Vikings Fire GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
In a stunning move, the Vikings have fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Adofo-Mensah, 44, had been the Vikings’ GM since 2022.
As part of their official statement, the Vikings said: “Following our annual end-of-season organizational meetings over the last several weeks and after careful consideration, we have decided it is in the best interest of the team to move forward with new leadership of our football operations. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for Kwesi’s contributions and commitment to the organization over the past four years and wish him and his family the best in the future.”
Executive vice president Rob Brzezinski will take over for Adofo-Mensah on an interim basis, the team announced. Brzezinski will lead the front office through April’s draft, but the Vikings “intend to conduct a thorough search” for their next GM after that.
The Vikings’ decision to cut ties with Adofo-Mensah comes less than a year after they locked him up to a contract extension last May. The deal prevented Adofo-Mensah from entering 2025 as a lame duck, but the team will now go in another direction after finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs.
There was “tension” in the Vikings’ building leading up to Adofo-Mensah’s firing, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who hears that it had been “ugly” throughout the season. Jordan Schultz relays similar information, writing “there were relationship issues” at Vikings headquarters.
The Vikings brought in Adofo-Mensah after he divided 2013-21 between San Francisco and Cleveland. He impressed enough over two seasons as the Browns’ vice president of football operations to earn a promotion in Minnesota. With the hiring of head coach Kevin O’Connell three weeks later, Adofo-Mensah checked off his first key task atop the Vikings’ front office. The well-regarded O’Connell remains in place four years later, but he’ll pair with Brzezinski for now before potentially teaming up with a different GM.
The Adofo-Mensah/O’Connell tandem helped the Vikings to a 13-4 mark and an NFC North title in their first season together, though the team suffered a wild-card round upset against the Giants. The Vikings dropped to 7-10 in 2023, after which they allowed longtime starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to walk in free agency.
With Cousins heading to Atlanta on a massive contract worth up to $180MM over four years, the Vikings brought in veteran Sam Darnold on a one-year, $10MM pact and then used the 10th pick in the draft on former Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.
Adofo-Mensah traded up a spot for McCarthy, who went on to miss his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus. That didn’t faze Minnesota, where Darnold enjoyed a long-awaited breakout campaign six years after the Jets drafted him third overall. The Vikings posted a tremendous 14-3 record en route to another playoff berth, but they once again lost in the wild-card round.
A couple months after a rough showing in a blowout against the Rams, Darnold signed with the Seahawks on a three-year, $100.5MM deal. The Vikings made a similar offer, and they also tried to re-sign veteran passer Daniel Jones after he ended 2024 in their uniform, but they struck out in both instances. Jones saw a clearer path to playing time in Indianapolis, where he went on to revive his career before tearing his Achilles in early December.
Meanwhile, a Darnold-quarterbacked team finished 14-3 for the second year in a row. The Seahawks are now preparing to face the Patriots in Super Bowl LX after Darnold’s 346-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 31-27 triumph over the Rams in the NFC title game.
After Darnold and Jones slipped through their fingers last March, a season of subpar quarterback play was likely the main culprit in the Vikings’ disappointing 2025. Adofo-Mensah’s big bet on McCarthy hasn’t paid off to this point.
McCarthy battled multiple injuries in his first year at the helm, leading him to miss seven games, and was statistically among the league’s worst QBs when healthy. Journeyman backup Carson Wentz, who was a mixed bag filling in for McCarthy early in the year, required season-ending shoulder surgery in October.
Wentz’s injury left undrafted rookie Max Brosmer as McCarthy’s backup for the rest of the year. Brosmer was dreadful over eight appearances and two starts, including a four-interception outing in a 26-0 loss to Darnold’s Seahawks in Week 13.
Shortly after the Vikings’ campaign ended, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell indicated they’d bring in competition for McCarthy this offseason. It’s not clear how aggressive Adofo-Mensah would have been, but that decision is now out of his hands.
