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024. Lions general manager Brad Holmes said that the team will explore an extension with Joseph this offseason, per Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network. As the league-leader with 17 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2022, Joseph will have a strong argument to match or exceed the $21M APY figure reached by Antoine Winfield last offseason.

Holmes was less forthcoming about a new contract for cornerback Carlton Davis, who was traded to the Lions last offseason and finished the 2024 season on injured reserve after a broken jaw. He is set to hit free agency in March, but the Lions have not begun negotiations to re-sign him, per Rogers. Davis started the first 13 games of the season before his injury, recording 11 passes defended while holding opposing quarterbacks to a career-low 77.0 passer rating when targeted. He will be looking for a raise on his last contract, which featured a $14.8MM APY (via OverTheCap), perhaps similar to the nearly $18M APY reached by 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir on his recent extension. However, Davis has struggled to stay healthy in his career, missing at least four games in each of the last four seasons. That lack of availability will affect his negotiations, with teams potentially lowering his guarantees or requiring substantial per-game roster bonuses to account for his injury history.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions are considering an extension for veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. He arrived in Detroit as a free agent last offseason and outplayed the value of his one-year, $6MM contract in 2024. He started all but one game in the regular season, but picked up an injury in Week 18 and missed the Lions’ divisional round loss to the Commanders. Zeitler’s 2024 contract was a bargain compared to the rest of the guard market, so he will be looking for a commensurate raise on his next deal. He will be 35 years old when the 2025 season begins, so a multi-year deal is unlikely, but a one-year contract in the range of Brandon Scherff‘s $10MM contract for 2024 could materialize.

Broncos’ 2024 Courtland Sutton Talks Placed 2025 As Negotiating Window

January 23rd, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Marvin Mims showed considerable growth as a playmaker down the stretch, the Broncos only trotted out one reliable pass catcher this season. After bouncing back in 2023, Courtland Sutton resumed that role to help Bo Nix‘s development.

Sutton’s 1,081 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches were far and away the top Broncos marks in both categories this season, and with Nix managing to cram his 29 touchdown passes from Weeks 4-18 — to produce the second-most TD tosses by a rookie in NFL history — his top receiver can claim plenty of credit. Such claims will now be relevant, as Sutton has reached the final year of his contract.

After scoring 10 touchdowns to help Russell Wilson rebound in his second and final Broncos slate, Sutton pushed the Broncos for a raise. The 6-foot-4 receiver stayed away from OTAs and continued to angle for better terms after showing up for Denver’s minicamp. Like Darius Slayton, however, Sutton’s quest only resulted in minor incentives being added to his 2024 equation. (Sutton cashed in on $1MM of his incentives this season.) The Broncos look to have set up 2025 as the time for true negotiations, telling Sutton last year he was pushing for a new deal too early, according to 9News’ Mike Klis.

Sutton remains tied to a four-year, $60MM extension agreed to during the 2021 season. Months prior to acquiring Wilson, GM George Paton agreed to what became a team-friendly deal with Sutton and, thanks to two season-ending injuries, a player-friendly pact (3/30) with Tim Patrick. The latter followed Jerry Jeudy out the door in 2024, and Sutton is the last man standing from the pre-Sean Payton era in Denver. That makes his 2025 status something to monitor, as does the former John Elway draftee’s perennial involvement in trade rumors.

Teams asked about Sutton in 2022, 2023 and 2024; countless rumors swirled. The two most notable instances came when the Ravens ventured deep into trade talks in March 2023, before signing Odell Beckham Jr., and the 49ers then offering a third-rounder for Sutton during their Brandon Aiyuk standoff last August. The Broncos balking at the 49ers’ proposal showed how much they counted on Sutton to help Nix, and he finished 578 yards ahead of the next-closest Broncos pass catcher this season.

This offseason looms as pivotal for Sutton, who is now 29. He signed what became a below-market pact, thanks to the receiver booms in 2022 and 2024, and is running out of time to cash in. The Broncos will be put to a decision, as they still have their lead WR signed for $13.5MM in nonguaranteed money. That arrangement probably will not work for Sutton, who is now a two-time 1,000-yard performer tied to the No. 27 WR AAV, and another contract push will be likely. The Broncos have an apparent need to add a complementary piece alongside Sutton, but they also could go for a younger weapon and let the seven-year veteran play out his deal.

