Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/21
We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: K Joey Slye (ERFA)
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: OL Nick Harris (knee)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DE Michael Danna
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived/injured: K Kai Forbath
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: FB Michael Burton, RB Latavius Murray, RB Dwayne Washington
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released from IR: CB Kevon Seymour
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: LS Colin Holba
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to active roster: TE Luke Willson
- Placed on IR: DB Jayson Stanley
Trevor Lawrence Declares For 2021 NFL Draft
No surprise here. On Wednesday, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence formally declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. 
“I’ll look back at these three years and have the best memories,” Lawrence said (Twitter link). “I really feel like I’m a man now and I’m ready to take on those challenges. Just super excited for life ahead. The best is always yet to come, but I’m grateful for Clemson and I’m going to miss it.”
As the projected No. 1 overall pick, Lawrence long seemed ticketed for the Jets. But, with some late-season signs of life, the Jets ceded the league’s cellar to the Jaguars. There are other noteworthy passers in this class — including Ohio State’s Justin Fields — but none compare to Lawrence, who is viewed as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck.
“Looking back on it, I hope my legacy is that I was a great teammate and a great person overall, more than how I played,” Lawrence said. “It’s how I treated people. I want that to be the main thing I’m known for.”
Lawrence threw for 3,153 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions in his final season. And, with 69.2% of his passes completed, he finished as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, despite losing time to injury. The Jaguars will explore other prospects for the No. 1 overall pick, but it would be a stunner to see them take anyone other than Lawrence.
Dolphins OC Chan Gailey Resigns
Chan Gailey will not return to the Dolphins, per a club announcement. The offensive coordinator has resigned, ending his second tenure with the franchise. 
“I want to thank Chan for all of his hard work and dedication in what was a unique year,” Head Coach Brian Flores said. “He played an important role on the staff and in the development of our young roster. I wish him all the best.”
Flores will move on to his third offensive coordinator in his third year has the Dolphins’ head coach. He sacked Chad O’Shea after 2019. This time around, Gailey was widely criticized for his inability to develop Tua Tagovailoa. Sunday’s disastrous performance didn’t help Gailey’s case as the rookie tossed three interceptions in the loss to Buffalo. The Dolphins of course took a big step forward in 2020, but that was more due to the progression of the defense than the offense.
It’s not immediately clear if Gailey — who turned 69 on Tuesday — will continue coaching. He’s been an NFL lifer, first breaking into the league as the Broncos’ tight ends coach all the way back in 1985. It might not surprise you to learn a lot of the criticism has centered around his old-school ways. Still, he’s held a number of big time jobs, including when he was head coach of the Bills from 2010-12. He was also the head coach of the Cowboys from 1998-99, and spent 2015-16 as the Jets’ OC. He retired after that 2016 season, and spent the next few years out of football before Flores brought him back.
Flores obviously isn’t going anywhere, but as a defensive coach, he now has a big decision ahead of him. Cycling through coordinators like this isn’t ideal, and the team needs to decide whether Tagovailoa is the long-term answer or if they need to start from scratch.
Andrew Ortenberg contributed to this post.
Chargers To Interview Matt Eberflus
Make it three teams for Matt Eberflus. The Chargers plan to interview Colts defensive coordinator for their head coaching vacancy, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
[RELATED: Jets, Texans To Interview Eberflus]
Eberflus has also drawn the attention of the Jets and Texans, signaling that he could be poised to climb the ladder. Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is also on the Bolts’ radar; ditto for Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
There’s some belief that the Chargers will look for an offensive-minded coach to groom quarterback Justin Herbert and deviate from the previous administration, but Eberflus comes with credentials. When he arrived in Indy (originally as the chosen lieutenant of Josh McDaniels), the Colts had one of the league’s worst defenses. They’ve made strides with Eberflus, managing to rank eighth in total defense in 2020. If the wheels didn’t come off towards the end of the year, they would have placed even higher.
