Bears To Hire Press Taylor
Press Taylor‘s time as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator is over with Liam Coen in the process of building his first Jacksonville staff. Taylor has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity, however. 
The ex-Jags OC is being hired by the Bears, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Taylor will take on the role of pass-game coordinator while working under Ben Johnson. The Bears recently added Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator, a role he has not previously held in the NFL.
Taylor, by contrast, worked in that capacity during his time in Jacksonville. Hired as an initial member of Doug Pederson‘s staff, the 37-year-old called plays for the team in 2023 and continued in that capacity for this past campaign. Things did not go according to plan either time, something which caught the attention of former general manager Trent Baalke.
A November report noted Baalke’s preference for this past offseason would have been for Pederson to fire Taylor and bring in a new OC. That did not happen, and a dismal campaign ended with Pederson and (eventually) Baalke being dismissed. Now, as Coen weighs his options, Taylor will once again find himself on the move.
The latter has been in the NFL since 2013, having spent his first eight years on the sidelines with the Eagles. The final three years of that stretch included the role of quarterbacks coach, and in 2020 Taylor also served as Philadelphia’s pass-game coordinator. He has experience in such a position, one which he will handle in 2025 for the Bears.
Providing quarterback Caleb Williams with stability in Year 2 and beyond will be critical for Chicago. Johnson, to no surprise, will call plays during his first campaign as a head coach, but the success he, Doyle and Taylor have in overseeing the development of last April’s No. 1 pick will go a long way in determining the Bears’ success. A strong run in the Windy City could also help rebuild Taylor’s stock around the league with respect to future OC opportunities.
Texans To Interview Bill Lazor For OC
In the wake of their decision to fire Bobby Slowik, the Texans have been linked to several offensive coordinator candidates. Three of them are within the organization, with one internal option already conducting an interview.
That list is set to grow to two. Senior offensive assistant Bill Lazor has a meeting lined up with the Texans for the offensive coordinator spot, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. This interview will take place tomorrow, he adds.
Lazor’s coaching experience dates back to 1994, and it includes OC stints at both the college and NFL levels. His most recent opportunity on that front came with the Bears (2020-21), something which was followed by a one-year absence from the sidelines in any capacity. Lazor joined DeMeco Ryans‘ first Texans staff and he has held his current role for the past two years as a result.
The 52-year-old has worked as a coordinator three times in the NFL, but his Dolphins, Bengals and Bears stints each lasted only two seasons. Houston will no doubt be looking for a greater degree of stability at the OC spot, especially after moving on from Slowik following his own two-year run. The Texans regressed on offense (something which was caused at least to an extent by injuries along the offensive line and at the receiver position) in 2024, but a bounce-back would be welcomed as part of the team’s efforts to make a deeper run in the AFC playoffs next season.
Lazor was quickly named as a potential Slowik replacement in the wake of the OC change being made, so it comes as no surprise an interview will take place. He and QBs coach Jerrod Johnson are joined by Ben McDaniels as internal options to take over from Slowik. After Ryans tapped a familiar face (dating back to their shared time with the 49ers) for his first OC hire, it will be interesting to see if he does the same this time around.
Via PFR’s coordinator tracker, here is an updated look at the Texans’ search:
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): To interview 1/30
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/27
- Chip Kelly, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Ohio State): Team has interest
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Saints): Mentioned as candidate; hired by Seahawks
- Bill Lazor, senior offensive assistant (Texans): To interview 1/30
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/28
- Ben McDaniels, wide receivers coach/pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Nixon, offensive coordinator (Syracuse): Interviewed 1/27
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/29/25
Wednesday’s lone minor move in the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: QB Shane Buechele
Buechele was on track to be a restricted free agent this offseason, but instead he has landed a new one-year Bills commitment. The former undrafted free agent began his career with the Chiefs, but he landed on Buffalo’s practice squad shortly before the 2023 campaign began. He signed a futures contract with the Bills after the season, although he missed all of this past year due to injury. Buechele, 27, has yet to make a regular season appearance in his career.
Bengals Willing To Extend Trey Hendrickson
Much of the conversation around the 2025 offseason for the Bengals has been centered on the receiver position. Tee Higgins is a pending free agent while Ja’Marr Chase is (still) eligible for a monster extension. 
