Bucs Not Eager To Pay HC Todd Bowles’ Buyout; OC Josh Grizzard In Jeopardy?
It would have been difficult to imagine at the midpoint of the season, but the Buccaneers will enter Week 18 fighting for their playoff lives. Once 6-2, the 7-9 Buccaneers will face the 8-8 Panthers on Saturday with the NFC South and a postseason berth at stake.
Despite the Buccaneers’ second-half disintegration, a report last Sunday indicated head coach Todd Bowles is not in jeopardy of losing his job. The Buccaneers then dropped their fourth straight game, a 20-17 decision against the Dolphins, potentially turning up the heat on Bowles.
It’s unknown whether ownership will reverse course on Bowles if the Buccaneers complete their collapse and miss the postseason. While the Buccaneers have managed a so-so 34-33 record in almost four full seasons under Bowles, the 62-year-old has earned some leeway from ownership after guiding the team to three straight division titles.
Last July, several months after Bowles completed his first 10-win season in Tampa Bay, the Bucs extended him through 2028. The deal includes a “hefty” buyout, which the team “doesn’t seem overly eager to pay,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Bowles’ extension could save him, but changes to his coaching staff are on the table, according to Fowler. Specifically, there are questions centering on first-year offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, who worked as the Bucs’ pass game coordinator in 2024.
The Buccaneers finished last year third in total offense and fourth in scoring under OC Liam Coen, but he left to take the Jaguars’ head coaching job. Now leading a 12-4 Jacksonville team that looks like a Super Bowl contender, Coen figures to garner Coach of the Year votes. With Coen gone, Tampa Bay’s offense has plummeted to 22nd in yardage and 18th in points. While that doesn’t reflect well on the 35-year-old Grizzard, it would be unfair to place all the blame on him.
Although quarterback Baker Mayfield is on track for a third straight 17-game season, the Buccaneers’ offense has endured several injuries to major contributors. Wide receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan have combined to miss 30 games. Running back Bucky Irving has sat out seven, and his production when healthy has paled in comparison to his rookie output from 2024. That may have something to do with an offensive line that hasn’t been at full strength.
Center Graham Barton has played every offensive snap, but the rest of the unit hasn’t been as fortunate. Right guard Cody Mauch suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, fellow guard Ben Bredeson has been on IR with a knee injury since Dec. 9, and cornerstone tackles Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke have missed sizable chunks of time. Wirfs has played 11 games to Goedeke’s 10.
Both Wirfs (toe) and Goedeke (ankle) have been limited in practice this week, but they’re not on the Buccaneers’ final injury report. That’s good news for Bowles and Grizzard as they prepare for a must-win game.
Packers Claim CB Trevon Diggs
JANUARY 1: The Packers were the only team to submit a claim in this case, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Diggs could see time right away and a familiar face on the sidelines will help in that regard. As Rapoport notes, Packers defensive pass-game coordinator Derrick Ansley was Diggs’ secondary coach at Alabama. It will be interesting to see if that dynamic helps spark a rebound in play late in the campaign.
Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley expressed to the media that “he wants (Diggs) to play on Sunday against the Vikings.” Hafley made sure to emphasize that they “need to make sure that he’s ready to go” and didn’t make any promises, but both Diggs and his coaches seem to want him on the field this weekend.
DECEMBER 31: One day after the Cowboys cut him, cornerback Trevon Diggs will land with a playoff team. The Packers have claimed Diggs off waivers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
In claiming Diggs, the Packers will commit to paying his $472K game check for Week 18. He’ll earn another $58,823 if he’s active against the Vikings this Sunday, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. Beyond that, there’s no guaranteed money left on Diggs’ contract. However, he remains under team control through 2028 on the five-year, $97MM extension he signed with Dallas in July 2023.
Diggs, a 2020 second-round pick from Alabama, scored his enormous payday after a scintillating start to his career. He made the Pro Bowl twice in his first three years, a stretch in which he intercepted 17 passes. He finished with a jaw-dropping 11 picks in 2021, the most in a season since former Cowboy Everson Walls came down with 11 in 1981, en route to first-team All-Pro honors.
Diggs’ 11-INT showing remains his only 17-game season to date. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has dealt with a laundry list of injuries since then. An ACL tear limited Diggs to two games in 2023. He missed six more games in 2024 as a result of a calf tear and another knee surgery. It was more of the same in Diggs’ last hurrah with the Cowboys, who placed him on IR with lingering knee problems and a concussion on Oct. 25. He played in just eight of Dallas’ 16 games this year before the team cut him.
