Jaguars Interview Nate Scheelhaase For OC
The Jaguars have completed an interview with Nate Scheelhaase for the offensive coordinator job on Liam Coen‘s staff, per a team announcement.
Scheelhaase, the first official candidate for the Jaguars’ OC gig, is currently the Rams’ pass game specialist. He joined Sean McVay‘s staff in 2024 after starting his coaching career at the college level, first as an offensive assistant at Illinois, his alma mater, before moving to Iowa State under Matt Campbell. Scheelhause worked his way up to the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator gig in 2023 before the NFL came calling.
The 34-year-old helped the Rams finish as a top-10 passing offense despite injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. His one year as Iowa State’s OC also yielded success, with a 99-point scoring increase over their previous season.
Coen, who also began his NFL coaching career with the Rams, is unsurprisingly targeting McVay lieutenants to fill his staff. His list of defensive coordinator candidates includes ex-Rams secondary coach Chris Cooley and the team’s current defensive pass game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant.
Scheelhaase has just one year of NFL coaching under his belt, but Coen is likely to call offensive plays in Jacksonville. That would allow him to take on a younger, less-experienced OC who can grow in the role and may not be poached next offseason.
Josh Myers Wants To Re-Sign With Packers
Center Josh Myers weathered multiple injuries to start 16 games for the Packers in 2024, and he is hoping to run it back in 2025.
“I’d absolutely love to be here,” said Myers after the Packers’ season ended, per Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. He is the team’s only full-time starter schedule to hit free agency this offseason and should have a strong market as a consistent starting center with a high floor. While he lacks the Pro Bowl pedigree of Erik McCoy and Tyler Biadasz, Myers should be able to earn an APY comparable to the contracts signed by Aaron Brewer and Andre James last offseason.
With just over $40MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, the Packers could afford such a $7-8MM per-year deal. However, the team already has three potential centers on their roster in Elgton Jenkins, Zach Tom, and Sean Rhyan, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. That could lead Green Bay to move on from Myers, partially in an effort to get 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan in the starting lineup.
Jenkins and Rhyan are both guards, where Morgan played all of his rookie snaps after starting as a left tackle in his final two college seasons. If the Packers truly want to give Morgan a chance at a starting job in 2025, they are more likely to move Jenkins or Rhyan to center instead of Tom.
That would leave Myers, a 2021 second-round pick, looking for a new team this offseason. He may not be an elite center, but he offers reliable play at the position and allowed just one sack in 2024, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That should be enough to earn him another starting job in 2025, in Green Bay or elsewhere.
Jets Schedule DC Interviews With Chris Harris, Steve Wilks
The Jets are moving to fill Aaron Glenn‘s new staff with two defensive coordinator interviews schedule for Wednesday.
First up is former Titans defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator Chris Harris, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Tennessee allowed the second-fewest passing yards in 2024, but Harris was not retained on Brian Callahan‘s staff. The former NFL safety has a “longstanding relationship” with Glenn, though the two never overlapped on the same team in their playing or coaching careers.
On Wednesday evening, the Jets will interview veteran defensive coach Steve Wilks, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. He has been a hot candidate for defensive coordinator openings this cycle, completing interviews with the Falcons and the Colts. Wilks missed out on both opportunities, but was mentioned as a possibility for the job in New York before Glenn’s hiring was even official.
Glenn has already announced that he will not call plays for the Jets defense after doing so in Detroit for the last four seasons. That makes Wilks’ experience as the DC for three different teams especially valuable. Cooley has never called plays, but he would be able to use Glenn as a resource if hired.
Still, Wilks seems like the favorite to land the job ahead of his interview. He has not gotten more than one year in a position since his mid-2010s success with the Panthers, but could find himself in a long-term partnership Glenn with a successful meeting tonight.
As of yet, Harris and Wilks are the only two official candidates for the Jets’ DC job.
