Giants’ Brandon Brown Books Second Chargers GM Interview
Seemingly close to hiring Jim Harbaugh as head coach, the Chargers look to be moving toward finalists for their GM position. Brandon Brown will be the first candidate given a second interview for the post.
The Giants’ assistant GM, Brown is in Los Angeles today for a second meeting, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Brown, whom the Giants hired in 2022, also interviewed for the Panthers’ GM position. Carolina ended its search this week by promoting assistant GM Dan Morgan.
Although Harbaugh would undoubtedly need to be paired with a GM he would not object to, a recent report indicated the veteran HC would not force the Chargers into a GM hire of his choosing. Harbaugh famously feuded with then-49ers GM Trent Baalke during their time together in San Francisco, helping lead the former to Michigan after four years.
Other Chargers HC candidates are still in the mix, but Harbaugh is the first to be given a second interview. With that meeting believed to have produced an agreement on Harbaugh’s HC salary, it would not surprise if a hire followed soon. As of now, the Chargers still have openings for their HC and GM roles.
A rising young exec, Brown joined Joe Schoen‘s Giants front office after years in Philadelphia. Brown also interviewed for the Vikings’ GM job in 2022, but this offseason’s GM carousel has featured a more prominent place for Schoen’s right-hand man. As shown on PFR’s General Manager Search Tracker, here is how the Bolts’ search looks as of Wednesday morning:
- Dawn Aponte, chief football administrative officer (NFL): Interviewed 1/22
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Second interview scheduled
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interviewed 1/14
- Ed Dodds, assistant general manager (Colts): Interviewed 1/17
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): Interviewed 1/16
- Joe Hortiz, director of player personnel (Ravens): Interviewed 1/13
- Jeff Ireland, assistant general manager (Saints): Interviewed 1/17
- Jeff King, co-director of player personnel (Bears): Interviewed 1/19
- Will McClay, vice president of player personnel (Cowboys): Withdrew from consideration
- Adam Peters, assistant general manager (49ers): Interview requested
- JoJo Wooden, interim general manager (Chargers): Interviewed 1/11
Titans GM Ran Carthon To Control Roster; Team Promotes Chad Brinker
Even if it was not necessarily a power struggle between Ran Carthon and Mike Vrabel that led to the latter’s ouster, the Titans’ GM selection did not sit well with the fired head coach. The organization will now give Carthon more power.
A year after his hire, Carthon received a promotion. The Titans bumped their GM up to the position of executive vice president, per a team announcement that also includes the Brian Callahan HC hire becoming official. Additionally, the Titans are elevating assistant GM Chad Brinker to president of football operations.
Carthon’s title bump means he will control the 53-man roster and oversee the coaching staff, TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick notes, as opposed to Callahan being given that power. This is not surprising, considering Amy Adams Strunk pushed back on Vrabel’s interest in controlling the roster. Vrabel is believed to have made that push before the Titans hired Carthon, whom the six-year HC did not view as an ideal GM candidate in 2023. Adams Strunk, however, confirmed Carthon will have more responsibility going forward.
“Ran’s exceptional reputation around the league as a talent evaluator and culture builder was a clear competitive advantage during last year’s free agency and draft process, as well as our recent search for a head coach,” Adams Strunk said. “Simply put, Ran Carthon makes the Tennessee Titans a destination for the league’s top talent.
“By expanding his role to include full roster control and oversight of the coaching staff, our organization will now benefit more completely from Ran’s unique ability to build and lead a championship-caliber football team.”
Wednesday morning’s title adjustments are also notable involving Brinker, whom the Titans hired as assistant GM last year. The ex-Packers exec joined Anthony Robinson as assistant GMs in Carthon’s first year leading the front office. The Brinker hire occurred first last year. No Robinson title change has taken place, pointing to the Tennessee power structure being Carthon-Brinker-Robinson in 2024. That said, veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky indicates Brinker is expected to report directly to ownership. That would give the Titans two front office pillars who will do so.
Brinker joined the Titans after 13 years with the Packers. Although no GM interview requests have come Brinker’s way this offseason, he is well-regarded around the league. The Titans placed Brinker in charge of cap management during his first year in Nashville. Robinson, who came over from the Falcons last year, oversees the Titans’ scouting department.