The Cowboys opened Diggs’ 21-day practice window on Nov. 30, but they didn’t activate him until Dec. 20. It came as a surprise after Diggs indicated he was healthy enough to play the previous week. He said he was “upset“ the Cowboys didn’t activate him in Week 15. It wasn’t the first disagreement between Diggs and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
The decision to move on from Diggs reportedly came on the heels of Schottenheimer denying the Maryland-born defender’s request to remain in Washington after the Cowboys’ Christmas Day win over the Commanders. Diggs, who wanted to stay with his family, ignored Schottenheimer’s orders and skipped the team’s flight back to Dallas. That may have sealed his fate with the Cowboys.
While Diggs and Schottenheimer clashed, a massive decline in the corner’s effectiveness was likely the main reason Dallas parted with him. The 27-year-old has gone without an interception this season, and Pro Football Focus ranks his performance 80th among 113 qualifiers at his position. Worse yet, according to Pro-Football-Reference, Diggs has yielded a 77.3% completion rate to the nearest receiver and a 157.2 passer rating over a sample of 22 targets. A perfect rating checks in at 158.3.
Although Diggs has struggled immensely this year, the Packers aren’t risking much in claiming him. The Packers will be able to move on after the season if they want, and they desperately need healthy cornerbacks right now.
Locked into the seventh seed in the NFC with one game left, the Packers are dangerously thin at corner behind Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Green Bay placed Kamal Hadden on IR on Tuesday and did the same with Nate Hobbs on Wednesday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Hobbs, who has played in 11 games and started five this year, will miss at least four contests with a knee injury.
Diggs, Shemar Bartholomew and Jaylin Simpson will provide the Packers a few more game-ready options at the position. The Packers signed Bartholomew and Simpson from their practice squad to their active roster on Tuesday.
Bills DT Ed Oliver Undergoes Knee Surgery
Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver has been working back from a biceps tear since late October. There’s a chance Oliver will return sometime during the playoffs, but he’ll also have to overcome a knee injury first. Oliver underwent a meniscus cleanup on Monday, head coach Sean McDermott announced (via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News and Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic).
This is the third significant injury of the season for Oliver, who incurred this unexpected setback during rehab. He only played in three regular-season games before going on IR.
After a stellar showing in the Bills’ Week 1 win over the Ravens, Oliver suffered an ankle injury in practice and missed four games in a row. He returned to play in two before tearing his biceps. The seventh-year man finished 2025 with 12 tackles, 11 pressures, seven TFL, five QB hits and three sacks.
While Oliver was only around for 108 defensive snaps during the regular season, Pro Football Focus awarded him an elite 90.4 grade against the run over that small sample. The Bills rank eighth in total defense and 12th in points allowed, but they’ve struggled to stop the run without Oliver.
The Bengals, Commanders and Giants are the only teams that have yielded more rushing yards than the Bills. Unlike those three, the 11-5 Bills earned a playoff berth. However, they’ll enter the postseason as a wild card for the first time since 2019. The 13-3 Patriots snapped the Bills’ five-year streak atop the AFC East.
Depending on the outcome of this week’s slate, Buffalo will finish anywhere from fifth to seventh in the AFC. The Bills will likely have to win three consecutive road games to advance to the Super Bowl. That’s a lot to ask with or without Oliver. If Oliver stays on the shelf during the playoffs, the Bills will have to continue leaning on fellow veteran starter DaQuan Jones and two rookies – fourth-rounder Deone Walker and second-rounder T.J. Sanders – as their top options at D-tackle. Larry Ogunjobi, Jordan Phillips and Phidarian Mathis are on hand as depth.
Jones and Phillips missed the Bills’ Week 17 loss to the Eagles with injuries, but their defense held up well in limiting Saquon Barkley to 68 yards on 19 carries. Meanwhile, quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t complete a second-half pass during a 13-for-27, 110-yard afternoon. Regardless of whether Oliver returns, similar defensive performances in the coming weeks would increase the Bills’ chances of making a lengthy playoff run.
Packers QB Jordan Love Clears Concussion Protocol; Clayton Tune To Start In Week 18
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but head coach Matt LaFleur will rest his starter in Week 18. With the 9-6-1 Packers locked into the seventh seed in the NFC, they will start third-stringer Clayton Tune against the Vikings on Sunday (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Love suffered his head injury in a 22-16 loss to the Bears in Week 16. Backup Malik Willis impressed in relief that night and played well again filling in for Love in Week 17, but the Packers fell 41-24 to the Ravens to extend their losing streak to three.
