Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham Amenable To Denver Return; Team Unlikely To Retain QB Zach Wilson, RB Javonte Williams
Less than a year ago, the Broncos were said to be leaning toward opening the 2024 season with Jarrett Stidham – who was entering the second year of a two-year, $10MM deal – as their starting quarterback. The subsequent acquisition of Zach Wilson via trade may not have changed that plan, but the selection of Bo Nix in the first round of the 2024 draft certainly did.
Nix, of course, beat out both Stidham and Wilson for the QB1 job, and he piloted Denver to a 10-7 record and a postseason appearance. After his impressive rookie showing, the Broncos are no longer in need of a starting signal-caller, though the club will need to address the other QB spots on the depth chart since Stidham and Wilson are both out of contract.
Stidham, 28, is amenable to a Denver return, as Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette writes. While the free agent quarterback market will feature some high-profile names (Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, etc.), those players come with their share of question marks, and this year’s QB draft class is considered a weak one. As such, Stidham – who still sees himself as a starter-caliber player – could theoretically get a look elsewhere to compete for a QB1 role.
If such an opportunity does not materialize, however, the Broncos may be his best landing spot given his familiarity with the offense and relationship with Nix (who says the Patriots draftee has been a key part of his development). Unsurprisingly, Tomasson believes Wilson — who was not active for any games in 2024 — is unlikely to be retained.
The same goes for running back Javonte Williams. Although the free agent-to-be recently expressed his desire to remain with the Broncos, Tomasson says the 2021 second-rounder will probably not get his wish.
Williams’ performance as a rookie seemed to put him on track to operate as the lead running back for the Broncos over the long term, as his 2021 timeshare with Melvin Gordon appeared to be a temporary arrangement. Unfortunately, the ACL and LCL tears Williams suffered in 2022, which limited him to four games that season, altered his career trajectory.
While the North Carolina alum tallied a career-high 217 carries in 2023, he posted just 3.6 yards per carry, and his efficiency remained a problem in 2024 (3.7 YPC). He also shared the load with 2023 UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin and 2024 fifth-rounder Audric Estime, both of whom remain attached to rookie deals. Williams did offer much more production in the passing game than his younger counterparts (52 catches for 346 yards), but McLaughlin and Estime outperformed him in the running game in terms of per-carry average.
Per Tomasson, the Broncos will seek out a true RB1 in free agency or the draft.
Packers Rumors: Alexander, Walker, Wyatt, McManus, Nixon
At his season-ending press conference last month, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst left the door open for CB Jaire Alexander to return to the team in 2025.
“[W]e’re at the beginning stages of just kind of gathering information as a whole before we start looking at next year and how we’re going to lay this thing out,” Gutekunst said of Alexander’s status. “But we could (pay him). I mean, obviously, when he’s healthy and he’s ready to play, he’s a pretty good player” (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required)).
Clearly, that is far from a commitment to bringing Alexander back in 2025, and Schneidman believes the two-time Pro Bowler has already played his last snap for Green Bay. Alexander is technically under club control through 2026, but his $16.15MM salary and ~$25MM cap number for 2025 could prove unpalatable for Gutekunst & Co., who could create $6.84MM of cap space by cutting or trading the Louisville product before June 1 (a post-June 1 maneuver would clear over $17MM of room this year).
As Gutekunst noted, Alexander has plenty of value when healthy. Unfortunately, that has not been the case in recent history. The market-topping four-year, $84MM contract Gutekunst authorized for Alexander in May 2022 led to promising early returns, as Alexander played 16 games that season, intercepted a career-high five passes, and yielded a career-best 63.7 QB rating as part of a Pro Bowl effort. But Alexander played in just seven games in both of the last two seasons, with his 2024 campaign cut short by a PCL tear.
After the December 2023 coin-toss fiasco led to a one-game suspension and trade/release rumors last offseason, the Packers elected to keep their talented but injury-prone defender in the fold. This year, however, he may have a new employer.
As Schneidman notes, Gutekunst sounded much more positive when discussing the Green Bay futures of 2022 first-rounders Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt. The team must decide whether to exercise the fifth-year options on both players by May 1, an option that would keep them under club control through 2026.