Adams Strunk’s comments regarding Carthon’s work in the draft are interesting. A recent report indicated former interim GM Ryan Cowden ran the team’s draft board last year; Cowden is now with the Giants. After working alongside a head coach with a certain level of power in Vrabel, Carthon is clearly in charge now. Carthon is not believed to have been involved in Vrabel’s ouster; that move came directly from ownership. Should Callahan be fired during Carthon’s tenure, the latter will almost certainly have a hand in it. Carthon joined the Titans after six years with the 49ers.
Raiders Hire Tom Telesco As GM
Although the Raiders kept Antonio Pierce, previous reports indicated he and interim GM Champ Kelly were not necessarily a package deal. That detail looks to prove critical now. The AFC West team is expected to go in a different GM direction.
Former Chargers GM Tom Telesco looks set to have an immediate second chance. The Raiders are likely to hire the 11-year GM veteran, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Telesco worked as the Bolts’ GM from 2013-23 but was fired shortly after the Raiders’ 63-21 demolition late this season. With no other team interviewing Telesco for its GM vacancy, he is now set to team with Pierce in Las Vegas. The Raiders subsequently announced the hire.
This hiring comes after the team had Kelly sitting in on HC interviews ahead of the Pierce hire. While Kelly had established clear momentum and was certainly on the radar to join Pierce as the rare interim figure to keep a job, the Raiders will go with a more experienced candidate. This could well lead Kelly elsewhere, though The Athletic’s Tashan Reed notes he remains under contract. The well-respected front office figure only met with one other team — the Panthers — about its GM job. Carolina promoted Dan Morgan to fill that post Monday.
It would be a bit odd to see Telesco sign off on working with perhaps his top competition for this job, so it bears monitoring to see if Kelly will remain with the Raiders.
For Telesco, this will provide a chance to start over after his Philip Rivers– and Justin Herbert-centered rosters repeatedly ran into obstacles in Southern California. Injury issues routinely plagued the Chargers during the 2010s and 2020s, though their rosters always always generated praise coming into seasons. Telesco will now work with another first-time HC. Hiring only rookie HCs during his run with the Chargers (Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn, Brandon Staley), Telesco’s teams only qualified for three playoff fields in his 11-year run.
Telesco, 51, came in for a second Raiders interview Monday. That meeting may have changed the team’s thinking. The longtime Chargers front office leader will bring more than 30 years of NFL experience to Las Vegas. Beginning his career as a Bills intern during Bill Polian‘s GM run, Telesco followed the future Hall of Famer to Charlotte and then Indianapolis. With the Colts, Telesco worked his way up to director of player personnel. He held that title for six years, being with the team during its Super Bowl XLI win and its Super Bowl XLIV loss three years later. A year after the Colts fired Polian and hired Ryan Grigson, Teleseco received his GM opportunity and became one of the longer-serving true GMs entering this past season.
With the Chargers, Telesco gave Rivers Pro Bowl pieces in the late 2010s. He drafted Keenan Allen in the 2013 third round and added Joey Bosa and Derwin James in 2016 and ’18, respectively. Telesco added Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater in the 2021 first round as well. He excelled on the extension front, giving new deals to Melvin Ingram — ahead of the veteran’s Pro Bowl years — along with Allen, Bosa, James and Mike Williams. Telesco also signed Austin Ekeler to what became one of the best running back deals in recent memory, a four-year, $24.5MM pact that locked in the passing-down dynamo before back-to-back seasons leading the NFL in touchdowns.
Telesco landing Herbert at No. 6 overall may be his defining GM move, and the decision-maker gave the next Chargers GM a boost by extending Herbert through 2029 last summer. Herbert has become one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, quickly showing that form. However, Telesco’s Staley hire — and the litany of injuries to plague the Bolts — have restricted the prodigious passer. The Chargers are just 1-for-4 in playoff appearances with Herbert, and the lone cameo resulted in a 27-point wild-card collapse in Jacksonville. Rather than fire Staley and go after Sean Payton — long rumored as interested in the job — Telesco (and Chargers ownership) retained Staley. This preceded the December firings of the Bolts’ HC and GM.
