Mike McDaniel To Interview For Bucs’ OC Job
The Buccaneers will interview Mike McDaniel for their offensive coordinator vacancy on Friday, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
McDaniel, 42, was fired by the Dolphins last week after a disappointing 2025 campaign. But as one of the league’s top offensive minds, he is expected to land a job in this year’s hiring cycle, whether that be as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Currently, he is a head coaching candidate for the Falcons, Ravens, Browns, and Titans with offensive coordinator interest from the Lions, Eagles, and now, the Buccaneers.
McDaniel would prefer a “great OC opportunity” to a “not-great head coaching vacancy,” per Auman, though, of course, those qualifiers are entirely up to the coach’s judgement. At first glance, the Browns and Titans do not seem to be as appealing due to their lack of offensive firepower, though McDaniel would have a chance to mold a young quarterback with either team. The Ravens, of course, have Lamar Jackson, while the Falcons have an exciting array of young offensive weapons.
The Buccaneers would appear to fall into the “great OC opportunity” category. They have an established veteran quarterback in Baker Mayfield, a strong offensive line, and several playmakers at different positions. The unit’s struggles in 2025 seemed to be more related to their injuries, and new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was not able to step into Liam Coen‘s shoes after he left for Jacksonville, especially as a play-caller.
McDaniel is proven as an architect and play-caller who could build on the foundation established by Coen and his predecessor, Dave Canales, while adding his own motion-heavy wrinkles into the playbook. He could use success in Tampa Bay to quickly springboard into another head coaching job, especially if he can help the Buccaneers overcome their playoff struggles under Todd Bowles.
Commanders Interview Brian Flores, Karl Scott For DC Job
The Commanders are continuing to interview potential replacements for defensive coordinator Joe Whitt, with Brian Flores and Karl Scott as the latest candidates on the list.
Flores, who just completed a three-year contract as the Vikings defensive coordinator, met with the team on Wednesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He formed Minnesota’s defense into one of the best in the league with his signature blitz-heavy scheme frequently stifling opposing passing offenses. His ability to generate pressure could be especially appealing to a Commanders team that struggled to do so in 2025.
Flores also spent a decade as a defensive assistant in New England, which included multiple Super Bowl matchups with Commanders head coach Dan Quinn when he was with the Seahawks and the Falcons.
It is worth noting that Quinn took over calling the defense’s plays in 2025 after Whitt’s initial struggles and indicated that he could retain those duties moving forward. He would almost certainly hand that responsibility off to Flores if he came to Washington.
That may not be the case if Quinn goes with a less-experienced option like Scott, who has also interviewed with the team, according to ESPN’s John Keim and Brady Henderson. The 40-year-old only has five years of NFL experience with one years as the Vikings’ defensive backs coach and four years in the same role in Seattle, plus the title of passing game coordinator. The Seahawks’ pass defense saw some improvements after Scott’s arrival in 2022, and he was retained in 2024 after Mike Macdonald was brought in as the team’s new head coach.
While Macdonald rightfully gets much of the credit for turning Seattle’s defense into one of the best in the league, Scott has still played a key role in developing the team’s young secondary. Several defensive backs have taken huge strides under Scott’s coaching, including recent first-round picks Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori. Spending time under Macdonald, who is quickly becoming one of the league’s most respected defensive minds, further boosts Scott’s resume.
Panthers Will Pick Up QB Bryce Young’s 5th-Year Option
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said on Tuesday (via The Athletic’s Joseph Person) that the team would pick up Bryce Young‘s fifth-year option for the 2027 season.
Young, 24, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He has met the playtime requirements to be in the second tier of fifth-year options, currently projected by OverTheCap to be $26.53MM for quarterbacks. After a rough first two years in the NFL, he took some strides in 2025, enough for the Panthers to affirm their belief in him.
“I think Bryce has shown flashes of greatness this year against high-level competition,” Morgan said. “As a team, we weren’t as consistent as we wanted to be on a game-to-game basis.”
Young was not especially consistent, either, with only marginal improvements over his 2024 stats. The “flashes” to which Morgan is referring are likely Young’s four fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives in 2025, which matched his total from his first two seasons.
“I just felt like he had a lot more command out there this year, and really just coming into his own and getting better every week and just attacking every day,” Morgan added. “And that’s really all you can ask for from any player, let alone your quarterback.”
