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Chiefs Release DE Mike Danna

By | at February 23, 2026 2:33 pm

Mike Danna‘s run with the Chiefs has ended. The veteran pass rusher was released on Monday, per a team announcement.

One year remained on Danna’s contract, but none of his scheduled base salary for 2026 was guaranteed. As a result, this move will free up $8.94MM in cap space. Kansas City will take on a dead money charge of just $2.17MM with this release.

The Chiefs entered Monday as one of the teams projected to be over the cap, and Danna was recently named as a cut candidate. Today’s move thus comes as little surprise. The latest Patrick Mahomes restructure helped free up much-needed space, but there is still more work to be done on this front. In any case, Danna will now get a head start on free agency.

The two-time Super Bowl champion worked as a rotational defender early in his Chiefs career before becoming a regular first-team presence. In all, Danna totaled 49 starts during the regular season, with most coming in the past three seasons. During that span, he saw his production steadily head in the wrong direction. Part of Kansas City’s savings from this release could very well be spent on a perceived upgrade along the edge.

George Karlaftis signed a big-ticket extension in 2025, and he will be counted on as an anchor along the defensive front for years to come. Kansas City has former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the fold as well, but he managed just three sacks across his first two NFL campaigns before missing the entire 2025 season. Without Danna in the fold, the Chiefs will likely find themselves in the market for a veteran pass rush addition next month before targeting at least one rookie via the draft.

Danna, 28, is now one of several experienced edge rushers who will be available in free agency. His most productive season came in 2023 (6.5 sacks, 21 pressures). That led to a three-year, $24MM pact being worked out, but it did not yield the expected results. Team and player will now part ways early as the lead-in to the new league year continues.

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T Rasheed Walker Expected To Draw Interest From Chiefs, Patriots?

By | at February 23, 2026 11:18 am

Teams are often hard-pressed to find offensive tackles in free agency who are capable of handling starting duties at a high level. When blockers on the blindside in particular become available, there is naturally a strong level of interest.

That will be the case for Rasheed Walker in the event he departs the Packers. Green Bay has long been expected to move on in this case, with 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan a strong candidate to be promoted to the role of starting left tackle. That should leave no shortage of suitors for Walker.

The Browns – who could have an entirely new offensive line in 2026 – were recently named as a potential landing spot for Walker. Cleveland certainly fits the bill as a team in need of stability on the blindside, and a big-money offer in that case would come as no surprise. Winning a bidding war may be needed to secure Walker’s services, though. One salary cap guru who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora predicted a deal averaging $25MM per year will be worked out in this case.

There are currently nine offensive tackles attached to an AAV of $25MM or more. The most recent addition to that list was Charles Cross, who landed a four-year, $104.4MM Seahawks extension in January. Walker could command a similar pact if a sufficient number of suitors emerge. The former seventh-round pick has operated as a full-time starter for the past three years, remaining durable during that time and earning consistent PFF evaluations. Walker has never graded higher than 41st among qualifying tackles, but blockers in their prime often land substantial paydays in free agency.

Entering his age-26 season, Walker is certainly in line to outpace the value of his rookie pact by an enormous amount. La Canfora spoke with multiple general managers who named the Chiefs as a logical suitor in this case. Kansas City’s Kingsley Suamataia draft selection in 2024 did not provide the team with a left tackle, although he settled in at left guard in 2025. The Chiefs’ most recent Day 1 pick was spent on Josh Simmons, who was limited to eight games as a rookie. Simmons may develop into a long-term left tackle solution, but the expected release of Jawaan Taylor will at least create an opening at the right tackle position.

Evaluators also pointed to the Patriots as a team to watch on the Walker front. New England drafted Will Campbell fourth overall in 2025, although New England’s playoff run was marred by poor play up front. Campbell in particular struggled upon returning from a late-season stint on injured reserve, but he received a public endorsement from head coach Mike Vrabel. Keeping Campbell on the blindside is something New England will certainly consider, although with over $40MM in projected cap space the team could certainly afford a high-priced offensive line acquisition in March.

The Chiefs, by contrast, are among the teams currently over the projected 2026 cap. Kansas City will need to shed costs over the coming weeks as a result, but making further additions up front could still be seen as a priority this spring. It will be interesting to see how Walker’s market shakes out with teams vying for a splashy signing on the blindside.