“We’re super fired (up) about both those guys’ seasons this year,” Gutekunst said. “Quay continued to make a leap and another guy who had struggled through injuries at the end of the year, but he was really impactful for us this year. Continues to be a great leader for us. Certainly think we would love to have him around here for longer than just a couple years. He’s that kind of guy. And D-Wy was probably our most consistent pass rusher from the inside this year. Both of them dealt with some injuries and was really proud of how they attacked those and played through some things this year, but I think both those guys had their best years as pros so far.”
At the start of the 2024 season, it sounded as if Walker would not have his option picked up. And in terms of the advanced metrics, his performance last year was fairly underwhelming, as his 57.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus positioned him as the 63rd-best linebacker out of 84 qualified players (which is roughly in line with his first two pro seasons). Given that he does not play a premium position, and given that his fifth-year option is worth a fully-guaranteed $16.06MM, it would not surprise if the option were declined. On the other hand, Gutekunst’s comments made it seem as if he values Walker more highly than the analytics do.
Wyatt’s fifth-year option would check in just north of $13MM, but after totaling 10.5 sacks over the 2023-23 seasons, he has established himself as a viable pass-rushing presence from the interior of the defensive line, even if his run defense could still use some improvement. Of course, getting after the quarterback is the name of the game in today’s NFL, and having an interior defender who can consistently put pressure on opposing passers is a luxury.
Gutekunst also made it plain that he would like to re-sign kicker Brandon McManus (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). McManus, who recently faced sexual assault allegations stemming from his time as a member of the Jaguars, signed with the Packers in October and resolved the civil suit filed by his accusers (it is unclear if the suit was dismissed or if the parties reached a settlement). On the field, the 33-year-old specialist was terrific for Green Bay, nailing 20 of 21 field goal attempts and all 30 PATs last season.
Thanks in part to Alexander’s injury-related absences, Keisean Nixon has seen plenty of action at cornerback over the past two seasons. Although he has not necessarily thrived in that role, he wants to focus on his defense as opposed to his kick return duties moving forward.
Nixon, who will turn 28 in June, earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2023 for his efforts as a return man, but he ran back just 18 kickoffs in 2024, compared to 35 in 2022 and 30 in 2023. The recent rule changes relating to kickoffs played a major role in that development.
“I’m kind of over it,” Nixon said of his third phase work (as relayed by Schneidman in a separate subscribers-only piece). “I don’t really want to do it no more. There’s going to be talks with the coaching staff and stuff like that, but I think it’s over with for me.”
Nixon is under contract through 2026 and is due just $1.17MM in base pay this year.
Texans To Prioritize Extension For Derek Stingley, Jr; Latest On Jalen Pitre
Texans cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr. is now extension-eligible, and while he can be kept under club control through 2026 via the fifth-year option on his rookie deal – and controlled via the franchise tag beyond that – he is eyeing a new contract this offseason. The interest in such a deal is mutual, with ESPN’s Dan Graziano reporting that a Stingley extension is one of Houston’s top offseason priorities (subscription required).
Of course, an extension will not come cheap. Graziano hears an agreement between player and team could reset the CB market, which is currently topped by Jalen Ramsey’s $24.1MM average annual value and Patrick Surtain II‘s $77.5MM in total guarantees. Indeed, Graziano predicts the two sides will come to terms on a four-year, $104MM extension ($26MM AAV) with $80MM guaranteed.
If no deal is struck between now and the May 1 deadline for exercising fifth-year options on 2022 first-rounders, it is a given that the Texans will pick up Stingley’s option (worth $17.2MM). Combined with his $5.43MM in 2025 pay ($1.1MM base salary, $4.33MM roster bonus), Houston could retain the 23-year-old’s services for just over $11MM per year across the next two seasons.
A record-setting contract, therefore, would be quite notable, especially in light of Stingley’s injury history. Hamstring ailments in both of his first two pro seasons limited him to 20 out of a possible 34 regular season games over that span, though he was terrific when he was on the field. He put it all together over 17 starts in 2024, with five interceptions and 18 passes defensed as part of a Houston passing defense that allowed the sixth-fewest yards in the NFL.
