Patriots Promote Zak Kuhr To Defensive Coordinator
Zak Kuhr is indeed taking over as the Patriots defensive coordinator. After serving as the defensive play-caller and interim defensive coordinator in 2025, the inside linebackers coach is earning a promotion to DC, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
[RELATED: Patriots To Move DC Terrell Williams To New Role]
A former defensive quality control coach and assistant LBs coach under Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, Kuhr followed his former boss to New England last offseason. He was initially tasked with coaching the team’s inside linebackers, but his responsibilities quickly shifted after defensive coordinator Terrell Williams was diagnosed with cancer.
Kuhr seamlessly took over as the defensive play-caller and interim DC, and he ended up guiding one of the top units in the NFL. The Patriots defense finished the season ranked fourth in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed. When Milton Williams was healthy, the team’s run defense was especially stout, and the team went several months without allowing a 50-yard rusher. Prior to their blowout loss in the Super Bowl, New England allowed playoff opponents to only score 26 points in three games.
Williams stepped away from his role during spring practices due to a health scare and was later diagnosed with prostate cancer. He continued to work with players as he underwent treatment, but he didn’t travel with the squad to away games. As a result, Kuhr served as the defensive play-caller for the entire 2025 campaign.
Fortunately, Williams was announced to be cancer-free before the Super Bowl and traveled with the Patriots to San Francisco. That set up a potentially tricky situation for the head coach heading into the offseason, but the organization quickly announced that Williams would transition to a high-ranking role on Vrabel’s staff.
The team still had to go through an interview process for their newfound DC vacancy to comply with Rooney Rule requirements. At the same time, Shane Bowen and Jim Schwartz were mentioned as potential candidates for the gig. Still, Kuhr always seemed like a shoo-in to earn the full-time gig, especially since the Patriots would risk losing him to a promotion if they kept him as linebackers coach.
While Vrabel still has a major influence over the team’s defensive game plan, Kuhr will now have an entire offseason to prepare his unit for the 2026 campaign. At the same time, the organization is expected to promote from within to fill the ILBs coach job. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Vinny DePalma is expected to be elevated to the role. DePalma was one of the few holdovers from Jerod Mayo‘s staff in New England, and he spent the past two years as a defensive assistant.
TE Isaiah Likely Expected To Depart Ravens?
Isaiah Likely has spent the first four seasons of his career serving as a key backup in Baltimore. Instead of seeing the former fourth-round pick eventually emerge as a full-time starter, the Ravens may watch the tight end leave via free agency.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens have made no progress in their efforts to extend Likely over the past eight months. Over that span, the team also recommitted to Mark Andrews. As a result, it’s seeming likelier than not that Likely will depart via free agency.
While Likely has served as Andrews’ backup for much of his Ravens tenure, he’s still seen a significant role in the offense. He had his best two showings between 2023 and 2024, when he hauled in 72 total catches for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns in 33 games. Thanks to Andrews’ leg injury in 2023, Likely actually outsnapped his teammate, and the TE duo was basically splitting reps in 2024.
Following Andrews’ continued drop in production and his playoff mishaps, there was a belief that Likely could take a step forward in 2025. Instead, the tight end was hampered by a training camp foot injury, and he ultimately finished the campaign with career-lows across the board (27 catches, 307 yards, one touchdown). At the same time, Likely lost a career-high two fumbles.
Then, in sudden December move, the Ravens inked Andrews to a three-year, $39.3MM extension. That contract places Andrews sixth at the position in average annual value, and as Zrebiec notes, the Ravens may find that it’s “extremely hard … to have two guys making top-eight tight end money.” Even with Likely’s limited track record, he seems destined to earn at least $10MM a year, which would tie for the 14th-highest AAV among tight ends. That may be untenable for a Baltimore squad that needs to fill multiple holes this offseason.
On the flip side, the Ravens have shown a willingness to extend Likely, and they’ve surely considered a scenario where they continue to roster both of their tight ends. Further, Zrebiec notes that Likely has a strong relationship with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will continue to serve as a strong voice in the organization.
Likely enters a relatively deep free agent class that also features the likes of Kyle Pitts and Dallas Goedert. Likely’s youth and hypothetical upside should still make him a popular name, and that could ultimately spell the end of his tenure in Baltimore.
