Latest On Raiders’ GM, HC Positions
1:02pm: Kelly has sat in on the Raiders’ HC interviews this week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Although Dodds and others may remain in the GM mix, that certainly represents a good sign for Kelly’s chances of staying in Las Vegas. Kelly’s presence at Pierce’s Monday interview would obviously stand to help his chances, given the buzz the latter has received in recent days.
10:56am: While Antonio Pierce‘s experience level would make him one of the most unusual head coach hires in NFL history, it looks like the linebackers coach-turned-interim leader is the clubhouse leader to secure the job. The Raiders are considering running it all back.
Champ Kelly has gone through a second GM interview, according to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. Pierce has already completed his coaching interview. Although the Raiders have not necessarily been adamant the Kelly-Pierce tandem stay together, this looks to be a scenario that is very much in play.
On the surface, the Raiders sticking with two Josh McDaniels-era hires would be extraordinarily odd considering how quickly McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler were dismissed. Kelly has a history with Ziegler, from their time together in Denver, but did not work for the Patriots. Pierce only worked with McDaniels and Ziegler over the past two seasons, coming back to the NFL after four seasons at Arizona State. Top Raiders players, a contingent driven by Maxx Crosby, want Pierce back. They may soon get their wish.
Initially pegged as set to attempt a swing for a big-name HC, Mark Davis looks to be taking his players’ views seriously re: Pierce. The former linebacker’s knowledge of Raiders history and their culture has appealed to the owner, whose previous big swings — on McDaniels and another Jon Gruden stint — whiffed. Still, with Jim Harbaugh, Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel available, it would be interesting to see the Raiders pass on requesting interviews with any of them.
Raiders interviews with Kris Richard and Leslie Frazier have satisfied the Rooney Rule, which mandates clubs meet with at least two external minority candidates before hiring a head coach. These two represent the only external candidates interviewed for the job at all, with the Raiders initially focusing on their GM position. It would seem a misstep on Davis’ part to hire Pierce without exploring the field, but the owner has expressed regret about not hiring former interim HC Rich Bisaccia two years ago.
The Raiders do not view Pierce and Kelly as a package deal, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds Ed Dodds — the Colts’ assistant GM who impressed during his 2022 interview with the Raiders — is viewed as Kelly’s top threat for the gig. Dodds met with Davis during this cycle on Jan. 12. A Pierce-Dodds partnership would be in play as well, given the interim HC’s lack of history with Kelly. But the partnership that helped the Raiders finish 5-4 post-McDaniels may still be favored to return. Kelly has been viewed as firmly in the mix to stay for a few weeks now.
Las Vegas’ first round of GM interviews wrapped this weekend; a decision should be expected soon. Dodds impressing back in 2022 and remaining on the team’s radar would point to the seven-year Colts exec receiving a second meeting as well. A Seahawks scout for 10 years, Dodds has a history with the Raiders. The veteran personnel man began his NFL career interning with the team while Al Davis was still in place. Dodds was with the Raiders from 2003-06. He has since been on several teams’ GM radars and has been integral to the Colts building a quality roster — one held back for years by an inconsistent QB situation.
If Pierce is to be back, it might point Patrick Graham out of town. A five-year defensive coordinator, Graham has considerably more experience coaching in the NFL than Pierce. With Pierce’s background on defense, Graham may seek an opportunity elsewhere. The Raiders have not interviewed Graham for their HC job yet. Pierce’s unique lack of experience would also likely lead to him prioritizing seasoned staffers. One of them may be veteran DC Gregg Williams, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora.
Out of the league since his two-year run as Jets DC ended ignominiously late in the 2020 season, Williams has been a defensive coordinator for eight teams. He spent last season as the defensive boss for the XFL’s DC Defenders. Williams, 65, is best remembered for his role in the Saints’ Bountygate scandal, but the former Bills HC has remained employable since. Pierce and Williams have a strong bond, per La Canfora. This would date back to the two’s time in Washington; in place as Washington’s DC from 2004-07, Williams coached Pierce in 2004 — before the standout linebacker signed with the Giants a year later.
The Jaguars are also interested in Williams, La Canfora adds. Jacksonville may be prioritizing experience in its search to replace Mike Caldwell as DC; four current or former coordinators received interview requests. Williams was in place as the Jags’ DC in 2008, a one-year tenure under Jack Del Rio in 2008.
