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Lions Notes: Branch, Campbell, Gibbs, LaPorta, Decker, Glasgow, Anzalone

By | at January 16, 2026 2:16 pm

Although the Lions went 9-8 and missed the playoffs, they have a champagne problem approaching on their roster. The 2023 draft produced four impact starters, delivering Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch. All are now extension-eligible, with Gibbs and Campbell having fifth-year options that could move their contracts through 2027. Brad Holmes views all four as priorities.

“When me and Dan (Campbell} first started we said we’re going to take the path of draft, develop and sign our own, and I do think that, that has worked so far in terms of getting us to this point,” the sixth-year GM said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett), specifying Branch and LaPorta’s injuries do not affect their long-term statuses. “So yeah, those guys are priorities because they’re really good players. They represent everything that we’re about. So yeah, I would say that those are all priorities.”

Our Adam La Rose tackled this issue in a recent mailbag, and while it might be unrealistic for the Lions to retain all four, Holmes voicing support for it is interesting given the commitments the team has already made to core performers. The Lions have extended Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jared Goff, Taylor Decker, Alim McNeill, Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson since April 2024. Gibbs has come up as a 2026 extension candidate, while Branch is unlikely to be paid in the offseason due to his December Achilles tear. Jack Campbell’s case is trickier due to no off-ball LB’s option being exercised since the Buccaneers’ Devin White move in 2022, but Campbell being a first-team All-Pro may change the equation. Otherwise, he would join Branch and LaPorta as contract-year players in 2026.

Here is the latest out of Detroit:

  • Taylor Decker is planning to take multiple months to consider playing an 11th season. We heard in December Decker was considering retirement. The 10-year Lions left tackle played through a shoulder injury all season. “I need to make informed decisions,” Decker said, via Birkett. “I need to get second opinions. There’s a lot that I have to do, because I want to make this decision moving forward informed. And I don’t want to make it emotionally because if I make it emotionally, I already know what the answer is going to be.” Decker, who missed three games this season, is signed through 2027 via the three-year, $60MM deal he inked in 2024. The 32-year-old blocker has started 140 games, being part of a few top-tier Lions O-lines.
  • Graham Glasgow and Dan Skipper are also considering walking away, according to Birkett. A back injury has prompted Skipper, 31, to consider retiring after nine NFL seasons. Sixty-six of the backup tackle’s 69 career games have come with Detroit. Glasgow could retire, per Birkett, if the Lions ditch his contract. Glasgow, who returned to Detroit in 2023 and succeeded Frank Ragnow at center this season, is due a nonguaranteed $6.5MM in the final year of his three-year, $20MM contract.
  • Ragnow returned to the news cycle briefly in preparing to unretire, but a failed physical nixed that. The Lions did not go into last year’s draft knowing their All-Pro center would walk away, Holmes said (via ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard). While Holmes acknowledged the team knew a Ragnow retirement was in play, he did not let the team know until May. Ragnow, 29, is expected to remain retired.
  • LaPorta’s third season ended after Week 10 due to back surgery, but the extension candidate said (via Woodyard) he is aiming to be ready for OTAs. While Dan Campbell yanked the play sheet from OC John Morton before eventually firing him, LaPorta was on pace for his best season during the one-and-done OC’s time calling the shots. LaPorta averaged a career-best 54.3 yards per game in 2025.
  • The Lions want to re-sign Alex Anzalone, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but the veteran linebacker returning is being pegged as a 50-50 proposition. With a Campbell extension perhaps in the offing and the Lions having given Derrick Barnes a three-year, $24MM deal (which calls for $8MM guaranteed in 2026), money might be too tight to give Anzalone another deal. The ex-Saints draftee has been with the Lions throughout Campbell and Holmes’ five-year stays. An extension for Anzalone, 32, did not come up for the Lions last year.
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Eagles Arrange Zac Robinson OC Interview

By | at January 16, 2026 12:45 pm

Zac Robinson drew extensive OC interest during the 2024 hiring period, but the Falcons are overhauling their football operation after firing Raheem Morris. Robinson is likely headed elsewhere, and he remains an interesting candidate.

After Buccaneers and Lions meetings, Robinson is set to speak with the Eagles about their OC vacancy, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Robinson will meet with Philadelphia today.