Mike McCarthy Withdraws From Saints’ HC Search; Kellen Moore In Place As Lead Candidate
JANUARY 29: Moore is indeed viewed as a lead candidate for this job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. With McCarthy, Brady and Kingsbury out of the running, the Saints are running short on names to fill the NFL’s last remaining HC vacancy. The team cannot officially hire Moore until after Super Bowl LIX, but unofficial agreements — like the 49ers’ 2017 deal with Kyle Shanahan and the Colts’ eventually broken pledge with Josh McDaniels in 2018 — are often reached with Super Bowl-bound coordinators before those games.
The 2023 offseason also showed teams have been willing to wait on Eagles assistants until after a Super Bowl. The Cardinals and Colts respectively waited out that Eagles-Chiefs matchup, respectively hiring Jonathan Gannon and Shane Steichen. Moore met with the Saints in-person Monday night. Were the Philly OC to take this job, it would be his fourth in four years. Moore has bounced from play-calling gigs in Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia from 2022-24.
JANUARY 28: After appearing to lose ground in recent days, Mike McCarthy has decided to withdraw from consideration for the Saints’ head coaching job and will not coach in the NFL in 2025, according to Nick Underhill of New Orleans.Football and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
McCarthy became a free agent late in the hiring cycle after failing to reach a new contract with the Cowboys. He was considered one of the frontrunners for the gig in New Orleans, especially after Aaron Glenn agreed to join the Jets. Instead, McCarthy will look ahead to the 2026 hiring cycle where he will rely on his history of regular-season success to attract job offers.
[RELATED: Kliff Kingsbury Will Not Meet With Saints]
Surprisingly, McCarthy never spoke with the Saints about the job despite their reported interest. The two sides intended to meet this week, but those plans were scuttled by McCarthy’s withdrawal, per Underhill. His hesitation could be a result of New Orleans’ pursuit of Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
With Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady also backing out of consideration last week, Moore appears to be the clear frontrunner to be the next head coach in New Orleans. He interviewed with the team in person on Monday, and his Eagles will take over the Saints’ facility for their Super Bowl preparation next week.
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are also considered finalists for the job after going through second interviews last week. Here is a full list of the Saints’ candidates:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Hope to schedule second interview; remaining with Bills
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To conduct second interview; hired by Jets
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Conducted second interview 1/25
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): To stay with Commanders
- Mike McCarthy, head coach (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Conducted second interview 1/27
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Mentioned as candidate
- Darren Rizzi, interim head coach (Saints): Interviewed 1/17
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interview being arranged; hired by Patriots
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Conducted second interview 1/24
Jaguars Add Jonathan Cooley, Anthony Campanile To List Of DC Candidates
The Jaguars are continuing to interview defensive coordinator candidates for Liam Coen‘s new staff, adding Anthony Campanile and Jonathan Cooley to their list of candidates.
Campanile, the Packers’ linebackers coach and running game coordinator, interviewed for the job on Tuesday, per a team announcement. The Jaguars also requested an interview with Cooley, currently the Panthers’ pass-game coordinator, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
2024 was Campanile’s first season in Green Bay, where his run defense allowed the third-fewest yards per carry. He spent the previous four seasons coaching linebackers for the Dolphins. Miami’s run defense improved markedly during Campanile’s tenure, as did 2021 first-round outside linebacker Jaelen Phillips.
Cooley is yet another former Sean McVay assistant to receive coordinator interest this offseason and overlapped with Coen for two seasons in Los Angeles. Cooley started as the assistant secondary coach before moving up to defensive backs coach upon Ejiro Evero‘s departure in 2022. He then followed Evero to Carolina in 2023, where his pass defense allowed the third-fewest yards in the league. The Panthers regressed in 2024, though they dealt with several injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
Campanile and Cooley bring the Jaguars’ DC candidate list to five, including the following names:
- Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach/running game coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/28
- Jonathan Cooley, pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Patrick Graham, former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/27
- Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/27
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/28
Texans Interview Thad Lewis For OC Job, To Meet With Nick Caley
After moving on from Bobby Slowik last week, the Texans have added two more names to their list of offensive coordinator candidates.
Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis already interviewed for the job, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and and Rams pass-game coordinator and tight ends coach Nick Caley will interview on Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
This is Lewis’ first connection to an OC vacancy after a short but successful coaching career in Tampa Bay. The 39-year-old, a former NFL quarterback himself, coached Baker Mayfield to the two best seasons of his career in 2023 and 2024, the latter of which featured top-three finishes in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and success rate. Mayfield’s 106.8 passer rating in 2024 was 106.8, 10 points higher than his previous record, a remarkable turnaround for the former No. 1 overall pick. That reflects well on Lewis and will likely keep him in OC conversations in future offseasons if he doesn’t get the job in Houston.
Caley was a longtime Patriots assistant under Bill Belichick before joining the Rams in 2023 as tight ends coach. He added pass-game coordinator to his title in 2024, helping Los Angeles manage injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on their way to the playoffs. While the Rams’ tight ends haven’t put up flashy statistics under Caley, they have been a crucial part of the offense as blockers. The 39-year-old coach has already interviewed for the Buccaneers’ OC job and has been mentioned as a frontrunner for the same gig with the Jets.
While Lewis has not worked directly under McVay, he will still be a branch on McVay’s coaching tree after working under Liam Coen in Tampa Bay. Coen began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant in Los Angeles in 2018 and later served as offensive coordinator in 2022.
Lewis and Caley are the third and fourth official candidates on Texans’ OC list, though a few additional coaches have been connected with the position. Here’s an overview of their search so far:
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach/pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/30
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/27
- Chip Kelly, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Ohio State): Team has interest
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Saints): Mentioned as candidate; hired by Seahawks
- Bill Lazor, senior offensive assistant (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/27
- Ben McDaniels, wide receivers coach/pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Nixon, offensive coordinator (Syracuse): Interviewed 1/27
Patrick Graham Is ‘A Top Candidate’ To Be Jaguars DC
JANUARY 27: Graham has already huddled up for another Jaguars interview. After the HC job went to Coen, Graham has now met about Jacksonville’s DC position. Considering the team met with Graham twice for the HC job, the second fulfilling the Rooney Rule requirement, and now a third time in an official coordinator interview, it would be a bit of a surprise if he was not the pick.
JANUARY 26: The dust is still settling from the Jaguars’ chaotic leadership changes last week, but new head coach Liam Coen must press along to put together his first staff of assistants.
Coen’s offensive expertise will make his defensive coordinator hire crucial to his success in Jacksonville. Raiders DC Patrick Graham, who interviewed twice for the Jaguars’ head coaching vacancy, is “a top candidate” for the DC job, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Graham’s second interview was a key piece of last week’s drama. The exact timeline remains unclear, but the Jaguars appear to have decided on Coen as their top choice before meeting with Graham in person, as needed to fulfill the Rooney Rule. That could cause tension with Graham if he believes that he was never under serious consideration to be the team’s next head coach.
Offering him the DC job could repair the relationship, especially if the Raiders don’t retain Graham after hiring Pete Carroll as head coach. Las Vegas has yet to announce any additional changes to last year’s staff, though at least a few can be expected with the regime change.
The Jaguars were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year, allowing the second-most points and fifth-most yards with a league-low nine takeaways. The job has some appeal, with a solid, young quartet of Travon Walker, Josh Allen, Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd in the front seven, but Graham would have to do some serious work in the passing game. The Jaguars allowed a league-high 4,375 passing yards in 2024 and lack any elite players in the secondary. In addition to a new defensive coordinator, Jacksonville will need to invest in defensive back talent this offseason.
