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Rams, Titans To Meet With Ravens’ Dennard Wilson; Second Giants DC Interview Scheduled

January 27th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of several Ravens staffers who has generated interest around the league, Dennard Wilson remains a popular defensive coordinator candidate. Baltimore’s defensive backs coach is set to interview with the Rams and Titans for the first time, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. In addition, Wilson will meet for the second time with the Giants.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Wilson was New York’s first known interview for the team’s DC vacancy, and that initial summit appears to have gone well. No other second interviews have been lined up for now as the Giants look for a Don Martindale replacement. Wilson had received an interview request from the Titans, but today’s update marks the first interest shown by the Rams.

Martindale initially appeared to be on track to remain with the Giants through 2024 despite reports of a rift between he and head coach Brian Daboll. In the end, though, the former parted ways with the team, creating a significant vacancy on Daboll’s staff. The Titans still have DC Shane Bowen on staff as things currently stand, but he will likely be headed elsewhere once new head coach Brian Callahan brings in staffers of his choosing. The Rams, meanwhile, recently saw Raheem Morris return to the Falcons to take on their HC gig, adding them to the list of teams in the market for a new coordinator.

Wilson has not served as a DC at the NFL level before, but he was a highly-regarded DBs coach during his time with the Eagles. He was a logical internal candidate to replace Jonathan Gannon last offseason, but Philadelphia elected to go outside the organization to fill the role. As a result, Wilson departed for Baltimore in a lateral move. He helped the Ravens post a number of strong statistical showings in 2023; the team ranked sixth against the pass during the regular season allowing 192 yards per game, and finished third in interceptions with 18.

Wilson is the only candidate to be connected to Tennessee’s vacancy for now, and he is the second to have a Los Angeles interview lined up. Having become a finalist with the Giants, though, the Titans and Rams will have competition for his services if they are impressed following their respective first meetings with him.

Ejiro Evero In Play For Rams’ DC Job; Team Requests Meeting With Aden Durde

January 26th, 2024 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the fifth time in Sean McVay‘s seven-year tenure, the Rams have seen one of their assistants become a head coach. Raheem Morris is the latest to make the jump, being hired by the Falcons. The Rams are now determining how they will replace him.

They have two familiar names in the mix. In addition to McVay considering a Brandon Staley reunion, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue indicates Ejiro Evero will be a strong candidate for the position. Though, the matter of the Panthers letting Evero out of his contract looms.

Evero, a Rams assistant from 2017-21, has seen his profile skyrocket despite being the defensive coordinator for two losing teams. After a stay on the 5-12 Broncos in 2022, Evero interviewed for every available HC job last year and subsequently became an in-demand coordinator candidate. The Panthers’ 2-15 record did not impede Evero, either, as HC interviews have followed.

Evero, 43, cannot devote full focus to a coordinator future just yet. Although the Panthers and Falcons hired other candidates over him, the rising staffer has a second Seahawks interview on tap for Saturday. Evero, who was born in England, served as the Rams’ safeties coach from 2017-20 before being elevated to DBs coach prior to the team’s Super Bowl-winning season.

While the chance of Evero being a coordinator for three teams in three years looms, the Panthers have previously shown interest in retaining him. Prior to hiring Dave Canales, Carolina blocked a Jacksonville request to meet with Evero about its DC job. It is unclear if Canales will retain Evero, but with Dan Morgan rising up the chain to the GM spot, it would not surprise if the organization stuck to its guns and kept Evero as DC despite hiring a new coach.

Additionally, at least one candidate without a past with McVay has surfaced. The Rams sent Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde a request to meet about the position, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. Durde has been on the Cowboys’ staff for the past three years, following Dan Quinn over from Atlanta. Durde, who is English, helped develop players in the U.K. as part of the NFL’s international pathway program prior to joining the Falcons midway through Quinn’s tenure.

Buccaneers Arranging OC Interviews With Kellen Moore, Zac Robinson, Ken Dorsey, Brian Johnson

January 26th, 2024 at 12:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tampa Bay experienced a batter-than-expected season on offense with first-year coordinator Dave Canales in charge of the unit. He has departed to become head coach of the Panthers, however, leaving the Buccaneers in need of a new OC for the second straight year.

