Falcons Fire DC Jimmy Lake
The coaching turnover continues. Atlanta will officially be looking for a new defensive coordinator as NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that the Falcons have fired Jimmy Lake. In addition to Lake, Atlanta has let go of defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, as well. 
Lake, a very experienced defensive backs coach with four universities and four NFL teams on his résumé, was in his first year as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. Following a playing career in college, Lake immediately jumped into coaching. With seven years of college coaching under his belt, Lake got his first NFL coaching opportunity as the assistant defensive backs coach in Tampa Bay under then-defensive backs coach Raheem Morris.
Lake was poached away by the Lions, taking his first full position coaching gig in the NFL as defensive backs coach in Detroit in 2008. After the team famously finished winless, though, the entire coaching staff was let go. After a year hiatus, Lake found himself back in Tampa Bay under Morris, who by that time had become head coach. This time, Lake served in the full role of defensive backs coach. Both Morris and Lake were fired in 2011.
At this point Lake parted ways with Morris, heading back to the collegiate ranks of coaching. He began a stint at the University of Washington in 2014 (his second stint in Seattle) that saw his biggest coaching progressions to date. After two years as defensive backs coach for the Huskies, Lake added the title of co-defensive coordinator for two more years before officially being named defensive coordinator, his first coordinator position at any level.
After two years in that role, then-head coach Chris Petersen stepped down with Lake serving as his successor, earning his first head coaching gig in football. In Lake’s second year on the job, though, controversy arose when he hit a player in the facemask and shoved him in the back while separating him from a sideline scrum. He was suspended without pay and, a week later, let go.
After another hiatus, Lake spent the 2023 campaign back in the NFL as assistant head coach for the Rams, rejoining Morris, who was the defensive coordinator in Los Angeles at the time. When Morris was hired as head coach in Atlanta, he brought Lake in for his first NFL coordinator gig. The Falcons defense struggled, though, finishing 23rd in both points and yards allowed. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Morris became more involved in coaching the defense, realizing improvement was needed on that side of the ball.
Rodgers was working his fourth defensive line coaching gig in the NFL. He had previously served with the Broncos, Bears, and Chargers, coaching Pro Bowlers such as Elvis Dumervil, DeMarcus Ware, Akiem Hicks, and Joey Bosa. The pass rush was a big issue for the Falcons this season, as they finished with only 31 — three away from the lowest team total in the league.
Morris and Atlanta will join a number of other teams looking to fill a coordinator role. The team will likely hire the coordinator and let them fill the defensive line coaching role, unless Morris plans to continue to have control in coaching the defense. If that’s the case, Morris may hire his own preference for the position.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/11/25
Saturday’s minor transactions and more standard gameday practice squad elevations for the wild-card round of the playoffs:
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: WR Keith Kirkwood, WR Anthony Miller
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Kareem Jackson, WR Jalen Virgil
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: RB Tyler Badie
- Elevated: G Nick Gargiulo
- Placed on reserve/NFI list: T Frank Crum
Green Bay Packers
- Signed to active roster: QB Sean Clifford
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame, WR Parris Campbell
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: T Calvin Anderson
- Elevated: WR Jamal Agnew, WR Scotty Miller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: LB Deion Jones, WR Tanner Knue
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: WR Chris Moore, CB Kevon Seymour
As a member of the practice squad this year, Clifford, the second-year passer out of Penn State, was elevated twice. As a member of the active roster, he will be able to serve as Green Bay’s emergency third quarterback, which could be beneficial after starter Jordan Love was knocked out of the team’s Week 18 loss with an elbow injury on his throwing arm, and his backup, Malik Willis, was dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand. Both players had two full practices this week and carry no injury designation, but the team will be taking no chances.
Coaching Rumors: Brady, Browns, Bears
Head coach and general manager interviews are underway, and the Raiders are looking to hire both. Already looking to hire a new head coach after firing Antonio Pierce, the Raiders made the move to fire general manager Tom Telesco, as well, at the alleged behest of part-owner Tom Brady. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, that may not be the only influence Brady has brought to the equation.