In addition to Davis, the Raiders have a handful of staffers — along with recent Hall of Fame inductee Richard Seymour, a Raider from 2009-12 — on their interview panel. Team president Sandra Douglass Morgan, director of football administration Tom Delaney, board member Larry Delsen and advisor Ken Herock join Davis and Seymour, per Reed. Davis described Herock, a longtime Raiders consigliere, as the ringleader of the searches that led to McDaniels and Ziegler being hired two years ago. We heard in the fall he and Delaney would play roles in the team’s latest searches. Al Davis once approached Seymour about a future front office role, Breer adds, noting the star D-lineman also helped Mark Davis during his years as Raiders owner. It would not surprise if the four-year Raiders defender was tapped to play a key role in the next regime.
Falcons Permit Jaguars To Interview DC Ryan Nielsen
The Falcons are changing course with Ryan Nielsen. After initially blocking Jacksonville from interviewing its defensive coordinator, Atlanta is giving the go-ahead.
Nielsen will interview for the Jaguars’ DC position, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. While the Falcons joined the Panthers in initially blocking the Jaguars from meeting with their first-year DC, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein notes the team has now granted permission for the lateral move.
The Falcons had blocked multiple staffers from interviewing elsewhere, including Marquice Williams, whom the Giants sought for a special teams coordinator meeting. Perhaps progressing on the hiring front, Atlanta may be greenlighting those moves now. Teams can block coordinators from interviewing for other coordinator jobs, so long as the position does not involve a non-play-calling OC or DC moving to a play-calling role. The Jags fired two-year DC Mike Caldwell shortly after their season ended. Jacksonville’s next DC will be its fourth in five seasons.
This would be a major change for the Falcons, who improved defensively with Nielsen. But the team is also in transition, having fired Arthur Smith. With Bill Belichick squarely on Atlanta’s radar, a defensive shakeup is also naturally in play. Regardless of which HC the Falcons hire, he will likely want to either call defensive plays himself or bring in his own boss on that side of the ball. With job openings available now, the Falcons will let Nielsen explore them.
While Smith could not provide a significant boost on offense, as quarterback issues plagued the team following the 2022 Matt Ryan trade, Nielsen did make an impact in his first year on the job. The Falcons improved from 25th to eighth in pass defense, with Feldman adding they climbed from 26th to seventh from 2022-23 in yards per play. The team vaulted from 27th to 11th in total defense in that span and finished 18th in scoring defense this season. That said, Atlanta dropped from ninth to 18th in total defense in a one-game span, allowing 48 points in an embarrassing Week 18 loss to New Orleans.
Nielsen has a history with Falcons GM Terry Fontenot, with both having worked with the Saints prior to their moves to Georgia. Fontenot remains in place, though a Belichick or Jim Harbaugh hire would either threaten his job security or put him at risk of seeing power stripped. Nielsen spent six seasons as the Saints’ defensive line coach, moving to a co-DC role in 2022.
Here is how the Jaguars’ DC search looks:
- Shane Bowen, defensive coordinator (Titans): To interview
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview blocked
- Chris Harris, cornerbacks coach (Titans): To interview
- Chris Hewitt, secondary coach (Ravens): To interview 1/21
- Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): To interview
- Don Martindale, former defensive coordinator (Giants): To interview
- Ryan Nielsen, defensive coordinator (Falcons): To interview
Jaguars To Interview Wink Martindale For DC Job
After Ian Rapoport of NFL Network hinted at a connection between former Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and the Jaguars, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has confirmed that Martindale is scheduled for a two-day interview with the team this week. Martindale will be in Duval Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to interview for the team’s open defensive coordinator position. 
The Jaguars fired defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and the rest of the team’s defensive staff after Caldwell’s first two years as a coordinator. Under Caldwell, the Jacksonville defense delivered middling results finishing 12th and 17th in points allowed and 24th and 22nd in yards allowed. This kept a top-10 2022 Jaguars offense from advancing past the divisional round of the playoffs and kept a top-14 2023 Jaguars offense from making it to the playoffs at all.
Plenty of names have been mentioned as names to interview for the position since Caldwell’s departure. The team was blocked access to interview current Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen earlier this week, but Ravens secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt, Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, Titans cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator Chris Harris, and Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel are all set to interview with the team.
