Patriots Promote DeMarcus Covington To DC
2:21pm: The Patriots have made it official, announcing that Covington will be promoted to the defensive coordinator position. Under the new head coach, Mayo, Covington will officially be the team’s first defensive coordinator since Matt Patricia left in 2017.
11:57am: It sounds like Jerod Mayo has zeroed in on his defensive coordinator. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, “all signs point” to the Patriots promoting defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator.
While the Patriots haven’t announced the move, Breer notes that the organization has notified other candidates that they’re out of the running. The move is expected to be made official early next week.
Covington has spent his entire NFL coaching career with the Patriots, working his way up from coaching assistant to defensive line coach, a role that he’s held for the past four seasons. Covington has helped with the development of former second-round pick Christian Barmore, and Matt Judon and Josh Uche have both had success on the edge under the coach’s tutelage.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes that Covington impressed during last year’s coordinator interviews, as the coach met about the DC jobs with the Cardinals and Chargers. It seemed like only a matter of time before he earned a coordinator job, and that opportunity has apparently come in New England.
The Patriots didn’t employ a traditional defensive coordinator during Bill Belichick‘s final seasons in New England, but Mayo and Steve Belichick were generally considered the leaders of the defensive coaching staff. Considering Mayo having been promoted to head coach and the younger Belichick’s uncertain future with the organization, the organization looked to fill the leadership void on their staff. Covington was one of four known candidates for the position, joining Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges, Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, and Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker.
Elsewhere in New England, the Patriots have added two offensive coordinator candidates to the mix. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the Patriots interviewed 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury for their offensive coordinator job. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that former Bears OC Luke Getsy also interviewed for the position.
Fleury has spent the past five seasons in San Francisco, including the past two in his current role. With Fleury leading the tight ends, George Kittle hauled in a career-high 11 touchdowns in 2022. This past season, Kittle topped the 1,000-yards receiving mark for the first time since the 2020 campaign.
Getsy lost his job earlier this month despite guiding one of the league’s top rushing attacks over the past two seasons. Before his two-year stint in Chicago, Getsy spent three seasons with the Packers as their quarterbacks coach.
Sean Desai To Interview For Bills, Falcons’ DC Jobs
It sounds like Sean Desai could land on his feet relatively quickly. After getting fired by the Eagles earlier this week, the former defensive coordinator is interviewing for the same role with the Bills and Falcons, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
[RELATED: Eagles Fire DC Sean Desai]
After Jonathan Gannon left Philly to coach the Cardinals, the Eagles brought on Desai as their new defensive coordinator last offseason. Things started off well for the new hire, as the Eagles began their 2023 campaign with a 10-1 record. However, following two-straight losses, Desai lost his play-calling duties to Matt Patricia.
Desai’s replacement didn’t inspire much confidence; the Eagles went 1-4 with Patricia at the helm. Still, with the defensive coordinator eyeing reduced responsibilities for the foreseeable future, it didn’t seem like he was going to last all that long in Philadelphia. So, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when the Eagles let him go earlier this week.
Fortunately for Desai, the rough 2023 campaign didn’t do much to impact his coaching outlook. Teams can still point to his one-year stint as Bears defensive coordinator in 2021, when Chicago finished the season ranked sixth in terms of total defense. He also earned a solid reputation during his time as an assistant, including most recently when he was associate head coach and defensive assistant with the Seahawks in 2022.
Atlanta has a growing list of DC candidates as Raheem Morris looks to fill out his new staff. We previously heard that Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde was a candidate for the position, and Morris continues to look within the NFC East for options.
The Bills connection is a bit more surprising. Sean McDermott decided not to replace Leslie Frazier on the 2023 coaching staff, with the head coach effectively taking over the defensive coordinator role. It seemed like McDermott was destined to continue calling defensive plays in 2024, especially following news that trusted Bills assistant Eric Washington was heading to the Bears as their new defensive coordinator.
This led some to assume that if McDermott was serious about adding a defensive coordinator, he wouldn’t have let Washington out the door in the first place. Still, based on this latest development, it sounds like the Bills head coach would at least be open to relinquishing some of his responsibilities.
Falcons Request OC Interview With LSU’s Cortez Hankton
As Raheem Morris looks to fill out his staff in Atlanta, he’s eyeing the college ranks for one of his top assistants. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Falcons have requested an interview with LSU co-offensive coordinator Cortez Hankton for their offensive coordinator job.
[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
Following a nine-year NFL career, Hankton joined Dartmouth’s coaching staff as their WRs coach in 2012. He’s held that role throughout his coaching career, including stints at Vanderbilt and Georgia. He took on the pass game coordinator role with the Bulldogs in 2019 and won a championship during his final year at the school.
He moved to LSU as their pass game coordinator/WRs coach in 2022. After offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock left for Notre Dame after this past season, Hankton was named co-offensive coordinator alongside quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan for the 2024 campaign. He most recently worked with wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, two potential first-round picks in this upcoming draft.
