Lions Activate James Houston From IR, Waive Julian Okwara
The Lions’ edge rush has received a boost in advance of the team’s divisional round matchup. Per a team announcement, James Houston was activated from injured reserve on Thursday. In a corresponding move, Julian Okwara was waived.
Today marked the end of Houston’s 21-day activation window. Had he not been brought back onto the roster, he would have reverted to season-ending IR. Instead, he will be an option to play on Sunday against the Buccaneers. The 25-year-old has not played since Week 2 due to a broken ankle.
A sixth-round pick last year, Houston became a late-season surprise for the Lions by debuting on Thanksgiving and finishing the season with eight sacks. The Jackson State alum did not have a chance to build on that success this season, but like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, he will make a late-season return after a major injury.
Detroit has seen its Okwara investments deliver up-and-down tenures. Drafted with Romeo Okwara already on the team, Julian came in as a third-round pick in Bob Quinn‘s final year as GM. While the younger Okwara brother did post five sacks in 2021, he has combined for only four over the past two seasons. The Notre Dame alum played in nine games and started one this season, doing so as Romeo — effectively sidelined for two seasons due to an Achilles tear — made his way back. Romeo played in 16 games this season, working as a rotational rusher off the bench and collecting two sacks.
Despite the Lions making their first venture to the divisional round since 1991, Aidan Hutchinson has not received consistent help in the sack department this season. The NFL’s QB pressures leader came on strong late this season, totaling 11.5 sacks along with two more against the Rams in the wild-card round, but the Lions have no other player with more than five. And DT Alim McNeill, who joined Houston in being activated off IR recently, is the only non-Hutchinson Lion with more than three. This seems like an area Detroit will address in the offseason, though Houston coming back healthy for the 2024 campaign will bolster the group.
Having seen Houston, Gardner-Johnson and McNeill return from IR over the past three weeks, the Lions have one IR activation remaining.
Titans Schedule Second HC Interview With Brian Callahan; Team Eyeing Aaron Glenn?
Teams are still in the midst of their first round of coaching interviews, but arrangements can be made for in-person meetings amongst finalists. For the Titans, that is the case with Brian Callahan. 
The Bengals offensive coordinator has been contacted to schedule a second head coaching interview by Tennessee, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports. In-person interviews (such as the one being arranged) cannot take place until after the divisional round, but it is telling Callahan is the team’s first candidate for a follow-up. To date, the Titans have conducted first interviews with four other candidates, and they have sent out requests for five others.
Callahan has once again been a top HC candidate during this year’s hiring cycle, as has been the case previously. The 39-year-old has interviewed with the Falcons, Panthers and Chargers in addition to his Titans summit. Callahan has been in his current post with Cincinnati since head coach Zac Taylor‘s arrival in 2019, and the pair have enjoyed success together particularly when Joe Burrow has been healthy. That was not the case for much of 2023, but the Bengals still managed to go 9-8 and finish mid-pack in scoring with Jake Browning at the helm.
Contrasting with a number of other HC-needy franchises, the Titans have not been connected with Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh. The two high-profile candidates headline the options available in this year’s cycle amongst experienced staffers, but Callahan is one of many younger play-callers whose stock has risen in recent years. He has never been a head coach, but his NFL tenure dates back to 2010. His background on offense would be welcomed as Tennessee looks to take a step forward on that side of the ball in 2024 with quarterback Will Levis atop the depth chart.
As Graziano notes, however, Callahan is not the only candidate to watch closely as it pertains to the Titans vacancy. Lions DC Aaron Glenn is Graziano’s predicted hire for Tennessee based on conversations with those connected to the search. Glenn, like his counterpart Ben Johnson, has been one of the hottest names around the league with respect to head coaching prospects. He has received an interview request from the Titans, but the parties have yet to speak.
