Vonn Bell Joins Colorado’s Coaching Staff
Vonn Bell did not announce his retirement at any point, but the longtime NFL safety has lined up the first gig in his post-playing days. Bell has been announced as a member of Deion Sanders‘ staff at Colorado. 
Bell will work as the team’s safeties coach in 2026. That comes as no surprise, since he played that position for nine years in the NFL. The 31-year-old was on the market throughout this past season, lining up a workout with the Steelers in October. No deal was worked out, and he did not catch on with a team through the remainder of the campaign.
A second-round pick of the Saints in 2016, Bell immediately took on a starting role in New Orleans. He played out his rookie contract before landing a three-year Bengals pact during his first trip to free agency. The Ohio State product was a first-team staple during his first Cincinnati stint, which included a run to the Super Bowl in 2021.
When his Bengals contract expired, Bell landed another three-year commitment. Joining the Panthers on a $22.5MM deal, he was expected to operate as a key figure in Carolina. However, Bell wound up being released after only one year with the team. That set up a Bengals reunion worth the veteran minimum. Bell reprised his role as a Cincinnati starter at first, but by the end of the campaign he had been relegated to special teams duties.
After going one year without managing to line up an NFL opportunity, Bell will now turn his attention to coaching instead of going through the free agent process once more. In all, he totaled 151 regular and postseason appearances in the league and amassed roughly $36MM in career earnings.
Bills Restructure T Spencer Brown’s Deal
Spencer Brown will handle right tackle duties in Buffalo for a sixth straight season in 2026. He will do so at a reduced rate in terms of his cap charge. 
[RELATED: Previewing Bills’ Offseason]
When speaking to reporters at the NFL Combine, Bills general manager Brandon Beane revealed (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg) Brown’s contract has been restructured. The veteran was due to count $19.3MM against the cap in 2026. Now, Brown’s charge for next season will be $8.97MM.
In September 2024, team and player worked out an extension agreement in this case. Brown’s $72MM pact is still scheduled to run through 2028. Next season will be the final one in which guaranteed salaries are included, though, and a substantial jump in cap charges are set to take place for 2027 and ’28. Further adjustments may be pursued in the future as a result.
Brown has made between 13 and 17 appearances each year so far in his career, and continued durability will of course be welcomed by Buffalo. The 28-year-old drew poor PFF reviews during his first two seasons, but he has been a strong performer in that regard since 2023. Remaining a key presence up front will be key for the Bills as the team faces the possibility of losing two O-line starters from this past season.
Brown, left tackle Dion Dawkins and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence are each under contract for 2026. Center Connor McGovern and left guard David Edwards are both pending free agents, however. Losing one or both would obviously create the need for additions along the interior in Buffalo’s case. Thanks to this Brown restructure, the Bills are closer to achieving cap compliance, as they are currently $6.28MM over the 2026 ceiling.
Klint Kubiak: Raiders Pursuing RB Additions
The Raiders’ offense will look much different in 2026 compared to this past season, but running back Ashton Jeanty will of course still have a major role to play. The rest of the team’s backfield depth chart could see considerable turnover this offseason. 
[Offseason Outlook: Las Vegas Raiders]
During his rookie season, Jeanty played every game and logged 266 carries. A heavy workload would come as no surprise in Year 2 for the former sixth overall pick, but adding depth at the running back spot is a priority for Las Vegas. Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed as much when speaking at the Combine.
“We definitely want to have a two-man show, guys that can share the load,” Kubiak said (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “It’s a long season. You don’t want to put all the carries and targets on one guy. So right now we’re identifying guys that are available in the draft, identifying free agents we might go after, looking at our own roster and seeing who can share that. It’s important that Jeanty has a wingman.”
Zamir White played out the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, appearing in only six games. Free agent addition Raheem Mostert played in 12 games but was similarly ineffective on offense. Both backs are set to reach the open market in March, and it would come as little surprise if a departure took place in each case. That could set the Raiders up for a veteran addition via free agency as well as a draft investment in March.