Add Martindale to that list. Martindale started in the NFL as a linebackers coach, spending five years with the Raiders before taking the same job with the Broncos. Denver would promote him to defensive coordinator under Josh McDaniels, but Martindale was not retained whenever John Fox took over the following year. He joined the Ravens 2012 Super Bowl-winning squad as the linebackers coach, a role he would hold for six years before eventually replacing Dean Pees as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
In his first three years heading up the Ravens defense, Baltimore fielded a perennial top-five defense, often competing for the league lead in points or yards allowed. 2021 would see an anomaly in Baltimore as the team’s defense would finish 19th in points allowed and 25th in yards allowed. Whether or not the lack of success was due to injuries to key contributors like cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters and safety DeShon Elliott, Martindale and the Ravens parted ways.
A few weeks later, Martindale accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Giants. Over the past two years, New York has finished 18th and 26th in points allowed and 25th and 27th in yards allowed. Unhappy with the production of someone who used to be a top defensive coordinator in the league, the Giants and head coach Brian Daboll parted ways with Martindale. News of the separation came days after reports of a multiday standoff that saw Martindale reportedly curse out Daboll and storm out of the building.
Now Martindale will add his name to the list of potential candidates to replace Caldwell in Jacksonville. He’ll be competing with a currently much less experienced field of candidates, though the Jaguars may prefer someone with a bit less history and baggage.
Jaguars Exploring Options For Open DC Job, Scheduling Interviews
After firing defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and the rest of the defensive staff, head coach Doug Pederson and the Jaguars have started the process of finding replacements. That became clear with a series of reports today that several defensive assistants from around the league would be interviewing for the open position. 
In a continuation of what looks like a future decimation of the Ravens‘ coaching staff this offseason, secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt will interview for the job, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Baltimore’s coordinators have both been garnering interest for multiple head coaching openings, and earlier today, we saw the team’s defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson interview with the Giants for their open defensive coordinator job. Even Ravens defensive line coach/associate head coach Anthony Weaver has received head coaching interest.
Hewitt has been a staple in Baltimore, coaching with the Ravens since the team’s last Super Bowl season in 2012. The Jamaica-native started off coaching as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the college level for the Fighting Irish before spending eight seasons at Rutgers coaching running backs and cornerbacks. In 2012, Hewitt joined John Harbaugh‘s staff as a defensive backs coach. After another eight years, Hewitt was promoted to pass defense coordinator and has spent the past two seasons in his current role.
Jacksonville isn’t afraid to poach from a division-rival, scheduling an interview with Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. While Bowen technically is still employed in Nashville, the firing of Mike Vrabel leaves Bowen in a precarious position, as whoever eventually replaces Vrabel may not choose to retain him in Tennessee. After five years as an assistant with the Texans and Titans, Bowen got his first coordinator job in 2021. In his first season, Bowen impressed, with Tennessee finished as the sixth-best scoring defense and finishing 12th in yards allowed. The next two seasons saw mostly middling defenses in Tennessee.
Also off the Titans’ coaching staff, the Jaguars will interview Tennessee’s defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Chris Harris, according to Ben Arthur of NFL on FOX. Since entering the NFL in 2013 as a Bears defensive quality control coach, Harris went from assistant defensive backs coach for the Chargers to defensive backs coach for Washington before landing in his current role with the Titans this year. Harris also got some interest in last year’s coordinator search for the Texans.
Finally, the last candidate to receive a request to interview for the Jaguars open position was Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel. Manuel started coaching in Seattle in 2012, a few years after concluding his playing career, as an assistant special teams coach. He would climb the ladder for the Seahawks becoming a defensive assistant and an assistant secondary coach over the next two years. He took his first position coaching gig as the secondary coach for the Falcons in 2015 and was promoted to defensive coordinator two years later. When his contract in Atlanta expired, Manuel was hired as the defensive backs coach in Philadelphia for a year before taking the safeties coach position in New York. Like Harris, Manuel was a candidate for the Texans defensive coordinator job last offseason. He also interviewed for the same job with the Panthers last year, as well.
The Jaguars are certainly exploring plenty of options for who will coach the defensive side of the ball in Jacksonville next year. The team reportedly also requested an interview with Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen but were blocked access, per Jaguars beat reporter John Shipley. The Panthers also blocked an Ejiro Evero interview. There seems to be a concentrated focus on coaches with defensive back experience, which makes sense after the team gave up the seventh-most passing yards in the NFL this year.