In 37 regular season games, Stingley has 11 interceptions and 36 passes defensed. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, he allowed 7.6 fewer receptions than expected in 2024, the second-best figure in the league among players with more than 400 coverage snaps (h/t Graziano). Pro Football Focus graded him as the fifth-best CB among 118 qualified players last season, and he yielded a miniscule 51.2 QB rating on passes thrown in his direction en route to a First Team All-Pro selection.
By any measure, then, Stingley is one of the game’s best players at a premium position, and it stands to reason the Texans would want to lock him up for the long haul. As of the time of this writing, it sounds as if the club is willing to go to great lengths to achieve that goal.
Stingley’s secondary mate and fellow 2022 draftee, Jalen Pitre, is also extension-eligible for the first time. Because he was not a first-round selection, Pitre does not have a fifth-year option attached to his rookie deal and is therefore entering a platform campaign. His contract situation may not be as high on Houston’s offseason agenda as Stingley’s, but it would not be surprising to see Texans brass address it in some way.
Prior to a season-ending pectoral tear suffered in Week 12, Pitre was excelling as the club’s primary nickel, recording 65 tackles (six TFL), one forced fumble, one interception, and eight passes defensed while earning strong grades from PFF for both his coverage work and his run defense. His absence was noticeable down the stretch, which could help his bargaining position.
As Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 conveys, Pitre’s pectoral surgery was successful, and he is on track to participate in Houston’s offseason program.
“I continue to learn and I continue to get better as a player,” Pitre said. “I’m just going to continue to strive to do that. I play for the Houston Texans and I play with so many great players. I’m so thankful to be here. I’m looking forward to the future.”
Jets HC Aaron Glenn Amenable To Aaron Rodgers Return; Rodgers Willing To Play For Glenn
The Jets have their new head coach (Aaron Glenn) and general manager (Darren Mougey) in place. They also have 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers under contract through 2025. Although there is plenty of non-QB work for the new power brokers to accomplish – including hiring an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator – one can reasonably expect Rodgers-Jets rumors to begin circulating anew.
Before New York agreed to terms with Glenn and Mougey, Rodgers acknowledged that his future with the club would be up to the new hirees (though he also has plenty of say in the matter himself, of course, especially since retirement is a real option). According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Glenn is open to a Rodgers return, and the quarterback is likewise amenable to playing for the first-time HC (video link).
We heard back in November that the Jets were likely to part ways with Rodgers this offseason, a sentiment that was echoed earlier this month. After his first Jets campaign in 2023 was cut short after just four snaps, Rodgers played an entire season in 2024, though the results generally fell short of expectations. For what it’s worth, Glenn still viewed Rodgers as an elite quarterback at the time he was traded from the Packers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. While plenty has changed since, Glenn did coach against Rodgers four times while an NFC North DC.
Additionally, due to the looming presence of a $35MM roster bonus that can be paid at any time prior to Week 1 of the 2025 season, it would be more expensive to part ways with Rodgers in 2026 than it would be if New York elected to move on now and avoid paying out the bonus.
On the other hand, it’s not as if the Jets have a young passer waiting in the wings, and their No. 7 overall draft slot may not be high enough to select one of the top signal-callers in this year’s crop absent a trade-up maneuver (and the 2025 class of QBs is considered to be a weak one anyway). And, since the Jets do have a number of talented players on both sides of the ball, Glenn and Mougey may feel that Rodgers, coupled with a non-Nathaniel Hackett OC, gives them the best chance to start their tenures out on the right foot by turning in a competitive 2025 season.
The relatively weak QB draft class could bolster the asking prices of several veteran passers who are likely to hit free agency. Rodgers would theoretically be among that group if the Jets choose to cut him, but recent reports have suggested he may not generate a particularly strong market. That could partially explain his preference to remain with New York should he opt to continue his playing career.
In 17 games in 2024, Rodgers led the team to a 5-12 record and completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That amounted to a traditional quarterback rating of 90.5 (just below league average) and a QBR of 49.5, which trailed the likes of Aidan O’Connell and Mason Rudolph.
