2025 January - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Patriots To Retain Eliot Wolf, Front Office Staff

January 6th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Patriots are set to revamp their coaching staff, it sounds like the front office will be staying intact. During his press conference today, owner Robert Kraft revealed that executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and his staff will be sticking around for the 2025 campaign (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Wolf and top front office executive Alonzo Highsmith will also be involved in the team’s head coaching search (via Kyed).

As the Patriots navigated a post-Bill Belichick era, they chose Wolf as the leader of their new-look front office. The executive did have one major hit during his first year at the helm, with third-overall pick Drake Maye appearing to be a foundational piece. However, the front office drew criticism for the rest of their draft class, and Kraft acknowledged that the team needs stronger performances from rookie-contract players if they hope to return to contention.

“Our drafts have not been good for a while,” Kraft said (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “If you want to compete long term and be good in this league, you’ve got to have good drafts because those rookie contracts allow you to go out and get the people you need to surround people. It looks like we lucked out; we maybe have two quarterbacks. But I think we’ll hopefully see a big improvement this year.”

While the likes of Wolf and Highsmith are expected to keep their jobs, Albert Breer of SI.com expects there to still be significant changes to the front office operations. After Belichick was responsible for running so many aspects of the front office for years, the organization was left with an antiquated approach when the dust settled following the iconic coach’s ouster. Breer opines that the Krafts put the front office at a disadvantage by not providing the same resources as other NFL teams, with the writer suggesting that ownership could look to “add elements of analytics and sport science” to their operations.

While many of these subtle changes will take place behinds the scenes, the Patriots’ search for their next head coach will be very public. Ownership is expected to be heavily involved in the search, as are the aforementioned front office executives. Breer notes that the team isn’t expected to hire a search firm to assist in the process.

As we await word on the team’s interview process, we’ll starting to hear some details about Mayo’s sudden firing, with Tom E. Curran of NBCSports Boston noting that the final four games of the season played a significant role in the decision. Curran says the past month was “untenable,” and while the team didn’t initially anticipate moving on from their first-year head coach, the “disorganization became too much to take.”

Kraft himself told reporters that he went back and forth on the decision over the past month. Ultimately, the owner believed the squad showed regression throughout the 2024 campaign, with Kraft citing the season-opening win over the Bengals as the high point of the year. Kraft also revealed that Mayo didn’t know about his impending firing prior to the season finale; the head coach ended up guiding his squad to victory while also compromising the team’s chances at the first-overall pick (links via Kyed).

While a new head coach will presumably look to bring on their own staff, there’s still a chance a few key assistants stick around. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt didn’t get a whole lot of production from his unit in 2024, but the coach did earn praise for his handling of Maye’s development. If Van Pelt is ultimately canned by the Patriots, Breer believes the coach could land back in Cleveland, where he served as OC between 2020 and 2023.

Sauce Gardner Interested In Jets Extension; D.J. Reed Eyeing Free Agency

January 6th, 2025 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Like the Jets as a whole, Sauce Gardner did not live up to expectations this season. The two-time All-Pro was not selected to the Pro Bowl, as the Jets plummeted to 5-12 despite regular playoff expectations. The team still has some extension matters to navigate.

The three first-round picks the team made in 2022 — Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson — are now extension-eligible, as is starting running back Breece Hall. While the Aaron Rodgers matter may overshadow everything else (player-wise, at least) until he is off the Jets’ roster, the franchise still has a number of matters to sort out involving its rookie-contract contingent.

Wilson is not believed to have seen eye-to-eye with Rodgers, and rumors about a trade request continue to surface. The Jets will have new decision-makers ticketed to deal with the Wilson matter soon — a number of GM and HC interview requests went out today — but Gardner is a more accomplished player who is also free to sign a new deal now. Unlike Wilson, Gardner has made his long-term wishes known.

“I want to be part of this for a long time,” Gardner said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.”

