Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis Among Eagles’ Extension Priorities
The Eagles are heading into the 2026 offseason with a number of extension candidates, and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter could be at the top of general manager Howie Roseman‘s list, per Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic.
The Georgia products were drafted by the Eagles in the first round of back-to-back drafts – Davis in 2022 and Carter in 2023. Davis had a quiet rookie year before emerging as a starter in his second year. Pre-draft concerns about his conditioning seemed to be validated as the team carefully managed his snap count in 2024, but he played 61% of the team’s snaps in 2025. That corresponded with career-highs across the board, giving Philadelphia plenty of reason to pursue an extension.
The Eagles picked up Davis’ fifth-year option – worth $12.94MM – so an extension would clear up some 2026 cap space. The same is not true for Carter, who is set for a $6.94MM cap hit that could go up depending on the size of his signing bonus. The team also has to make a decision on his fifth year option, which is currently projected to be $21.04MM, per OverTheCap. Given the rapidly-escalating price of interior pass rushers, that would be a bargain for an additional year of Carter’s services,
Carter has already become one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the game, while Davis’ expanded production proves he is more than just a massive run-stopper in the middle of the defense. That should push the combined price of the duo over $50MM per year and potentially as high as $60MM.
The Eagles also have Nolan Smith‘s fifth-year option to consider. He would cost $15MM in 2027, a good price for an edge rusher. However, Roseman may not be as motivated to pursue a long-term deal with Smith as he failed to even match his 2024 breakout season in 2025.
Bucs Set Second OC Interview With Brian Callahan
The Buccaneers are taking another step towards hiring a new offensive coordinator by kicking off their second round of interviews.
Former Titans head coach Brian Callahan is set for a second meeting with the team, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, which will take place tomorrow. The 41-year-old previously spent five years as the offensive coordinator on Zac Taylor’s staff, playing a major role in Joe Burrow‘s development and the overall development of Cincinnati’s offense into one of the best in the league.
However, balance often eluded Callahan’s units. He put together the Bengals’ high-flying passing attack, but could not budge their running game out of a bottom-10 ranking in his five years in Cincinnati. He also struggled to construct a consistent offensive line.
So, when Callahan arrived in Tennessee and downgraded from Burrow to Will Levis at quarterback, the cracks began to show. He no longer had one of the best QB-WR duos in the league, and he could not find a way to help Levis progress. A 3-14 record got the Titans the No. 1 pick, which they used on Cam Ward, but a 1-5 start to the 2025 season
The Buccaneers may be wondering if Callahan will be able to find more success with their talented offense. Tampa Bay already has an established quarterback, a strong offensive line, and several offensive weapons. That would allow Callahan to focus less on development and more on application of the team’s talent as they seek a return to the top of the NFC South.
Here are the rest of the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator candidates:
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Second interview scheduled for 1/22
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/16
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/10
- David Shaw, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/10
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/10
Falcons Add James Liipfert, Ian Cunningham, Josh Williams To GM Interview List
With the Falcons’ search for a new president of football operations and head coach complete, the team is now looking for their next general manager.
Three names have been added to the list: Texans assistant GM James Liipfert (via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini), Bears assitant GM Ian Cunningham (via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer), and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). That trio joins Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl as Atlanta’s first four candidates.
Liipfert got his NFL start with the Patriots. He spent nine years in New England in various scouting roles before joining the Texans as their new director of college scouting in 2019. Liipfert began to move up the chain after Nick Caserio, a former Patriots colleague, was installed as the Texans’ general manager. Liipfert became the assistant director of player personnel in 2022, replaced ‘assistant’ with ‘executive’ in his title the following year, and moved up to assistant GM last June. His job, however, has largely stayed the same. He manages the Texans’ college scouting operations and has therefore played a huge role in building their current roster, which is powered by homegrown players.
Cunningham interviewed for the Falcons’ football operations job that went to Matt Ryan. It never seemed like anyone but Ryan would secure that position, but Cunningham did enough in his first meeting with the team that he is now under consideration for general manager. He interviewed for several jobs over the last few years, including the Jaguars’ and Titans’ GM jobs last offseason. He was thought to be a finalist for those jobs, as well as the Commanders’ vacancy in 2024. Like Liipfert, he has spent his career largely focused on scouting.