Despite his effusive praise of his young QB, Morgan was non-committal on potential extension negotiations this offseason, per Person, saying only that “it’s still up in the air.” That is a sensible position considering that Young has yet to prove that he is worth a multi-year extension in a pricey quarterback market.
Young will be much more expensive in 2027, and an extension would likely raise his pay further. The Panthers have leaned on veteran backups for the last three years, but Morgan indicated (via Person) the team was open to bringing in a younger passer this offseason. That will make it easier to build a roster in 2027 and potentially beyond, as Carolina would not have to pay for a premium backup. Adding a young quarterback now also gives the Panthers more options for the future. He would have two seasons to develop behind Young; by then, the team would have an idea of his potential as a starter. If Young has not made more progress, the Panthers could opt to part ways with him and move onto a younger, cheaper quarterback.
Such a decision is a long ways away, and Young’s performance in 2026 and 2027 could pre-empt it entirely. For now, Carolina has made its next decision regarding Young and can now turn their offseason attention to the rest of the team.
Commanders Want To Interview Brian Flores For DC Job
The Commanders have already hired a new offensive coordinator and are now turning to fill their rest of their coaching vacancies.
Their defensive coordinator job is their next crucial hire. The team is looking to bring in Brian Flores to interview for the gig, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He just completed his three-year contract with the Vikings in the same position. Though he has been seeking another shot as a head coach, his ongoing lawsuit against the league and three teams could be an insurmountable obstacle until it is resolved.
Washington’s defense took a notable step back in 2025 relative to their first year under head coach Dan Quinn and DC Joe Whitt. Quinn took over play-calling duties during the season, which made Whitt’s dismissal after the season no surprise. Flores should be an upgrade. After adjusting to a new team in his debut year in Minnesota, he led a solid defense in 2024 and a great one this past season across the board. The Vikings ranked seventh in points allowed and third in yards allowed in 2025 with Flores’ diverse blitz packages wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. The Commanders, meanwhile, ranked 27th in yards and dead-last in points. Their 19.6% pressure rate was the seventh-lowest mark in the NFL, while the Vikings finished third with a 28.1% pressure rate.
But Flores has already interviewed with the Ravens regarding their head coaching position, and he could draw additional interest as a defensive coordinator now that his contract in Minnesota is up. The Vikings still believe they can retain him, but proving himself with another franchise may strengthen his case for another head coaching job, though it still might have to wait until the lawsuit concludes.
The Commanders are also filling David Blough‘s offensive staff, starting with a quarterbacks coach to work with Jayden Daniels. Panthers assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici was one of their first candidates, and Falcons quarterbacks coach D.J. Williams has joined the list. Washington submitted a request to interview Williams, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He is the son of franchise legend Doug Williams, who was named MVP when the team won the Super Bowl at the end of the 1987 season.
D.J. Williams worked as an offensive assistant in New Orleans from 2019 to 2023. In 2024, he joined the Falcons as assistant quarterbacks coach and took over the lead role after T.J. Yates was promoted to pass game coordinator. Michael Penix has shown flashes as a starter in the last two years, but he has lacked consistency. Williams’ family connection with Washington will certainly help his chances, but it will ultimately come down to the team’s belief to get the most out of Daniels.
Chargers OLB Khalil Mack Undecided On Future
After the end of the 2024 season, Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said that he was contemplating retirement. He opted to play another year and re-signed in Los Angeles on a one-year deal, hoping to make another playoff run.
That never materialized. The Chargers exited in the first round for a second season in a row, leaving the 34-year-old considering his future once again. Last year, he said (via team writer Omar Navarro) that he wanted to consult his family and avoid “a rash decision after a loss.”
He said something similar after Sunday’s loss to the Patriots: “Not trying to make that decision right now like I’ve almost done before. Trying to stay as present as possible, stay prayed up, make a decision based on how I’m feeling and how my family is feeling, the vibes.”
But another year of wear and tear in the NFL may lead Mack to a different conclusion this offseason. A dislocated elbow early in the season landed him on injured reserve for just the second time in his career. He said that the injury “took something off of the elements of what I am and who I am as a player.”
He was still able to occupy a similar snap share and better per-game production, both in terms of traditional stats like sacks and tackles for loss as well as advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) like pressures and stops. While older players are more liable for sudden drops in performance, Mack’s numbers indicate that he still has a good chance of contributing in 2026.
