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Front Office Notes: Jets, Colts, Grier, Bears

January 3rd, 2025 at 1:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given a mulligan for the Jets‘ Aaron Rodgers-less 2023 season, Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas did not make it too far into the 2024 campaign. The latter did not have a good working relationship during his final year in charge, seeing Woody Johnson (and, apparently, his sons) influence Jets personnel moves. Johnson had largely stripped power from Douglas during the GM’s final months in New York. As it turns out, Douglas’ frustration with Johnson predates 2024. The five-plus-year Jets GM had expressed dismay at one of Woody Johnson’s sons, Brick, scouring the internet and seeing those opinions (through Woody Johnson) make it back to Douglas, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes.

This situation may or may not have influenced Douglas to decline a Jets extension proposed more than a year ago. While Pauline stops short of confirming that, the veteran draft-based reporter indicates many informed him that was the case. Douglas “did not like or respect” Woody Johnson for years during his Jets run, Pauline adds. As the Jets have begun their GM and HC searches, they may have considerable explaining to do about the owner and his family’s influence on the team.

Entering Week 18, here is the latest from around the NFL’s front offices:

  • The Dolphins gave Mike McDaniel an extension this past summer, and no rumors have pointed to the young HC needing to be too concerned about his job security. Rumblings are emerging, however, pertaining to the status of GM Chris Grier. In his sixth season with full autonomy in Miami, Grier is in his ninth season as GM. Miami is a place to monitor regarding a potential GM change, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Grier essentially won a power struggle with Brian Flores three years ago and has overseen back-to-back playoff appearances since, which would make it rather surprising if ownership made a change this coming offseason.
  • Chris Ballard was believed to be on solid ground going into Week 17, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. That aligns with a Thursday report that pointed to Ballard being more likely than not to be retained. Though, the Colts losing to a two-win Giants team — in a game that reminded of the 2021 team’s undoing in a win-and-in opportunity in Jacksonville as two-touchdown favorites — did not exactly provide assurance the team is headed in a good direction. With Ballard set to be just 2-for-8 in playoff berths as Indianapolis honcho, this situation will also be one to monitor over the next few days.
  • Tennessee’s post-Mike Vrabel season has gone quite poorly, with Ran Carthon‘s Titans operation sitting 3-13. But no major changes are expected this year. Brian Callahan is on track to stay for a second season as HC, and Fowler indicates a good energy — the 13 losses notwithstanding — is present around an organization run by Carthon, Callahan and VP of football operations Chad Brinker. Next season, then, figures to be Carthon’s regime can be truly evaluated. A clash with ownership drove Vrabel out of Nashville, and an improvement will almost definitely be required for Callahan in 2025. What remains to be seen is how much improvement will be necessary for Carthon.
  • The Bears have used search firms in the past to help determine their coaching hires, but it appears the team will leave this year’s search to its front office. No consultant is on track to come in and shepherd Chicago’s HC search, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. The team did take that route in 2015 and 2022, respectively bringing in John Fox and Matt Eberflus. GM Ryan Poles was not in place when the Eberflus search started, signing on late in that process. With considerable input from president Kevin Warren on tap, Poles will lead this year’s Bears search.

NFC Coaching Rumors: Cowboys, Vrabel, Johnson

December 31st, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Ely Allen

After failing to make it past the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year as Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy entered the 2024 NFL season on a bit of a hot seat. Often that type of pressure comes externally from a disgruntled fan base or media criticism, but the fact that nearly the entire coaching staff, including McCarthy, was playing on the final year of their contracts didn’t help.

McCarthy is known for coaching playoff teams. In 13 years with the Packers, McCarthy took the team to the playoffs nine times. Green Bay did make it to four NFC Championship Games under McCarthy, advancing to (and winning) only one Super Bowl. In Dallas, McCarthy has seen similar regular season success followed by postseason struggles. After a 6-10 debut season with the Cowboys, McCarthy led the team to the playoffs with three straight 12-5 seasons. In those three postseason appearances, McCarthy’s squad has only won one game, failing to make any NFC Championship Game appearances.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones doesn’t believe the staff’s lame duck status was a distraction during a tumultuous 2024 campaign. In fact, Jones believes “people do better…when they don’t have a contract.” So far, Jones has been noncommittal on the future of McCarthy and his staff. He claimed in a recent interview that he doesn’t feel that he’s “under any unusual time frame at all.”