A list of targets has begun to emerge. Tampa will speak with Chargers OC Kellen Moore on Monday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. Colleague Ian Rapoport adds that Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson has received a Bucs interview request. The team also plans to speak with ex-Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who notes his Tampa interview will take place next week. Lastly, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports ousted Eagles OC Brian Johnson has a Buccaneers interview lined up.

Moore’s future with the Chargers has not yet been determined, but with Jim Harbaugh now in place, he is likely to bring his own assistants aboard. That could lead to a number of opportunities for Moore, who joined L.A.’s staff last offseason after a successful run with the Cowboys. The 34-year-old has also been connected to the Browns and Eagles during this year’s hiring cycle, so he could have a few options to choose from in the event he does wind up in a new home for the second offseason in a row.

Robinson has been one of the hottest coordinator candidates in 2024. He has interviewed three times so far, and he has received a request from an additional three teams including today’s slip from Tampa Bay. Robinson, 37, has been with the Rams since 2019, spending much of his time working with the team’s quarterbacks. For each of the past two seasons, he has held the additional title of passing game coordinator. Staffers often make the jump from that combination of roles to a coordinator gig, and Robinson doing the same would leave a signficant vacancy for Sean McVay to fill.

Dorsey saw his run with the Bills come to an end midway through the 2023 season. Buffalo’s offense went in a different direction under interim OC Joe Brady, whose success down the stretch has him in consideration for the full-time position. Still, Dorsey is on the radar for a new coordinator opportunity right away, having interviewed with the Browns. The 42-year-old’s Buffalo stint was his only NFL coordinator position to date, but he has extensive experience as a QBs coach.

Johnson was promoted to OC of the Eagles last year, and his familiarity with Jalen Hurts and the team’s offense led to signficant expectations despite Shane Steichen‘s departure. Earlier in the year, Philadelphia performed well in a number of areas, and the team put up solid overall numbers in several offensive categories. As was the case on defense, however, things took a turn for the worse late in the year through the wild-card round of the postseason. Johnson was dismissed as part of the Eagles’ staff overhaul, but he took head coaching interviews before that, and he is also on the OC radar.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield enjoyed a productive campaign under Canales, and keeping the former in place will be a key offseason priority for Tampa Bay. One of the most important factors in replicating Mayfield’s success will of course be the latter’s replacement, and the Bucs could have competition for some of the most in-demand candidates. Their search will start to take shape in the coming days.

Falcons Hire Raheem Morris As HC

January 25th, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The only team to interview Bill Belichick this month, the Falcons are heading in a different direction. The team is closing in on hiring Raheem Morris as its next head coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports the Falcons plan to make the hire.

This comes after CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported the Rams’ defensive coordinator impressed during his second interview this week. Morris had a Seahawks interview scheduled; this Falcons hire will nix that. Morris spent six seasons in Atlanta prior to moving to Los Angeles, finishing that Falcons tenure as interim HC replacing Dan Quinn. The Rams will pick up third-round picks in 2024 and 2025 for seeing a minority assistant hired as a head coach.

[RELATED: Latest On Falcons’ Leadership Structure]

While Belichick overshadowed this search, the Falcons conducted a wide-ranging process to replace Arthur Smith. The team met with Mike Vrabel on Wednesday and conducted second interviews with Panthers DC Ejiro Evero and Texans OC Bobby Slowik. The Falcons also met with Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Anthony Weaver and Mike Macdonald virtually, but due to the Lions and Ravens staffers being tied to teams in the conference championship round, Atlanta could not meet in-person with those candidates this week. The NFC South franchise will move forward with Morris.

The Belichick piece is obviously significant here, as this represented the longtime Patriots leader’s most likely landing spot, but this also provides a true second chance for Morris. Now 47, Morris was hired as Buccaneers HC back in 2009 at just 32. Morris lasted three years as Tampa Bay’s HC but did not prove ready for the job. (Although the 2010 Bucs won 10 games, Morris went 17-31 in Tampa.) After leaving the Falcons on good terms for L.A. in 2021, Morris collected a Super Bowl ring. Sean McVay and Rams brass offered endless praise for Morris, who will become the latest in a line of Rams staffers to land promotions elsewhere.