The Eagles have been connected to four former HCs for this job — Mike McDaniel, Kliff Kingsbury, Brian Daboll, Kevin Stefanski — but it is unclear if any will interview. Philly has also been mentioned as doing work on new LSU OC Charlie Weis Jr. Robinson, however, marks the first known meeting for this job.

Although Nick Sirianni is an offense-oriented coach, he has not called plays in Philly since midway through the 2021 season. The Eagles are planning to keep this setup, giving their OC hire autonomy over a talented offense — albeit one that has been known for odd-year underachievement. The Eagles fired (or perhaps demoted) Kevin Patullo this week, doing so two years after ousting Brian Johnson following his first season in the role.

Tasked with preparing Kirk Cousins to take over in 2024 while developing an entirely different passer in Michael Penix Jr., Robinson was seen as a firing candidate had Morris retained the Atlanta HC position. The Falcons ranked 24th offensively this season, one that featured Penix struggles before a season-ending injury. Though, Robinson coaxed a quality contract year from Kyle Pitts and had Bijan Robinson over 2,000 scrimmage yards — an NFL-leading 2,298 — for the first time. It would not appear Robinson will be asked back in Atlanta, but it also seems like there is enough early interest to allow for a second-chance OC post — rather than dropping back to a position coaching role.

Robinson, 39, also carries additional appeal from his background on Sean McVay‘s staff. Robinson spent five years on the Rams’ staff before following Morris to Atlanta. The Eagles have not used any ex-McVay or Kyle Shanahan staffers in their OC role just yet. Looking for their fifth OC in five years, the Eagles must interview at least one external minority candidate to comply with the Rooney Rule.

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Kliff Kingsbury Interviewed For Ravens’ HC, OC Positions; Team Could Follow Same Pattern With Mike McDaniel

By | at January 16, 2026 11:16 am

Baltimore’s offensive coordinator position is still technically filled by Todd Monken at this point. A departure in his case is widely expected, however.

[RELATED: HC Search Tracker]

That reality has apparently played a factor in the Ravens’ ongoing head coaching search. Kliff Kingsbury met with the team earlier this week. That summit was one of many head coaching interviews Baltimore has conducted since the firing of John Harbaugh, but ESPN’s Peter Schrager noted during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link) that Kingsbury also interviewed for the offensive coordinator gig.

That represents a further sign Monken is set to coach elsewhere in 2026. Following John Harbaugh to the Giants is a distinct possibility, although the veteran OC is also in position to interview for a second time with the Browns for their HC gig. In any case, the Ravens are preparing to move on at the offensive coordinator spot. Kingsbury would certainly be one of the top candidates for that role, and Schrager noted to no surprise the former Cardinals coach would relish the chance to work with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Kingsbury had a two-year run coaching another dual-threat QB in the form of Jayden Daniels. The 46-year-old turned down head coaching interest last year based on the success enjoyed during Daniels’ rookie season. Things played out much differently in 2025, though, and a decision was made by Kingsbury and head coach Dan Quinn to part ways. A second HC gig could be in store this cycle, but as Schrager notes – and as the nature of his Ravens meeting illustrates – a new offensive coordinator opportunity (perhaps with the Eagles) looms as a distinct possibility as well.

Mike McDaniel finds himself in a similar position to Kingsbury at the moment. The ex-Dolphins head coach is among the top offensive candidates on the market. A number of links to open OC positions have been made in his case, but McDaniel is also set to interview with the Ravens for their head coaching spot. Per Schrager, the 42-year-old could also speak with Baltimore about the team’s OC opening. It will be interesting to see if that takes place and if so whether or not Kingsbury or McDaniel will become finalists for either position.

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Browns To Conduct Second HC Interviews With Jim Schwartz, Todd Monken

By | at January 16, 2026 9:53 am

Attention around the NFL will soon turn to the matter of second head coaching interviews. In the case of the Browns, one internal candidate will receive another look.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is set to interview with the team for a second time, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The follow-up meeting will take place on Monday, she adds. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees also took part in an initial interview with Cleveland, but Cabot adds he is not expected to conduct a follow-up.

Schwartz has further cemented his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds during his Browns tenure. His unit ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed in 2023 and fourth in that capacity this past season. The 59-year-old has received a number of endorsements from Browns players, and given today’s update the possibility remains Schwartz – whose only other interview to date has been with the Ravens – will become Kevin Stefanski‘s successor.