Jones doesn’t seem to have made much of an indication at all hinting at whether or not he sees McCarthy returning, and at the moment, he doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to make such a decision.

Here are a few other coaching rumors coming out of the NFC:

  • In an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tabbed Browns coaching and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel as a name to watch for the Giants‘ likely opening head coaching position. After his first head coaching stint with the Titans came to an end, Vrabel was unable to secure another gig, settling at the time for a minor role in Cleveland. Breer believes that New York has an advantage in securing Vrabel’s services, thinking that Vrabel’s likely picks for general manager (Ryan Cowden) and defensive coordinator (Shane Bowen) are already in house. Cowden was vice president of player personnel (and interim general manager) during Vrabel’s tenure in Tennessee and now serves as executive advisor to the general manager in New York. Fired alongside Vrabel in Tennessee, Bowen went from one defensive coordinator job to the other, coaching the Giants’ unit this season. Though the season is not yet over for Cleveland, head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated that Vrabel’s contract was amended in order “to allow him to get a jumpstart” on interviews, per ESPN’s Tony Grossi.
  • In another interview, this one with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Good Morning Football, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was discussed. According to Pelissero, Johnson’s likeliest destination in 2025 remains Chicago. Johnson is looking for a place at which he can build alignment and sustainable, long-term success, similar to what was built in Detroit. So far, all signs seem to be pointing to Johnson taking the intra-divisional job with the Bears, keeping in mind, of course, that him getting hired as head coach of Washington seemed like a sure thing last year before he made the decision to remain with the Lions. With Vrabel and Johnson being established as the two hot names for teams looking for a new skipper this offseason, we’ve seen their names connected to several teams. Breer recently reported a new connection, though, claiming that many see the Jaguars as a good fit for Johnson, should they part ways with Doug Pederson.

Bears Looking Into Brian Flores For HC; Candidates Curious About Kevin Warren’s Role

December 30th, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brian Flores is prepared to once again pursue a head coaching job while simultaneously suing the NFL and several teams regarding his previous HC stay and some of his interviews. The Vikings’ defensive success may allow him to land a second-chance role before his discrimination lawsuit wraps, as interesting as that would be.

While the Bears may well have another NFC North candidate higher on their preference list, Flores joins Lions OC Ben Johnson among candidates Chicago is studying. The Bears are indeed looking into Flores, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, with connections involving both GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren noteworthy here.

[RELATED: Ben Johnson “Intrigued” By Bears’ HC Post?]

Poles and Flores played together at Boston College in 2003; the latter joined the Patriots as a scout a year later while the former’s college career continued. Poles went into the front office ranks after his college run. The two have never worked together, but that overlap would make for an interesting reference — especially considering Johnson has been quite choosey while on HC carousels. Warren has also vetted Flores with former Vikings contacts, as the current Bears president was on Minnesota’s staff for 15 years previously. Thus far, per Breer, that vetting effort has generated “strong reviews” for the bounce-back coordinator.

Flores, 43, has said he wants to be a head coach again. Minnesota’s success on defense this season may yield such an opportunity, but his background also may work against him. Although the Bears have been connected to seeking a “leader of men”-type HC, Breer now adds candidates who do not have a background coaching quarterbacks would need a clear and sustainable plan for Caleb Williams‘ development. This could work against Flores, who will undoubtedly need to explain what happened during Tua Tagovailoa‘s first two Dolphins seasons. The current Miami starter was not complimentary of Flores’ hard-edged coaching style when asked earlier this year. Tagovailoa also took major steps forward after Flores’ ouster.

Leading the Vikings to a fourth-place ranking in scoring defense during their 14-2 season, Flores is likely to book multiple interviews on the 2025 HC carousel. He met with the Cardinals in 2023 and with the Bears, Giants, Saints and Texans in 2022. Flores did not meet about a head coaching gig this year, but Minnesota’s success figures to change that. He has come up as a candidate far more frequently than OC Wes Phillips, and the connection to Poles — who is running Chicago’s HC search — may be important.

