Browns Not Open To Myles Garrett Trade
Myles Garrett hinted a trade request could be on the table if he does not receive the kind of answers he likes regarding the Browns’ long-term plan. The Browns continue to speak out against any deal involving the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.
Andrew Berry said earlier this month he expected Garrett to retire as a member of the Browns. The sixth-year Cleveland GM, who held another front office post when Garrett was drafted in 2017, doubled down on that stance Tuesday. Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) Garrett will not be traded, not even for a package involving two first-round picks.
Although two years remain on Garrett’s contract, the likely Hall of Fame-bound talent has outplayed that deal — a five-year, $125MM accord agreed to in 2020. Berry said he is “definitely” open to an extension, Cabot adds. It sounds like the Browns are prepared to do what they have to in order to ensure Garrett sticks around. With T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson in contract years, Garrett forcing the issue now could make 2025 a transformative offseason on the edge rusher market.
“I don’t want to go into contract discussions. I wouldn’t do that publicly,” Berry said. “But I think you can assume that we do anticipate at some point doing a third contract with Myles. We want him to retire here. We feel really good about Myles obviously as a big piece of our future. We’re looking forward to him being on the field.”
Garrett’s age (29) and desire for a third contract would affect the level of offers the Browns would receive, but Berry being willing to shut down a two-first-rounder proposal — as the team needs some help after a 3-14 season — does say a lot about Cleveland’s Garrett valuation.
Garrett has become one of the best players in team history, and the former No. 1 overall pick is already the top pass rusher in team annals. His 102.5 sacks have shattered the team record — both the official and unofficial marks — and prime years remain for the perennial All-Pro to add to that total. It appears that Cleveland’s QB plan matters not when it comes to Garrett this offseason.
With the Deshaun Watson trade backfiring on a historic level, Garrett mentioned the team’s quarterback problem when asked about his future. The Browns, however, do not need to act here. They have him under contract for two more seasons and could, in an emergency situation, hold a 2027 franchise tag over their superstar rusher if need be. This limits Garrett’s leverage, though withholding services could be a play he turns to if contract talks do not pick up soon.
A Hard Knocks episode captured Garrett indicating some positive communication between he and the team had occurred since his December state-of-the-union-style comments. Regardless of where this relationship stands, the Browns could potentially smooth things over with a monster extension. Timing may be critical on that front, though, as Garrett may want to wait on Watt and Parsons to strike first. Considering the Steelers’ second Watt contract did not occur until just before Week 1 in 2021 and that the Cowboys paid Dak Prescott literally hours before their Week 1 Browns matchup this past season, Garrett might need to wait a while if he wants one of his peers to go first.
Nick Bosa is tied to a $34MM-per-year deal — $6MM north of Watt per year and $9MM above Garrett. This many accomplished edge players in contract years, and with Garrett pushing this to be a de facto contract year, could move this market toward the $40MM-AAV place. That would force decisions from teams, but the Browns do not appear to be considering a future in which their defense lines up without its top disruptor.
Raiders Never Offered Ben Johnson HC Job; Latest On Team’s Pete Carroll Setup
Pete Carroll confirmed Tom Brady was “intricately involved” in the Raiders’ coaching search. The hiring of ex-Brady Michigan teammate and Buccaneers staffer John Spytek confirmed the part-owner’s role in the GM pursuit. This plan may have been Brady’s backup, as reports of a long-running Ben Johnson push emerged.
Brady began scouting Johnson when he covered a Week 9 Lions-Packers game for FOX, and he made a big push to bring the former Detroit OC to Las Vegas. A big offer was believed to have been in play prior to Johnson signing on with the Bears. Although we may never know how closely the Raiders were to landing Johnson, Mark Davis attempted to provide some pushback to the notion he turned them down.
[RELATED: Raiders Interested In Darrell Bevell For OC]
While it can be safely assumed that had Johnson wanted to be the Raiders’ next HC he would be, Davis said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) he did not offer the job to the high-profile play-caller. Instead of a potential Johnson-Lance Newmark pairing, it will be Spytek and Carroll running the show.