Falcons Request HC Interview With Mike Macdonald
We can add another team to the list of suitors for Mike Macdonald. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Falcons have requested permission to interview the Ravens defensive coordinator for their head coaching vacancy.
[RELATED: 2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]
After not generating any head coaching interest last offseason, Macdonald has turned into one of the most popular names this time around. As our Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, the Falcons join the Titans, Commanders, Panthers, and Chargers as the teams that are currently pursuing Macdonald.
The second-year Ravens DC helped guide one the NFL’s top defenses this season, with Baltimore finishing the season as the top-scoring defense. Macdonald also got praise for his handling on the edge. Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy both caught on late with the Ravens, but the veteran duo still managed to finish the year with 18.5 sacks.
Macdonald joins a growing list of candidates for the open gig in Atlanta:
- Bill Belichick, former head coach (Patriots): Team showing strong interest?
- Brian Callahan, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interview requested
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Rumored candidate
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Bobby Slowik, offensive coordinator (Texans): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach (Ravens): Interview requested
- Steve Wilks, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview requested
Despite the lack of a head coach, the Falcons are holding on to one of their coordinators. According to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, the Falcons blocked defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen from interviewing for the Jaguars defensive coordinator gig. After spending the 2022 campaign as the Saints DC, Nielsen took on the same role in Atlanta for the 2023 campaign. The Falcons defense ended up having a bounce-back season, finishing 11th in the NFL in yards allowed.
Panthers Block Jaguars From Ejiro Evero DC Interview
For a second straight year, Ejiro Evero has been denied permission to interview for a defensive coordinator job. The Panthers’ intention to overhaul their operation does not yet mean Evero is gone, and they are keeping him in place for the time being.
Carolina blocked a Jacksonville effort to interview Evero for its newly vacant DC post, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. The Panthers have been linked to viewing Evero as a potential HC, and Fowler adds the team will indeed interview its defensive play-caller for the top job.
This is similar to the start of Evero’s 2023 offseason, when the Broncos had hoped to retain him after their 2022 defense fared well. Evero still interviewed for every HC position last year, including Carolina’s, with teams unable to block coordinators from HC meetings. Before the Broncos hired Sean Payton, the team blocked the assistant from interviewing for the Falcons’ DC job.
The Jaguars dismissed Mike Caldwell after two seasons as DC, firing most of their defensive staff as well. While the Jags are set to have a fourth defensive coordinator in five years, they have not previously been connected to Evero, who had spent five years as a Rams assistant under Sean McVay. Four of those Los Angeles seasons featured Evero as a safeties coach, but after McVay elevated him to DBs coach for the team’s 2021 Super Bowl-winning season, the assistant’s stock has skyrocketed.
Evero’s defense kept the Broncos in many games during an otherwise miserable 2022 season. He became the rare assistant from a 5-12 team to be coveted across the board by HC-needy teams. Evero did not land one of the five available jobs last year, but after a meeting with Payton did not produce a partnership, the Broncos let Evero out of his contract. That led to the Panthers hiring him to run their defense under Frank Reich. Despite Evero not being Carolina’s interim HC following Reich’s firing, rumors emerged indicating the team’s defensive play-caller could stay. This would mean either Evero makes an unlikely climb into the HC chair or stays in his DC role under the next Carolina leader.
