Colts GM Chris Ballard On Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman Jr.
Injuries and disappointing play have defined Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s career since he entered the NFL as the fourth overall pick in 2023. The former Florida Gator has played just 17 NFL games, including two brief appearances in 2025, and there is widespread skepticism that he will turn into a viable starter. However, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is not writing off the 23-year-old yet.
“I see a future (for Richardson in the NFL). Yeah, kinda like with any player, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Things change,” Ballard said Tuesday (via Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star). “But we like Anthony.”
Andrew Luck‘s shocking preseason retirement in 2019 left the Colts without a long-term plan under center. The Luck-less Colts deployed Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz as their starter for a year apiece from 2019-22. Tired of cycling through short-term stopgaps, Ballard bet big on the athletically gifted Richardson going from raw prospect to franchise quarterback.
The Richardson gamble has not worked out at all. Various injuries and demotions limited him to 15 starts in his first two seasons. During an 11-start 2024, the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder completed an astoundingly low 47.7% of 264 pass attempts. The Colts left the door open for Richardson to remain their QB1 last year, but he would have had to beat out free agent acquisition Daniel Jones. Not only did Jones win the summer competition, but the former Giants first-rounder went on to enjoy the best season of his career.
Jones’ resurgent season concluded with a ruptured Achilles in Week 14, which could have opened the door for a healthy Richardson down the stretch. Unfortunately for Richardson, he was on the shelf then after suffering an orbital fracture in a freak accident with an exercise band in October. Richardson finished 2025 on IR while continuing to deal with vision problems. He is now “cleared to play football,” Ballard announced.
With both Jones and Richardson unavailable last December, the Colts stunned in calling the 44-year-old Rivers out of retirement. Rivers, then a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist, agreed to reset his Canton clock five years and come back in an effort to save the free-falling Colts. All three of Rivers’ starts were must-see TV, but the Colts didn’t win any of them. After going 8-5 in Jones’ starts, the Colts went 0-4 with Rivers and Riley Leonard to complete a second-half collapse.
The Colts will not run it back again with Rivers, who went back into retirement at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Jones is coming off a serious injury and without a contract for next 2026. However, the pending free agent is expected to re-sign with the Colts and continue as their starter. That would leave Richardson as a backup again, which may be the most likely outcome. Richardson would not bring back much in a trade, and releasing him wouldn’t save the Colts any money.
If Richardson is still on the Colts’ roster on May 1, it would be fair to expect them to decline his projected $23.50MM fifth-year option by then. That would set Richardson up for a trip to free agency in March 2027. He may have to wait until then to potentially salvage his career with another team.
Like Richardson, Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is facing an uncertain future this offseason. The six-year veteran logged 80 catches, 784 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they may not be worth a bloated $29MM cap hit next season. While releasing Pittman before March 15 would save the Colts $24MM, parting with him is not a foregone conclusion.
“I think the world of Pitt and who he is as a player,” Ballard said (via Brown). “Any suggestion that he’s not going to be here (next season) is a pure hypothetical, in my mind.”
Despite Ballard’s affinity for Pittman, he will remain a player to monitor over the next couple of weeks. Getting Pittman’s money off the books may aid the Colts in their quest to keep Jones and pending free agent wideout Alec Pierce.
Colts Working On Re-Signing Daniel Jones, Alec Pierce; Franchise Tag In Play
FEBRUARY 24: Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the Combine (via Chappell) that the team was planning to retain both Jones and Pierce. He added that “both sides are driven to get it done,” and characterized the ongoing negotiations as “very positive.”
Ballard also acknowledged the possibility of using the franchise tag on one of the two players, saying “it’s not what we want to do, but it’s a tool we have.”
FEBRUARY 23: The Colts were one of the biggest stories in the NFL in 2025, for reasons good and bad.
The good was a surprising 8-2 start anchored by an even more surprising player: quarterback Daniel Jones. The bad was an 0-7 finish to the year, which included Jones’ fractured fibula and torn Achilles in Week 13 and Philip Rivers‘ dramatic return to the NFL as his replacement.