Willis is now dealing with a hamstring injury, making it unclear who will serve as the Packers’ No. 2 QB in their regular-season finale (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN). Desmond Ridder, who joined Green Bay’s practice squad on Wednesday, may back up Tune.
Although the Packers are skidding as they head toward the postseason, it’s a relief for them that Love is healthy again as the wild-card round approaches. Assuming he doesn’t play this week, the fifth-year man will end his regular season with a 66.3% completion rate, 7.7 yards per attempt, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games. Love ranks second in QBR (73.4), trailing only Patriots MVP candidate Drake Maye, and seventh in traditional passer rating (101.2).
Tune, 26, is in line for his second NFL start. The Houston product entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2023. His lone start came as a rookie against the Browns in Week 9. It didn’t go well for Tune, who completed 11 of 20 passes for a meager 58 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 loss. He has only attempted six passes in the regular season since then, including four after Willis aggravated a shoulder injury last week. He completed one pass and tossed another pick against the Ravens.
Tune, whom Green Bay signed from its practice squad to its active roster Wednesday, joined the organization after Arizona released him in late August. Four months later, he’ll have an opportunity to start a game for a playoff-bound team.
Panthers Claim D’Anthony Bell, Place Ja’Tavion Sanders On IR
Entering a must-win showdown with NFC South rival Tampa Bay on Saturday, Carolina made a couple of notable roster moves on Wednesday. The Panthers claimed safety D’Anthony Bell off waivers from the Seahawks and placed tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on injured reserve, per Joe Person of The Athletic.
Bell, a fourth-year man and a former Brown, played 14 games and started two with the NFC-leading Seahawks this season. He totaled 15 tackles and a half-sack while mostly working as a special teamer. Bell ranked third among Seahawks in ST snaps (251) before they waived him on Tuesday.
Seattle’s hope was that Bell would clear waivers and re-sign with its practice squad, but the team will instead lose him to Carolina. It’s a bit of payback for the Panthers after they fell to the Seahawks in Week 17. The defeat prevented the Panthers from clinching the NFC South. Their game against the Buccaneers in Week 18 will decide the division.
No matter how far they go, the Panthers will likely finish the season without Sanders after he broke his fibula last Sunday. The 2024 fourth-round pick from Texas will wrap up his second NFL season with 29 catches, 190 yards and a touchdown in 13 games. Sanders ranks second among Panthers tight ends in snap share (38.9%), trailing only Tommy Tremble (58.4). With Sanders out of commission, Mitchell Evans and James Mitchell could log more playing time.
Eagles Expected To Rest Jalen Hurts, Other Starters In Week 18
With the NFC East champion Eagles unable to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs, head coach Nick Sirianni is likely to give most of his starters an opportunity to rest in Week 18, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That includes quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Third-year backup signal-caller Tanner McKee is expected to start against the Commanders on Sunday, Tim McManus of ESPN reports. It’s familiar territory for McKee, who filled in for a concussed Hurts in the lone start of his career in a Week 18 victory over the Giants last year. The former sixth-round pick from Stanford took advantage of his opportunity in completing 27 of 41 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns.
Assuming Hurts doesn’t play Sunday, he’ll wrap up his sixth regular season with a 64.8% completion rate, a career-low 7.1 yards per attempt, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in 16 games. The 27-year-old ranks 11th in the league in traditional passer rating (98.5) and 20th in QBR (55.3).
After amassing at least 139 carries, 600-plus yards and double-digit rushing touchdowns in each of the previous four seasons, Hurts has done less running this year. His attempts (105), yards (421) and TDs (eight) are his lowest since he became the Eagles’ full-time starter in 2021.
After Hurts helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship last winter, McKee drew trade interest in the offseason, per McLane. Philadelphia was “reluctant” to deal him then, but it stands to reason he’ll generate interest again during the upcoming offseason. In the meantime, he and his team have something to play for in the regular-season finale.
The 11-5 Eagles can’t finish any worse than third in the NFC, but they can climb to the second seed with a win over the 4-12 Commanders and a Bears loss. On paper, the 11-5 Bears have a more difficult matchup against the 8-8 Lions, who won a 52-21 rout over Chicago in Week 2. Plenty has changed for both teams over the past three-plus months, though. The NFC North-winning Bears have gone 11-3 since an 0-2 start, and the Lions are out of the playoffs a year after winning 15 games and earning the conference’s top seed.
