Jaguars’ Travis Hunter Will Play More CB Than WR In 2026
The Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft to select Travis Hunter, a potentially generational prospect who played on both sides of the ball in college.
In the lead-up to the draft, Hunter repeatedly made it clear that he intended to play offense and defense in the NFL. He was viewed as a first-round wide receiver but an even better cornerback, so a full-time role on defense while coming in for specific packages on offense felt like an ideal split of his time. Not only does he have a higher ceiling at cornerback, but it seems easier for a wide receiver to play a part-time role.
However, the Jaguars went in the opposite direction in Hunter’s rookie year. He played 324 snaps on offense and 162 on defense with better results from the latter, aligning with his pre-draft profile. In 12 games, he averaged just 6.6 yards per target as a receiver but allowed only 5.9 yards per target in coverage.
Hunter’s rookie season ended early due to knee surgery, and the early injury raised questions about the practicality and longevity of his two-way workload. Multiple reports have indicated that the Jaguars do not share those concerns, but they are planning to adjust his snap distribution when he returns to the field later this year.
“Travis Hunter is expected to be 100% full-go by Week 1,” NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe said. “He had surgery on the LCL in his knee. He will play both sides again in 2026. The big change may come in the usage. From what I understand, they plan to play him as a full-time cornerback [and] a part-time receiver.”
A late-season breakout from wideout Parker Washington and Jacksonville’s lack of cornerback depth are two primary reasons for this move, along with the basic logic about the two positions mentioned earlier.
Brian Flores Lawsuit Will Bypass Arbitration, Proceed In Open Court
Score another legal victory for Brian Flores.
A federal judge in the Southern District of New York ruled that Flores’ discrimination lawsuit against the NFL will proceed through the U.S. public legal system, not the league’s private arbitration process, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Flores, later joined by Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, filed the lawsuit in 2022 alleging racial hiring practices within the NFL with claims against the league itself and multiple specific teams.
The NFL has long been trying to keep Flores’ suit out of open court and instead under the control of Peter Harvey, the arbitrator appointed by commissioner Roger Goodell. Several court rulings have gone against those efforts, with multiple judges pointing out the inherent issues with Harvey arbitrating the case while being employed by one of the parties.
Flores’ attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and David Gottlieb issued a statement on the decision (via ESPN): “The court’s decision recognizes that an arbitration forum in which the defendant’s own chief executive gets to decide the case would strip employees of their rights under the law. It is long overdue for the NFL to recognize this and finally provide a fair, neutral and transparent forum for these issues to be addressed.”
The next step in the legal process is a pretrial hearing, set for April 3. The NFL is also waiting to see if the Supreme Court will accept its petition to review lower court decisions regarding this issue of arbitration.
Flores’ lawsuit was already a landmark one for its attempt to confront suspect hiring practices that have persisted even after the institution and expansion of the Rooney Rule. But now, perhaps unintentionally so, it may have become much bigger.
The NFL has long used its own private arbitration process that unsurprisingly tends to favor the league in final decisions. Flores’ case threatens the validity and enforceability of that process. The court decisions that have already been made support the contention that the league should not be able to influence the arbitration of cases in which it has a vested interest. A Supreme Court ruling could establish firmer, long-term legal precedent, though they would have to accept the case for review, which is not a certainty.
Arbitration could also become a major issue in the next CBA negotiations between the NFL and the NFLPA. The union may be empowered by these rulings and attempt to restrict or eliminate the arbitration process, at least as they relate to players. NFL coaches do not currently have a union and would have to individually negotiate mandatory arbitration out of their contracts unless such language becomes legally prohibited.
Flores was not able to land a head coaching gig this offseason despite three excellent seasons in Minnesota. And despite receiving a mammoth $6MM salary on his new deal with the Vikings, he still wants to get another chance to be a head coach, per Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline. Team owners may be cautious about hiring a coach with an open lawsuit against the league and multiple specific teams. Flores may have to wait until the legal process plays out, which could take years. But continued success with the Vikings defense could become too hard to ignore.