The Colts had vastly different strengths of schedule during the two halves of their season, with a relatively easy slate to start and a murderer’s row of opponents down the stretch. That, combined with Jones’ injury, makes it hard to know if the current iteration of the team can compete in 2026.
The Colts seem to think so. They are pursuing extensions with Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Both are slated to hit free agency in March after breakout years in Indianapolis.
Jones, 28, did not just put up the best numbers of his career in 2025. He finished the year ranked among the NFL’s top 10 quarterbacks in yards per attempt, yards per game, completion percentage, passer rating, and total QBR. He also led three game-winning drives and three fourth-quarter comebacks in just 13 starts.
The seven-year veteran’s play started to slip before his injuries, which are not expected to sideline him into the 2026 season. But his injury history is a concern, and he did not get the chance to prove himself against many top defenses.
That makes Jones’ valuation a little tricky, but somewhere in the region of $35MM would make sense. Fellow 2018 first-round reclamation projects Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield signed for similar amounts after re-establishing themselves as starting-caliber QBs. Jones and the Colts have mutual interest in reaching a deal, according to Pelissero.
Pierce, 25, posted career-highs of 47 receptions and 1,003 receiving yards. He also led the NFL in yards per reception for a second year in a row. With George Pickens likely to be tagged by the Cowboys, Pierce could be the top wideout available in free agency. The Colts will try to lock him up before he hits the open market, but that may require an offer well over $20MM per year.
Discussions with both players “have been good” thus far, per FOX 59’s Mike Chappell, with negotiations expected to continue at the Combine in Indianapolis this week.
A franchise or transition tag is an option for Jones or Pierce (though not both), per Pelissero, though the latter makes far more sense for their valuations. A transition tag for Jones would cost $40.8MM, while Pierce’s would cost $25MM. However, those numbers would be on the high-end for a potential long-term deal and the tagged player would be able to negotiate with other teams.
The Colts are currently projected to have $35.7MM in cap space in 2026, per OverTheCap, with ways to create upwards of $50MM more. The team could afford to extend both players, or extend one and tag the other while still having room to address other needs in free agency.
Colts CB Charvarius Ward Expected To Play In 2026
Cornberback Charvarius Ward entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Middle Tennesee State in 2018, but it only took him until the next season to become a full-time starter. The former Chief and 49er was successful enough over his first seven seasons to earn a three-year, $54MM deal with the Colts last March.
Ward’s first year in Indianapolis did not go well, but it had nothing to do with his performance. Three concussions besieged Ward, who missed 10 of the Colts’ 17 games. Nearing his 30th birthday in May, Ward went into the offseason considering retirement. Ward’s father even advised him to walk away from the game, but it appears he will continue his career in 2026 (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
“All indications are he’s wanting to move forward and play,” general manager Chris Ballard stated on Tuesday. Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen said he and Ward talked “a couple days ago,” adding that the defender is “feeling good.”
With Ward likely returning next season, the Colts will hope he and fellow starting corner Sauce Gardner team up far more often than they did in 2025. Gardner began the season as a Jet, but he ended it as a Colt after a massive trade deadline deal on Nov. 4. With his team then 7-2 and vying for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Ballard dealt the Colts’ next two first-round picks away for the two-time first-team All-Pro.
On paper, with Gardner joining Ward and slot corner Kenny Moore, the Colts had a superb trio. Unfortunately for Ballard, they seldom played together down the stretch. While Ward was regularly out of the lineup because of his concussions, a calf strain sidelined Gardner for four games. Serious late-season injuries to Ward, Gardner, quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner significantly contributed to a post-deadline collapse for Indianapolis. Having to go long stretches without those players against a brutal second-half schedule torpedoed the Colts’ season.
Once 8-2, the Colts lost seven in a row to finish 8-9 and miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Healthier seasons from Ward, Gardner, Jones (a pending free agent who is in negotiations to re-sign) and Buckner would go a long way toward helping the Colts rebound in 2026.