Jason Tarver, Joe Woods Among Names To Watch For Raiders DC Job
It sounds like Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak could be zeroing in on an offensive coordinator, but the status on the defensive side of the ball isn’t as clear. While Jim Schwartz was initially mentioned as a preferred option for the DC job, it’s seeming increasingly likely that the veteran coach will sit out the 2026 campaign.
[RELATED: Andrew Janocko Favorite To Become Raiders’ OC?]
If the Raiders aren’t able to recruit Schwartz to Las Vegas, Kubiak will have to look elsewhere for a defensive leader. Albert Breer of SI.com provides several names that could emerge as candidates for the gig, including Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen, Seahawks pass-game coordinator Karl Scott, Browns linebackers coach Jason Tarver, and Raiders defensive backs coach Joe Woods.
Cullen would bring plenty of experience to Las Vegas, as the 58-year-old has been coaching since the early 1990s. He got his first NFL gig with the Lions in 2006 and has spent most of his professional coaching career as a defensive line coach. Following a five-year stint in that role with the Ravens, he got a chance as a defensive coordinator with the Jaguars in 2021. However, with Urban Meyer failing to make it through one full season and the organization seeking a fresh start in 2022, Cullen wasn’t retained. He quickly caught on with the Chiefs, where he’s earned a pair of Super Bowl rings in four seasons.
While Kubiak is eyeing some offensive coaches from his old staff, Scott is the only current member of Seattle’s defensive staff that’s been connected to a Raiders gig. The 40-year-old spent years coaching defensive backs in college before getting hired by the Vikings for that same role in 2021. He was recruited to Seattle in 2022, and he stuck on the staff after the team switched from Pete Carroll to Mike Macdonald. During his time with the Seahawks, Scott has been credited with the development of Devon Witherspoon, Coby Bryant, and Riq Woolen.
A Tarver hire would represent a bit of a homecoming for the coach, as he actually served as the Raiders defensive coordinator under Dennis Allen between 2012 and 2014. He stuck through multiple head coaches in San Francisco, where he served as the 49ers linebackers coach, and he later had a two-year stint as Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator. Most recently, the 51-year-old has served as the Browns linebackers coach, a job he’s held since the 2020 season.
Woods joined the Raiders ahead of the 2025 season as their pass-game coordinator, and Breer notes that the coach is expected to stick with the organization despite the change in leadership. The veteran coach has had multiple stints as defensive coordinator in stops with the Broncos, Browns, and Saints. While Woods guided several of his units to top-10 showings, the majority of his defenses were middle-of-the-road. A new coaching staff spelled the end of his tenure in New Orleans, although he was already on thin ice following a 2024 season where the Saints ranked 30th in yards allowed.
While the Raiders showed interest in Texans secondary coach Dino Vasso, the 38-year-old won’t be heading to Las Vegas. Vasso inked a new deal to stick on Houston’s coaching staff, taking him out of contention for the promotion.
RB Kenneth Walker Expected To Stick With Seahawks
Kenneth Walker III set himself up for a lucrative payday thanks to this year’s playoff run, which culminated in him earning Super Bowl MVP following the Seahawks’ win over the Patriots. While it remains uncertain how much money the running back will earn on his next contract, there does seem to be a bit more certainty about where he’ll be playing in 2026. In his review of franchise tag candidates, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones said there is “little doubt” that Walker will stick with the Seahawks.
While there was once a belief that Walker may be trending towards a Seattle exit, things have changed dramatically over the past few weeks. First, Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL that could sideline him for much of the 2026 campaign, putting extra reliance on Walker. The fourth-year player more than stepped up as a three-down back, averaging more than 100 rushing yards in his three playoff games. Even before his MVP-winning performance in the Super Bowl, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald expressed interest in re-signing the RB, and Walker himself later stated his desire to stick with the team.
While Walker faced little competition for carries as a rookie, he ceded carries to Charbonnet over the past three years. The 25-year-old has also dealt with a handful of injuries, including a 2024 campaign where he missed six games. Those factors led to him generally being ranked third in this year’s free agent class behind Breece Hall and Travis Etienne.
Of course, outside of his standout playoff performance, there were still plenty of reasons to like Walker. The running back hauled in at least 25 catches for the fourth time in four NFL seasons, and his big-play ability (he finished sixth in 2025 with 33 rushes of 10-plus yards) is appealing to any team. Add in his 417 yards from scrimmage in three postseason games, and Jones estimated that the impending free agent has “earned himself millions” on his next contract.