Williams also interviewed for what is now Ryan’s job and was a finalist for the Jaguars’ opening last year. He was also a finalist in the Dolphins’ search for a new GM this year, though Miami went with Jon-Eric Sullivan instead. In San Francisco, Williams oversees pro and college scouting and also assists in contract negotiations.
It is clear that the Falcons are looking to draft a general manager with a background in scouting. There are a number of young stars in Atlanta, but almost all of them were secured with first- or second-round picks. In the third round and beyond, former GM Terry Fontenot struggled to find players who could become starters while still on their rookie contract. His successor would look to correct that pattern to add more depth and build around players like Drake London and Bijan Robinson.
Ravens Blocking Several Giants Interview Requests
The Ravens may have fired John Harbaugh, but they have no intention of letting his top lieutenants follow him to New York.
Baltimore has blocked a lateral move for special teams coordinator Chris Horton, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, preventing him from taking the same position on Harbaugh’s new staff. For the moment, the Ravens are holding onto assistant special teams coordinator Anthony Levine and senior special teams coach Randy Brown, though that could change once they land on a new head coach.
Harbaugh came up as a special teams coordinator, so it is no surprise he wants to bring his special teams assistants to New York. Brown worked with Harbaugh in Philadelphia and joined his original staff in Baltimore as a kicking consultant. Horton got his NFL start in Baltimore in 2014, while Levine was a Ravens special teams ace for a decade before retiring and joining their coaching staff. Levine currently has interest from the Buccaneers in their coordinator position, which would be a promotion that the Ravens cannot block.
The Giants, nonetheless, plan to continue undeterred with their pursuit of Ravens coaches, as well as employees in other roles. The team could submit 20 or more interview requests, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Baltimore may not be able to block all of those requests, which could force individuals to choose between their loyalty to Harbaugh and their loyalty to the Ravens.
Of course, Baltimore’s new head coach may be more willing to let certain coaches go as he fills his staff. Like Harbaugh, he could draw from the ranks of his former team, which could put the Ravens in the same position that the Giants are in right now.
Sean McDermott Intends To Coach In 2026
Sean McDermott just lost his longtime job in Buffalo, but he intends to quickly find a new gig and coach in 2026, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
McDermott, 51, has been in the NFL since 1999, but he has only worked for three teams. He will likely be seeking one of the league’s five remaining vacancies (not counting his former position in Buffalo). However, he has only been mentioned as a potential candidate for a few of those jobs with no official interviews scheduled or requested yet.
McDermott’s has a strong reputation around the league, as evidenced by the widespread confusion when he was fired. He consistently put together solid defenses in both Carolina and Buffalo and could receive consideration as a defensive coordinator candidate if a head coaching position does not work out. The Eagles and Panthers employed McDermott as a DC previously. He was at the helm for Carolina’s 15-1 2015 season that ended with a Super Bowl 50 loss.
This year’s HC cycle has featured two immediate bounce-back opportunities — John Harbaugh with the Giants, Kevin Stefanski with the Falcons — and Robert Saleh caught on as a retread (with the Titans). McDermott still joins a host of defensive-minded candidates on the market. The likes of Chris Shula, Jesse Minter and Vance Joseph have taken many interviews. Ditto Raheem Morris, who went two-and-done in Atlanta. The Dolphins also hired a defense-based leader, tabbing Jeff Hafley on Monday. McDermott should have a chance at interviews soon.
The Bills fielded four top-five scoring defenses during McDermott’s time at the helm. The longtime Buffalo leader vacillated between play-calling DC and a CEO head coach. While injuries regularly hurt McDermott’s defenses in the playoffs, with Tre’Davious White and Christian Benford‘s unavailability for Kansas City matchups in the past proving costly, his units ran into trouble in January. The Broncos put up 33 points on McDermott’s team Saturday. That came after the Chiefs scored 32 in the AFC championship game last year.