Rico Dowdle, Calais Campbell, Von Miller Among Players Pursuing Incentives
The Panthers will face the Buccaneers in Week 18 with the NFC South on the line. Running back Rico Dowdle, one of the Panthers’ most important weapons, is dealing with a toe injury. It doesn’t appear it will sideline him, though, as head coach Dave Canales said he expects Dowdle to play Saturday (via Joe Person of The Athletic).
Along with winning the division, there’s a lot at stake financially for Dowdle, who’s seven scrimmage yards away from 1,350. If he reaches that total, Dowdle will earn a $1MM bonus, per Devon Henderson and Tobias Bass of The Athletic. Dowdle has rushed for 1,066 yards and added another 277 as a receiver while appearing in all 16 of Carolina’s games. The former Cowboy has given the Panthers plenty of bang for their buck on a one-year deal worth up to $6.25MM.
Dowdle isn’t the only veteran aiming to boost his earnings in Week 18. Here’s a look at several others (via Henderson and Bass):
- Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown has hauled in five touchdowns in 15 games. He’ll earn an extra $750K if he grabs touchdown No. 6 against the Raiders on Sunday. It’s a long shot, but Brown will add an extra $1MM if he catches three TDs. After re-upping with the Chiefs on a one-year pact worth up to $11MM last offseason, he’s on track to reach free agency in March.
- Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell needs one sack to hit 7.5 for the season. If he gets it done against the Rams on Sunday, Campbell will rake in a $500K bonus. That would be a nice way to go out for Campbell, who said before the season that this will likely be his last year. Campbell began his storied career with the Cardinals in 2008 and spent his first nine seasons in Arizona. After playing for four other teams, the six-time Pro Bowler returned to the desert last April on a one-year, $5.5MM guarantee.
- Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead will collect a $1MM bonus if he picks up 1.5 sacks and reaches seven for the season against the Titans on Sunday. Armstead has piled up 5.5 sacks in 15 games in 2025, the second season of a three-year, $51MM deal.
- While little has gone right for the Commanders in 2025, last summer’s Von Miller signing has worked out. After inking a one-year pact worth up to $6.1MM, Miller has recorded eight sacks in 16 games. The 36-year-old will secure a $1MM bonus if he registers his ninth sack in Sunday’s meeting with the Eagles.
- With 70-plus catches and over 700 yards, Saints tight end Juwan Johnson has already maxed out his $750K incentive package for 2025. The 29-year-old has pulled in 74 catches for 828 yards and three touchdowns in the best season of his career. He’ll earn a fully guaranteed $9MM in 2026, the second season of a three-year, $30.75MM accord.
Seahawks Make Handful Of Roster Moves
Gearing up for a monumental Week 18 meeting with NFC West rival San Francisco, Seattle made a few adjustments to its roster on Tuesday. The Seahawks placed wide receiver Cody White on injured reserve, signed offensive tackle Amari Kight to their active roster, waived safety D’Anthony Bell, and added wideout Montorie Foster to their practice squad (via John Boyle of the team’s website).
White, who injured his groin in a win over Carolina last Sunday, will miss a minimum of four games. That means White’s season will officially end if the Seahawks beat the 49ers on Saturday in a battle for the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. A victory would give the Seahawks a first-round bye, which would render White ineligible for a Super Bowl return if they advance that far.
Now in his second year with the Seahawks, White appeared in 10 games during the regular season and caught three passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. He was on the field for 26.8% of special teams snaps and 16.6% of offensive snaps.
Kight, an undrafted rookie from UCF, received his third and final standard elevation from the practice squad in Week 17. The Seahawks had to sign Kight to their active roster in order to use him again. Kight has only played two offensive snaps this year, but with starting left tackle Charles Cross dealing with a hamstring injury, the Seahawks need the depth. Cross has missed back-to-back games, and it’s unclear if he’ll face the 49ers. Josh Jones will start again this week if Cross can’t play.
In his first season as a Seahawk, Bell has played in 14 games and started two. The former Brown has notched 15 tackles and a half-sack while primarily playing on special teams. He ranks third among Seahawks in ST snaps (251). The Seahawks cut Bell two weeks ago before immediately bringing him back on a practice squad deal. They’ll likely do the same again if he clears waivers, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Bell’s roster spot will go to linebacker Derick Hall, who served a one-game suspension against the Panthers. Although Hall appealed the punishment, the league upheld it as a result of “an act of unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct” he committed in a win over the Rams in Week 16.
Brian Flores Addresses Vikings Future
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the Vikings are at risk of losing defensive coordinator Brian Flores in the coming weeks. Hoping to prevent Flores from joining another coaching staff, the Vikings are discussing a new deal with him. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that “[Flores] enjoys being here.” Flores confirmed as much on Tuesday (via Kevin Seifert of ESPN).