Hankton is the first known candidate for the Falcons offensive coordinator job. Morris has already reached out to Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde about the Falcons defensive coordinator job, and the team is set to retain special teams coordinator Marquice Williams (per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).
Jerrod Johnson Earns Second Saints OC Interview
Jerrod Johnson has moved on to the next round of the Saints OC search. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Texans quarterbacks coach has a second interview for New Orleans’ offensive coordinator job today.
[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
Johnson has quickly worked his way up through the coaching ranks in recent years. Following Bill Walsh Diversity coaching fellowships with the 49ers and Colts, he joined Indianapolis full-time as an offensive quality control coach in 2020. Following two seasons in that gig, Johnson left for Minnesota to become the Vikings assistant QBs coach in 2022.
When DeMeco Ryans got the Texans job last offseason, he turned to his former 49ers coworker. Johnson was named Houston’s quarterbacks coach last offseason, and his first season couldn’t have gone much better. Rookie C.J. Stroud ended up leading the NFL in passing yards per game and in INT rate, throwing just five picks vs. 23 touchdowns. Thanks to the quarterback’s impressive performance, Johnson has become a hot name on the coordinator market. Besides meeting virtually with the Saints earlier this month, the coach has also been connected to open jobs with the Browns, Eagles, Steelers, and Buccaneers.
The Saints have cast a relatively wide net as they look to replace Pete Carmichael. Dan Pitcher was the only other known candidate to earn a second interview with New Orleans. However, the former Bengals quarterbacks coach has since earned a promotion to offensive coordinator, making Johnson the apparent leader in the clubhouse.
Titans Hire Brian Callahan As Head Coach
JANUARY 25: The Titans are giving the five-year Bengals offensive coordinator a five-year deal to lead their staff, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Callahan’s contract length matches what the team handed Vrabel back in 2018.
JANUARY 22: Brian Callahan had a second interview with the Titans today, and the organization isn’t letting him leave Tennessee without a deal. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Titans plan to hire Callahan as their new head coach. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that the two sides are working to finalize a deal.
In recent days, there’s been growing momentum towards Callahan earning his first head coaching gig. Besides his second interview with the Titans today, the coach was also expected to meet a second time with the Panthers and Falcons. Per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner, the Titans viewed Callahan as a top target, and they were clearly determined to make sure he didn’t land elsewhere.
Callahan has been on the head coaching radar for a while after guiding a talented offense in Cincinnati. While his first two years at the helm didn’t necessarily go as planned, the Bengals finished top-seven in points scored in both 2021 and 2022. The offense took a step back in 2023, although that was partly attributed to Joe Burrow‘s injury, and suitors clearly recognized that context as they pursued him for HC jobs.
Callahan had a long stint on the Broncos offensive coaching staff before serving as the Lions QBs coach (2016-2017) and Raiders QBs coach (2018). During his time in the NFL, he’s worked with the likes of Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Burrow. This has led many to assume that Callahan would be an ideal candidate to guide an offense that’s expected to be led by 2023 second-round pick Will Levis.
The Titans had one of the more surprising head coaching vacancies of this hiring cycle, as Mike Vrabel‘s departure wasn’t necessarily expected. The organization cast a wide net in their search for a replacement, with Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn among those to earn second interviews.
Ultimately, Callahan was the choice. With the head coach soon to be under contract, the Titans will look to fill out the rest of their coaching staff. One name that will surely be connected to Tennessee is Callahan’s father, Bill Callahan. The veteran coach has spent the past four years as the Browns OL coach, and the senior Callahan was previously the head coach for the Raiders.
On the other side, Bengals coach Zac Taylor will now have to hire a coordinator for the first time since he took the Cincy gig in 2019. Dehner notes that Bengals QBs coach Dan Pitcher has been groomed for the job and will likely be a leading candidate to replace Callahan.
Giants Request DC Interview With Bills’ Bobby Babich
The list of Giants defensive coordinator candidates continues to grow. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Giants requested permission to interview Bills linebackers coach Bobby Babich for their defensive coordinator job.
Babich has spent the past seven seasons in Buffalo, four of which he worked alongside current Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Babich started as an assistant defensive backs coach in Buffalo before earning a promotion to safeties coach in 2018. After four years in that role, Babich replaced his father, Bob Babich, as the Bills’ linebackers coach in 2022. During his first season as Buffalo’s LBs coach, Babich helped guide Matt Milano to his first All-Pro season.
Babich started his NFL coaching career with the Panthers in 2011. He later had a stint with the Browns before spending a single season at FIU.
As our 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker shows, Babich is now the fifth candidate to potentially replace Don Martindale in New York. The rest of the group includes:
- Derrick Ansley, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interview requested
- Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed
- Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interview requested
- Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach (Ravens): Interviewed
Elsewhere in New York, the Giants interviewed Larry Izzo this past weekend for their special teams coordinator vacancy, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. The former Patriots special teams ace was the Texans ST coordinator in 2016 and 2017. He’s spent the past six seasons in Seattle, including the past three as the special teams coordinator.