Initially, reports were that Brady preferred to start clean with a general manager who would work in tandem with a new head coach, resulting in the termination of Telesco. Now, Brady’s effect on the team continues as his influence seems to be bringing in candidates that they otherwise wouldn’t typically land
Russini notes that coaches like Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has notoriously been picky over his potential jobs, are showing interest in Las Vegas perhaps because of Brady’s influence. We’ll see if that influence continues into the search for a new general manager, as well. The presence of the future Hall of Famer seems to be making Las Vegas a premier destination.
Here are a few other coaching updates around the NFL:
- The Browns will see assistant wide receivers coach Callie Brownson depart this offseason, per Browns staff writer Kelsey Russo. Brownson will not be remaining in the NFL as she plans to take a job as the senior director of high performance & national team operations for Team USA Football. She’ll be responsible for multiple administrative aspects of both the Men’s and Women’s National Teams for the United States when flag football makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
- The Bears are losing an assistant, as well, this one in the front office. Salary cap analyst and pro scout J.J. Cosh will leave Chicago to accept a position as executive associate administrative director over player management at Georgia Tech. Cosh has been with the Bears for six years, joining the team in 2018 as a scouting analyst. He’ll return to the college ranks after coming to the NFL following an introduction to football at Notre Dame.
- Like Brownson and Cosh, Seahawks defensive assistant Nick Perry will be departing for the college coaching ranks, as well. A former undrafted safety out of Alabama, Perry eventually returned to Tuscaloosa as a graduate student and defensive analyst. In 2021, Perry was hired as assistant defensive backs coach for the Falcons, holding the position for two years before switching sides and serving as assistant wide receivers coach. This past season, he made the move to Seattle, working as a defensive assistant under first year head coach Mike Macdonald. Now, Matt Zentiz of 247Sports reports that Perry has earned his first full position coaching gig as defensive backs coach at Arkansas.
LSU WR Kyren Lacy Wanted In Fatal Hit-And-Run Accident
Kyren Lacy was likely expecting to be preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft at this point in the year. Unfortunately, his focus will seemingly be in a legal battle as Chris Nakamoto of WAFB9 was the first to report that the Louisiana State Police have issued an arrest warrant for the LSU wide receiver.
Lacy was allegedly illegally passing several vehicles while in an area where passing was not permitted. A vehicle in the oncoming lane abruptly braked in order to avoid a collision and the car behind them, a Kia Cadenza, swerved left into oncoming traffic to avoid rear-ending the first vehicle. The Cadenza then collided head-on with a Kia Sorrento that Lacy was attempting to pass. Lacy allegedly drove around the crash and fled the scene, failing to stop and render aid, call emergency services, or report his involvement in the crash.
A passenger in the Sorrento sadly passed away after being critically injured in the crash, and the drivers of both vehicles also sustained injuries. Because of the death as a result of the accident, Lacy is facing charges of negligent homicide and felony hit-and-run. Police say Lacy and his representation have been in communication, are cooperating, and are expected to turn him in.
After playing WR3 to Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in 2023, Lacy finally got the opportunity to serve as the leading wideout this year in Baton Rouge. Though the offense was not nearly as productive in 2024, Lacy was second on the team in receiving yards after not playing in the Tigers’ bowl game (866 yards), and he led the team in receiving touchdowns (9).
Lacy wasn’t projecting to be one of the top receivers in this year’s draft. In early big boards from ESPN’s staff and Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Lacy was nowhere to be found, but his ideal size and decent production likely solidified him as a late-round flier for teams looking for help at wide receiver. His actions yesterday may deter teams from taking a chance on him, though, and he may face a tough challenge to make it to the NFL.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/11/25
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed WR Scotty Miller
- Released: S Ayo Oyelola
QB Carson Beck Withdraws Draft Declaration, Will Transfer To Miami
The NFL draft stock of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been a rollercoaster ride in the last few years. From initially projecting as a first-round pick to falling out of the first round, Beck’s downwards trajectory didn’t prevent him from declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. Beck would then make headlines after making a decision to try and change that trajectory. 
