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2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 15, 2025 11:03 pm

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-11-25 (11:40am CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

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49ers Notes: Ward, Kittle, Juszczyk, OL

By | at January 15, 2025 1:42 pm

The 49ers are heading into a pivotal offseason, headlined by oncoming negotiations with Brock Purdy on a long-term extension.

Among the 49ers’ pending free agents is cornerback Charvarius Ward, who has started 46 of the team’s 51 games since joining on a three-year, $40.5MM contract during free agency in 2022. Only one of those absences was due to injury, though. The other four were personal: Ward stepped away from the team for three weeks after his daughter, Amani Joy, passed away in October, and later sat out in Week 17 to welcome a son, Charvarius Jr.

Ward acknowledged that the personal tragedy he endured this year may impact his decision to return to San Francisco in 2025.

“I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,” Ward said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “I had a lot of great times, but the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, that’s probably going to ever happen to me — knock on wood — happened in California.”

Ward’s free agency situation is a glimpse into how players’ personal lives – not just the desire for money or championships – can factor into their career decisions.

“It can just bring up bad memories,” continued Ward. “Every time I get on a plane and come back to California, Santa Clara, San Jose, and show up here, it just brings up bad memories.”

Ward’s girlfriend does not want to live in California after the tragedy, further pulling him away from San Francisco. The couple had their son in Dallas, where Ward began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Cowboys. They are on his list of desired destinations in free agency, along with other teams in the south where he grew up and attended college.

The 28-year-old hasn’t ruled out a return to the 49ers, saying that general manager John Lynch has talked to him about re-signing, but he’s not sure they can afford him. San Francisco already signed Deommodore Lenoir to a five-year extension worth just under $90MM after using a second-round pick on Renardo Green in last April’s draft.

Ward should be able to match or beat Lenoir’s contract as an unrestricted free agent. He was excellent in 2023, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro selections, and his step back in 2024 is perfectly understandable considering his personal tragedy. Though the 49ers are projected to have $46.5MM in cap space this offseason, per OverTheCap, another top-15 cornerback deal might not be available with multiple other contract situations to figure out.

Here is the latest out of San Francisco:

  • For example, the 49ers may be considering an extension for All-Pro tight end George Kittle, who set league records with his last extension. His $15MM per-year average set a new high for tight ends at the time of signing (2020), and his $75MM in total money remains the most in the position’s history. He is “all ears” to ideas from the 49ers front office and emphasized that he wants to stay in San Francisco for the rest of his career, per Wagoner.
  • Fellow offensive chess piece Kyle Juszczyk also hopes to stay in San Francisco, according to Wagoner. The veteran fullback took a pay cut last offseason and will count for $6.5MM against the 49ers’ salary cap in 2025. He could be a cap casualty this offseason, but Kyle Shanahan will be hard-pressed to find another player who can fill Juszczyk’s diverse role in the offense. He’s earned eight straight Pro Bowls since signing with the 49ers and will likely remain a crucial part of their offensive attack.
  • The 49ers also have a few offensive line spots to evaluate this offseason. Right guard Aaron Banks is expected to price himself out of San Francisco after last year’s explosion in the position’s free agency market. Ben Bartch is also a free agent, but he will be cheaper to retain and could take over for Banks in 2025. At center, meanwhile, the 49ers will likely stick with veteran Jake Brendel, but 2022 sixth-rounder Nick Zakelj could factor into the team’s future plans, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
  • The 49ers almost added another cornerback last offseason, pursuing now-Lions defender Amik Robertson in free agency, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Robertson opted for a two-year, $9.25MM deal in Detroit, where he managed to avoid the defense’s injury bug to appear in 17 games, including three starts to end the regular season. He is now set to play a major role in the Lions’ postseason push for a Super Bowl.
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Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

By | at January 13, 2025 9:45 pm

The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.

[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]

In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.

“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.

It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.

Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.

Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.

As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.

The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.

4 comments Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Detroit Lions New Orleans Saints Philadelphia Eagles

Jets, Saints Remain Top Suitors For Lions DC Aaron Glenn

By | at January 12, 2025 1:52 pm

To no surprise, Aaron Glenn is among the most popular candidates in this year’s head coaching cycle. With the top-seeded Lions on the bye this week, the team’s defensive coordinator was busy taking interviews with each of his numerous suitors.

[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Glenn spoke with five teams in recent days, taking every interview with an interested party except for the Patriots. New England has since become the first team to fill its HC vacancy, making the expected move of hiring Mike Vrabel. Now that the first domino has fallen, Glenn’s name in particular will be worth watching closely.

