Giants Seem “Likely” To Retain WR Wan’Dale Robinson
Wan’Dale Robinson‘s career season couldn’t have come at a better time, as the impending free agent wideout is expected to garner a lucrative contract this offseason. While the Giants have brought in a new coaching staff, the organization is still making the receiver a priority.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Robinson’s return to New York “seems likely.” Raanan notes that Robinson has always been a “favorite” of Joe Schoen, who selected the Kentucky product in the second round of his first draft as Giants GM. Further, the reporter notes that the Giants need to add playmakers this offseason, and letting one of their top wideouts walk in free agency would defeat that purpose.
Robinson struggled to separate himself from the Giants other wide receivers through his first two NFL seasons, but he showed some progress in 2024 when he hauled in 93 of his 140 targets. With Malik Nabers being limited to four games thanks to a torn ACL in 2025, Robinson emerged as Jaxson Dart‘s preferred target. The 25-year-old wideout had his first 1,000-yard season, and he hauled in 92 catches and a career-high four receiving touchdowns.
As John Harbaugh looks to turn around the success of the organization, there’s some merit to maintaining continuity on offense. Nabers should be ready to go towards the beginning of the season, while Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt are set to return in 2026. Still, Robinson would provide Dart with another high-quality target, and he may also represent one of the best options the team could possibly pursue via free agency.
Outside of George Pickens, this year’s WRs free agent class lacks a true positional game-changer, opening the door for Robinson to garner a lucrative contract. Mike Evans offers an impressive resume but is entering his age-33 season following an injury-filled 2025 campaign, while the likes of Alec Pierce, Jauan Jennings, and Romeo Doubs bring a similar track record as Robinson. As a result, the Giants could find themselves competing with other suitors to retain one of their top WR.
Cardinals Add Miami’s Matt Merritt As RBs Coach
Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett aren’t wasting any time adding to their new Cardinals staff. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the team has hired Miami running backs coach Matt Merritt for the same role in Arizona.
[RELATED: Cardinals To Hire Nathaniel Hackett As OC]
Merritt joined the Hurricanes staff ahead of the 2024 season and guided a rushing attack that saw Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr. combine for 19 touchdowns. He also got some production from eventual first-overall pick Cam Ward, who rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns on 60 carries. Fletcher Jr. took his production to another level in 2025, finishing with 1,192 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. CharMar Brown added seven scores of his own.
Other than his stint at Miami, Merritt’s stops have included Ohio State, Tennessee, and USF. During his tenure at that latter school, he helped guide a rushing attack that averaged 182.8 yards per game during the 2023 campaign. Nay’Quan Wright rushed for 797 yards and eight touchdowns, while QB Byrum Brown joined Jayden Daniels as the nation’s only signal callers to throw for at least 3,000 yards while compiling 800-plus rushing yards.
In Arizona, Merritt’s running back corps should be relatively set. James Conner will be leading the depth chart following a lost 2025 campaign, and Trey Benson will return as the RB2 following a handful of respectable outings last year. The team also has Corey Kiner on their offseason roster, while the trio of Emari Demercado, Zonovan Knight, and Michael Carter are all impending free agents.
Elsewhere in Arizona, the Cardinals have requested an interview with Dan Williams for their QB coach job, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Williams has spent the past seven seasons in Kansas City, including the past five coaching Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs assistant QBs coach.
Jeff Stoutland Won’t Return As Eagles OL Coach In 2026
Jeff Stoutland‘s iconic stint on the Eagles coaching staff has come to an end. The long-time offensive line coach announced that he won’t be returning to the Eagles coaching staff in 2026. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Stoutland is expected to stay with the organization in another role.
“I’ve decided my time coaching with the Eagles has come to an end,” Stoutland wrote on X. “When I arrived here in 2013, I did not know what I was signing up for. I quickly learned what this city demands. But more importantly, what it gives back. The past 13 years have been the great privilege of my coaching career. I didn’t just work here, I became one of you. Stout out.”
Stoutland spent decades coaching in college football before joining the Eagles staff under Chip Kelly in 2013. Despite the organization later employing two other head coaches, the OL coach has stuck around while earning a reputation as one of the NFL’s premier offensive line gurus. Over his 14 years in Philadelphia, Stoutland won a pair of Super Bowls while coaching eight linemen to a combined 26 Pro Bowls and 14 All-Pro nods. He earned the additional title of run-game coordinator in 2018, although the coach reportedly lost that role midway through the 2025 campaign.