While the Vikings’ lackluster QB performance this season likely contributed to Adofo-Mensah’s ouster, a poor track record in the draft also didn’t help his cause. As Kevin Seifert of ESPN points out, players the Vikings drafted from 2022-25 have only made 172 starts – the second-lowest total in the league during that span. To make matters worse, Adofo-Mensah’s drafts haven’t produced any Pro Bowlers. With Adofo-Mensah suddenly out of the organization, the Vikings will hope for better results from their Brzezinski-led front office this April.
2026 Salary Cap To Exceed $300MM
The NFL has not officially set its 2026 salary cap yet, but it will exceed the $300MM mark for the first time. The league informed its teams that it’s projecting the number to fall between $301.2MM and $305.7MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Surpassing $300MM would represent yet another sizable one-year jump for the league, which set its 2025 cap at $279.2MM. It was only four years ago that the cap checked in north of $200MM for the first time. With the exception of 2021, the first post-COVID campaign, the number has gone up by at least $10MM in each season since 2013. Here’s a year-by-year look (via Pelissero):
- 2013: $123M
- 2014: $133M
- 2015: $143.28M
- 2016: $155.27M
- 2017: $167M
- 2018: $177.2M
- 2019: $188.2M
- 2020: $198.2M
- 2021: $182.5M
- 2022: $208.2M
- 2023: $224.8M
- 2024: $255.4M
- 2025: $279.2M
The pandemic, which led to stadiums with either no fans or limited attendance, caused the cap to fall 8% from 2020-21. A half-decade later, it’s clear the league’s financial situation is in a much better place. The additions of a 17th regular-season game and two extra playoff teams have contributed to the cap surge. Expensive media rights deals and and more gambling partnerships have also played significant roles.
The cap increasing by $20MM-plus before free agency opens in March will be a welcome boost for teams, especially those in dire need of spending room, and players alike. George Pickens, Daniel Jones, Trey Hendrickson, Tyler Linderbaum, Odafe Oweh, Alec Pierce and Breece Hall are among the headliners who could hit the open market.
We’re also sure to see more lucrative contract extensions in 2026. Josh Allen, Micah Parsons, Aidan Hutchinson, Myles Garrett, Ja’Marr Chase and Brock Purdy are among the players who signed massive extensions in 2025.
Cowboys Hope To Keep George Pickens, Javonte Williams; Team Has Met With Williams
Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens and running back Javonte Williams were among the top performers on one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses in 2025. With Pickens and Williams now a few weeks from hitting free agency, the team unsurprisingly wants to retain both players.
“Obviously, there’s guys that we want to keep from last year,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “Whether it’s George Pickens or it’s Javonte [Williams], those are all guys that play into the free agency picture.”
The Cowboys and Pickens’ camp have not met yet this offseason, according to Harris, but Jones revealed the team “has certainly visited with Javonte.”
The Cowboys and Williams are aiming for a multiyear agreement, per Harris. That may be more realistic than a long-term arrangement with Pickens, who will be the No. 1 receiver available if he reaches the open market. After the former Steeler ranked top 10 in the NFL in receptions (93; eighth), yards (1,429; third) and touchdowns (nine; eighth) in his first season as a Cowboy, a contract worth upward of $30MM per year may be in the offing.
The Cowboys, who must address a defense that ranked among the dregs of the league this season, already have a lot of money tied up in wideout CeeDee Lamb. With Lamb making $34MM per annum, the Cowboys may be hesitant or unable to authorize a second mega-contract for a receiver. If a multiyear pact isn’t in the cards in the coming weeks, they’ll have the option of slapping the less expensive franchise tag on Pickens by March 3 (he’ll turn 25 the next day).
While the tag would still be costly (around $28MM), there’s a “strong belief” the Cowboys will take that route, Todd Archer of ESPN writes. That jibes with multiple reports that came out during the season. Tagging Pickens would give the Cowboys the option of keeping him for another year, trading him or signing him to a longer deal by the July 15 deadline.
