Texans’ Jimmie Ward Out For Season; Shaq Mason To Miss Time
Tank Dell‘s injury headlined the Texans’ issues coming out of their Week 16 loss in Kansas City, but Houston also lost a key presence on defense. With Jalen Pitre out, Jimmie Ward had filled in back in a slot cornerback role. The veteran safety, however, is out of the picture for the season’s remainder.
Ward is set to undergo season-ending foot surgery. While it is believed the 11th-year defender dodged a fracture and did not sustain structural damage, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicates the second-year Texan is out indefinitely. Ward could not put weight on his injured foot and left Saturday’s game on a cart.
Injuries have been a regular issue for Ward over the course of his career. As he has toggled between pure safety and slot corner, the former first-round pick has missed 51 games as a pro. This included seven absences last season and five more coming into Week 16. The Texans still reached a second contract agreement with the longtime 49er this summer, giving him a one-year add-on. The second Texans deal brought Ward $8.8MM at signing, putting him under contract through 2025, though it would cost Houston only $4.6MM in dead money to move on.
Ward’s injury troubles may prompt the Texans to have that conversation, but the 33-year-old cover man has played four seasons under DeMeco Ryans during the latter’s time as a head coach or defensive coordinator. Overall, Ryans has been on staff — as a quality control coach or position coach, initially — in eight of Ward’s 11 seasons. He has operated exclusively as a starter since following Ryans to Houston in 2023.
The Texans placed Pitre on IR due to a partially torn pectoral muscle, an injury expected to sideline the recent second-round pick for the season. Ward’s injury further thins a secondary that appears in some trouble. Houston used Myles Bryant initially to replace Ward in the slot, before then sliding rookie boundary corner Kamari Lassiter inside and moving Jeff Okudah to the perimeter position opposite Derek Stingley Jr. One of these two plans will be needed moving forward, as the Texans deal with another setback in their secondary. The Stingley-Okudah-Lassiter play is expected to be Houston’s play here, per Wilson. Signed to a one-year, $4.75MM deal this offseason, Okudah has only played in five games (with zero starts) with the Texans.
While Ward has battled injuries throughout his career, the Texans also saw their most durable offensive lineman go down. Shaq Mason, who had not missed a game since the 2021 season, left the Chiefs matchup with a knee injury. The 2023 trade pickup, however, is believed to have avoided a serious injury, Wilson adds. Though, Houston’s right guard starter is still expected to miss between two and four weeks, Wilson adds. This could affect the former Patriots and Buccaneers starter’s playoff availability, but this timetable also at least keeps him in play to come back before season’s end.
Kendrick Green replaced Mason, who had been the only Texans player not to miss time during Ryans’ first season. Mason entered Week 16 having started 60 straight games. The Texans had already moved Tytus Howard from right tackle to left guard, with Juice Scruggs out with a foot injury. Scruggs is not on IR and could return in Week 17.
Ravens Waive WR Diontae Johnson
The Ravens have cut the cord. After suspending Diontae Johnson and then announcing he would not return to the team, Baltimore is done with the trade acquisition.
Johnson is now on the waiver wire. Teams will have until 3pm CT on Monday to claim the former Steelers and Panthers wideout, who has submitted an eventful (mostly for the wrong reasons) 2024.
Johnson arrived in Baltimore by way of Carolina for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. The Panthers also sent a sixth-rounder back to the Ravens and ate most of Johnson’s salary to facilitate the deal. The Ravens hoped that Johnson could contribute to their offense, but he was unhappy with a peripheral role behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews. Johnson was active for the Ravens’ first four games after he was traded, but recorded just one catch for six yards on five targets.
Tensions with his new team reached a boiling point in Week 13, when Johnson refused to enter the game against the Eagles after Bateman went down with an injury. The Ravens responded by suspending Johnson for their next game, a Week 15 blowout of the Giants. Unlike the 49ers and De’Vondre Campbell, who joined Johnson in refusing to enter a game recently, this partnership will end via an exit (Campbell received a three-game suspension). Johnson, 28, would stand to draw consideration from WR-needy teams; of course, his value has plummeted considerably over the past several months.