Schwartz served as an NFL head coach from 2009-13. His Lions tenure produced a record of just 29-51, but subsequent success as a D-coordinator has opened the door to interest in a second HC gig. Expectations would no doubt remain high on defense in Cleveland’s case in the event Schwartz were to take over, but it would be interesting to see how his offensive staff would be filled out in such a scenario.

Another target for a second Browns interview has emerged. During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast (video link), ESPN’s Peter Schrager reported that Todd Monken is expected to speak with Cleveland once again. The current Ravens offensive coordinator has long been mentioned as a strong candidate to follow John Harbaugh to his next destination. That means a Giants hire in Monken’s case is anticipated by many. According to Schrager, however, arrangements are being made for the Browns to conduct a follow-up interview on Tuesday in Monken’s case.

In 2019, Monken served as Cleveland’s OC. That one-year stint was followed by a successful run at Georgia and three seasons in Baltimore (the first two of which were highly productive). Monken, 59, is a candidate to return to the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator, pending the status of talks with the Giants he is likely to take part in shortly. The possibility of a head coaching opportunity could of course complicate any potential deal with New York.

Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for Cleveland:

10 comments Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns

Chris Shula Arranges Ravens, Steelers, Dolphins HC Interviews

By | at January 16, 2026 9:02 am

With preparation for the team’s divisional round game reaching its conclusion, a number of Rams staffers will spend Friday conducting initial interviews for head coaching positions. That includes Chris Shula. 

Los Angeles’ defensive coordinator is among the most popular candidates on the coaching market this year. All but one team with a HC vacancy has submitted an interview request in his case, and Shula figures to be busy over the coming days. He will speak with the Ravens, Steelers and Dolphins today, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports.

All three of those teams have cast a wide net in terms of candidates, but it comes as little surprise Shula is a target in each case. The 39-year-old has drawn praise for his work leading the Rams’ defense over the past two years. Prior to replacing Raheem Morris as the team’s DC, Shula held a number of roles in Los Angeles. He also has one year of defensive coordinator experience at the college level (albeit with Division-III program John Carroll).

The grandson of Don Shula, Chris is one of many staffers with a defensive background who has drawn considerable interest in this year’s cycle. That, coupled with his age, would certainly make him a logical fit with Pittsburgh in particular. The Steelers opted for a first-time head coach in their 30s with experience on defense for each of their last three HC hires (Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin). Shula is among the top options available who fit that description.

Pittsburgh could still take the route of an offensive coach, with the team having shown interest in candidates from that side of the ball as well. The same is also true of Baltimore; the team’s search for a John Harbaugh replacement includes a wide range of targets. Several ex-head coaches have interviewed already, but less experienced staffers have received a look as well. Shula is no doubt one of the main candidates on the latter front for Baltimore and other teams.

Don Shula spent 26 years of his illustrious head coaching career in Miami, so Chris would face the challenge of filling very large shoes in the event he were to take on HC duties there. The Dolphins have a long-running streak of hiring first-time coaches, and tapping one with a defensive background would mark a notable departure from the Mike McDaniel era. With longtime Packers exec Jon-Eric Sullivan now in place as general manager, many have pointed to Jeff Hafley as a likely Dolphins hire. Miami will of course speak with other candidates, however.

Per NFL rules, each of these interviews must be conducted remotely. The first round of meetings for staffers in Shula’s position (those set to participate in this weekend’s games) must be completed before the end of the divisional round. As such, a full list of his potential destinations will soon emerge.

5 comments Baltimore Ravens Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Pittsburgh Steelers

Giants Likely To Hire Todd Monken As OC

By | at January 15, 2026 11:03 pm

The Giants are poised to become the first team to make an official head coaching hire in 2026. John Harbaugh is finalizing an agreement to head to New York.

Once that takes place, attention will turn to Harbaugh’s staffing choices. He is naturally expected to being a number of Ravens coaches with him, and that includes a likely offensive coordinator transition. Todd Monken is a strong target of Harbaugh’s, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. A Monken agreement is expected to make him the team’s next offensive coordinator, which would come as no surprise.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo confirms Monken is the “frontrunner” for New York’s OC spot at this point. Nothing is finalized at this time, with a formal search required before a hire can be made. Once Harbaugh is officially in place, he will also have to make a decision on the fate of interim head coach Mike Kafka, who served as the Giants’ offensive coordinator prior to Brian Daboll‘s firing. Brining in Monken would presumably lead Kafka elsewhere as the coaching landscape takes shape.

