Browns Fire GM John Dorsey
That’s a wrap for John Dorsey. On Tuesday, the Browns and Dorsey agreed to part ways, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Dorsey and owner Jimmy Haslam met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss potential options for moving forward. Reportedly, Haslam was considering a scenario in which Dorsey would stay on board in a restructured front office. That did not work for Dorsey, an executive with decades of experience who has become accustomed to doing things his way.
The Browns hired Dorsey near the end of the 2017 season after firing Sashi Brown. Brown was widely criticized for his decisions in Cleveland, but his future-minded strategy tee’d up Dorsey with tons of fiscal flexibility and draft picks. In two seasons at the helm, Dorsey has not been able to translate those assets into wins. The Browns improved from 0-16 in 2017 (because there’s only one way to go from there), but they only managed a 7-8-1 record in 2018 and a 6-10 mark this year.
On the plus side – Dorsey is responsible for bringing in the likes of quarterback Baker Mayfield, cornerback Denzel Ward, receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and defensive notables Sheldon Richardson and Olivier Vernon. Dorsey hasn’t been perfect, and his selection of Freddie Kitchens as the team’s head coach obviously didn’t pan out, but one could argue that Dorsey has been given a raw deal and not enough time to right the ship.
What’s next for the Browns is anyone’s guess. The club could give more power to chief strategist Paul DePodesta, who transitioned from baseball to football to become one of Haslam’s top consiglieres. Old friend Andrew Berry – who currently serves as Eagles VP of football operations – could also garner consideration for the GM job.
Eagles Sign Elijah Holyfield
The Eagles have signed running back Elijah Holyfield, per a club announcement. He’ll take the place of defensive end Daeshon Hall, who was placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL.
Holyfield is the son of boxing legend Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield. He’s also an accomplished athlete in his own right. In his final season at the University of Georgia, he ran for more than 1,000 yards. Holyfield went undrafted in 2019, however, and had to settle for a taxi squad spot with the Panthers when he was unable to make their Week 1 roster.
Now, Holyfield will provide insurance for the Eagles after Miles Sanders suffered an ankle injury in the season finale. It’s believed that Sanders will be good to go for the playoffs, but now they have some additional depth, just in case.
The Eagles’ playoff fight begins on Sunday, when they face the Seahawks in Philly.
49ers To Sign Earl Mitchell
The 49ers have agreed to sign Earl Mitchell, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). Mitchell will give the 49ers some help on the defensive line following Jullian Taylor‘s knee injury. 
[RELATED: Jullian Taylor Suffers Knee Injury]
Mitchell spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with San Francisco before signing with (and later getting released by) Seattle. The 32-year-old announced his retirement in November, but it turned out to be more of a boxer’s retirement.
Mitchell briefly latched on with the Seahawks this summer, but didn’t stick. Now, he returns to the Niners with a chance to make an impact in the playoffs. To date, Mitchell has appeared in 130 career regular season games with 66 starts.
He’ll have time to get familiar (again) with the 49ers. Thanks to their first-round bye, the Niners’ postseason won’t get underway until the divisional round kicks off on Jan. 11.
Bears Fire OC Mark Helfrich
On Tuesday, the Bears fired offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, along with several other assistants. Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride Jr., and assistant special teams coach Brock Olivo were also handed their pink slips.
Head coach Matt Nagy has a major hand in the team’s offensive philosophy, but he apparently wants a different team to help him carry out his vision. Helfrich came to the Bears after four years as Oregon’s head coach and a stint as a TV analyst. After this so-so run in Chicago, he seems likely to return to the college ranks.
In 2019, the Bears got occasional glimpses from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but, on the whole, the passing offense overwhelmed. Trubisky finished out with 3,138 yards, 17 touchdowns, and ten interceptions, a serious step back from his 2018 showing. He didn’t do much with his feet either – he ran for just 193 yards and two TDs, versus 421 yards and three scores last year.
The offensive line was also porous, which is why Hiestand is also on the job hunt. The Bears figure to shake up the offensive personnel this offseason, though they intend on moving forward with Trubisky as their QB.
Browns, John Dorsey To Part Ways?
The Browns and GM John Dorsey are “leaning towards” parting ways today, sources tell Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, Schefter cautions that the situation is “fluid and not final.” 
[RELATED: Browns Fire Freddie Kitchens]
Dorsey will meet with owner Jimmy Haslam on Tuesday afternoon to hash things out, but all signs are pointing to this being the end of Dorsey’s time in Cleveland. Days after firing Freddie Kitchens – who got just one season at the helm – the Browns could be on the verge of cleaning house.
Shortly after word of Kitchens’ dismissal broke, Dorsey released a statement indicating that he was staying put. Soon, we’ll know whether that’s the case.