The tag won’t be on the table for Williams, but the soon-to-be 26-year-old is in far better position than he was when he hit free agency last March.
After Williams rushed for just 513 yards on 3.7 per carry in 2024, his second full season since suffering ACL and LCL tears in 2022, the ex-Bronco inked a one-year, $3MM guarantee with the Cowboys. The move couldn’t have worked out much better for either side. Williams started in all 16 appearances and put up personal bests in carries (252), yards (1,201), YPC (4.8) and touchdowns (13; 11 rushing, two receiving).
On the heels of a career year, Williams is hoping to cash in, Clarence Hill of All City DLLS relays. If Williams doesn’t re-up with the Cowboys before free agency opens March 11, he’ll be part of an unsigned class of running backs that could also include Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, J.K. Dobbins, Rachaad White and ex-Cowboy Rico Dowdle, among others.
Browns To Hire Travis Switzer As OC
Newly named Browns head coach Todd Monken is set to hire Ravens run game coordinator Travis Switzer as his offensive coordinator, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. The hiring will become official once the Browns satisfy the Rooney Rule, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
As the Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2023-25, Monken spent the past three years working with Switzer, a coach in Baltimore since 2017.
‘Travis was Todd Monken’s right hand man,” a source told Wilson. “He’s a very, very smart, excellent coach.”
Between his hiring as an administrative assistant-performance and his promotion to run game coordinator in 2024, Switzer held several different positions on ex-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh‘s staff.
The Ravens boasted an elite running game in two seasons under Switzer, who coached an uber-talented attack led by Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. The team led the league in rushing in 2024. Henry was 79 yards short of 2,000, while Jackson fell 85 shy of his third 1,000-plus campaign.
Although Henry wasn’t quite as otherworldly in 2025, he still amassed 1,595 yards on 5.2 per carry. Injuries limited Jackson to 13 games, depriving the Ravens of half of their two-headed monster for a sizable chunk of the year. However, No. 2 running back Keaton Mitchell helped pick up the slack in averaging an excellent 5.8 yards per attempt on 59 tries. With Henry, Jackson and Mitchell all putting up over 5.0 yards a carry, the Ravens finished first in YPC and second in ground yardage.
It’s unknown if Monken or Switzer will call the plays in Cleveland, but turning around its offense will be a tall order. The Browns are coming off a season in which they ranked 30th or worse in total yards, passing and scoring, which undermined a high-end defensive performance during a 5-12 campaign.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Browns don’t have an obvious answer at quarterback among Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson. All three could compete for the job during the summer, though that may depend on whether the Browns make outside additions at the position during the offseason.
Cleveland’s sure to address other offensive issues, including a lack of weapons beyond tight end Harold Fannin, running back Quinshon Judkins and receiver Jerry Jeudy. More importantly, though, the Browns’ line may be in for a major overhaul. Guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, tackles Cam Robinson and Jack Conklin, and center Ethan Pocic (coming off a late-season Achilles tear) are all slated to reach free agency. As a former offensive lineman at Akron, Switzer may have input in making over the Browns’ front five.
Eagles To Hire Josh Grizzard As Pass Game Coordinator
Three weeks after the Buccaneers fired him as their offensive coordinator, Josh Grizzard is joining the Eagles’ staff. Grizzard will serve as the team’s pass game coordinator, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Eagles, who joined the Buccaneers in removing their offensive coordinator after the season, considered Grizzard as a potential replacement for Kevin Patullo. While Grizzard interviewed for the position twice, Philadelphia instead hired Sean Mannion on Thursday. The 35-year-old Grizzard will now assist Mannion after spending two seasons in Tampa Bay.
Grizzard joined the Buccaneers as their pass game coordinator in 2024, a prolific season for Baker Mayfield & Co. The Buccaneers finished third in passing, Mayfield tossed a career-best 41 touchdowns, and wide receiver Mike Evans posted his 11th straight 1,000-yard season. The Bucs’ offensive success led to the departure of coordinator Liam Coen, who became the Jaguars’ head coach, and the promotion of Grizzard.
