Justin Fields Making Bears’ Decision Difficult; Team Setting Higher Trade Price For 2024 No. 1 Pick?
Barring an unexpected development, Ryan Poles will have the opportunity to consider another trade involving a No. 1 overall pick. The second-year Bears GM is unlikely to be fired, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler and Courtney Cronin. But a similar decision awaits him once the season ends.
Poles’ 2023 choice equipped the Bears with a haul of draft choices, including a Panthers pick now guaranteed to check in at No. 1 overall, but the young GM has not seen Justin Fields submit an open-and-shut case to stay on for a fourth season. Recommitting to Fields would now require the Bears to trade a No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. Considering Poles was not with the team when it traded up for Fields in 2021, the stakes attached to the GM’s next decision are even higher.
Since coming back from an early-season injury, Fields has impressed in spurts. The third-year QB is believed to have made the Bears’ decision more difficult, Fowler and Cronin note, but two anonymous GMs said (via the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora) Chicago should still be expected to draft Caleb Williams — who has not yet officially declared — first overall and trade Fields. A panel of NFL staffers said the same last month, indicating the Ohio State alum would be highly unlikely to fetch the Bears a first-round pick in a 2024 trade.
Fields’ recent spurt aside, his overall body of work would make passing on a prospect like Williams difficult. Chicago’s dual-threat passer is 8-19 as a starter and has struggled in fourth quarters this season. Per ESPN, Fields ranks last out of qualified passers with a 51.8% fourth-stanza completion rate while sitting 30th in QBR in final periods. Since 2021, Fields’ 16 fourth-quarter INTs lead the league. Fields’ run-game brilliance and superior work earlier in games (No. 4 in TD-INT ratio through games’ first three quarters this season) works in his favor, but thus far, more expect the Bears to start over rather than stick here.
If Fields can win what was previously described as an uphill battle and keep his job for 2024 — something that would require the Bears to pick up his fifth-year option by May — Poles will likely view this as a hotter ticket compared to the 2023 top pick. It cost the Panthers D.J. Moore, their Nos. 9 and 61 picks last year, their 2024 first and a 2025 second to move up for Young. Williams’ prospect status topping those of Young or C.J. Stroud points to the Bears setting a higher price, with ESPN.com adding several execs view the USC talent as being worth two future first-rounders and either a Day 2 pick or a veteran on a reasonable contract.
It cost the 49ers two future first-rounders and a third to climb nine spots for Trey Lance. The Eagles gave up a first-rounder, two seconds and two thirds for Jared Goff in 2016. Washington’s price to climb from No. 6 to No. 2 for Robert Griffin III was two future firsts and a second in 2012. It will, then, be worth debating if the Bears are better off continuing to build around Fields and the haul they could receive for the presumptive Williams draft slot or starting over with the 2022 Heisman winner (on rookie-deal money through at least 2026) and whatever they receive in a trade for Fields. Chicago’s incumbent QB would be worth a second- or third-rounder in a pre-draft swap, per Fowler.
The Bears giving up on Fields after three years would match the timeline Mitch Trubisky received. A three-and-done Fields stay would also show how the league has changed since the 2011 CBA reshaped rookie contracts. Rex Grossman was in Chicago for six years, though he did not finish out his tenure as the team’s starter. Despite leading the Bears to just one playoff berth, Jay Cutler stayed as the Bears’ QB1 for eight seasons. With Cutler checking in perhaps just south of the franchise-QB bar, Chicago has been in search of its next such piece since at least Jim McMahon, whose injury troubles shortened his Windy City stay.
These factors complicate Poles’ decision, but he is expected to be the one making it. Fowler and Cronin add Poles has cultivated a good relationship with new president Kevin Warren. A Sunday report indicated Matt Eberflus was more likely than not to stay on, but La Canfora notes the prospect of Warren — who arrived in Chicago after both Eberflus and Poles — firing the two-year HC and starting with a more offensively oriented leader (in the event Williams is drafted) should not be dismissed.
This would represent a tough ending for Eberflus, who has the Bears at 7-5 over their past 12 games. With complications surrounding their front office, coaching staff and quarterback, the upcoming offseason promises to be a seminal stretch for the Bears. Should they give Fields a fourth season or turn to Williams? Is Eberflus capable of becoming a long-term HC answer?