Pairing Pierce with a seasoned GM makes sense. Of the candidates the Raiders interviewed, Telesco is the only one with experience as a full-time GM. Mark Davis spoke of the possibility of bringing in a football ops-type presence to lead the way. With Telesco being hired, he might well be that figure to work alongside the owner and head coach.
Kelly and Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds were believed to be the other finalists, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Dodds and Kelly were believed to be the frontrunners recently, Reed adds, indicating the team was leery about putting Pierce with a first-time GM. Dodds interviewed for the Las Vegas GM job in 2022 and was believed to have made a good impression on Davis. It is unsurprising the longtime Indianapolis exec was again in this race until the end. While Dodds figures to stay in his current post, it will be interesting to see if Kelly — hired to be Dave Ziegler‘s assistant GM in 2022 and taking over as interim GM in November — ends up elsewhere.
Given Pierce’s limited coaching background, it should be expected it will be Telesco making the final calls regarding the team’s 53-man roster. While Josh McDaniels was widely believed to be calling the shots in Vegas during his short HC tenure, Davis emphasized it was Ziegler controlling the roster. The Raiders’ coordinator hires will be the next dominoes to fall. While the team has blocked DC Patrick Graham from making lateral moves, it will be interesting to see if the HC carousel regular will be OK working for a head coach with considerably less experience.
For now, Telesco will step into a situation that differs from his Chargers setup. Rivers was entering his eighth season as a starter when Telesco took over in 2013. With the Dolphins selecting Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020, Herbert was available. The Raiders are unlikely to have comparably easy access to a top-tier QB talent this offseason, holding the No. 13 overall pick after an 8-9 season. That will be the top roster need for Telesco, who will join Pierce in assembling a coaching staff.
Latest On Chargers, Jim Harbaugh
It now looks like it would be an upset if Jim Harbaugh is not coaching Justin Herbert next season. While the longtime Michigan HC has been known to go through with extensive NFL flirtations during the 2020s, the Chargers are much farther down the road here compared where the Vikings and Broncos ventured in the past two offseasons.
Harbaugh is going through his second interview with the Chargers, and this meeting looks to be about more than his mere candidacy. Assistants are being discussed, and Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero reports the sides are believed to be in agreement on salary.
The Bolts, who have not hired a coach with previous NFL HC experience since bringing in Norv Turner in 2007, have attempted to push back on the narrative they are cheap when it comes to coach spending. Harbaugh’s would-be salary looks set to back that up. They have offered more than Michigan, per Salguero, who indicates the “extremely strong” proposal the Bolts made surpasses the $12.5MM-per-year number from his Wolverines talks.
Harbaugh’s next NFL salary would not hit his initial asking price, however, with Salguero adding that number is believed to have checked in around $18MM. That aligns with what the Broncos are believed to be paying Sean Payton. Denver brass, which met with Harbaugh twice last year, gave Payton the monster salary due to his credentials and the leverage he held. With FOX at the time, Payton was linked to having interest in the Chargers’ job. The team did not fire Brandon Staley following the 27-point collapse in Jacksonville, helping lead Payton Denver via trade. Payton’s Super Bowl win and the potential for the ex-Saints HC waiting another year — perhaps for the Bolts’ job — gave him rare leverage, and he is believed to be earning a top-five coaching salary.
The Chargers’ past three searches produced first-time HCs (Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn, Staley); Harbaugh’s experience laps those candidates’. His four-year win percentage from the 49ers period (.695) ranks fifth in NFL history — higher than any active NFL coach. The 60-year-old leader is also coming off a national championship.
Also linked to a potential Harbaugh pursuit, the Raiders having followed through with their long-rumored Antonio Pierce promotion left Harbaugh with one less option. The Falcons have a second interview scheduled, but they have also been closely linked to Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel and others. Vrabel met about the Chargers’ vacancy last week, but it certainly appears he trails Harbaugh.
Personnel matters are also on today’s agenda, per Salguero. Harbaugh and Trent Baalke famously feuded during the latter’s time as 49ers GM, leading to a power struggle that sent Harbaugh to his alma mater. While Harbaugh is not exactly a universally liked presence among NFL front office figures, his coaching credentials are strong. He would undoubtedly carry significant input regarding the Chargers’ next GM hire, though it is not believed he would force a GM on the Bolts.
