Dolphins To Hire Joe Barry As LBs Coach
Joe Barry‘s run at the helm of Green Bay’s defense came to an end this year, but he has quickly landed a new NFL coaching position. Barry is set to join the Dolphins as their linebackers coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. 
This agreement will also include the title of run game coordinator, Pelissero adds. Barry will return to a familiar role on Miami’s staff, having served as LBs coach at the college level as well as during his time with the Buccaneers, Chargers, and Rams. Those stints have alternated with his three defensive coordinator tenures.
Barry guided the Lions’ defense from 2007-08, served as the Commanders’ DC from 2015-16, then took charge of the Packers for the past three seasons. Green Bay ranked ninth in yards allowed in his first season at the helm, but the team put up middling numbers in multiple categories after that. The unit rarely lived up to expectations in the eyes of many given the draft investments made by the Packers in recent years. In spite of that, head coach Matt LaFleur gave Barry repeated endorsements.
Once the Packers’ run to the divisional round came to an end, however, Barry was fired with term remaining on his contract. That created a vacancy in Green Bay – which has since been filled with former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley after the team explored a deal with new Ravens DC Zach Orr – and left Barry in search of a new employer. The 53-year-old was connected to one DC opening (that of the Bears), and he interviewed with Chicago before the team ultimately went with Eric Washington for the position.
In Miami, Barry will partner with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as the Dolphins look to move forward from Vic Fangio‘s one-and-done tenure. The team ranked seventh against the run in 2023, and Barry will aim to continue that success in his new role. Incumbent LBs coach Anthony Campanile, meanwhile, will not be returning in 2024, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Campanile interviewed for the Dolphins’ DC gig before Weaver’s hire, but he did not land the position. He will now head elsewhere as the 2024 hiring cycle continues.
Latest On Commanders’ HC Search, Mike Macdonald Pursuit
The Commanders became the eighth and final team to hire a head coach this offseason, bringing in former Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. Further details have emerged on Washington’s search, one which included a number of turns before its eventual conclusion. 
[RELATED: Commanders Spoke With Belichick About HC Job]
Once Adam Peters was installed as general manager, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson became the candidate most closely associated with Washington’s HC vacancy. That remained the case until late in the search process, when signs pointed to the Commanders carrying a more open-minded approach. Indeed, SI’s Albert Breer notes how Peters, owner Josh Harris and hiring committee member Rick Speilman were “rankled” by the widespread outside perception the job was Johnson’s to lose.
The latter elected (as he did in 2023) to withdraw from head coach consideration for the Commanders and Seahawks. The timing of that decision – which Washington’s front office became aware of while flying to Detroit – has not gone over well, and Johnson has become the subject of reporting pointing to poor interviews and a high asking price. With him out of the running, Washington and Seattle both turned their attention to Mike Macdonald as a top target.
As Ben Standig and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report, the Commanders were keen on the ex-Ravens defensive coordinator until the Seahawks “swooped in with more money” (subscription required). As they note, Macdonald received a six-year contract with Seattle – standard practice in the NFL being four- or five-year agreements for coaches – something which no doubt factored into his decision to head to the Emerald City.
The Athletic report also corroborates others from last week which stated the Commanders offered their HC position to Macdonald around the same time he was finalizing his agreement with the Seahawks. That has led to concerns that Quinn, whose run at the helm of the Falcons included a 43-42 record, was no higher than third on Washington’s priority list. The 53-year-old’s leadership traits have, on the other hand, earned considerable praise in Dallas and elsewhere during Washington’s vetting process.
Quinn is in place (along with his offensive and defensive coordinators) as the Commanders aim to move forward from a disappointing final campaign under Ron Rivera. With the dust having settled on the HC cycle, both Washington and Seattle can proceed with their respective coaches, although the process undergone by the former in particular to arrive at this point is certainly noteworthy.
Commanders Will Not Retain Eric Bieniemy
When news of the Commanders’ Kliff Kingsbury hire came out, questions were raised about the future of incumbent offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. An answer has emerged regarding the latter, and he will not be in Washington for the 2024 campaign. 
Bieniemy will not be retained, new head coach Dan Quinn said at his introductory press conference. As a result, the longtime Chiefs OC will once again be on the move after a single campaign spent in the nation’s capital. Kingsbury was brought in on Sunday, and he will take charge of Washington’s offense. Quinn added that he and Bieniemy spoke earlier today, and the former offered well wishes for the latter in his next NFL opportunity.
Bieniemy spent 10 seasons under Andy Reid in Kansas City, including five as offensive coordinator. That gig did not involve play-calling duties, but he did take on a position which involved full control of the offense last offseason by joining the Commanders. The move from a unit led by Patrick Mahomes to one featuring Sam Howell at quarterback, a suspect offensive line and a skill-position corps lacking in proven options (aside from wideout Terry McLaurin) led to questions about how much success Bieniemy would be able to have in 2023.
