Titans To Interview Dino Vasso For DC Job
A third name has emerged on the list of candidates for the Titans‘ defensive coordinator position. The team will look into a staffer from within the AFC South. 
Tennessee has lined up an interview with Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. This marks the first sign of interest in Vasso’s case regarding a coordinator vacancy. He was not on the DC radar previously in the 2026 hiring cycle or any others.
After a brief start to his coaching career at the college level, Vasso received his first NFL opportunity with the Chiefs in 2013. Three years as an assistant in Kansas City was followed by a move to the Eagles. Vasso worked his way up to assistant defensive coordinator, a role he held in 2020. For the past five years, he has been on the Texans’ staff.
Vasso initially joined the Texans as a cornerbacks coach; he held that role for three years. The 38-year-old’s purview was expanded slightly in 2024 with his title shifting to defensive backs coach. The Texans’ defense has certainly benefited from strong play in the secondary during recent years, and Rapoport notes both Jim Schwartz and Matt Burke have offered endorsements for Vasso.
Those strong reviews will now result in at least one interview for a coordinator position. The Titans hired Robert Saleh as their new head coach earlier this week. Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was among the coaches who will not return as part of the new staff. Saleh’s defensive background could see him call plays on that side of the ball with his new team, but even in that event his DC hire will be key. It would be interesting if Saleh were to tap a first-time D-coordinator as part of his initial staff.
Of course, the Titans’ other candidates at this point – Aaron Whitecotton (Cowboys) and Al Harris (Bears) – have never been an NFL coordinator either. Vasso will join those two in seeking out an initial opportunity in Tennessee.
Browns Arrange Second HC Interview With Nate Scheelhaase
Nate Scheelhaase was recently named as a leading candidate for the Browns‘ head coaching position. To no surprise, a second interview with the Rams pass-game coordinator has been arranged. 
Scheelhaase will conduct an in-person interview with the Browns on Monday, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Rams staffers were not able to speak with suitors this past week with the team preparing for the NFC championship game. By Monday, however, Los Angeles’ season will be over or the team will be on a bye week in advance of the Super Bowl.
This meeting will take place in California regardless of if the Rams win or lose tomorrow, Breer adds. Scheelhaase is one of several coaches involved in the NFC title game who have been drawn considerable HC interest. At the age of 35, Scheelhaase is much younger and less experienced than many other candidates in this year’s hiring cycle.
That has not stopped him from speaking with several HC-needy teams this month, however. Scheelhaase has interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders and Steelers in addition to his Browns ties. The openings in Baltimore and Pittsburgh have since been filled, but Vegas is still in need of a new head coach. Vegas has not yet attempted to set up a second Scheelhaase interview, and it will be interesting to see if the team does so given this sustained push from Cleveland.
The Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after his sixth season at the helm came to an end. Since then, a long list of replacement candidates has emerged, although two – Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter – withdrew from consideration. An outside hire is of course still possible at this time, but defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz remains a contender to be promoted to the role of head coach. Retaining Schwartz in one capacity or another is high on the team’s priority list as its search plays out.
Scheelhaase’s college coaching tenure included one season as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The following season saw him debut on an NFL sideline by serving as an offensive assistant on Sean McVay‘s staff. Scheelhaase was then promoted to his current role for the 2025 campaign. Los Angeles led the NFL in scoring this year and ranked second in passing yards.
The Rooney Rule requires teams to conduct at least two in-person interviews with minority candidates during a head coaching search. Once the Scheelhaase meeting takes place, at least one more will be required to satisfy the rule in Cleveland’s case. Here is an updated look at where things stand for the Browns:
- Aden Durde, defensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Rumored mutual interest; interview requested
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To conduct second interview 1/21; withdrew from search
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): To conduct second interview 1/22; withdrew from search
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Conducted second interview 1/20
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/9
- Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/8
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass game coordinator (Rams): To conduct second interview 1/26; considered serious candidate
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Conducted second interview 1/19; seen as favorite?