Vegas is currently second in the NFL with just over $89MM in cap space. That would make it viable to win a bidding war for someone like Kenneth Walker, the top running back on track to test the market (given the Jets’ willingness to tag Breece Hall). A big-ticket investment on the Raiders’ part with Jeanty already in place would be a perplexing use of resources, though. A modest deal for one of the older backs in free agency would likely be much more feasible. With 10 selections in April’s draft, Vegas will also have ample opportunity to add another RB on a rookie contract to pair with Jeanty.
A number of key decisions need to be made before the Raiders take the expected route of drafting Fernando Mendoza first overall. That includes an evaluation of Geno Smith and the team’s quarterback options for the spring. However, the running back position will also be one to watch in Vegas’ case.
AFC Staff Updates: McSorley, Ravens, Raiders
Former backup NFL quarterback Trace McSorley has continued his transition to the coaching world. After working last year as assistant quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Penn State, McSorley has earned his first NFL coaching job as an offensive assistant with the Bills, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
A former sixth-round pick for the Ravens in 2019, McSorley enjoyed a short career as a backup quarterback in Baltimore and Arizona. Over six years in the NFL, McSorley made one start in nine game appearances. He completed 48 of 93 pass attempts for 412 passing yards, one touchdown, and five interceptions in his career as a player.
With former offensive coordinator Joe Brady getting promoted to head coach, McSorley will join the team of coaches working with star quarterback Josh Allen in 2026. He joins newly hired quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree, who came over from Tennessee earlier this month, and newly promoted assistant quarterbacks coach Kyle Shurmur, who served as an offensive quality control coach in Buffalo last year.
Here are a couple other minor staff updates from around the AFC:
- In Baltimore, the Ravens are reportedly set to add Matt O’Donnell to their staff on defense, according to Zenitz. Previously an assistant linebackers coach in Miami, O’Donnell is expected to assume the same role after following defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver to the Ravens.
- Lastly, ESPN’s Seth Walder reported this week that the Raiders have hired Rohit Mogalayapalli away from the Texans. During his time in Houston, Mogalayapalli served as assistant director of special projects and game management. He now joins the fast-growing staff of new head coach Klint Kubiak in Las Vegas.
Newest Updates To Browns’ Defensive Coaching Staff
Though former Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz departed from Cleveland when he was not promoted to the head coaching role, the team’s defensive coaching staff will retain several familiar faces. The Browns will also add a storied name to their staff as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Dom Capers has been hired in Cleveland as a senior defensive assistant. 
Joining the defensive staff of a rookie defensive coordinator, Capers offers a wealth of coordinator experience. He first served as an NFL defensive coordinator with the Steelers from 1992-94. After only three years, Capers landed a head coaching job with the Panthers. Following his tenure in Carolina, a similar pattern played out with Capers assuming a coordinator position in Jacksonville for two years before landing his second head coaching opportunity with the Texans. In the wake of his departure from Houston, Capers landed in Miami as defensive coordinator for a couple years before enjoying a nine-year tenure in that role with the Packers.
Capers last served as a defensive coordinator in 2017. In the years since, he has offered his services as a senior defensive assistant to several franchises. Starting in 2019, Capers worked one-year roles with the Jaguars, Vikings, Lions, and Broncos before spending the last three years with the Panthers. He’ll now continue his NFL tour, making the Browns the 12th NFL franchise to employ his services.
Following the hiring of former Falcons defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg as defensive coordinator, the Browns have surprisingly been able to hold onto several assistants who had been candidates for the coordinator job granted to Rutenberg with the help of a few promotions. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, one such assistant was safeties coach Ephraim Banda who has had the moniker of defensive passing game coordinator added to his title. In addition to Cleveland’s open job, Banda interviewed this offseason for coordinator opportunities in Dallas and New England, as well. With interest in Banda as a coordinator increasing in recent years, the Browns saw fit to reward him with a new title.
Another assistant who had been a candidate for the Browns’ coordinator job, linebackers coach Jason Tarver has similarly had the moniker of run game coordinator added to his title for 2026, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Unlike Banda, Tarver’s only path to a coordinator position this offseason was via promotion, though he was a rumored candidate in the Raiders’ fast-moving process.