According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Monken – who is still under contract with the Ravens for now – “expects” to be offered the OC gig in New York. Notably, Stroud adds that Harbaugh and Monken have not spoken with each other since news of the pending Giants deal broke in Harbaugh’s case. Discussions between the two should be expected shortly. Of course, other options have been explored by Monken aside from the strong possibility of following Harbaugh to his next destination.

The Browns conducted an interview with Monken last week for their head coaching vacancy. A reunion with the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator has also been floated, with an interview being arranged recently. Between the Harbaugh news and today’s updates, however, it would come as a surprise if Monken did not find himself guiding the Giants’ offense in 2026.

A young core led by quarterback Jaxson Dart appealed to Harbaugh and played a role in the mutual interest which was seen between team and coach leading up to their agreement. Provided he takes on OC duties, Monken will be tasked with overseeing Dart’s second year and his development alongside the likes of wideout Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. An agreement on that front would leave one of the most experienced coordinator candidates off the market for other suitors.

19 comments Baltimore Ravens New York Giants

Latest On John Harbaugh: Giants, Contract, Manning, Staff, Titans, Falcons

By | at January 15, 2026 11:02 pm

John Harbaugh‘s impending deal with the Giants will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league. According to Jordan Schultz, the contract is expected to be worth nearly $100MM over five years.

[RELATED: John Harbaugh Expected To Become Giants’ Next HC, Pending Finalized Agreement]

It’s not a surprise that Harbaugh will earn such a lucrative payday; there were rumblings that the Giants were basically willing to pay him whatever he wanted. The nearly $20MM average annual salary would top the rumored $17MM annual salary he was earning in Baltimore, and it would rival the lucrative contracts signed by Andy Reid ($20MM/year) and Sean Payton ($18MM/year).

Of course, money wasn’t the only reason that Harbaugh committed to the Giants, as it sounds like other suitors were willing to open the check books for the former Super Bowl-winning coach. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Titans had an offer ready for Harbaugh and were willing to do whatever it took to get him in Tennessee. Harbaugh had a meeting scheduled with the Titans for this morning, and Rapoport notes that Titans leadership was indeed planning to fly to the coach’s Maryland home today. However, the organization was informed last night that Harbaugh was finalizing his deal with the Giants.

Harbaugh did his research prior to his handshake deal with the Giants, reaching out to coaches, executives, and even former players. According to Russini, Harbaugh talked with Giants GM Joe Schoen everyday after he was let go by the Ravens. The coach also reached out to a number of the positional coaches from Brian Daboll’s staff to “pick their brains on the state of the roster,” per Connor Hughes of SNYtv. To top it all off, Harbaugh even spoke with Eli Manning about the opportunity, according to veteran reporter Gary Myers.

Now, Harbaugh will be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made two postseason appearances since their Super Bowl XLVI victory. Some pundits initially wondered if Harbaugh may avoid a relatively tough NFC East. However, Ian O’Connor of The Athletic notes that when he pointed out that the Falcons and the NFC South would represent the easiest playoff path for the coach, Harbaugh’s camp indicated that he wasn’t afraid of the NFC East competition.

To help him top the division and return to relevance, Harbaugh will have to fill out his coaching staff. We heard earlier today that Ravens OC Todd Monken was likely to join his former boss in the same role in New York, and a number of other coaches are expected to follow. According to Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports, Harbaugh will likely “bring a lot of his Ravens staff” to New York, and the new head coach isn’t anticipating resistance from the Ravens. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic echoes that sentiment, although the reporter warns that the Ravens may try to retain a handful of their preferred coaches.

Harbaugh may also be recruiting some members of previous staffs to New York. According to Hughes, Anthony Weaver is among the Giants targets for defensive coordinator. Weaver spent three years on Harbaugh’s staff in Baltimore, serving as the team’s defensive line coach. He was a candidate to replace Mike Macdonald as the Ravens defensive coordinator in 2022, but Harbaugh ended up opting for Zach Orr, opening the door for Weaver to leave for the DC role in Miami. Now, Harbaugh has a chance to reunite with the coach in his next stop.

14 comments Baltimore Ravens New York Giants Tennessee Titans

Pro Football Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 1/15/26

By | at January 15, 2026 11:01 pm

Pro Football Rumors' Sam Robinson will be holding a live chat at 4pm Central today, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers!