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NFL Coaching Updates: Bengals, Raiders, Chiefs, Vikings, Texans

By | at February 22, 2026 10:06 pm

The only team in the AFC North that didn’t see major coaching regime changes, the Bengals will not be left out of the offseason staff conversations after all. According to ESPN’s Ben Baby, tight ends coach James Casey has earned a promotion. The team has added the position of run game coordinator to his title.

Also, following up on the hiring of Davis Koetter as assistant wide receivers coach three weeks ago, Baby reports that last year’s assistant wide receivers coach, Jordan Salkin, has been retained on staff. Salkin has been moved to assistant quarterbacks coach for the 2026 NFL season.

Here are a few other coaching staff updates from around the National Football League:

  • The Raiders, too, named their offensive run game coordinator, announcing today that Mario Jeberaeel has been named to the position. Starting his coaching career at the high school level in 2009, Jeberaeel, a Las Vegas-native, worked his way through the collegiate ranks with stops at Arkansas-Monticello, Kansas, and Abilene Christian before debuting in the NFL with the Falcons in 2021. Starting in Atlanta as a diversity coaching intern working with the offensive line, he was promoted to assistant offensive line coach in 2022 and special projects (defense) coach in 2023. He accepted a role with the Jaguars two years ago as assistant outside linebackers coach but saw his role change to defensive assistant for Jacksonville last year. He’ll be tasked with improving a unit that finished dead last in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2025.
  • After losing outside linebackers coach Rod Wilson to the Cardinals, the Chiefs have moved to fill the position with Matt House, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. After a couple collegiate stops to start his coaching career, House dipped his toes in the NFL waters in 2008 as assistant special teams coach with the Panthers before spending the next three years as defensive quality control coach for the Rams. He returned to the collegiate ranks, where he earned defensive coordinator opportunities at Pittsburgh and Kentucky, before first joining the Chiefs as a linebackers coach in 2019. He left Kansas City to serve as defensive coordinator at LSU, and when Brian Kelly fired him after two years, he landed as the Jaguars linebackers coach in 2024. Last year, he returned to Kansas City as a senior defensive assistant. Per Pelissero, the Chiefs blocked multiple requests to interview House over the hiring cycle. The team intended for him to remain as a key part of their staff, and he will do so in 2026 as outside linebackers coach.
  • Per Kevin Seifert of ESPN, the Vikings have added Kyle Caskey to their staff as an offensive assistant. Caskey is an older name, returning to the NFL after four seasons away from the league. Caskey first came to the NFL in 2010. In nine years with the Bengals, Caskey spent four as offensive quality control/assistant offensive line coach and the next five as running backs coach. He spent two years after that as running backs coach in Detroit and a final season as offensive quality control of the Jaguars in 2021 before disappearing from the NFL. Caskey resurfaced in 2024 as running backs coach/special teams coordinator of the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks and was slated to work as the Orlando Storm’s offensive coordinator before accepting this new role in Minnesota. According to Seifert, Caskey’s opportunities in the alternate professional football league were all the result of UFL head coach Anthony Becht, who Seifert claims is spearheading efforts to create opportunities for coaches to go to the NFL. Another one of Becht’s success stories is Bruce Gradkowski, who was hired as an offensive assistant with the Lions last year after his two-year tenure as the Battlehawks offensive coordinator.
  • Lastly, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Texans are hiring Jay Simpson to join the team as a defensive assistant. After working his way through smaller collegiate roles at South Alabama, UAB, and Arkansas State, Simpson worked last year as the cornerbacks coach at Memphis. He’ll be making his NFL coaching debut with Houston in 2026.
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Chiefs’ Andy Reid Speaks On TE Travis Kelce, WR Tyreek Hill

By | at February 20, 2026 8:41 pm

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid created a couple headlines today as he addressed media questions on two veteran players who used to be the main levers of quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ success. While Reid continued to keep the door open for the return of tight end Travis Kelce, he was quick to temper expectations that Kansas City would definitely pursue newly released wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

According to Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, Reid informed the media that communication with Kelce had been ongoing. “There is communication,” he began (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor). “That’s the main thing. I’ve said this before: as long as there’s communication, I’m good. That means people want to move forward. I think that’s where Travis is.”