Joining in on the fun, cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch has also been given a promotion to remain in Cleveland. Per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS, Lynch has been named defensive backs coach/pass game specialist for the 2026 season. Lynch interviewed for the defensive coordinator position in Tennessee two years ago and is widely seen as a future DC in the league. He’ll remain in Cleveland for now, though, working with Banda on the Browns’ secondary and defensive pass game.
With Lynch coming off cornerbacks, specifically, defensive quality control coach Jeff Anderson has also been granted a promotion to nickels coach, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Cleveland blocked Anderson from interviewing with the Titans for a similar job, as they intended to promote him themselves.
The last change to the defensive staff in Cleveland comes in the form of a departure. Adam Morris, who served as the Browns assistant defensive line coach in 2025, has departed to take on the edge coach/defensive run game coordinator position at Vanderbilt, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.
NFL Scouting Combine Rumors: Reese, McCoy, Giants, Proctor
Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese is widely seen as a consensus top 5 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but top five picks don’t usually go to off-ball linebackers. Reese is just the latest in a line of prospects in recent years who made a name for themselves as linebackers in college before ultimately becoming pass rushers in the NFL. He confirmed as much at the NFL Scouting Combine, telling reporters that he would participate in drills for both off-ball linebackers and edge rushers in Indianapolis (per Dane Brugler of The Athletic) but prefers to play outside linebacker and rush the passer (per ESPN’s Turron Davenport).
As a true freshman for the Buckeyes in 2023, concussions and a depth chart that included players like Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg relegated Reese to eight games-worth of special teams duties. When he finally got opportunities on defense as a sophomore, Reese held a role solely as LB3, with only six snaps coming up close to the line as an edge. As a full-time starter in 2025, though, Reese’s time on defense was split nearly down the middle between linebacker and edge rusher with just 41 more snaps coming on the edge. Ohio State endeavored to use Reese where he was most effective this year, and he was their best pass rushing linebacker while sometimes struggling in coverage.
It’s not uncommon these days for star linebackers to make a transition to pass rusher. Sometimes, the NFL’s demands for off-ball linebackers don’t match a prospect’s skillset, sometimes a team’s desire for an elite pass rusher outweighs its need for an elite linebacker, and sometimes players see the disparity of pay between top-paid linebackers and top-paid edge rushers in the NFL and make their decision based on earning potential. Regardless, Reese is set to follow in the steps of Jihaad Campbell, Abdul Carter, and Micah Parsons before him.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of Indianapolis in the past few days:
- Widely seen as one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft and an expected first-round pick, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy did not work out or participate in position drills at the combine with the other defensive backs yesterday, per Jordan Reid of ESPN. After an incredibly impressive true freshman year at Oregon State (two interceptions, seven passes defensed), McCoy transferred to Tennessee for Year 2 and secured first-team All-SEC honors after doubling his freshman pick total and logging nine more passes defensed. After tearing his ACL, McCoy was forced to miss his entire junior year, but he chose to declare for the draft anyway. He has reportedly fully recovered since suffering the injury but will save his workouts for the Volunteers’ pro day.
- There are sure to be lots of passing interests and smokescreens at the combine this weekend, but according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News, the Giants have shown early interest in a few prospects already. After securing key, young offensive weapons like Malik Nabers, Jaxson Dart, and Cam Skattebo in recent drafts, New York reportedly has shown interest in adding another. Leonard indicates USC’s Makai Lemon and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate are names that have drawn the team’s attention in Indianapolis. In addition, though the Giants are currently pretty deep at pass rusher, Tate’s teammate, Reese, was a person of interest for New York, as well.
- Lastly, Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor is one of several linemen that could hear their name called on Day 1 of the draft. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, though, Proctor may not stay on the blindside at the next level. Per Breer, Proctor’s elite size and athleticism make him a potential first-round prospect, but in order to stay at left tackle he’ll need to take advantage of his massive frame without getting slower as he manages his weight. This balancing act combined with a strong down-blocking ability in the run game have some convinced that he may do better at guard or right tackle once he reaches the NFL level.
Eliot Wolf Shoots Down Rasheed Walker Report; Latest On Patriots’ OL
A report earlier this week connected the Patriots to Packers pending free agent Rasheed Walker. The left tackle could end up as the most coveted player available at his position, but it does not appear a deal with New England will materialize. Patriots executive vice president Eliot Wolf publicly shot down a potential Walker pursuit this week.