However, while Jones is confident that the RB will re-sign with the Seahawks, he’s also wary of prolonged negotiations. Jones says Walker could point to Josh Jacobs‘ $12MM AAV, a number that ranks just outside of the top-five at the position. Jones also opines that the Seahawks front office could opt for the franchise tag, meaning Walker would earn roughly $14MM via a one-year contract.
Regardless of the terms of his next contract, it appears that Walker’s worth has taken a significant jump following his impressive playoff run.
Dolphins Add Kevin Patullo As Pass-Game Coordinator
Kevin Patullo is heading to Miami. After losing his offensive coordinator title in Philadelphia, Patullo is joining the Dolphins as their new pass-game coordinator, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Patullo held that same title with the Eagles between 2021 and 2024, but he earned a promotion to offensive coordinator following Kellen Moore‘s departure last offseason. After grading out as a top-10 offense each season between 2022 and 2024, the Eagles offense took a major step back in 2025, finishing 19th in points and 24th in yards. While regression was expected from the likes of Saquon Barkley, the regression was especially troubling considering the Eagles returned 10 of their 11 starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad.
Following the team’s first-round loss to the 49ers, Nick Sirianni announced that the team would be demoting Patullo from his post. The Eagles ended up adding Sean Mannion as their new offensive coordinator, and while Patullo technically stayed on the staff over the past month, it seemed clear that his time with the organization had likely come to an end. As Garafolo notes, the coach spoke with several teams about assistant roles during the recent hiring cycle, and he ultimately found a home in Miami.
Patullo will now be joining a revamped Dolphins coaching staff that’s led by head coach Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. While it’s uncertain if Patullo will earn the associate head coach title he had with the Eagles in 2023 and 2024, Garafolo expects the new hire to assist Hafley with “head-coaching responsibilities during the week and on gameday.”
While the Dolphins coaching staff has basically taken shape, the offensive personnel is still a major question mark. The team seems set to move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and Tyreek Hill‘s tenure with the organization will also likely come to an end. While wideout Jaylen Waddle and running back De’Von Achane represent skilled options on offense, the unit will surely look a lot different in 2026.
Raiders Officially Name Klint Kubiak Head Coach
The Raiders have made it official. The team announced this evening that they’ve named Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach.
Kubiak is now the 25th head coach in franchise history, and he’s the sixth since the team moved to Las Vegas. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kubiak will receive a five-year contract from the Raiders.
Of course, this move doesn’t come as any surprise. The franchise seemed to be leaning towards Kubiak last week, and the 38-year-old was reportedly set to negotiate a deal with the organization. Then, Kubiak all but confirmed the news last night following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win when he revealed that he’d indeed be taking his talents from Seattle to Las Vegas.
The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has bounced around the NFL during his coaching career, including stops with the Vikings, Saints, and Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. It was that latter stop that made him seem destined to take the next step of his career, as Kubiak was the most popular name during this year’s hiring cycle. The 38-year-old ultimately interviewed for seven of the 10 HC vacancies, and he landed one of those opportunities in Las Vegas.
After helping guide Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense to a surprising top-10 showing this past season, Kubiak will now be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made the postseason twice in the past 23 years. Besides landing on their new head coach, the Raiders are also anticipated to add a new franchise QB this offseason, as the team is expected to select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick.
Before Kubiak can focus on the on-field product, he’ll have to quickly build out his staff. Considering his inexperience as a head coach, Jason La Canfora of Sportsboom.com writes that the Raiders are expected to prioritize experience as they look to fill out the coaching staff. One name in particular that could stand out is Jim Schwartz, who hastily left the Browns after losing out on their head coaching job.
Per La Canfora, the veteran defensive coach has several fans in the building. This includes Kubiak, and the offensive-minded head coach presumably wouldn’t meddle in Schwartz’s defensive approach. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is also a “strong supporter” of the coach. Since the Raiders have traditionally shown a willingness to “spend heavily” on assistants, there’s an expectation among league sources that Schwartz will ultimately land in Las Vegas.