This comes after a host of reports tabbed Woody Johnson (and his sons) as being overly involved in personnel decisions, creating more instability for the franchise that has the NFL’s longest active playoff drought — at 14 seasons. The team found a gem in Gardner, however, despite his slight step backward in Year 3. The former No. 4 overall pick is a two-time first-team All-Pro, already rocketing to the top fifth-year option tier — which doubles as the franchise tag value — at corner. The Jets will pick up that option by May, giving them two more years of control.

The physical corner has long been deemed a big-picture priority, while slot defender Michael Carter already signed his extension. With Carter signed and the Jets — barring a drastic approach change from the next front office — eyeing a Gardner extension, D.J. Reed appears close to gone. The former 49ers and Seahawks CB’s three-year deal expires in March, and he has already alluded to testing the market. Reed expanded on that stance recently.

“Obviously, in this league, it’s about winning,” Reed told the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly. “But, you could go to a good organization, you think is a good organization, and the year you go there, they’re not winning. I think it’s deeper than just winning. I think it’s just being in a stable organization that has a winning culture and just being in a good environment, a healthy environment.”

Even the most ardent of Jets backers would have a difficult time classifying it as a stable organization presently, and with Carter and Gardner higher priorities, Reed appears set to hit the market again. He will follow the likes of Chidobe Awuzie and Kendall Fuller as a corner seeking a third payday in free agency. Both did fairly well, Awuzie especially (via a three-year, $36MM deal) in 2024. Reed, who is playing out a three-year deal worth $33MM, turned 28 in November and has been a regular starter for five seasons. The ex-Seahawk regular graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 29 overall corner in 2024; Gardner ranked 32nd, per the advanced metrics site.

Gardner, 24, has a new cornerback market to survey after the paydays went out to Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey last summer; both topped $24MM per year on a market that had been stuck at $21MM AAV for more than two years. Reed will not be targeting that, but the proven starter should be able to do well on the open market in his late 20s.

Saints Request HC Interviews With Kellen Moore, Anthony Weaver, Mike Kafka

January 6th, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got three more names to add to the growing list of Saints head coach candidates. The Saints have requested interviews with Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver (via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini), and Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka (via Josina Anderson).

This request represents Moore’s first of the current hiring cycle. The veteran coach just completed his first regular season as Philly’s offensive coordinator, with the Eagles failing to improve on their 2023 offensive rankings (seventh in points, eighth in yards). Still, he helped guide Saquon Barkley to a historic season, and he was previously lauded for his offensive approach in stops with the Chargers and Cowboys.

Moore isn’t a stranger to the head coaching interview circuit. He’s earned interviews in each of the past three offseasons, including meetings with the Chargers (2024), Panthers (2023), Broncos, Dolphins, Jaguars, and Vikings (2022).

Weaver was a popular name during last year’s hiring cycle, with the defensive-minded coach earning interviews with the Falcons and Commanders. He ultimately landed in Miami as the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator. While the team’s defense struggled at times, Weaver still squeezed out a top-10 showing out of his unit, with the Dolphins ranking fourth in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. The defensive coordinator also oversaw the development of some key defenders, including first-round edge rusher Chop Robinson.

A long-time defensive line coach, Weaver earned national attention following his three-year stint in Baltimore. He served as the Ravens defensive line coach/run game coordinator in 2021 before earning a promotion to assistant head coach in 2022. His current gig in Miami represented another promotion, so the next logical step of his coaching career would see him earning the head coach title. We learned earlier today that the Bears requested an interview with Weaver.

A former NFL journeyman, Kafka made a name for himself while coaching Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. He parlayed his performance as Chiefs QBs coach into an OC gig with the Giants, where he’s spent the past three years. Brian Daboll wrestled away play-calling responsibilities from his OC this past offseason, and there have been rumblings that Kafka could be ousted since the head coach will be sticking around.

Kafka’s potentially ugly ending in New York clearly hasn’t hurt his head coaching chances, as we learned earlier today that the Bears requested an interview with the coordinator. Kafka interviewed for both the Seahawks and Titans gigs last offseason, and he garnered interviews for all five head coaching vacancies in 2023.