Going from a rising 38-year-old OC to the oldest HC ever hired, as Carroll is 73, represents a massive approach shift. But the Raiders are understandably interested in adding an experienced HC; Carroll installing a strong culture figures to be important after the instability in Vegas since Jon Gruden‘s forced resignation.
It is fairly clear Brady will have a significant say in the Raiders’ dealings moving forward. Davis already declared the all-time QB great-turned-announcer/owner will lead the way as the Raiders search for an answer at that position, and Brady effectively ran the HC and GM searches. Carroll is accustomed to holding final-say power; he was in that role above John Schneider for 14 years in Seattle. The new Raiders HC, however, said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed) he and Spytek will work together in running the AFC West franchise.
Carroll had turned some control over to Schneider during his final years as Seahawks HC, but his contract gave him veto power. Tafur and Reed confirm Carroll’s Raiders deal does not include such power, which will make Spytek a more important figure in Vegas. That said, Carroll added that the duo will work with Davis and the Raiders’ minority owners regarding football decisions as well. This can certainly be interpreted as Brady continuing to have a significant say in how the Raiders operate.
Davis used a head coach-centric blueprint during Gruden’s second stay with the team, and while Dave Ziegler held roster control from 2022-23, it was widely assumed Josh McDaniels played a central role in personnel as well. Davis had Tom Telesco controlling last season’s roster. It will be interesting to learn if Spytek will control the Raiders’ 53-man roster this year. If he does end up doing so, Carroll’s experience and Brady’s stature will impact the power the new GM would hold.
Carroll’s age is an unavoidable part of this equation. Only one coach in NFL history (Romeo Crennel, as a Texans interim in 2020) has served as a head coach at 73. NFL teams passed on Carroll joining him last season, but Brady has long respected the former Super Bowl-winning leader. As Carroll prepares to install a culture change in Vegas, SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates he did spend time during his coaching free agency stay looking into an assistant who could potentially succeed him. Bruce Arians had done this in Todd Bowles, and a succession plan to carry on a Carroll culture would benefit the Raiders — if their current plan is successful, that is.
The Raiders have yet to interview an offensive coordinator, but ex-Carroll Seahawks hire Karl Scott met with the team already. How the team’s OC search shakes out may be pivotal regarding any Carroll succession plans. For now, the energetic septuagenarian will enjoy a rare fourth chance to be an NFL head coach.
AFC Coaching Rumors: Rizzi, Broncos, Browns, Musgrave, Dolphins, Colts, Bengals
Mickey Loomis has been linked to wanting to tie his to-be-determined next HC to some of Dennis Allen‘s contracted assistants, but Mike McCarthy may not see eye-to-eye with that approach. This has introduced one of the potential hurdles in McCarthy’s path back to New Orleans. McCarthy’s view could affect the Broncos‘ staff as well, as 9News’ Mike Klis notes that he or Kellen Moore landing the Saints’ HC job could well lead Darren Rizzi to rejoin Sean Payton in Denver. Before the coaching carousel started to spin, the Saints moving Rizzi from interim HC to another staff position — presumably back to the special teams coordinator role — was likely. But the Broncos are among the teams interested in poaching him if the Saints let the ex-Payton hire out of his deal. Rizzi and Payton coached together for three seasons.
The Broncos have seen two of their staffers — pass-game coordinator John Morton and tight ends coach Declan Doyle — become OCs elsewhere (Lions, Bears). But they are retaining Vance Joseph for a third season; DBs coach Jim Leonhard is also staying, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Leonhard is believed to have drawn DC interest from three teams, and while it is interesting that no interviews are taking place (as Denver cannot block them), the former Wisconsin DC and Broncos safety will stick around.