Rams Could Consider Matthew Stafford Trade; Latest On Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams
The Rams naturally want to get clarity on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s status sooner rather than later. Although it is not yet a sure thing, it sounds as if the soon-to-be 37-year-old passer is prepared to continue his playing career. His contract, however, continues to be a talking point.
While Stafford is under club control through 2026, last summer’s restructure – which frontloaded most of his guarantees into 2024 – essentially turned his deal into a year-to-year accord. With a $23MM base salary and only $4MM in guaranteed money due in 2025, Stafford’s current pact is a team-friendly one, and therefore one which could be attractive to other clubs in need of a short-term QB fix (even if such a club would need to make an upward adjustment to the contract).
Indeed, both Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic (subscription required) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believe that a Stafford trade is on the table. Given that the Rams just advanced to the second round of the playoffs, have a bevy of talented young players, and do not have an immediate Stafford successor in place, such a move would be surprising. That is especially true since Stafford is unlikely to fetch the high-end draft capital that the Rams dealt to the Lions to acquire him several years ago, and since Los Angeles’ first pick in the upcoming draft is the No. 26 overall selection.
Still, GM Les Snead did not shoot down the notion and merely suggested that he would not actively seek a trade.
“[I]t’ll take someone calling or us reaching out if we want to [make a trade],” Snead said (via Florio). “Those are the things that’ll be determined down the road here.”
Of course, hammering out a new or reworked contract with Stafford is also a real possibility. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 draft may not be at the height of his powers, but he is still a capable player, and a team like the Rams that has designs on another postseason run in 2025 will be hard-pressed to find an obvious plug-and-play upgrade. Indeed, head coach Sean McVay said last year that he is happy to have Stafford as his QB1 for as long as Stafford wants to play.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp, another key piece of the club’s recent Super Bowl-winning outfit, is facing an even more uncertain LA future. The 2021 Triple Crown winner has struggled to stay healthy since that historic campaign, playing in 33 of a possible 51 regular season games over the past three years. His production has slipped accordingly, and he finished the 2024 season with 67 catches for 710 yards and six scores in 12 games. He still saw 100 targets but posted a 67% catch percentage, well below the marks he achieved from 2018-2022.
Kupp, 31, has clearly been surpassed by Puka Nacua in the Rams’ WR hierarchy, and his $29.78MM cap number in 2025 could be untenable for Los Angeles. Only $5MM of his $12.5MM base salary is guaranteed, and he has a roster bonus of $7.5MM that will not trigger until March 19. The Rams, who shopped the Eastern Washington product in advance of the 2024 trade deadline, will certainly want to execute a trade or release before that date.
For his part, Kupp confirmed that he will continue his playing career, though he realizes he may have played his last game for the Rams.
“Who knows what is going to happen?” he said. “A lot of stuff is out of my control. We’ll see (what) it’s going to be. There was obviously stuff that was going on early in the season and we’ll see. I don’t have any clarity on what that’s gonna look like. Obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that is gonna look like.”
Running back Kyren Williams, on the other hand, looks like he will remain in Southern California for the foreseeable future. Now that he has accrued three years of service time, he is eligible for an extension, and Snead suggested he is amenable to having those conversations with Williams’ camp.
“He’s a Ram,” Snead said of Williams (via Rodrigue, who indicated that is language team brass uses for “heartbeat” players).
“I think [an extension is] something that’s going to be on the plate,” Snead added. “[Williams] would be someone that after three years you could begin discussing, let’s call it, renegotiating, starting anew. Because I do think Kyren is someone who is a Ram and has a very impactful role for us” (via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website).
Williams has seized Los Angeles’ RB1 job over the past two years, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2023 and tallying 316 carries for 1,299 yards (4.1 YPC) and 16 combined TDs in 2024.
Bears Interview David Shaw For OC Position; Ben Johnson To Call Offensive Plays
The Bears have interviewed David Shaw for their vacant offensive coordinator position, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Shaw, who is best known for his time as Stanford’s head coach, presently works as a senior personnel executive with the Broncos.