Bears To Hire Dennis Allen As DC, Declan Doyle As OC
Bears new head coach Ben Johnson is starting to fill key positions on his staff, hiring ex-Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Johnson has also landed on Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle as his offensive coordinator, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Hiring Allen is hardly a surprise; he was mentioned as Johnson’s preferred DC as soon as the former Lions coach arrived in Chicago. Doyle interviewed with the Bears, but his relative youth and inexperience made him a somewhat unexpected pick. Notably, both coaches are part of Sean Payton‘s coaching tree and even overlapped for one season in New Orleans.
The Bears also elected to retain special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, despite reported interest in Darren Rizzi, another Payton disciple. This has been a big day for the 2024 Saints’ play-callers, despite the team’s 5-12 record. The Seahawks hired 2024 Saints OC Klint Kubiak as well.
At 28 years old, Doyle will be the youngest active coordinator and one of the youngest in NFL history; he has just five NFL seasons under his belt. Doyle’s first three came as an offensive assistant with the Saints, two under Payton and one under Allen. He then reunited with Payton in Denver, though the Broncos’ tight ends hardly featured in the offense during Doyle’s tenure.
Doyle won’t call plays in Chicago, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Those duties will remain with Johnson, though Doyle will obviously play a crucial role in shaping the Bears’ offense as they head into a second season with last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams. Doyle’s priority will likely be a leaky offensive line that allowed a league-high 68 sacks in 2024. Their struggles contributed to the Bears finishing near the bottom of the league in several offensive categories, including a league-low 4,820 total yards. Doyle’s key offensive weapons include wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze as well as running back D’Andre Swift. The former tight ends coach will also look to revitalize Cole Kmet, who took a step back last season after posting career-highs in receptions and receiving yards in 2023.
Allen, meanwhile, will take over a Bears defense that finished 27th in yards allowed but 13th in points allowed in 2024. Chicago’s run defense was among the worst in the league, but they allowed just 17 touchdowns through the air, the fewest in the NFL. Allen will have a solid starting secondary, though the future of safety Jaquan Brisker is uncertain after missing most of the season due to his third concussion in three years. Allen will have more work to do along the defensive line, where the Bears lack high-level talent outside of Montez Sweat.
The Saints fired Allen after 2 1/2 seasons. The franchise’s continuity plan did not work, but GM Mickey Loomis was not ready to move on compared to where ownership was. Allen went 18-25 as Saints HC; that followed a miserable 8-28 mark overseeing the Raiders from 2012-14. While Allen has not worked out as a head coach, he played a key role in forming Saints contenders during his second stint in New Orleans. After Allen’s Oakland ouster, he reunited with Payton and soon took over as Saints DC.
After a woeful mid-2010s stretch, the Saints’ defense recovered under Allen. From 2017-21, the team posted a top-10 total defense in five consecutive seasons. This Bears chance will be Allen’s fifth as either a DC or HC. Following a tenure in which he collected a Super Bowl ring as Saints DBs coach, Allen will begin the 2025 season having either been a head coach or DC in 15 of the past 16 seasons. That represents considerable experience compared to Doyle, who will be riding shotgun to Johnson on offense.
With his three coordinators in place, as well as a few key assistants, Johnson’s first (and arguably most important) moves as head coach are complete. Now, he will turn his attention to the Bears’ offseason roster priorities as he tries to return the storied franchise to competitive relevance.
Seahawks Hire Klint Kubiak As OC
The Seahawks are hiring Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for the same position in Seattle, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Kubiak emerged as an early favorite for the job and completed a second, in-person interview last week. He will replace Ryan Grubb, who lasted just one year after being picked as Mike Macdonald‘s first offensive coordinator.
While the Saints have not made a final decision in their search for a new head coach, Kubiak was not expected to stay on the staff in New Orleans. He interviewed with the Browns before they promoted Tommy Rees and was mentioned as a possibility for the Texans after they fired Bobby Slowik. This will be Kubiak’s third OC opportunity, following stints with the Vikings and Saints.