The Panthers ranked 29th in scoring defense but fourth in yards allowed. This marked Evero’s second straight season with a top-10 total defense; the Broncos ranked seventh in yardage last season. DVOA tells a different story, ranking Carolina’s defense 25th. Still, the Panthers are not letting Evero leave just yet. While it would surprise if the team promoted from within after a 2-15 season, assistant GM Dan Morgan is a candidate to succeed Scott Fitterer.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/24
Here are the reserve/futures deals handed out Tuesday:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Daniel Arias, CB Darren Hall, S Verone McKinley, OL Austen Pleasants
Atlanta Falcons
- WR Chris Blair, DB Natrone Brooks, S Lukas Denis, LB Milo Eifler, DE Demone Harris, T John Leglue, WR Austin Mack, LB Donavan Mutin, DT Willington Previlon, G Justin Shaffer, T Ryan Swoboda, T Tyler Vrabel, RB Carlos Washington, T Barry Wesley
Chicago Bears
Indianapolis Colts
- S Kendell Brooks, G Lewis Kidd, S Michael Tutsie
Jacksonville Jaguars
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Brevin Allen, DT Jerrod Clark, RB Elijah Dotson, QB Max Duggan, WR Simi Fehoko, DB Matt Hankins, OL Brent Laing, LB C.J. Okoye, CB Chris Wilcox
Minnesota Vikings
- RB Myles Gaskin
New York Jets
- FB Nick Bawden, DT Tanzel Smart
Jaguars Fire DC Mike Caldwell, Others
JANUARY 9: Changes on the offensive side of the ball have been made as well. Running backs coach Bernie Parmalee and offensive line assistant Todd Washington are out, per a statement from Pederson. The former was fired while the latter did not have his contract renewed, as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
JANUARY 8: Following their late-season collapse, the Jaguars will make a major move. They are firing Mike Caldwell after his second season as defensive coordinator, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman reports.
Although the Jaguars struggled on both sides of the ball to close out this disappointing season, Caldwell will be the first domino to fall. The Jags hired the former NFL linebacker after he helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl as linebackers coach, but it is certainly unsurprising to see Jacksonville move forward with a big change.
As should be expected, the changes will not stop at Caldwell. Jacksonville is firing its defensive staff, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. While DVOA placed the Jaguars’ defense 10th overall, the group slipped down the stretch. Jacksonville allowed at least 28 points in four of its final six games — all losses. After an 8-3 start, the team closed what had looked like a promising season at 9-8.
Among the members of Caldwell’s defensive staff: D-line coach Brentson Buckner, pass-game coordinator Deshea Townsend, inside linebackers coach Tony Gilbert, safeties coach Cody Grimm and senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton. The Jags ranked 26th in pass defense. While the team did not make strides on offense after Doug Pederson handed play-calling reins to OC Press Taylor this season, no changes have emerged on that side of the ball yet. ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco adds that three defensive assistants — assistant D-line coach Rory Segrest, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey and quality control staffer Patrick Reilly — will be retained.
The Jags splurged on both sides of the ball in 2022, allocating big bucks on free agents in Pederson’s first offseason as HC. They also added Travon Walker with the No. 1 overall pick while following that up with first-round linebacker Devin Lloyd. The Jags signed Foye Oluokun, Foley Fatukasi and Darious Williams in 2022. They extended Roy Robertson-Harris in 2023, largely returning the same cast from a defense that ranked 12th (scoring) and 24th (yardage) last season. Despite Josh Allen‘s contract-year sack surge, the Jags did not improve on that side of the ball as a whole.
DVOA, however, ranked Caldwell’s 2022 defense — additions notwithstanding — 26th. Yet, the Jaguars largely stood pat and ran it back following their AFC South title. The questionable decision burned the team, with Pederson pointing out missed assignments and missed tackles. Derrick Henry submitted a throwback performance Sunday, in what appears to be his Titans finale, by rampaging for 153 yards in a win-and-in game for the Jags. Jacksonville allowed 28 points to a Tennessee team that was previously 0-5 in AFC South play.
This firing means the Jaguars, by the 2024 season, will employ four defensive coordinators in five years. Todd Wash departed after the Doug Marrone firing, while Urban Meyer‘s DC (Joe Cullen) left after the unfit HC’s one-and-done. Caldwell, 52, played 11 NFL seasons and has been an NFL assistant for the past 16 years.
Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order
Week 18 is in the books, meaning the top 18 draft slots are locked in going into the offseason. The Commanders, Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers all lost. Only the Bolts changed positions, by virtue of the Giants’ win over the Eagles. The Giants, however, only dropped one spot through their home win.
The Falcons and Saints’ efforts to upend the Buccaneers in the NFC South did not pan out, with Tampa Bay beating two-win Carolina in its regular-season finale. This will keep Atlanta and New Orleans in much better draft positions. Despite finishing 8-9, Tampa Bay now cannot move past No. 19 without a trade.
While the Bears’ seminal decision — Justin Fields or Caleb Williams, seemingly, with all the trade and contract factors that go along with this forthcoming choice — will headline the leadup to this draft, the Commanders have secured the No. 2 selection and will have their own call to make. New owner Josh Harris showed he will help drive his front office to moves that will load up draft capital, as the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades showed, and he is all but certain to hire a new regime in the coming weeks.