While the coach has been credited with the elite play of the likes of Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce, and Jason Peters, he did have several additional accomplishments during his long tenure with the franchise. That includes coaching up former rugby player Jordan Mailata, who never played organized football before joining the Eagles. Mailata has since started 85 games over his eight seasons with the organization, leading the lineman to declare his alma mater as “Jeff Stoutland University” during a Sunday Night Football matchup in 2022.
Since Nick Sirianni has come on board, the head coach has credited Stoutland with the rise of the infamous “Tush Push.” After making the play a regular part of their playbook in 2022, quarterback Jalen Hurts has found the end zone 50 times, with the majority of those scores coming from the one- or two-yard line. Stoutland also guided a prolific rushing attack in 2024 that saw Saquon Barkley compile a record 2,504 rushing yards between the regular season and playoffs.
It’s uncertain if the addition of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion entirely influenced Stoutland’s decision, although Rapoport does note that the OC intends to bring in his own offensive staff. Zach Berman of The Athletic clarifies that the Mannion and Sirianni wanted to keep Stoutland on their staff, but it was ultimately the veteran coach’s decision to step away. Further, while it sounds like the Eagles intend to keep the veteran coach in the building, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo predicts that rival teams will surely check in on his availability.
While the move will have a massive impact on Philly’s approach to their coaching staff, it could also influence some roster decisions. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com observes, Stoutland’s departure from the coaching staff could influence Johnson’s decision to keep playing in 2026.
Texans Add Brandon Codrington To Offseason Roster
The Texans have added a former All-Rookie Team member to their offseason roster. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Texans have signed returner Brandon Codrington to a reserve/futures contract.
Codrington brings a bit more intrigue than your standard reserve/futures contract, and that’s mostly thanks to the 25-year-old’s special teams ability. The North Carolina Central product first stood out as a member of the Jets during the 2024 preseason, when he returned a kickoff for 63 yards and a punt for 31 yards.
He was later traded to Buffalo, where he proceeded to have a productive rookie campaign. He ultimately finished that 2024 season having returned 11 kickoffs for 306 yards and 27 punts for 313 yards. He was limited to only four games in 2025 but still garnered even more looks in the kickoff game, where he had 14 returns for 375 yards.
Codrington also got a bit of run on defense, where he served as a wide corner and a slot corner. He ultimately compiled nine tackles and one pass defended while appearing in 79 total defensive snaps.
While he’d likely have an uphill battle to contribute defensively in Houston, Codrington could compete for a returner role. Rookie third-round pick Jaylin Noel served as the primary kick and punt returner in 2025, but he could see reduced snaps in 2026 if his offensive responsibility increases. If that’s the case, Codrington could find himself competing with the likes of Tremon Smith and the returning Tank Dell for any leftover ST snaps.
Packers Don’t Expect To Retain QB Malik Willis
Following a successful two-year stint as Jordan Love‘s backup, quarterback Malik Willis will likely be playing elsewhere in 2026. GM Brian Gutekunst admitted that the Packers will likely lose their QB2 this offseason as Willis pursues an opportunity to compete for a starting spot, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport backs that sentiment, noting that a Willis departure “feels like a given.”
The former third-round pick out of Liberty was once viewed as a steal by the Titans, although the QB never had a chance to truly show his talent in Tennessee. He garnered three starts as a rookie but didn’t impress, completing barely 50 percent of his passes for 276 yards and three interceptions (he added another 123 rushing yards and a touchdown on 27 attempts). Following the addition of Will Levis in the 2023 draft, Willis was pushed further down the depth chart, and he attempted only five passes during that 2023 campaign.
Willis was traded to the Packers at the end of the 2024 preseason and was quickly pushed into action after Love suffered an MCL sprain in the season opener. Willis ended up guiding the Packers to wins in each of his two starts while filling in for Love, completing 25 of his 33 pass attempts for 324 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 114 yards and a score on the ground. Willis had a few more cameos throughout the 2024 campaign, tossing another touchdown and adding 24 rushing yards.