This question has been hanging over Kansas City since last summer. Looking ahead at the expiration of his current deal following the 2025 NFL season, Kelce made it known he was undecided on what would come next, but he soon came to the conclusion that he had no plans of finishing his career with any team but the Chiefs. As the team came out of their bye week with a loss putting them at 5-5 and longshots for the postseason, Kelce’s considerations once again turned to his future, and he staked his claim that he would come by a decision before the start of the 2026 league year.

If Kelce is going to return, though, he’s going to need a new contract. Looking forward to that possibility, Joel Curry of CBS Sports ventured to guess what that may look like for the 36-year-old tight end. It’s been clear over the past three years that Kelce is not quite the super star he consistently had proven to be from 2016-22. That being said, he has still routinely been among the top five players at his position. With 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns, Kelce put up the fourth-most receiving yards for tight ends in 2025.

Still, it doesn’t seem likely he will be able to continue pulling in an average annual value of $17.13MM — good for third amongst tight ends, behind only Trey McBride ($19MM) and George Kittle ($19.1MM). It doesn’t even seem likely that he’ll have the fourth-highest AAV to match his productive output. In order to figure out how much Kelce might make in 2026, Curry drew a couple comparisons. He looked back to the years 2012 & 2013, when veteran tight ends Jermichael Finley and Tony Gonzalez each signed two-year, $14MM deals, respectively. With the salary cap at that point in time being $123MM, Curry calculates that the equivalent of a $7MM-per-year deal in 2025 would be a one-year, $17.25MM deal.

Again, though, it’s hard to imagine Kelce getting a raise in a return to play, so Curry draws comparisons to more current examples like Ravens tight end Mark Andrews and Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith. Andrews, 30, recently signed a three-year, $39.27MM deal (with an AAV of $13.09MM), and Smith signed with the Steelers on a one-year, $12.01MM contract for 2026. Andrews’ deal was a slight pay reduction after making $14MM per year on his last contract, while Smith’s was a reward for a breakout campaign just before turning 30. Putting all these examples together, and assuming that Kelce would more likely than not sign a team-friendly deal, a one-year contract worth anywhere from $12MM to $14MM seems feasible.

When it came to the possible pursuit of Hill, Reid was quick to point out some potential speed bumps in the way of an immediate reunion. “I don’t even know if Tyreek is healthy right now to do anything,” Reid told reporters, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I’m sure he’s working hard on that part of it, trying to get all that straightened out. We talk about everything, so there’s nothing happening there, but we know what you know, and he’s out there cranking away trying to get himself back to where he can play, period.”

While Reid surely didn’t confirm anything, he didn’t definitively shut anything down either. Along with the hiring of former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and the potential returns of Kelce and Hill, it would be interesting to see the Chiefs turn back the clock for Mahomes as he continues to work through the recovery of his torn ACL and LCL.

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Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Accused Of Domestic Violence In Civil Suit

By | at February 18, 2026 10:27 pm

Domestic violence allegations against Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice surfaced in early January. A month and a half later, accuser Dacoda Jones – Rice’s ex-girlfriend – filed a civil lawsuit against him in a Dallas court on Monday, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. She is seeking more than $1MM from Rice.

According to the alleged victim, Rice repeatedly assaulted her between December 2023 and July 2025. Last month, she displayed photos of injuries that Rice allegedly inflicted on her. Jones, who has two children with Rice, claims most of the alleged abuse occurred when she was pregnant. Accusations first emerged last month.

“Rice has grabbed, choked, strangled, pushed, thrown, scratched, hit, and headbutted Ms. Jones, as well as hit her with inanimate objects,” the lawsuit says (via Michael Rothstein and Nate Taylor of ESPN).

In response, Rice’s attorney Sean Lindsay stated (via Adam Schefter of ESPN): “On October 9th, 2025, well after the parties’ relationship had ended, Ms. Jones stated under penalty of perjury in a sworn Affidavit for a Non-Prosecution that ‘Mr. Rice and I had a verbal argument, but he did not punch me.’ We will allow the legal process to run its course and have no further comment at this time.”

In a statement of their own, the Chiefs said, “The club is aware [of the lawsuit] and remains in communication with the National Football League.”