With Grizzard in control, Tampa Bay’s offense took significant steps backward in 2025. The unit fell from fourth in scoring the previous season to 18th, though injuries played a key role in its decline. The receiver trio of Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan combined to miss 30 games, running back Bucky Irving sat out seven, and linemen Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch combined for 26 absences.
While Grizzard’s first stint as an O-coordinator didn’t go according to plan, the Eagles are optimistic he’ll help boost an aerial attack that ranked 23rd in 2025. Grizzard is a lock to work with quarterback Jalen Hurts and receiver DeVonta Smith in 2026. However, the futures of the Eagles’ other top pass catchers, wideout A.J. Brown and tight end Dallas Goedert, are in question.
Brown logged his fourth straight 1,000-yard campaign in 2025, but after he made his frustration with the Eagles’ offense known throughout the year, he may be a trade candidate this offseason. Meanwhile, after leading the Eagles with 11 touchdown grabs, Goedert is now a little over a month from hitting the free agent market.
Bills To Hire Pete Carmichael Jr. As OC
Just a couple days into his tenure as the Bills’ head coach, Joe Brady has already found his offensive coordinator. The team has agreed to terms with Pete Carmichael Jr., Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
Carmichael, who spent the past two years as a senior offensive assistant with the Broncos, has worked with Brady in the past. The two were on Sean Payton‘s staff in New Orleans from 2017-18, when Carmichael was the Saints’ offensive coordinator and Brady served as an offensive assistant.
This will be the second NFL O-coordinator job for the 54-year-old Carmichael, who held the post in New Orleans from 2009-23. Carmichael won’t call the plays in Buffalo, however, as Brady will continue handling those duties in 2026.
Brady has run the Bills’ offense since taking over for the fired Ken Dorsey midway into the 2023 season. The Bills promoted the 36-year-old to head coach on Tuesday to replace the ousted Sean McDermott.
Brady will have a lot on his plate as a rookie head coach, but the hiring of Carmichael will add a trusted and experienced voice to his offensive staff. Carmichael began his NFL career as a tight ends coach and offensive assistant in Cleveland in 2000. He went on to serve in various positions with the then-Redskins and Chargers before Payton, then a rookie HC, tabbed him as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach in 2006.
Carmichael spent the vast majority of his 18-year Saints tenure working with future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. He’ll now join a team with another superstar signal-caller in Josh Allen, who was at the helm of an offense that finished fourth in scoring and yards in 2025. The Bills also had the league’s leading rusher in James Cook, though the receiver position was a problem throughout the campaign.
Slot target Khalil Shakir was the only wideout on the team to reach the 700-yard mark during the season. He continued as the Bills’ most productive option during a two-game playoff run that ended with a 33-30 loss to Carmichael and the Broncos in the divisional round.
The Bills likely expected second-year receiver Keon Coleman, the 33rd pick in 2024, to take a step forward. Instead, though, Coleman caught just 38 passes for 404 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games. Professionalism has been an issue for Coleman, who was a healthy scratch on four occasions in 2025.
After the firing of McDermott, owner Terry Pegula revealed “the coaching staff pushed to draft Keon.” General manager Brandon Beane then took ownership of the pick in saying it was his decision. Regardless, Coleman’s future in Buffalo seemed in doubt after Pegula publicly called him out. Now, though, it appears the soon-to-be 23-year-old will remain part of the Bills’ receiving corps next season.
“I told Keon when I got hired, the best thing that happened to Keon Coleman was me being his head coach,” Brady said Thursday (via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN). “I was one of the ones that stood on the table for Keon Coleman, and I believe in Keon Coleman.”
If we’re to take Brady’s comments at face value, Coleman will be among the players he and Carmichael work with in 2026. Meanwhile, with the loss of Carmichael, Payton and the Broncos are now in position to replace multiple offensive staffers after falling one win shy of a Super Bowl. Payton fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on Monday. Bills QBs coach Ronald Curry is among the candidates to become the Broncos’ OC, though it’s unclear if Brady considered him for the same job before he hired Carmichael.
