Raiders Request GM Interviews With Trey Brown, Terrance Gray; Champ Kelly To Be Interviewed
Two more Raiders GM interview requests have come in. The Raiders are interested in meeting with Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown and Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports.
Brown’s inclusion is interesting due to the Raiders’ past with the young executive. The team met with Brown in 2019 and again in 2022. Gray has not previously interviewed for a GM job. These two AFC staffers join 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters and Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds in being on the Raiders’ list of interview hopefuls. Dodds joined Brown in meeting with Mark Davis and Co. during the 2022 search that produced a Dave Ziegler hire.
When the Raiders met with Brown in 2019, he held the Eagles’ director of college scouting position. Brown, 38, ascended to that job at just 31. He began his run as an NFL scout back in 2010 with the Patriots. Brown held front office positions with two short-lived leagues between his Eagles and Bengals gigs, working with the Alliance of American Football and second XFL iteration. The Bengals promoted Brown to his current post in 2022.
Gray has 20 years’ experience as an NFL staffer, working for the Chiefs and Vikings prior to his recent run with the Bills. Gray logged 11 years in Minnesota, coming up under Rick Spielman through the scouting ranks. Upon taking the Buffalo GM job in 2017, Brandon Beane hired Gray. He has held his director of player personnel title since 2022. Gray will likely meet with the Raiders later this week, per SI.com’s Albert Breer.
The Bills lost their assistant GM, Joe Schoen, to the Giants that year. Considering Buffalo’s success during Beane’s stay, it stands to reason Gray will be a name to watch on the GM interview circuit. While the Bengals saw Joe Burrow‘s injury impede their route back to the playoffs, the team has qualified for two AFC championship games during Brown’s years in Cincinnati.
While these four candidates may all interview, the Raiders will indeed meet with interim GM Champ Kelly, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes. Davis said the team is likely to hire a GM before a head coach, though he indicated that is not a locked-in strategy. Kelly is expected to draw interest from other teams as well. The popular exec had built some momentum during his final weeks in the interim role, with a December report indicating he is more likely to stay than Antonio Pierce.
No Jim Harbaugh-like candidate exists thus far on Las Vegas’ GM interview list, so Kelly may not have the kind of competition Pierce stands to during this process. Though, if the Raiders are serious about Harbaugh, it would be a near certainty they would work with the Michigan HC to pair him with an approved GM. Davis is also considering a president of football operations-type hire that would be in this mix as well, complicating the AFC West franchise’s offseason.
Raiders Request GM Interviews With Ed Dodds, Adam Peters
Ed Dodds is believed to have impressed the Raiders during his 2022 interview for their general manager post. Two years later, the Colts executive could have another chance.
The Raiders requested another meeting with Dodds, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. Additionally, Las Vegas wants to meet with San Francisco assistant GM Adam Peters, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.
Given his role in the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan-era run, Peters has been expected to be a hot commodity for a bit. Dodds’ inclusion here, however, is interesting. Mark Davis was impressed with Dodds during his previous meeting with the Colts’ assistant GM, but he went with a Patriot Way duo. After bailing on the Dave Ziegler–Josh McDaniels pairing midway through its second season in charge, Davis is reassessing once again.
These interview requests come as the league has learned of the team’s interest in Jim Harbaugh. Considering Harbaugh’s past and polarizing reputation among front offices, the Raiders could be set for a complicated search. Michigan’s natural interest in retaining the top-tier college HC will undoubtedly lead to the former 49ers leader setting both a high salary price and seeking to have a significant say in personnel matters. Both the Raiders and Chargers have shown steady interest in Harbaugh, who is believed to be intrigued by both jobs.
Dodds has been on Chris Ballard‘s Colts staff for the past seven years. While the Colts struggled for a while to pick up the pieces post-Andrew Luck, they built what has been regarded at points as a high-end talent stable around their evolving cast of QBs. Dodds has been a central figure in Indianapolis and has been part of GM interview cycles previously. In addition to the Raiders’ 2022 interest, Dodds turned down a Bears interview request that year. He interviewed with the Steelers in 2022 and Panthers in 2021.