This process appears near the goal line, but it will be interesting if more updates come on the Michigan side; negotiations on another extension have transpired for weeks. Harbaugh has returned to the college ranks after the meetings with the Vikes and Broncos, but a long-rumored NFL return appears close.
Patriots, Saints Interviewed Shane Waldron; Bears OC Moving To Assemble Staff
The Bears decided on Shane Waldron as their offensive coordinator Monday and announced the hire today. Chicago’s move came after Waldron generated extensive interest elsewhere.
Three other teams pursued Waldron or were planning to do so. The Saints and Patriots met with the three-year Seahawks OC prior to his Bears commitment, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill and SI.com’s Albert Breer. Additionally, Waldron appeared on the Raiders‘ OC radar, per Breer. The Saints requested a Waldron interview last week, and he took the meeting.
[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]
While it is not known how serious of a candidate Waldron was with New England or New Orleans, Chicago landing him is interesting. The Bears are giving the former Seahawks play-caller an immediate second chance, and they will do so amid an uncertain point on their timeline. Waldron would appear set to mentor either Justin Fields or Caleb Williams, with the Bears having the chance to either make a No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1947 or trade it for a second straight year. Taking a job under these circumstances is interesting, and it is worth wondering what intel was shared in Bears OC meetings.
Regardless, Waldron is replacing Luke Getsy as Chicago’s play-caller. He will do so for a coach who will enter the season on a hot seat. Matt Eberflus staved off a firing, but Waldron is joining a Bears team that had been linked to considering a change after two seasons. The Saints bring a similar setup, with Dennis Allen staying in place despite two sub-.500 seasons. The Patriots join the Saints in continuing to look for a play-caller; Bill O’Brien left to become Ohio State’s OC.
The Patriots and Saints have each met with Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson and Bengals QBs coach Dan Pitcher. Both are on the Raiders’ radar as well. After the Seahawks managed to stay afloat despite trading the best quarterback in franchise history (Russell Wilson), teams were naturally interested in meeting a meeting with Waldron, who is yet another former Sean McVay assistant to move up the ladder.
Waldron is moving to fill some positions on the Bears’ offensive staff. He is arranging interviews with Chad Morton, Sanjay Lal and Kerry Joseph for Bears posts, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. Morton has been with the Seahawks since 2014, most recently serving as the team’s run-game coordinator. Lal has already enjoyed two stints with the Seahawks in the 2020s, the most recent — 2022-23 — as wide receivers coach. Joseph has been Seattle’s assistant QBs coach throughout Waldron’s tenure. Looking for a new head coach for the first time since 2010, the Seahawks did not block Waldron from lateral moves and are letting their assistants explore jobs elsewhere.
Raiders To Interview Luke Getsy, Alex Van Pelt For OC Job; Kliff Kingsbury On Radar
4:04pm: Kliff Kingsbury is also believed to be on the radar for this position, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. No interview request has emerged, but with the Raiders hiring Tom Telesco as GM, the team can move toward addressing its coordinator spots. Kingsbury joined Robinson in interviewing for the Bears’ job that went to Waldron.
Kingsbury, 44, spent this past season as USC’s quarterbacks coach. This marked a return to the college ranks for Kingsbury, whom the Cardinals fired months after authorizing an extension. Kingsbury led the Cards to the playoffs in 2021, with that offense ranking 11th. The team plummeted to 21st offensively in 2022, a season that concluded with Kyler Murray down with an ACL tear and DeAndre Hopkins missing eight games. Kingsbury called plays throughout his Arizona tenure, giving him more experience in that area than anyone else in this Raiders mix.
1:06pm: With the Raiders making it official with Antonio Pierce, they are going to work on their offensive coordinator position. Two names recently dismissed by other teams are being considered for the job.
The team is planning to interview Luke Getsy and Alex Van Pelt for the vacancy, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears and Browns, respectively, fired these staffers earlier this month. Getsy and Van Pelt join up-and-coming assistants Dan Pitcher (Bengals) and Zac Robinson (Rams) as candidates for the Raiders’ play-calling job.