Seattle has plenty of obvious appeal for Kubiak. Working under a defensive-minded head coach like Macdonald will give Kubiak a freer rein over the offense. He’s accustomed to such an arrangement, as his first two OC jobs were under defensive coaches (Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, Dennis Allen in New Orleans).
The Seahawks also have a stable quarterback situation with Geno Smith and an elite duo at wide receiver in D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Kubiak will have to reform a leaky offensive line that allowed 54 sacks in 2024 (third-most in the NFL), though he will do so with Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas returning at left and right tackle, respectively. Lucas’ health will be crucial, but the pair of linemen can provide a solid foundation to the rest of the unit.
Both sides will be hoping that their new partnership lasts more than one year. Kubiak will become the Seahawks’ third offensive coordinator in three years, while his two previous stints as OC were only for one season.
Before deciding on Kubiak, Seattle interviewed a total of seven candidates, the most of any team seeking a new offensive coordinator to date. That list includes Ravens run game coordinator Travis Switzer, who interviewed for the job over the weekend, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Switzer helped offensive coordinator Todd Monken find the best ways to unleash Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the Ravens’ league-leading rushing offense in 2024. He also has a history with Macdonald after the two overlapped for six years in Baltimore.
The Seahawks still seemed to prefer Kubiak the entire time. His early flashes of brilliance last season were quickly derailed by a litany of injuries that left the Saints’ offense limping to the finish line. New Orleans still outpaced Seattle’s inefficient rushing offense, which was a key factor in Grubb’s dismissal. Macdonald will be hoping that Kubiak can find the best way to utilize Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet in 2025.
Lions To Explore Kerby Joseph Extension, Have Not Discussed Deal With Carlton Davis
With their Super Bowl hopes dashed this past weekend, the Lions will now have to begin a crucial offseason to renew their championship pursuit in 2025.
Detroit has already lost three key coaches to this offseason’s hiring cycle, including offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Johnson took the Bears’ head coaching gig, while Glenn was hired for the same position by the Jets. Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams moved to New England to run the Patriots’ defense under Mike Vrabel.
With so much coaching turnover, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Glenn’s leadership kept an injured unit afloat, the Lions will focus on retaining key talent on their roster.
That effort will begin in the secondary with safety Kerby Joseph. He is still on his rookie contract for the 2025 season, he has already established himself as a long-term piece of Detroit’s defense after a his league-high nine interceptions plus a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024. Lions general manager Brad Holmes said that the team will explore an extension with Joseph this offseason, per Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network. As the league-leader with 17 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2022, Joseph will have a strong argument to match or exceed the $21M APY figure reached by Antoine Winfield last offseason.
Holmes was less forthcoming about a new contract for cornerback Carlton Davis, who was traded to the Lions last offseason and finished the 2024 season on injured reserve after a broken jaw. He is set to hit free agency in March, but the Lions have not begun negotiations to re-sign him, per Rogers. Davis started the first 13 games of the season before his injury, recording 11 passes defended while holding opposing quarterbacks to a career-low 77.0 passer rating when targeted. He will be looking for a raise on his last contract, which featured a $14.8MM APY (via OverTheCap), perhaps similar to the nearly $18M APY reached by 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir on his recent extension. However, Davis has struggled to stay healthy in his career, missing at least four games in each of the last four seasons. That lack of availability will affect his negotiations, with teams potentially lowering his guarantees or requiring substantial per-game roster bonuses to account for his injury history.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions are considering an extension for veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. He arrived in Detroit as a free agent last offseason and outplayed the value of his one-year, $6MM contract in 2024. He started all but one game in the regular season, but picked up an injury in Week 18 and missed the Lions’ divisional round loss to the Commanders. Zeitler’s 2024 contract was a bargain compared to the rest of the guard market, so he will be looking for a commensurate raise on his next deal. He will be 35 years old when the 2025 season begins, so a multi-year deal is unlikely, but a one-year contract in the range of Brandon Scherff‘s $10MM contract for 2024 could materialize.