Chicago recently landed one of the most coveted head coaching candidates in the past several cycles by prying former Lions OC Ben Johnson away from its division rival. To no surprise, Johnson will call the Bears’ offensive plays himself (as relayed by Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network), so whomever he taps as his first offensive coordinator will likely not be one of this year’s hottest OC candidates.
However, the 52-year-old Shaw has generated plenty of NFL head coaching interest in recent history. A former QB coach for the Raiders and QB/WR coach for the Ravens, Shaw joined the Stanford staff in 2007 and replaced Jim Harbaugh as the Cardinal head coach in 2011. Over his 12-year HC stint, he compiled a 96-54 overall record and three Rose Bowl titles, although the program took a nosedive towards the latter stages of his tenure, which precipitated his resignation after the 2022 season.
One of the attributes that contributed to his NFL head coaching candidacy – he in fact interviewed for Chicago’s HC post less than two weeks ago – is his work with a pro-style offense while at Stanford. That may have caught the attention of Johnson and the rest of the Bears’ brass, and Shaw’s head coaching interview clearly went well enough for the club to consider hiring him in a different capacity.
Johnson, meanwhile, indicated that the presence of quarterback Caleb Williams was one of the factors that convinced him to leave his comfortable position with the Lions and to accept the Bears’ HC post (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). Albert Breer of SI.com adds that Johnson would have been interested in the job at the end of the 2023 season had it been available (perhaps because he knew the Bears were in position to draft Williams).
As of the time of this writing, here is the current status of the Bears’ OC search, courtesy of our coordinator tracker:
- Declan Doyle, tight ends coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Rumored candidate; staying with Lions
- Bo Hardegree, quarterbacks coach (Titans): Interview requested
- David Shaw, senior personnel executive (Broncos): Interviewed 1/25
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interview requested
Chip Kelly Reportedly A Popular OC Target; Jaguars, Texans Interested
Last offseason, former Eagles and 49ers head coach Chip Kelly interviewed at least twice for the Raiders’ offensive coordinator job, a job that ultimately went to Luke Getsy (who lasted only nine games in Las Vegas). Kelly could finally find his way back to the NFL this offseason, as sources tell Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that the 61-year-old is at the top of the wishlist for several OC-needy teams.
Currently the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Ohio State – which just captured the CFP National Championship – Kelly was a coveted head coaching candidate back when the Eagles hired him to replace Andy Reid in 2013. He guided that Philadelphia outfit to the playoffs and added a second straight 10-win campaign in 2014, despite losing starting QB Nick Foles to injury during the season. While that Eagles squad narrowly missed the playoffs, Kelly’s early success prompted owner Jeffery Lurie to demote Howie Roseman and let his HC run on-field and personnel operations in 2015. That made for a memorable year, one that ended with Kelly’s in-season ouster and Roseman being restored as GM. The 49ers hired Kelly as HC in 2016, but after a 2-14 season, the team made him a one-and-done and pivoted to Kyle Shanahan.
Kelly, who operated as the UCLA head coach from 2018-23 before heading to Columbus last year, has long wanted to return to the professional level, and this may be his time to do it. Sources say that the Jaguars are interested, and although Jones suggests that the Jacksonville job may not be a great fit – since new HC Liam Coen is likely to serve as the club’s offensive play-caller – the Texans could represent a viable landing spot.
After all, Kelly was Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans’ HC when Ryans was finishing out his playing career in Philadelphia, and since Ryans calls Houston’s defensive plays, Kelly could call the offense without interference. Jones and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirm prior reports indicating that Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson – who generated considerable external interest for OC positions last year – is also a strong option to replace the recently-fired Bobby Slowik.
Speaking of Slowik, who worked as Houston’s offensive coordinator for the first two years of Ryans’ HC tenure, his inability to develop as a play-caller and game plan builder is what cost him his job, as sources tell Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. While injuries to top wideouts Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell obviously undermined Slowik’s efforts, the coach was also criticized for his inability to adjust to opposing defenses. That contributed to more hits and sacks for quarterback C.J. Stroud, who regressed in his second pro season.