The NFL, which began investigating Jones’ claims last month, said Wednesday that “the matter remains under review.” It’s unclear if the league will discipline Rice in this instance, but it has already handed him one suspension in his three-year career. Rice served a six-game ban to open last season stemming from a hit-and-run crash in Dallas in March 2024. Rice, then facing eight felony counts, turned himself in a week and a half later.

After pleading guilty to felony collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years’ probation. He was also ordered to pay $115K to the injured victims.

In May 2024, mere weeks after Rice’s street-racing incident, he was the subject of an investigation for alleged assault on a photographer. The accuser did not press charges, but it continued a disturbing trend of off-field problems dating to Rice’s time at SMU.

During the 2023 pre-draft process, NFL teams became aware of an alleged incident in which Rice or a member of his party fired multiple shots into an empty car belonging to a member of SMU’s basketball team. It wasn’t enough to prevent the Chiefs from using the 55th pick in the draft on Rice, who has been an important cog in their offense when available.

Rice played a 16-game rookie season and helped the Chiefs to a Super Bowl title, but he has combined for just 12 appearances since then. An LCL tear limited Rice to four games in 2024, and he had nine absences last season as a result of his suspension and a concussion. He’s on track to play the final year of his rookie contract in 2026.

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AFC West Notes: Broncos, Powers, Raiders, Staff, Tart, Chargers, Chiefs

By | at February 18, 2026 10:15 am

As it stands, the Broncos are the rare team with five offensive linemen signed to eight-figure-per-year contracts. They ensured this status by extending center Luke Wattenberg (four years, $48MM) during their November bye week. Three-year left guard starter Ben Powers was injured when that deal went down, and PFR’s Broncos Offseason Outlook mentioned the veteran as a cut candidate following Wattenberg’s payday. We may be moving closer to that reality.

In predicting how the Broncos will proceed with Powers, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel pegs a release as the most likely outcome. Denver would save $8.4MM by releasing Powers, who signed a four-year deal worth $52MM in 2023. The Broncos signed Powers and right tackle Mike McGlinchey on Day 1 of the ’23 legal tampering period, and both have helped the team’s O-line complete a turnaround. But the Broncos have since paid Wattenberg and All-Pros Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz. With former UDFA Alex Palczewski replacing Powers for 10 starts last season, he is a candidate to take over at LG.

The Broncos will only make this Powers move if they view Palczewski — a 2023 UDFA who can be kept for one more season via RFA tender — ready to move into the lineup, The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider adds. Powers, 29, has played well when healthy. Run block win rate tabbed him first among all interior O-linemen in 2024, while Pro Football Focus ranked Powers 35th among guards (with Palczewski 62nd) last season. Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Klint Kubiak is still assembling his Raiders staff, and another familiar name is on his radar. The Raiders requested permission to interview Vikings assistant Jordan Traylor for their quarterbacks coach position, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Traylor worked with Kubiak with the 2024 Saints, spending six seasons in New Orleans. He served as Vikings assistant QBs coach in 2025. Minnesota has already lost tight ends coach Brian Angelichio to an OC post (with the Steelers) and wide receivers coach Tony Sorrentino to the Cardinals. Traylor would represent another defection from Kevin O’Connell‘s offensive staff.
  • The Raiders are also expected to hire Zach Azzani as their wide receivers coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Azzani, 49, previously worked with Kubiak on the 2022 Broncos’ staff. Denver’s five-year WRs coach (2018-22), Azzani coached the Jets’ receivers in 2023 and spent the past two years in that role with the Steelers. Las Vegas would be Azzani’s fifth NFL stop as a receivers coach.
  • Dismissed by the Cowboys as they changed defensive staffs last month, Andre Curtis has found a new home. The Chiefs announced his hire as safeties coach. Curtis, 49, has been an NFL staffer since 2006. He spent seven seasons on Pete Carroll‘s Seattle staffs (2015-21), finishing that tenure with four seasons as the Seahawks’ pass-game coordinator on defense. After three seasons coaching Bears safeties, Curtis worked as the Cowboys’ defensive pass-game coordinator last season. Steve Spagnuolo had Curtis on all three of Rams staffs when the former was St. Louis’ HC from 2009-11.
  • After dodging an ACL tear near the end of the Chiefs’ season, Gardner Minshew has returned to full strength, per Schefter. Minshew, who started in Week 16 but missed Kansas City’s final two games, will be healthy as teams evaluate him as a potential backup or bridge option in free agency.
  • Broncos DB/special-teamer JL Skinner revealed he played the 2025 season with a labrum tear, confirming (via Mile High Sports’ Cody Roark) he underwent surgery recently. One season remains on Skinner’s rookie contract; he saw action on 68% of the Broncos’ special teams plays last season.
  • The Chargers started a bit early in free agency by re-signing Teair Tart. The veteran defensive tackle has done well on his third Bolts deal. Tart re-signed on a three-year, $30MM contract that includes $15MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. This guarantee includes $4.98MM of his 2027 salary. Tart, 29 later this month, played on a one-year, $4.5MM deal in 2025. Both the Titans and Dolphins cut him earlier this decade.
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Chiefs Restructure Patrick Mahomes’ Deal