“I saw that report, and it’s not true,” Wolf said on Tuesday (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald).
The Patriots already made a major investment at left tackle less than a year ago. With the fourth pick in last April’s draft, they selected former LSU All-American Will Campbell. The 6-foot-6, 319-pounder started in all of his appearances as a rookie, but a sprained MCL forced him to injured reserve at the end of November and shelved him for four games.
Campbell was available for all of what turned into a four-game playoff run for the AFC-winning Patriots. However, Campbell later revealed that he had not completely recovered from the injury. Campbell’s knee problems came to a head in a 29-13 loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. The 23-year-old allowed an eye-popping 14 pressures to a Seattle defense that spent the night harassing Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The Seahawks registered 11 hits and six sacks on Maye.
Head coach Mike Vrabel emphatically stood up for Campbell a couple days after the season ended, saying: “He’s our left tackle. He’ll get better. He’ll get stronger … We’re not moving Will to guard, center, right end or anything else.”
Between those comments and Wolf’s apparent lack of interest in Walker, Campbell will indeed stay on Maye’s blindside next season. Campbell is not expected to require surgery on his knee (via Mike Reiss of ESPN), which should give him a full offseason to improve.
With right tackle Morgan Moses set to turn 35 on March 3, Wolf sees the need to bolster the position (via Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit). But Wolf expects Moses to return in 2026, the second season of a three-year, $24MM pact. As a 17-game starter in 2025, Moses was Pro Football Focus’ 24th-ranked tackle among 84 qualifiers (Campbell was a respectable 42nd).
A third-rounder in last year’s draft, Jared Wilson joined Campbell as another full-time rookie starter along the Pats’ line. Although Wilson was a center at Georgia, the Patriots used Garrett Bradbury as their starting pivot last season. That left Wilson to spend his entire first year at left guard. Knee, ankle and head injuries limited Wilson to 13 games. When healthy, he had difficulty adjusting to a new spot. Wilson ranked 67th among 79 guards at PFF. His 44.7 run-blocking grade was the seventh-worst mark at his position.
To maximize Wilson’s potential, the Patriots will consider moving him back to center this offseason, Mark Daniels of MassLive.com reports. The team has not approached him about it yet, but Wilson would prefer to play center, a source told Daniels. If Wilson beats out Bradbury for the starting job, the Patriots would need to put a contingency plan at left guard in place. They do not figure to aggressively pursue free agent guards, per Daniels. Adding a guard in the middle rounds of the draft would be the more likely outcome.
Broncos To Hire Colorado DC Robert Livingston As Pass Game Coordinator
The Broncos are making a local hire to replace Jim Leonhard, their former pass game coordinator who now serves as the Bills’ defensive coordinator. University of Colorado DC Robert Livingston is set to take Leonhard’s position on Sean Payton‘s staff in Denver, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Livingston, 40, spent the last two years running the Buffaloes’ defense under Deion Sanders. The unit allowed 34.8 points per game in 2023, which ranked 124th out of 133 FBS teams. In Livingston’s first season, they improved to 46th, surrendering 23.1 points per game. , allowed the 10th-most points per game. Colorado regressed in 2025, ranking 112th with 30.5 points allowed per game. They did, however, rank 11th in opposing completion rate (55.4%), a positive sign for his new role overseeing the Broncos’ pass defense.
In Denver, Livingston will reunite with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. The two overlapped in Cincinnati in 2014 and 2015 while Joseph was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. Livingston was a scout focusing on defensive backs from 2012 to 2014 and a defensive quality control in 2015. Joseph left during the 2016 offseason, but Livingston was promoted to safeties coach that role until 2023, when he was hired by Sanders.
Before reaching the NFL, Livingston served as the safeties coach at Furman in 2010 and a defensive quality control coach at Vanderbilt in 2011. He will now take on a role overseeing a Broncos’ pass defense that ranked among the league’s best in 2025.