A 1,000-yard receiver with the Steelers, Johnson served as Ben Roethlisberger‘s final No. 1 wide receiver. He regularly showed elite separation ability, commanding more than 140 targets each year from 2020-22. Though, Johnson did display drop and effort issues in Pittsburgh. He famously did not score a touchdown in 2022, but much of that was on the struggling Kenny Pickett‘s shoulders as opposed to the high-end route runner. Johnson had sought a trade out of Pittsburgh, but even after receiving it, he then pushed for a way out of Charlotte. The Panthers obliged, even though the return proved low. Johnson’s path to a fourth 2024 team figures to be cloudier, and his 2025 route has undoubtedly changed because of his recent actions.
Johnson catching one pass in four Ravens games could have been written off as a poor fit, but his refusal to enter Baltimore’s Week 13 contest may be a dealbreaker for many teams. This incident likely did major damage to Johnson’s 2025 free agency value as well. His track record in Pittsburgh and consistent ability to separate would have made the former third-rounder a coveted commodity next year, even if a top-market deal was unrealistic. Now, anything beyond a “prove it” deal might be as well.
The Steelers deviated from their usual trend at receiver, giving Johnson a multiyear extension (two years, $36.7MM). It was the organization’s first notable multiyear WR deal (not counting rookie pacts) since the 2017 Antonio Brown re-up. Otherwise, going back to Hines Ward would be necessary regarding Pittsburgh second contracts for starting wideouts. The organization’s exception for Johnson and his Panthers performance this year (30 catches, 357 yards, three touchdowns) seem like afterthoughts following the Toledo alum’s Ravens tenure.
Johnson being unable to be claimed until Monday would leave him eligible for just two regular-season game checks, creating a minimal sum — as was the case with Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Dolphins deal — for a claiming team to pay. No one claimed Beckham, who remains a free agent. While Johnson being four years younger may add intrigue, it would also not surprise to see him pass through to free agency and teams then reassessing before 2025.
Then again, it only takes one team here. As such, Johnson now waits for a potential third opportunity this season. The Ravens will move forward with their healthy Flowers-Bateman-Agholor trio, with Andrews having come on after a slow start, as they attempt to reach an elusive Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson at the controls.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Jets Notes: Johnson, Rodgers, Hackett
Thursday brought a strange revelation from Jets headquarters, bringing Madden into the strange role of roster determinations. Beyond the Jerry Jeudy near-trade quickly becoming one of the odder what-ifs in recent NFL history, the Jets may need to run through some other matters as they attempt to make quality GM and HC hires.
Some of the dysfunction reported does stem from Aaron Rodgers, who effectively kept Nathaniel Hackett employed as the team’s play-caller coming into the season. Before the Jets launched a stealth search for a coach who would cut into Hackett’s duties, The Athletic’s well-detailed Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Michael Silver report indicates Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall expressed were not happy with the embattled OC throughout last season (subscription required). This may well have led to a meeting that helped the Rodgers-Woody Johnson relationship reach its present point.
Rumblings circulated that Johnson wanted to fire Hackett after the 2023 season, but Rodgers is believed to have stepped in to prevent that from happening. Rodgers has been close with Hackett since their Green Bay days, long stumping for the veteran OC. This included an offseason meeting with Johnson that “didn’t go over well” with the owner, per The Athletic. Rodgers had brought up this matter with Johnson. Months later, the owner attempted to have the QB benched.
Shortly after that benching effort, Johnson went around GM Joe Douglas and fired Robert Saleh. While Rodgers was accused of being complicit in that ouster, The Athletic notes the quarterback’s conversation with Johnson included a request the owner remain patient with the head coach. This also runs counter to Johnson’s claim the two did not discuss Saleh in that meeting. As could be expected, Rodgers had also told Saleh he disagreed with the then-HC’s decision to demote Hackett — a move interim HC Jeff Ulbrich ended up carrying out anyway.