Another Rams piece lingers here, too. Zac Robinson, McVay’s QBs coach, has emerged as a lead candidate to follow Morris and become the Falcons’ next OC, Jones reports. This would be interesting due to the volume of interview requests in Robinson’s inbox. Robinson has interviewed with the Patriots, Saints and Bears and received requests to meet with the Steelers and Raiders. After the Bengals took Dan Pitcher off the board Wednesday, Robinson following Morris to Georgia would further deplete the OC candidate pool.

Arthur Blank targeted Belichick early, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but some internal persuasion looks to have swayed the owner. While Belichick’s accomplishments lap every other candidate in this year’s cycle, Morris also checks the experience box Blank sought — now becoming the first retread HC hire in the owner’s 22-year run — due to his Tampa Bay tenure and 2020 stay as the Atlanta interim boss. SI.com’s Albert Breer indicated this week the non-Blank sect of Falcons brass may not have been as interested in Belichick, and it is worth wondering if the prospect of the six-time Super Bowl champion HC shaking up Atlanta’s power structure played a role in the organization passing.

Belichick, 71, is five years older than anyone ever hired to be a full-time NFL head coach. The Bucs’ 2019 Bruce Arians hire still leads the way here, and this offseason would represent one of the most interesting carousels in league history if it leaves Belichick without a chair. Reports last week pegged Belichick — the first coach to meet with the Falcons twice — as the clear favorite, to the point he had the right of first refusal and was in a way interviewing the Falcons about a fit. As the days passed since Belichick’s Atlanta meeting, it started to look like Belichick was losing ground. The Falcons ended up meeting with 14 candidates.

Throughout Belichick’s Patriots tenure, he held personnel power. The Falcons had Blank and CEO Rich McKay running this search, but the team still has GM Terry Fontenot in place. Fontenot arrived as Morris exited in 2021; the two are now set to work together. The prospect of Belichick ultimately answering to McKay could have also been a red flag for the legendary HC, and Fontenot’s role would likely have been impacted by a Belichick hire. The Falcons also passing on Belichick bringing back a host of ex-Patriot staffers, including the likes of Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, also could have served as a dealbreaker for the team.

After Morris and Dave Canales (Panthers) agreed to terms in the NFC South today, only two teams — the Commanders and Seahawks — are looking for HCs. Neither have met with Belichick, and neither is believed to be interested. Rumblings about teams with HC vacancies being open to Belichick have surfaced, but unless a team were to fire its coach and create a late vacancy, it is looking like the 2024 season will be the first without Belichick in a head coaching role since 1999.

Belichick has been either a head coach or an assistant in the NFL each year since 1975. Beginning with his native Baltimore Colts, Belichick initially landed on the HC radar after winning two Super Bowls as Giants defensive coordinator. A Browns partnership in the early ’90s did not produce consistent success, but after Belichick teamed again with Bill Parcells with the Patriots and Jets later in the decade, Robert Kraft brought him back as head coach. That union (with a heavy assist from Tom Brady) produced one of the great HC runs in sports history, but the Pats have moved on after a 4-13 season, hiring heir apparent Jerod Mayo.

Will Belichick — 14 wins shy of Don Shula‘s all-time record — be willing to take an assistant job somewhere to continue his career? Belichick made a public comment indicating a willingness to relinquish authority in New England, but it worth wondering if other teams were leery about giving him the keys after recent struggles on the GM front in Foxborough. This Morris hire represents good news for Fontenot, who was tasked with a rebuild upon being hired in 2021. He appears set to continue that work with a second head coach.