There would remain one hurdle in the Raiders’ pursuit, however: the Browns have Schwartz under contract through 2026, meaning Las Vegas would have to negotiate with the AFC foe to lure the coach. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, this has led some to believe that Schwartz could simply sit out the upcoming campaign, and there’s some belief that the coach may be simply waiting for the Eagles DC job to open up.
On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is a “natural candidate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Prior to his success with Darnold, Janocko was credited with getting some of the best career showings from the likes of Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, and Derek Carr. It’s no coincidence that the coach has also joined Kubiak in multiple stops, making him an obvious candidate for the gig. Of course, there’s also a chance the Seahawks simply look to promote him to their newfound OC vacancy.
Speaking of the Seahawks, Fowler notes that in-house options like offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten could also be options to replace Kubiak, as could Lions senior assistant Mike Kafka.
49ers DL Keion White Shot In San Francisco
10:30pm: The 49ers announced that White’s surgery was successful, per Barrows, though the team put no timetable on his return.
7:13pm: 49ers defensive lineman Keion White was shot in the ankle during an event in San Francisco early this morning, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
The player is currently undergoing surgery. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the injuries are not considered to be life-threatening nor career-threatening.
According to Maiocco, the shooting occurred at approximately 4am in an establishment on Mission Street in San Francisco. Police said the shooting followed an altercation between two groups, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. White was not believed to have been involved in the altercation. It’s uncertain if the event was related to the Super Bowl, although the player’s social media showed that he was in the stands for the game.
The 49ers released a statement acknowledging the shooting and the player’s surgery. The team stated that they would “provide further updates when appropriate.” San Francisco police spokesman Evan Sernoffsky said that “officers are working diligently on this investigation” and were “following multiple leads” (via Barrows).
A 2023 second-round pick, White spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Patriots, including a 2024 campaign where he compiled five sacks. He was dealt to the 49ers ahead of this year’s deadline, and he proceeded to get into nine games (two starts) with his new squad, tallying 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
In August of 2024, then-49ers rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco. Pearsall eventually made a full recovery.
TE David Njoku Says He Won’t Be Returning To Browns
David Njoku indicated that he won’t be re-signing with the Browns. The impending free agent tight end took to Instagram this evening to say farewell to Cleveland, stating that “the time for me to find a new home has come.”
“Cleveland, first off I love you,” Njoku wrote. “These 9 years have been a beautiful journey. I’m am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Thank you to The Haslams, Andrew Berry and the whole browns organization for everything!! All my teammates I shared the battle with I’m so grateful for you guys. The time for me to find a new home has come and all I can think of is just the gratefulness in my heart. The city of Cleveland will forever be home.”
After emerging in trade rumors during the 2024 trade deadline, Njoku was once again viewed as a trade candidate in 2025. Coupled with the tight end’s impending free agent and the performance of third-round rookie TE Harold Fannin, those trade rumblings seemed to indicate that Njoku’s departure from Cleveland would come sooner than later.
Still, after Njoku stuck with the Browns after the deadline, we heard that the tight end was eyeing an extension with the franchise. And following the regular season, there were reports that the Browns would consider a third contract for the veteran. Since then, the Browns have revamped their coaching staff, and Njoku reportedly endorsed new Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski to Atlanta TE (and fellow impending free agent) Kyle Pitts.
If Njoku sticks to his current word and indeed looks to play elsewhere in 2026, he’ll end a Browns tenure that sees him rank among the organization’s best tight ends. While the 2017 first-round pick was always going to face an uphill battle to rival franchise legend Ozzie Newsome, Njoku arguably established himself as the second-best TE in Browns history. Despite inconsistent QB play for much of his nine seasons in Cleveland, Njoku still hauled in 384 catches for 4,062 yards and 34 touchdowns. That latter mark ranks sixth on the Browns’ all-time receiving leaderboard.
Njoku played through his rookie contract in Cleveland before being slapped with the franchise tag in 2022. He subsequently inked a four-year, $56MM extension with the organization, and his $14MM average annual value still ranks fifth at the position. The 29-year-old dealt with knee injuries for much of the 2025 season, opening the door for Fannin to pace the team in targets (107) and receptions (72). While both tight ends could have coexisted in Cleveland, it comes as zero surprise that the Browns and Njoku are preparing for a divorce.