Going back to Rodgers’ lost 2023 season, the Jets being mathematically eliminated in Week 14 had led Rodgers to cool down his crusade to return from his Achilles tear before season’s end and instead gear up for 2024. This involved continuing to rehab in Los Angeles, but The Athletic adds Johnson pushed the quarterback to come back to New York and return to practice. This prompted the Jets to use one of their injury activations on a player who did not end up playing again. Rodgers expressed disappointment he was activated as it cost fullback Nick Bawden a roster spot. Rodgers said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the activation — which occurred in Week 16 — was not his idea.
Other strange quarterback incidents have occurred during Johnson’s recent years back from his role as ambassador to the United Kingdom. He is believed to have criticized then-starter Mike White in front of other players, following a Week 17 loss to the Seahawks in which White played through broken ribs. Allegedly saying, “You should throw your helmet; you f—– suck” in reference to White postgame, per Russini, Rosenblatt and Silver. Johnson later apologized to the QB once the owner’s comments eventually got back to him, per a Jets spokesperson. White left in free agency weeks later, leaving the Jets without veteran protection once Rodgers went down.
Postgame criticism from the Johnsons has not been isolated to quarterbacks, as The Athletic adds the owner’s teenage sons — Brick and Jack — were heard “loudly” criticizing multiple players after the Jets’ Week 17 loss to the Browns in 2023. In a separate matter related to access, Johnson also had members of his investment group at Jets draft and free agency meetings this year. These revelations, among others involving access to the team’s locker room, will not exactly endear the Jets to free agents.
Additionally, in a matter perhaps stranger than the Jeudy process, Johnson is believed to have told Douglas to keep the Jets’ Mr. Irrelevant draft choice (No. 257) and instead trade 256 to the Broncos. Denver had asked for No. 257 in the pick-swap trade for Zach Wilson, but the teams ended up finalizing a weeks-long negotiation in a trade that included No. 256 going from Denver to New York. This would be a rather shocking footnote for an eventful Jets year, as this report would have Johnson valuing Mr. Irrelevant-related publicity over a slightly better pick.
White and Wilson are long gone, while Rodgers is viewed as on his way out. But the 2024 Jets draft also included another quarterback, Jordan Travis, chosen in the fifth round. This will amount to a redshirt season for the Florida State alum, who has been on the reserve/NFI list throughout the season. Ulbrich said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the ankle injury that altered the Seminoles’ CFP hopes last year remains an issue, indicating Travis has suffered setbacks in his recovery this year.
Unlike Hendon Hooker last year, Travis does not appear set to move onto his team’s active roster before season’s end. This would mean Travis’ contract would toll, extending his rookie deal through 2028. Travis has bigger hurdles to navigate in the short term, however.
Johnson is viewed as likely to stay with the Jets following this season. The news of Donald Trump’s second presidential administration tabbing someone else (banker Warren Stevens) as the UK ambassador surprised Johnson, according to The Athletic. The owner will continue to play the lead role in hiring a coach and GM, doing so after brother Christopher Johnson hired Douglas and Saleh. Some hesitation from candidates certainly could be part of the fallout from recent events becoming public.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/20/24
Here are Friday’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Released: RB Dillon Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Baylor Cupp
49ers Want To Re-Sign S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw
As injuries have harpooned a 49ers NFC title defense for the second time in five years, the team’s offseason becomes more relevant. The 49ers extended Deommodore Lenoir earlier this season but still has several starters moving toward free agency.
The Lenoir extension probably sends Charvarius Ward back to the market, but the 49ers are not closing the door on re-signing two other impending free agent defenders. The team is interested in retaining both Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw. Kyle Shanahan confirmed as much.
[RELATED: Assessing Brock Purdy’s Extension Candidacy]
“Those are two of the better players I’ve been around and two of the better players on our team and two of the main reasons we’ve had the success we’ve had,” Shanahan said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required) “So hopefully we can do everything we can to work out keeping them here because they’re as much of examples of 49ers as anyone I can think of.”
For what it’s worth, Shanahan offered a similar sentiment regarding Ward this summer. With Lenoir signed and Renardo Green on track for a bigger 2025 role, Ward is almost certainly heading elsewhere come March. The 49ers also have guard Aaron Banks set to hit the market. Barrows does not place a high likelihood on Banks being back, either, as the 49ers have not been big on guard payments under Shanahan; this year’s guard market also showed how high prices can rise for proven starters. As for Hufanga, Barrows views a return as being squarely on the radar.