While Getsy was with the Bears for the past two seasons, the Browns axed Van Pelt following four in Cleveland. This would still be a move up the ladder for Van Pelt, who operated as a non-play-calling OC under Kevin Stefanski. Despite the Browns staying afloat on offense amid potential season-wrecking injuries — to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and their top three tackles — the organization is attempting to adjust its offensive philosophy around Watson’s skillset. As a result, Van Pelt joined running backs coach Stump Mitchell and tight ends coach T.C. McCartney in being canned.
Van Pelt, 53, spent six seasons with the Packers, the final four as Aaron Rodgers‘ position coach, and stopped through Cincinnati as QBs coach from 2018-19. Back in 2009, the former NFL QB received an initial try as an OC, being in that role with the Bills. The job did not last past that season, sending Van Pelt back to position coach roles. The Browns advanced to the playoffs twice during the Stefanski-Van Pelt years, and this season’s ticket could well bring Stefanski another Coach of the Year honor. But some of his offensive lieutenants are out anyway.
The Bears are retooling as well, having hired Shane Waldron to lead their offense. Waldron may well have the chance to coach Caleb Williams in Chicago, though the team could still keep Justin Fields and trade its No. 1 pick for a second straight year. Getsy geared his offense around Fields’ rushing talents; the Bears ranked first and second, respectively, in rushing offense with Getsy calling plays over the past two seasons.
Fields also showed progression as a passer this season, but the Bears did not deploy a consistent aerial attack under Getsy, who joined Van Pelt with the Packers from 2014-17. Getsy, 39, also coached Rodgers from 2019-21. Between them, Van Pelt and Getsy were in place as the position coach for three of Rodgers’ four MVP awards. These mark the first OC interviews for either Getsy or Van Pelt since their respective firings.
Dave Canales Drawing Strong Interest For Panthers’ HC Job; Bucs To Consider Promoting Thad Lewis
The Panthers and Commanders have each been linked to placing Ben Johnson as their top HC candidate. Considering Carolina’s situation and David Tepper‘s recent actions, the team would seemingly need to extend a big payout to win a tiebreaker. In the event Johnson again spurns Carolina, the team looks to have another offensive staffer in mind.
Long connected to once again seeking an offense-oriented head coach, the Panthers have been impressed with Buccaneers OC Dave Canales, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who indicates he is a serious contender to become the next Panthers HC. Canales is set for a second interview for the Carolina job.
The NFC’s second divisional-round matchup pitted two ascending OCs against one another, and while Johnson’s Lions won, Baker Mayfield‘s bounce-back season undeniably helped Canales’ stock. Canales was the Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach in 2022, overseeing Geno Smith‘s shocking resurgence that secured him Comeback Player of the Year honors. Mayfield subsequently completed a turnaround season in Tampa, rising from last in QBR in 2022 to moving the Bucs — their substantial 2023 dead money notwithstanding — to the divisional round.
Mayfield shredded a reeling Eagles defense in the Bucs’ wild-card rout and is now firmly on the radar for an extension. It would be a blow for the Bucs to lose Canales; the rookie OC, though, is only in contention for one of the HC positions. The Seahawks, Chargers and Commanders have not met with the 42-year-old staffer. Neither did the Raiders, Patriots or Titans. It seems some level of doubt exists on Canales, with Johnson being a more popular candidate after two years as Lions OC.
The Panthers have DC Ejiro Evero and Rams DC Raheem Morris joining Canales in being set for second interviews. Johnson interviewed with the team over the weekend; as of now, no second interview is scheduled. The Commanders, who are scheduling a second Johnson meeting, boast a superior outlook compared to the Panthers presently. They are free of Dan Snyder and hold the No. 2 overall pick (whereas the Panthers traded the No. 1 choice to the Bears) to go with the NFL’s most cap space. But Tepper is the NFL’s second-richest owner, giving Carolina an advantage on that front.
If Canales lands the Carolina job, Tampa Bay may look in-house to replace him. QBs coach Thad Lewis will be considered for the post in that event, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes. A Bruce Arians hire, Lewis just finished his first season as the Bucs’ QBs coach. He spent the 2021 and ’22 seasons as the team’s assistant wide receivers coach, but the ex-NFL QB’s work with Mayfield does not look to have gone unnoticed. Though, no team has yet reached out about an OC interview.