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): Conducted second interview 1/23
Jets Fire Several Assistant Coaches; Tanner Engstrand’s Future Unclear
9:00pm: Engtrand’s future with the Jets remains unclear at this time, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic confirms. He adds Glenn has reached out to “multiple offensive assistants” about calling plays. An external OC search could be forthcoming, but a number of internal decisions will need to be made first.
3:25pm: The first year of Aaron Glenn‘s tenure as head coach of the Jets has come and gone, and with it, several coaches from his first assembled staff in New York have reportedly hit the road. 
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports quarterbacks coach Charles London, passing game coordinator Scott Turner, defensive line coach Eric Washington, linebackers coach Aaron Curry, and defensive assistants Roosevelt Williams and Alonso Escalante have all been let go after their first year under Glenn in New York. Despite the dismissal of several key offensive assistant coaches, offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand notably remains in place, after Glenn dismissed defensive coordinator Steve Wilks midseason.
While it’s not uncommon for first-time head coaches to make adjustments to their staff after a first attempt, this is a pretty large amount of turnover for Glenn. After letting go of one coordinator in December, hanging on to Engstrand might have been a necessity, but per Wilson, after Engstrand’s unit finished 29th out of 32 teams in both total points and total yards, a change in structures, roles, and responsibilities was expected. That structure has yet to be strictly defined, but with the dismissal of London and Turner, it’s clear a change in the approach to the passing game is a top priority.
The Jets will obviously be looking to add a quarterback for 2026, and they’ll rely on Engstrand to build a strong support staff to either develop a young draft pick or implement a new veteran addition. New York has assembled a group of pass catchers that features Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and tight end Mason Taylor, but with free agency and the draft still to determine much of how the rest of the offense will look moving forward, putting together the right staff around the pieces they know are in place becomes a crucial consideration.
The dismissal of multiple defensive staffers was mostly expected. The unit was handicapped by the front office a bit after trades that removed star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the picture, and injury issues surely didn’t help. Still, the Jets defense allowed the second-most points of any defense in the NFL, allowed the most touchdowns through the air of any team in the NFL, and became the first defense in NFL history not to record a single interception (since interceptions became a stat).
Turning around this Jets team was already going to be a struggle for Glenn and Co., and that job got harder with the loss of some top talent over the course of Glenn’s first season. Now, New York is hitting a bit of reset in Year 2 of the 53-year-old head coach, who now needs to hire a defensive coordinator and fill three position coach openings. Once the staffing is complete, the Jets will turn their attention towards reinforcing their depleted roster with what Overthecap.com says is the fifth-most cap space in the league and two first-round picks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/24/26
Here are today’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Conference Championship teams not covered in larger posts:
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DE Larrell Murchison, LB Elias Neal
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, RB Velus Jones Jr.
Following a season-ending ACL tear to RB2 Zach Charbonnet, the Seahawks are calling up Akers and Jones to assist recently activated running back George Holani in backing up Kenneth Walker for the NFC Championship game.
Broncos Activate C Luke Wattenberg From IR; RB J.K. Dobbins Ruled Out
After losing him for the final couple weeks of the regular season and missing him in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos have activated starting center Luke Wattenberg off their injured reserve in time for tomorrow’s Conference Championship. In a corresponding move, the team placed quarterback Bo Nix on IR following his season-ending ankle injury. 
After playing every snap of the season through 15 games for the Broncos, Wattenberg appeared on the injury report leading into Week 17 with a shoulder issue. Ultimately, it was determined that he would need to be placed on IR with the possibility that he may be able to make a return at about this point of the playoffs.
Denver turned to backup center Alex Forsyth, a third-year lineman taken out of the seventh round from Oregon, to take over in Wattenberg’s absence. Forsyth had previous subbed in as a starter for four games that Wattenberg missed in 2024, as well. In his role as the backup center, Forsyth ended up having some injury issues himself. In both his Week 18 and Divisional Round starts, third-string center Sam Mustipher was tasked with filling in for a couple snaps in place of Forsyth.
Now Wattenberg returns to close out the season for the Broncos, who are limping along at this point after the injury to Nix. The team is also without veteran running back J.K. Dobbins, who was officially ruled out yesterday and will remain on IR, per Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. Additionally, second-leading wide receiver Troy Franklin seems to be trending in the wrong direction as he attempts to work through a hamstring injury.