This trio joins Joe Brady and Aaron Glenn, who the Saints requested interviews with earlier today. The team has also been connected to the likes of Mike Vrabel and Matt Nagy, while interim head coach Darren Rizzi is also expected to push for a promotion to the full-time gig.

John Mara: Giants Open To Resolving QB Issue With Draft Pick, Veteran

January 6th, 2025 at 5:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants saw their Daniel Jones plan implode this year, and after giving the Eli Manning successor six seasons, the team has no long-term option on its roster. As a result, John Mara stated the obvious by indicating quarterback is the Giants’ “No. 1 issue.”

Although the team’s Week 17 win bumped it out of the No. 1 overall draft slot, the Patriots’ Week 18 victory gave the Giants the No. 3 position. It figures to be much easier to acquire one of the preferred options in this draft compared to last year, when Joe Schoen‘s Drake Maye-based trade-up effort failed. Schoen and Brian Daboll are coming back, despite the steep decline that commenced this season, and Mara noted the Giants are open to upgrading at QB through the draft or via a veteran option.

“That’s obviously the No. 1 issue for us going into this offseason — to find our quarterback of the future,” Mara said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “Whether that be draft or acquiring a veteran will be up to them to decide.”

The phrase “quarterback of the future” certainly points to the draft being the Giants’ preferred avenue, even with Mara adding (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he is “just about out of patience” with his current setup. Like 2019, however, the Giants have a need in a draft that has long been viewed as rather shaky at the QB spot. Passing on Sam Darnold and Josh Allen to draft Saquon Barkley in 2018, the Giants could not realistically draft Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert in 2020 thanks to having chosen Jones sixth overall in ’19. The team passed on Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix last year, creating one of the NFL’s most glaring needs going into this offseason.

New York will bring back Tommy DeVito, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. DeVito can be retained via an ERFA tender, but Drew Lock is set for free agency. The Giants still rostered Manning going into 2019, when Jones arrived. That separates the ’19 offseason from what lies ahead for Mara’s team, which went 1-for-6 in playoff berths during the Jones era.

Circling back to Darnold would be an interesting effort for Schoen, who is assuredly on a scorching-hot seat after being retained today, after predecessor Dave Gettleman passed. But the Vikings may well use the franchise tag following this Pro Bowl season. Russell Wilson would profile as a stopgap at best, while Justin Fields may be more appealing due to his age (25) — even though he has yet to prove a consistent passer. Beyond this crop, a host of backup-level options are on their way to free agency. It would stand to reason, given the Giants’ draft position, they would be more interested in a college arm.

Some members of the Giants’ personnel staff are intrigued by Miami’s Cam Ward, who is viewed — along with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — as one of this year’s top two QB prospects, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson notes. Considering the Giants are not making major staff changes, it would stand to reason they will carry their Ward interest toward the Combine. The Giants sent Schoen and player personnel director Tim McDonnell to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to watch Ward, who transferred from Incarnate Word and Washington State to close his career with the Hurricanes. The Giants also sent staffers to Boulder, Colo., to watch Sanders practices.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. slots Sanders ninth and Ward 18th among 2025 prospects; it will be interesting to see how the pre-draft process ends up sorting them and then the rest of the QB crop. With a gap existing — as of now, at least — between the Ward-Sanders tier and the field, the Giants would have a good shot at one of them.

The team was closely tied to McCarthy and Maye last year and hosted Penix and Nix on “30” visits. It should be expected a thorough round of meetings are coming again regarding this position, only the Giants are now in a more desperate spot due to Schoen and Daboll’s statuses and the gaping hole atop the depth chart.

In other Giants news, both Jon Runyan Jr. and Tyler Nubin underwent tightrope surgeries to address high ankle sprains. Runyan also underwent a shoulder procedure, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. Bobby Okereke is rehabbing a herniated disk in his back, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds. Okereke should be recovered in time for OTAs. Two years remain on both Okereke and Runyan’s free agency deals.