On the other hand, Ron Rivera was widely seen as a lame-duck coach entering the campaign, giving Bieniemy a potential avenue to a head coaching opportunity. Rivera was indeed dismissed at the end of the season, and owner Josh Harris confirmed Bieniemy would be a candidate to replace him. The latter interviewed with Washington, but he was not among the team’s list of finalists, putting his own future in doubt.
Quinn is now officially in place, and the Commanders are prepared to move forward with new-look coaching and front office staffs. The team’s offense will likely have a new quarterback as its focal point by the start of next season, as the Commanders hold the No. 2 overall pick. Kingsbury’s hire has led to speculation Washington could make a push to select USC’s Caleb Williams (with whom Kingsbury worked this season), though drafting the former Heisman winner remains a likely move on the part of the Bears with the top pick in April’s draft.
Regardless of how Washington moves forward, Bieniemy will now become a late entrant on the coordinator scene. A number of teams have already filled their OC vacancies. That includes the Raiders, who had an agreement with Kingsbury fall through and have since tapped Luke Getsy to lead their offense. Presuming Greg Roman‘s new Chargers position is confirmed to be offensive coordinator, only the Seahawks remain amongst teams with an opening which has not at least reportedly been filled.
The Commanders ranked 24th and 25th in total and scoring offense, respectively, this season. Those totals paint a different picture than the one which was in place earlier in the season (Howell led the league in passing at one point), and they of course will not help Bieniemy’s stock. Given his track record with the Chiefs – whose offense struggled without him, particularly early in the campaign – however, he could find a landing spot relatively soon.
RB Le’Veon Bell Aiming For Steelers Return
Le’Veon Bell has not played in the NFL since 2021, but he is aiming to change that soon. The former All-Pro running back recently went public with his intention to return to the NFL. 
Bell made it clear in a series of Snapchat videos that he will train this offseason in a bid to find an NFL opportunity. More specifically, though, he added that he is targeting a return to the Steelers, with whom he started his career. Bell played five seasons in Pittsburgh.
“And I’m gonna be honest with myself, I got to go out there and be like, I’m going to put my foot in the ground,” Bell said. “Do I feel it? Am I hurting? Can I go out there and really play again? And bro, I’m telling you all right now when I go out there and train in March and if I hit April and I make this decision to come back to play in the NFL again, mark my words down – I will be better than I ever was.
“And I will only come back for that one team. You all know who it is. I don’t have to say no team. You all know who it is.”
Bell’s Steelers tenure ended when he sat out the 2018 season, refusing to play on the franchise tag. That move allowed him to depart in free agency on a four-year, $52.5MM deal with the Jets the following year. His New York tenure (and the brief stints with the Chiefs, Ravens and Buccaneers which followed) did not go as planned, however. The three-time Pro Bowler has been out of football for the past two seasons, and he will be 32 by the time the 2024 campaign begins.
Those factors would weigh heavily against any player, let alone a running back. The position’s market has taken a downturn in recent years in large part due to the fall-off in production experienced by players as they reach their late 20s. In 2017, Bell received a league-leading offensive 402 touches, so past workloads would also be a concern for any interested teams.
The Michigan State alum has expressed regret for departing the Steelers, but it would be a surprise if Pittsburgh reciprocated his desire to explore a deal. The team has Jaylen Warren under contract for two more years, and Najee Harris is likely to have his 2025 fifth-year option picked up. With their backfield tandem seemingly in place for the short-term future, the Steelers are unlikely to have much interest in any signficant RB moves this offseason. If Bell manages to return to game shape, though, he could be a name to watch in free agency.
Chiefs Designate RB Jerick McKinnon For Return
FEBRUARY 5: While McKinnon’s status in practice will be monitored closely, Rapoport notes there is a “very real chance” he is activated in time for the Super Bowl (video link). Signs are certainly pointing toward Kansas City having a full array of backs available on Sunday.
FEBRUARY 3: The Chiefs will be shorthanded in the front seven for Super Bowl LVIII, but they could have added depth in the offensive backfield. Kansas City designated running back Jerick McKinnon for return from injured reserve on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes. 
McKinnon was placed on IR in December, a move which guaranteed he would miss the final three weeks of the regular season. A groin injury left him on the sidelines through Kansas City’s three-week postseason run back to the Super Bowl, but the veteran will now be an option to return to the lineup in the event he is activated in time. Kansas City has five activations remaining.
In the 2021 postseason, McKinnon racked up 315 scrimmage yards in three games. His playoff production fell off last year with only 92 total yards, however, and his usage in the 2023 campaign took a step back. The 31-year-old received just 21 carries in 12 contests this season, one in which Isiah Pacheco confirmed his status as the Chiefs’ lead back. McKinnon averaged only 2.9 yards per carry this year, though he did chip in with 192 yards and four touchdowns in the passing game.