Bears Approaching Indiana Relocation?
FEBRUARY 20: Even if the Bears move to Indiana, they will continue to practice at Halas Hall, their facility in Lake Forest, Illinois, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Lake Forest is about 40 miles north of Soldier Field in Chicago and about 60 miles north of Hammond, Indiana. That distance is “largely irrelevant,” Finley adds, “given that the Bears, like every other NFL team, spends the night before each game — both home and away — at a hotel.”
The Bears invested over $100MM in Halas Hall in 2019 and both players and staff live in the area, so moving away would cause a number of unnecessary headaches for the team.
FEBRUARY 19: The Bears have looked into a potential relocation to northwest Indiana as they weigh their new stadium options. A move across the border appears to remain a distinct possibility. 
On Thursday, an amendment to Senate Bill 27 received unanimous approval in the state during a Ways and Means committee hearing in Indiana. As noted by All CHGO’s Adam Hoge, only a direct agreement between governor Mike Braun and the Bears themselves seems to be in the way of a final step regarding relocation. It was confirmed today the Bears are still willing to commit $2 billion to the construction of a new stadium in Indiana, as they have been for a potential move to Arlington Heights in Illinois.
“We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal,” a statement from Braun reads in part. “If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 puts forward the essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.”
An Illinois House Finance and Revenue committee hearing was scheduled to take place today, but it was canceled. Hoge reports the megaprojects bill which could have granted the Bears “tax certainty” regarding the Arlington Heights project was on the agenda but was not set to be voted on. The Bears still own a plot in Arlington Heights at this time.
“The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” a Bears statement reads in part. “We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana… We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”
Hammond falls within a 75-mile radius of downtown Chicago. As such, the Bears already own marketing rights there in line with NFL rules for all of its teams. As noted by the Indy Star’s Joel A. Erickson, the Colts’ stance on this matter has not changed since a Bears relocation to Indiana became possible. The Colts simply “wish the Bears all the best on their stadium initiative.”
Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated reports a move across the Illinois-Indiana border “feels like an inevitability” at this point. Nothing has been finalized, but this is certainly a situation to watch closely. Interestingly, a move to Hammond would see the Bears play in the same location where George Halas spent time as a player in 1919 (h/t Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times). The manner in which Illinois responds to today’s developments will likely play a key role in determining the Bears’ post-Soldier Field future.
Colts Expected To Re-Sign Daniel Jones
After a turbulent six-year run with the Giants, Colts quarterback Daniel Jones‘ resurgence was one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises during last season’s first three months. Jones guided the Colts to an 8-4 record through his first 12 starts, but a torn Achilles in a Week 14 loss to the Jaguars ruined his season and helped sink his team.
Season-ending injuries to Jones and backup Anthony Richardson left the Colts desperate enough to bring 44-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Philip Rivers out of retirement. While that made for a fun story, the Colts did not win another game.
Indianapolis was in the catbird seat for a playoff spot for a large portion of 2025, but the team is now reeling from a second straight 8-9 finish. The Colts’ playoff drought climbed to five years during their second-half collapse. To make matters worse, the Colts do not have a first-round pick until 2028 (then 7-2, they traded their next two No. 1s to the Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner) or an established starting quarterback under contract.
Jones is scheduled to reach the free agent market next month, but there is mutual interest in a second Colts deal. The two sides are expected to commence negotiations soon (if they haven’t already). Among teams chasing quarterbacks, there is “growing consensus” Jones will stay in Indianapolis, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom reports.
“Jones is going back to the Colts. It makes too much sense not to happen,” one general manager told La Canfora.
The fact that Jones is just two-plus months removed from an Achilles tear increases the likelihood of remaining with the Colts, per La Canfora. The belief is that it would make plenty of sense for Jones to re-up with the Colts and recuperate in a familiar setting. Otherwise, in going elsewhere, he’d add the burdensome task of learning a new offense to an arduous recovery process.
