Panthers, Titans Coaching Updates
There’s been a few updates with respect to the changes in the Panthers’ and Titans’ coaching staffs. The largest change so far, of course, is the hiring of Ben McAdoo as offensive coordinator for Carolina. On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed that the team has made that hire official (Twitter link). 
The 44-year-old comes in with a successful background at the OC level, having helped the Giants to top-ten rankings in 2014 and 2015. That earned him the head coaching position in New York, although it certainly didn’t end the way he would have wanted. Still, there are high hopes he can turn around a Panthers offense that struggled mightily in 2021, leading to the mid-season firing of Joe Brady.
Meanwhile, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reported that Carolina is conducting a second interview with Chris Tabor for the special teams coordinator vacancy. The Panthers fired Chase Blackburn earlier this month, and already met with Tabor, who has previously been a ST coordinator with the Browns and Bears. Unlike the first interview, this one will take place in person. Alper notes that the Panthers had offered the job to current Giants ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey, “but the two sides could not agree on a contract”.
As for the Titans, the disappointing loss on Saturday has led to at least four changes on their staff. As Sport Illustrated’s John Glennon tweets, the coaches being let go include: inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett, assistant defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, assistant ST coach Matt Edwards and assistant strength and conditioning coach Mondray Gee. Tennessee finished the year atop the AFC, but lost in their opening playoff game for the second straight season.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/24/22
Here are Monday’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
- DT Brandin Bryant, OL Jacob Capra, WR Tanner Gentry , LB Joe Giles-Harris, CB Olaijah Griffin (two-year deal), CB Tim Harris, WR Isaiah Hodgins , DE Mike Love, CB Nick McCloud, TE Quintin Morris, S Josh Thomas
New Orleans Saints
- RB Josh Adams, WR Kirk Merritt
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- K Jose Borregales, RB Kenjon Barner, TE Codey McElroy, G John Molchon, OLB Elijah Ponder, DL Benning Potoa’e, DL Willington Previlon, DL Kobe Smith, CB Rashard Robinson, S Troy Warner
Tennessee Titans
- S Jamal Carter, OL Christian DiLauro, TE Austin Fort, OL Derwin Gray, QB Kevin Hogan, WR Cody Hollister, LB Joe Jones, WR Mason Kinsey, OL Daniel Munyer, OL Jordan Roos, LB Tuzar Skipper
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/24/22
Today’s minor moves around the NFL:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Josh Gordon (story)
- Activated from IR: DT Khalen Saunders
Chiefs Waive Josh Gordon, Intend To Sign Him To PS
The Chiefs announced that they are waiving wide receiver Josh Gordon. However, they intend to re-sign him to the Practice Squad in the event he isn’t claimed by another team (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). 
Gordon signed with the Chiefs in September in an attempt to make another NFL comeback. He began on the taxi squad, allowing him time to get comfortable with the team’s playbook, before getting elevated to the 53-man roster for the first time in Week 5.
His time in Kansas City represented the first NFL action he had seen since December 2019. That year concluded with a five-game stint in Seattle, which wasn’t nearly as productive as his 17 games (split across two seasons) with the Patriots before, which saw him post 60 catches for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns. The 30-year-old appeared in 12 regular season games with Kansas City, totalling five catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Gordon has played a full season only once – his rookie season in 2012 with the Browns. The following year showed everyone why he had so much potential, as he posted 1,646 receiving yards en route to All-Pro honors. Since then, he has been in and out of the league, bouncing around to four different teams. For now, assuming he isn’t claimed, he will look to provide experienced wide receiver depth for the Chiefs as they prepare to host a fourth consecutive AFC Championship game.
Steelers DC Keith Butler To Retire
The Steelers are not planning to replace their offensive coordinator, but they will have a new defensive leader next season. Longtime DC Keith Butler informed the team he is retiring, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Butler has been in place as Pittsburgh’s DC since Dick LeBeau‘s 2015 exit. The Steelers delivered up-and-down work during Butler’s tenure, but they had trended upward during the second half of his stay. Butler, 65, has been with the Steelers since 2003, working as the team’s linebackers coach for over a decade prior to his promotion. The Steelers had given Butler a one-year extension in 2021.
A former Seahawks starting linebacker in the 1970s and ’80s, Butler has been an NFL assistant since 1999, when he broke into the league as linebackers coach for the expansion Browns team. In Butler’s 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, he oversaw the work of numerous standout linebackers — from James Harrison to LaMarr Woodley to Ryan Shazier to T.J. Watt — and was part of three Super Bowl staffs as a position coach.