Izzo joins a growing list of candidates to replace Thomas McGaughey in New York. Matt Harper, Carlos Polk, and Michael Ghobrial were among the names previously connected to the open position.
Eagles Interview Kliff Kingsbury For OC Job
With Brian Johnson out in Philadelphia, the Eagles are starting to reach out to potential replacements. The first on the list is Kliff Kingsbury, who interviewed for the Eagles offensive coordinator job today, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The meeting was done virtually, per Garafolo.
[RELATED: Eagles To Fire OC Brian Johnson]
After getting fired as the Cardinals head coach last offseason, Kingsbury caught on with USC for the 2023 campaign. He served as the school’s senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach, and he was tasked with coaching top prospect Caleb Williams. While the quarterback’s numbers dropped a bit from his 2022 Heisman Trophy campaign, Williams still finished this past season with 30 touchdowns vs. only five interceptions.
Most notably, Williams improved his completion percentage from 66.6 to 68.6. And while the QB ran less frequently, he found the end zone more often, scoring 11 rushing touchdowns (vs. 10 touchdowns in 2022). Williams’ performance (and perhaps Kingsbury’s tutelage) didn’t do anything to impact the prospect’s draft stock, as the QB is still expected to be among the first few picks in this year’s draft.
Kingsbury’s offensive acumen was what earned him the Cardinals job back in 2019. The team took steps forward in each of Kingsbury’s first three years at the helm, culminating in an 11-win season in 2021 (the Cardinals would go on to lose their lone playoff game). However, following a 2022 campaign that saw Arizona drop to 4-13, Kingsbury was relieved of his duties.
Following a year away from the league, the coach is now back on the NFL radar. Kingsbury earned an interview for the Bears OC job, and now he’ll be vying for the chance to replace Johnson in Philadelphia.
Following two strong seasons as the Eagles’ QBs coach, Johnson earned a promotion to offensive coordinator in 2023. The Eagles finished this past season ranked eighth in yards per game and seventh in scoring, but the team’s late-season nosedive ultimately cost the coach his job. The Eagles certainly have all the pieces needed for the next coordinator to succeed, and a creative offensive mind could help take the unit to the next level.
Commanders Scheduling Second HC Interviews With Dan Quinn, Raheem Morris
TUESDAY, 7:40pm: Another candidate has earned a second interview with the Commanders, as ESPN’s John Keim reports that Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver is expected to meet again with the organization.
Weaver is also in consideration for the Falcons head coaching job, where he also earned a second interview. Weaver has spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, including the past two as the DL coach/associate head coach.
MONDAY, 5:55pm: The Commanders are lining up second interviews with head coach candidates. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Commanders are expected to host Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on an in-person interview. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is scheduling a second interview with the Commanders.
Following the Cowboys’ disappointing playoff loss, it didn’t take long for Quinn to hit the interview trail. He met with the Commanders last week, and he’s already earned second interviews with the Titans and Seahawks.
Following a third-straight standout year by the Cowboys defense, Quinn is once again a popular name on the head coaching market. The veteran coach reportedly rejected previous HC opportunities in order to stick with Dallas, but it sounds like he’s more open to moving on in 2024. The former Falcons head coach has also been connected to the Panthers and Chargers jobs.
Morris is also a popular HC candidate this offseason. We previously heard that Morris earned second interviews with the Panthers and Seahawks, and in addition to the Commanders, Schefter notes that the coordinator is also expected to take a second interview with the Falcons.
Morris has served as the Rams defensive coordinator since 2021. He served as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020 following the firing of (who else) Dan Quinn. Morris’s stint in Atlanta spanned six years, and he had a previous three-year stint as the head coach in Tampa Bay.
In addition to Quinn and Morris, the list of Commanders head coach candidates includes:
Washington Commanders
- Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/20
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/19; top target?
- Mike Macdonald, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator (Texans): To interview 1/21
- Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach (Ravens): Interviewed 1/11
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/23/24
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Buffalo Bills
- DT Eli Ankou, QB Shane Buechele, RB Darrynton Evans
Minnesota Vikings
- CB A.J. Green
New York Giants
- WR Chase Cota, C Jimmy Morrissey
Pittsburgh Steelers
- CB Kalon Barnes, DB Thomas Graham, LB Tyler Murray, LB David Perales, CB Josiah Scott
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DL C.J. Brewer, OT Silas Dzansi, OL Luke Haggard, CB Keenan Isaac, WR Cephus Johnson, RB Patrick Laird, S Richard LeCounte, WR Ryan Miller, CB Quandre Mosely, LB Jose Ramirez, G Logan Stenberg, TE Tanner Taula, WR Raleigh Webb, TE David Wells
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/23/24
A few practice squad moves to pass along:
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Matt Farniok, RB Jake Funk
- Placed on IR: RB Jermar Jefferson
- Released: LB Raymond Johnson