Still, McDermott went 98-50 as a head coach while reaching two AFC championship games. He won eight playoff games as Bills HC, capitalizing on Josh Allen‘s meteoric rise to the MVP tier. But the Bills fired him in large part for a failure to ride Allen’s top-level form to a Super Bowl. The Steelers and Ravens came up as potential suitors, though Pittsburgh’s famous three-coach/57-season run never included a hire of a head coach north of 40. The Browns, Cardinals and Raiders’ jobs also remain available.
McDermott will assuredly be taking a steep drop in QB quality with his next job — should he land one of the available positions. That represents an interesting component both for him and for hiring teams, considering how much Allen’s talent helped the HC during his nine Buffalo years.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Kevin Stefanski To Weigh In On Falcons GM Search
The Falcons have made their first two major hires of the offseason in president of football operations Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Their search for a new general manager begun before those moves became official, but Stefanski is expected to “have a voice” in the search, according to The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.
Of course, a new head coach helping the team pick their next general manager is not much of a surprise. The process typically goes the other way around, but the Falcons’ new structure has the GM reporting to Ryan. So, hiring Stefanski first and involving him in the search will allow him to find a true partner as they work to build a team together.
It is worth noting that Ryan did not participate in the first stage of interviews, so his real influence will not come until the second round, when Stefanski will also be involved.
Had the Falcons not landed Stefanski, their other targets for second interviews were Jeff Hafley and Jesse Minter, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Both would have been immediately available for those in-person meets, which could have allowed the Falcons to move just as quickly as they did with Stefanski.
Instead, Hafley ended up in Miami, and Minter is a finalist for multiple head coaching vacancies around the league. Hafley’s new GM, former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan, had come in from Green Bay just a few weeks before he was hired, while Minter could end up in Baltimore, where he previously worked with Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta during his stint as a defensive assistant.
Falcons Hire Bill Callahan As OL Coach
New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is starting to build his new staff, and his first major hire is a reunion with offensive line coach Bill Callahan, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.
Callahan, 69, is one of the most respected OL coaches in the NFL. He has coached for nine different teams, including Stefanski’s Browns from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, he followed his son and then-Browns offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, to Tennessee when he was hired as the Titans’ head coach.
Callahan’s offensive line ranked fifth and sixth in sacks allowed during his two seasons as their coach despite the team’s investments in the unit. That was representative of the entire offense, though, as their quarterbacks had a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long, partially because receivers were not open downfield.
When the Titans fired Brian Callahan in October, his father unsurprisingly left the team shortly after. In another predictable move, he followed Stefanski to Atlanta, something that was referenced by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shortly after Stefanski was hired.
In Atlanta, Callahan will replace Dwayne Ledford, who was also the Falcons’ run game coordinator. He is expected to draw interest around the league, per Garafolo. Perhaps he could follow Arthur Smith, the coach who brought him into the NFL in 2021 after 15 years at the college level, to his next destination.
Stefanski is expected to take other Browns assistants with him. At the top of his list is offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who will likely take the same job in Atlanta
Titans To Hire Robert Saleh As HC
Robert Saleh was expected to be choosey with his second head coaching opportunity, but the 49ers’ defensive coordinator has made a decision to dive back in after one season. The Titans are hiring Saleh as their next head coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Saleh, 46, impressed the team’s decision-makers during his interview Monday in Tennessee. He was originally scheduled to speak with the team virtually on Sunday, but the two sides pivoted to an in-person meeting that could not take place until the following day due to league hiring rules.
The race appeared to be down to Saleh and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who was set for his own in-person interview with the Titans on Tuesday. Nagy was the rumored frontrunner as of Monday afternoon, though Saleh was on the radar as a finalist over the weekend. Saleh won over owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Mike Borgonzi to become a head coach for the second time in his career. Saleh had an in-person interview with the Cardinals on Tuesday, but the Titans have convinced him to pass on that meeting.
Borgonzi was leaning toward Nagy, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, but ownership’s preference for Saleh ultimately (and unsurprisingly) won out. Davenport sent a follow-up tweet clarifying Saleh impressed Borgonzi, who then voiced his support for this hire rather than reuniting with Nagy. Considering Strunk’s recent history with hirings and firings, it will be interesting to learn if Borgonzi was leaning strongly in the direction of hiring his former Chiefs coworker. Both Nagy and Saleh were second-chance candidates. The Titans interviewed or sought to interview 15 such options, prioritizing experience.