It took 11 games for him to make his first appearance of the 2025 campaign, but Willis still impressed in limited reps. He guided the team to a touchdown in a win over the Giants, and he added another passing touchdown and 44 rushing yards while relieving Love in a loss to the Bears. The Packers lost his Week 18 start to the Ravens, but he still completed 18 of his 21 pass attempts, tossed a touchdown, and found the end zone twice on the ground.
While Willis still only has six starts in four years, his successful cameos have set him up for a potential starting gig in 2026. The 26-year-old leads a free agent class that includes the likes of Daniel Jones, Aaron Rodgers, and Russell Wilson. Willis could be seen as a logical bridge QB or a seat-warmer ahead of a young signal caller, or he could be added as competition for an incumbent. Either way, Willis will likely be viewed as more than a QB2, which should price out the Packers.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/4/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Kansas City Chiefs
Miami Dolphins
Patriots Won’t Activate RB Terrell Jennings From IR
Terrell Jennings won’t be joining the Patriots’ Super Bowl roster. While the running back returned to practice last month, his activation window has come and gone without him joining the active roster. As a result, the former UDFA will remain on injured reserve, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.
Jennings suffered a concussion in an early-December win over the Giants. He subsequently landed on injured reserve, although he was designated for return on January 14. This meant the Patriots had three weeks to add him to the 53-man roster. However, with a healthy depth chart, the Patriots will keep him sidelined for the season finale.
The former Texas A&M standout joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 draft. He spent most of his rookie campaign on New England’s practice squad, although he did manage to work his way into three contests. Jennings ultimately finished the 2024 season with 33 yards from scrimmage on 13 touches.
He was pushed further down the depth chart following the Patriots’ selection of TreVeyon Henderson during the 2025 draft, although he did get a look on the active roster following Antonio Gibson‘s season-ending injury. Jennings ultimately got into seven games during his sophomore campaign, finishing with 82 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 24 touches.
While the team gave both Rhamondre Stevenson and Henderson extended looks during the 2025 season, the veteran has commanded most of the looks during the postseason. That duo will likely garner all of the snaps at the position during the Super Bowl, with practice squad RB D’Ernest Johnson serving as the emergency third RB on the depth chart.
Extension Talks Between Packers, Tucker Kraft Will Happen In “Near Future”
After emerging as one of Jordan Love‘s preferred targets over the past two years, Tucker Kraft is now in line for an extension. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst told reporters that the front office has already been in contact with Kraft’s camp about “how the organization feels about him”, and extension talks “will happen in the near future,” per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
Kraft is currently rehabbing a torn ACL that ended his 2025 campaign prematurely. The 2026 season will represent the final year of the former third-round pick’s rookie contract.
After showing flashes as a rookie in 2023, Kraft had a breakout showing in 2024. After leaping fellow 2023 draftee Luke Musgrave on the depth chart, Kraft proceeded to haul in 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 games. He was set to exceed those numbers in 2025. Through the first half of the season, the tight end was averaging a career-high 61.1 yards per game, and his six touchdowns had him on pace for double-digit scores.
Unfortunately, Kraft’s season ended in November after he suffered a serious knee injury. While the tight end isn’t targeting a specific return date, he did recently tell the team website that he’s hoping to be “bulletproof” by the start of the 2026 season. Kraft also noted that he didn’t experience any complications from his surgery.
Other than impending free agent Romeo Doubs, the Packers are set to return their same grouping of pass catchers in 2026. However, only 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden is attached to a contract beyond that campaign. While the team will surely look to lock in some of those receivers, it makes sense that the front office would put in a concerted effort to extend their pass-catching tight end.
While the injury may partly influence the Packers’ offer, the team is surely anticipating Kraft to command a lucrative long-term deal. $20MM in guarantees wouldn’t even put the player in the top-10 at his position, and a $14MM AAV would put him just inside the top-five among tight ends. 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson would likely be the starting point in negotiations; the Cowboys tight end inked a four-year, $52MM deal ($21.4MM guaranteed) last summer.
Buccaneers Talked To Sean McDermott About Position On Staff
While it seems likelier than not that Sean McDermott will sit out the 2026 campaign, that won’t stop teams from approaching the former Bills head coach about new opportunities. That includes the Buccaneers, who recently talked to McDermott about joining Todd Bowles‘ staff, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports.