Like Dodds, Peters has been with his current team since 2017. The 49ers brought him over after an eight-year stay in Denver. Peters also turned down the chance to interview for the Cardinals and Titans’ GM jobs last year. He has been mentioned as a John Lynch heir apparent in San Francisco, but after Lynch turned down Amazon in 2022, it is not known if the Hall of Fame safety-turned-exec is eyeing an exit anytime soon. Peters, whom the 49ers elevated to assistant GM in 2021, collected a Super Bowl ring for his Broncos work. In Denver throughout Peyton Manning‘s stay, Peters did join the Broncos during McDaniels’ short stint. That is certainly relevant due to the Raiders showing interest, but Peters has proven successful for a long time since the Broncos fired McDaniels.
Peters is also set to interview with the Commanders, who present an interesting opportunity due to the team’s league-leading cap-space figure and new ownership being in place. Both the Raiders and Commanders have been connected to being interested in hiring a football ops president-level staffer, which would seemingly reduce the GM’s power. That will be something to monitor, as Davis confirmed recently he is interested in such a position. Interim GM Champ Kelly is also on the radar to stay, so it would be quite surprising if the two-year Raiders staffer did not receive an interview. Kelly, however, is also expected to draw outside interest.
Mutual Interest Between Raiders, Jim Harbaugh; Latest On Antonio Pierce’s Status
This is the third consecutive NFL hiring period to feature extensive Jim Harbaugh return rumblings, but this one is providing louder noise on the subject. Harbaugh hiring NFL agent Don Yee has set off alarm bells ahead of Michigan’s national championship game booking against Washington.
The Chargers and Raiders have been in on Harbaugh for a bit now. While Harbaugh interest in coaching Justin Herbert has surfaced, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz notes a return to the Raiders is also believed to hold appeal for the nine-year Michigan HC. Both AFC West teams appear likely to request interviews with Harbaugh, who can meet with teams before coaches on NFL staffs, who must wait until after the divisional round to go through interviews due to an NFL timetable adjustment to its coaching calendar.
[RELATED: Raiders Interested In Bill Belichick?]
Like the Bolts, Harbaugh has a history with the Raiders. Finishing his on-field playing career with the Chargers in 2000, Harbaugh moved directly into coaching in 2002. The Raiders gave Harbaugh his first gig, hiring him as quarterbacks coach on Bill Callahan‘s staff. Harbaugh stayed two years, moving to the college ranks in 2004. The Raiders were connected to Harbaugh during the hiring period that produced the Josh McDaniels choice as well.
Mark Davis has shown support for Pierce, but the second-generation owner has been tied to taking another big swing to fill this position. Considering Pierce’s limited experience, that checks out. Indeed, Schultz adds Pierce has received internal support but offers that Harbaugh is “at or near the top” of the team’s list. Following the Raiders’ Week 18 win over the Broncos, Davis responded in the affirmative when asked (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) if Pierce met his expectations of leading and delegating effectively, indicating “there is no question about it,” during his interim stretch.
Pierce went 5-4 as Raiders HC, being far more popular among Raider players compared to McDaniels. But his limited experience — and no NFL team opting to keep an interim HC since 2017 (Doug Marrone, Jaguars) — provide an uphill battle.
It will also be interesting to see how much power the Raiders and Chargers would be willing to give Harbaugh, who has multiple Michigan extension offers on the table. With Harbaugh’s interviews with the Vikings (2022) and Broncos (2023) not leading to jobs, Michigan will certainly be prepared to put a full-court press on the popular but polarizing leader should the Raiders and Chargers move aggressively. That would naturally lead to Harbaugh wanting significant say in terms of personnel and front office staffing.
Once the Wolverines’ season wraps tonight, this situation will accelerate. Will Harbaugh, who could be facing additional sanctions in connection with Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, make the move back to the NFL this year?
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
Week 18 is in the books, meaning the top 18 draft slots are locked in going into the offseason. The Commanders, Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers all lost. Only the Bolts changed positions, by virtue of the Giants’ win over the Eagles. The Giants, however, only dropped one spot through their home win.
The Falcons and Saints’ efforts to upend the Buccaneers in the NFC South did not pan out, with Tampa Bay beating two-win Carolina in its regular-season finale. This will keep Atlanta and New Orleans in much better draft positions. Despite finishing 8-9, Tampa Bay now cannot move past No. 19 without a trade.