Regardless of whether Jones sticks with the Colts, a substantial raise over last year’s $14MM deal is in order despite an inconsistent career and his recent injury. Considering the Colts and other teams are starved for a starting signal-caller, the 28-year-old is a candidate for the franchise tag (worth a projected $47.32MM) or another large contract.
With his stock then on the rise in New York, Jones secured a four-year, $160MM extension in March 2023. It was a disastrous decision by the Giants, who went on to cut Jones in November 2024. He finished the season as a Vikings backup before signing with the Colts in free agency. Jones was a buy-low pickup then, but a year later, he likely has more earning potential than any other pending free agent QB.
While the Colts expect Jones to bounce back from his injury by training camp, there is skepticism GM Chris Ballard will tag him by the March 3 deadline.
“Ballard was going to put the (franchise) tag on him if he didn’t get hurt,” another GM informed La Canfora. “Everybody knew that. Now he can keep him without tagging him.”
If that’s the case, Jones’ next Colts pact would “likely” be incentive-laden, according to La Canfora. Should the Colts work something out with Jones before March 3, it may enable them to tag one of his key weapons, wide receiver Alec Pierce, at a lesser cost (a projected $28.82MM).
Jones formed a nice rapport with Pierce, a soon-to-be free agent who has led the league in yards per catch two years in a row. Despite just 47 receptions, the field-stretching Pierce posted his first 1,000-yard season in 2025. If the Colts don’t franchise Pierce in the next two weeks, it would set up the 2022 second-rounder to reel in a much more valuable deal than the four-year rookie contract he just finished.
2026 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates
We are now in Year 34 of the franchise tag, a retention tool that came about during the same offseason in which full-fledged free agency spawned. The NFL salary cap is rising at a rate allowing teams to hammer out more extensions than in previous periods. That has helped dilute free agency talent pools. This led to a 2025 landscape in which only two players — Tee Higgins and Trey Smith — received the franchise tag. The cap, which stood at $279.2MM in 2025, is expected to rise beyond $301MM this year.
This year’s free agent class looks to feature only one tag lock, but a handful of players make sense as candidates to be kept off the market. An antiquated NFL system regarding positional classifications also affects this year’s free agency crop, as a couple of high-end UFAs-to-be (Tyler Linderbaum, Devin Lloyd) would likely be kept off the market if the league modernized how it sorted positions with regards to tag prices.
Teams who use the franchise or transition tag have until July 15 to complete an extension; otherwise, negotiations cannot restart until after the 2026 season. The transition tag does not bring any compensation back for an unmatched offer sheet, but the two-first-rounder component associated with a franchise tag has not been especially relevant in ages. Although offer sheets have come out in previous eras (Sean Gilbert and Dan Wilkinson signed unmatched offers in the 1990s), clubs avoid these in fear of an unmatched proposal requiring two first-round picks to be sent to the tagging team.
The tag window opens at 3pm CT today. With clubs having until 3pm CT on March 3 to apply tags, here is who may be cuffed:
Likely tag recipients
George Pickens, WR (Cowboys)
Projected tag cost: $28.82MM
The Cowboys have regularly turned to the tag over the past decade. They cuffed DeMarcus Lawrence in 2018 and ’19 before locking down Dak Prescott in 2020 and ’21. The latter Prescott tag was procedural, as the quarterback used the threat of a lofty second tag number hitting Dallas’ cap sheet as leverage toward a player-friendly extension — one that laid the groundwork for his 2024 player-friendly extension. The Cowboys then kept Dalton Schultz (2022) and Tony Pollard (’23) off the market. After two years without unholstering their tag, the Cowboys appear all set to prevent Pickens from reaching free agency.
Acquiring Pickens in a May 2025 trade with the Steelers — which featured a 2026 third-round pick as the top asset going back to Pittsburgh –Dallas reaped immediate benefits from that swap. Pickens, 24, smashed his career-high receiving mark with 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. That booked the former second-round pick his first Pro Bowl honor; more impressively, Pickens was named a second-team All-Pro. The mercurial ex-Steeler WR1 was more than 300 receiving yards clear of CeeDee Lamb for the Cowboys’ receiving lead; even though Lamb missed three games, Pickens’ per-game average (84.1) better Lamb’s (76.9).