As a result, the Broncos are utilizing their two standard gameday practice squad elevations to call up wide receivers Michael Bandy and Elijah Moore for Sunday’s game. Moore was called up last week, as well, but has still yet to make his Broncos debut. According to Tomasson, Moore was aware that he wouldn’t be playing last week and that the elevation was just a way of rewarding him with a full game check. Franklin’s hamstring issue opens the door, though, to some potential playing time for taxi squad pass catchers.
Though the offense isn’t at 100 percent, it’s the Broncos defense that’s gotten them this far. They’ll need that side of the ball to hold off the visiting Patriots enough to allow for backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, rookie running back RJ Harvey, and the rest of the offense to find success at this most crucial point of the season.
Miami T Francis Mauigoa Declares For Draft
Considered one of the top lineman prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft and a consensus first-round talent, Miami (FL) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa announced this week on his Instagram that he will forgo his senior year of college and declare for the draft. Following in the steps of last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Mauigoa projects as a potential top 10 pick after a strong finish to his college career under the brightest of lights. 
Unlike Cam Ward, who started out as a zero-star prospect and arrived in Coral Gables by way of Incarnate Ward and Washington State via transfer portal, Mauigoa arrived at the U as a consensus five-star prospect. Born in American Samoa, Mauigoa first got the attention of the recruiting world as a stellar two-way lineman at Aquinas HS (CA). He went back home for his sophomore year at Tafuna HS in American Samoa before transferring to the prestigious IMG Academy (FL), a school near Tampa known for bringing in top high school players from around the country to develop for college.
Mauigoa’s offers came early and often, rising him quickly to five-star status as the top schools in the country fought for his signature. After taking official visits to Alabama, Florida, USC, Miami, and Tennessee, Mauigoa committed to first-year Miami head coach Mario Cristobal before his senior year and became the headliner of the Hurricanes’ signing class. By the end of the recruiting cycle, 247Sports composite ranking listed him as the ninth-best overall recruit and the top offensive tackle in the nation.
As an early enrollee, Mauigoa got a headstart on his ability to make an impact as a true freshman but surprised many when he was named the starting right tackle in his first year with the team. He showed a ton of promise in his first season with the Hurricanes with elite size — listed at 6-foot-6, 335 pounds as a true freshman — and impressive strength for his age, but he still had plenty of room for improvement in his technique.
He improved with each season he played in Coral Gables, getting named second-team All-ACC as a sophomore before leaving no doubt as a consensus All-American in Year 3. For much of his junior campaign, draft pundits assessed that his skillset was more aligned for a role on the interior of the offensive line, but as each piece of game film came through, those pundits became a bit more bullish on the idea of Mauigoa sticking at tackle in the NFL. The view of him as an NFL tackle started to solidify more and more on his team’s run through to College Football Playoff, which ended with a home loss to the Hoosiers in the Playoff’s final game. Still, though, against some of the NCAA’s top competition, including several of the draft’s top pass rushing prospects, Mauigoa continued to shine with everyone watching, allowing just one sack and two pressures in 16 games.
Of some of those major draft pundits, Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s midseason ranking of Mauigoa as the 16th-best overall prospect and second-best offensive tackle is currently his lowest major ranking. ESPN contributors Mel Kiper Jr. and Matt Miller both have Mauigoa as their top offensive tackle prospect, with Miller ranking him as the seventh-best overall prospect and Kiper slotting him in at No. 8.
After a stellar 2025 season, Mauigoa has likely cemented his first-round status. Plenty of teams will be open to adding a top offensive line prospect with a high floor and potential to start at tackle or guard. Though not likely, if the Jets were to take him No. 2 overall, it would reunite Mauigoa with his older brother, Francisco Mauigoa, a rookie linebacker taken by New York in the fifth round last year. With the elder Mauigoa’s first name encompassing all the letters of younger brother’s, the two go by “Kiko” and “Sisi” to avoid confusion.