The markets of both Hufanga and Greenlaw figure to be impacted by the injuries each has battled. Hufanga sustained an ACL tear in November 2023 and then missed much of this season due to a wrist issue, one that still has him in a cast. Greenlaw suffered one of the more untimely injuries in NFL history, at least as it pertained to his team’s championship chances, tearing an Achilles while trotting onto the field in Super Bowl LVIII. Both players are off IR now, however, and can boost their markets by playing well for a 6-8 team over the final three games.
A 2021 fifth-round pick, Hufanga impressed during a 2022 position battle to replace Jaquiski Tartt and earned first-team All-Pro acclaim months later. The 49ers showed how much they value Hufanga this season, redeploying him despite the cast. That said, Ji’Ayir Brown and fourth-round rookie Malik Mustapha have been the team’s primary safeties this season. Both are tied to rookie deals, each’s running beyond 2025. The 49ers want to keep Hufanga, but Barrows does not make it sound like they would compete with a booming market. Then again, beyond Xavier McKinney and Jessie Bates, safeties have not generated booming markets in recent offseasons. That would boost San Francisco’s retention chances.
San Francisco has run into a much more difficult time replacing Greenlaw. Its 2024 plan infamously combusted last week, with De’Vondre Campbell refusing to enter the Rams game and walking off the field. The 49ers have suspended the linebacker, whom John Lynch confronted during the strange sequence. The since-banned ‘backer had started to refuse to play during the second quarter, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer notes, adding that Lynch then sent him to the locker room. Shanahan also said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) the team had one other linebacker — after Eric Kendricks, who backtracked on a 49ers pledge to join the Cowboys — ahead of Campbell in their free agency pecking order.
Campbell, however, became the pick and proved a downgrade on Greenlaw. The latter has been Fred Warner‘s primary sidekick since his 2019 rookie season. While Greenlaw accepted a two-year, $16MM extension in 2022, he is likely to finish this season unsigned. We mentioned recently a deal in the ballpark of ex-teammate Azeez Al-Shaair (three years, $34MM) could be in play should Greenlaw stay healthy to close out the year; Barrows also mentioned that as a comp. Greenlaw and Al-Shaair are each 27, though the 49ers consistently played Greenlaw in front of the now-Texans linebacker.
The 49ers’ plans to pay Brock Purdy the quarterback going rate will complicate their free agency strategy as well. That will make the Greenlaw and Hufanga markets more interesting. A potential either/or situation may form with this duo, but it does appear clear the 49ers are not planning to let either walk without negotiations commencing first.
Patrick Mahomes, Marquise Brown Likely To Play In Week 16
DECEMBER 19: The Chiefs do indeed plan to activate Brown ahead of Saturday’s Texans matchup, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Provided the next few days do not include any setbacks, he will have a stretch of three contests in the lineup to prepare for Kansas City’s postseason run.
DECEMBER 17: The 2022 playoffs showcased Patrick Mahomes‘ ability to play through ankle injuries, as a gimpy version of the Chiefs superstar powered through a high ankle sprain to lead the team to a Super Bowl win. As the Chiefs aim to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, Mahomes does not appear likely to be sidelined as a result of a similar setback.
Suffering a high ankle sprain against the Browns in Week 15, Mahomes said (via The Associated Press’ Dave Skretta) this one is not as bad as the injury he sustained against the Jaguars in the 2022 divisional round. Mahomes practiced in full today, swinging the door open to a start against the Texans on Saturday.
“Jacksonville was worse. That one was pretty significant,” Mahomes said. “Obviously it’s responded better, quicker. That would be the best thing to say. But I want to be in a better spot than I was that next game going up against the Bengals.”
Since taking over for Alex Smith in 2018, Mahomes has only missed two starts due to injury. Both came in 2019. While Mahomes did miss a drive in the above-referenced Jaguars game and was down for much of the second half of a 2020 divisional-round game against the Browns (due to a concussion), he has been one of the NFL’s most durable quarterbacks. As a Chiefs team walking a tightrope (plus-70 point differential, 11th in the NFL) aims for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, Mahomes appears set to be back and have a new weapon at his disposal.