Jaguars Interested In Ben Johnson, Joe Brady, Liam Coen; Team Open To Hiring Executive VP

January 6th, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Shad Khan gave both Gus Bradley and Doug Marrone more time, he canned Doug Pederson after three seasons. Trent Baalke is staying on, which has surprised many around the league. Baalke will now be part of the team’s HC search, which looks to have a certain skillset in mind.

Offensive creativity will be factored into the Jaguars’ search, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who reports the AFC South club has Ben Johnson, Joe Brady and Liam Coen on its radar. Despite having gone offense with Pederson, Khan appears to be leaning in a similar direction.

Pederson came to Jacksonville as a five-year play-caller, but the former Super Bowl winner relinquished that responsibility — to the chagrin of many — after the 2022 season. Embattled OC Press Taylor remained the Jags’ play-caller over the past two seasons, despite the team’s fortunes worsening since December 2023 began a regime-defining swoon. Nevertheless, the Jags are targeting more play-callers, as they attempt to maximize Trevor Lawrence.

No interview requests have come yet, but it would surprise if these three did not receive slips. Although the Jags finished 4-13, Lawrence’s presence figures to add intrigue to the post. Teams with QB issues may have a much harder time attracting top candidates, even though the 2021 No. 1 overall pick has not yet justified his summer megadeal. Lawrence is also recovering from shoulder surgery completed midway through last month.

Johnson has long been believed to be the top play-caller type available, having restored Jared Goff as a quality passer after the Lions acquired him as a throw-in as part of the Matthew Stafford trade. Johnson has called plays for the past three seasons, and the Lions have continued to climb. Detroit’s 68 offensive touchdowns this season trail only the 2013 Broncos’ record-setting attack. The Lions led the NFL in scoring and finished second in yardage. Johnson, 38, has been selective but is tentatively viewed as more likely to take a job this year. He is set to meet with the Patriots and Bears, two teams that just drafted top-three QBs.

Coen did plenty to sustain Baker Mayfield‘s 2023 resurgence, helping to elevate the formerly maligned passer. Mayfield shattered his career high by throwing 41 touchdown passes this season. Coen, 39, did not stand out as Rams OC in 2022 but has restored his stock in Tampa. The four-time reigning NFC South champion Bucs navigated Dave Canales‘ departure well, ranking third in scoring offense, and Coen is drawing interest in a league starved for promising play-callers. Coen should be expected to garner extensive attention this year, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager adds.

A Bills team that already had a dominant quarterback has benefited from Brady, who has been at the controls during Josh Allen‘s most complete season. The MVP favorite had already propelled Brian Daboll to a top job, and his current 35-year-old conductor may not be long for the Bills’ OC chair. The Saints are also interested in Brady, who coached in New Orleans previously.

When the Jags’ job was last open back in 2022, rumblings about potential difficulty working with Baalke surfaced. The second-chance GM, who battled Jim Harbaugh in a mid-2010s San Francisco power struggle, is believed to have seen his relationship with Pederson worsen in 2024. He has fended off rumors about a firing, doing so as Pederson took the fall. The Jags considered hiring an executive VP to operate between Baalke and ownership previously, but nothing came of it. Khan did not rule out another search, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and said some front office talent will be added due to the present Jags staff being “lean.”

Baalke rode shotgun to Urban Meyer upon becoming the Jags’ GM, and it is rather interesting that the former 49ers leader will be on staff with a fourth Jags HC. The AFC South franchise hired Baalke during Marrone’s tenure in 2020 and promoted him to GM under Meyer. Baalke’s presence will be one of the most interesting components on this year’s HC carousel.

Saints Request HC Interviews With Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn

January 6th, 2025 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:24pm: The Glenn request is official, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. That comes as no surprise, but the Saints could have competition from at least two other teams depending on how Glenn interviews with Chicago and New York. More suitors could also emerge in the wake of his strong 2024 showing.

2:55pm: Familiarity looks to be important for the Saints. At least, their HC search initially points in that direction. Two former New Orleans staffers are on the list to replace Dennis Allen.