Eberflus has been eyeing a head coaching opportunity for some time now, and the Chargers job could give him a chance to make an immediate mark in the league. The Bolts were a sub-.500 team in 2020, but they easily could have been a playoff team with a healthy roster and fewer managerial mistakes.
Giants To Keep Dave Gettleman
The Giants will be making plenty of changes this offseason, but they’re standing pat with their GM. Dave Gettleman will return in 2021, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. 
Gettleman, 70 in February, is heading into his fourth year as the Giants’ GM. The team’s 6-10 record might have fallen short of summertime hopes, but they nearly qualified for the playoffs thanks to the state of the NFC East. Their record also showed at least some progress from 2019, when they finished 4-12.
The Giants were more encouraged by Gettleman’s wins in the spring. Cornerback James Bradberry, linebacker Blake Martinez, and defensive back Logan Ryan all proved to be savvy pickups. Meanwhile, the veteran GM was vindicated for his expensive gamble on defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who finished 2020 with a career-best 11.5 sacks.
Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge will now be tasked with evaluating the rest of the locker room and coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett‘s status remains murky after Daniel Jones‘ disappointing season, though things probably would have been better with Saquon Barkley in the lineup. Meanwhile, they’ll have some in-house accounting to do — this year’s free agent class features Williams and Barkley is eligible for an extension.
Jaguars Request Raheem Morris Interview
The Jaguars have requested an interview with Raheem Morris, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The Falcons’ interim head coach is also up for the job in Atlanta, but he may have better odds elsewhere.
[RELATED: Latest On Urban Meyer]
Morris began the year as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator before taking over for Dan Quinn midway through the year. After he took over, the Falcons posted a 4-7 record and showed some signs of improvement. Between that and his time with the Bucs, he has a lifetime 21-38 record as a head coach.
Much of the chatter surrounding the Jaguars’ vacancy has been centered around Urban Meyer. But, depending on who you ask, the big-name college coach may be seeking upwards of $12MM per year to jump to the pros. Also, there’s still a chance that he could pass on the chance to jump to the NFL, or that someone like Morris could shine brighter throughout the process.
The Jaguars are also looking at 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as well as Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. And, at the same time, they’re in the midst of their GM search. On Tuesday morning, former Browns GM Ray Farmer became the latest name in that group.
Browns Joel Bitonio, Kevin Stefanski Test Positive For COVID-19
The Browns are going to the playoffs, but they’ll be without some of their key cast members. Head coach Kevin Stefanski and left guard Joel Bitonio have both tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge has also tested positive with five cases in total from the latest round. 
The Browns-Steelers game is still scheduled to go ahead, with the belief that the Browns’ newest cases are the result of community spread, rather than a full-on facility outbreak. With Stefanski keeping his distance, special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as the acting head coach. Meanwhile, Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is expected to call the plays.