Here is the latest from the AFC coaching ranks:
- The Browns kept their OC post internal, elevating Tommy Rees, and they will do the same with their QBs coaching role. The team interviewed Giants assistant QBs coach Christian Jones for the job, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets, but they are instead shifting veteran Bill Musgrave to that position (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Musgrave, 57, is a six-time NFL OC — with the Eagles, Panthers, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders and Broncos — and served as a senior offensive assistant on the past two Browns staffs. The Browns are backstopping their 32-year-old OC with considerable experience.
- Former Cardinals and Giants DC James Bettcher has landed another gig under Lou Anarumo. The new Colts DC is adding Bettcher as linebackers coach, Pelissero tweets. Bettcher, 46, served as the Bengals’ LBs coach from 2022-24. He had previously headed up the Arizona and New York defenses in the 2010s but has since settled back on the positional level. This will also be a second tour of duty for Bettcher in Indianapolis; he coached under Chuck Pagano in 2012, before following Bruce Arians — Indy’s acting HC during Pagano’s cancer battle that year — to Arizona.
- The Bengals will replace Bettcher with Mike Hodges, who will come over from the Saints. New Orleans had employed Hodges, 38, as its linebackers coach from 2020-24. Overall, Hodges spent eight seasons under Dennis Allen in the Big Easy, making it a bit interesting he is headed to Cincinnati than following Allen to Chicago.
- Two new staffers are joining the Dolphins. Craig Aukerman is set to lead Miami’s ST units, Pelissero adds. An NFL staffer for 14 years, Aukerman spent 10 seasons with the Titans, staying on staff through four HCs. A 2023 game that featured two Tennessee punts blocked and standout punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a serious knee injury led to Aukerman’s firing, and he did not coach in 2024. The Dolphins are also hiring Robert Prince as their wide receivers coach, per Pelissero. Prince has not previously coached under Mike McDaniel, but he has been an NFL assistant since 2004. After seven seasons with the Lions and a 2021 stop in Houston, he coached the Cowboys’ WRs for the past three years.
- Circling back to Denver, the team is moving on from one of Joseph’s staffers. Greg Manusky will not be back as the Broncos‘ linebackers coach, Pelissero offers. The Broncos’ linebackers were perhaps the weak point on a top-five defense this season, though the unit lost top tackler Alex Singleton in Week 2. A four-time NFL DC, Manusky spent the past two seasons as Denver’s ILBs coach.
Darrell Bevell Expected Raiders OC Favorite; Tom Cable Reunion On Radar
TODAY, 6:12pm: The Raiders are moving quickly in their search for a new OC, and that includes meeting with the favorite for the gig. The team interviewed Bevell for the job today, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
TODAY, 4:50pm: Pete Carroll is believed to have studied potential successor options in the event he landed a head coaching job. A familiar name has surfaced for the team’s second-most important coaching role.
Darrell Bevell is believed to be the frontrunner for the Raiders’ OC position, The Athletic’s Tic Tafur and Tashan Reed report (subscription required). Bevell and Carroll coached together for seven seasons in Seattle, with that period doubling as the best in Seahawks history. Bevell served as Seahawks OC from 2011-17. The Raiders have not begun OC interviews, but it should be expected Bevell receives a request soon.
[RELATED: Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold In Play For Raiders?]
Although Carroll fired Bevell after the 2017 season, the experienced play-caller had helped Russell Wilson develop into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Earlier in Wilson’s career, he formed an elite tandem with Marshawn Lynch. Yes, Bevell and Carroll did collaborate on a hotly debated goal-line play call that resulted in the Seahawks blowing a chance to win a second straight Super Bowl. But Carroll kept his OC on for three more seasons post-Super Bowl XLIX. Bevell has worked as an OC twice since his Seattle stay, doing so with the Lions and Jaguars. Both teams then moved him to interim HC after firing coaches in-season.
Bevell, 55, has been the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach since 2022. This stretch has doubled as a breakthrough period for Tua Tagovailoa, even with injuries frequently slowing the talented passer. An NFL assistant since 2000, Bevell has been an OC for four teams — a five-year Vikings run from 2006-10 began his time in that job — and has 15 seasons’ worth of experience in that role. Bevell met about the Browns’ OC job this month.