A tag surfaced on the radar here in mid-November, and momentum has steadily built for Pickens to follow in Dez Bryant‘s footsteps as a Cowboy wideout being kept off the market. It will take a near-Saints-level odyssey for the Cowboys to create sufficient cap space for a Pickens tag and reasonable spending room; they are projected to be more than $30MM (per OverTheCap) north of the 2026 salary ceiling, but enough smoke has emerged here — after Pickens fit the tag profile upon arrival — to make it safe to expect this outcome.
The Steelers shipped out Pickens in part because of reliability concerns, but the 6-foot-3 playmaker outperformed — with a considerable QB upgrade in Prescott — his previous work. With Lamb tied to a $34MM-per-year deal and Prescott on an NFL-record $60MM-AAV extension, the Cowboys are far from certain to extend Pickens. A tag-and-trade play has surfaced as a possibility, but with negotiations not having begun as of early February, expect the Cowboys to use the tag to at least buy themselves more time on their ultra-talented WR2.
On tag radar:
Breece Hall, RB (Jets)
Projected tag cost: $14.54MM
The Chiefs offered a fourth-round pick for Hall at the deadline, but the Jets held onto their starting running back after having asked for at least a third-rounder. Hall denied a report he was seeking a New York exit — after the blockbuster deals involving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams — but he could have a chance to explore his value on the open market soon. The Jets, however, have spoken highly of the 1,000-yard rusher. The tag has surfaced as a possibility.
Hall, 24, is more than two years younger than Etienne. He will thus command more in free agency. The former second-round pick is also more than three years removed from the ACL tear that sidetracked his rookie season. The Jets waited on a Hall extension, keeping him on his rookie contract while giving Gardner and Garrett Wilson big-ticket deals, but Aaron Glenn has spoken highly of the Iowa State alum.
Gang Green wants to retain Hall. The easiest way for that to happen would be to extend his negotiating window via the tag. A $12MM-per-year offer could await the fifth-year player, making a tag logical. If the Jets were to place the transition tag on Hall, it would cost them a projected $11.73MM. They would receive no compensation in the event of an unmatched offer sheet, thus allowing another team to dictate the contract structure a la the Packers’ Kyle Fuller offer sheet in 2018.
The Jets saw Hall sidekick Braelon Allen miss much of the season, but the former Joe Douglas-era fourth-round pick remains signed through 2027. Allen gives the Jets some protection against a Hall exit, with a mid-round 2027 compensatory pick possible as well. But Hall is a dynamic RB that will be an attractive FA commodity if unattached come March 9. The Jets have a big decision to make over the next two weeks.
Trey Hendrickson, DE (Bengals)
Projected tag cost: $34.8MM
The defensive end tag is projected to come in at $27.32MM, but because Hendrickson was attached to a $29MM salary (following a late-summer raise), he is the rare tag candidate to whom the 120% rule would apply. As PFR’s glossary indicates, “the amount of the one-year offer is determined by a formula that includes the salary cap figures and the non-exclusive franchise salaries at the player’s position for the previous five years. Alternately, the amount of the one-year offer can be 120% of the player’s previous salary, if that amount is greater.” In Hendrickson’s case, it would be.
2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker
The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.