For anyone considering the Bears, however, it appears Warren’s presence is a sticking point. Top HC candidates are curious about Warren’s role with the team, Breer adds. It was initially reported the president — hired in January 2023 after a role as Big Ten commissioner — would run the business side, but it has become clear this gig has brought football-ops responsibilities. Warren has offered key input regarding football matters, including a recent comment indicating the Bears job would be the most coveted of 2025’s openings.

Poles reports to Warren, and the team president is expected to be heavily involved in this HC search — even if the GM is running it. This power structure, which canned Matt Eberflus (the team’s first in-season HC firing) while letting him speak to the media following a disastrous Thanksgiving loss, will be something HC candidates take into consideration. Warren took players’ input for an extensive period following the loss in Detroit and has held an “active role” on the football side since coming to Chicago.

Thomas Brown seeing his interim tag removed would be borderline shocking based on how the post-Eberflus period has gone, but Breer notes Bears brass does have sympathy for the challenge this situation has brought. With Williams’ development the central issue for Chicago, it would stand to reason the team will start over on offense. Johnson should be expected to meet with the Bears, Breer adds, but it does not seem the third-year Lions play caller is a lock to take that job if offered. He will be selective once again, keeping the door wide open for other Bears HC candidates.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 30th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of changes took place regarding the projected draft order on Sunday. Most notably, the Giants’ first home win of the year took them out of the top spot and greatly lowered their chances of securing the No. 1 pick.

Instead, the Patriots are now in pole position to select first in April. New England already has Drake Maye in place, so adding another Day 1 passer would be out of the picture. With Travis Hunter being seen as the top overall prospect in the class, the Heisman winner could be a suitable target as a key figure in New England’s rebuilding process.

Meanwhile, a number of teams which could be in the market for a first-round passer are near the top of the order. That includes the Browns and Raiders, teams which each face uncertainty under center for 2025 despite already having a number of quarterbacks under contract beyond this season. Bringing in Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders would provide another short-term option for next year along with a potential long-term answer at the position. Plenty could still change in the order over Week 18, though, and the evaluation process of both of the top signal-callers in the class obviously has a long way to go.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. New England Patriots (3-13)
  2. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
  3. Cleveland Browns (3-13)
  4. New York Giants (3-13)
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
  6. Carolina Panthers (4-12)
  7. New York Jets (4-12)
  8. Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-12)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-11)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
  12. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
  13. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
  14. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
  15. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
  16. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
  17. Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
  19. Houston Texans (9-7)
  20. Denver Broncos (9-7)
  21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
  23. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
  24. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
  25. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
  26. Washington Commanders (11-5)
  27. Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
  28. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
  29. Buffalo Bills (13-3)
  30. Detroit Lions (13-2)
  31. Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/24

December 26th, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Reverted to season-ending IR (practice window expired): CB Elijah Jones

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Harris’ second season with the Browns saw him play a key role with 13 starts and a 59% snap share on defense. The 33-year-old remained consistent against the run (37 tackles) while chipping in as a pass rusher (1.5 sacks), but his campaign is now over as he deals with an elbow injury. One year remains on Harris’ contract, although none of his scheduled $1.26MM base salary is guaranteed.

Alexander joined the Lions late last month as part of the team’s bid to add healthy options at the linebacker spot. He made a pair of appearances with Detroit prior to today’s move, one which may not mark the end of his time with the team. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Lions hope to be able to sign Alexander, 30, to their practice squad provided he clears waivers. Teams will be able to put in a claim until tomorrow afternoon, by which point he will become a free agent if no interested parties emerge.

Zuerlein has been on injured reserve since the end of October, spurring the Jets to turn to other kicking options. If the veteran is activated in the near future, he will be able to make a late-season return in 2024, his third campaign with the Jets. Failing that, New York will still have Anders Carlson and recent practice squad addition Greg Joseph in place at the position.

Pete Carroll Interested In Bears’ HC Job

December 25th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Ely Allen

After a year away from the NFL, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is ready to get back on an NFL sideline, and he has his eye on a specific sideline. There are currently three jobs that will be interviewing candidates for next season: the Bears, Jets, and Saints. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it’s the job in Chicago that Carroll has his eyes on.