The 52-year-old “crushed” each of his interviews, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports (video link). As a result, Glenn could very well find himself involved in follow-up meetings with at least a few teams as their searches heat up. To no surprise, Jones notes the Jets and Saints remain potential landing spots provided Glenn does indeed land a head coaching position for the first time in his career.

During the course of his 15-year tenure as a player, Glenn spent eight seasons in New York. It was with the Jets that he earned two of his three Pro Bowl nods, and his success on the field (not to mention the degree to which his stock as a coaching candidate has increased in recent years) helped make him one of the team’s first recipients of an interview request. Indeed, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes the three names mentioned most frequently in connection to the Jets are Glenn, Vrabel and Vikings DC Brian Flores.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons, the Jets are a candidate to change approaches on the sidelines by looking to a coach with an offensive background. Graziano’s colleague Rich Cimini notes some observers agree that is the route the team will take, although others point to Glenn as the “best fit” for their current vacancy. He has been an NFL staffer since 2014, including four years in his current post as the leader of Detroit’s defense.

Of course, Glenn’s first coordinator gig was preceded by a five-year run in the Saints’ organization. He worked as New Orleans’ defensive backs coach during that span, and a return to the city to replace Dennis Allen remains a possibility to watch for. A recent report suggest Glenn could be the leading candidate for the Saints, one of the teams which has kept an eye out for the potential of Mike McCarthy reaching the open market.

McCarthy and the Cowboys are negotiating a new deal, though, and it remains to be seen if his existing contract will expire without a new agreement being in place (or at least imminent). Provide McCarthy winds up being unavailable, the Saints could move quickly in arranging a second interview with Glenn. The Jets will also be worth watching on that front.

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2025 NFL Cap Carryover, By Team

By | at January 11, 2025 9:52 pm

With the regular season in the books, all NFL teams have declared their cap carryover for the 2025 league year. Unused cap space from the current campaign will roll over, a substantial element of many teams’ financial planning.

Last offseason saw a record-breaking jump in the salary cap ceiling (pushing the upper limit to $255.4MM). To no surprise, another spike is expected but a smaller year-to-year increase is likely to take place. It was learned last month that teams are preparing for the 2025 cap to check in at a figure between $265MM-$275MM.

As teams evaluate key roster-building decisions – including restructures and cuts aimed at manufacturing cap space – carryovers are crucial. It it still not known what exactly the cap ceiling will wind up as, but in the meantime every club’s space which has been rolled over will add a degree of clarity with respect to how their offseason will take shape. Several teams (including the top two on this year’s list) have made a concerted effort in recent years to carry unused space through the course of a campaign knowing a spike in cap charges for core players are forthcoming.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here is the full breakdown of each team’s 2025 cap carryover amount:

  • San Francisco 49ers: $50.01MM
  • Cleveland Browns: $41.95MM
  • New England Patriots: $34.86MM
  • Las Vegas Raiders: $33.57MM
  • Detroit Lions: $23.73MM
  • Washington Commanders: $19.83MM
  • Dallas Cowboys: $18.84MM
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: $15.89MM
  • Green Bay Packers: $15.11MM
  • Tennessee Titans: $14.72MM
  • Arizona Cardinals: $11.38MM
  • Indianapolis Colts: $10.1MM
  • Seattle Seahawks: $8.42MM
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: $6.83MM
  • Philadelphia Eagles: $6.81MM
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $6.63MM
  • Atlanta Falcons: $6.07MM
  • Minnesota Vikings: $5.94MM
  • Cincinnati Bengals: $5.94MM
  • Chicago Bears: $5.08MM
  • Los Angeles Chargers: $4.89MM
  • Houston Texans: $4.81MM
  • Kansas City Chiefs: $3.15MM
  • Miami Dolphins: $3MM
  • New Orleans Saints: $2.93MM
  • Los Angeles Rams: $2.75MM
  • Baltimore Ravens: $2.14MM
  • Denver Broncos: $1.91MM
  • Buffalo Bills: $1.34MM
  • New York Giants: $1.17MM
  • Carolina Panthers: $490K
  • New York Jets: $346K
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Jets To Interview Darren Mougey, Lance Newmark, Chris Spielman For GM Job

By | at January 11, 2025 11:04 am

The Jets are already well into their general manager search, and we’ve got a handful of new names to add to their robust list of candidates. According to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports, the Jets are interviewing three previously unreported candidates for the job today: Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey, Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark, and Lions executive Chris Spielman.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL General Manager Search Tracker]

The Jets are also meeting with Bengals exec Trey Brown and Vikings SVP of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson today. We learned about the organization’s interest in the duo earlier this week.