While the Bears’ seminal decision — Justin Fields or Caleb Williams, seemingly, with all the trade and contract factors that go along with this forthcoming choice — will headline the leadup to this draft, the Commanders have secured the No. 2 selection and will have their own call to make. New owner Josh Harris showed he will help drive his front office to moves that will load up draft capital, as the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades showed, and he is all but certain to hire a new regime in the coming weeks.
The draft’s second-best quarterback will be available to Washington, which saw its Sam Howell wire-to-wire season fail to solidify him as the team’s surefire long-term QB. Will Washington become closely connected to Howell’s North Carolina successor (Drake Maye)? The Commanders’ call will help shape how the Patriots proceed, unless New England — which is also all but certain to move on from Bill Belichick and start anew — completes a trade-up effort.
As the postseason determines the bottom 14 draft slots, here is how the top 18 look after the regular season:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Washington Commanders: 4-13
- New England Patriots: 4-13
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
- New York Giants: 6-11
- Tennessee Titans: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Chicago Bears: 7-10
- New York Jets: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 8-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
- Green Bay Packers: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
- Miami Dolphins: 11-6
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
- Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
Raiders Interim GM Champ Kelly Expected To Draw Interest
The Raiders have put their personnel decisions in the hands of assistant general manager Champ Kelly since the firing of former general manager Dave Ziegler. As much as Las Vegas would like to retain Kelly’s services next year, the NFL mandates that the team open up the job to an extensive search, despite Kelly’s current role as interim GM. That works both ways, though, meaning that other teams will get the opportunity to go after Kelly, as well, and according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kelly will be a popular name among teams with openings at the position.
This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Kelly was considered a top candidate for the Raiders’ position when the team hired Ziegler. Kelly came on as the team’s assistant GM and, together with Ziegler, Las Vegas worked hard to rebuild a defense that had been worn thin and bring in top offensive talent like wide receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. The defense now holds promising players like Robert Spillane, Marcus Epps, and Jack Jones, while youth also blooms on the offensive side of the ball in players like rookie tight end Michael Mayer and rookie wide receiver Tre Tucker.
Still, you can’t praise Kelly for good deeds performed under Ziegler without also tying him to the negative. Ziegler was fired by owner Mark Davis for a reason, even though at times it seemed like that reason was because of his ties to head coach Josh McDaniels. That being said, one of the things that seemed to be a bit of demerit on Ziegler’s record was his and McDaniels’ insistence on stuffing the Vegas roster with former Patriots (Meyers, Brian Hoyer, Jakob Johnson, Brandon Bolden, Jermaine Eluemunor, Justin Herron, and eventually Jimmy Garoppolo), and Kelly holds no connection to New England, perhaps absolving him of that sin.
The Raiders’ in-depth search for their next full-time GM will almost certainly include Kelly as a candidate. Much like head coaching positions, GM jobs are also subject to the Rooney Rules that require a team to interview at least two external candidates that are either a minority or a female. With Kelly being a black executive, he will check off Rooney Rule boxes for any teams he interviews with, making him a potentially even more popular candidate, not to take away from his impressively qualifying resume.
Kelly’s race also plays a part in his potential departure from Vegas. Because he is a minority, the Raiders would be eligible for draft-pick compensation should Kelly be hired by another team, though there is support in the building for him to remain.
Chargers, Raiders “Pressing Hard” For Jim Harbaugh; Commanders, Bears Also Interested
1:37pm: Providing a further update to the Raiders connection in particular, Pauline reports Harbaugh would be interested in having quarterback J.J. McCarthy with him in Vegas in the event he took that job. The latter – whom Harbaugh recently termed the greatest QB in Michigan history – is one of several passers in contention to be selected in the first round of this year’s draft, although he is ranked below the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.
Entering Week 18, the Raiders were on track to hold the No. 11 pick in April’s draft. Plenty will change in that department over the course of the day’s action, but Vegas could be well positioned to add McCarthy or another QB outside the top options on the board. With Jimmy Garoppolo‘s Raiders tenure widely expected to come to an end shortly, the team will have a need for at least a depth addition under center this offseason regardless of who is installed as head coach.