Patrick Graham served as Raiders DC under both Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce, but he twice met with the Jaguars about their HC post and then completed a coordinator interview. He is viewed as a frontrunner to join Liam Coen. But Carroll will still speak with Graham about potentially staying in Las Vegas, Reed and Tafur add.
The Raiders’ defense tumbled after showing improvement in 2023. After producing the Raiders’ first top-half scoring defense finish since 2002, Graham’s unit fell from ninth to 25th from 2023-24. Granted, the Raiders’ shaky offensive situation did not put Graham’s defense in good spots. And, in terms of total defense, Graham’s troops placed 15th in each of the past two years. Graham lost out on the Bengals’ DC post earlier this month, but he has been a coaching carousel regular in recent years.
Carroll also has a past with ex-Raiders HC Tom Cable, and The Athletic indicates the new Vegas leader is interested in reuniting with his former O-line coach. Cable has already enjoyed two stints with the Raiders. The first was more memorable, as it featured him taking over for Lane Kiffin during the 2008 season and keeping the Oakland HC job through the 2010 slate. Cable went 17-27 as the Raiders’ HC, though a chunk of that time came with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback.
Cable joined Bevell in Seattle from 2011-17, serving as Seahawks O-line coach, and returned to the Raiders to work under Jon Gruden in the same capacity. Cable, 60, has not coached since spending the 2021 season with the Raiders. Reuniting the Carroll-Bevell-Cable trio on offense may not be the most inspiring route for the Raiders, but it certainly would supply experience. The Chiefs’ coaching staff continues to show important that can be. Carroll and GM John Spytek are not at the Senior Bowl presently, with Reed noting they are focusing on putting a staff together. It will certainly be interesting a Seahawks South vibe comes to fruition.
Robert Saleh Stood As Jaguars’ Liam Coen Backup Plan?
Robert Saleh is back in San Francisco, agreeing to rejoin the 49ers’ staff as defensive coordinator. This role launched Saleh into a top HC candidate by 2021, and although his Jets stay did not go well, he gained considerable interview seasoning on what was deemed a weak market this year.
The Cowboys, Raiders and Jaguars met with Saleh. Jacksonville had scheduled two meetings with the four-year New York HC, but after it became clear Liam Coen was the team’s preferred choice, Saleh and the Jags pressed pause on a second interview that never happened. Coen maneuvered his way into a favorable deal in Jacksonville, where the new HC will have significant input into the team’s GM hire.
[RELATED: Coen Eyeing Buccaneers’ Mike Greenberg For GM?]
Had Coen stuck with his agreement to stay with the Buccaneers, Saleh may have been set for another reunion. The Jaguars were prepared to go with Saleh had Coen stayed in Tampa, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. This would have brought Saleh back to the team that employed him as linebackers coach under Gus Bradley.
The Jets’ freefall after Saleh’s October firing reflected well on the head coach, as well as it could on a leader that did not post a .500 season. His two 7-10 slates with Zach Wilson as the primary QB, before a Broncos trade dropped the former No. 2 pick to the third-string tier, also aged well. Saleh could well find himself back on the HC radar in 2026, should he stabilize the 49ers’ defense. It is also interesting the Jags had Saleh positioned above Patrick Graham. The three-year Raiders DC did meet twice with the Jags, and he has also since met about the DC job. This would make it rather surprising if Graham is not Coen’s pick to become DC, but it does not appear he was a true threat to be the team’s head coach.
Coen’s maneuvering to Jacksonville ruffled feathers in Tampa, as he avoided calls from prominent Bucs staffers — Jason Licht, Todd Bowles and Mike Greenberg among them — on the day he was supposed to sign an extension. Coen had delayed the signing, as he had informed the Jaguars he was back in after they fired Trent Baalke. As for the GM of his previous team, the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud notes Licht is “furious” with how Coen left. Coen did express remorse for how he left the Bucs but noted he spoke with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and others on offense to inform them he was leaving for Jacksonville. Mayfield offered encouraging words to Coen on his way out, the new Jags HC revealed.