The Broncos could have a window to pay Sutton, as their Wilson dead money comes off the books in 2026. Nix will not be eligible for an extension until 2027, opening the door to a medium-term third Sutton contract. Mims, Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin represent the rookie-contract contingent, but Sutton played a vital role atop the pecking order. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos augment this position group while managing the approaching Sutton situation.

Jerry Jones, Pete Carroll Discuss Cowboys’ HC Opening

January 23rd, 2025 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Brian Schottenheimer has picked up unexpected momentum for the Cowboys’ HC job, a more conventional option may be under consideration as well. A Pete Carroll connection to a third HC-needy team has formed.

Jerry Jones is believed to have reached out to Carroll recently, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris. While this was not an interview and can be classified as an informal discussion, Harris adds the team’s interest in the former Super Bowl-winning coach is believed to be legitimate. That said, no interview is on the team’s docket.

Not a team known for conventional strategies involving hiring or firing a head coach, the Cowboys already had a non-interview discussion with Deion Sanders. Subsequent reporting has pegged this as an unlikely partnership, with Schottenheimer and Eagles OC Kellen Moore emerging as the early leaders.

Both have history in Dallas and extensive OC seasoning, but if Moore is a true consideration, the Cowboys would need to wait until next week to conduct a second interview and may not be able to hire their former play-caller — should the favored Eagles prevail in Sunday’s NFC championship game — until after Super Bowl LIX. Schottenheimer has not been connected to any other teams’ HC vacancies — this year or at any other point during the 2020s — so the Cowboys would not risk losing their incumbent OC by waiting. But dismissing Mike McCarthy and then promoting his less qualified OC would be a strange move.

While Carroll would be a more down-the-middle hire, he also brings risk due to his age. The former Seahawks, Patriots and Jets HC is 73 and will turn 74 in September. No NFL HC has coached a game beyond age 72. This impacted Bill Belichick‘s job pursuits last year, and Carroll also found himself shut out after his Seattle ouster. But Carroll has rebuild momentum and appears a legitimate frontrunner for the Raiders job. The Bears also met with Carroll during their expansive search.

Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison Declares For Draft

January 23rd, 2025 at 3:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison is declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid.

Morrison did not play in the College Football Playoff due to a season-ending hip injury suffered in October, but he dominated opposing receivers up to that point. He allowed just 12 receptions and a 58.4 passer rating on his 27 targets in 2024, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), solidifying his status as a first-round pick.

NFL teams will be excited about Morrison’s growth potential. He checks almost every box for a cornerback prospect, with a solid frame (6-foot, 190 pounds), smooth athleticism, excellent coverage skills, and willingness to defend the run. He burst onto the college football scene with a team-high six interceptions as an 18-year-old true freshman in 2022, earning All-American honors in the process.

Morrison followed that up with a superb sophomore year with three more interceptions and a semifinalist nod for the Jim Thorpe award, given to the top defensive back in Division I-FBS. He was on his way to more awards consideration in 2024 before his injury, but still put together a solid six-game performance before he went down.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Michigan’s Will Johnson are widely thought to be the top two cornerbacks in the 2025 class, with Morrison typically ranked third. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Morrison 13th overall in this year’s class. Hunter, obviously, offers elite upside as a two-way player, while Johnson enjoyed more team success and individual accolades at the college level compared to Morrison. All three are expected to be first-round picks in April’s draft.

Ravens Will Explore Extending Derrick Henry, Re-Signing Ronnie Stanley

January 23rd, 2025 at 2:12pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens’ front office is already back to work after their heartbreaking exit from the playoffs last weekend.

General manager Eric DeCosta is exploring an extension for Derrick Henry, who signed a two-year deal to come to Baltimore last offseason, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. With only $9MM in fully guaranteed money, most of which came in the first year, the contract was seen as a low-risk, high-upside maneuver by the Ravens with an easy out in 2025 if Henry faltered in his age-30 season.

Instead, his $8MM APY proved to be a steal. Henry proved offseason critics wrong with an age-defying debut year in Baltimore, leading all running backs with 16 rushing touchdowns and 5.9 yards per carry. He trailed only Saquon Barkley in total rushing attempts and rushing yards and would likely be seeking a commensurate raise in extension negotiations. The Ravens, meanwhile, would be looking to lower Henry’s $12.9MM 2025 cap hit while keeping him around for an additional season or two. An extension could save Baltimore up to $6.2MM against the 2025 cap, per OverTheCap.