Patriots Activate Mack Hollins From IR
An already strong Patriots offense will welcome back a key reinforcement against the Broncos in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. The Patriots have activated wide receiver Mack Hollins from injured reserve. Hollins landed on IR with an abdomen injury on Dec. 27.
After a solid 2025 showing with AFC East rival Buffalo, Hollins joined New England on a two-year, $8.4MM agreement in free agency. The move reunited Hollins with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who first coached the well-traveled wideout in Las Vegas in 2022.
Hollins posted career highs in receptions (57), targets (94) and yards (690) in his lone season with the Raiders, and he was similarly productive this year before his IR stint. In his first 15 games as a Patriot, the 32-year-old Hollins hauled in 46 receptions on 65 targets, racked up 550 yards, and found the end zone twice.
Despite missing the last two games of the regular season, Hollins led Pats receivers in snaps (657), edging out Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs. The Patriots and MVP-contending quarterback Drake Maye nonetheless rattled off four straight wins without Hollins, including playoff victories over the Chargers and Texans.
With a win in Denver over backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, a former Patriot who will fill in for the injured Bo Nix, New England will earn its 12th trip to the Super Bowl. The Patriots will enter the game as rare road favorites, and the return of Hollins should further increase their chances of pulling it out.
Along with activating Hollins, the Patriots made a handful of other roster moves on Saturday. The team placed defensive tackle Eric Gregory on IR, elevated running back D’Ernest Johnson and DT Leonard Taylor from the practice squad, and released receiver Trent Sherfield from its taxi squad.
Sherfield, who played 10 games with the Broncos this season, signed with the Patriots on Jan. 13. There’s little doubt the Patriots quizzed Sherfield on the Broncos during his short stay in New England.
Klay Kubiak Withdraws From HC Searches
Although he has been a candidate in multiple head coaching searches this month, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has removed himself from consideration, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Kubiak will remain in San Francisco in 2026.
The 37-year-old Kubiak drew attention from the Steelers and Raiders in this winter’s hiring cycle. The news of Kubiak’s withdrawal came shortly before the Steelers agreed to hire Mike McCarthy as their head coach. Meanwhile, the Raiders haven’t found Pete Carroll’s replacement yet, but we know it won’t be Kubiak.
There’s still a possibility Klay’s brother, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, will land the Las Vegas job. Both Kubiaks have interviewed for the position. The Bills, Browns and Cardinals are the only other teams with vacancies.
A former Colorado State quarterback, Klay Kubiak has garnered all of his NFL coaching experience with the 49ers. He joined the organization as a defensive quality control coach in 2021. Kubiak spent the next two years as the 49ers’ assistant quarterbacks coach before working as their offensive passing game specialist in 2024.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan promoted Kubiak to offensive coordinator in 2025, a year in which the 49ers overcame a rash of key injuries to finish seventh in yards and 10th in scoring. Backup quarterback Mac Jones started in place of an injured Brock Purdy eight times, tight end George Kittle missed six games, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall sat out eight, and fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk didn’t play at all.
Shanahan continued as the 49ers’ primary play-caller during their injury-ravaged 2025. Nevertheless, Kubiak is important enough to the coaching staff that Shanahan would block other teams from hiring him as an offensive coordinator.
“He’s our offensive coordinator, so I don’t know, why would you let him be somebody else’s offensive coordinator,” Shanahan said last week.
For his part, Kubiak prefers to continue working with Shanahan, according to Russini. Shanahan has been the 49ers’ head coach since 2017, but he has only given the OC title to Kubiak and Mike McDaniel. While McDaniel held the role for just one season before he left to become the Dolphins’ head coach in 2022, Kubiak is now poised for a multiyear stint. With another productive season in 2026, Kubiak may reemerge as a name to watch during next winter’s hiring cycle.
Raiders Interview Brian Daboll For HC
The number of open head coaching positions and top coaching candidates are both starting to dwindle as six of the 10 open positions this offseason have been filled. Having seen two of the three candidates they invited for second interviews land jobs elsewhere, the Raiders continue to expand their board. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll interviewed for the open job in Las Vegas today. 