Updated 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)
Offensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)
- Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired
Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)
- Bryan McClendon, wide receivers coach (Buccaneers): Interview requested
- Tommy Rees, offensive coordinator (Browns): Hired
- Drew Terrell, wide receivers coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/20
Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Mentioned as candidate
- Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator (Bears): Hired
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/12
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Scottie Montgomery, wide receivers coach (Lions): To interview
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)
- Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected
Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)
- Connor Senger, pass-game coordinator (Cardinals): Interview requested
- Press Taylor, pass-game coordinator (Bears): Promoted
- Troy Walters, wide receivers coach (Bengals): Declined interview
Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)
- Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hired
Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
- Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted
Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)
- David Blough, quarterbacks coach (Commanders): Mentioned as candidate; promoted to Washington OC
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/14
- Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach (Ravens): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/13
- Jake Peetz, pass-game coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Drew Petzing, former offensive coordinator (Cardinals): Hired
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/15
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)
- Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired
Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)
- Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
- Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)
- Marcus Brady, pass-game coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/15
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/16
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): To interview
- Shane Day, quarterbacks coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/15
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Hired
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed 1/19
- Drew Terrell, wide receivers coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/19
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)
- Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
- Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted
Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interview requested
- Bobby Slowik, passing game coordinator (Dolphins): Promoted
New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Interview expected
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 2/1
- Shane Day, quarterbacks coach (Chargers): To interview
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/31
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Hire expected
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Hired
- Robert Prince, wide receivers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Willie Taggart, running backs coach (Ravens): Joining staff in different capacity
- Alex Tanney, pass-game coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/30
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
- Charlie Weis Jr., offensive coordinator (LSU): Mentioned as candidate
New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)
- Darrell Bevell, passing game coordinator (Dolphins): Conducted second interview 2/1
- Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed 1/28
- Jon Gruden, former head coach (Raiders): Declined Jets’ overtures
- Frank Reich, former head coach (Panthers): Hired
- Greg Roman, former offensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/28; considered finalist
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/28
Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)
- Klayton Adams, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interview blocked
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Conducted second interview 1/28
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/20
- Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator (Bears): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Josh Grizzard, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): Conducted second interview 1/28
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Conducted second interview 1/29
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/17
- Sean Mannion, quarterbacks coach (Packers): Hired
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/16
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/23
- Frank Smith, former offensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Interview requested
- Charlie Weis Jr., offensive coordinator (LSU): Withdrew from search
Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)
- Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Hired
- Scott Tolzien, quarterbacks coach (Saints): Interviewed 2/2; withdrew from consideration
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interview expected
Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)
- John Benton, offensive line coach (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Mack Brown, tight ends coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/13
- Brian Fleury, tight ends coach (49ers): Hired
- Hank Fraley, offensive line coach (Lions): Rumored candidate
- Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/12
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Rumored candidate
- Justin Outten, run-game specialist (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/13
- Jake Peetz, pass-game coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 2/12
- Connor Senger, pass-game specialist (Cardinals): To interview
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): To conduct second interview 1/22
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/16
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Hired
- David Shaw, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/10
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/10
Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Hired
- Kliff Kingsbury, former offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/26
- Thad Lewis, former quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/26
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed
- Adam Stenavich, offensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/26
Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)
- David Blough, quarterbacks coach (Commanders): Promoted
- Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
- Tee Martin, quarterbacks coach (Ravens): Interview scheduled
- David Raih, tight ends coach (Commanders): Interviewed
- Drew Terrell, pass-game coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/9
- Lunda Wells, tight ends coach (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/8
Defensive Coordinators
Arizona Cardinals
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Rumored candidate
- Charlie Bullen, outside linebackers coach (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Nick Rallis, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): Retained
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Interview requested; withdrew from search
Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Interview requested
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/30
- Anthony Weaver, former defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired
Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7
- Charlie Bullen, defensive pass-game coordinator (Giants): Interview requested; withdrew from search
- Jonathan Cooley, defensive pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 2/9
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Hired
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Interviewed 2/7; finalist
- Cory Undlin, defensive pass-game coordinator (Texans): Held in-person interview 2/14; finalist
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate; withdrew from search
Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed 1/9
- Charlie Bullen, interim defensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/15
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed 1/16
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): To conduct second interview 1/20
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Conducted second interview 1/17
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
- Zach Orr, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Eagles): Hired
- Matt Patricia, defensive coordinator (Ohio State): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Ulbrich, defensive coordinator (Falcons): Interview blocked
- Aaron Whitecotton, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interviewed
Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): Hired
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/21
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/22
- Christian Parker, defensive backs coach (Eagles): To interview
Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive run game coordinator (Packers): To interview
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Rumored candidate
- Jeff Howard, safeties coach (Seahawks): To interview 2/14
- Rob Leonard, run-game coordinator (Raiders): Promoted
- Zach Orr, former defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 2/13
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Rumored candidate, to stay in Seattle
- Jason Tarver, linebackers coach (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Mentioned as candidate, withdrew from search
- Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Rumored candidate
Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)
- Steve Clinkscale, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Adam Fuller, safeties coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed 1/28
- Chris O’Leary, defensive coordinator (Western Michigan): Hired
- Zach Orr, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/23
- Aubrey Pleasant, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- Dylan Roney, outside linebackers coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/23
Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)
- Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
- Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed
New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Giants): Mentioned as candidate
- Zak Kuhr, linebackers coach (Patriots): Clear frontrunner
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Mentioned as candidate
New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/22
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Mentioned as candidate
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Hired
New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)
- Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
- Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
- DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
- Brian Duker, pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Hired
- Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
- Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
- Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Conducted second interview 1/24
- Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed
Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Hired
- Jason Simmons, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview; hired for different role
San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
- Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
- Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed
Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Hired
- Aaron Whitecotton, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested; hired as DL coach
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/24
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Interview requested
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/24
Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)
- Teryl Austin, defensive coordinator (Steelers): Interviewed
- Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Flores, former defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/14
- Jonathan Gannon, former head coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/15
- Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interview requested
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/22
- Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Hired
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Mentioned as candidate
- Karl Scott, defensive backs coach (Seahawks): Interviewed
- Jeff Ulbrich, defensive coordinator (Falcons): Mentioned as candidate; staying with Falcons
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/10
AFC Coaching Updates: Ravens, Chargers, Murray, Titans, Colts
New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter continues to build his first staff as a head coach in Baltimore. His newest hires will be overseeing a receiving corps that’s set to return Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Devontez Walker. Per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Keary Colbert is expected to be hired as wide receivers coach and Prentice Gill is expected to be promoted to assistant wide receivers coach.
A former NFL wide receiver, Colbert turned to coaching immediately following the end of his playing career. He worked through a circuit of collegiate jobs, spending time at Georgia State, USC, Alabama, and Florida. He made the jump to the NFL in 2023 and has worked the past three years as the Broncos wide receivers coach, starting with a Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton tandem before losing Jeudy and getting the most out of role players like Marvin Mims, Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant.
Two years ago, Gill worked as an offensive analyst for Baltimore. He spent this past season as a coaching fellow and has finally been rewarded with a role as a position coach. Per Zenitz, he also has experience working with Colbert from when both were at USC.
After promoting Anthony Levine to special teams coordinator earlier today, the Ravens are expected to hire Ben Kotwica as a senior assistant on special teams, as well, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Alongside long-time senior assistant Randy Brown, Kotwica will provide experienced support behind Levine after having worked as a coordinator in New York, Washington, Atlanta, and Denver as well as an interim coordinator with the Rams last year.
Here are a few other coaching staff updates from around the AFC:
- With the Chargers bringing former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel in as their new offensive coordinator, a few other offensive staffers appear to be tagging along from Miami. According to Zenitz, former Dolphins run game specialist Chandler Henley is expected to be on McDaniel’s new staff in Los Angeles, though an expected title has not been reported. There’s a chance he could be stepping into a role similar to that of run game coordinator/tight ends coach Andy Bischoff, who Zenitz reports is expected to part ways with the team. Additionally, the Chargers are expected to hire Julian Campenni to a role as assistant defensive line coach, per Zenitz. Campenni most recently worked as the outside linebackers coach at Rutgers.