Marquise Brown‘s return from a summer shoulder injury has reached the point where it looks likely he will debut Saturday as well. Rumored to be on track for a Week 16 return, Brown logged a full practice Tuesday. The Chiefs lost Brown to an injury in his preseason debut and then lost Rashee Rice for the year. While Rice is done, Brown is set to be activated from IR soon.
Brown’s timetable has fluctuated since he went down in August. He had been on track to come back in September, but subsequent developments led to the wideout’s SC joint injury being tabbed to cost him the season. Rumblings in November, however, led to a return being back in play. The former Ravens and Cardinals receiver will likely have three games — depending on the Chiefs’ clinching scenarios for home-field advantage — to acclimate before the playoffs.
This has not been a good season for Mahomes, who is averaging a career-low 6.7 yards per attempt as the Chiefs have consistently struggled on offense. While the Chiefs are an NFL-best 13-1, they have relied on several late escapes rather than displaying the kind of dominance they did during their franchise cornerstone’s early QB1 years. Nevertheless, Kansas City leads Buffalo by two games. But the team has road tilts against the Steelers and Broncos following its Texans matchup. The Steelers game comes on Christmas Day, giving Mahomes a short recovery time after the Chiefs’ Saturday outing.
While it would be prudent if the Chiefs exercised caution here, Mahomes managed to get by against the Jaguars and Bengals two seasons ago despite being limited in terms of mobility. Aggravating the ankle malady in Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes memorably delivered a late scramble to put the Chiefs in range for what became a game-winning field goal. This Chiefs team has not proven to be as talented, as Travis Kelce has declined at 35, leaving it vulnerable due to the Bills having the head-to-head tiebreaker. Buffalo also faces only teams with double-digit losses (the Patriots and Jets) over the final three weeks.
Brown’s return stands to provide a potential boost, though it is probably safe to assume the Chiefs will not resemble their Tyreek Hill-era attacks even with the 5-foot-9 speedster in uniform. Kansas City ranks 12th in scoring offense and 14th in yardage. Two Chiefs wins would secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed, with the potential for two weeks of rest — in Week 18 and the bye — on the horizon. That appears to be the team’s plan, rather than using Carson Wentz while Mahomes rests now, moving forward.
Aaron Rodgers Open To Another Pay Cut To Remain With Jets; Team Likely To Draft QB
In the Jets’ Week 15 win over the Jaguars, Aaron Rodgers posted his first 300-yard passing game since the 2021 season. Showcasing his rapport with Davante Adams, Rodgers may also have continued to make his case he can be a team’s starter in 2025.
Rodgers has gone from leaning toward playing next season to being undecided. The four-time MVP again said he would take time to process his future after the season. Though, he added (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) a Jets release could come soon after the season. The Jets could designate Rodgers a post-June 1 cut, but were they to do so, the transaction cannot occur until the start of the 2025 league year (March 12). If the Jets are keen on taking a $49MM dead money hit in 2025, they could release Rodgers in February.
It is interesting to hear a starting quarterback assess his future in this way, though Rodgers has obviously become a rather outspoken presence over the past few years. The Jets are widely believed to be ready to move on at season’s end. Woody Johnson attempted to have the decorated QB benched on at least one occasion, with another effort also rumored to have taken place. With the Jets readying to start over at GM and HC, that duo is expected to look for a new starting quarterback as well.
The Raiders and Giants, however, have the inside track to the 2025 draft’s top two quarterback prospects — Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. (At 4-10, the Jets are projected to pick eighth.) In a QB class not viewed as particularly special, the Giants and Raiders finishing with the league’s two worst records could force other teams to look more closely at free agency or the trade market. The Jets have a player other teams would seemingly consider, baggage and all, but Rodgers has said his first choice would be to remain a Jet. He added another detail to this stance Wednesday, indicating (via Hughes) he would be open to a contract adjustment to stay.
Rodgers, 41, did not limit potential solutions to a pay cut. Though, a restructure would push more money into the future; it would be unlikely if a new Jets regime was ready to go down that road. It would already cost the team $49MM in dead money — as of now, that would be the second-highest single-player total in NFL history — for the Jets to release Rodgers. They could split that amount through two years with a post-June 1 cut.