Patriots To Move DC Terrell Williams To New Role, Likely To Promote Zak Kuhr
FEBRUARY 14: ESPN’s Mike Reiss also points to Kuhr as a “leading candidate” for the defensive coordinator gig. As Vrabel noted earlier this week, though, there are still a number of roles which are undecided on his staff at this point. Filling the DC vacancy will obviously be a priority over the coming days.
FEBRUARY 12: Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams will be moving to a “high-ranking role” on Mike Vrabel‘s staff, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Williams, 51, was one of Vrabel’s first hires when he became the Patriots’ head coach last offseason. Williams stepped away from the team during spring practices due to a health scare and was diagnosed with prostate cancer shortly before the regular season. He continued to work with the team in New England during the season as he underwent treatment, but he did not travel with the team to away games. Williams was announced to be cancer-free before the Super Bowl and traveled with the team to San Francisco.
Inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr took over defensive play-calling and led the unit to a top-10 finish. The Patriots defense also fueled their run to the Super Bowl by allowing just 26 points and forcing eight turnovers in their three AFC playoff games.
After those results in his first season as a position coach in the NFL, Kuhr is a virtual lock to take over the defensive coordinator job in New England. The Patriots still must comply with Rooney Rule requirements to interview two minority candidates for the position, but the team almost certainly made this move to promote Kuhr.
If he remained the linebackers coach, he would be a risk to be poached by another team, potentially this offseason with the Cardinals and Raiders still looking for defensive coordinators. New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak could have a particular appreciation for Kuhr’s skills after extensively studying his defense in the lead up to Super Bowl LX. Even if Kuhr didn’t move to Arizona or Las Vegas this year, he would be a near-certainty to get a defensive coordinator job next offseason.
Kuhr is not the only candidate for the Patriots’ DC job. In addition to the two minority candidates the team will interview, Shane Bowen and Jim Schwartz could be considered for the job, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Bowen, who was last the Giants’ DC, held the same job in Tennessee during Vrabel’s last three years with the Titans. Schwartz was a senior defensive assistant on that staff for two of those seasons. His availability is less clear with the Browns still holding his contract rights for the 2026 season.
Williams’ new role on Vrabel’s staff has yet to be announced, but the decision does not come as a major surprise. Vrabel hinted at the potential for such a move after the Super Bowl with Kuhr having thoroughly proved himself as a defensive play-caller. Given his history as a defensive line coach, an assistant head coach/run game coordinator title would make sense for Williams moving forward.
Seahawks Interviewing 49ers TEs Coach Brian Fleury For OC Job
The Seahawks are expected to make an internal promotion to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy, but they are still taking a look at some other coaches around the league.
Among them is 49ers tight ends coach/run game coordinator Brian Fleury, who is interviewing for the job on Saturday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fleury has spent the last seven years in San Francisco, beginning as a defensive quality control coach in 2019. He moved to the offensive side of the ball in 2020 in another QC role before a promotion to tight ends coach two years later.
49ers tight end George Kittle has made the Pro Bowl for five straight years working with Fleury with All-Pro recognition in three of those seasons. The team’s other tight ends have not had as big of an impact, though Jake Tonges stepped up for 22 catches for 209 yards during Kittle’s five game absence this past season.
Prior to joining the 49ers, Fleury served in a variety of roles with the Dolphins, Browns, and Bills, along with stints with multiple college programs. He came up on the defensive side of the ball, which he briefly continued in San Francisco before starting his work with tight ends.
Here are the rest of the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator candidates:
- John Benton, offensive line coach (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Mack Brown, tight ends coach (Seahawks): To interview
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Rumored candidate
- Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Interviewing on 2/14
- Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): To interview
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Rumored candidate
- Justin Outten, run-game specialist (Seahawks): To interview
- Jake Peetz, pass-game coordinator (Seahawks): To interview
Jags Not Expected To Tag Travis Etienne
The Jaguars are not expected to place the franchise tag on running back Travis Etienne, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, positioning the former first-round pick to hit free agency in March.