DeCosta also addressed the pending free agency of left tackle Ronnie Stanley (via Zrebiec), who played a full season in 2024 for the first time in his career. The Ravens will explore a new contract for Stanley, who has never returned to the rarified level of play he displayed before his devastating 2020 ankle injury. However, after a long road back with multiple surgeries and other minor injuries, he has provided a steady floor of blind side protection for Lamar Jackson.

His grading from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2024 reflects his solid, but not elite play. His 80.9 pass blocking grate ranks 15th among all starting tackles, but his 40 pressures allowed were the 12th-most. Like the rest of Baltimore’s blockers, he benefits from Jackson’s exceptional sack avoidance; Stanley surrendered just two on the season.

But the Ravens know that even serviceable left tackle play is difficult to come by, which is why they consistently stood by Stanley after his injury. He also took a pay cut before the 2024 season and earned back much of the money via incentives. Now, he will likely be seeking an APY in the $20MM range, similar to deals signed by Dion Dawkins, Taylor Decker, and Garett Bolles in the last year.

DeCosta also mentioned offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, who entered the season at right tackle but ended up starting most games at left guard. Mekari is also hitting free agency, where his five-position versatility could draw plenty of interest, especially now that he’s proven himself as a potential starter at guard. The Ravens love Mekari, an undrafted free agent signing back in 2019 who has played a crucial role in filling the void left by injuries to Stanley and others along the offensive line over the last several years. But he could easily price himself out of Baltimore with starting-level money from another team. It’s unlikely the team would be able to afford both Stanley and Mekari this offseason, but they will likely need to keep one to ensure Jackson’s blind side is covered next year.

The Ravens seem more prepared for the departure of cornerback Brandon Stephens. DeCosta said that he expects Stephens to enter free agency in March, indicating that the team won’t pursue re-signing him before then, according to Zrebiec. Stephens emerged as a starting outside corner in 2023, but took a step back this past year, especially when defending the deep ball. 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins is a clear starter for next year, but with Marlon Humphrey excelling in the slot, the Ravens will need to find another starting boundary corner in 2025.

Lions Expected To Interview Larry Foote For DC Job

January 23rd, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Needing to pick up the pieces after the past week has brought a divisional-round loss and their top two assistant coaches booking HC jobs elsewhere, the Lions are set to start moving forward. One of their recent playoff opponents has produced a DC candidate.

Buccaneers inside linebackers coach Larry Foote is expected to interview for the Lions’ DC job, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. Also known for his playing career, Foote is a Michigan alum and a Detroit native. He was with the Lions in 2009 and has been in the coaching ranks for 10 years now.

Aaron Glenn‘s extensive run on the coaching carousel ended Wednesday, as the Jets hired the four-year Lions DC. This marks new territory for Dan Campbell, who has yet to make an outside hire to replace a coordinator. Campbell promoted Ben Johnson to replace Anthony Lynn as OC in 2022 but faces the prospect of needing to look outside to replace Johnson and Glenn. Though names like Tanner Engstrand and Kelvin Sheppard have come up as options for the gigs, Foote looks set to have an opportunity on the defensive side.

A Bruce Arians hire immediately after his playing career ended in 2015, Foote jumped into a position coaching role. Arians hired Foote as his ILBs coach ahead of a 13-3 Cardinals season that ended in the NFC championship game. Foote followed Arians to Tampa in 2019 and has coached both the Bucs’ outside and inside ‘backers over the past six years. His stint as OLBs coach overlapped with the Bucs’ pass rush-driven surge to a dominant Super Bowl LV win, which featured Shaq Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul provide consistent pressure to close out the franchise’s second championship.

Coming up on the early PFR pages as a player, Foote spent most of his career with the Steelers. The off-ball ‘backer started for both modern Pittsburgh Super Bowl-winning teams, being part of the 2008 squad’s elite defense, before signing with his hometown Lions in 2009. Foote signed with Detroit in March of ’09, inking a one-year deal. He did not overlap with Campbell on the Lions’ roster; the current Detroit HC’s playing career wrapped after the winless 2008 slate.