Jets To Interview Lunda Wells For OC; Jon Gruden Denies Team Contacted Him
JANUARY 30: Gruden emphatically denied that the Jets contacted him, telling WDAE: “There’s a lot of reports we’re not going to get into. There’s a lot of stupid rumors out there. Some of these reports are ridiculous. Let’s just say that there was never anything from the Jets and I wish them well in their search for a new offensive coordinator.”
JANUARY 28: After parting with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand on Tuesday, the Jets have identified a potential replacement in Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells. They’ll interview Wells today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
The Jets are the third team of the offseason to show OC interest in Wells, who previously met with the Commanders and will discuss the position with the Steelers. Now 42 years old, Wells began his NFL coaching career in New York in 2012 in a quality control role with the Tom Coughlin-led Giants.
Coughlin’s run as the Giants’ head coach ended after 2015, but Wells stayed on their staff during the short-lived Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur eras. He served as the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach from 2013-17 before working with their tight ends from 2018-19.
Wells is now coming off his sixth year in Dallas, where he has aided in the development of tight ends Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson. In joining the Jets, Wells would inherit a promising tight end in Mason Taylor, who posted a 44-catch season as a second-round rookie in 2025, as well as a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver in Garrett Wilson.
While Taylor and Wilson are bright spots, the Jets’ offense otherwise lacks weapons, especially with running back Breece Hall on the verge of free agency. More importantly, though, the Jets don’t have a clear answer at quarterback. It’s something general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn will have to address this offseason after last year’s Justin Fields gamble fell flat.
Although Wells will receive some consideration to run the Jets’ offense in 2026, Glenn is reportedly focused on hiring an experienced candidate to be the “head coach” of the unit. Frank Reich is the frontrunner, but Glenn also reached out to Jon Gruden about joining his staff, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.
It’s unknown whether Gruden would have become the Jets’ offensive coordinator or taken on a different position, but he declined Glenn’s overtures. The longtime head coach, 62, hasn’t worked in the NFL since he served as a consultant with the Saints in 2023. Gruden hasn’t coached since he resigned his post with the Raiders in October 2021. He stepped down after emails he sent containing racist, sexist and homophobic remarks were leaked. Gruden, who sent those emails while working as an analyst at ESPN from 2011-18, is now suing the league.
Browns Hire Todd Monken As HC
11:30pm: Monken’s contract with the Browns will be five years in length, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That has become the standard for new head coaching hires, with all of this year’s hires receiving a similar deal.
9:49am: Three-plus weeks after firing Kevin Stefanski, the Browns have found their next head coach. They’re hiring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. The Browns have officially announced the move.
After the Browns canned Stefanski on Jan. 5, they sent their first known external interview request to Monken the next day. He booked a second interview with the Browns on Jan. 20 and became a finalist for the position, joining defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
The Browns told Scheelhaase they were going in another direction this morning, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Scheelhaase will remain with the Rams in 2026, according to Fowler.
Schwartz had reportedly picked up momentum toward a promotion, but the Browns will instead go outside the organization and choose a fourth straight offensive-minded head coach. While Schwartz remains under contract with the Browns, there’s “no guarantee” he’ll stay in place, according to Fowler. Unsurprisingly, Schwartz is likely to draw widespread interest from across the NFL, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports relays.
With the 60-year-old Monken on his way in, the Browns haven’t hired a defense-first candidate since they handed the reins to Mike Pettine in 2014. Between Pettine’s two-year run and Stefanski’s six-season tenure, the Browns turned to Hue Jackson for a couple of disastrous campaigns and Freddie Kitchens during a one-and-done 2019. Monken was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator under Kitchens. The unit finished 22nd in scoring and total offense that year, making for an interesting reunion given the dysfunction that engulfed the Browns during Kitchens’ 2019 season in charge. Although Monken was not believed to be happy during that Kitchens-led season, he is coming back to Cleveland to run the show.