Similar to his 2023 Packers arrangement, Rodgers is due a $35MM roster bonus that can be paid at any point before Week 1, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. That timeline gave the Packers flexibility to move on, executing a trade in late April of last year. The Jets are unlikely to have a comparable trade market, though Rodgers being open to a few solutions could also include reducing the bonus number. Of course, he could simply force a release and keep the contract as is. Rodgers would still have full control over a trade destination due to a no-trade clause, but given the developments over the past two seasons, it would be more realistic if he were released.
Rodgers’ latest complex contract would also make him more expensive to cut in 2026 than 2025, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini, who notes the dead cap charge would increase to $63MM if the Jets retain him in ’25 and move on a year later. The option bonus being paid by the Jets before Week 1 of next season would prorate through the contract’s life (four void years are on the deal) and accelerate onto their 2026 cap sheet. The Broncos faced a somewhat similar situation with Russell Wilson, whose 2025 salary guarantee would have made him a bit more expensive to drop in 2025 compared to a 2024 release. Denver ended up biting the bullet, producing an $83MM-plus dead money total that shattered the NFL record.
Through that lens, the Jets keeping Rodgers in 2025 on his current contract may be a nonstarter. But the 20-year veteran did accept a significant pay cut in 2023 to help the Jets, removing roughly $35MM from his deal in August of last year. Another such move may be the only decision that could keep him in New York.
Regardless of Rodgers’ 2025 status, the Jets are expected to draft a quarterback, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Jets did not bring in an heir apparent in 2023 or ’24, centering their plan on their aging starter. Rodgers has experience in a team drafting a passer early, with the Packers’ 2020 Jordan Love trade-up famously rankling the QB and leading to the 2021 standoff. Green Bay brass not alerting Rodgers of that trade-up beforehand became a point of contention, but he still played three more seasons with the team. If Rodgers manages to stick around with the Jets, it likely would be for just one more season. Only void years remain on Rodgers’ contract beyond 2025.
As of now, the Jets are not expecting Johnson to be part of Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. That would mean the longtime owner, who was away as the ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 through January 2021, would make the decision on Rodgers. Based on what we have heard thus far, Johnson would likely come down on the side of starting over.
If the Jets do not hold a top-two pick, their options may narrow to the point keeping Rodgers could become a consideration. How Rodgers plays over the team’s final three games and how he approaches the offseason will contribute to the Jets’ near-future plan, as the prospect of an all-time QB great hitting free agency at 41 will loom barring a significant change.
Latest On Antonio Pierce’s Status; Raiders To Involve Tom Brady Heavily In HC Call
The Raiders made an unorthodox hire in January, keeping Antonio Pierce as their head coach despite his lacking of a conventional resume for such a post. Players, most notably Maxx Crosby, stumped for Pierce; nearly a year later, however, he is on the hot seat.
Although it should be noted Pierce does not have too much to work with right now, the Raiders have lost 10 straight and have the inside track on the No. 1 overall pick due to a projected strength of schedule advantage on the 2-12 Giants. Pierce being given the chance to coach said draftee, most likely a quarterback, is far from assured. A recent report had NFL insiders split on the Las Vegas HC’s future; a subsequent offering is a bit more pessimistic.
Some around the league believe the Raiders are giving consideration to making Pierce a one-and-done (as a full-time HC, at least), according to Bovada’s Josina Anderson, who points to Tom Brady having a significant say here. Brady will indeed be heavily involved on the coaching front, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.
It is unusual for a minority owner to have the kind of power Brady appears to now possess in Vegas, as Mark Davis will lean on the recently retired quarterback to lead the effort to fix the team’s signal-caller situation as well. With Brady’s role set to change how the Raiders operate, Anderson adds another interesting piece of this equation by indicating some around the league believe GM Tom Telesco is “separating himself.”
The Raiders hired Telesco shortly after they removed Pierce’s interim tag, and Davis said last week the franchise does not view the two as a package deal. That makes matters interesting, as GMs are typically given longer leashes than HCs. Telesco also has far more experience, having been the Chargers’ GM for more than 10 years.