Friction Between Titans HC Mike Vrabel, GM Ran Carthon?
The Titans entered the 2022 season on the heels of six straight winning campaigns. They are closing out a second straight slate with double-digit losses. Speculation about Mike Vrabel‘s future has persisted this season, and as the coaching carousel prepares to spin, the sixth-year Tennessee HC’s name continues to come up.
Vrabel-Patriots buzz has circulated at points, and although multiple previous reports poured cold water on the former Pats linebacker coming back to Foxborough via trade, the topic of Vrabel’s fit in Tennessee is back on the radar. The Vrabel-Ran Carthon relationship can be described as rocky, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who notes the two do not seem a match as their first year together wraps.
Tennessee made the unusual move to fire GM Jon Robinson months after giving him an extension that ran through 2027. The Titans then hired Carthon from the 49ers, giving him the personnel keys. Although Vrabel is unlikely a true passenger in a Carthon-driven car, the Titans made several cost-cutting moves that pointed to a step back this season. That has come to fruition, with the Will Levis-quarterbacked team sitting 5-11 and on track for the franchise’s worst record since 2015. Vrabel’s extension surfaced on the same February 2022 day Robinson’s did. Robinson’s deal was believed to run through 2027, pointing to Vrabel’s being in that range as well.
An anonymous GM informed La Canfora “things are not good” between Vrabel and Carthon, reigniting the trade talk that had died down for a bit. During his latest GM Shuffle podcast, former GM Michael Lombardi described Vrabel and Carthon as having some “real issues” in their first year together.
The Titans are 0-5 in a shaky AFC South, and since another solid start in 2022, the team is 5-18. Injuries led to Tennessee limping to the finish line last season, and in a division that saw three teams make early-round QB investments, the Titans trail the Texans and Colts — despite Indianapolis losing Anthony Richardson early in the season. Vrabel, 48, has guided the Titans to four winning seasons and three postseason berths during his time in Nashville. It is worth wondering if he is onboard with a rebuild.
Some around the league expect the Patriots and Bears to be connected to Vrabel, in the event this situation leads to actual trade talks, La Canfora adds. A first-round pick has been floated as a potential cost for Vrabel, who steered an injury-riddled Titans team to the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2021. Vrabel has obvious history with the Patriots, who made him part of their historic 2001 free agency class and employed him for eight seasons. Bill Belichick is not certain to be gone from New England this year, though La Canfora points to a divorce still being in the cards. Given his ties to the organization, Vrabel would represent an obvious fit as a Belichick replacement. Though, that would obviously complicate the Pats’ relationship with potential successor Jerod Mayo.
The Bears are expected to retain GM Ryan Poles, whose first two seasons with the Chiefs — under GM Scott Pioli, a top Belichick lieutenant when Vrabel signed with the Patriots — doubled as Vrabel’s last two as an NFL player. The Chiefs acquired Vrabel as part of the Matt Cassel tag-and-trade transaction in 2009; Poles moved into a college scouting director role in 2010, Vrabel’s final season. Unless the Bears trade the No. 1 overall pick once again and pick up another trove of assets, it is somewhat difficult to see them parting with one of their two first-rounders for Vrabel in an attempt to upgrade on Matt Eberflus. Though, the minor connection between Poles and Vrabel is noteworthy.
Carthon being kept over Vrabel in Tennessee would be a fascinating development and one that would, considering the latter’s success, conceivably turn up the heat on the GM early in his Titans tenure. The nucleus from Vrabel’s playoff teams has splintered a bit, and Ryan Tannehill appears headed out the door soon. Derrick Henry, who appeared in trade rumors this season, may follow as a UFA-to-be.
It is too soon to know if the Titans would seriously entertain trading their head coach and giving Carthon his pick of the next one, but a definitive answer will come soon.
Georgia TE Brock Bowers To Enter Draft
Widely regarded as the top tight end prospect eligible for the 2024 draft, Brock Bowers made it official Tuesday night. The Georgia pass catcher announced (via Instagram) he will leave school early and prepare for the NFL.
Bowers has been an impact player at Georgia for three years, helping the Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships as an underclassman. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board slots Bowers at No. 5, putting him in position to potentially be the second skill-position player — behind wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., assuming he declares — selected in 2024.