The draft’s second-best quarterback will be available to Washington, which saw its Sam Howell wire-to-wire season fail to solidify him as the team’s surefire long-term QB. Will Washington become closely connected to Howell’s North Carolina successor (Drake Maye)? The Commanders’ call will help shape how the Patriots proceed, unless New England — which is also all but certain to move on from Bill Belichick and start anew — completes a trade-up effort.
As the postseason determines the bottom 14 draft slots, here is how the top 18 look after the regular season:
- Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
- Washington Commanders: 4-13
- New England Patriots: 4-13
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
- Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
- New York Giants: 6-11
- Tennessee Titans: 6-11
- Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
- Chicago Bears: 7-10
- New York Jets: 7-10
- Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
- Denver Broncos: 8-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
- New Orleans Saints: 9-8
- Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
- Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
- Green Bay Packers: 9-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
- Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
- Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
- Miami Dolphins: 11-6
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Detroit Lions: 12-5
- Buffalo Bills: 11-6
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
- San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
- Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/24
The last week of pregame transactions and gameday callups for several teams this season:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Leki Fotu
- Signed to active roster: DL Ben Stille
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, OL Jackson Barton
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: RB Leonard Fournette
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: G Deonte Brown, K Matthew Wright
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: CB Sidney Jones, WR Stanley Morgan
Cleveland Browns
- Elevated: S Vincent Gray, K Riley Patterson
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: LB Buddy Johnson, S Sheldrick Redwine
Denver Broncos
- Placed on IR: T Mike McGlinchey
- Activated from IR: T Alex Palczewski
- Signed to active roster: CB Art Green
- Elevated: S Devon Key
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: DL Tyson Alualu, FB Jason Cabinda
Houston Texans
- Elevated: WR Johnny Johnson III
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: WR Jamal Agnew (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Matt Dickerson, QB Chris Oladokun
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on IR: TE Michael Mayer
- Signed to active roster: DT Matthew Butler
- Elevated: WR Keelan Cole, S Jaydon Grant
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on IR: OLB Justin Hollins
- Signed to active roster: OLB Ty Shelby
- Elevated: DT Christopher Hinton, OL Austen Pleasants
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: LB Olakunle Fatukasi, QB Dresser Winn
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: WR Jalen Nailor
- Signed to active roster: WR Lucky Jackson
- Elevated: CB Jaylin Williams, CB Joejuan Williams
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: TE Hunter Henry
- Signed to active roster: TE La’Michael Pettway
- Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: G Tommy Kraemer, RB Jordan Mims
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: S Jason Pinnock
- Signed to active roster: QB Jacob Eason, TE Tyree Jackson
- Elevated: T Yodny Cajuste, K Mason Crosby
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Tristin McCollum
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: TE Ross Dwelley
- Activated from IR: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
- Elevated: S Tayler Hawkins, RB Jeremy McNichols
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: NT Austin Faoliu, NT Matthew Gotel
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on IR: WR Colton Dowell
- Signed to active roster: S Matt Jackson
- Elevated: LB Tae Crowder, CB Kendall Sheffield
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: S Sean Chandler, CB Jace Whittaker
Several teams whose season is set to come to an end tomorrow have elected to move injured players to injured reserve in order to create roster spots for practice squad options, particularly those who have had their three gameday elevations exhausted. In the case of the Broncos, McGlinchey will see his debut campaign in the Mile High City come to a premature end. Signed to a five-year, $87.5MM deal, the 28-year-old was part of a revamped O-line which did not produce the desired rebound on offense. Manning his usual right tackle spot, McGlinchey was charged with eight sacks and 49 pressures allowed by PFF, resulting in an overall grade of 67.5.
While the Giants will have an interesting decision to make with respect to Xavier McKinney‘s future, they will have Pinnock on the books for at least one more season. The latter’s rookie contract is set to expire following the 2024 campaign, one in which he will no doubt remain a vital member of New York’s secondary. Pinnock has recorded 85 tackles, two interceptions (including a 102-yard pick-six), six pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles while logging over 1,000 defensive snaps this season. A return to health and a continuation of his 2023 level of play will be sorely needed next fall.