Glenn’s attention will currently be on the Lions’ upcoming divisional round game against the Buccaneers. Next week, however, he will be eligible to conduct in-person interviews with the Titans and other interested teams. He and Callahan will be worth watching closely as it pertains to Tennessee’s ongoing search.
The third-year Detroit DC’s interview itinerary is coming into focus. Glenn does plan to meet with the Titans, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Glenn plans to meet with each team who sent him a slip, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Falcons, Chargers and Commanders have also requested Glenn meetings.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/17/24
The remaining playoff teams continue manipulating their practice squads:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Released: WR Tarik Black
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Chris Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Damiere Byrd
- Released: DT Rashard Lawrence
As they deal with myriad injuries in their receiving corps, the Texans have made the call to add a veteran pass catcher in Byrd. Tank Dell and Noah Brown are on injured reserve, and Robert Woods (hip) and John Metchie (foot) are both currently questionable with one practice remaining before Saturday’s matchup in Baltimore. It’s been three years since Byrd’s season as a starter in New England when he recorded career-highs in catches (47) and yards (604), but Houston brings him in with the hope that the depth he brings at the position is unnecessary.
Seahawks Request HC Interviews With Ben Johnson, Bobby Slowik
As the Seahawks continue to cast a wide net in search of a Pete Carroll replacement, they plan to speak with two of the 2024 cycle’s most popular candidates. Seattle has requested a head coaching interview with Lions OC Ben Johnson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In addition, Texans OC Bobby Slowik has received a slip, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports. 
[RELATED: 2024 Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Seattle moved Carroll into an advisory role last week, despite his public comments suggesting he was prepared to coach the team for a 15th season. Interview requests have begun as a result of the move, with general manager John Schneider at the helm of the coaching search. As he confirmed in a Tuesday press conference, the latter will handle all personnel matters after Carroll held final say in that regard during his lengthy HC tenure.
Johnson has received an interview request from each HC-needy team except the Patriots and Raiders to date. The up-and-coming play-caller is believed to have a mutual interest with the Chargers, but significant competition will exist for his services. The Commanders and Panthers have identified Johnson, 37, as their top target. Seattle will thus have a number of suitors to outmaneuver if the team is to land him in this year’s cycle.
Much Like Johnson last year, Slowik has boosted his stock considerably in his first year as a coordinator. The former 49ers passing game coordinator followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston this offseason, and he has delivered a strong performance. The Texans ranked seventh in the league in passing yards this season despite quarterback C.J. Stroud missing time due to a concussion. Slowik, 36, is lacking in experience compared to a number of other candidates available this year. He has nevertheless received interview requests from the Falcons, Panthers, Titans and Commanders.
Schneider said he intends to begin Seattle’s coaching search tomorrow with virtual interviews (in-person meetings with coaches still in the playoffs cannot take place until after the divisional round). CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the Seahawks’ interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is scheduled for Thursday. Quinn was immediately named as a candidate to watch given his ties to the franchise, though he too has garnered considerable interest from other teams with a HC vacancy.
Given the fact the team has several roster pieces in place from last year’s run to the postseason and the continuity strived for in terms of adding a coach similar to Carroll in terms of culture-building (as Schneider added will be the goal), Seattle’s hiring process will be worth watching closely. The team has targeted staffers from both sides of the ball, and the ultimate selection will be tasked with the significant challenge of matching Carroll’s success.
Ben Johnson Top HC Target For Commanders, Panthers?
To no surprise, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been connected to several head coaching vacancies this year. He has had an interview requested from five teams in need of a new coach, but two in particular could be worth watching closely as the hiring cycle takes shape. 
Johnson is the “top choice” for both the Commanders and Panthers, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Likewise, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport names Washington and Carolina as “potential favorites” to land the up-and-coming offensive mind (video link). Johnson was a relatively hot candidate last season despite having only one year of coordinator experience; the Panthers were among the teams interested in him in 2023, but Johnson withdrew from consideration.