11:33am: Recent reports have suggested that the Raiders and Chargers are the likeliest landing spots for Jim Harbaugh should Harbaugh choose to leave the University of Michigan and return to the professional ranks. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com adds some more fuel to that fire.
Per Pauline, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are “pressing hard” to hire Harbaugh, and there are rumors that both clubs have made initial proposals to Harbaugh’s camp. While Pauline is unable to substantiate those rumors, he does say that rumors suggesting Harbaugh’s decision to hire agent Don Yee gives the Raiders an upper hand in these sweepstakes are true (Yee was the longtime agent for Tom Brady, who is likely to soon become a minority owner of the Raiders and who is a trusted voice for majority owner Mark Davis).
We heard at the end of December that Las Vegas interim head coach Antonio Pierce may stand a good chance of having the interim label removed and becoming the club’s full-time head HC. Subsequent reports, however, suggested that Davis may decide to take another “big swing” as he did with his hires of Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels, and that Davis wants his Sin City outfit to be led by a high-profile coach.
Harbaugh certainly qualifies as a high-profile big swing, as does Bill Belichick, who has also been connected to the Raiders’ post. Harbaugh, whose Wolverines will appear in tomorrow’s CFP National Championship game, may yet elect to remain in Ann Arbor, and he reportedly has multiple extension offers on the table from Michigan (Yee’s hiring, aside from what it might mean for Harbaugh’s NFL hopes, obviously would also assist him in his negotiations with his alma mater). The looming presence of the Wolverines, along with Pauline’s report — which conflicts with earlier reports pegging the Chargers as the frontrunners for Harbaugh’s services — make this race a very difficult one to handicap.
Pauline muddies the waters even further by noting that the Bears and Commanders have also shown signficiant interest in Harbaugh. Just two days ago, Albert Breer of SI.com reported that Harbaugh is an unlikely candidate for Washington, though Pauline points to the team’s five top-100 picks in the 2024 draft and signifciant amount of cap space (roughly $80MM) as factors that sources close to Harbaugh say could draw the former 49ers HC to the nation’s capital. And while Chicago’s recent stretch of quality play has led to the belief that its current head coach, Matt Eberflus, has done enough to keep his job for at least one more season, Pauline says that could change if the Bears believe they have a chance to nab Harbaugh.
Should Harbaugh land an NFL gig in 2024, Pauline names Greg Roman and Willie Taggart as potential key coaching hires. Roman worked under Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, with the Ravens from 2017-22, including a four-year stretch as offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Taggart is currently on Baltimore’s staff as the team’s running backs coach and has a close relationship with both Harbaughs.
Of course, Roman also worked as Jim Harbaugh’s associate head coach at Stanford from 2009-10 and then as his OC with the Niners from 2011-14.
Raiders Eyeing Bill Belichick?
It sounds like we can add another team to the list of potential Bill Belichick suitors. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Raiders are “hoping to get a chance to meet with Belichick” if he’s let go by New England.
[RELATED: Bill Belichick-Patriots Separation Likely To Take Weeks To Finalize]
The Raiders sourced their most recent head coaching hire from New England, although it led to disappointing results. Josh McDaniels didn’t last two seasons in Las Vegas, as he was ousted in late October after starting the season 3-5. The team also fired GM Dave Ziegler, who previously spent close to a decade in New England’s front office.
Belichick would obviously bring a lot more credibility to the role than his former offensive coordinator. However, you have to wonder if Mark Davis and co. would be so willing to hire a Patriots staffer following their recent failure.
The Raiders’ connections to the Patriots go beyond McDaniels and Ziegler. While the move still isn’t approved, Tom Brady is set to become a minority owner of the organization, and there are whispers that he’ll have a say in the team’s next coaching hire. Considering the reported tension between Brady and Belichick at the end of the quarterback’s Patriots tenure, it’d be an interesting development if the new part-owner is willing to recruit his former coach.
Interim head coach Antonio Pierce reportedly has the support of his locker room when it comes to earning the full-time job. However, as Russini notes, Davis has “always made it known” that he wants his Las Vegas franchise to be led by a star name. That’s a reason why Jim Harbaugh could also be a leading candidate for the gig.