The offense as a whole took a significant step back from its 2023 production, which positioned Slowik as a popular name in last offseason’s head coaching carousel. Nonetheless, Wilson says the now-vacant OC gig is considered a desirable one given the presence of so many offensive standouts (including Stroud).
Like Jones and Rapoport, Wilson identifies Johnson as a legitimate candidate to replace Slowik, especially since he enjoys a strong relationship with his young signal-caller (the two began working together when Stroud was just 16).
“One thing that I can say about Jerrod, you talk about somehow who knows how to play the position of quarterback and knows how to relay something, but also just a great person, man,” Stroud said. “A guy who loves football, he loves Houston, he loves Texas. He loves his family, he’s a great family man. Someone who has just taught me a tremendous amount of information, but on top of that, put a lot of confidence into me as well.”
The Texans’ search is going to be a wide-ranging one, and as we noted previously, it may also include senior offensive assistant Bill Lazor and wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Ben McDaniels (though if Houston chooses to promote from within, McDaniels is not as likely as Johnson or Lazor to get the job). Wilson again mentions Saints OC Klint Kubiak as a logical external option.
Wilson is not as convinced as other reporters that Kelly wants to return to the NFL, but it’s worth noting that Ryans does think highly of his former head coach.
“[Kelly] was a master motivator, but he was always an innovator,” Ryans said shortly after he was hired by the Texans. “Chip Kelly, he was always on the cutting edge. Always looking for ways to get better with sports science, technology.”
When the Texans fired Slowik, they also canned offensive line coach Chris Strausser. Wilson and Rapoport say assistant OL coach Cole Popovich has a chance to replace Strausser, with Wilson adding that offensive assistants Jarrod James and Leander Wallace and defensive assistant Ryan Milus have seen their contracts expire and are unlikely to return.
Bears Interview Eddie George For HC Job
As GM Ryan Poles promised at the outset of the Bears’ current head coaching search, the club has been rather thorough in exploring its HC options (as seen in our head coaching search tracker). Chicago is now adding a surprising name to its long list of candidates, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the team is scheduled to interview Eddie George for the position this morning.
Before today, the 51-year-old had only been mentioned in passing in PFR pages. Once one of the top running backs in the collegiate and professional ranks, George’s illustrious playing career ended in 2003, and while he was with the Bears during 2023 OTAs as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin), he has never drawn publicly-reported interest for a coaching job at the NFL level.
In 2021, George became the head coach of FCS program Tennessee State, and as Glazer observes, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and four-time Pro Bowler led the team to a conference co-championship in 2024 and was named the OVC-Big South Coach of the Year for his efforts. Still, it is a far cry from that position to an NFL head coaching position.
George, whose post-playing career includes an MBA from Northwestern University and a role in a Broadway production of (appropriately enough) Chicago, is clearly a dark horse for the Bears’ HC post. Nonetheless, he made enough of an impression in his current job – and perhaps during his time with the team in 2023 – to merit some level of consideration.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has long been viewed as one of the most attractive HC candidates available in this year’s cycle – just as he was in each of the past two years – and since Detroit’s season surprisingly came to an end by virtue of last night’s divisional round loss to the Commanders, Johnson can now take in-person summits with interested clubs. The same is true of Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who (like Johnson) interviewed virtually with the Bears on January 11.
We heard just yesterday that, if the Lions should be upset by Washington, there could be a flurry of head coaching activity as teams rush to conduct in-person sit-downs with Johnson and Glenn. A source tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that Johnson could have his pick of the Bears’, Raiders’, or Jaguars’ jobs, and while recent buzz has suggested Johnson could be Las Vegas-bound, it appears that all three clubs are still in the mix.
Biggs adds that former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, whose contract with Dallas was allowed to expire last week and who interviewed with Chicago one day later, has a “legitimate shot” at the Bears’ gig.
Commanders’ Sam Cosmi Suffers ACL Tear
2:45pm: Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has since confirmed (via Rapoport) Cosmi suffered a torn ACL. He will miss the rest of Washington’s playoff run in addition to considerable time next season as a result.