Year 2 at the helm of Detroit’s offense resulted in another strong campaign from Johnson, and widespread interest from the league has followed. The 37-year-old has particularly been connected to the Panthers’ gig early and often. Carolina is expected to be aggressive in pursuing Johnson as part of the wider goal of acquiring a coach who can maximize quarterback Bryce Young‘s potential. Johnson’s work with Jared Goff in Detroit has drawn considerable praise, and he would be a welcomed addition to Carolina’s staff.
Notably, the Panthers are prepared to focus on their HC hire before that of a new general manager. ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler report owner David Tepper‘s top priority is landing Johnson (or another coaching candidate) before finding a Scott Fitterer replacement. The latter was fired on Black Monday after three years at the helm in Carolina. Given the team’s lack of a first-round pick (the top selection in this year’s draft) and roster holes at a number of positions, the new faces brought in for both posts will be tasked with a rebuilding effort.
The Commanders, by contrast, moved very quickly in filling their GM vacancy. The team tapped Adam Peters to lead the front office, and with him now in place, attention can turn to a head coaching hire. Immediately after it was learned Peters was being hired by Washington, reports surfaced naming Johnson as a candidate to watch closely. The latter would mark a notable departure from Ron Rivera in terms of age and experience, but also background since he come through the ranks on the offensive side of the ball.
Owning the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, Washington could very well add a rookie passer to take over as the team’s starting QB. At a minimum, competition for Sam Howell is expected to be brought in. The Commanders’ cap situation leaves them with plenty of flexibility heading into free agency, and the team’s new organizational structure under owner Josh Harris will no doubt be on full display during the offseason. Johnson would be a central part of that setup if he were indeed to take the position in the nation’s capital.
For now, of course, Johnson’s focus will be on the Lions’ wild-card matchup tonight. Coaches currently under contract and whose team’s seasons have come to an end cannot be interviewed in person until after the end of the divisional round. The NFL’s new rules on the hiring process will delay the point at which some coaches can begin with their new teams, and that will be true of Johnson if Detroit enjoys a lengthy playoff run. In an event, though, he will have a very strong market for his services.
Raiders Kick Off Head Coaching Search, Schedule Interview With Leslie Frazier
Leslie Frazier, a former head coach in Minnesota and an experienced defensive coordinator, is making an attempt to return to coaching in the NFL after stepping away from the sport for a year. Frazier made it clear that his intention was to return to the league as a head coach, and after sitting out the 2023 season, he is getting a few opportunities. After interviewing today with the Chargers, Frazier has reportedly been scheduled for another interview, this one with the Raiders, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. 
This officially kicks off the search for the Raiders’ new head coach. Obviously, interim head coach Antonio Pierce, who took over for the fired Josh McDaniels and went 5-4 in his place, is considered a favorite for the job. Pierce did an admirable job in replacement duty for McDaniels and won the support of many players and staff during his tenure. While there’s likely been internal discussions about his potential future with the team, an official interview has not been reported.
Likewise, both University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick have been linked to Las Vegas as potential candidates or interests, but neither has officially interviewed with the team. Unless one of the three interviews with the Raiders before Tuesday (when Frazier is scheduled to interview), Frazier will officially be the first candidate interviewed for the job.
Frazier was most recently the Bills defensive coordinator from 2017-22, serving as the team’s primary play-caller during this span, until Sean McDermott decided to go in another direction following a one-sided home loss to the Bengals to close out the 2022 season, opting instead to call plays himself. Nevertheless, Frazier — no longer under contract with the Bills, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler — is back in the mix.
Prior to his 2023 hiatus, Frazier had worked as an NFL assistant or head coach for 24 straight years. The Bills initially framed his departure as the veteran stepping away with the possibility of a return, but it was later believed that McDermott made the call to move on from his six-year defensive lieutenant.