Finding clarity in both of those cases will be critical as the team looks to return to the postseason in 2025. Improving on defense will be key in reaching that goal, and a number of roster moves could be on tap as a result. One defender Cincinnati would be well-served in retaining is Trey Hendrickson, though, and doing so would be dependent on reaching an extension agreement. The team is prepared to authorize a raise to work out a new deal.
“Has he earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension… he has,” Bengals player personnel director Duke Tobin said of Hendrickson in an interview with Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We’re cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined.”
Indeed, the latest round of negotiations could prove to be difficult given the history between team and player in this case. Hendrickson’s efforts to land a new deal (and accompanying raise) were unsuccessful last spring, and his trade request did not result in such a move being contemplated by Cincinnati. The 30-year-old did not engage in a holdout, though, electing to rely on his 2024 production to increase his leverage.
That plan certainly paid off. Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks with 17.5 this campaign, matching his career high in the process and earning first-team All-Pro honors. The four-time Pro Bowler is among the finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award, and winning it could add further to his case for a pay bump. As things stand, 2025 is set to be the final year of his contract.
Hendrickson is currently due $16MM in compensation with a cap hit of $18.67MM. None of his base salary is guaranteed, and landing new locked-in money will of course be a central goal in negotiations. 10 edge rushers are attached to a deal with a larger annual average value than Hendrickson’s, and the top of the market could soon change with Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt likely to receive new contracts. Micah Parsons could move to the top of the pecking order provided he and the Cowboys work out an extension.
The Bengals sit 10th in projected 2025 cap space as things stand, although things will no doubt change on that front as the new league year approaches. Finding the room to accommodate a lucrative new Hendrickson pact will be challenging but – considering his output since arriving as a free agent in 2021 – it would likely prove to be a worthwhile investment.
Cowboys Conduct OC Interview With Cardinals’ Klayton Adams
A second candidate has emerged for the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator position. Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams interviewed with Dallas yesterday, Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated reports. 
Even though this is the first one he has been connected to, Orr adds that Adams can be classified as a “top candidate” for the Cowboys’ OC gig. He has yet to operate as a coordinator at the NFL level, although he does have experience as a co-OC dating back to his college tenure. For the past two years, Adams has held his current role in Arizona.
The 41-year-old’s stock has benefitted from his time with the Cardinals based on his success in guiding the team’s ground game. Arizona ranked fourth and seventh, respectively, in terms of rushing yards across the past two years. The Cowboys could certainly stand to benefit in that department moving forward, so it will be interesting to see if this summit leads to a serious pursuit on the team’s part.
Dallas had previously been linked to Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger for the OC position. ESPN’s Todd Archer notes his interview also took place recently as new head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks to fill out his first staff at the helm of the team. He handled offensive coordinator duties for each of the past two years, albeit in a non-play-calling capacity. Schottenheimer will call plays in 2025 regardless of who his first OC hire winds up being.
Dallas officially reunited with Matt Eberflus yesterday; the former Bears head coach will operate as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator during his second stint with the franchise. Nick Sorensen, meanwhile, was brought in to handle Dallas’ special teams shortly after it became clear he would not carry on with the 49ers moving forward. That leaves one coordinator vacancy to be filled in the near future, which could come in the form of a first OC stint for Adams.
Steelers Unlikely To Retain Russell Wilson And Justin Fields
The quarterback position looms as one which faces uncertainty for the Steelers as the 2025 league year approaches. Owner Art Rooney II‘s latest comments on the subject confirmed changes should again be expected in the near future. 
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are both pending free agents, and each saw playing time this past season as the team evaluated its options for 2025 and beyond. Rooney indicated his “preference” would be to re-sign one of the two while adding a commitment longer than one season would be ideal. That would seem to point Pittsburgh in Fields’ direction, but in any case keeping that tandem in place would be surprising.
“I wouldn’t close the door, but I’d say it’s probably unlikely,” Rooney said of keeping Wilson and Fields (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “I think both of them see themselves as starters and I don’t know that they want to share the same job again next year. So, I would say most likely we probably don’t wind up bringing them both back.”
Rooney also noted that an ideal 2025 QB setup would see both of the Steelers’ top options possessing the same skillset (h/t Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show). That is a common goal for many teams, of course, but in this case it is another indication Pittsburgh will look to commit to either Wilson (and a new pocket passer to supplement him) or Fields (with another mobile passer being added). Free agency does not figure to provide many attractive options, and the Steelers are unlikely to that take route to make a notable addition.
“We’ve got a whole quarterback room to fill, and so there’s jobs open in there,” Rooney added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we look in the draft as well either this year or next, and so that’s got to be the priority.”