Carroll has taken breaks from NFL coaching jobs in the past to much success. After his first stint as a head for the Jets, as a result of promotion from defensive coordinator, ended unceremoniously after one year, Carroll rebounded as a defensive coordinator for the 49ers before earning his second head coaching job with the Patriots, whom he took twice to the playoffs and with whom he never had a losing record. Despite the surface-level success in New England, team owner Robert Kraft fired Carroll after a late-season slide cost them a playoff spot in 1999.

Carroll then chose to become a head coach at the collegiate level, as opposed to returning to the NFL as a defensive coordinator again. After a rough 6-6 inaugural year as a college head coach with USC, Carroll quickly turned the Trojans into a powerhouse program, winning the conference seven straight years and winning back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004, not to mention just missing out on a three-peat after falling to Vince Young and the Longhorns in 2005.

Carroll turned his college success into another opportunity to coach in the NFL, landing the job in Seattle that he held for 14 years. In all that time, Carroll only had three losing seasons (twice going 7-9 and once going 7-10), amassing a career-record in Seattle of 137-89-1. He made the playoffs 10 times and twice made it to the sport’s season finale, winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl title. When the Seahawks narrowly missed the postseason last year due to a tiebreaker, Carroll and Seattle mutually agreed that he would step down from his post as head coach.

Nearly a year later, Carroll is ready to put his hat back in the ring. The question is: where could he go? This year’s crop of head coaching candidates has been deemed as a weaker class, especially after one of the stronger candidates, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, made the decision to take a head coaching at the collegiate level with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Schefter’s report claims that Carroll is interested in the Chicago job, but is he a good fit?

The Bears have made it known in preliminary conversations about who will replace Matt Eberflus that they are hoping to bring someone in who can develop and mold rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. While Williams shares a USC connection with Carroll, the two were never there at the same time. Additionally, Carroll’s defensive-minded background would require him to come in with a plan on which assistants he could bring in to develop Williams. The Bears’ supposed preference leads many to believe that an offensive-minded coordinator like Kliff Kingsbury or Ben Johnson would be a better fit, especially since Kingsbury was a mentor of Williams at USC just last year.

So, if not Chicago, what city seems to make more sense as Carroll’s next destination? The Jets have a history of hiring defensive-minded head coaches, as well as a history of hiring guys named “Pete Carroll.” They just fired a former defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh, but their foray with Adam Gase, a former offensive coordinator, was brief and unsuccessful. Before that, was a defensive coordinator in Todd Bowles and, before him, Rex Ryan, who led the team to their last playoff appearance and back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010. There may be a bit of bad blood over his firing the first time around, but over the last 30 years, he may have let bygones be bygones.

The Saints are the other option, though a few more pop up at the end of the season. Regardless, Carroll is ready to take a stab at another NFL job, and though he seems to favor Chicago early on, he may have to keep his options open and explore the other positions available to him.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 24th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Two weeks remain in the regular season, and while a number of teams are jockeying for playoff spots several others are still in contention to land a coveted draft slot. It remains to be seen where the No. 1 selection will wind up.

The Giants and Raiders entered Sunday’s action with two wins apiece, and New York’s loss kept the team strongly in contention to kick off the draft in April. By virtue of winning against the Jaguars, though, the Raiders hurt their chances of finding themselves in that position. A top-two spot (or thereabouts) may be required to draft either of this year’s top passers, but a small move up the order positioning Vegas to add one could still be on the table.

Five teams currently sit a 3-12, and a head-to-head matchup between the Titans and Jaguars on Sunday will be key in deciding where each of them wind up. Another three squads own a 4-11 record, so plenty of potential exists in terms of changes being made to the order at the top of the board. Numerous expected suitors for a Day 1 quarterback (including teams like the Browns and Jets) may very well find themselves out of reach for Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders without a trade-up being necessary. The Panthers’ starting situation with Bryce Young is certainly not settled for 2025, but adding a passer on Day 1 would come as a surprise at this point.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. New York Giants (2-13)
  2. New England Patriots (3-12)
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
  5. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
  7. Carolina Panthers (4-11)
  8. New York Jets (4-11)
  9. Chicago Bears (4-11)
  10. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
  11. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
  12. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
  13. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
  14. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
  17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
  19. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
  20. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
  21. Houston Texans (9-6)
  22. Denver Broncos (9-6)
  23. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
  24. Washington Commanders (10-5)
  25. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
  26. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
  27. Green Bay Packers (11-4)
  28. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
  29. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
  30. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
  31. Detroit Lions (13-2)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/24