Foote,44, returned to the Steelers after that Lions one-off and closed out his career with the Cardinals under Arians in 2014. He is now on Campbell’s radar to replace Glenn, and his Detroit ties make the candidacy a bit more interesting.

Coaching Rumors: Bears, Washington, Packers, 49ers, Allen, Giants, Pats, Bengals

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers and Colts are recent examples of an incoming coaching staff keeping a coordinator in place, the Bears‘ 2024 coordinators will not stick around like Ejiro Evero and Gus Bradley did elsewhere. Neither Thomas Brown nor DC Eric Washington will be retained under Ben Johnson, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns notes. O-line coach Chris Morgan, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph and interim OC Chris Beatty are also out in Chicago. This is not especially surprising, as new staffs regularly want to bring in their own hires.

Brown, 38, will be on his way to a fourth team in four years. The former Sean McVay assistant spent the 2023 season alongside Evero, as Carolina’s OC, and moved from pass-game coordinator to interim OC to interim HC in Chicago last year. The Bears went 1-4 under Brown, who has received OC interest elsewhere. Washington came over from the Bills in 2024, when Matt Eberflus replaced Alan Williams after calling the signals himself for most of the 2023 season. Washington, 55, only took over play-calling duties in 2024 when the Bears fired Eberflus.

Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

Teams making HC hires will expand the OC and DC carousels, and the Bears’ entrance on the coordinator market revealed interest in Dennis Allen. The rumored favorite to follow Johnson to Chicago, Allen may also have heard from the 49ers, as ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner indicates the NFC West team showed some interest in the ex-Bengals DC. Allen, though, may have been a Robert Saleh contingency plan. Although Allen has been closely linked to the Bears, Saleh is still in the mix for the Jaguars — with a second interview scheduled — and Raiders. The Cowboys also met with the former Jets HC, who would seem likely to rejoin the 49ers if his HC paths close.
Speaking of Washington, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds the Packers interviewed him for their defensive line coach role. Prior to his one-season Bears stay, Washington was the Bills’ D-line coach for the previous four years. He was Carolina’s DC from 2018-19. With a few DC gigs yet to open, it will be interesting to see if Washington would return to the position coach level early rather than wait on a potential lateral move. Green Bay is also interviewing Tampa Bay D-line coach Kacy Rodgers for the role, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds Rodgers’ Buccaneers contract is up.
Former defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel will change facilities, but he will (presumably) not need to relocate. The four-year Jets safeties coach is joining the Giants as their DBs coach, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. A former NFL safety who ascended to the role of Falcons DC in the late 2010s, Manuel has been an NFL staffer since 2012. The Giants went 3-14 but did not fire their head coach or their coordinators, but Shane Bowen — after retaining some holdover staffers last year — is bringing in his own guy to replace Jerome Henderson, who spent five years in the role.
The Patriots already have a “new” OC-DC tandem, with Josh McDaniels’ third stint in the play-calling role accompanying Terrell Williams‘ arrival as the team’s defensive boss. But Mike Vrabel is retaining special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Springer was not a Bill Belichick hire, but rather a Jerod Mayo addition; he came over from the Rams last year. Pro Football Focus graded the Pats’ ST units second overall in 2024.
Vrabel did not retain Mayo’s O-line coaches, and both have found new gigs. The Bengals are hiring Scott Peters as offensive line coach, with Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson adding ex-Pats assistant O-line coach Michael McCarthy to the same role in Cincinnati. Peters spent four seasons under Bill Callahan as Browns assistant O-line coach and, per Hobson, had spent previous time serving as a UFC trainer for Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez. Zac Taylor played under Callahan at Nebraska, creating a natural tie here. The Bengals fired Frank Pollack from the O-line coaching role at season’s end.

Liam Coen Not Expected To Return To Jaguars HC Mix; Joe Brady, Kellen Moore Still On Radar

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

12:16pm: It now appears the Jags will stay with their HC search and conclude it before deciding on a GM. Going coach before GM is not entirely uncommon, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones points to the team not beginning a true GM hunt until a coach is in place. It would not surprise to see interview requests go out to execs, but if the team intends on separating the searches entirely, it will be a bit before that step happens.

10:37am: Liam Coen‘s decision to pass on a second Jaguars HC interview, and thus remove himself from consideration for the open job, looks to have been significant. Hours later, Shad Khan reversed course on his plans with Trent Baalke. The veteran GM is out, leaving more questions in Jacksonville.