Ex-Allen lieutenant Aaron Glenn is expected to receive an interview request from the Saints, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Glenn has served as the Lions’ DC for four seasons. Also on staff alongside Allen under Sean Payton, Joe Brady is on the Saints’ radar. New Orleans officially submitted a request to the Buffalo OC, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

The Glenn request — rumored to be in the works for a bit now — marks his second from the NFC South club over the past three years. Glenn, 52, worked as Saints DBs coach under Payton from 2016-20. Coaching the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams, Glenn helped the Saints’ defense — under Allen’s leadership — complete a dramatic turnaround after the unit had bottomed out in the mid-2010s. Glenn has since elevated the Lions into a top-10 defense.

It might not be automatic the Saints lure Glenn back, as the veteran coordinator is being tied to just about every available job. The Jets and Bears have submitted a request. As part of a No. 1-seeded team, Glenn can also meet virtually with HC-needy clubs this week. Candidates tied to other playoff teams must wait until after their wild-card contests to begin virtual meetings.

Brady, 35, did not hold a high-ranking post during his time in New Orleans. He served as a Saints offensive assistant from 2017-18. Brady has since been on the rise, a climb that began when he served as pass-game coordinator for LSU’s unbeaten 2019 national champion team. After being fired from his post as Panthers OC, Brady has rebounded in Buffalo. Josh Allen has submitted his best all-around season, remaining the MVP favorite after piloting the Bills to a third straight AFC No. 2 seed. The Bills rank second in scoring, having beaten both the Lions and Chiefs this season. Unlike Glenn, Brady was not part of the Saints’ 2022 search to replace Payton.

Despite Allen’s struggles, the Saints have been connected to a hire familiar with the organization. They have not relieved longtime GM Mickey Loomis of his duties, as the veteran enters Year 24 in that post. Loomis is the second-longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history — behind only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm. It will be interesting to see how many coaches with backgrounds exclusively outside the organization receive extensive looks, but Brady and Glenn look like two strong candidates based on their resumes.

Browns GM: Expectation For Myles Garrett To Retire With Team

January 6th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a wildly disappointing season, the Browns have a significant in-house matter to address. With the Deshaun Watson restructure offering some early clarity on that lingering issue, the team still has Myles Garrett business ahead.

Garrett made pointed comments about the team’s direction last month. The All-Pro defensive end will seek answers from Browns management on how the team’s power brokers plan to climb out of this hole, one that produced a 3-14 record on the heels of a wild-card berth.

The Browns joined the Giants in being a 3-14 team that is not planning to fire its HC or GM, with Andrew Berry safe despite authorizing the Watson contract. As Berry prepares for his sixth offseason in charge in Cleveland, he does not sound like any expectation of a Garrett trade is on the horizon. Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) he expects Garrett to remain with the Browns and retire as a member of the team down the road.

Garrett, 29, said he would consider a trade request if he did not like the answer Browns higher-ups gave him. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year said he has not held that state-of-the-union talk with management just yet.

This demand comes as Garrett appears set to also angle for a new contract. The former No. 1 overall pick has long outplayed his deal, with a few less accomplished edge rushers having vaulted his $25MM-per-year contract — which sits fifth at the position but well behind the leader. Entering his ninth season still playing at an All-Pro level, Garrett faces a crucial offseason to capitalize on his value. Garrett has two years remaining on his deal, but T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson are all in contract years. It stands to reason Nick Bosa‘s $34MM-per-year EDGE ceiling will be raised — probably by more than one player — and it will be interesting to see who strikes first.

Asked about an extension, Garrett said, “There’ll be something coming.” Considering his comments about the state of the team, it would be a mild surprise if Garrett showed up for offseason work without a new deal in place. The Browns gave him what turned out to be a team-friendly contract in 2020, as the deal tied him to the team for seven years (due to rookie-contract control). Garrett may be trying to force two issues in the same offseason.

Even though Garrett is not technically in a contract year, inserting a potential trade into the equation represents another way to apply pressure on the Browns. It does not sound like the team is interested in letting another franchise authorize Garrett’s third contract.

Brock Purdy Targeting Early-Offseason Extension

January 6th, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have taken their time with most of their big-ticket extensions under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa signed just before the past two seasons, respectively, while the Deebo Samuel and George Kittle deals occurred during training camp. Brock Purdy is targeting a deal much earlier.