Shad Khan has not determined who Baalke’s successor will be, but he said Tuesday that former Jags tackle Tony Boselli will have a role with the franchise moving forward. Khan confirmed the 52-year-old Hall of Famer was part of the team’s HC search. Coming into the league as the Jaguars’ first draftee (in 1995), Boselli played in a golden era for left tackles. Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace beat Boselli to the Hall of Fame, as injury trouble cut Boselli’s career short. But he earned first-team All-Pro recognition from 1997-99. He will now hold an undetermined role with the team.
Kliff Kingsbury To Pass On Saints Interview, Will Stay With Commanders
The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the regular season ended, but no meeting was ever scheduled. The Commanders’ OC received interest from other clubs as well but indicated he would not meet regarding any HC jobs until after his team’s season wrapped.
Washington’s remarkable turnaround ended in the NFC championship game, and the New Orleans job remains open. But Kingsbury is not interested. He will stay on as the Commanders’ OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This decision will provide important continuity for Jayden Daniels as he attempts to follow up on one of the best rookie seasons in quarterback history.
Kingsbury’s stock has surged as a result of Daniels’ rookie-year form. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC post, despite having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will probably be a coveted option come 2026. While Kingsbury still wants a second HC chance, he will commit to waiting another year. This is quite the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.
The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests January 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest in the Texas native. While most who receive interview requests take those meetings, Kingsbury is being patient this time around. Already having an interesting past regarding NFL interest, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels adjust his thinking further. The potential superstar’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.
Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Big 12 program (Texas Tech) only to be hired as an NFL HC; the Cardinals formed that unusual path for Patrick Mahomes‘ college coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 team to the postseason, but his tenure turned after a woeful 2022.
The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and did not bring back longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and ultimately sending their HC back to the college ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s position coach, where he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his stock. Several teams reached out with OC interview requests — to the point at least two teams offered jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders agreement and joined the Commanders, who are believed to have offered him a three-year deal.
Daniels is all but certain to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season notwithstanding, and losing his play-caller after Year 1 would have introduced a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and prepare to further develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as other teams monitor him ahead of the 2026 HC carousel.
Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver represent those still believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC post. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders team as a fallback option proves important here, as the Saints are again standing alone in terms of cap space (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) and they have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ next HC will likely be tasked with finding a long-term QB solution either this year or next, and limited funds — a Saints staple — will impact this effort.
Kingsbury’s current team having found said answer will allow the experienced play-caller to keep rebuilding his stock. Although Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary tale here, Kingsbury will bet on Daniels keeping him in the HC mix beyond this year.
Mike McCarthy Losing Ground With Saints?
After a flurry of activity late last week filled three more jobs on this year’s market, only the Saints are still looking for a head coach. Kellen Moore‘s Super Bowl LIX responsibilities introduce a situation similar to 2023, where a team could wait on an Eagles staffer. But the Saints are also still considering a few candidates not on Super Bowl staffs.
Mike McCarthy joins Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka among staffers viewed as still in this mix. Bills OC Joe Brady bowed out over the weekend, and no Kliff Kingsbury interview is believed to have been scheduled — despite a previous request coming out. The Saints have preferred familiarity under Mickey Loomis, and McCarthy is the only finalist left who checks that box. The former Packers and Cowboys HC served as the Saints’ OC from 2000-04. McCarthy emerged as an early candidate, but issues remain ahead of a potential reunion.
A snowstorm last week prompted the Saints to push back some interviews, and no formal McCarthy in-person meeting is believed to have occurred. The team flew in Moore on Monday night and already conducted second interviews with Kafka and Weaver. New Orleans does intend to finally bring in McCarthy for a meeting later this week, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Informal conversations leading up to that point may be creating some distance between the parties, though.