Since his midseason dismissal from New York, Daboll has remained a name to watch for head coaching jobs in this cycle. He was one of 18 coaches interviewed for the top job in Tennessee, and just recently interviewed for the Bills‘ open job. With his latest interest from the Raiders, Daboll only has two options available, but if Vegas thinks they’re ready to hire Daboll, they may want to move fast to make it happen, considering the 50-year-old made it known that Buffalo was his preferred destination. His four years as offensive coordinator with the Bills was what got him a head coaching opportunity in the first place, after all.
Daboll hasn’t just been getting head coaching interest coming out of his first tenure in a lead position. With some programs remembering the work he did as OC in Buffalo before he landed in New York, he’s garnered some offensive coordinator interest, as well. Daboll was set to interview for the open job with the Chargers before it became known that the team was expected to hire former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to the role, and he did interview this past week for the OC role in Philadelphia. McDaniel’s continued availability for other positions may mean that job isn’t quite closed to Daboll, though.
Daboll was also mentioned as a candidate for the Titans’ OC job, but he has yet to interview for it. Similar to what he said with a head coaching opportunity in Buffalo, Daboll made it known that the OC opportunity in Nashville would be his preferred destination, if he’s unable to land a head coaching gig.
As for Vegas, former Chargers DC Jesse Minter landed with Baltimore as head coach after two rounds of interviews with the Raiders, and former Packers’ DC Jeff Hafley came off the board before he could make it out to his scheduled second interview in Vegas, landing the job in Miami. The only candidate who has completed two interviews with the Raiders who is still available is another defensive coordinator in Carolina’s Ejiro Evero. After other candidates either landed elsewhere or withdrew from consideration for the position, Las Vegas has nine candidates, other than Daboll, with whom they’ve conducted a preliminary interview.
Here’s how the Raiders’ coaching search is shaping up at this latest point of the process:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/18
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/24
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Conducted second interview 1/20
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): To conduct second interview 1/21
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/8
- Klay Kubiak, offensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/18
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/19
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Conducted second interview 1/20
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Kevin Stefanski, former head coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/8; withdrew from search
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/7
49ers Don’t Expect To Trade Mac Jones
Then in the market for a capable backup to starting quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers brought in Mac Jones on a two-year, $7MM contract last March. The move paid off in 2025 for San Francisco, which earned a playoff berth despite turning to Jones as its starter for almost half the season.
With injuries holding Purdy out of eight games, Jones helped the 49ers to a 5-3 mark during a 12-win campaign for the club. Across 11 appearances, Jones posted career highs in completion percentage (69.6), yards per attempt (7.4), passer rating (97.4) and QBR (62.9). The 27-year-old fired 13 touchdowns against six interceptions along the way.
Before teaming up with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Jones endured a couple of down years as a Patriots starter and a Jaguars backup. The 15th overall pick in 2021, Jones finished second to Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. The Alabama product also helped lead the Patriots to the playoffs then, but the team peaked under Jones that season.
After back-to-back subpar years, the Patriots sold low on Jones in sending him to the Jags for a sixth-round pick in 2024. While logging seven starts in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence in his lone year in Jacksonville, Jones’ struggles continued.
Departing Jacksonville for San Francisco led to Jones’ revival under Shanahan, making it conceivable that quarterback-needy teams could inquire about his availability this offseason. Bringing in Jones and his $2.81MM base salary may be an attractive option for clubs seeking a veteran QB who can at least compete for a starting job. As you’d expect, though, the 49ers’ public stance is that Jones will remain in their uniform in 2026.
On the potential of dealing Jones, Shanahan stated (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area): “As any player on our team, including myself and John (Lynch), you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”
Lynch echoed Shanahan’s sentiments, adding, “Like Kyle said, you always listen, but I know we’re a better football team with Mac Jones on our roster.”
While Jones’ presence benefited the 49ers in 2025, Purdy is locked in as their starter. With that in mind, an offseason trade involving the 49ers’ clear-cut backup may be on the table if a competitive enough offer comes along. A mid-November report identified Jones as a “prime trade candidate,” and it’s worth noting that he turned down better offers last March before latching on with the 49ers. It’s unknown which teams lost out on Jones in free agency then, but perhaps they’ll circle back on the trade market this year.