Frazier has been a regular candidate for head coaching gigs over the years, interviewing for the Bears, Dolphins, and Giants’ jobs in 2022. The Texans interviewed Frazier in 2021, and the Colts met with him in 2018. Promoted from the interim job in Minnesota to official head coach in 2011, Frazier went 21-32-1 while leading the Vikings. Much of that time came when first-round bust Christian Ponder quarterbacked the team. Minnesota’s 2012 squad, spurred by MVP Adrian Peterson, still found their way to the playoffs.
Frazier, 64, is on the older end of the spectrum for candidates looking for a head coaching job. While this could be considered a hurdle, two of the abovementioned candidates are 71 (Belichick) and 60 (Harbaugh), so until the field of candidates expands, age shouldn’t be considered much of an issue, though the oldest a head coach has ever been when hired was Bruce Arians at 66 years old.
If age or other factors preclude Frazier from finding a role as a head coach, he could still find his way back to the league as a coordinator. A number of teams are expected to be looking for defensive coordinators this offseason. The Jaguars fired their defensive staff. Some teams with head coaching vacancies like the Seahawks and Titans, have seen their coordinators receive interview requests to coach elsewhere. And teams like the 49ers, Ravens, Panthers, Rams, and Lions could find themselves in need of a defensive play-caller should their own be hired away as a head coach. Whether as a head coach or a defensive coordinator, Frazier should have a good chance to find himself back on an NFL sideline in 2024.
Lions TE Sam LaPorta To Play In Wild-Card Round
JANUARY 14: Per Rapoport and NFL Network colleague Tom Pelissero, LaPorta now has more than an outside shot to play in tonight’s wild-card contest against the Rams. The duo report that while LaPorta was limited in practice and will likely require a brace on his leg, he is “trending in the right direction to play.”
JANUARY 8: When speaking about the LaPorta injury on Monday, Campbell said the standout rookie has “an outside shot” to play against the Rams in the wild-card round (h/t Justin Rodgers of the Detroit News). He added that the Lions will not add a tight end during the week, so LaPorta can be expected to miss only the coming game at the most.
JANUARY 7: Sam LaPorta is putting a bow on what will go down as one of the greatest rookie seasons for a tight end of all time. He hoped to put up 35 receiving yards today in order to pass Jeremy Shockey for the third-most receiving yards for a rookie tight end in NFL history, but he ultimately fell six yards short after suffering a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise in the Lions’ season finale, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. According to his head coach, Dan Campbell, while the injury is not as bad as it could’ve been, he’s likely to miss some time. 
LaPorta has been a pivotal part of the Lions’ first playoff season in seven years. While running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs held down the running game, LaPorta paired up with wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds to provide quarterback Jared Goff with a formidable receiving trio. LaPorta finished the year second on the team in receptions and receiving yards while matching St. Brown on the year with 10 receiving touchdowns.
If Campbell is accurate and LaPorta is forced to miss time in the playoffs, Detroit is going to have trouble replacing the production lost during LaPorta’s absence. Third-year tight end Brock Wright is the team’s second-leading receiving tight end, and he only has 91 yards on the year. Last year, when Wright started 10 games after the departure of T.J. Hockenson, Wright recorded only 18 receptions for 216 yards, though he did prove to be formidable in the red zone with four touchdowns.
The only other tight end to receive even a target for the Lions this season was second-year tight end James Mitchell, who caught his only two targets for 28 yards in the last two weeks. Wright and Mitchell will be asked to step up when the Rams come to town next week for Super Wildcard Weekend. The Lions also hold veteran fullback/tight end Anthony Firkser on the practice squad.
Luckily, though, it sounds like LaPorta avoided the worst-case scenario, which could’ve seen him missing time all the way into next year. Instead, the Lions will hold out hope that LaPorta will be able to make a return sometime during the playoffs, on the off chance that Detroit can win their first playoff game since 1992.