Saleh’s first opportunity as a head coach came with the Jets. Like his new job in Tennessee, the New York stint followed a successful run as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, a position Saleh first held from 2017 to 2020. He was Kyle Shanahan‘s first hire when he took over as San Francisco’s head coach, and the two worked together to turn the league’s bottom-ranked defense into one of its best. By 2019, the transformation was complete, and another strong year in 2020 turned Saleh into one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the 2021 hiring cycle.
The Jets swooped in with a five-year contract, and Saleh moved to New York with the goal of turning the hapless franchise around. But, like several other coaches before him, he could not get the job done with the AFC’s Big Apple franchise. He finished with a 20-36 record before he was fired midway through the 2024 season, his fourth as head coach.
Saleh’s tenure with the Jets was heavily impacted by the team’s inability to land a solid quarterback. General manager Joe Douglas used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft to select Zach Wilson, but the BYU product never came close to meeting his billing.
New York’s offense, coordinated by fellow ex-Shanahan assistant Mike LaFleur, struggled through two seasons with Wilson as a starter before Douglas pivoted to Aaron Rodgers in 2023. As part of their play for the MVP quarterback, the team mutually agreed to part ways with LaFleur to recruit former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett immediately after his disastrous year as the Broncos’ head coach. Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth Jets offensive play of the 2023 season, and the Jets’ offense collapsed with Wilson back under center.
On defense, however, Saleh was able to replicate his work in San Francisco. The Jets finished 32nd in points and yards allowed in his debut year and fourth in both categories in his second. Another strong year in 2023 was wasted after Rodgers’ injury, and Saleh was then fired after a 2-3 start in 2024. Many saw the decision from owner Woody Johnson as an unfair one, as Douglas had been the driving force between acquiring Wilson and Rodgers. Saleh did not receive a full season with the latter, and his 7-10 showings with Wilson under center have aged pretty well.
Saleh signed on as a consultant with the Packers for the rest of the 2024 season before returning to San Francisco in the offseason to retake his former job. The 49ers’ defense did not have the same statistical results in 2025 as their previous top seasons under Saleh, but he coached his way through injuries to several key players. San Francisco lost All-Pros Nick Bosa and Fred Warner early in the season but still finished 12-5 and stifled the Eagles’ offense in the first round of the playoffs. The 49ers, who also lost first-round defensive end Mykel Williams, finished last in sacks but still ranked 13th in points allowed. Though Saleh’s defense allowed just 281 yards in the divisional round, turnovers from San Francisco’s offense led to a 41-6 victory by the Seahawks.
Saleh will have a chance to shape a franchise that does not have many long-term cornerstones outside of rookie quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Tennessee is projected by OverTheCap to have almost $100MM in 2026 cap space and is slated for the fourth pick in April’s draft.
Saleh’s first order of business will be filling his new staff. His long history in the NFL gives him plenty of relationships with other coaches around the league, especially those also branching off of Shanahan’s tree. Saleh will likely prioritize hiring his offensive coordinator, as he is expected to call defensive plays in Tennessee, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. In New York, he handed that job off to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and though the unit excelled, Saleh felt disconnected from the game, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel could be the first name on Saleh’s list of OC candidates. The two worked together in San Francisco, with McDaniel staying one year longer before he took the job in Miami. They could reunite in Tennessee, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, which would create one of the most exciting head coach-coordinator duos in the league.
Saleh and McDaniel worked together for four seasons in San Francisco. The latter is still up for HC jobs and has been tied to a few OC positions as well. He would certainly be a prime option to coach Ward given his success revitalizing Tua Tagovailoa‘s career earlier this decade.
Connected to the Tennessee job since Brian Callahan‘s firing, Nagy suddenly stands on unstable terrain. He coached this season without a contract for 2026, and the Chiefs hired his predecessor — Eric Bieniemy — to replace him as OC today. It had looked like Nagy would land in Nashville for a bit, and a second interview being scheduled only reaffirmed that expectation. Now, Nagy — who returned to Kansas City as quarterbacks coach under Bieniemy in 2022 before replacing him in ’23 — is a coaching free agent.