Bitonio, of course, is a big loss for the Browns. The three-time Pro Bowler has been a rock throughout his seven-year career, despite constant instability in Cleveland. This year, he’s continued his excellent work while mentoring promising rookie Jedrick Wills. In his place, the Browns will be forced to turn to Michael Dunn or rookie Nick Harris — neither backup can block like Bitonio.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/21
We’ll keep track of the latest reserve/futures deals here:
Carolina Panthers
- LB Daniel Bituli, WR Ventell Bryant, DB Sean Chandler, WR Amara Darboh, G Mike Horton, WR Ishmael Hyman, LB Clay Johnston, WR Marken Michel, G Aaron Monteiro, LB Chris Orr, DT Mike Panasiuk, TE Giovanni Ricci, C Sam Tecklenburg
Dallas Cowboys
- OT Isaac Alarcon, WR Aaron Parker, WR Jon’Vea Johnson, C Adam Redmond, C Marcus Henry, TE Cole Hikutini, WR Chris Lacy, DT Walter Palmore, CB Kemon Hall, LB Ladarius Hamilton, QB Cooper Rush
Denver Broncos
- OT Quinn Bailey, WR Trinity Benson, WR Fred Brown, S Chris Cooper, RB Damarea Crockett, FB Jeremy Cox, WR/QB Kendall Hinton, TE Jordan Leggett, OT Darrin Paulo, DT Deyon Sizer
Houston Texans
- OL Cohl Cabral, LB Curtis Bolton, LS Anthony Kukwa, CB Brandon Williams, WR J’Mon Moore, OL Beau Benzschawel
Minnesota Vikings
- CB Tae Hayes, OL Zack Bailey, TE Brandon Dillon, OL Blake Brandel, FB Jake Bargas, S Luther Kirk, CB Cordrea Tankersley, QB Jake Browning, QB Nate Stanley
New England Patriots
- K Roberto Aguayo, QB Jake Dolegala, DT Bill Murray, G Ross Reynolds, K Justin Rohrwasser, CB D’Angelo Ross, WR Devin Smith, DT Nick Thurman, WR Kristian Wilkerson, WR Isaiah Zuber
New York Giants
- QB Alex Tanney, CB Quincy Wilson, WR Alex Bachman, LB Trent Harris, DB Montre Hartage, DB Jarren Williams, LS Carson Tinker, G Kenny Wiggins, TE Rysen John, RB Taquan Mizzell, DT David Moa, G Chad Slade, QB Clayton Thorson
New York Jets
- TE Connor Davis, LB Noah Dawkins, K Sam Ficken, RB Pete Guerriero, DB Zane Lewis, WR Josh Malone, WR D.J. Montgomery, WR Jaleel Scott, QB Mike White
Philadelphia Eagles
- Deontay Burnett, WR Hakeem Butler, WR Blake Countess, DT Treyvon Hester, CB Lavert Hill, RB Elijah Holyfield, CB Jameson Houston, DE Matt Leo, DE Joe Ostman
San Francisco 49ers
- CB Adonis Alexander, DL Josiah Coatney, S Chris Edwards, LB Jonas Griffith, DL Daeshon Hall, CB Tim Harris Jr., FB Josh Hokit, WR Jauan Jennings, DB Obi Melifonwu, WR Austin Proehl, OL Dakoda Shepley, WR Kevin White, OL Isaiah Williams
Jets’ Frank Gore May Continue Playing
Frank Gore isn’t quite ready to call it quits. The 37-year-old Jets running back says he hasn’t made a decision on whether or not to retire, as Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press tweets. 
“I still have fun playing football,” Gore said.
Gore capped his 16th year in the league with 16,000 career rushing yards. He finished the season on injured reserve, but he saw time in all 15 of the Jets’ previous games. It wasn’t a banner year for Gang Green, but Gore proved that he can still play. All in all, Gore notched 653 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He also managed six grabs for 89 receiving yards.
Gore has been an NFL ironman, in every sense of the word. The Week 17 absence marked Gore’s third missed game in the past ten years. He’s not as spry as he used to be — he averaged just 3.5 yards per tote in 2020 — but coaches around the league admire his toughness. The Jets and Raiders didn’t balk at his age last year, so it’s possible that they’ll reconnect with him this year.
Chargers Request Eric Bieniemy Interview
The Chargers have requested permission to interview Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their head coaching job, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Lions, Falcons, and Jets are also expected to chat with Bieniemy, who profiles as one of the hottest candidates in this cycle.
The former running back spent four years with the Chargers back in the day and was even with the club for their early 90s Super Bowl trip. These days, he’s known as the mastermind behind one of the game’s most electric offenses. The Chargers are looking for someone to develop Justin Herbert into an elite quarterback, and Bieniemy has been widely credited for Patrick Mahomes‘ success.
In 2020, Bieniemy met with the Browns, Giants, and Panthers about their head coaching vacancies. Last year, he chatted with the Bucs and Dolphins. He didn’t land a HC job either time, but it would be a shock to see him passed over in 2021.
After a losing year full of near-victories, the Chargers are set to pick No. 13 overall in the spring.