Saints Interview Ronald Curry, Brian Griese, Klint Kubiak For OC Role
The Saints’ offensive coordinator candidate list has now doubled. Its recent batch of meetings brings the list to six, with two 49ers staffers on the team’s docket.
Both Brian Griese and Klint Kubiak have met with the Saints about their OC position, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Also in consideration to replace Pete Carmichael: Saints quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry, according to NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson.
A Carmichael-to-Griese switch would be fascinating. The Saints had employed one of the longest-tenured coordinators in modern NFL history in Carmichael, who managed to stay in his position — which involved full-time play-calling duties over the past two years and during Sean Payton‘s Bountygate suspension in 2012 — for 15 years. Griese, conversely, was in the Monday Night Football booth as recently as 2021. This role as the 49ers’ QBs coach is Griese’s first regular coaching role in the pro or college ranks.
Still, it is unsurprising teams want to talk to Kyle Shanahan‘s top two offensive assistants. Brock Purdy has quarterbacked the 49ers back to the NFC championship game, overcoming UCL surgery to build on his stunning 2022 work. Purdy averaged an NFL-high 9.6 yards per attempt this season. That is tied for eighth all time in a season. Kurt Warner (2000) is the only passer to have bettered that mark since the 1950s, and the Hall of Famer missed a chunk of that 2000 season due to injury. Purdy started every game this year, working with an elite armada of aerial options.
Kubiak, 36, was a teenager during Griese’s time playing under his father as OC in Denver (1998-02). The younger Kubiak has enjoyed multiple NFL play-calling stints, however, succeeding Gary as Vikings OC under Mike Zimmer (2021) and taking over during the Broncos’ befuddling 2022 season under Nathaniel Hackett. Shanahan hired Kubiak as his pass-game coordinator this past offseason, and the 49ers came close to becoming the rare team with three 1,000-yard pass catchers. Deebo Samuel, who missed two games, finished 108 yards away from joining Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle in reaching 1,000.
Curry, 44, has been with the Saints since 2016. With Johnson noting Curry is highly regarded within the organization, Curry has been in place as QBs coach since 2021. This timeline did not allow the former NFL wideout (and college QB) to work with Drew Brees, but Payton did interview Curry to be his OC in 2023. Curry also met with the Buccaneers about their vacancy, making it unsurprising the Saints are considering him to replace Carmichael.
Courtesy of PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how the Saints’ search stands:
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed
- Brian Griese, quarterbacks coach (49ers): Interviewed
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/22
- Klint Kubiak, pass-game coordinator (49ers): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, quarterbacks coach (Bengals): Second interview on 1/24
- Zac Robinson, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed
Pete Carroll Pushing For Chargers’ HC Job?
Although Pete Carroll is one of the top names on this year’s coaching carousel, the 14-year Seahawks leader has not met with a team about its HC position. It appears he is trying to change that.
Carroll had wanted to keep going with the Seahawks, admitting he made an aggressive pitch to stay on. The Seahawks instead kicking him to an advisory role leaves the energetic leader’s NFL future uncertain. But Carroll is believed to have attempted to land another gig. The 72-year-old coach has been making a behind-the-scenes push to land the Chargers’ job, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
While both the Chargers and Falcons have Jim Harbaugh on their respective radars, the Michigan HC is now most closely linked to the Bolts’ opening. The Chargers have made Harbaugh an offer viewed as “extremely strong,” and Harbaugh assistants are already circulating. The Chargers have satisfied the Rooney Rule, and although Harbaugh has been in talks with his current employer about an extension for weeks, it would not surprise to see him make Los Angeles his vehicle for an NFL comeback after nine years in the college ranks.
Carroll and Harbaugh coached against each other throughout the latter’s time in San Francisco, most memorably in a tightly contested 2013 NFC championship game the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks won. While Carroll has coached in two Super Bowls as a head coach and has a ring from Super Bowl XLVIII, his Seattle defenses have declined over the past several years. Over the past two, the Seahawks ranked 30th in total defense. That understandably interfered with his hopes of coming back for a 15th season, with longtime GM ally John Schneider now running the show in Seattle.