Strunk has struggled with big-picture decisions in recent years. She famously fired GM Jon Robinson months after extending him and then fired Mike Vrabel following the 2023 season. She refrained from a true attempt to trade Vrabel in order to get in on the 2024 HC market from the jump. Her Callahan hire backfired, with the Titans giving him only 23 games. Strunk also fired GM Ran Carthon after two years, hiring Borgonzi. The latter snared roster control from president of football ops Chad Brinker after the 2025 season and ran the coaching search.
It is rather interesting to see the Titans hire Saleh before meeting with Nagy a second time, but they will head in a defensive direction — as they did with Vrabel — with Saleh becoming Borgonzi’s first hire as a GM.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Chiefs To Hire Chad O’Shea As WRs Coach
The Chiefs are expected to hire Chad O’Shea as their next wide receivers coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
O’Shea, 53, held the same position on Kevin Stefanski‘s staff in Cleveland with the added title of passing game coordinator. He will succeed Connor Embree in Kansas City, where Andy Reid is shaking up his staff after the departure of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. The Chiefs have already made plans to rehire Eric Bieniemy to replace Nagy, and O’Shea will also be returning to the team, albeit after a longer time away.
O’Shea is entering his 30th year of coaching and his 23rd at the pro level. He got his NFL start with the Chiefs as a volunteer assistant in 2003, which quickly turned into an assistant special teams coach gig. O’Shea spent the next three years in Minnesota as an offensive assistant.
The Patriots then hired O’Shea as their wide receivers coach in 2008. He stayed in New England for 10 seasons, winning three Super Bowls along the way, before following Brian Flores to Miami as the Dolphins’ new offensive coordinator in 2019. O’Shea only lasted one year in a coordinator role and returned to coaching wide receivers, this time under Stefanski in Cleveland.
The Browns passing game in O’Shea’s tenure never ranked higher than 19th, though the team’s lack of consistent quarterback play deserves the lion’s share of the blame. However, Cleveland’s receiving corps did not make substantial progress under O’Shea. Their best receivers in the last six years have been Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, who were both acquired via trade. O’Shea did well to integrate both into the Browns offense – and likely played a key role in Jeudy’s career-best 2024 – but the team’s homegrown wideouts have not grown into clear starting-caliber players.
In Kansas City, O’Shea will work Reid and Bieniemy to rebuild a Chiefs receiver room that only has Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy as clear long-term contributors. As a part of a stronger offense with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, he may be more successful than he was in Cleveland.
Ravens Plan Second HC Interview With Bills OC Joe Brady
The Ravens are planning to host Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady for a second head coaching interview this week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Brady, 36, just completed his first interview with the Ravens on Sunday. He must have impressed the team’s decision-makers, as they are already seeking another meeting.
Baltimore may also be moving quickly to evaluate Brady before the Bills get too deep into their search process to replace Sean McDermott. Brady is an obvious candidate to become Buffalo’s next head coach given his familiarity with Josh Allen and role in building their offense.
That success is likely the main reason the Ravens were interested in Brady in the first place. He first arrived in Buffalo as the Bills’ quarterbacks coach in 2022 after a short, unsuccessful stint as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator. During the 2023 season, Brady was promoted to offensive coordinator to replace Ken Dorsey and engineered a stronger, more balanced unit for the rest of the year.
The Bills have continued to operate as one of the best offenses in the league under Brady, which has led to head coaching interest from multiple teams. In addition to the Ravens, he interviewed with the Raiders, Giants, and Dolphins. He is all but certain to land an interview with his current team as well.
Here is a full overview of the Ravens’ head coaching search:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Second interview requested
- Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/19
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/13
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/8
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/12
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/15
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/14
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/11
- Darren Rizzi, special teams coordinator (Broncos): Interview expected
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/18
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Interviewed 1/14
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Kevin Stefanski, former head coach (Browns): Second interview requested for 1/21
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Second interview scheduled for 1/20
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/8