Lions Place CB Jerry Jacobs, TE James Mitchell On IR
The Lions are the only team today with transactions that aren’t just standard gameday practice squad elevations. In addition to the normal gameday transactions, Detroit also placed starting cornerback Jerry Jacobs and backup tight end James Mitchell on injured reserve before their first home playoff game in 30 years. 
Jacobs is certainly the bigger loss of the two. The third-year cornerback out of Arkansas has continued to extend his role in each year, starting 12 games on the Lions’ defense this year. In 15 games this season, Jacobs is tied for second on the team for interceptions (3) and tied for third on the team for passes defensed (8). Jacobs had started the first 12 games he had appeared in this year but was forced to take a bit of a back seat in recent weeks.
With Jacobs in a limited role the past few weeks, Kindle Vildor has been starting opposite usual starter Cameron Sutton, with big contributions coming from second-round rookie Brian Branch and Khalil Dorsey. That plan is expected to continue as Jacobs becomes officially unavailable, though Sutton and Branch are dealing with a few injury issues themselves.
Mitchell was expected to play a bigger role in the offense if starter Sam LaPorta was unable to play after last week’s injury. Luckily, LaPorta seems to have avoided disaster and currently only holds a questionable status heading into tomorrow, so there’s a good chance he will be good to go, lessening the impact of Mitchell’s absence. Brock Wright will continue performing as TE2.
After losing a cornerback and tight end to IR, the Lions promoted a cornerback and tight end from the practice squad, signing Anthony Firkser and Chase Lucas to the active roster. Firkser and Lucas will be able to provide some depth at tight end and cornerback, respectively, as injuries threaten to impact Detroit’s postseason aspirations.
Lastly, the Lions announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow, as well. Joining Firkser and Lucas will be defensive lineman Tyson Alualu and fullback Jason Cabinda.
Titans Request Four HC Interviews; Team Not Targeting Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh
With the dust having settled on Mike Vrabel‘s firing, the Titans are moving quickly in searching for his replacement. The team is casting a wide net, but a pair of high-profile candidates are not included.
Tennessee has submitted head coaching interview requests for Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Colleague Ian Rapoport reports that the Titans are also interested in Texans OC Bobby Slowik, while adding the team is set to speak with Bengals OC Brian Callahan tomorrow. Lastly, Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has received an interview slip, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.
[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Those names add further to the list of Titans targets, a group which already had five members comprising of coordinators on both sides of the ball as well as Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce. As Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports, however, neither Bill Belichick nor Jim Harbaugh are on the team’s radar. The former has officially parted ways with the Patriots as expected, while the latter has been linked to an NFL return for several months and is well-positioned to do so after winning a national title with Michigan.
Although Ben Johnson has been connected to commanding a high salary — due to his popularity on this latest HC carousel — the Titans staying out of the Belichick and Harbaugh derbies points to both a less expensive coach being targeted, along with a younger option. Belichick has now been ruled out for the Commanders and Titans. The Falcons remain connected to the legendary Patriots leader, while loose connections have formed between Belichick and the Chargers and Raiders. No official Belichick interview request has come out yet. Harbaugh has been connected to both the Falcons and Commanders, but the reigning national champion coach still looks to have the best chance of resurfacing in the NFL via the Chargers or Raiders.
This continues a remarkable rise for Slowik, who worked with Kyle Shanahan in both Washington and San Francisco. The Shanahan tree has proven fruitful since the 49ers’ 2019 turnaround, and Slowik’s play-calling debut — under ex-Shanahan DC DeMeco Ryans — produced the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite in C.J. Stroud. The Texans’ rebound from 3-14 to 10-7 has put Ryans in danger of losing his play-caller early.
Brian Johnson has received two interview requests in two days; this follows the Panthers’ slip. This is not Johnson’s first season calling plays, however, as he was previously the OC at Florida. Ben Johnson’s play-calling efforts over the past two years have seen him draw interest just about everywhere. This makes five HC interview requests for the two-year Lions OC, who has played an integral role in the team’s turnaround. After bowing out early on last year’s HC carousel, Johnson is likely to land a job this year.