Beck made news yesterday when he announced that he would withdraw his draft declaration and enter the transfer portal. The rumor mill was abuzz with links to Coral Gables, where Beck’s girlfriend and social media influencer, Hanna Cavinder, plays basketball for the Hurricanes. Those short-lived rumors turned into reality when Beck tweeted out his commitment to transfer to Miami today.
Beck won two national championship rings in Athens while backing up Stetson Bennett. In 2023, Beck took over as the starter for the Bulldogs and led the SEC with 3,941 passing yards, good for third in the nation, while throwing 24 touchdowns to only six interceptions. We’ve heard recent rumors that, should Beck have declared after that first season, he would’ve been among the six other quarterbacks drafted in the first round last year.
Instead, Beck returned to Athens, where he once again racked up strong passing yardage (3,485) and threw for 28 touchdowns but doubled his interception total from his previous year as a starter. Beck also suffered a UCL injury in the team’s SEC Championship victory over Texas that required surgery and would keep him from participating in most, if not all, pre-draft activities. Still, on December 28, Beck declared for the draft, forgoing the additional year of eligibility granted to him because of COVID-19.
A disappointing redshirt senior season combined with the season-ending elbow injury caused Beck to reconsider his intentions to go to the NFL, causing him to rescind his name from consideration for the draft. Beck immediately became the No. 2 player in ESPN’s transfer rankings, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Max Olson, before coming off the board and announcing his commitment to Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes.
While this does make him a non-factor in the 2025 NFL Draft, it certainly makes things interesting for the 2026 NFL Draft. With Beck committing to transfer to Miami after declaring for the draft, his path to the pros is currently mirroring that of 2025’s projected QB1, Cam Ward, who similarly transferred to Miami from Washington State after initially declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. Ward went 10-3 with the Canes finishing second in the nation in passing yards and leading the nation in passing touchdowns while only throwing seven interceptions this past year.
Beck will hope to garner a similar career boost by following Ward’s route through Coral Gables to the NFL. While three of Miami’s top four receivers (Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, and Sam Brown) and their top tight end (Elijah Arroyo) have all declared for the draft and the fourth top receiver (Isaiah Horton) is transferring to Alabama, Beck’s commitment is expected to draw interest from transfer portal receivers. The Hurricanes are planning to reload their offense from the transfer portal with the intent of putting out two first-round quarterbacks into the NFL in a row, should Beck be up to the challenge.
Matt Eberflus “Involved” In Bengals’ DC Search
Former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus doesn’t appear to be staying inactive for long. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Eberflus “is involved in the Bengals’ defensive coordinator search.” While the wording of the report is vague, it likely indicates that Eberflus is a candidate to take over for the Bengals’ open coordinator job. 
Eberflus has held some position in coaching since he finished college in 1992, so it’s no surprise that, following his dismissal from Chicago, he’s put himself back on the market for a coaching job. After nearly 20 years of coaching at the collegiate level at Toledo and Missouri, Eberflus first broke into the NFL as a linebackers coach for the Browns in 2009. He held the same job in Dallas for five years before adding passing game coordinator to his title.
In 2018, Eberflus got his first opportunity as an NFL defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. Eberflus almost immediately started getting head coaching buzz, interviewing for an open position in Cleveland in 2019, but that job ultimately went to Freddie Kitchens. Instead, Eberflus remained in Indianapolis until 2022, when he was granted his first head coaching opportunity in Chicago.
The Bears saw big improvements on defense over Eberflus’ three seasons with the team, but offensive struggles continued as Chicago attempted to handle the first few years of Justin Fields‘ career and eventually moved on to Caleb Williams. The Bears made Eberflus the first head coach in the franchise’s storied history to be fired midseason. Overall, Eberflus went 14-32 in his first stint as a head coach.