Etienne, 27, has been Jacksonville’s starting running back for the past four years and just finished a resurgent season following a disappointing 2024 campaign. He ranked 11th in the NFL with 1,107 rushing yards, 17th with 1,399 yards from scrimmage, and 10th with 13 rushing and receiving touchdowns. Etienne also registered the 14th-most missed tackles forced (46) and 10th-most yards after contact (831), per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), who also gave him strong grades as a pass blocker.
Those are strong numbers, but they do not justify a franchise tag projected to be $14.5MM (via OverTheCap), which would be the third-highest APY among NFL running backs. A transition tag at $11.7MM is more reasonable, but it will be difficult for the cap-strapped Jaguars to carry that number into free agency. It would also set a high floor on a potential extension.
The Jaguars also have 2025 draftees Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen on the roster, though neither had a major role as rookies. Instead of pursuing a more expensive Etienne extension, the team could opt for a cheaper veteran to add to their young backfield. This year’s draft class is less strong at the position.
Etienne said immediately after Jacksonville’s season ended that he was not focused on his contract situation. He later told reporters (via NFLonFOX) that he did not intend to sign with a cold-weather team. That would seem to rule out several teams, though Etienne could always change his mind once the contract offers hit the table.
Steelers Announce Full 2026 Coaching Staff
The Steelers announced their full 2026 coaching staff on Friday. It features new game management/quarterbacks coach Tim Berbenich and tight ends coach Robert Kugler as well as defensive assistant Shawn Howe.
Berbenich, 46, has worked in the NFL since 2003 with a variety of roles with seven different teams. His last three jobs were with the Teams (tight ends coach, 2022), Rams (coaching analyst, 2023), and Falcons (pass game specialist/game management, 2024-2025). Unlike many of the Steelers’ new offensive coaches, Berbenich has not worked with Mike McCarthy in the past. He has not worked with Aaron Rodgers either, nor has the team’s other QBs coach, Tom Arth. This is somewhat of a surprise considering the current expectation that Rodgers re-signs with the Steelers this offseason.
Kugler has been an assistant offensive line coach for the past five seasons with time in Houston (2021), Carolina (2022-2023) and New England (2024-2025). He previously worked with tight ends at UTEP in 2017 with brief stints at the University of Washington and Appalachian State before he came to the NFL.
The Steelers’ top three tight ends – Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington – are all set to return for the 2026 season. Smith disappointed in his reunion with former Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, averaging just 13.1 yards per game and 5.8 yards per reception. Freiermuth and Washington were much more productive with similar target shares. The trio will likely be a major part of Pittsburgh’s new offense with little established talent at wide receiver.
Howe is entering the NFL after 21 years at the college level. He most recently worked for Montana State, starting in 2021 as a run game coordinator/defensive line coach. Howe was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2024; in 2005, he held the title on his own and led the Bobcats to their first-ever FCS National Championship. With a long history as a defensive line coach, Howe will likely continue working with that position group in Pittsburgh.
Raiders Hire Mike McCoy As Assistant Head Coach
The Raiders have hired Mike McCoy as an assistant head coach on Klint Kubiak‘s new staff, per a team announcement.
McCoy, 53, spent the 2025 season with the Titans. He was first hired as a senior offensive assistant and was later named interim head coach after the team fired Brian Callahan. McCoy has spent the last 26 years coaching in the NFL in a variety of offensive roles, including two coordinator stints with the Broncos and one with the Cardinals. McCoy was also the Chargers’ head coach from 2013 to 2016, during which time he compiled a 27-37 record with just one playoff berth.
Kubiak worked under McCoy during his second stint as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator in 2017. The pair will now reunite in Las Vegas, where McCoy will add plenty of experience to the staff of a first-time head coach with only two years of coordinator experience. With experience with several teams including four years in the top job, McCoy will be able to help Kubiak navigate his new job.
McCoy may also have a role working with the Raiders’ quarterbacks, whether it be veteran Geno Smith or potential No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza. A former CFL quarterback himself, McCoy has worked with a variety of quarterbacks in his career as a position coach, offensive coordinator, and head coach. His history with the position is not especially strong, though he rarely worked with a passer that later found success elsewhere.