However, this year’s decision is not exactly the same as last year. After another year, Mack is trying to figure out what another year n the NFL would mean for him and his family. Obviously, coming off a playoff loss, his immediate reaction might be to run it back another year. Perhaps the Chargers would fare better after investing in their offensive line this offseason, or he could find another team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Last year, his comments on his future came on January 12 and ultimately made his decision less than two weeks later. His initial thoughts came on the same date this time around, suggesting that we will not have to wait too long for his answer about 2026.
Commanders Request Interview With Mike Bercovici For QBs Coach Job
The Commanders moved quickly to secure David Blough as their next offensive coordinator, and they are now in the process of filling his staff.
Panthers assistant quarterbacks coach Mike Bercovici is one of Washington’s early targets. The Commanders requested to interview him for their quarterbacks job, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Bercovici, 32, is a former quarterback who played at Arizona State in college. After brief stints with the Chargers and the Cardinals, which featured no regular season playing time, he moved to the now-defunct American Alliance of Football. He retired from playing when the league folded in 2019 and went back to Arizona State to start his coaching career.
Bercovici quickly made the jump into the NFL’s coaching ranks when Kliff Kingsbury – the Commanders’ last offensive coordinator – hired him for a role on his Cardinals staff in 2020. When Kingsbury was fired after the 2022 season, Bercovici was hired by then-Panthers head coach Frank Reich as an assistant wide receivers coach. When Dave Canales arrived in Carolina in 2024, he moved Bercovici to his current role.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has made notable strides in the last two years, and Bercovici likely deserves some credit for his development. He would be tasked with taking Jayden Daniels to another level after the former LSU quarterback followed up his Offensive Rookie of the Year debut with a disappointing, injury-riddled sophomore campaign. The two overlapped for a year at Arizona State, with Bercovici serving as a graduate assistant while Daniels started at quarterback as a true freshman.
Cowboys To Interview Zach Orr, Aaron Whitecotton For DC Vacancy
The Cowboys’ search for their next defensive coordinator has expanded to include two new candidates.
The team requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr (via Clarence Hill of DLLS Sports). They will also interview their current defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Orr, 33, succeeded Mike Macdonald as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2024. The unit regressed at the beginning of his debut season, but moving Kyle Hamilton back to a traditional safety role and inserting Ar’Darius Washington into the starting lineup stabilized the secondary. This past season, Baltimore’s defense had another rough start with an especially weak pass rush. Another round of midseason adjustments – including trades for Alohi Gilman and Dre’Mont Jones – yielded some results, but they did not last through the end of the season.
Despite his shaky results, Orr’s connection to Macdonald and John Harbaugh is one reason that other teams may be interested. He may also be a free agent in the coming weeks. The Ravens are currently looking for a new head coach after firing Harbaugh, and their eventual hire may not retain Orr in his current job.
Whitecotton has spent the last 13 years coaching in the NFL with the last eight as a defensive line coach for the Bills (assistant), 49ers (assistant), Jets, and Cowboys. Despite the additions of Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams to Dallas’ defensive line, the unit (and the defense as a whole) still struggled in 2025. Whitecotton’s familiarity with those key players, however, could upgrade his candidacy in the eyes of the team.
Bucs To Interview Mike Kafka For OC Job
The Buccaneers are set to interview Mike Kafka for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman.
Kafka, 38, has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator for the last four years. He was also named interim head coach after Brian Daboll was fired in November. Under Kafka, New York’s offense has never ranked higher than 13th in points or 15th in yards with bottom-five finishes in both categories in 2022 and 2023. He was working with a weak offensive roster, especially at quarterback, but at the same time, part of his task was developing that roster.
Kafka previously spent five years in Kansas City, including four seasons as the quarterbacks coach. In 2020, he added pass game coordinator to his title. The Chiefs offense was consistently one of the best in the NFL during his tenure, which featured the ascent of Patrick Mahomes into one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the sport. While Mahomes’ pure talent and Andy Reid‘s influence are largely credited for the unit’s success, Kafka seems to have been a key factor, too. After his departure in 2022, the Chiefs had one more season as the best offense in the NFL before falling to the middle of the league in the last three years.