Putting together a prolific resume during his three seasons at Georgia, Bowers is poised to become the latest tight end to be drafted in the top 10. Only Kyle Pitts and T.J. Hockenson have accomplished this over the past nine drafts.
The 6-foot-4 tight end scored 26 touchdowns during his run at the SEC powerhouse. Bowers topped 700 receiving yards in each of his three seasons, doing so in 2023 despite missing time with an ankle injury. As a freshman in 2021, Bowers scored 13 TDs and posted 882 receiving yards. As a sophomore, he produced a career-high 942 yards.
Although Darnell Washington became a third-round Steelers draftee last season, Bowers resided as the Bulldogs’ top tight end throughout his career. None of Georgia’s wideouts during the two national championship-winning seasons rivaled Bowers’ place in the aerial pecking order, either. College tight ends do not make a habit of being their team’s unquestioned top target, but Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving by more than 150 yards in 2021 and ’22. Bowers’ October ankle surgery, from which he returned later in the season, did not prevent him from leading the Bulldogs in receiving for a third straight year. He will be a sought-after player early in the 2024 draft.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/24
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: LB Caleb Johnson
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S Jeremy Lucien
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: RB Mike Boone, K Matthew Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Sam Kamara
- Released: G Joey Fisher, P Matt Haack
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Johnny Lumpkin
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Anthony Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DT Matt Dickerson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Cole Fotheringham
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Dresser Winn
- Released: LS Alex Matheson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: G Colby Gossett
- Released: WR Jontre Kirklin
New York Jets
- Released: G Rodger Saffold
Washington Commanders
- Signed: WR Davion Davis, CB D’Angelo Mandell, CB Jace Whittaker
Teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts Jan. 8. P-squad contracts expire seven days after the regular season concludes, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reminds teams are not limited regarding the number of times they can elevate a player from a taxi squad during the playoffs. In the regular season, players are capped at three gameday elevations.
The Panthers are expected to sign Boone to a futures deal next week, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. After three years with the Vikings and two with the Broncos, Boone played in nine games with the Texans this season. As for Wright, this marks a reunion. While Wright’s first Panthers stay did not last long (Aug. 26-30), Carolina may need him due to Eddy Pineiro‘s hamstring injury.
Amid the Jets’ wave of O-line injuries, they signed Saffold. While the former Rams, Titans and Bills starter was with the Jets for several weeks, he did not see any game action in his 14th NFL season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/24
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: WR Jonathan Mingo
- Signed from practice squad: G J.D. DiRenzo
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed from practice squad: WR Juwann Winfree
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed from practice squad: WR Tyler Johnson
- Placed on IR: CB Shaun Jolly
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: OL Tyre Phillips (story)
A foot injury will end Mingo’s season a game early. Struggling with drops as a rookie, Mingo will finish his season averaging 9.7 yards per catch (43/418). The No. 39 overall pick’s rookie contract runs through 2026.
NFL Fines Panthers Owner David Tepper
A camera caught David Tepper appearing to throw a drink at a fan from his box seat Sunday in Jacksonville. The NFL has since levied a fine against the Panthers owner, whose reputation has taken some hits as of late.
The league fined Tepper $300K for “unacceptable conduct,” NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. While this is not exactly a needle-mover for the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner, it has brought him more attention during a stretch in which questions have arisen about the Panthers’ direction on his watch. Today’s news does, however, spare Tepper a suspension for his actions in Florida.
“All NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways that respect our fans and favorably reflect on their team and the NFL,” the league said in a statement.
This incident, which came after a Bryce Young interception, comes at a key point on the Panthers’ timeline. Tepper fired Frank Reich after 11 games, doing so barely a year after he canned Matt Rhule in-season. Known for impulsive tendencies before the Reich ouster — the earliest a team has fired a coach since 1978 — Tepper has furthered that reputation this year. Reich admitted Tepper is a hands-on owner and said their midweek conversations veered toward the difficult side.
The Panthers are again looking for a new head coach, and Tepper’s actions — compounded by the Panthers’ decision to trade their 2024 first-round pick to move up for Young last year — have probably made their job less desirable. Tepper is widely viewed as the driver of the Panthers’ decision to draft Young over C.J. Stroud. A controversy about plans for a Panthers practice facility also emerged in 2022.