Philip Rivers led the league in completion percentage and won Comeback Player of the Year in McCoy’s first season in San Diego. He then threw 52 interceptions from 2014 to 2016, the most in the NFL in that span. Something similar happened with Trevor Lawrence while McCoy served as the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach from 2022 to 2024. After a disappointing showing as a rookie in 2021, Lawrence broke out in 2022 before regressing in his next two seasons.
Seahawks Blocked Raiders’ Justin Outten Interview Request
The Seahawks could not block offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak from taking the Raiders’ head coaching job, but they are attempting to keep some of his assistants in Seattle.
The Raiders requested to interview Justin Outten – currently the Seahawks’ run game specialist/assistant offensive line coach – for a run game coordinator role in Las Vegas. That would represent a lateral move, so the Seahawks were able to block the interview, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Outten is among the Seahawks’ candidates to replace Kubiak, so the team understandably does not want him to leave until they complete their offensive coordinator hiring process. If they go in a different direction, the Seahawks could release Outten to pursue a job in Las Vegas, as the Ravens did with some of their assistants after officially hiring Jesse Minter. However, Seattle seems headed for an internal promotion to fill their OC vacancy, in which case the new hire may want to keep as much of Kubiak’s staff intact as possible.
Seahawks defensive backs coach/pass game specialist Karl Scott is also staying in Seattle, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He interviewed for the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator vacancy and was among the initial candidates to serve as Kubiak’s DC. The Raiders did not submit an official interview request for Scott, and he has now pre-empted such a meeting with his decision. Scott will likely be in the mix for defensive coordinator jobs next year.
Dan Skipper To Join Lions Staff; Team Blocked Bruce Gradkowski-Dolphins Interview
Former Lions offensive lineman Dan Skipper is expected to stay in Detroit and take a position on Dan Campbell‘s coaching staff, according to CBS Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer.
Skipper, 31, retired after the regular season after spending most of his NFL career with the Lions. He stepped into a bigger role as the team’s swing tackle in recent years and also became a fan-favorite for his role as the sixth offensive lineman in the offense’s ‘jumbo’ packages.
Skipper’s official title is unknown, but he unsurprisingly is expected to work with the offensive line, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Perhaps the team will ask him to develop their next jumbo-set O-lineman.
The Lions are also keeping another key contributor in Detroit: offensive assistant Bruce Gradkowski. The team blocked an interview request from the Dolphins, who were interested in Gradkowski as a potential quarterbacks coach, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The former NFL quarterback and XFL offensive coordinator only arrived in Detroit last offseason, but he quickly became invaluable to the team’s operation after Ben Johnson‘s departure.
Had the Dolphins hired Gradkowski, he would have been tasked with identifying and working with Miami’s next starting quarterback, as the team is expected to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason. Instead, he will continued to work with Jared Goff in Detroit. Gradkowski will likely play a key role in the Lions’ transition to new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
The Lions will not be able to block Gradkowski from future coordinator interview requests, and the club’s desire to keep him suggests that they believe he is heading in that direction. He has not been a coach for very long, but he led the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks to strong finishes as their offensive coordinator in 2023 and 2024. That play-calling success could be an attractive asset to other teams in future hiring cycles.
Cor’Dale Flott Changes Agents Ahead Of FA
With the new league year just around the corner, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott is changing his representation as he prepares to leave the Giants and hit free agency, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Flott, 24, was previously represented by AthElite Agency and will now be moving to Athletes First, one of the most prominent agencies in the NFL. Their client list includes Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Micah Parsons, and Kyle Hamilton, among many others.
Originally a third-round pick out of LSU in 2022, Flott started six games for the Giants as a rookie and seven in his second year. He moved to a bigger role in 2024 with 10 starts and started all 14 games in which he appeared in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound cornerback has not appeared in more than 14 games in a season due to injuries, though he only landed on IR once, at the end of the 2025 season.
Flott’s resume should position him for a solid payday in a market that has risen significantly in the last year. There are a number of solid cornerbacks set to hit free agency, but Flott will be the youngest one with meaningful starting experience. He only has three interceptions in his career, but he amassed 23 passes defended. He had 11 in 2025 alone, along with a career-low 52.2% completion rate and 73.3 passer rating when targeted.