In Tampa Bay, Kafka would be working with a more talented offense with improvement over the Giants’ players at nearly every position. The Buccaneers clearly felt that Josh Grizzard did not get enough out of the unit this past season and may be seeking a more experienced option. Kafka also has a connection to the franchise: during his playing career, he served as Tampa Bay’s backup quarterback for the 2014 season.
The Buccaneers are also looking for a replacement for special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, who was fired along with Grizzard after the regular season. Lions assistant special teams coordinator Jett Modkins interviewed for the job on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tampa Bay’s 60.6 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was the third-lowest in the NFL this season, though their average starting field position ranked 12th. In contrast, the Lions have consistently fielded one of the top-graded special teams units in the NFL. Their 90.5 grade was the league’s sixth-best in 2025, and their average starting field position ranked fifth.
The two interviews are part of the Buccaneers’ major offseason staff shake-up after another disappointing end to their season. Head coach Todd Bowles is clearly willing to make some changes after a 35-33 record and one playoff win in the last four years.
Eagles’ Lane Johnson Returns To Practice; Azeez Ojulari’s Practice Window Opens
JANUARY 11: Johnson is officially inactive for today’s game. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network notes practice included encouraging moments during the past few days, but Johnson’s return to the lineup will not be possible until at least next week.
JANUARY 7: The Eagles are expecting to get some reinforcements on both sides of the ball in the playoffs.
The most impactful player who could return is right tackle Lane Johnson, who has not played since mid-November due to a foot injury. Swing tackle Fred Johnson has held up, but not excelled in his All-Pro teammate’s place.
Johnson practiced on Wednesday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He would be a major boost to an Eagles offense that has sputtered in the second half of the season. After their Week 10 bye, Philly scored more than 2o points in just three of their last nine games. Those performances all came against a handful of the worst defenses in the league. Johnson would no doubt fortify the offensive line
On defense, the Eagles are expecting to have Nakobe Dean back in the wild card round; defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said as much on Tuesday (via The Athletic’s Zach Berman). Dean has been out since Week 15 due to a hamstring injury. He also missed the first five games as he completed his recovery from a January 2025 torn patellar tendon. In between, he posted a career-high four sacks in just 10 games, an impressive number for an off-ball linebacker. First-round pick Jihaad Campbell has started next to Zack Baun for the past few games and will likely slide back to the bench upon Dean’s return.
Philadelphia’s defense may also get outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari back on the field soon. He has been on injured reserve since the beginning of November and was designated to return on Wednesday, according to McLane. The fifth-year defender signed with the Eagles this offseason but was too far down the depth chart to play at the start of the year. After four healthy scratches, he finally got some game day action with both Nolan Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo landing on IR. Ojulari, however, only saw 32 snaps across three games before injuring his hamstring.
Buccaneers Interview Israel Woolfork, David Shaw For OC Job
The Buccaneers completed virtual interviews with Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork and Lions passing game coordinator David Shaw for their offensive coordinator vacancy, per team writer Scott Smith. 
Tampa Bay moved on from OC Josh Grizzard at the end of the season after the team’s offense dropped from a top-five unit in 2024 to a bottom-half one this past season. The decision came as little surprise at the time, although it has since been followed by a number of other changes on Todd Bowles‘ staff. Finding Grizzard’s replacement in short order represents an obvious priority.
Woolfork began his coaching career in 2013 in the college ranks. His introduction to the NFL came in 2021 by means of the Bill Walsh NFL diversity coaching fellowship. After two years in Cleveland, Woolfork joined the Cardinals. He has served as the team’s QBs coach for the past three years.
Shaw’s resume is much more extensive. The 53-year-old has been in coaching since 1995 is best known for his run as Stanford’s head coach (2011-22). Shaw returned to the NFL in 2024 by joining the Broncos’ front office. That one-year Denver stint was followed by a return to the sidelines when Shaw took his current position in Detroit. The Lions endured a number of departures on their staff last year, and Shaw was among the most experienced replacements brought in.
Tampa Bay has already conducted an interview with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan. Prior to his ill-fated Tennessee gig, Callahan had a notable run as a non-playcalling OC in Cincinnati. The team has also been linked to ex-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Earlier today, it was learned Falcons OC Zac Robinson has interviewed with Tampa Bay despite the fact he is still under contract (at least for now). A reunion between the Bucs and Todd Monken for the offensive coordinator position is also something to watch for as the team seeks out its options on the coordinator market.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.