Of course, it remains to be seen if Belichick will even leave New England. We learned last night that the potential divorce could take weeks to finalize, and at the very least, it sounds like the respected coach will avoid a Black Monday ouster. A drawn-out separation could limit Belichick’s ability to get a new job, so it’ll be interesting to see how teams like the Raiders navigate their HC search while juggling Belichick’s uncertainty.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/24
The last week of pregame transactions and gameday callups for several teams this season:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Leki Fotu
- Signed to active roster: DL Ben Stille
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, OL Jackson Barton
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: RB Leonard Fournette
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Deonte Brown, K Matthew Wright
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: CB Sidney Jones, WR Stanley Morgan
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Vincent Gray, K Riley Patterson
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: LB Buddy Johnson, S Sheldrick Redwine
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: T Mike McGlinchey
- Activated from IR: T Alex Palczewski
- Signed to active roster: CB Art Green
- Elevated: S Devon Key
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: DL Tyson Alualu, FB Jason Cabinda
Houston Texans
- Elevated: WR Johnny Johnson III
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Jamal Agnew (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Matt Dickerson, QB Chris Oladokun
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: TE Michael Mayer
- Signed to active roster: DT Matthew Butler
- Elevated: WR Keelan Cole, S Jaydon Grant
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: OLB Justin Hollins
- Signed to active roster: OLB Ty Shelby
- Elevated: DT Christopher Hinton, OL Austen Pleasants
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: LB Olakunle Fatukasi, QB Dresser Winn
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: WR Jalen Nailor
- Signed to active roster: WR Lucky Jackson
- Elevated: CB Jaylin Williams, CB Joejuan Williams
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: TE Hunter Henry
- Signed to active roster: TE La’Michael Pettway
- Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: G Tommy Kraemer, RB Jordan Mims
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: S Jason Pinnock
- Signed to active roster: QB Jacob Eason, TE Tyree Jackson
- Elevated: T Yodny Cajuste, K Mason Crosby
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Tristin McCollum
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: TE Ross Dwelley
- Activated from IR: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
- Elevated: S Tayler Hawkins, RB Jeremy McNichols
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: NT Austin Faoliu, NT Matthew Gotel
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: WR Colton Dowell
- Signed to active roster: S Matt Jackson
- Elevated: LB Tae Crowder, CB Kendall Sheffield
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: S Sean Chandler, CB Jace Whittaker
Several teams whose season is set to come to an end tomorrow have elected to move injured players to injured reserve in order to create roster spots for practice squad options, particularly those who have had their three gameday elevations exhausted. In the case of the Broncos, McGlinchey will see his debut campaign in the Mile High City come to a premature end. Signed to a five-year, $87.5MM deal, the 28-year-old was part of a revamped O-line which did not produce the desired rebound on offense. Manning his usual right tackle spot, McGlinchey was charged with eight sacks and 49 pressures allowed by PFF, resulting in an overall grade of 67.5.
While the Giants will have an interesting decision to make with respect to Xavier McKinney‘s future, they will have Pinnock on the books for at least one more season. The latter’s rookie contract is set to expire following the 2024 campaign, one in which he will no doubt remain a vital member of New York’s secondary. Pinnock has recorded 85 tackles, two interceptions (including a 102-yard pick-six), six pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles while logging over 1,000 defensive snaps this season. A return to health and a continuation of his 2023 level of play will be sorely needed next fall.
Staff Rumors: Commanders, Smith, Falcons, Bears, Pierce, Raiders, Giants
Among head coaches, Ron Rivera resides as the only true lock to be fired following Week 18. The Commanders‘ new ownership injects mystery into the upcoming search. Josh Harris has been rumored to be intrigued by a setup in which a football operations president-type figure oversees a GM and head coach, and SI.com’s Albert Breer further points to the owner being unlikely to hand the keys to a high-powered HC. Like Bill Belichick, Breer considers Jim Harbaugh an unlikely candidate in Washington. It is not known if Belichick would require personnel control if he ends up elsewhere, but Harbaugh having the leverage of more Michigan extension offers, it is expected the hard-edged HC would need significant input on the personnel front if he were to return to the NFL. So far, the Chargers have been the team most closely linked to luring him back.