Njoku may have a tough time retaining his current spot in the AAV standings, and there’s a good chance he even falls out of the top-15 at his position (~$10MM). Besides his 2025 injuries and drop in production, Njoku is also a part of a relatively deep free agent class at the position. Even assuming that Travis Kelce will either retire or return to the Chiefs, Njoku will be competing with the likes of Pitts, DallasGoedert, and Isaiah Likely for his next contract.
Chargers’ Khalil Mack, Odafe Oweh To “Be In Demand” This Offseason
While free agent Trey Hendrickson and likely trade target Maxx Crosby will lead the class of available edge rushers this offseason, a pair of Chargers pass rushers also shouldn’t lack for suitors. According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.com, Chargers edge rushers Khalil Mack and Odafe Oweh will “be in demand” this offseason.
While pass-rush-needy teams will surely take whatever reinforcement they can get, the two teammates may have different experiences in free agency. Mack, of course, has spent 12 years in the NFL, and while it’s been close to a decade since he won his Defensive Player of the Year award, the veteran continues to produce. While the former Raiders star failed to match that production in Chicago, he has had a few standout moments during his stint with the Chargers. This includes a 17-sack campaign in 2023, but Mack otherwise averaged around six sacks per season during his other three years in Los Angeles.
Thanks to a six-year, $141MM extension with the Bears that temporarily made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history, Mack has never truly experienced free agency. He inked a one-year, $16MM extension with the Chargers last offseason, and there’s a chance he may have to settle for another short-term deal following a 12-game showing in 2025.
Oweh, meanwhile, just completed his rookie contract. The former first-round pick spent the first four-plus seasons of his career with the Ravens, where he often found himself serving in a part-time role. Despite only getting into about 60 percent of the Ravens defensive snaps during his tenure with the team, Oweh still managed to compile 23 sacks with the organization, including a 10-sack performance in 2024.
The 27-year-old got into a career-low 45 percent of Baltimore’s defensive snaps in 2025 before he was shipped to Los Angeles in October. The impending free agent had a productive few months with his new squad, compiling 7.5 sacks and 13 QB hits in 12 games (two starts).
The two edge rushers will have a natural suitor in the Chargers, as La Canfora notes that the organization will be active trying to retain “at least one of them.” Another not-so-surprising suitor will be the Ravens, as La Canfora notes that new head coach (and former Chargers defensive coordinator) Jesse Minter are expected to “heavily pursue” the free agents.
Browns Request DC Interview With Falcons’ Mike Rutenberg
Another name has joined the growing list of candidates for the Browns defensive coordinator job. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Browns have requested an interview with Falcons defensive pass-game coordinator Mike Rutenberg.
Rutenberg had a long stint in Jacksonville to begin his NFL coaching career. Following seven seasons with the organization, he caught on with the 49ers as their passing game specialist. That move reunited him with Robert Saleh after the two worked alongside each other during their time with the Jaguars.
When Saleh got the Jets head coaching job in 2021, Rutenberg followed him to New York as the team’s new linebackers coach. He spent four years with the organization, three of which saw the Jets finish in the top-five in total defense. As the Jets revamped their coaching staff ahead of the 2025 campaign, Rutenberg left for the Falcons, where he was named the defensive pass game coordinator. Atlanta’s pass defense was generally middle-of-the-road this past season, although they did rank sixth in interceptions.
The 44-year-old’s stock has recently been climbing. He was a candidate for the Titans DC job that eventually went to Gus Bradley, and Fowler notes that Rutenberg was actually the runner-up in that process. Now, he’ll get another crack at a coordinator gig in Cleveland.
Another name that’s definitively connected to the Browns job is Texans passing-game coordinator Cory Undlin, who was previously mentioned as a potential candidate for the gig. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Undlin met with the Browns this past weekend. This would be a bit of a homecoming for the veteran coach, who had a four-year stint in Cleveland early in his coaching career.
Since then, he’s coached defensive backs in stops with the Jaguars, Broncos, Eagles, and 49ers. He also had a one-year stint as the Lions defensive coordinator under Matt Patricia, although Detroit ranked as the worst defense in the NFL that year. He’s spent the past three seasons serving in his current role on DeMeco Ryans‘s staff in Houston.
With Jim Schwartz resigning from his post in Cleveland, the Browns list of DC candidates continues to grow. The team’s other options include:
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/9
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search