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Falcons Prefer To Hire HC Before GM

By | at January 15, 2026 11:00 pm

The Falcons have a new president of football in Matt Ryan, who landed the job on Jan. 10 despite a lack of front office experience. The former Falcons and Colts quarterback and ex-CBS analyst immediately took on the task of finding a new general manager and head coach for Atlanta. Both positions are vacant after owner Arthur Blank fired Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris on the heels of a second straight 8-9 season.

The Falcons’ head coach and GM searches are occurring concurrently, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team would prefer to hire a head coach before a GM, though, Albert Breer of SI.com says. That isn’t a surprise, as Ryan is already in place as the de facto GM.

Blank said last week that Ryan has “final decision-making authority,” meaning he’ll outrank Fontenot’s replacement. However, Ryan insists Atlanta’s next GM will not be a figurehead.

“The final decisions that I am going to have to make is who we hire, but we are empowering (the HC and GM) to go out there and do their job and I have expressed that in the interviews that we have had,” Ryan stated (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic).

Ryan hasn’t conducted any GM interviews, but some of the candidates he beat out for his job may be in the running, per Ledbetter. Lions chief operating officer Mike Disner, Panthers executive vice president of operations Brandt Tilis, 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham interviewed for the president of football position. Those meetings also counted as GM interviews, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports). It’s unclear if the Falcons will hold more discussions with anyone from that group.

Turning to the Falcons’ head coaching search, Blank revealed that Ryan has led the interviews (via Ledbetter). Ryan has met with eight candidates so far, including John Harbaugh, but he’ll come off the board when he finalizes an agreement with the Giants. Here’s the entire group the Falcons have considered so far, courtesy of PFR’s HC Search Tracker:

Coaches with defensive backgrounds comprise the majority of the list. That’s OK with Ryan, who said he’s not pushing for an offensive-minded hire (via Kendall). When Ryan makes his pick, he won’t meddle into how that individual puts together a coaching staff. Rather, Blank said Ryan will enable the coach to pick his assistants, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays. Blank has made it clear he’d prefer for the next head coach to retain defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. However, if Morris’ successor doesn’t want to keep Ulbrich, it seems he’ll be allowed to hire a different D-coordinator.

18 comments Atlanta Falcons

Micah Parsons Doesn’t Expect To Open 2026 On IR; Week 3 Return Possible

By | at January 15, 2026 10:11 pm

Then 9-3-1 and riding a four-game winning streak, Green Bay was rolling heading into Denver for a Week 15 clash with the Broncos. The wheels began falling off for the Packers that afternoon in a 34-26 defeat. Adding injury to insult, the Packers lost their best defensive player, superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons, to a torn ACL.

Parsons’ injury was a fatal blow to the Packers, who failed to win a game without him. They closed the regular season with four straight defeats before limping into a wild-card matchup against the archrival Bears. The Packers stormed out to a 21-3 halftime lead, but the Bears flipped the script in the second half and pulled off a shocking 31-28 win.

While the Packers are stewing over a brutal end to their season, they at least received some good news earlier this week. Parsons said he doesn’t expect to open the 2026 campaign on injured reserve, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. Doing so would keep Parsons out for at least four games, but he’s aiming to make his season debut in either Week 3 or Week 4.

After beginning his career in Dallas, where he earned first-team All-Pro honors three times in four years, Parsons joined the Packers with great fanfare last summer in a stunning late-August trade. Months of drama between Parsons and owner Jerry Jones culminated in the Cowboys sending the 26-year-old to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The Packers immediately handed Parsons a four-year, $188MM extension with $136MM in guarantees.

Parsons lived up to the hype and the mammoth contract in his first 14 games as a Packer. With 12.5 sacks, he became the first player to amass a dozen or more in each of his first five seasons. He also tallied 79 pressures, 26 QB hits, 12 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Parsons ended the year as Pro Football Focus’ third-ranked edge rusher out of 188 qualifiers. In PFF’s estimation, only Myles Garrett and Will Anderson had better seasons than Parsons, who made his fifth straight Pro Bowl.

Parsons underwent successful knee surgery on Dec. 29. Barring setbacks, a healthy return will go a long way in helping the Packers rebound from a 2025 campaign that started with promise but ended with a collapse. Parsons’ absence proved crucial during a four-game stretch in which the Packers mustered just four sacks.

7 comments Green Bay Packers
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