Additionally, Breer notes Harris is intrigued by how the Eagles and Ravens’ power structures are set up. The Commanders hired ex-Ravens analytics staffer Eugene Shen as senior VP of football strategy in the fall. While the Eagles lost four staffers to assistant GM roles in 2022, the Ravens have a GM candidate in player personnel director Joe Hortiz. Baltimore’s OC-DC tandem — Todd Monken and Mike Macdonald — is expected to generate HC interest as well.
Going into Week 18, here is the latest from staffs around the NFL:
- With the Falcons on the doorstep of a third straight 7-10 season, Arthur Smith‘s job status has come up frequently. Vacillating back and forth between being fired or becoming the rare HC to be given a fourth year despite three straight losing seasons, Smith was not exactly given a vote of confidence by Arthur Blank. But the longtime Falcons owner is not believed to be actively seeking changes, per Breer, making it sound like the hope is for Smith and GM Terry Fontenot to show enough to stay on. A one-sided loss to the Saints may well change Blank’s mind. The Falcons can win the NFC South by beating the Saints and the Buccaneers — who also have a coach on the hot seat — losing to the Panthers.
- Ryan Poles is believed to have a good relationship with new Bears president Kevin Warren, being expected to stay on for a third year as GM. Prior to the Bears‘ rout of the Falcons, Matt Eberflus was linked to being in good standing for a third HC season. While expecting both to stay, Breer notes neither Bears power broker has been assured of a return. Warren has been a wild card in this scenario since he was hired, and the former Big Ten commissioner did not confirm publicly when asked Friday (via the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley) if Eberflus would be retained. Eberflus is 10-23 as Bears HC, but the team — which has a rather important quarterback decision to make soon — is 7-5 over its past 12.
- Raiders leaders Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby and Josh Jacobs would back the retention of interim HC Antonio Pierce, but Mark Davis is believed to be aiming higher. After all, Pierce — who resigned his two-year post as Arizona State DC in 2022 — has far less experience than Raiders DC Patrick Graham. But Pierce’s knowledge of the Raiders’ culture and history does appeal to Davis, Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com writes, noting these factors matter considerably to the second-generation owner. No team has bumped an interim leader to the full-time post since the Jaguars elevated Doug Marrone in 2017.
- Giants running backs coach Jeff Nixon is set for a responsibility jump; it will come at the college level. Syracuse hired Nixon as its offensive coordinator Friday. Nixon was in his first season as Giants RBs coach; he had served under Matt Rhule at Baylor and with the Panthers. The Giants hired Nixon last year to replace DeAndre Smith, who left to take the same position with the Colts.
Notable 2024 Pro Bowl Incentives
The NFL released the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters last night. While the annual All-Star event has lost some of its luster (and is eyeing a significant revamping in 2024), a Pro Bowl selection is still a significant accomplishment for many players…especially from a financial standpoint.
There were a number of Pro Bowlers whose selections were tied to contract incentives. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl incentives below:
- OT Terron Armstead, Dolphins: $650K (via Joel Corry of CBS Sports)
- S Budda Baker, Cardinals: $500K (via Corry)
- P AJ Cole, Raiders: $100K (via Corry)
- WR Tyreek Hill, Dolphins: $250K (via Corry)
- FB Alec Ingold, Dolphins: $500K (via Corry)
- LB Bobby Wagner, Seahawks: $750K (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson)
Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick didn’t have a traditional Pro Bowl incentive, but his selection will still result in more money. Per Corry, Reddick’s 2024 base salary will increase by $500K (from $13.75MM to $14.25MM) thanks to the Pro Bowl selection.
A handful of former first-round picks also boosted the value of their fifth-year options by earning their first Pro Bowl nod (via Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus): Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Ravens offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum, Lions offensive lineman Penei Sewell, and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain boosted the value of their fifth-round option to the maximum amount with a second Pro Bowl selection.
Beyond incentives, players also get some cash for just participating in the Pro Bowl event. As Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports writes, players on the winning team will earn $88K, while players on the losing team will get $44K. This even applies to Pro Bowl players who can’t participate since they’re playing in the Super Bowl.