“I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose,” Tepper said in a statement. “I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the League’s discipline for my behavior.”
After Tepper passed on removing Steve Wilks‘ interim tag, he assembled a staff that appeared to pull Young in different directions. Questions about which staffers have Tepper’s ear have also arisen during a turbulent Panthers season, one that has already clinched the Bears the 2024 No. 1 overall pick. Carolina axed QBs coach Josh McCown and running backs coach Duce Staley, reinstalling OC Thomas Brown as the play-caller — after Reich had reclaimed the reins — and giving Jim Caldwell more power. The Panthers have been unable to turn their season around, carrying a minus-171 point differential into Week 18. One more Carolina loss would match the 2001 squad for the most in a season in team history.
The Panthers are seeking another offense-oriented HC and preparing to make an aggressive push to hire Lions OC Ben Johnson, who spurned the team in 2023. It seems likely the next Carolina HC will be well-paid, due to Tepper’s wealth and the blows his reputation has sustained, but will they be able to compete with other HC-needy teams given the state of the franchise?
Jonathan Gannon: ‘No Doubt’ Kyler Murray Is Cardinals’ Franchise QB
Jonathan Gannon has not exactly been hesitant to praise Kyler Murray since taking over as the Cardinals’ head coach. But the second half of Arizona’s season has been framed around seeing how the former Pro Bowler looks in a new offense. More talent around Murray is clearly needed, but the rookie HC is still confident in his triggerman.
When asked during a radio interview with Arizona Sports’ Burns and Gambo Tuesday (via AZCardinsals.com) about Murray’s post-2023 future in Arizona, Gannon said, “There is no doubt No. 1 is our franchise quarterback.” Chuckling at the question of the Cards’ 2024 QB1, Gannon has been consistent in his support for the fifth-year quarterback.
An updated endorsement is necessary not only due to Murray’s run of starts but because of the Cardinals’ draft position. Although their upset win over the Eagles dropped them in the draft order, the team still sits fourth. With neither the Bears nor Commanders — stationed at Nos. 1 and 2 — locked into drafting a quarterback, the Cardinals could have an important decision to make. Nearly a year after trading out of the No. 3 overall draft slot and signing off on a rebuilding year as Murray rehabbed his torn ACL, Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort appear prepared to roll out the dual-threat QB in 2024 as well.
Murray is 3-4 as a starter, tripling the win total the Cardinals accumulated with Josh Dobbs at the helm, and has offered up-and-down work in OC Drew Petzing‘s attack. Murray is averaging just 6.5 yards per attempt. While that is up from his disappointing finale with Kliff Kingsbury, it is well south of his Pro Bowl work from 2020 and 2021. His 64.5% completion rate is also on pace to be the worst since his rookie year. That said, the Cardinals have a bottom-tier skill-position array and figure to be in the market for wide receiver help soon. Marquise Brown is finishing this season on IR; the 2022 trade acquisition will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
The Cardinals’ five-year, $230.5MM Murray extension will be difficult to move in 2024, anyway. Less effusive in praising the QB he inherited, Sean Payton‘s deteriorating relationship with Russell Wilson is set to key a record-shattering $84.6MM in dead money. Even though that will be spread over two years via a post-June 1 cut, the Broncos’ 2025 end of that total — slated at $55MM — would still eclipse what it would cost the Cardinals to move Murray in 2024. Still, Arizona would be tagged with $46MM in dead money if Murray were traded before June 1. Until the Wilson cut commences, the Falcons’ $40.5MM Matt Ryan dead-money hit resides as the NFL’s single-player record.
The Cards owe Murray an $11.9MM guarantee on March 17 — Day 5 of the 2023 league year — if he is still on the roster; that money covers part of his 2025 salary. The year-out guarantee would stand to drive an early trade, but it would be punitive for the Cardinals. And it does not appear Arizona will consider it.
While it is too early to call the Steve Keim-era investment a lock to remain with the now-Ossenfort-led Cardinals in the long term, Gannon continues to insist the former No. 1 overall pick is not leaving the desert in 2024.
Lions Waive DL Isaiah Buggs
Alim McNeill is eligible to come off injured reserve this week, and Dan Campbell said the ascending interior defensive lineman has a chance to do so. While McNeill has not been designated for return yet, the Lions made another move that points to that happening soon.