By | at February 18, 2026 8:30 am

The gift that keeps on giving for the Chiefs’ payroll, Patrick Mahomes‘ contract will see another restructure. Kansas City is going to this well for a fifth time since authorizing the megadeal in July 2020.

This latest adjustment will free up $43.56MM in cap space, according to OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald. While this move clears considerable funds, the Chiefs still have a longer journey toward cap compliance. Per OverTheCap, they are still projected to be more than $11MM over the 2026 salary ceiling.

[RELATED: Examining Chiefs’ Offseason Outlook]

Mahomes’ cap number was set to be an untenable $78.21MM; it now drops to $34.65MM. For the future, OverTheCap adds the superstar quarterback’s cap hits will rise by $10.89MM in each of the next four seasons. That will mean an $85.25MM number in 2027 (and likely another restructure). Mahomes’ 10-year, $450MM contract still runs through 2031.

The Chiefs completed a true reworking, rather than merely moving money around, in 2023 — after the $50MM-per-year QB club began to form (Mahomes’ AAV remains $45MM). They have moved to restructure that updated deal in 2024, 2025 and again Wednesday. Specifically, ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicates the Chiefs converted $54.45MM of Mahomes’ 2026 compensation into a signing bonus, which can be prorated into future years.

When the Chiefs designed this contract in 2020, Mahomes vaulted $10MM past the field in AAV. It took him committing to the team on a 10-year extension for the club to grant such a leap, but the field caught up to the three-time Super Bowl champion fast. Mahomes’ AAV now sits tied for 14th among QBs. No one else since Mahomes’ extension has agreed to a deal longer than six years, with Josh Allen‘s six-year pact coming closest. Both deals, the Chiefs’ especially, have allowed for tremendous cap flexibility.

More restructures could happen for the Chiefs this offseason; they redid Chris Jones‘ megadeal in 2025. But they also figure to make some true cap-casualty moves. A Jawaan Taylor release, which will save $20MM in cap space, is expected. The Chiefs can also turn to Mike Danna and Kristian Fulton‘s deals to create nearly $15MM in cap room.

Mahomes, 30, remains in the early stages of rehab from ACL and LCL tears. Week 1 remains the future Hall of Famer’s target, but the Chiefs will soon get to work on adding talent around their 10th-year passer.

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Chiefs Likely To Release RT Jawaan Taylor

By | at February 16, 2026 6:08 pm

The Chiefs needed to give Jawaan Taylor a player-friendly contract in order to sign him in 2023, when the former Jaguars right tackle stood as one of the top free agents available. While Kansas City achieved success during Taylor’s stay, the blocker has not lived up to expectations.

Taylor signed a four-year, $80MM contract with the Chiefs. Because of his lofty status in that year’s free agent pool, the Chiefs included language that guaranteed Taylor’s 2025 salary in March 2024. That effectively gave him three years’ worth of security. The Chiefs indeed stuck with Taylor in 2025, but now that they are beyond the guaranteed portion of the contract, they are not expected to let him play out the deal.