Some in the Saints organization are not high on McCarthy, according to Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates initial talks between McCarthy and Loomis — who was in place as GM when the Saints and McCarthy split in 2005 — have produced snags. One of them appears to be how many assistants he would be forced to retain. Although the Saints have lost OC Klint Kubiak to the Seahawks, Pauline adds Loomis is expected to want to retain some other staffers who are under contract. McCarthy may not be seeing eye-to-eye with the Saints on this matter, even if this is the only HC vacancy left.
The Saints’ power structure may be an issue as well. How the Saints will arrange their internal communication, along with the power structure in general, are coming out as issues, per Bovada’s Josina Anderson. As was the case in McCarthy’s Cowboys talks earlier this month, Anderson adds contract length has come up with the Saints as well. With coaching contracts guaranteed, longer-term deals are preferred. McCarthy is 61, which may be a slight complication; though, the Raiders just hired Pete Carroll months after his 73rd birthday.
Some around the league are also wondering how owner Gayle Benson should handle football ops moving forward, Anderson adds. This could pertain to Loomis’ foothold. Among pure GMs, only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm enjoyed a longer tenure than Loomis, who is going into his 24th offseason in power. The Saints installed Loomis as their front office boss in May 2002. While that tenure changed dramatically when the team outflanked the Dolphins for Drew Brees in 2006, Loomis’ team is now riding a string of four straight playoff absences since the superstar QB’s retirement.
Loomis and Benson were not believed to be on the same page regarding Dennis Allen‘s firing, with the former not believing it was time to move on from the ex-Sean Payton lieutenant. Still, Loomis is running this coaching search and has not believed to have been in any danger.
The Jets intervened on a potential Saints frontrunner by hiring Aaron Glenn, a move that surprised some in the league (per Pauline) given Glenn’s Saints past. Loomis could still hire McCarthy to ensure some degree of familiarity, though it has now been 20 years since the latter’s New Orleans stay, but that might not be the most likely scenario based on the information to surface thus far.
Darren Mougey, Aaron Glenn To Each Report To Ownership; Latest On Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Decision
After adjusting their organizational workflow during the Joe Douglas-Robert Saleh era, the Jets are shifting back to a setup in which the head coach holds a bit more power.
Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey will each report to Woody Johnson, the longtime owner confirmed (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) on Monday. Considering the (largely Johnson-generated) negative perception around the Jets during this year’s hiring cycle, Glenn receiving this power is not too surprising. The Jets were able to land one of the top HC candidates in this year’s pool, and the team will give him a greater influence in the building.
This does give Mougey a bit less power, but given how matters deteriorated during Douglas’ tenure, the Jets going with this two-pronged reporting structure makes sense as a changeup approach. Mougey comes over from the Broncos, where the GM also does not hold complete authority. At least, Mougey’s ex-boss — George Paton — has not done so since Sean Payton‘s 2023 arrival. A number of NFL teams use a setup in which the HC and GM report to ownership; the Jets are back among that contingent.
Mougey and Glenn will be partners moving forward. After a chaotic final stretch during the Douglas-Saleh period, it will be interesting to see how the Jets function under their new personnel leaders. Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, whom the team entrusted to help pick out new leadership, said during an interview with ESPN 880 New York; h/t ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he and The33rdteam.com colleague Rick Spielman emphasized leadership over scheme when landing on Glenn.
Regarding Mougey, Tannenbaum pointed to the former Paton lieutenant surviving an ownership change while rising up the chain as a sign of his abilities. The Broncos hired Mougey in 2012, when Pat Bowlen was still charge, and retained him under the Rob Walton-led group. With John Elway effectively holding owner-level power while the Bowlen heirs squabbled during the late 2010s, Mougey’s acumen may be best illustrated by him remaining in Denver under Elway, Paton and then Payton’s leadership.