Baalke’s presence had been seen as a deterrent in the Jaguars’ coaching search. Would removing the GM mean Coen could move back into play? It does not appear that will happen, with the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reporting the Buccaneers‘ OC is expected to sign his extension today.

Prior to Khan’s decision to boot Baalke, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noted Bills OC Joe Brady would be a name to watch in light of the Bucs play-caller bowing out. The young assistant impressed in his virtual meeting. Indeed, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Jags’ list of second interviews is expected to include Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore. As of now, the Jags’ finalists include Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham. Each will conduct their second interviews this week. The Athletic’s Michael Silver initially indicated the search will expand beyond these two.

The prospect of a second Jags run at Coen would make sense, but the retooling organization has some issues to sort out. And Coen may well be eyeing a spot on the 2026 HC carousel rather than seeing where the Jaguars are at GM once they launch a search. A new GM may also be the team’s second priority now, as Bovada’s Josina Anderson indicating the franchise is considering a few scenarios in terms of how to proceed with its HC and GM spots. If nothing else, the Jags may be OK hiring a head coach before a general manager.

Given this year’s remaining candidates, it would be a bit surprising if the Jags gave their next head coach power over a GM. Baalke held roster control following Urban Meyer‘s firing, but it is fairly clear the recently fired GM’s presence was, much like in 2022, not helping attract candidates. Although Khan gave Meyer power in 2021, he had pursued the formerly successful college HC for a while. That experience going so poorly may well influence Khan to keep a traditional power structure post-Baalke, but the Jags are in need of a solution after Coen and Ben Johnson turned them down.

As far as replacing Baalke goes, no known candidates have emerged. The Jets are the other team looking, after the Titans (Mike Borgonzi) and Raiders (John Spytek) have made their choices. Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared the favorite for the Jets’ job, but Trey Brown and Darren Mougey are still in the mix; each will conduct second interviews today. Newmark may be in play for the Jags, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes, but it is not known if a candidate that had been linked to following Johnson to Las Vegas and then join Aaron Glenn in New York would be coveted without the presence of an ex-Lions staffer.

After Baalke’s 2024 extension spree preceded a 4-13 season and a complete overhaul, the Jags are in the unusual spot of having paid a potential franchise QB (Trevor Lawrence) while carrying HC and GM vacancies. The Chargers managed to find good solutions here when in this spot last year, but they had vacancies from the start and used Justin Herbert‘s presence to attract Jim Harbaugh. After Coen and Johnson did not see enough positives about Jacksonville’s situation, will Lawrence help sway Brady or Moore?

Bill Belichick Signs North Carolina Contract

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 23: Talk of a Belichick backtrack to the NFL has cooled over the past several days, and Jones reports the new North Carolina HC has signed his contract. The deal points reported last month — a $10MM buyout before June 1, along with a $1MM fee after that date — are included in the official pact. While Belichick-NFL rumors may not be over for good, it appears the eight-time Super Bowl winner is committed to the college gig he landed — at least for the 2025 season.

JANUARY 16: Opting out of a second ride on the NFL HC carousel, Bill Belichick made a preemptive strike by accepting an offer to coach at North Carolina in December. Despite connections to the Raiders and then Cowboys, Belichick is on the recruiting trail at the ACC school.

If an NFL team were to poach Belichick after he committed to the Tar Heels, a $10MM buyout would need to be paid to the university. Though, a gray area now exists with regards to the buyout. Belichick has not signed an official contract with the school, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Instead, he is working in Chapel Hill after agreeing to a term sheet December 11. The school confirmed this, via Jones.

That term sheet outlines Belichick’s $10MM-per-year salary and would be set to precede a signed contract at some point. It is not too uncommon at the college level for coaches to begin working without a fully signed deal, but Jones adds a notable wrinkle here by indicating the term sheet Belichick inked is not binding. This could introduce a potential complication if the buyout — $10MM before June 1, $1MM after that date — comes into play.

Earlier this week, a report surfaced indicating the North Carolina athletic director and the ACC commissioner were uneasy about Belichick’s status. Jones has also previously reported NFL teams have not been intimidated by the $10MM buyout number, and the reporter adds some within the UNC community are a bit nervous related to this component of Belichick’s agreement.