Dorsey joined the Browns in 2017 and his lofty resume led to high expectations off the bat. So far, those expectations have not been met – the Browns finished 6-9 in 2019, despite having one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Baker Mayfield and acquiring superstar receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Technically, it’s an upgrade over the Browns’ winless 2017 season, but that’s not quite enough to satisfy the Browns’ restless fans or ownership.
NFL Bans Rolando McClain
The NFL has banned Rolando McClain indefinitely, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter link). McClain was conditionally reinstated in September and quickly released by the Cowboys, making him a free agent. This latest setback may kick him out of football for good. 
McClain, a talented former first-round pick of the Raiders, has battled off-the-field demons for years. The Cowboys gambled on him after the Raiders gave up on him and, for a period, that gamble paid off. After years away from the game, the Cowboys decided that he was not worth the trouble and we didn’t hear much about him during the 2019 season.
In 2014, the Cowboys acquired McClain via trade and used him in 13 games. He finished that season with 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. After that, he was hit with his first – but not last – NFL suspension. In 2015, he was limited to just eleven games, though he still tallied 80 tackles and a pair of sacks.
After signing another one-year deal with the Cowboys during the 2016 offseason, McClain was handed a ten-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He then failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. After his third ban in two years, McClain was cuffed on a 2017 arrest for firearm and drug charges.
J.K. Dobbins Enters NFL Draft
J.K. Dobbins is going pro. On Monday, the Ohio State running back announced that he’ll forego his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft. 
[RELATED: Jacob Eason Enters NFL Draft]
With that, the already deep 2020 running back crop has become even more stacked. This year, Dobbins became the school’s first player to break 2,000 yards in a single season, topping Eddie George’s single-season rushing record. Before that, he eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in each of his previous campaigns.
Dobbins is no stranger to the limelight, either. He was a four-star prospect combing out of La Grange High School, despite missing most of his senior season with an ankle injury. Dobbins, who offers serious power at 5’10” (or, perhaps, 5’9″), is true stud and profiles as a strong first-round candidate for April.
Other top running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft class include Georgia’s D’Andre Swift, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Alabama’s Najee Harris, and Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard.
Giants To Interview Kris Richard
Cowboys passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard is scheduled to interview with the Giants for their head coach vacancy on Thursday, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Richard, who was a finalist for the Dolphins’ job last year, could get a chance to run his own show. 
Richard served as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator for three seasons before his dismissal after the 2017 campaign. Since then, he’s been in Dallas, where he’s been rumored to be the heir apparent to DC Rod Marinelli.
Of course, everything is in flux for the Cowboys after they finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs. If Jason Garrett is fired, that could mean a move or two up the ladder for Richard. Or, it could mean that Richard will be out of a job altogether.
In addition to the aforementioned Dolphins interview, Richard also interviewed with the Jets and Bucs in the last cycle. This year, the Cowboys finished No. 9 in total defense and No. 11 in points allowed.
Packers, Aaron Rodgers Rework Deal
The Packers carved out some future cap room on Friday, with some help from Aaron Rodgers. The quarterback agreed to convert $14.26MM of his $19.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, which allows the club to prorate the hit over five seasons, including 2019 (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). 
It’s a common move in the NFL – Yates notes that the Lions recently agreed to a similar adjustment with Matthew Stafford‘s 2020 roster bonus, which was slated to count for $6MM against the cap.
With the move, the Packers have carved out $11.4MM in cap space for 2020. The Lions, meanwhile, have $4.8MM to work with.
Rodgers is signed through the 2023 season thanks to the four-year, $134MM extension he inked with the Packers just prior to the 2018 season. Before the deal was revised, his contract was slated to count for more than 16% of the Packers cap next year.
With a little extra breathing room, the Packers will have more dollars to fortify their roster on the open market and retain key players, including right tackle Bryan Bulaga and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Saints Audition Maurice Harris
Antonio Brown wasn’t the only wide receiver showing his stuff for the Saints on Friday. Brown and Maurice Harris were among six WRs auditioning for the team, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Saints To Work Out Antonio Brown]
Head coach Sean Payton is aiming to update his WR list for the playoffs, in case any receivers are lost to injury, Schefter hears. That may or may not be an indicator for Brown’s chances of landing a deal. Granted, even if Brown is signed, the league office may step in and keep him off the field by placing him on the Commissioner’s List.
Harris, 27, doesn’t offer the same kind of upside as Brown, but he would come without any of the aforementioned complications. The former UDFA had his first productive pro season in 2018, though he hasn’t had a gig since getting cut by the Patriots back in August. Last year, with the Redskins, Harris caught 28 passes for 304 yards across 12 games.
It stands to reason that the Saints will sign at least one receiver in the coming days. Just this week, the club was forced to place Krishawn Hogan on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.