“I love Minnesota. I love this team. I love working for and with KO,” said Flores, who went on to compliment ownership, the players and the coaching staff.
While it’s clear Flores wouldn’t have a problem staying in Minnesota for a fourth season in 2026, he acknowledged there’s a “business part of this.” That suggests the money will have to line up for Flores to re-sign, which is hardly surprising.
Whether he re-ups with the Vikings or heads elsewhere (the Cowboys are reportedly interested), Flores figures to be among the NFL’s highest-paid defensive coordinators next year. His defense, which ranks fifth in yards and 10th in points, has lifted the Vikings to an 8-8 record this season despite a bottom-of-the-barrel offense.
Even if a new contract materializes with the Vikings, there’s no guarantee Flores will remain in Minnesota next year. It’s likely the 44-year-old has done enough to garner interest from teams searching for a head coach, as he did last winter in interviewing with the Bears, Jaguars and Jets.
During the upcoming hiring cycle, Flores would be one of the most established defensive coaches available as part of a market that won’t feature many high-end offensive-minded candidates. It should help Flores’ cause that he isn’t a neophyte as an NFL head coach. Flores went 24-25 with the Dolphins from 2019-21, a three-year span in which he guided them to two seasons over .500.
After Miami cut ties with Flores, he filed a civil suit against the league and multiple teams alleging racial discrimination in their hiring practices. Flores hasn’t gotten another chance as a head coach since, but that could change over the next month.
A potential Flores exit may lead to an in-house promotion for the Vikings, who could select passing game coordinator Daronte Jones as his successor. Executives around the league expect Jones to take over the Vikings’ defense if Flores leaves, Mike Sando of The Athletic reports. Jones “made a strong impression” interviewing for multiple D-coordinator openings last offseason, according to Sando. The 47-year-old is in his second stint with the Vikings and has been part of their O’Connell-led staff since 2022.
Northwestern To Hire Chip Kelly As OC
After a brief return to the NFL, Chip Kelly is going back to college. Northwestern is hiring Kelly as its offensive coordinator, Pete Thamel of ESPN reports.
Kelly previously worked as an offensive coordinator at three other schools – New Hampshire, Oregon and Ohio State – and combined for over a decade of experience. His success as Oregon’s play caller from 2007-08 led to a promotion to head coach in 2009.
Then known as an innovator, Kelly and his fast-paced offense thrived during his four-year stretch as the Ducks’ sideline leader. Under Kelly’s guidance, Oregon posted an incredible 46-7 record and played in four straight BCS bowls.
After winning the Fiesta Bowl to conclude the 2012 season, Kelly made his first jump to the NFL when the Eagles hired him as their head coach to replace Andy Reid. Kelly’s tenure in Philadelphia didn’t go as hoped, however. After back-to-back 10-win seasons and one playoff berth, the Eagles, then 6-9, fired Kelly late in 2015. He finished 26-21 in Philly.
While Kelly immediately landed another NFL head coaching job in San Francisco, he was a one-and-done after a 2-14 showing in 2016. Kelly resurfaced at the college level two years later as UCLA’s head coach.
The Bruins went a mediocre 35-34 in six seasons under Kelly, who left to work as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2024. It proved to be a wise decision for Kelly and the Buckeyes. Thanks in part to Kelly’s offense, Ohio State won the national championship. Current NFL rookies TreVeyon Henderson, Quinshon Judkins and Emeka Egbuka were among the team’s offensive stars.
Kelly impressed enough during his lone season in Columbus that it led to another NFL opportunity. Shortly after grabbing the reins as the Raiders’ head coach, Pete Carroll hired Kelly as his offensive coordinator. Part-owner Tom Brady was instrumental in bringing in Kelly, who became the league’s highest-paid O-coordinator. Despite that, Kelly didn’t even last the year. With the Raiders averaging a paltry 15 points per game through 12 weeks, Carroll fired Kelly on Nov. 24.
Carroll reportedly exerted heavy influence over the Raiders’ offense, which irked Kelly. Considering the success Kelly has enjoyed in college, he shouldn’t run into that problem at Northwestern. Head coach David Braun called the Kelly hiring “a program-defining change” that’s “reflective of our long-term commitment to the pursuit of championships” (via Thamel).
The 61-year-old Kelly will take charge of an offense that ranked an underwhelming 12th out of 18 Big Ten teams in 2025. The Wildcats finished 7-6 and ended their year with a 34-7 win over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.