The Falcons gave Morris the interim job in October 2020; he went 4-7 in that span, finishing off a 4-12 season for the team. Atlanta has since finished 7-10 in each of the past three seasons, with ugly late-season losses ending Smith’s run. In Morris, the Falcons have a familiar face who was part of Quinn’s Super Bowl LI staff. Morris also showed versatility during his first Atlanta stint, being the rare coach to work on both sides of the ball for the same franchise. The Falcons employed Morris as their wide receivers coach from 2016-19, shifting him to defensive coordinator in 2020.

Morris replaced Brandon Staley as Rams DC and served as the top defensive voice in the building for a Super Bowl champion. Riding an Aaron Donald–Von Miller–Jalen Ramsey veteran nucleus, Morris helped that defense crest at the right time. That said, the Rams ranked first in scoring and total defense under Staley in 2020; they never placed higher than 15th in either category under Morris. But the latter also displayed his coaching acumen this year, seeing several Super Bowl pieces stripped from the roster. The Rams still found their way back to the playoffs, with third-rounders Kobie Turner and Byron Young providing vital Donald support during what was initially labeled a rebuilding season.

It is still interesting the Falcons hired a Quinn staffer to be their next HC, and the Morris move also marks new territory in modern NFL history. Although 12 teams have elevated interim HCs to the full-time post in the 21st century, this is the only post-2000 occurrence of a team bringing back its interim leader after he subsequently coached elsewhere.

Morris will be tasked with leading a team Fontenot has indeed upgraded but one that appears in need at quarterback. The Falcons are expected to pursue an upgrade on Desmond Ridder, and Morris will be expected to use his defensive background to enhance that unit’s capabilities as well. The Falcons have not made the playoffs since 2017; they will bet on Morris over Belichick to become a better long-term leader.

Commanders Scheduling Second HC Interviews With Dan Quinn, Raheem Morris

January 23rd, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Ben Levine

TUESDAY, 7:40pm: Another candidate has earned a second interview with the Commanders, as ESPN’s John Keim reports that Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver is expected to meet again with the organization.

Weaver is also in consideration for the Falcons head coaching job, where he also earned a second interview. Weaver has spent the past three seasons in Baltimore, including the past two as the DL coach/associate head coach.

MONDAY, 5:55pm: The Commanders are lining up second interviews with head coach candidates. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Commanders are expected to host Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on an in-person interview. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is scheduling a second interview with the Commanders.

Following the Cowboys’ disappointing playoff loss, it didn’t take long for Quinn to hit the interview trail. He met with the Commanders last week, and he’s already earned second interviews with the Titans and Seahawks.

Following a third-straight standout year by the Cowboys defense, Quinn is once again a popular name on the head coaching market. The veteran coach reportedly rejected previous HC opportunities in order to stick with Dallas, but it sounds like he’s more open to moving on in 2024. The former Falcons head coach has also been connected to the Panthers and Chargers jobs.

Morris is also a popular HC candidate this offseason. We previously heard that Morris earned second interviews with the Panthers and Seahawks, and in addition to the Commanders, Schefter notes that the coordinator is also expected to take a second interview with the Falcons.

Morris has served as the Rams defensive coordinator since 2021. He served as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020 following the firing of (who else) Dan Quinn. Morris’s stint in Atlanta spanned six years, and he had a previous three-year stint as the head coach in Tampa Bay.

In addition to Quinn and Morris, the list of Commanders head coach candidates includes:

Washington Commanders

Coordinator Notes: Pitcher, Robinson, Williams, Kelly

January 22nd, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher appears to be a clear successor to offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who is set to become the Titans head coach. However, that inside shot at the Cincy gig won’t stop Pitcher from taking coordinator interviews elsewhere.

[RELATED: 2024 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Pitcher is set to meet with the Patriots virtually tomorrow before meeting in-person with the Raiders tomorrow night. Pitcher is then expected to meet with the Saints on Thursday. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Pitcher actually already met virtually with the Saints and is scheduled for an in-person second interview on Thursday.

The Raiders connection is also notable. As Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network points out, Marvin Lewis is expected to be on the Raiders coaching staff, and it was Lewis who gave Pitcher his first NFL job.