A healthy McKinnon would give Kansas City a number of options to choose from in the backfield. The team has, to no surprise, leaned mainly on Pacheco in the playoffs. Former first-rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire has also been used sparingly, receiving 10 postseason carries to date. After he was a healthy scratch for last year’s Super Bowl, Edwards-Helaire is in line to play in next Sunday’s title game. The Chiefs also have La’Mical Perine available as a special teams contributor.
Kansas City designated wideout Skyy Moore to return in mid-January, and his status will be worth watching in the coming days to see if he will be an option for the Super Bowl. O-lineman Prince Tega Wanogho would also use up one of the team’s remaining activations (and a roster spot) if he were to be brought back into the fold in the near future. At a minimum, though, McKinnon should be able to play next week as he searches for a second career Super Bowl win.
Seahawks To Hire Jay Harbaugh As Special Teams Coordinator
When signs were pointing to Jim Harbaugh landing the Chargers’ head coaching position, his son Jay was floated as a logical candidate to join him as special teams coordinator. The latter is indeed making the jump to the NFL, but not in Los Angeles. 
Harbaugh is set to join the Seahawks as their special teams coordinator, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. He has been with Michigan under Jim Harbaugh since 2015, and much of his tenure with the Wolverines has included time as special teams coordinator. Jay has held that title since 2017, while also serving as a position coach (running backs, tight ends and safeties) at various points along the way.
Once it became clear Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers were talking terms on a contract and candidates to fill out his staff, Jay was reported as a top option for the role of ST coordinator in L.A. The Chargers have indeed matched expectations by hiring Greg Roman in a top offensive role, but today’s news confirms that the younger Harbaugh will not be joining him. Instead, incumbent ST coordinator Ryan Ficken will be retained, as KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson recently reported would likely be the case.
Jay Harbaugh, 34, and new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald worked together at Michigan when the latter spent the 2021 season as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator. Macdonald excelled in the DC post with the Ravens for two years, and his success in that role has now helped him become the youngest head coach in the NFL. Macdonald will have a familiar face in at least one coordinator spot on his initial staff.
Seattle’s third phase units had been guided by Larry Izzo for the past three seasons, after he had spent the previous three years as an assistant on special teams. The Seahawks allowed their staffers to seek out new opportunities once it was announced Pete Carroll would return, however. Seattle ranked eighth in special teams DVOA in 2023, and Harbaugh will look to at least match that level of success as the Seahawks aim to return to the postseason. This will mark his first full-time NFL gig as Macdonald’s staff begins to take shape.
Latest On Giants’ DC Search
As the coordinator carousel continues to spin, a number of teams have already filled their OC and DC vacancies. The Giants do not need to concern themselves with the former, having blocked Mike Kafka from interviewing for a lateral Seahawks move. The latter position remains unfilled, however. 
[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
Don Martindale initially appeared to be set for a third campaign in New York, but he and the Giants ultimately parted ways. New York has been looking for a replacement ever since, and general manager Joe Schoen said he hoped the team would have a hire in place by the end of last week. That has yet to take place, in part because desired candidates have wound up elsewhere.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports the Giants have recently witnessed two of their “top targets” come and go. That has resulted in a reset in their search, with a number of other candidates under consideration. Two staffers (Bobby Babich and Dennard Wilson) are among those who received Giants interview requests and have since been promoted or hired to a different DC posting. It is unclear if those two are the coaches referenced in the report, but in any case New York remains a team to watch over the coming days.
As Raanan notes, Giants head coach Brian Daboll enters the 2024 season with considerable pressure given the way in which the team underwhelmed in his second year at the helm. He and Kafka will remain in their current postings for at least one more year (although the matter of play-calling remains unsettled at this point). Martindale’s replacement will be tasked with guiding a unit which ranked 17th and 26th in points allowed over the past two years. The relatively uncertain future of Daboll could lead to trepidation on the part of interested DC candidates, though.
With New York’s search set to enter a new phase, here is how things currently stand:
- Derrick Ansley, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interview requested
- Bobby Babich, linebackers coach (Bills): Interview requested; promoted to Bills DC
- Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed
- Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interview requested
- Brendan Daly, linebackers coach (Chiefs): Interviewed
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
- Daronte Jones, defensive pass game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed
- Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): To conduct second interview; hired as Titans DC
Panthers To Retain DC Ejiro Evero
During his introductory press conference, new Panthers head coach Dave Canales praised incumbent defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. That pointed to the latter being retained, and the team will indeed head in that direction. 
Joe Person of The Athletic confirms Carolina will keep Evero in place for 2024 (subscription required). Person adds that most of the Panthers’ defensive staffers are expected to stay put as well, meaning Carolina will have stability on that side of the ball. Evero was again a top candidate for both head coaching and defensive coordinator postings in the 2024 hiring cycle.