12:10pm: The Commanders pulled off a stunning upset of the NFC’s top-seeded Lions in last night’s divisional round contest, though the win came with a price. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), Washington fears that starting right guard Sam Cosmi suffered a significant knee injury during the game, and Cosmi is likely to miss the remainder of the club’s postseason run as a result.
Cosmi, who will turn 26 next month, was selected by the Commanders in the second round of the 2021 draft. He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, but after he turned in a stellar 2023 campaign – Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best guard out of 79 qualifiers – Washington made sure to prevent the converted tackle from hitting the market.
Before the 2024 regular season got underway, the Commanders authorized a four-year, $74MM pact for Cosmi, a deal that keeps the Texas alum under club control through 2028. While only $26.6MM of the contract value was guaranteed at signing, the team clearly envisions him as a long-term O-line fixture.
PFF was not as high on Cosmi’s 2024 work as it was on his 2023 efforts, but his 67.8 overall grade still positioned him as the site’s 23rd-best guard out of 75 qualified players. His work in pass-blocking remained strong – he yielded just one sack and even fewer pressures than he did in 2023 – though his run-blocking suffered a bit in PFF’s estimation.
Nonetheless, his loss will be acutely felt as the Commanders seek to secure their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1991 season. Cosmi is arguably the best blocker on the club’s offensive front, and as good as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is, losing one of Daniels’ top protectors will sting.
Plus, any knee injury of a certain magnitude that a player sustains at this point in the calendar could affect that player’s availability for the following season. An upcoming MRI will reveal more, but for now, it appears certain that the Commanders will rely on Trent Scott to fill the RG void for the rest of the playoffs.
Bucs LB Lavonte David Likely To Retire? Team Likely To Part Ways With OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
After the Buccaneers’ season came to an end in the wildcard round of the playoffs last week, linebacker Lavonte David expressed uncertainty about his playing future. The franchise icon also contemplated retirement last offseason before re-signing with the club on a one-year, $9MM accord, and according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, retirement seems to be the most likely outcome this time around.
David, who will turn 35 this week, was selected by the Bucs in the second round of the 2012 draft and has never played for another team. A pillar of reliability, availability, and consistency, the Nebraska product turned in the 11th 100-tackle season of his 13-year career in 2024, racking up 122 stops to go along with 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception. Over the course of his career, he earned First Team All-Pro acclaim (2013) and a Pro Bowl nod (2015), and he was a key part of the club’s Super Bowl-winning run in 2020 (it is likely that he would have more individual accolades if the league didn’t group rush linebackers and non-rush ‘backers together for those purposes).
On the other hand, his abilities in coverage, which long separated him from the majority of his fellow inside linebackers, regressed in a big way last season. That was underscored by the subpar coverage grade of 56.9 that Pro Football Focus assigned to him, which was easily the lowest mark of his career.
David’s strong work against the run helped make up for his coverage deficiencies, and all things considered, PFF ranked him as the 32nd-best LB in the league out of 82 qualified players. As such, he could surely still serve as at least an early-down defender if he chooses to continue his playing career, but with nearly $100MM in career earnings and a championship ring to his name, he has nothing left to prove.
“As a grown man, you’ve got other responsibilities and other priorities to take care of,” David said. “The love of football is still there, but it probably doesn’t burn like it did when I was younger.”
Per Stroud, the Bucs are likely to draft an inside linebacker in April. The team also hopes that 2023 fifth-rounder SirVocea Dennis – who sustained a season-ending injury in Week 4 – will make a full recovery and will be able to contribute in 2025.
In the same piece linked above, Stroud discusses the rest of Tampa Bay’s impending free agent class, and he notes that the team is likely to move on from former first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. That is not particularly surprising, since the Bucs declined JTS’ fifth-year option last April, and the edge defender did nothing in his platform campaign to make them regret that decision.
In 15 games (11 starts), Tryon-Shoyinka tallied career-lows in sacks (two), total tackles (24), and tackles for loss (three). As Stroud writes, the club is seeking a major upgrade to bookend with 2023 draftee YaYa Diaby, and GM Jason Licht is likely to pursue a pass rusher in free agency or the early rounds of the upcoming draft.