Callahan interviewed for the Colts and Cardinals’ jobs last year and has been in place as an OC longer than Slowik and the Johnsons combined (five years). That said, Zac Taylor calls plays in Cincinnati. But Joe Burrow‘s rapid ascent and the competent play of backup Jake Browning this season again led the way to Callahan becoming an HC candidate. In addition to the Titans, Callahan has received requests from the Panthers, Chargers and Falcons.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Falcons Send Out Seven HC Interview Requests
11:35am: A seventh name can be added to the Falcons’ growing list of targets. Texans OC Bobby Slowik has received an interview request, per SI’s Albert Breer. Slowik followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston this offseason, and 2023 has marked his first stint as a coordinator. His and the team’s success has landed the 36-year-old on the HC radar this offseason. The Panthers and Commanders have also submitted interview requests for Slowik.
10:13am: The Falcons have been connected to two high-profile coaches in recent days, but the team has yet to line up any interviews with interested candidates. That is set to change soon, as Atlanta has now sent out six interview requests.
[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]
The Falcons are looking to speak with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, who adds Atlanta is also interested in Bengals OC Brian Callahan. In addition, Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Ravens defensive line coach/associate head coach Anthony Weaver are on the list of request recipients, colleague Ian Rapoport tweets. 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has also received a request, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Lastly, Atlanta has requested an interview with Rams DC Raheem Morris, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Johnson, as expected, has been one of the most sought-after candidates so far. In his second season at the helm of Detroit’s offense, the Lions have remained among the league’s most efficient teams on that side of the ball. The 37-year-old has been in the Motor City since 2019 and a coordinator only since 2022, but his relative lack of experience did not stop him from generating interest during last year’s hiring cycle. An aggressive Johnson pursuit is expected from the Panthers, but he is also on the radar of the Chargers and Commanders.
Callahan has likewise been connected to a number of openings this season after receiving interest last year. The Bengals fell short of expectations this season, and the offense struggled in a number of categories. Despite going much of the year without Joe Burrow, though, Cincinnati still managed to go 9-8 while finishing 16th in the league in scoring. Notably, each of the other candidates listed for the Falcons’ vacancy have a background on the defensive side of the ball.
That includes Glenn, whose unit has not matched Johnson’s in terms of effectiveness. Nevertheless, the former has received interest from the Chargers, Titans and Commanders so far. Weaver has served as a position coach during his three-year Ravens tenure, but he has held a coordinator role in the past, doing so with the Texans in 2020. Mentioned less frequently than fellow Baltimore staffers Todd Monken and Mike Macdonald, Weaver has nonetheless received an interview request from the Commanders in addition to today’s summons.
Wilks and Morris both have interim head coaching experience. The former finished off the season with the Panthers last year after Matt Rhule was fired. Wilks received support from several Panthers players to be retained on a full-time basis, but the team instead went in a different direction. That led him to San Francisco, where he has guided the 49ers’ defense to top-10 finishes in both points and yards allowed en route to securing the NFC’s top seed.
Morris, meanwhile, is an interesting name given his Falcons connection. The 47-year-old joined Atlanta in 2020 as an assistant head coach, later taking on the DC title in 2020. Midway through that season, Dan Quinn was fired and Morris finished the campaign as interim head coach. He has not received another opportunity to lead a staff since then, but his three-year coordinator run with the Rams has been well received and it has put him back on the HC radar this offseason.
After making the unsurprising move of dismissing Arthur Smith, the Falcons have been connected to both Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick. Links to the latter have continued in the wake of his long-rumored spilt with the Patriots having been confirmed. No Harbaugh or Belichick interviews have been lined up to date, of course, but the team will now have meetings with a host of other options as the Falcons look to take a step forward in 2024 and beyond.