After his first stint with the Browns, Monken returned to the college ranks, where he has garnered most of his coaching experience since he began as a graduate assistant at Grand Valley State in 1989. Monken was Georgia’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2020-22, an eminently successful run in which the Bulldogs won two national championships.
Before the Browns brought him back, Monken spent the past three seasons running AFC North rival Baltimore’s offense. The Ravens boasted an elite offense during Monken’s first two years at the controls. Quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP award in 2023 and nearly repeated during a first-team All-Pro campaign in 2024. With injuries limiting Jackson to 13 games in 2025, the Ravens finished 11th in scoring and 16th in yards.
The Ravens fired head coach John Harbaugh after stumbling to an 8-9 record, and they didn’t interview Monken before hiring Jesse Minter. With Harbaugh now the Giants‘ head coach, it seemed likely Monken would follow him to New York as his offensive coordinator. Indeed, the team was “very confident” it would reel in Monken, per Connor Hughes of SNY. The Giants and Monken had even worked on a contract in recent days, Fowler adds, but Harbaugh will have to look elsewhere.
While Monken’s reputation as a coordinator precedes him, he’s largely an unknown as a head coach. His only experience in that position came with Southern Miss from 2013-15. The Golden Eagles combined for a dismal 4-20 mark in Monken’s first two seasons, but they made a huge leap to 9-5 in his last year on the job. Monken then departed to become the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator, and Southern Miss hasn’t reached nine wins in any season since then.
In his first head coaching role in the NFL, Monken will face another daunting task in attempting to reverse the Browns’ fortunes. Stefanski earned Coach of the Year honors twice and led the Browns to two playoffs appearances, most recently in 2023, but posted a horrid 8-26 record over the past two seasons. The Browns’ Schwartz-coached defense ranked fourth in yards allowed in 2025, though an offense that finished 30th in yards and 31st in scoring doomed the club to a 5-12 mark.
Monken worked with a superstar quarterback in Baltimore, but he won’t have that luxury in Cleveland – at least not at first. Shedeur Sanders may be the frontrunner to start 2026 after finishing this season as the Browns’ No. 1 option. While Sanders oddly received a Pro Bowl invitation as a sub, the fifth-round rookie didn’t prove himself as a slam-dunk answer during his first seven starts in Cleveland. Meanwhile, third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel fared worse than Sanders before suffering a concussion against the Ravens in Week 11.
Along with Sanders and Gabriel, Deshaun Watson could also factor in to some degree after missing all of this season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. The Browns’ decision to trade a bounty of picks to the Texans in 2022 and immediately hand Watson $230MM in guarantees was a head-scratcher from the get-go, and it has aged like milk since then.
Watson has made 19 mostly underwhelming starts in a Browns uniform over four years. Even though the former star signal-caller is due to count $80.72MM against the Browns’ cap next season, they’re likely stuck with him. It would cost the Browns an eye-popping $131.16MM in dead money to release Watson in 2026.
General manager Andrew Berry, who acquired Watson, is confident Monken is the right fit for Cleveland.
“Todd has a varied and diverse background that we found as a particularly appealing match for our team at this stage in its life cycle,” Berry said on Wednesday. “He has a direct, demanding, and detail-oriented leadership style that will create a great incubator for a young team. His successful offensive track record at both the pro and college level with a variety of offensive systems and QB skill sets will allow maximum flexibility as we make several, long-term investments on that side of the ball.”
Berry’s statement suggests the Browns will exercise patience with Monken, which will be necessary in the short term. With the Browns holding two first-round picks this year, including the sixth overall selection, Berry will be in position to give Monken more young talent to work with in 2026.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz Wants Out; 49ers Among Potential Suitors
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was among three finalists for the Browns‘ head coaching job before they announced their choice Wednesday. As of Monday, Schwartz was reportedly “gaining momentum” for a promotion, but the team instead passed on him and Rams assistant Nate Scheelhaase in favor of ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The decision isn’t sitting well with Schwartz.