The Bengals fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after watching a defense that finished 26th in scoring defense and 25th in yards allowed derail a season that saw a top-10 offense in which their quarterback led the league in passing yards and touchdowns and their wide receiver won the receiving triple crown. Anarumo had been in place as the Bengals DC ever since Zac Taylor was hired as head coach.
If Eberflus lands on his feet as a defensive coordinator once again, it would be only his second coordinator job in the NFL. Still, the Bengals are desperate to see improvement on the defensive side of the ball in order to maximize what they hope will be at least one more year with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/10/25
Today’s minor moves and a few standard gameday practice squad elevations for the first games of the playoffs:
Chicago Bears
- Claimed off waivers (from Chargers): OL Jordan McFadden
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: CB Eli Apple, WR Simi Fehoko
- Elevated: S Eddie Jackson, RB Jaret Patterson
- Placed on IR: CB Ja’Sir Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to active roster: OL Brett Toth
McFadden’s waiver claim has been accepted, but since the Bears have no more games this year, it has been deferred until the first business day after the Super Bowl, February 10.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/10/25
Friday’s practice squad moves:
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Joseph Ngata
- Placed on practice squad injured list: OL Jack Driscoll
Colts Interview Browns’ Ephraim Banda For DC
The meteoric rise continues for Ephraim Banda. The Browns safeties coach has only been in the NFL for two years, and he already has earned his first defensive coordinator interview. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Banda will meet with the Colts about their open defensive coordinator position. 
Banda’s story is an inspiring one of perseverance and never giving up on your dreams. A high school athlete that turned down a few small school scholarship offers to do junior college and walk on somewhere bigger, Banda found himself working as a bartender while taking classes in San Antonio and staying in football shape by playing in amateur leagues. In 2007, Banda finally got his chance when Incarnate Word created a football program. He walked on at 25 years old, but since he wasn’t on scholarship, he had to continue bartending.
Unfortunately, a knee injury ended any hopes of a playing career for Banda. Still, he refused to give up on his football dream, working as a student assistant for the Cardinals in San Antonio while finishing his degree. He earned a graduate assistant position at the University of Texas on the recommendation of an Incarnate Word coach who had been hired by the Longhorns. In Austin, he met then-defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, another upstart coach who came to football after jobs outside of the sport.
He stayed at Texas for three years, even after Diaz was fired, coaching with the program through the transition from Mack Brown to Charlie Strong. Diaz bounced back in 2015 getting hired as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State, and Banda joined him in Starkville as a defensive quality control coach. When Diaz was poached by Mark Richt to serve as defensive coordinator in Coral Gables, Banda got his first position coaching job as Miami’s safeties coach.
After three years and sending players like Rayshawn Jenkins, Jaquan Johnson, and Sheldrick Redwine to the NFL, Banda was promoted to co-defensive coordinator of the Hurricanes as Diaz took over the head coaching gig. In 2021, Banda finally parted ways with Diaz, taking the defensive coordinator and safeties coach job at Utah State. He held the role for two years before earning his first NFL job under Jim Schwartz in Cleveland.
In Banda’s two years in Cleveland, the Browns finished first in passing defense in 2023 and 12th this season. He’s managed an impressive safeties group over that time with Grant Delpit leading the group while Ronnie Hickman and Rodney McLeod have filled in for injuries here and there to the other starter, Juan Thornhill.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard has been quoted as valuing a more aggressive approach on defense, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder, something that is likely to affect the team’s coordinator search. According to Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports, the team has also announced that defensive backs coach Ron Milus and linebackers coach Richard Smith will not be returning to the staff in 2025.
With this note, while Banda will be interviewing for the coordinator position, this visit could also serve as an interview for the open defensive backs coaching job, should he fall short. Regardless, the 43-year-old is moving quickly through the coaching ranks of the sport and is a name to watch in the years to come.