He met twice with the Panthers before they elected to hire Canales, but also the Falcons and Seahawks. Evero was also linked to several DC openings, but the Panthers blocked him from interviewing on three different occasions. The 43-year-old led a 2-15 Panthers team to a fourth-place finish in total defense, after guiding the Broncos to seventh in that department in 2022.
Facing uncertainty at the onset of the hiring cycle with respect to the head coaching position, the Panthers made it clear Evero would receive consideration to remain in place at least until a HC hire was made. Canales is a rookie head coach, and he landed the Carolina gig after a single season as offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers. While his attention will thus primarily be on overseeing quarterback Bryce Young‘s development and that of the offense as a whole, Evero will remain a key staffer in charge of the defense.
Carolina ranked 29th in points allowed in 2023 despite the team’s strength in certain defensive categories, and improvement in that regard will be a goal moving forward. A more productive showing on offense will aid that effort, of course, but continuity on the sidelines will help Evero and Co.’s efforts to deliver another impressive showing. Doing so would no doubt keep him on the HC radar for the 2025 cycle.
Chiefs’ Joe Cullen Drawing DC Interest From Seahawks
The Commanders made their defensive coordinator hire last night, tapping Joe Whitt for the position. He was joined by Joe Cullen in terms of drawing interest for the position in Washington, however. 
Cullen is also on the Seahawks’ radar for their DC position, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Cullen has been in Kansas City for the past two years holding the familiar title of defensive line coach. He has worn that hat on a number of occasions at both the college and NFL levels, and his time with the Chiefs has been successful.
Kansas City ranked 29th in sacks one year before Cullen’s arrival, a move which was preceded by his one-and-done stint as defensive coordinator of the Jaguars. The defending champions have posted the second-highest total in that department in each of the two seasons with Cullen in place, though. While draft investments along the edge (particularly the selection of George Karlaftis) have played a role in that turnaround, Cullen’s work has not gone unnoticed during the 2024 hiring cycle.
The 56-year-old has only one season of coordinator experience at the pro level, but he has been an NFL staffer in all but one year since 2006. Jacksonville ranked 20th in total defense and 28th in scoring under Cullen, and Seattle would be looking for better statistical showings than that in 2024 with a new DC. Clint Hurtt is out as part of the sweeping changes to the Seahawks’ staff, with Mike Macdonald taking over from Pete Carroll as head coach. Both the OC and DC spots are open in Seattle at the moment.
A shortlist of candidates to replace Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator has emerged, but Cullen is the first name linked to Seattle’s defensive coordinator posting. With the Commanders having found their preferred candidate already, the Seahawks could be in the lead to pursue Cullen, although Jones notes that Michigan is also interested. The Wolverines are likely to lose DC Jesse Minter to the Chargers as part of Jim Harbaugh‘s staff, and an opening will soon exist in Ann Arbor should that take place. Cullen could thus have a few options to consider if he wishes to take on another coordinator opportunity.
Chargers To Hire Marcus Brady
Greg Roman is in place with the Chargers, but further additions are being made to Jim Harbaugh‘s staff. Los Angeles is set to hire Marcus Brady as pass-game coordinator, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
Roman will likely take on offensive coordinator responsibilities, given his experience in that department and his familiarity with Harbaugh. Brady was the only other name seriously linked to the Chargers’ OC vacancy, and he interviewed for the position. Despite making the expected move of bringing in Roman, the team has now managed to land both he and Brady as part of a new-look staff.
The latter was also linked to the OC positions of the Panthers and Bears. Both teams went in another direction with their respective hires, meaning a return to an NFL coordinator gig will be delayed at least one more year for Brady. The 44-year-old held hat title with the Colts from 2021-22 as part of Frank Reich‘s staff, but he was let go as part of Indianapolis’ coaching changes. He spent the 2023 campaign as an assistant with the Eagles.
Prior to his five total years on the Colts’ staff, Brady served as an OC for six years in the CFL. His experience has now taken him to Los Angeles, where he will play a large role with an offense which struggled across the board last season. The Chargers finished the campaign ranked 21st in scoring and 13th in passing yards per game, figures weighed down in part by Justin Herbert‘s season-ending injury. Still, a step forward in 2024 will be critical for the former No. 6 pick individually and the Chargers as a whole.
Roman is known for his work in the run game, and finding more production on the ground will be a key goal in the offseason. However, Herbert’s arm will likely remain a significant aspect of Los Angeles’ attack, meaning Brady will bear a large degree of responsibility in Harbaugh’s initial group. As the Chargers’ staff comes further into focus, Brady will be a key figure to watch while he looks to boost his own coordinator stock in a new environment.