Prior to landing on Mougey, the Jets interviewed a host of candidates. A previously unreported one — interim GM Phil Savage — also met about the position, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Savage, who is better known for his four-year run as Browns GM during the 2000s, ran the Jets’ GM interview count to 16. Of those, six — Savage, Thomas Dimitroff, Ray Farmer, Brian Gaine, Ryan Grigson and Jon Robinson — were second-chance candidates. This hiring period saw both the NFL’s current second-chance GMs — Tom Telesco, Trent Baalke — axed, reminding how uncommon it is for front office bosses to resurface in power compared to HCs.
As Tannenbaum said Glenn “checked every box,” Glenn said Monday he will not call defensive plays. This will be a change for the four-year coordinator, who was the Lions’ defensive play-caller throughout his tenure with the resurgent franchise. Glenn’s next DC will hold that responsibility, while the former Payton lieutenant operates as a CEO HC.
Regarding Glenn’s next quarterback, Johnson said he will not throw his weight around regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ future. Johnson called Rodgers “a talent, a Hall of Famer” but said he would let Mougey and Glenn decide his Jets future. Rodgers said recently his future with the team was in the next HC-GM pair’s hands, and a Sunday report indicated both Glenn and Rodgers would be open to a partnership for the 2025 season. Glenn certainly stopped short of hinting which direction the Jets will go when asked about Rodgers’ future.
“This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers, folks. This is about the roster,” Glenn said, via Cimini. “We plan on building the best roster that we can. So, whatever that may be — guard, tackle, defensive tackle — that’s what we’re evaluating. Listen, everybody’s under the microscope. That’s just what it is.”
As our Rory Parks pointed out, the Jets holding the No. 7 overall pick — in a much-maligned draft at the QB position — and not having a younger option waiting in the wings would presumably make them likely to reexamine the Rodgers situation. In the wake of Douglas’ firing, a few reports suggested Rodgers was on his way out in New York. Amid a meddling spree on the owner’s part, Johnson was believed to have called for Rodgers’ benching on multiple occasions.
It would cost the Jets more than $49MM in dead money, which would likely be spread over two years via post-June 1 release, to dump Rodgers’ contract. If Glenn and Mougey want to start fresh, that makes sense. But obtaining a surefire upgrade on Rodgers will not be a lock.
Then again, Rodgers has not yet determined if he wants to continue playing. Plenty of moving parts exist for the Jets at quarterback. After Johnson’s previous interference — to the point at least one of his teenage sons was believed to be involved in personnel decisions — irked Douglas and many others (per Cimini) in the organization, the owner will attempt to step back and let his new hires run the show.
Trent Baalke’s Presence Affected Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn’s Jaguars Interest
Liam Coen‘s about-face regarding the Jaguars confirmed what most had assumed about that job. Trent Baalke‘s presence, reported to be an issue for some HC candidates, had impeded this Jags search. The team was believed to have been “embarrassed” by Coen initially passing on a second interview.
Shad Khan then fired Baalke more than two weeks after canning Doug Pederson. The Jaguars will soon turn their attention to replacing him, but it is worth wondering what would have happened had the team done what many expected and fired Baalke along with Pederson. This particular “what if?” impacted the top offense-oriented candidate in this year’s hiring cycle.
Rumored to be interested in the Jaguars’ job, Ben Johnson received aggressive interest from the team. When he turned down the Jaguars to accept a Bears HC offer, the three-year Lions OC indeed expressed reservations about the team’s front office setup. Johnson may have been leery about signing on with Baalke, as Pederson was rumored to be back in 2022, but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Johnson may not have been ready to demand Baalke be fired in order to take over in Jacksonville. He then committed to Chicago, which is also keeping its GM — Ryan Poles — on staff.
The Jags discussed a big-money offer with Johnson, Breer adds, and earlier reports that Khan being willing to boot Baalke for the right HC candidate — despite giving Baalke the keys to this coaching search — certainly proved accurate. Before moving on from Baalke, Khan gave Johnson’s camp the impression he would be willing to do so, Breer adds. Johnson committed to the Bears two days before the Jaguars canned Baalke.