December 24th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tuesday’s minor NFL moves, including elevations for tomorrow’s Christmas Day doubleheader:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles 

San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals – who were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday – will close out the season without either of their starting tackles. Both Johnson and Williams are dealing with knee injuries, and they will be shut down for the remainder of the campaign. The former was a full-time starter as a rookie last year and made 14 appearances in 2024 upon switching to the blindside. Williams signed a one-year deal in free agency to handle RT duties, but two separate knee ailments will limit him to six games played this year. The 27-year-old’s free agent stock will take a hit as a result.

Wallace has made 13 appearances in 2024, his first season with the Broncos. The veteran has handled part-time defensive duties along the way, while also chipping in on special teams. As Denver returns to health at the CB spot, though, Wallace will hit the waiver wire. Should he clear, head coach Sean Payton said the Broncos would like to re-sign him via a practice squad deal (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette).

Fashanu exited the Jets’ Week 16 contest on crutches, and it was recently reported he would miss the rest of the season as a result. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise. Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said on Tuesday surgery to repair the first-round rookie’s plantar fascia would be needed, but the team has since clarified a procedure will not take place. Fashanu is expected to recover in full through rehab.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/24

December 23rd, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ decision to move on from Brayden Narveson comes as a bit of a surprise following this weekend’s roster machinations. The organization didn’t only promote the kicker from the practice squad…they also signed him through the 2025 campaign. With Nick Folk apparently approaching full health, the Titans have decided to stick with the veteran and move on from his fill-in.

Narveson’s stint with the Titans featured only a single appearance, when he missed his lone field goal attempt and converted two extra points in yesterday’s loss. Narveson spent the beginning of the season in Green Bay, where he converted 12 of his 17 field goal attempts.

Bears Believe LT Braxton Jones Suffered Fractured Ankle

December 23rd, 2024 at 10:34am CST by Adam La Rose

Braxton Jones exited the Bears’ game on Sunday, and the severity of his injury suggested a lengthy absence would be forthcoming. The third-year left tackle is indeed facing a long road to recovery.

Jones had his left leg placed in an air cast before being carted off the field during Chicago’s loss to Detroit. Further examination is required at this point, but the initial indications point to a season-ending injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Jones is believed to have suffered a fractured ankle.

Per Rapoport, Jones is currently thought to have suffered a break in his fibula, but not his tibia. While that diagnosis could of course change based on further testing, a four-month recovery timeline is now in place. At a minimum, the 25-year-old will not be available for the Bears’ final two games this season. Jones will indeed undergo season-ending surgery, per Scott Bair of the Marquee Sports Network.

Jones has operated as Chicago’s starter on the blindside since arriving as a rookie. The former fifth-rounder has remained consistent in terms of PFF evaluation throughout his career, ranking 19th amongst qualified tackles in overall grade in 2022. That matches where Jones currently ranks this season, one which has been defined in no small part for the Bears by an inability to consistently provide strong blocking up front. Jones has been charged with five sacks and 26 pressures allowed, but his absence will be felt to close out the campaign.

Kiran Amegadjie is in an option to take over blindside duties in the wake of Jones’ absence. The third-round rookie has seen 126 total snaps in 2024, all at the left tackle spot. Amegadjie got the nod for Week 15 against the Vikings with Jones out due to a concussion, but he struggled in that contest. Overall, quarterback Caleb Williams has taken a league-leading 60 sacks partially due to the Bears’ struggles along the O-line.

That unit will be the subject of considerable scrutiny this offseason, and few certainties exist up front for Chicago heading into 2025. Jones has one more year remaining on his rookie contract, meaning he will be eligible for an extension shortly. Regardless of if he receives one, he will not be on the field again until next year.

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