Detroit is waiving veteran D-tackle Isaiah Buggs, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Thanking the city of Detroit, Buggs said this departure is best for him. This could point to Buggs having asked to be cut. It is rather interesting the Lions will cut a player who has been a regular with McNeill out, but Buggs had been a healthy scratch during points prior to McNeill’s injury.
The Lions gave Buggs two one-year contracts over the past two offseasons, adding him initially in July 2022 and circling back in March 2023. This cut is also interesting given Buggs’ two-year deal. The Lions had him signed through 2024 on a two-year, $4.5MM pact. That deal came with $2.1MM fully guaranteed, but no guaranteed money remains on the contract beyond this season. If no team claims the fifth-year veteran by Wednesday, the Lions would owe Buggs only one more game check on this accord. For waiver purposes, the Alabama alum is due a $2.1MM base salary next season.
Buggs, 27, has been active for 10 games this season. In those contests, he has played 40% of Detroit’s defensive snaps, working ahead of third-round rookie Brodric Martin, who has seen action in just three games. Pro Football Focus views this season as Buggs’ most productive work. The advanced metrics site slots the former Steeler as a mid-pack interior D-lineman (60th overall) this season. Buggs made 13 starts last year, racking up a career-high 46 tackles and 10 QB hits. This season, those numbers are way down (12, 1).
McNeill suffered a knee sprain in early December, but the emerging third-year talent had been viewed as likely to come back this season. Without McNeill, the Lions have used John Cominsky, Benito Jones, Levi Onwuzurike as D-line regulars this season. Buggs represents a decent depth piece, but the NFC North champions will move forward without him.
The Buggs move is now official, while the Lions also announced they re-signed fullback Jason Cabinda to their practice squad. Despite using an IR activation on Cabinda last week, the Lions waived him. Clearing waivers will keep Cabinda in Detroit. The Lions are soon set to use two more of their remaining IR activations on McNeill and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, with the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers noting the team has an open roster spot thanks to the Buggs cut. Detroit has four IR-return moves remaining.
Latest On Patriots, Bill Belichick
Prior to pushing the Bills in Week 17, the Patriots derailed the Broncos to bring a simmering Russell Wilson storyline to the surface. Reported to be heading toward a Bill Belichick divorce, the Patriots have a rather important decision to make in the coming days.
Robert Kraft is believed to want to avoid firing his six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, leading to rampant trade speculation. A trade would complicate matters for all parties, placing Belichick in limbo in an age range in which no head coach has ever landed a job. The 71-year-old HC/de facto GM’s accomplishments obviously lap every other candidate on the 2024 carousel, but the topic of Belichick the GM will be a component in Pats talks with other teams — assuming those transpire.
[RELATED: Will Chargers Pursue Belichick In Trade?]
As of Sunday, however, Belichick and Kraft are not believed to have discussed plans beyond this season, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, who report a scenario still exists in which the longtime HC stays with the Patriots for a 25th season.
Belichick, who will turn 72 in April, is not planning to retire. Eager to break Don Shula‘s record for career wins (347), Belichick is 14 behind the Hall of Famer. Because of the Pats’ 2023 struggles, the 2024 season does not represent a realistic window for that record to change hands. The ’25 season probably does, but Belichick’s status is certainly up in the air for that season. He is believed to be under contract through the ’24 season, but not much has emerged indicating which way this will go in recent days.
The prospect of Belichick ceding personnel power to another voice in New England’s building is worth discussing, as the Patriots do not have an upper-echelon roster. Draft mistakes have left the team, on offense in particular, with glaring deficiencies. Belichick’s defensive acumen has helped the Pats compensate for the losses of Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez, but the team has made errors in assembling its roster since its Super Bowl LIII win. As for Belichick focusing on an HC-only role with the Pats, SI.com’s Albert Breer is not of the belief that will be a workable scenario for someone who has held full control during his second stint with the organization.
Kraft could be put to a seminal test soon, and the fast-paced nature of the HC carousel will be an issue for any team interested in Belichick as well. The Patriots are unlikely to fetch a first-round pick for Belichick. No team has ever hired a head coach older than 66, and the Belichick-as-GM element will undoubtedly be an issue for clubs interested in acquiring him as a head coach. If Belichick wants to continue as an NFL HC, he might need to agree to a high-level personnel exec either joining the Patriots or working alongside such a staffer in another city.