The Steelers are set to select 21st in April’s draft, leaving the team out of range of the top quarterback prospects (albeit in a class which is not held in high regard). Pittsburgh’s last major draft investment under center – Kenny Pickett – was added from a similar position in 2022, but he was traded away as part of the team’s mass changes at the QB spot last spring. With Kyle Allen also on track for free agency, multiple new faces could be in place by Week 1 next season.
Fields, 25, has not lived up to his draft stock but the former Bears first-rounder helped the Steelers to a 4-2 record at the start of the season. He could generate a free agent market based on his potential upside compared to other options, but in all likelihood he would once again find himself competing for a QB1 gig even in a new environment. Wilson’s play took an unwanted turn at the end of the campaign, and making a long-term commitment in the 36-year-old would carry signficant risks. With Pete Carroll back on an NFL sideline as head coach of the Raiders, a reunion in Vegas has been floated as a possibility.
Mike Tomlin will remain in place as the Steelers’ coach for 2025, and a number of roster moves will be made before the start of next season. Until the quarterback situation becomes clearer, though, that will remain the focus of Pittsburgh’s offseason.
Cowboys Hire Matt Eberflus As DC
JANUARY 28: As expected, this hire is now official. The Cowboys announced on Tuesday that Eberflus has returned to the organization under the defensive coordinator title. His second stint in Dallas will double as his second DC gig in the NFL.
JANUARY 27: Matt Eberflus‘ name quickly emerged as one to watch closely regarding the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator vacancy. With Mike Zimmer known to be out of the picture, the former Bears head coach is indeed on track to fill that position. 
Eberflus is set to interview with Dallas for the DC gig today, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that meeting is expected to result in a hire. Provided that proves to be the case, this will mark a return to the Cowboys for Eberflus. He worked as the team’s linebackers coach from 2012-17.
When the news broke of former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer being promoted to head coach, Eberflus was named as the team’s top target for the defensive coordinator position. Dallas has since conducted one other DC interview (Andre Curtis, who worked under Eberflus with the Bears and is a candidate to land a role on the Cowboys’ staff). A request was also recently made to speak with Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow, but given this latest update it remains to be seen if that meeting will actually take place.
In any event, Eberflus is set to handle coordinator responsibilities for the second time in his career. After his first Cowboys stint, he worked as the Colts’ DC for four years. Indianapolis ranked top-1o in points allowed three times in that span, and as a result his head coaching stock was high when Chicago hired him. Eberflus’ Bears tenure did not go according to plan, though, and after entering the 2024 season on the hot seat he was among the NFL’s midseason firings.
Given the clock-management issues and player dissatisfaction which emerged at the end of his Bears run, Eberflus may have a long wait until his next HC opportunity arises. In the meantime, the 54-year-old is in line to take charge of a unit which dealt with a slew of injuries this past season but still fell short of expectations. During Zimmer’s first (and only) year in his second Cowboys coordinator stint, Dallas finished 28th in total defense and 31st in points allowed. To say the least, improvement on that side of the ball will be key in 2025.
With Schottenheimer in place as head coach, Dallas is still in need of a OC. The Cowboys are also among those seeking out a new special teams coordinator. While the searches to fill those vacancies will continue, it appears one coordinator position will officially be taken care of by the end of the day.
Tanner Engstrand Strong Candidate For Jets’ OC Position; Steve Wilks Hire Still Possible
New Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has yet to fill the offensive or defensive coordinator positions on his staff, but that may change soon. Key targets for both vacancies are in place. 
Lions pass-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand was viewed as a suitable successor to Ben Johnson for Detroit’s OC opening. Instead, the team elected to make an outside hire. That leaves Engstrand to potentially leave the Motor City and follow Glenn to New York. Indeed, Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports there are “substantive discussions” taking place regarding Engstrand and the Jets’ OC gig.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 confirms the 42-year-old is a Jets target, adding there is confidence he will ultimately be hired. Engstrand has been with the Lions since 2020, having begun his coaching career in 2005 at San Diego. One year earlier, he and new Jets general manager Darren Mougey were teammates at San Diego State (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
With a degree of familiarity between Engstrand and both members of the franchise’s new HC/GM pair, a New York hire would come as little surprise. To date, Engstrand’s only coordinator experience comes from his single season with the then-XFL’s DC Defenders in 2020, but he generated acclaim during his time working under Dan Campbell with the Lions. His tenure in Detroit included the titles of quality control and tight ends coach prior to this season’s tenure in his current role.