Although Schwartz is still under contract with the Browns, he has informed those close to him that he wants out of Cleveland, according to Rapoport of NFL Network. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network and Jordan Schultz pass along similar information.
Schwartz’s contract status prevents him from taking another job, but a source told Schultz, “If it has to get ugly, Schwartz is someone who will be perfectly fine making it ugly.”
It probably won’t get to that point, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports says. In an ideal world for the Browns, Schwartz will stay in his current post. If Schwartz truly wants out, though, Jones doesn’t expect the Browns to turn this into a “hostage” situation. The sense in the building is that there’s “no chance” Schwartz will be back in 2026, Schultz adds.
If Schwartz does head elsewhere in 2026, San Francisco is among the teams that could pursue the 59-year-old, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. It’s a situation the 49ers are “undoubtedly monitoring,” Nick Wagoner of ESPN relays. Schwartz would replace former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who left to become the Titans’ head coach. Kyle Shanahan identified assistant head coach Gus Bradley as an “obvious” successor to Saleh last week, but with Schwartz potentially about to hit the market, that may change.
The 49ers are just one possibility for Schwartz, who will surely land on multiple teams’ radars if his divorce with the Browns goes through. While Schwartz had a largely unsuccessful run as the Lions’ head coach from 2009-13, he has long been one of the game’s top assistants on the defensive side. A longtime D-coordinator in Tennessee before he moved to Detroit, Schwartz has worked on defensive staffs with the Bills, Eagles (with whom he won Super Bowl LII), Titans and Browns since 2014.
The Browns finished No. 1 in total defense under Schwartz in 2023, his first year as their coordinator. The unit took steps backward last year, but it was fourth in total defense and 14th in points allowed in 2025. Defensive end Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record with 23, and he has made his affinity for Schwartz known in the past.
“(I) love Jim and I love playing for him,” Garrett told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com earlier this month.
Garrett requested a trade in early February of last year, though he wound up signing a four-year, $160MM extension a month later. The Browns went on to win just five games in 2025, though, and Garrett made it clear toward the end of the season he’s not interested in a rebuild. Whether Garrett believes a potential Schwartz exit would damage the Browns’ chances of competing in 2026 is unknown, but we may hear his opinion soon enough.
Jets To Hire Brian Duker As DC
The Jets have put an end to a drawn-out defensive coordinator search. They’re hiring former Dolphins pass game coordinator Brian Duker, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
The 36-year-old Duker was not publicly on the radar for the Jets’ job until they held a virtual interview with him on Tuesday. He’ll now reunite with head coach Aaron Glenn, whom he teamed with in Detroit from 2021-23. Glenn was the Lions’ defensive coordinator then, while Duker served as a defensive assistant, safeties coach and defensive backs coach.
After helping develop Lions safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, Duker left for Miami. He spent two years with the Dolphins, but with new head coach Jeff Hafley and his staff coming in, Duker will exit to take on a bigger role with a different AFC East team in 2026.
Duker became the ninth coach to interview for the Jets’ DC gig, a position that once looked likely to go to the experienced Don “Wink” Martindale. Although Martindale was the only candidate who landed a second interview, he and the Jets didn’t close the deal. Glenn’s preference to call the defensive plays had something to do with it, Connor Hughes of SNY reports. It’s also part of the reason why Broncos pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard was “never an option” despite also interviewing with the Jets.
At the outset of the search, Glenn did not make it known that he intended to call plays in 2026, but plans changed along the way, per Hughes. Duker, who has no play-calling experience, will act as Glenn’s second in command next season. The duo will aim for more successful results after the Jets finished the year 25th in yards, 31st in points, and somehow failed to intercept a single pass.
The Jets’ defensive struggles led to the mid-December firing of Steve Wilks. Defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Chris Harris replaced Wilks for the final three games of the season, but the Jets allowed a whopping 106 points in that span. Harris nonetheless interviewed for the full-time role, but Glenn will turn to Duker instead.