While the Steelers’ defense came up short in some home playoff spots during Butler’s tenure, the unit also did plenty to help the team into postseason fields in recent years. The Steelers remain on a stellar streak in the sack department, having led the NFL in this category five seasons running. This year, Pittsburgh’s 55 sacks — an NFL-record-tying 22.5 from Watt — were four more than any other team’s total. That helped an offensively limited team back to the playoffs. This season’s Steelers defense was less impressive as a whole, ranking just 24th in yards allowed. But Butler’s troops had ranked in the top six in this category from 2017-20.
With the Steelers expected to make their first quarterback transition during Mike Tomlin‘s tenure, the 15-year veteran HC will be tasked with making a key hire that will spearhead a veteran defense. Tomlin made a change on the offensive side last year, replacing Randy Fichtner with Matt Canada.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/22/22
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: DB Nick McCloud, DB Josh Thomas
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Blake Countess, S Eric Weddle
- Designated for return: RB Darrell Henderson, DL Sebastian Joseph-Day, DB Robert Rochell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: RB Leonard Fournette (story)
- Promoted: WR John Brown, TE Ryan Griffin
- Released: RB Le’Veon Bell
Buccaneers Activate Leonard Fournette From IR, Waive Le’Veon Bell
After the Buccaneers played without their top two running backs in their wild-card game, they are set to have one of them back against the Rams.
Leonard Fournette is coming off IR and will play Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Tampa Bay’s starting back has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 15. The Bucs designated Fournette for return last week but kept him on IR ahead of their Eagles matchup, moving forward with Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Giovani Bernard.
This week, Fournette should play a major role. While it is not certain if the former top-five pick will be up for his pre-injury workload, the Bucs having their leading rusher back will certainly help their cause. The team’s running game might encounter tougher-than-usual sledding, given some key offensive line injuries.
Ryan Jensen and Tristan Wirfs did get in limited practices this week, but The Athletic’s Jeff Howe tweets the latter is dealing with a high ankle sprain. This troublesome ailment could keep Wirfs out, and even if the All-Pro right tackle plays, he figures to be far less than 100%. Wirfs has yet to miss a game in two seasons.
The Bucs will also be without Fournette backup Ronald Jones, but their primary 2020 back has not been much of a factor this season. After gaining only 367 rushing yards in 2020, which featured time as a healthy scratch, Fournette totaled 1,266 scrimmage yards and matched his career-high with 10 touchdowns despite the hamstring injury ending his regular season early. Fournette returning to his “Playoff Lenny” form would stand to cement his value ahead of free agency, which should feature a better market for the ex-Jaguar this time around.
To make room for Fournette, the Bucs are waiving Le’Veon Bell, Greg Auman of The Athletic tweets. This marks the second time this season a team has waived the former All-Pro. The Ravens cut bait during the regular season. Bell, however, makes sense as practice squad insurance for the Bucs. Bell’s route back to Tampa Bay’s taxi squad would be fairly smooth, given his one-year contract and any team claiming Bell being unable to use him in the playoffs.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/21/22
Today’s Reserve/Futures contacts signed around the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- FB Ben Mason
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Trey Edmunds and OT Chaz Green
Ravens, DC Don Martindale Part Ways
Don Martindale will not lead the Ravens’ defense for a fifth season in 2022. The sides agreed to part ways Friday, making for an unexpected development.
The Ravens regressed defensively this season, dropping to 25th in yards allowed, but the team dealt with injuries throughout. Martindale had previously surfaced on the HC interview circuit, meeting with the Giants in 2020. The veteran defensive leader has not been connected to any jobs yet this cycle.
“After several productive conversations, Don and I have agreed to move forward in separate directions,” John Harbaugh said Friday. “Don has been a major contributor to the success of our defense since 2012, and especially since he became defensive coordinator four years ago. He has done a great job. Now it’s time to pursue other opportunities. Sometimes the moment comes, and it’s the right time.”
One year remained on Martindale’s contract. The Ravens had extended their DC in 2020. The 58-year-old assistant stands to be an intriguing commodity on the market, as several teams hire new coaches ahead of staff retools. He joins Vic Fangio and Mike Zimmer as proven defensive coordinators in coaching free agency.
Martindale has been a coordinator for two teams, also serving as the Broncos’ DC during a poor 2010 season. He revamped his reputation with the Ravens. Baltimore ranked as a top-10 defense from 2018-20, with Martindale’s units helping the team’s Lamar Jackson transition result in three straight playoff trips. Prior to being promoted to replace Dean Pees as Baltimore’s DC, Martindale headed up the team’s linebacking corps from 2012-17. The first of those seasons ended with the team’s second Super Bowl win.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/21/22
Keeping tabs on the latest minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: DL Jack Heflin, CB Isaac Yiadom
Houston Texans
- Claimed: DL Kingsley Keke (from Packers)
New England Patriots
- Extended: LB Harvey Langi
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: CB Darqueze Dennard, LB Mark Nzeocha
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DB Chris Jones