Not long after a report surfaced pointing to the 49ers not being keen on paying Purdy a top-market rate, the three-year veteran quarterback is targeting a deal that ends this matter before the team’s offseason program begins in April. Purdy made it clear he will seek a 49ers extension. All signs point to the franchise being ready to explore a deal for the seventh-round steal.

“I want to obviously get it done,” Purdy said, via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “If that’s an opportunity to be able to get that done quick, that’d be great. Just so we can get back for phase one.”

While that has not been San Francisco’s M.O., they have hammered out a notable QB contract early in an offseason during the Shanahan-Lynch regime. The 49ers gave Jimmy Garoppolo a then-record contract in February 2018. Of course, the primary difference between a Garoppolo payday and a Purdy pact centers around team control. The 49ers paid Garoppolo weeks before he was to hit free agency; Purdy’s rookie deal runs through the 2025 season. That gives the 49ers time, and Purdy’s hopes may not align with the organization’s.

It stands to reason the 49ers will not deviate from their plans to pay Purdy, but they are under no obligation to do it early. This coming offseason, thanks largely to the 2021 and ’22 QB classes not producing many extension candidates, may also not see the market change. Josh Allen could have a say, even though the Bills have him locked down for multiple years, but the 2023 and ’24 offseasons settled a lot of business on the QB market. This would allow the 49ers to wait a bit, and Purdy’s price point will matter significantly as well.

Purdy, 25, has accomplished more than Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence, who inked $55MM-per-year deals this past summer. It would stand to reason those accords would be the former Mr. Irrelevant’s floor. Even if the 49ers are understandably not comfortable going into the $60MM-AAV (with a player-friendly structure) neighborhood Dak Prescott populates by himself, it will then be on the team to determine whether that Lawrence-Love territory would work. Otherwise, the team would have another year of rookie-deal control and a $40MM-plus franchise tag at its disposal.

Ray Farmer, Ryan Grigson, Mike Greenberg, Mike Borgonzi Receive Jets GM Interview Requests

January 6th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

General managers do not receive second chances nearly as often as head coaches. The Jets’ early round of interview requests has shown, however, they are quite open to the notion of a rebound GM.

After meeting with Thomas Dimitroff and Jon Robinson, the Jets have since sent interview requests to Ray Farmer and Ryan Grigson, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Farmer and Grigson, respectively, enjoyed tenures as Browns and Colts GMs during the 2010s. As could be expected, a number of candidates seeking their first GM opportunity are also in the Jets’ plans.

Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi received a Jets request, per Russini, while Schefter adds Buccaneers assistant GM Mike Greenberg did as well. Bengals senior personnel exec Trey Brown is on the Jets’ request list, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, while Eagles assistant GM Alec Halaby is as well. Halaby will interview for the position Wednesday, Pelissero adds.

Farmer has not been a part of this process for a while. Now 50, Farmer is nearly 10 years removed from his Browns GM tenure. He has conducted one GM interview — for the Jaguars’ post that went to Trent Baalke in 2021 — since the Browns fired him after the 2015 season. Once suspended for sending text messages to the sideline from his press box seat during the 2014 season — his first as Browns GM — Farmer oversaw one of the more successful seasons since Cleveland’s franchise rebooted. The Browns went 7-9 in 2014, though that year was marred by a disastrous first round that saw Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel become historic busts. Farmer is now with the Rams, working as a senior personnel exec. He picked up a Super Bowl ring for his work three years ago.

Grigson, the Colts’ GM from 2012-16, works as a Vikings exec presently. Minnesota hired him as senior VP of player personnel; he has worked under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah for two years. The two worked together in Cleveland under GM Andrew Berry as well. The Colts reached the AFC championship game under Grigson, who was present for the Andrew Luck pick, but they also struggled to build a foundation around their franchise passer, who suffered career-altering injuries to help lead to Grigson’s ouster.