- Zenitz was the first to report that former NFL running back DeMarco Murray had emerged as a person-of-interest for the running backs job in Kansas City, but it was NFL insider Jordan Schultz who first reported that the Chiefs are hiring Murray for the job. Murray started coaching as the running backs coach at Arkansas in 2019 and has held the same role at Oklahoma for the past six years. He’ll follow in the footsteps of former NFL running back Eric Bieniemy and officially join the Andy Reid coaching tree.
- After losing Charlie Partridge to Notre Dame just after New Year’s, the Colts have finally found his replacement. According to Zenitz, Indianapolis is expected to hire Marion Hobby as their new defensive line coach. A former college coach who saw a seven-year run as an NFL defensive line coach with stops at Jacksonville, Miami, and Cincinnati, Hobby spent the 2025 season as a defensive analyst at Tennessee and had recently accepted the defensive line coach position at Arkansas. If the expected hire goes through, it appears he will be spurning the Razorbacks for a chance to return to the NFL.
- Lastly, Zenitz reports that Titans head coach Robert Saleh is hiring his cousin, Ahmed Saleh, to Tennessee’s staff for 2026. Saleh most recently worked as the linebackers coach/special teams coordinator at Wayne State, and per Titans Insider Paul Kuharsky, he will serve as a defensive quality control coach with the Titans.
Colts Could Apply Franchise Tag To WR Alec Pierce?
Daniel Jones represents the top pending free agent for the Colts. Keeping him in the fold will be a major offseason priority, but the same is also true of Alec Pierce. 
[RELATED: Colts To Begin Jones Contract Talks Soon]
Pierce is set to see his rookie contract expire next month. A major raise is in store regardless of where it will come from. The 25-year-old topped 1,000 yards in 2025, and he led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) for the second year in a row.
As the Colts deal with negotiations on the Jones front, the franchise tag could be used as a means of ensuring he will not depart in free agency. That may also come into play in Pierce’s case. ESPN’s Jeremy writes Indianapolis could tag the former second-rounder, a move which would follow the path taken with fellow WR Michael Pittman Jr. in 2024. Of course, teams can apply the tag to only one play in any given offseason.
Pittman was kept off the market by means of the franchise tag at a time when it carried a cost of $21.82MM. He wound up agreeing to a long-term pact, and his extension carries an average annual value of $23.33MM. Final figures for 2026 tags have not yet emerged, but the receiver position is currently projected to cost over $28MM. That amount would be guaranteed in full in the event Indianapolis were to tag Pierce, who showcased an ability to operate as more than a deep threat this season.
Pittman’s contract only has one season remaining. He is due to carry a cap charge of $29MM in 2026, so an extension aimed at lowering that figure could be pursued. The Colts also have veteran Ashton Dulin in the fold and Josh Downs attached to his rookie contract. The decision to trade away Adonai Mitchell increased the value of retaining Pierce, though, and general manager Chris Ballard confirmed after the season working out a new pact is high on the team’s to-do list.
Pierce spoke last month about the possibility of reaching the market for the first time in his career. He also stated an affinity for the organization, though, leaving the door open to a second Colts pact. The window for using the franchise tag will open next week and close on March 3. Indianapolis will be a team to watch closely given the potential for Jones or Pierce to be tagged.
Final 2026 NFL Draft Order
With Super Bowl LX in the books, the full 2026 NFL draft order has been set. Free agency is not far away, but attention will increasingly turn to April’s event as the offseason progresses.
The top of the first-round order is not subject to much in the way of speculation. The Raiders own the No. 1 selection and are widely seen as the landing spot for Fernando Mendoza, the lone quarterback regarded as a first-round lock at this point. How other QB-needy teams positioned throughout the order operate over the coming weeks – knowing there is a lack of high-end prospects this year – will make for an interesting storyline around the league.
This year’s NFL Combine will begin on February 23. Events such as the Senior Bowl have already taken place, leaving the Combine as the next major checkpoint in the evaluation of top prospects. Teams will begin arranging ‘Top 30’ visits with several players of interest relatively soon during the build-up to the draft. This year’s event will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
Pending the inevitable trades which will shake up the order, here is a final look at how things stand leading up to Day 1:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)