Mougey quickly climbed the ranks in Denver, working his way up from an intern to assistant general manager. He’s provided the front office with a bit of continuity over the past few years, as he is one of the few executives to work under both former general manager John Elway and current general manager George Paton.

“Darren is an outstanding evaluator who has an excellent reputation around the league as an up-and-coming personnel executive,” Paton said when Mougey earned a promotion to Director of Player Personnel in 2021. “Getting to work with Darren over the last five months, he is a strong communicator and has great leadership qualities. We’re fortunate to have Darren leading our pro and college scouting while also being a sounding board on all roster decisions.”

This isn’t Newmark’s first time meeting with the Jets; he also interviewed for the team when they were seeking a GM in 2019 (a job that ultimately went to Joe Douglas). Newmark spent 26 seasons with the Lions, and while he lost out on the team’s most-recent GM search to Brad Holmes, he still stuck around as the team’s senior director of player personnel. That was until last offseason, when Martin Mayhew lured him to Washington to serve as the Commanders assistant GM.

Speaking of the Lions, Spielman has transformed into a key member of Detroit’s front office in recent years. The former Pro Bowl Lions linebacker and FOX analyst works as a special assistant to the team’s president/CEO; he is believed to carry notable power within the organization, and the team made an effort to keep Spielman for the foreseeable future by extending his contract last offseason.

The Jets’ GM search is now at 15 names, with the group of candidates also including:

14 comments Denver Broncos Detroit Lions New York Jets Washington Commanders

Mike McCarthy Connected To Saints’ HC Job; Aaron Glenn Holding Early Lead?

By | at January 9, 2025 4:55 pm

Mike McCarthy resides in the unique position of being under contract for a team at season’s end but not tied to that club for the ensuing season. The Cowboys constructed his deal to expire Jan. 14. Not giving their five-year HC an extension despite three straight 12-win seasons, the Cowboys have five days to extend him.

The sides are still talking, and a decent chance exists McCarthy is back in Dallas on a second contract. But that is not a lock. The Bears attempted to test the Cowboys on this front by sending a McCarthy interview request; Dallas blocked it. The NFC East team will not be able to block any such overtures after Tuesday; no deal being done by then would send McCarthy to the market and create one of the more interesting scenarios we have seen on a coaching carousel.

If McCarthy reaches the market, the Saints could emerge as an option. While the Bears would conceivably be back in play, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates McCarthy could have some interest in the New Orleans position. McCarthy has a past with the organization, having been the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2000-04.

That marked McCarthy’s first OC job, and it started off well. Despite losing starter Jeff Blake to injury during the 2000 season, the Saints rallied to the playoffs behind second-year QB Aaron Brooks. The team then notched its elusive first playoff win, over the defending champion Rams. New Orleans, however, did not make the playoffs again during Jim Haslett‘s tenure. The Saints did still rank in the top 14 offensively in each McCarthy season. By 2005, McCarthy was in San Francisco as 49ers OC, using that perch to land the Packers’ HC job in 2006.

The GM during part of McCarthy’s Saints stint remains, and Mickey Loomis has been connected to prioritizing familiarity. Aaron Glenn came up as a candidate last month, and he joins fellow ex-Saints assistant Joe Brady on the team’s interview list. This McCarthy tie also follows a report that had the Saints content with their current list of candidates. McCarthy, 61, could certainly be added if his Cowboys contract expires without a new deal in place.

Going into the first round of interviews, though, Fowler adds that Glenn may have the early lead. It would not be surprising to see the four-year Lions DC land this job. He was a candidate in 2022 despite the Lions having finished 3-13-1 in ’21. Glenn coached the Saints’ DBs for five seasons under Sean Payton, working under Loomis, who is running this search.

The Lions have also become one of the league’s premier success stories in recent memory, completing a rebuild that has since produced 13-4 and 15-2 records. Glenn’s defense also closed the regular season with a statement, holding the high-octane Vikings attack to nine points despite missing a few key cogs.

Glenn, 52, is set to meet with four other teams — the Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Raiders — between now and Saturday. His Saints virtual interview is scheduled for Friday. More updates will emerge in connection with the New Orleans job, but given Glenn’s ties to the team and his decision to decline a Patriots interview request, the veteran assistant may be close to nailing down a job after a few years of trying.

Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Saints’ HC search looks:

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49ers Interview Robert Saleh, Deshea Townsend For DC Job

By | at January 9, 2025 3:51 pm

The 49ers completed interviews with Robert Saleh and Deshea Townsend for their vacant defensive coordinator position, per a team announcement and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

Saleh was fired as the Jets head coach in October and previously served as the 49ers defensive coordinator for four seasons. He arrived in 2017 with Kyle Shanahan and inherited a defense that ranked 32nd in yards allowed. Saleh turned the 49ers defense into a top-10 unit by the time he left for New York after the 2020 season. His tenure with the Jets was plagued by poor quarterback play and interference from ownership, though Saleh maintained his standard of defensive excellence until his firing.

The 45-year-old is considered the favorite to land the 49ers’ DC job, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, in no small part due to his familiarity with the team’s roster and scheme. Saleh is also planning to interview with the Jaguars for their head coaching position, so he may hold off on accepting the job in San Francisco before the Jaguars have made their decision.

Jeff Ulbrich, who was Saleh’s defensive coordinator in New York and finished this season as interim head coach, could also be a candidate for the DC job in San Francisco if he is not retained by the Jets, Fowler adds. Ulbrich spent his entire 10-year playing career with the 49ers and was recruited by his former team last offseason, though the Jets prevented him from interviewing. The defense led by Saleh and Ulbrich in New York was based on Saleh’s system in San Francisco, so Ulbrich should still have plenty of schematic familiarity.

Townsend is a former 13-year NFL cornerback who has been a defensive backs coach for seven NFL teams, as well as Mississippi State University. He is currently the Lions’ passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach and has played a crucial role in keeping their defense afloat despite a myriad of injuries. Townsend could also be a candidate for the Lions’ DC job if Aaron Glenn takes a head coaching job elsewhere.

2 comments Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers

Seahawks To Meet With Thomas Brown, Hank Fraley For OC Job

By | at January 9, 2025 10:29 am

A year ago, the Seahawks gave Shane Waldron permission to pursue other jobs. This led to Waldron beating out Thomas Brown for the Bears’ OC job. But Brown was left standing by season’s end, moving up two rungs on the ladder after Waldron’s OC ouster.

With the Bears likely moving away from their interim HC, Brown is now in play for the Seahawks’ job. The two-time OC will interview for the Seahawks’ play-calling post, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Hank Fraley, the Lions’ offensive line coach, will as well, per Pelissero.

The Seahawks moved on from Ryan Grubb after one year. Mike Macdonald had gone off the board with Grubb, who had been set to become Alabama’s OC, but backtracked quickly. The Seattle HC has labeled this a prime job, citing the team’s young talent. The Seahawks are also tentatively expected to bring back Geno Smith for a fourth season as the starting QB, though the team’s long-term plan at the game’s premier position is unsettled. Smith is going into a contract year.

Fraley’s interview is on tap for Friday, and he should have some momentum. Although O-line coaches do not make a habit of climbs to OC roles, Fraley is coaching what has been one of the NFL’s best position groups for a while. He has overseen Detroit’s O-line since 2020, guiding the likes of Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow to Pro Bowls and helping Graham Glasgow rebound from an inconsistent Broncos tenure to reclaim his place as a starter. Fraley’s unit has been a primary driver of Jared Goff‘s resurgence. A former NFL O-lineman, Fraley has been in Detroit since the 2018 season, beginning as assistant O-line coach before being elevated.

As this is Fraley’s first OC interview, Brown has been on the circuit for a bit — to the point he has received HC meetings. The Panthers hired Brown as their OC in 2023, and he finished out a woeful season as the team’s OC. Amid a collapse that initially stemmed from a defensive gaffe in Washington, the Bears won just one of their final 11 games. Although this can partially be pinned on Brown after he replaced Matt Eberflus, the team acknowledges the tough spot its interim HC/play-caller handled. The Bears began the season with Brown as their pass-game coordinator, but Waldron’s firing led to two bumps during a 5-12 season.

Brown, 38, and Macdonald were both on the Georgia staff in 2011, as ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson notes. Brown will meet with the Seahawks on Saturday, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. A Bears separation would mean a fourth team in four years for Brown, who jumped from Los Angeles to Charlotte to Chicago from 2022-24.

Considering he is a long shot to be retained in Chicago, this Seattle meeting will be pivotal for the former Sean McVay assistant’s path. Brown’s past with Waldron — in both Los Angeles and Chicago — is rather interesting as well, as it could mean a return to a familiar scheme for Smith.

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