Despite Tampa Bay’s interest, Auman notes that McDermott isn’t expected to coach in 2026. Instead, the 51-year-old is expected to re-assess his options during the 2027 offseason. This echoes a report from the other day that indicated that McDermott could sit out the upcoming campaign, although there were some previous rumblings that he could dive right back into coaching.
Tampa Bay would be a logical landing spot for McDermott. Bowles hasn’t employed a traditional defensive coordinator since he earned a promotion from that role in 2022, with the head coach still preferring to call plays on that side of the ball. However, the team could have still eyed McDermott for a significant role on the staff, especially after the Buccaneers saw three defensive coaches depart this offseason (cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross and defensive line coach Charlie Strong were fired while safeties coach Nick Rapone retired).
McDermott also has some connections to the organization. He overlapped with current Buccaneers GM Jason Licht when the two worked for the Eagles, and he also interviewed for the head coaching job in 2016.
McDermott does have coordinator experience, as he was responsible for the defense during stints with the Eagles and Panthers. More likely, he’ll garner some head coaching interest next offseason. After getting fired by the Bills, the coach reportedly received “positive reviews” from those who took a year off from coaching following their ousters, and it appears that McDermott is planning on following the same path.
Jets Complete Five OC Interviews
After moving on from offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand yesterday, the Jets have officially kicked off their search in full force. The team announced that they’ve completed interviews with five candidates. Three names on the list are new: Dolphins quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Darrell Bevell, Bills QBs coach Ronald Curry, and recent Chargers OC Greg Roman. The two other names are Lunda Wells, whose interview we learned about this morning, and Frank Reich, who was previously mentioned as a potential option.
[RELATED: Jets, OC Tanner Engstrand Part Ways]
Bevell has spent the past four seasons as Miami’s QBs coach and passing game coordinator. He helped guide Tua Tagovailoa to a ninth-place finish in MVP voting during his first season at the helm, and he saw the former first-round pick later pace the NFL in passing yards (4,624 in 2023) and completion percentage (72.9 in 2024). Tagovailoa’s numbers took a notable step back in 2025, including a career-high 3.9 interception rate. While that performance may lead to some changes in Miami in 2026, it apparently didn’t do enough to ruin Bevell’s reputation.
Following a brief stop with the 49ers to begin his coaching career, Curry climbed the coaching ladder in New Orleans. As a receivers coach, he helped guide Michael Thomas to two of the most productive seasons of his career, and he led a QBs room in 2021 that relied on three different starters (Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, and Taysom Hill). He earned a promotion to passing game coordinator in 2022 and was responsible for passing attacks led by Andy Dalton and Derek Carr. He moved to the Bills ahead of Josh Allen‘s MVP season in 2024, and he got a career-high 69.3 completion percentage from the star QB in 2025.
Roman was recently fired by the Chargers following a three-point showing in the team’s Wild Card Round loss to the Patriots. Before that, the veteran coach had stints as offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Buffalo, and San Francisco. He also served as the associate head coach at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh. Considering the Jets’ uncertainty at quarterback, it’s worth noting that Roman has successfully worked alongside a wide range of QBs throughout his coaching career. While he recently had an experienced play-caller in Justin Herbert, he’s helped guide young QBs (like Lamar Jackson and Colin Kaepernick) and journeymen (like Tyrod Taylor).
Before the Jets and Engstrand parted ways, there were rumblings that Aaron Glenn was planning to strip the OC of his play-calling duties while seeking a replacement. Reich was the first coach connected to the gig, and the team was reportedly “progressing” in conversations with the former Colts and Panthers head coach. The 64-year-old remains the favorite for the role. Wells joined the fray this morning, with the Cowboys TEs coach garnering his third OC interview of this year’s cycle. One name that’s rejected the team’s overtures is Jon Gruden, who would have certainly fit Glenn’s desire to find a “head coach” for the unit.
Whoever ends up getting hired for the open OC job will have a tall task of turning around a Jets offense that finished bottom-four in yards and scoring this past season. The team’s QB approach remains uncertain following the failed Justin Fields experiment, and running back Breece Hall is set to hit free agency. Fortunately, the Jets do have some foundational pieces, including a solid offensive line, star wideout Garrett Wilson, and promising rookie TE Mason Taylor.