It is not known how serious the Jaguars were on Aaron Glenn, beyond the parties’ virtual interview January 11, but Breer notes that the four-year Lions DC expressed interest in bringing along a personnel staffer had he landed the Jacksonville gig. It is unclear who Glenn wanted to add in Jacksonville, but Baalke balked at this setup due to how it would impact his top lieutenant, senior personnel exec Tom Gamble. Khan had already spoken of beefing up his front office, and the upcoming GM hire may well move on from a prominent Baalke lieutenant anyway. Glenn signed on with the Jets on the same day Coen had informed the Jags he was out.
Khan keeping Baalke more than two weeks after Black Monday appears to have been a blunder. The owner allowing an embattled GM to make critical calls during the hiring period did not align with the team’s future. Baalke certainly could have steered the search toward a direction in which the incoming head coach would work with him rather than guide it to a candidate who wanted his own GM. In the end, the organization will pay up for Coen, doing so despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not being a finalist anywhere else. Coen, of course, had committed to staying in Tampa as OC before big Jags promises lured him back into that race.
Coen has the rare opportunity, as a first-time HC, to essentially pick a GM; he also signed a five-year contract believed to be worth Johnson-level money. Coen fared much better with the Bucs than he did with the Rams, when an injury-plagued offense plummeted to last in yardage in 2022. After going back to Kentucky, the two-time Wildcats OC had the Bucs’ offense third in yardage and fourth in scoring. Coen helping Baker Mayfield sustain his Dave Canales-overseen rebound played the lead role in him obtaining rare leverage; the Jaguars’ present state didn’t hurt matters, either.
As expected, Coen confirmed Monday he will call plays in Jacksonville. This was a sore spot during Pederson’s stay, as the two-time HC insisted — despite reported Baalke pushback — OC Press Taylor stay in that role. Taylor, whose presence caused issues on Pederson’s way out in Philly as well, was the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2023 and ’24. Although Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries impacted the team in that span, the Jags plummeted to 26th in scoring offense this season.
Additionally, the Jags are retaining special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. Hired in Pederson’s first offseason in charge, Farwell agreed to a three-year deal, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. A 10-year NFL player, Farwell has been an ST coordinator since 2019. He in that role with the Bills for three seasons and has been an NFL assistant since 2016.
Texans Interview Jeff Nixon For OC
After Bobby Slowik went from HC candidate to coordinator free agency, the Texans are moving with their replacement search. They have completed their interview with quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, and another meeting is also in the books.
Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon met with the Texans about the position, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Nixon arrived at the ACC program last year, joining as Fran Brown took the Orange’s reins, but has NFL experience. He was in the league most recently as Giants running backs coach in 2023.
Nixon, 50, was a Matt Rhule staffer who followed him from Baylor to the Panthers in 2020. Nixon was Rhule’s RBs coach for three seasons in Carolina, finishing out the 2022 campaign after the HC’s early-season dismissal. Nixon coached the Dolphins running backs from 2011-15 and served as a 49ers assistant under Chip Kelly in 2016. He signed on as Rhule’s co-OC at Baylor a year later, beginning his path with the short-term NFL leader.
The Texans have now complied with the Rooney Rule, as Nixon is Black. While GM and HC vacancies require in-person meetings with at least two external minorities, OC and DC posts only require one such interview. This is not Nixon’s first NFL OC meeting, however, as he met about the Cowboys’ vacancy — one that went to Brian Schottenheimer — in 2023.
Riding impressive showings from NFL-bound skill players LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden II, the Orange went 10-3 this past season and ranked 21st nationally with 34.6 points per game. That marked a significant jump from 2023, when Syracuse’s 23.5 PPG number ranked 92nd.
Houston has been linked to Kelly, who was DeMeco Ryans‘ final NFL HC, joining Jacksonville in that regard. Kelly would stand to be more attracted to the Texans’ opening, as it would come with play-calling duties; Liam Coen will call plays for the Jaguars. But a Johnson promotion, and now a Nixon hire, sit on the radar as well.