Raiders Hire Nick Holz As Pass-Game Coordinator
Previously a Raiders assistant from 2012-21, Nick Holz is returning to the team to work for rookie head coach Klint Kubiak. Holz will serve as the Raiders’ offensive pass-game coordinator, the club announced.
When Holz’s initial Raiders stint ended, he stayed in Las Vegas as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2022. He returned to the NFL a year later as the Jaguars’ pass-game coordinator.
With Holz’s assistance, the Jaguars boasted the league’s 10th-ranked aerial attack in 2023. Then in his second season, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for a personal-best 4,113 yards to earn the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career. Lawrence’s go-to targets – Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram – combined for 239 catches, 2,697 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Holz parlayed his success with Jacksonville into the Titans’ offensive coordinator position in 2024. It was a non-play-calling gig for Holz, who took a backseat to Brian Callahan in his first year as the Titans’ head coach. Callahan retained those responsibilities heading into 2025, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward‘s rookie year, but the Titans fired him in the wake of a 1-5 start.
Even after Callahan’s ouster, the Titans still did not elevate Holz to play-calling duties. Rather, quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree filled in for the rest of the year. The Titans went on to rank 30th in total offense and 31st in scoring. New head coach Robert Saleh, who grabbed the reins Jan. 22, did not retain either Holz or Hardegree.
In his return to Las Vegas, the 41-year-old Holz should have an opportunity to coach a third consecutive first overall pick at quarterback. After mixed results with Lawrence and Ward, he is likely to have a hand in Fernando Mendoza‘s development. The Raiders are considered locks to draft the Indiana Heisman Trophy winner and national champion with the top choice this spring.
To make life easier on Holz and Mendoza, the Raiders figure to upgrade their pass-catching group around star tight end Brock Bowers this offseason. Bowers missed five games with knee problems in 2025, preventing him from properly following up on a dazzling rookie year. Between Bowers’ injury issues and a November trade that sent wideout Jakobi Meyers to the Jags, no Raider reached 700 receiving yards last season.
Browns Want To Re-Sign Devin Bush, Cory Bojorquez, Teven Jenkins
The Browns are prioritizing re-signing their own players rather than pursuing available free agents this offseason.
General manager Andrew Berry said at the Combine (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) that the team is “probably one offseason away from being hyper aggressive” in free agency. Instead, they will look to retain linebacker Devin Bush, punter Corey Bojorquez, and guard Teven Jenkins, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Bush is a “high priority” for a multi-year deal after two strong years in Cleveland. He replaced Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in 2024 after season-ending injury and started every game last year with the Pro Bowler still on the shelf. Koramoah is not expected to play again – certainly not anytime soon – so Bush would be inline to start alongside Carson Schweisinger in 2026. He ranked second on the team behind the rookie with 125 tackles and led the NFL with 164 interception return yards and two pick-sixes. However, strong classes of free agents and draft prospects at the linebacker position could deflate Bush’s value on the open market and encourage him to re-sign with the Browns.
Bojorquez has spent the last four seasons in Cleveland, and the Browns’ anemic offense in 2024 and 2025 made him the busiest punter in the league. The 29-year-old led the NFL in total punts and punt yardage in each of the last two seasons, though his per-punt averages significantly decreased last year. Bojorquez will likely be looking for a decent raise over his previous $2MM AAV in a punter market that has risen above $4MM per year.
Jenkins, 28, only started four games in 2025, primarily at right guard. But with the Browns’ entire starting offensive line hitting free agency, Cleveland will want to maintain some continuity up front. But all five of those players are at least 30 years old, while Jenkins is 28 and could come at a discount given his injury history. The former Bears’ second-round pick has received solid grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in his career and could be penciled in as a Week 1 starter, likely at right guard.
The Browns are expected to consider re-signing center Ethan Pocic and cornerback Martin Emerson, who are both recovering from torn Achilles. The situation with Emerson is “unsettled,” per Jackson, and both players could face tough markets due to their injuries.
New head coach Todd Monken also wants to retain left guard Joel Bitonio, according to Cabot, but the 34-year-old is considering retirement before exploring a new contract with the Browns or another team. He has spent all of his 12-year career in Cleveland and has remained a durable, reliable blocker well into his 30s.