Kansas City cutting Taylor is anticipated, per The Athletic’s Jesse Newell. Our Chiefs Offseason Outlook post pegged Taylor as the Chiefs’ most obvious cut candidate, and moving on would save Kansas City $20MM. The team did not tamper with Taylor’s contract, as void years would have increased the dead money total in a release (it stands at $7.39MM presently). With the Chiefs projected to be well over the cap, this move will almost definitely happen before the legal tampering period begins March 9.

As Taylor has struggled mightily with penalties (40 in three Chiefs seasons), he has also generated scrutiny for uncalled false starts. The Chiefs also have an in-house replacement in Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30MM contract. Moore’s price tag surprised even 49ers GM John Lynch, and he entered last season as the NFL’s most expensive non-Kirk Cousins backup. Moore was called upon to fill in for left tackle Josh Simmons last season, as the first-round rookie was away from the team for unspecified reasons, but Newell points to this being an easy solution for the Chiefs post-Taylor.

A four-year Jaguars RT starter, Taylor made it to free agency when Jacksonville franchise-tagged Evan Engram in 2023. Taylor then started for both Chiefs Super Bowl teams in 2023 and ’24. Pass block win rate placed Taylor 15th among all tackles in 2024 and seventh last season. At 28, Taylor should land an opportunity to start elsewhere in 2026. But he will not command a $20MM-per-year salary as he did as a first-time free agent. The Florida alum also underwent knee surgery last summer and finished the season on IR. Though, the Chiefs shelved several players after being eliminated from playoff contention.

Mike Danna also resides as a cut candidate, per Newell. The Chiefs’ top need may be at defensive end opposite George Karlaftis, and cutting Danna — who has not lived up to a three-year, $24MM deal — would save $8.94MM. The Chiefs have given Danna 49 starts since drafting him in the 2020 fifth round. He combined for 11.5 sacks from 2022-23 but only tallied 4.5 in 28 games over the past two seasons. Kansas City has also not seen 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah provide much of anything, creating a glaring D-end need.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

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 2-20-26 (8:40am CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

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)

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)

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)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

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)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

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)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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AFC West Updates: Paton, Bolts, Chiefs

By | at February 15, 2026 10:03 pm

In an appearance on the Altitude Sports Radio show in Denver, ESPN’s Adam Schefter answered a question pertaining to the possibility of Broncos general manager George Paton potentially leaving the team. As the hosts of the show posed the situation, the Vikings are currently looking to fill their open GM role, and Paton is in the final year of his contract with Denver. Paton spent 14 years working his way through Minnesota’s front office and landed the Broncos general manager position after serving five years as director of player personnel for the Vikings.

Despite the obvious connection, Schefter did his best to assuage his hosts’ concerns. While conceding that he had heard the name mentioned in relation to the job in Minnesota, he relayed that he hadn’t gotten any indication that Paton would leave right now. While Paton could leave one day, Schefter didn’t get the impression he was looking to go anywhere at the moment and “is pretty content” with a team that “is intent on keeping him in Denver.”

On the coaching side of things, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported yesterday that USC defensive backs coach Doug Belk is expected to be taking the same role in Denver for 2026. Last year’s defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch have both departed for new roles in Buffalo and New York, respectively, so the Broncos will now turn to Belk to coach up their elite secondary.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC West:

  • After seeing linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman depart to spend more time with his family, the Chargers have turned to another former NFL linebacker to fill the role. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Los Angeles is hiring former Steelers linebacker Sean Spence to the role of inside linebackers coach. Initially a promising third-round pick out of Miami (FL), Spence’s playing career was derailed early by injuries, but he eventually turned to coaching. Spence has spent the last three years at Western Michigan as a special teams analyst (2023), linebackers coach (2024), and edges coach (2025). If the team re-signs pending free agent veteran Denzel Perryman, Spence would be coaching his former Hurricanes teammate.
  • Schultz also reports that the Chargers are hiring Denzel Martin as an assistant outside linebackers coach. Martin spent the last six years working with outside linebackers for the Steelers, getting named OLB coach in 2023. He’ll now bring his experience working with the likes of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Co. to Los Angeles.
  • Lastly, according to Zenitz, the Chiefs are bringing back Terry Bradden in the role of assistant defensive line coach. Bradden had worked for eight years as a defensive assistant in Kansas City before taking a job as defensive line coach at Nebraska last year. He’ll now return to the Chiefs with an upgraded title.
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