Before hiring Telesco, Davis spoke of wanting a third power broker to join his team’s head coach and GM, which at that point had not been determined. While not holding a football ops title, Brady appears to be that third power player in Vegas. As such, Telesco’s job description will have changed less than a year into his tenure.
As for Pierce, he said (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) his conversations with Davis have been positive and alluded to being under contract in 2025 when asked about his job security. Pierce is a historical outlier in terms of coaching paths, having been neither an NFL coordinator nor a college HC before receiving this Raiders chance. Although players have responded to the former NFL linebacker and Arizona State DC better compared to Josh McDaniels, the honeymoon period is long over. The Raiders are stumbling to their worst season since Art Shell‘s 2006 return, which produced a 2-14 record and the No. 1 overall pick.
Pierce is widely believed to have pushed for what would have been an unrealistic trade to acquire Jayden Daniels (at No. 2 overall) before the draft and has been saddled with Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder this season. Being fired during a QB transition period for the franchise would be a tough break for Pierce, though he will have a 1 1/2-season sample size due to the interim appointment last year. The Raiders finishing 2-15 and keeping their HC would invite tremendous scrutiny, and the prospect of Brady wanting to start over at HC and QB could loom.
Residing in a division that houses the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and resurgent Broncos and Chargers teams helmed by successful coaches, the Raiders have an uphill battle to wage. The allure of an unusually prominent ownership role may well have enticed Brady to wait more than a year to be approved, and the Raiders’ 2025 offseason — particularly where the dominoes fall at quarterback, head coach and general manager — is poised to be quite interesting.
Lions Not Ruling Out David Montgomery Return; John Cominsky Activation Unlikely
In what is starting to become an interesting trend, the Lions may add yet another name to their mix of players who could make late-season returns. As it turns out, the team is not ready to bail on David Montgomery coming back at some point.
Dan Campbell said Monday his starting running back was set to miss the rest of the season with an MCL injury. The fourth-year Lions HC backtracked on that Wednesday, indicating Montgomery has sought a third opinion on his injured knee.
“David’s getting another opinion,” Campbell said (via SI.com). “He’s had a couple, and really just see what this third one says. That’s why we have not put him on injured reserve.
“We’re in waiting mode. … It is one of these injuries that’s unique? You need to know, ’Is it stable? Is it fixed or will it scar?’ And then, certainly stable for now and for later. And then you’ve got to rely on him (saying), ‘Hey man, I can do this.’”
After a solid but unspectacular Bears tenure, Montgomery has been essential to the Lions’ rise over the past two seasons. He has formed one of the best running back tandems in recent NFL history, teaming with Jahmyr Gibbs in a thunder-lightning-like setup. Montgomery has operated as Detroit’s starter, with Gibbs a lethal change-of-pace option. Montgomery has already accumulated 25 rushing touchdowns as a Lion, playing well behind a top-tier offensive line, and was on pace for a second straight 1,000-yard season. The Lions extended the former second-round pick on a two-year, $18.25MM deal earlier this season.
As Gibbs appears all but certain to play a bigger role for the NFC North leaders down the stretch, the Lions are holding off on Montgomery heading to IR. When asked if he had hopes of returning this season, Montgomery responded (via Lions.com) in the affirmative. In the meantime, the Lions will carry the RB on their 53-man roster.
Detroit’s IR-return picture is becoming foggier. The team has seven total activations remaining, counting the two additional playoff slots, and several players loom as return candidates. Aidan Hutchinson is in play to come back as early as the NFC championship game, should the Lions advance that far, while Carlton Davis could come back from a broken jaw during the postseason as well. The team designated safety Ifeatu Melifonwu for return for a second time this season today, moving him closer to a comeback. Linebackers Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes have not been ruled out for the year, and DB Ennis Rakestraw is eligible to return.
Melifonwu, a part-time starter last season, has already been activated from IR once. It did not lead to any game action, as the fourth-year veteran landed back on IR days later due to a nagging ankle injury. But the Lions evidently feel comfortable moving him closer to a reactivation. Under the current setup, players can be activated from IR twice in a season. Both transactions count toward teams’ activation totals, however.