The Chiefs’ success figures to make Borgonzi a popular target. Kansas City lost one of its front office pieces last year, as the Panthers hired Brandt Tilis to a non-GM post. Borgonzi works as Brett Veach‘s right-hand man presently. Borgonzi’s Chiefs tenure predates Andy Reid, as he arrived in Kansas City as a Scott Pioli hire. Borgonzi has climbed the ladder during the team’s rise, moving to the AGM post in 2021. The Commanders are the only team, however, that has met with him for a GM interview thus far.

Brown has taken a few interviews previously; ditto Greenberg. The latter grew up a Jets fan on Long Island, and Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager indicates the Bucs could be in danger losing him this year. Greenberg, who has been with the franchise for two decades, serves as the Bucs’ lead cap guru and has been chiefly responsible for the team being able to retain both members of its Super Bowl LV-winning nucleus along with Baker Mayfield.

A Kansas City-area native, Brown is 39 but has been in the NFL ranks since 2010. He has worked in the Cincinnati front office since 2020. This will be Halaby’s second offseason on the GM carousel; he met with the Commanders and Panthers last year. The Eagles promoted the analytics staffer to assistant GM in 2022, when the franchise saw four of its execs become assistant GMs elsewhere.

The Jets also sent out a host of HC interview slips Monday, and they are not committing to a GM-centric power structure. That will be a pertinent question for GM candidates, as organizational power is an obvious driver for execs and coaches. The team is not committed to hiring either position first, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indicates, adding some additional intrigue to a process that already features plenty. Woody Johnson‘s overreach has generated numerous headlines as of late, and the owner’s meddling stands to have an impact on the team’s HC and GM searches.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Still Undecided On Potential Coaching Change

January 6th, 2025 at 2:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 6: Jones and McCarthy will meet later today as part of the Cowboys’ end-of-season process, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports. It is unknown at this point if a formal contract offer will be made at that time, or if Jones will indicate a change is being contemplated. The wait continues for McCarthy and the remainder of his staff.

JANUARY 5: Cowboys brass avoided questions about head coach Mike McCarthy‘s future in the build-up to Week 18, something which is commonplace when changes on the sidelines are considered imminent. Dallas’ season has now ended, but it remains to be seen if McCarthy will be replaced.

After the Cowboys’ loss to the Commanders, owner Jerry Jones spoke to the media. He was asked the latest round of questions about McCarthy, whose contract is set to expire next week. During the year, he has routinely spoken highly of the former Packers Super Bowl winner, and to no surprise that continued on Sunday.

“I don’t know that I am considering making a change is really what I’m trying to say,” Jones replied (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) when speaking about McCarthy’s future. “Mike’s one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he’s done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach.”

That falls in line with much of Jones’ sentiment from the past several months. The 2024 season did not go to plan, as the Cowboys dealt with major injuries at a number of key positions en route to a 7-10 finish. McCarthy guided the team to three straight 12-5 campaigns prior to this year’s disappointment, but a lack of playoff success led to doubts he would be retained for this past season. Jones elected not to offer a contract extension, leaving McCarthy in a lame duck situation.

As things currently stand, Dallas is not looking into other candidates, a notable indication McCarthy has a strong chance of receiving a new contract shortly. As Jones noted, though, no timeline is currently in place regarding a final decision on that front. McCarthy and the rest of his staff are on expiring deals, so changes on the sidelines will need to be made soon if Jones elects to move in a different direction and avail himself to the top candidates in the 2025 hiring cycle. McCarthy, meanwhile, made it clear he hopes to remain in place.

“I have a lot invested here. And the Cowboys have a lot invested in me,” the 63-year-old said. “And then there’s a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction… I believe in building programs. I believe in developing young players. So, at the end of day, it is about winning and you have to have those components in place to get this thing where it needs to be. I think we have a very good foundation here.”

McCarthy could be a head coaching candidate for outside suitors in this year’s hiring cycle provided the Cowboys choose not to retain him. The Saints were recently named as a team which could target McCarthy if possible, but for now there is still (at least publicly) a mutual desire for his time with Jones in Dallas to continue next year and beyond.

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