Linked on numerous occasions to playing a key role in the Jimmy Garoppolo trade six years ago, Kraft does not want a Belichick divorce to remind of Tom Brady‘s departure in free agency, per Rapoport and Pelissero, who note the longtime owner has consulted with many about how to proceed here. A firing is not viewed as likely.
Although Belichick is not believed to want to leave Foxborough, he would presumably want freedom to either seek a trade or become a coaching free agent if Kraft determines his time is up in New England. It remains to be seen how the owner will play this, and we would seem to be days away from finding out.
Coaching/Front Office Notes: Commanders, Moore, Desai, Eagles, Evero, Jets
Ron Rivera almost definitely has one more game remaining as Commanders HC. While Martin Mayhew‘s Washington GM future may also consist of just one more contest, that is a bit less certain. Mayhew’s status aside, new owner Josh Harris is expected to consider updating the team’s power structure. Dan Snyder‘s successor will likely look into adding a president of football operations to oversee both the GM and HC, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero indicate.
Washington has adjusted its power structure on multiple occasions over the past several years. Rivera held personnel power essentially by himself in 2020, with the franchise waiting until 2021 to bring in a GM (Mayhew). Rivera arrived after Bruce Allen‘s 10-year tenure as team president. Allen’s final years did not feature a GM, as the franchise fired Scot McCloughan after two years in the role. The Harris-owned 76ers have Daryl Morey overseeing GM Elton Brand and HC Nick Nurse, though many NFL teams give GMs full control. If the Commanders are to hire both a GM and an executive to oversee that position, top GM candidates will naturally be less interested in the job. Harris is not believed to be interested in giving a head coach full autonomy.
Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:
- Signs the Eagles would demote DC Sean Desai were evident weeks before Nick Sirianni made the call. Sirianni chipped away at Desai’s authority by removing his final say of third-down game planning, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. This occurred between the Eagles’ losses to the 49ers and Cowboys, per McLane, who adds Desai is planning to finish out the season with Philadelphia. The team’s switch to Patricia has not moved the needle, as the Eagles endured an ugly loss to the Cardinals — one that likely cost the team the NFC East title. The Eagles, who were initially expecting to retain Jonathan Gannon for a third season, figure to be in the market for a new DC in the offseason.
- Defensive coordinator on a bad team for a second straight season, Ejiro Evero does not appear to have seen his stock dinged much by the Panthers‘ 2023 performance. After we heard an arrangement in which the Panthers retain Evero as DC under a new coach is likely to be considered, Rapoport and Pelissero note Evero should be expected to receive an HC interview with the team. Of course, David Tepper has been again linked to another pursuit of an offense-oriented coach. Tepper’s uninspiring 2023, which looks to have ended with the owner tossing a drink at a fan in Jacksonville, could certainly have an impact on the caliber of candidates interested in the Carolina job. High-end option Ben Johnson already turned down the team in 2023, but the Lions’ OC is again in the Panthers’ sights.
- The Chargers do not look to be interested in either of their coordinators for the HC job. Despite previously being an HC interviewee, Bolts OC Kellen Moore is unlikely to be considered for the organization’s top coaching job, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper (subscription required). Justin Herbert failed to take notable steps forward under the ex-Cowboys play-caller, who admittedly dealt with injury trouble — along with center Corey Linsley‘s early-season placement on the reserve/NFI list — in his first season in Los Angeles. It will be interesting to see if Moore — hired within a day after his Cowboys exit — will land another OC gig for 2024.
- The Jets are giving their HC and GM a mulligan for 2023, but Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline offers that staff changes should still be likely to commence. O-line coach Keith Carter‘s job appears in jeopardy, per Pauline, who adds the ex-Titans O-line coach’s hire raised eyebrows at the Senior Bowl last year. Pro Football Focus ranks the Jets’ O-line 32nd, though it has seen injuries — including Alijah Vera-Tucker‘s season-ending malady in October — make a significant impact. Robert Saleh will be on the hot seat in 2024, and while Nathaniel Hackett is expected to stay, one of his lieutenants may not survive this disappointing season.