As this pride of rehabbing Lions aims to flood the transaction wire with IR-return designations and eventual activations, Campbell called defensive lineman John Cominsky unlikely to return. Cominsky has missed all of this season due to a torn MCL sustained in July. While the Lions waited until setting their 53-man roster before placing him on IR, he appears to be drifting out of the Lions’ complex IR-return picture. In his third year with the Lions, Cominsky has started 19 games with the team. Alim McNeill is definitively out of it as well, having suffered an ACL tear against the Bills.
Though, the batch of players Detroit does have in this mix offers some hope for the battered 12-2 team. For now, Montgomery remains in this equation. If the team ends up shelving the sixth-year back, Craig Reynolds — a 2019 UDFA who has been with the Lions for four seasons — is set to play a larger role. Reynolds figures to see increased run in the meantime, as it would seem logical Montgomery will miss some games before returning — in the event he does not undergo season-ending surgery.
Mike Vrabel Latest: McDaniels, Rees, Cowden, Ohio State
After being shut out during this year’s HC interview cycle, Mike Vrabel is expected to resurface as one of the top candidates in 2025. Vrabel has built considerable momentum considering where his stock was coming off his Titans firing, to the point staff options are starting to emerge in connection with the second-chance HC aspirant.
Vrabel has already been connected to the Bears, Jets and Patriots. It would stand to reason the six-year HC veteran will take a few interviews. Unlike former mentor Bill Belichick, Vrabel appears likely to become an NFL head coach again soon.
Prior to what could be a blitz of Vrabel rumors over the next several weeks, SI.com’s Albert Breer connected him to two offensive coordinator options during an interview with ESPN 1000‘s Kap & J.Hood; h/t Yardbarker.com. Browns pass-game specialist Tommy Rees is coming up in connection with a Vrabel hire, while Breer adds Josh McDaniels — whose Patriots tenure overlapped with Vrabel’s linebacker run in New England — is also being mentioned as a potential Vrabel OC.
Vrabel has worked as a Browns consultant this year, doing so while Rees has served as the team’s QBs coach. Rees previously spent three years as Notre Dame’s OC and was Alabama’s offensive play-caller in Nick Saban’s final season. Rees is just 32 and has been an NFL staffer for one year, but he certainly brings worthwhile college credentials.
A veteran of the HC interview circuit, McDaniels appears highly unlikely to be asked to lead a team again. His one season leading an offense away from the Patriots (a 2011 Rams gig) did not go well, either. But McDaniels being onboard during Tom Brady‘s rise and again during the legend’s extended run in his 30s and 40s should keep him in conversations. Though, the ex-Raiders coach did not partake in any known interviews following that firing. McDaniels and Vrabel overlapped in New England from 2001-08, and Breer notes the Cleveland-area natives have maintained a relationship since. McDaniels makes for a natural North Carolina OC candidate, seeing as he helped his former boss pick a destination in recent weeks. But McDaniels has not coached in college since 1999.
Vrabel, 49, is also being loosely tied to one of his former Titans coworkers. Not every team looking to hire a head coach will be in the GM market; the Bears are not, and it does not look like the Saints are firing Mickey Loomis. But the Jets are; the Jaguars may be in this boat soon, too. If a GM slot is available, Breer adds Ryan Cowden could be a name to watch. Cowden took a job with the Giants after his interim GM stay with the Titans wrapped. Vrabel wanted Cowden to be named full-time GM in Tennessee, with that being among the causes of friction between the then-Titans HC and ownership.
An interesting competitor could emerge for Vrabel as well. Ryan Day’s Ohio State status may depend on how the Buckeyes fare in the upcoming playoff, and Graziano adds rumblings have pegged Vrabel as a top candidate if that job becomes open. Vrabel is an Ohio State alum who coached under Urban Meyer from 2011-13, between his retirement as a player and debut as an NFL assistant.
Belichick looks to have taken the North Carolina job because no surefire NFL landing spot would reveal itself. Vrabel, however, probably has a much better shot to land a job soon. Though, it will be interesting to see where Ohio State — should the Big Ten power move on from Day — would fall in Vrabel’s pecking order.