It would stand to reason teams would still be interested in Carroll, given his accomplishments, but the two oldest members on this year’s HC carousel — Carroll and Bill Belichick — have not received substantial interest. At least, not from multiple teams. Belichick remains closely linked to the Atlanta HC opening, interviewing twice. But the 24-year Patriots HC has not met with any other team.
Belichick, who is 71, is less than a year younger than Carroll, who was the NFL’s oldest HC last season. No team has hired a head coach older than 66 in NFL history, with only four coaches (Carroll, George Halas, Marv Levy, Romeo Crennel) in league annals coaching a game at 72 or older. Carroll’s age will undoubtedly impede his quest to land a fourth NFL HC gig. It is nonetheless interesting Carroll is trying to land in Los Angeles, where he spent nine years coaching USC in the 2000s.
Broncos Expected To Move On From Courtland Sutton Or Jerry Jeudy In 2024?
JANUARY 23: Klis has since indicated this was more speculation, due to the forthcoming cap hit Wilson’s release will bring, rather than a true indication of the team being prepared to disband the duo. Given the time the Broncos have invested in the pair without much return on investment, it would still surprise to see Jeudy and Sutton together in orange for a fifth season.
JANUARY 21: Countless trade rumors followed the Broncos’ receiving corps last year, but the team decided to roll out its Courtland Sutton–Jerry Jeudy duo for a fourth straight year. The team nearly traded Sutton to the Ravens last March, and Jeudy continued to come up in rumors leading up to the October deadline.
Although Sutton made a significant impact for the team this season, the Broncos appear close to separating this promising but inconsistent tandem. The team is expected to move on from either Sutton or Jeudy in 2024, according to 9News’ Mike Klis.
As the Broncos lay out their offseason plan, cap space will be an issue. Denver is currently projected to land $24MM over the 2024 salary ceiling, per OverTheCap, ahead of free agency. That number pales in comparison to those Sean Payton‘s Saints needed to whittle down in order to reach cap compliance during his final years in New Orleans, but the veteran HC’s new team still has some work to do. Denver’s receiver situation, then, will again come into focus.
Baltimore nearly acquired Sutton, before pivoting to an Odell Beckham Jr. free agency agreement, but the Broncos’ offense depended on the sixth-year veteran this season. A 2019 Pro Bowler who had struggled to recapture his form since a 2020 ACL tear, Sutton came through with several highlight-reel catches — some of which helping the Broncos reenter the playoff picture via a five-game midseason win streak. Whereas Denver’s passing attack depended on Sutton, Jeudy could not build on his strong 2022 finish.
While the two finished with similar yardage totals, Sutton became Russell Wilson‘s more dependable target. The one-handed catch maven scored 10 touchdowns, completing a 772-yard season. Jeudy finished with 758 yards — nearly 200 off his 2022 pace — despite the Broncos setting a higher price on the 2020 first-round pick. Denver wanted a first-round pick for Jeudy during the 2023 offseason, while the team sought a second-rounder for Sutton. Jeudy is believed to have fetched an offer including third- and fifth-round picks, but the Broncos stood pat. His inconsistency and 2024 price tag may well reduce Denver’s ask this year.
Jeudy, 24, is tied to a fully guaranteed $12.99MM fifth-year option salary. Sutton’s four-year, $60MM contract features a nonguaranteed $13MM for 2024; the 28-year-old wideout is signed through 2025. Before the deadline, the Broncos were believed to be readier to move Jeudy than Sutton. The younger receiver still stands to carry more trade value, though he has not justified his No. 15 overall draft slot after four seasons. If the Broncos do not view Jeudy as worthy of a second contract, the team could certainly opt to unload him and regroup around Sutton and 2023 second-rounder Marvin Mims.
Neither Payton nor GM George Paton was in Denver when the team drafted Jeudy, but the latter did authorize Sutton’s extension in 2021. While the team has held off on making a big change at receiver during the 2020s, its group has not panned out as hoped. The team’s evolving QB situation — one again set for turbulence after the expected Wilson release shatters a dead-money record — has not helped, however.
Denver can also pick up $9.5MM by releasing Tim Patrick, who has suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries, but the team would have at least one receiver spot open should it also trade Jeudy or Sutton this offseason.