The Jets have already been linked to five different OC candidates (although one of them, Klint Kubiak, is no longer on the market). That list includes Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley, who was reported last week to be the perceived frontrunner for the job. It would appear Engstrand is now in pole position, so this situation will be worth watching closely.
On the other side of the ball, Anderson’s report notes Steve Wilks has been mentioned as a candidate to monitor regarding the defensive coordinator vacancy. The veteran coach’s name came up once Glenn was hired, and to this point no other candidate has been linked to the Jets. SNY’s Connor Hughes adds this situation remains on track to result in a hire. Wilks, 55, has been a DC with the Panthers, Browns and 49ers. His time in San Francisco ended shortly after the Super Bowl last year, and he was out of coaching for 2024. Wilks may soon have his next opportunity lined up shortly, though.
Buccaneers Conduct OC Interview With Rams’ Dave Ragone
As the Buccaneers seek out Liam Coen‘s replacement, their list of offensive coordinator candidates continues to grow. The Rams’ staff in particular remains an area of interest for Tampa Bay. 
Dave Ragone interviewed with the Buccaneers on Tuesday, per a team announcement. He is the third member of Sean McVay‘s Los Angeles staff to speak with Tampa Bay for the team’s OC opening. For the second straight offseason, the Buccaneers are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator with Coen backing out of his agreed-upon new Tampa deal to speak again with the Jaguars and ultimately take their head coaching position.
Ragone’s NFL coaching tenure began in 2011 with the Titans, including one season as the team’s quarterbacks coach. He has held that same role with the Bears as well as the Rams for this past campaign. In between, the 45-year-old worked as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator during Arthur Smith‘s 2021-23 run as Atlanta’s head coach. Smith called plays during that span, but Ragone nevertheless qualifies as a candidate with OC experience.
Atlanta finished no better than 17th in yards or 15th in scoring in a season with the Smith-Ragone tandem in place. The former was able to immediately secure an OC position last offseason with the Steelers, though, and it will be interesting to see if the latter can do the same in the near future. On the other hand, this marks the first time Ragone has drawn interest in the 2025 hiring cycle.
Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is a popular name on the OC circuit at the moment, with the Jets in particular being a team to watch as a potential destination. Especially if Caley – who has also spoken with the Bucs – departs, Ragone would represent one of the Rams’ options to take on an increased role as part of McVay’s staff. Needless to say, Los Angeles’ situation on the sidelines could change more than once by the time every coordinator position is filled.
Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Buccaneers:
- Marcus Brady, pass-game coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/25
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
- Josh Grizzard, pass-game coordinator (Buccaneers): Rumored candidate
- Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/28
- Nate Scheelhaase, offensive assistant/passing game specialist (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
- Grant Udinski, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/25
Jaguars Conduct DC Interview With Rams’ Aubrey Pleasant
The list of candidates for the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator position continues to grow. A third interview for the position has now taken place. 
Jacksonville announced on Tuesday that the team met with Aubrey Pleasant for the DC gig. Pleasant has spent the past two years with the Rams as part of his second stint with the team. He has not served as a defensive coordinator before, but taking the Jacksonville job would deal a blow to Los Angeles’ staff.
Pleasant – who has been in the NFL since 2013 – held the title of defensive backs coach/pass-game coordinator upon reuniting with Sean McVay in 2023. This past season, he was promoted to assistant head coach while remaining a key figure on defense. Given how highly regarded Pleasant is by the Rams (along with his experience as a positional coach), it comes as little surprise he is on Jacksonville’s radar.
That is, of course, especially true with Liam Coen at the helm of the Jags. His first Rams stint (2018-20) overlapped with Pleasant’s, so the two are familiar with one another. The Bears requested to speak with Pleasant for their defensive coordinator position, but he did not wind up doing so. As a result, this is his first interview in the 2025 hiring cycle.
Jacksonville’s defense underperformed in a number of categories in 2024, the first with Ryan Nielsen at the helm. The former Saints and Falcons coordinator has yet to find his next gig, but it will not be in Duval County for 2025. Not long after it was learned Coen would take charge of the team, Patrick Graham‘s name emerged as one to watch closely regarding the DC position. He has since interviewed with Jacksonville, as has Vikings staffer Daronte Jones. It will be interesting to see how many other candidate emerge as this search unfolds.