Working without a contract is not done in the NFL, where Belichick had only coached from 1975-2023. The league’s second-winningest coach trying his hand at the college game — at a time in which the transfer portal and NIL landscape have radically reshaped the sport — now remains a curious move, especially when four more coaching jobs opened up after Belichick and his lieutenants surveyed the NFL market during the season. The Cowboys, Jaguars and Raiders jobs have since opened, and Dallas connections persist.

Former Browns GM Michael Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in New England, is now the North Carolina football program’s GM. Lombardi denied any NFL interest exists, refuting the above-referenced report about Belichick’s thin staff creating some unease, and he responded to Jones’ report by indicating (via X) “the NFL isn’t an option” for the legendary HC. A report shortly after Belichick took the college job pegged him as being “disgusted” with a league that has been unwilling to grant him a third head coaching opportunity given the success he had in New England.

That said, Jonathan Jones notes that Belichick and Jerry Jones maintain a good relationship. Belichick was connected to monitoring the Cowboys job in 2024, and the Cowboys did backchannel work on him before deciding to retain Mike McCarthy last year. A report in the wake of McCarthy’s dismissal this week classified a Belichick-Cowboys partnership as one both sides would have been open to had the coach not jumped to the college ranks. Though, as we have mentioned many times, Belichick’s age (73 in April) poses a problem for him — as no HC older than 66 has ever been hired by an NFL team — and he ultimately opted to punt on a second carousel ride.

Bill Belichick also brought son Steve over from Washington to be his DC, a development that would further entrench the former in Chapel Hill, and ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel adds the Tar Heels have hired veteran NFL assistant Mike Priefer to be their special teams coordinator. Priefer had served as ST coordinator for the Chiefs, Broncos, Vikings and Browns from 2006-22. He last coached in college in 2001.

Kevin Stefanski To Reclaim Browns Play-Calling Duties

January 23rd, 2025 at 9:20am CST by Sam Robinson

Kevin Stefanski relinquished play-calling duties last season, doing so despite having claimed two Coach of the Year honors this decade. With Tommy Rees moving into the OC role in Cleveland, the decorated HC is returning to familiar territory.

Rees will start out as a non-play-calling coordinator, per Stefanski, who confirmed (via TheLandOnDemand.com’s Tony Grossi) a previously rumored plan to reclaim the Browns’ play-calling role. Stefanski added he could certainly change his mind on this, but the sixth-year Browns HC has extensive experience operating in this capacity.

Ken Dorsey had entered last season as a non-play-calling OC, but as a third chapter of the Deshaun Watson experiment sputtered, Stefanski gave his new coordinator the responsibility. Although Jameis Winston provided a bit of a reprieve amid a miserable season, Cleveland’s offense did not resemble the unit that produced playoff berths under Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco. As the Browns look set to transition away from Watson — after the passer’s second Achilles tear — it will be on Stefanski to generate improvement.

The Browns plummeted from 10th to 32nd in scoring between the 2023 and ’24 seasons, as Watson did not rebound in a retooled offense. Stefanski refused to bench the high-priced passer, and the team was on its way to a 1-6 start when Watson’s first Achilles tear occurred. Watson had fared slightly better in 2023 under Stefanski’s guidance (with Alex Van Pelt still in the OC role), but the ex-Texans Pro Bowler has never come especially close to finding his form in Cleveland, turning the team’s 2022 trade into a historic NFL disaster.

Having parlayed the surprising Flacco resurgence into a summer extension, Stefanski initially impressed with the call sheet upon restoring Mayfield to a productive passer after his 21-INT 2019 season under Freddie Kitchens. The Browns snapped a 17-year playoff drought in 2020, ranking 14th in scoring during Stefanski’s first season at the helm. Although an injured Mayfield could not match that form in 2021, Stefanski coaxed better play from Jacoby Brissett in 2022 before seeing Watson prove ill-fitting in his scheme post-suspension.

Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry, retained even as the team cratered to a 3-14 record, will be tasked with identifying a new starter. Thanks to well-timed losses — with overmatched starters Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe at the helm — the Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick. Even as Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders may not match up with the prospects atop last year’s draft, the Browns will have the chance to select one of this year’s top QB options without trading up. That represents a valuable tool as the team attempts to recover from a significant 2024 step back.

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