Considering the success of Joe Burrow, it’s not a surprise that Pitcher is in line for a promotion. The SUNY Cortland product has spent the past four seasons as the Bengals quarterbacks coach, and he’s been with the organization since 2016.

For what it’s worth, Pitcher signed an extension with the Bengals last offseason. However, that deal surely won’t stop the coach from pursuing a promotion elsewhere, although there’s a chance that opportunity comes in Cincinnati.

More coordinator notes from around the NFL…

  • Rams passing-game coordinator Zac Robinson has generated more offensive coordinator interviews. According to Breer, both the Steelers and Raiders have requested interviews with Robinson regarding their OC vacancies. Robinson has been connected to the majority of the OC openings in the NFL. He’s set to interview with the Patriots and Saints, and he was a candidate for the Bears job before they hired Shane Waldron. Robinson has spent his entire coaching career in Los Angeles, working his way up from assistant quarterbacks coach to passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
  • Titans assistant head coach/defensive line coach Terrell Williams will interview for the Bears defensive coordinator job, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Following stints as the Raiders and Dolphins defensive line coach, Williams took the same job with the Bears in 2018. He’s spent the past six years in that role, and he earned a promotion to assistant head coach this past season. Williams’ future in Tennessee is unclear considering the team’s decision to fire Mike Vrabel following the season. Williams joins a growing list of Bears defensive coordinator candidates, a grouping that includes fellow Titans coach Chris Harris.
  • A notable name could emerge as an offensive coordinator candidate. Sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports that Chip Kelly has been mentioned as an offensive coordinator possibility by a handful of head coaching candidates. As a result, several organizations have already started doing their due diligence on the former Eagles and 49ers head coach. Kelly has been the head coach at UCLA since 2018, and he recently signed an extension that will keep him with the school through at least the 2027 season.

Seahawks Arranging Second HC Interviews With Five Candidates

January 21st, 2024 at 8:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Seattle’s first head coaching search since 2010 has seen a number of first interviews take place, and more are coming. A list of candidates set to receive a second look has emerged as well, however.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Seattle is arranging second interviews with five head coaching candidates: Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Raiders DC Patrick Graham, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Rams DC Raheem Morris and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. Pelissero adds, though, that the list is likely to grow in time.

Each of those staffers has met with the Seahawks once already. The latter in particular was immediately floated as a top option to replace Pete Carroll given his ties to the organization. Quinn served as Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2013-14, having also spent a pair of seasons there (2009-10) as the team’s defensive line coach. He has enjoyed regular season success during his time with the Cowboys, and Dallas’ postseason letdown has not taken him out of serious consideration for at least the Seahawks’ gig.

Evero, Graham and Morris join Quinn in having a background on the defensive side of the ball. Evero, like many other staffers on the Panthers, entered the 2023 season with notable expectations given his success with the Broncos. While Carolina struggled mightily on offense, Evero’s unit held up well in certain categories and finished fourth in total defense. He has drawn interest from a number of teams as a result, including the Panthers.

Morris, like Quinn, has NFL head coaching experience. The former took over after the latter was fired by the Falcons, and he also spent three seasons in charge of the Buccaneers. Morris has rebuilt his stock to an extent during his run with the Rams’ defense. He has been connected to four openings other than Seattle’s so far.

Graham’s NFL coaching career dates back to 2009, and he has worked as a DC with the Dolphins, Giants and Raiders. Las Vegas experienced a dramatic defensive turnaround after Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim head coach, and with him now having been given the position on a full-time basis, Graham could very well be on the way out. The 44-year-old held the title of assistant head coach during his time in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels.

As the only staffer with a background on the offensive side of the ball, Kafka’s inclusion on the list is notable. He was reported to be in danger of losing his position during the 2023 season, one in which little went according to plan for the Giants. Kafka has survived, however, and he will remain in New York for 2024 unless his second straight year receiving HC interest lands him an opportunity elsewhere.

Today’s news does not include a first interview being arranged with former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. That is signficant given the connections made between he and the Seahawks in recent days. Vrabel has interviewed with the Falcons and Chargers, so the Seahawks could have competition for his services if they decide to meet with him. In-person interviews with coaches currently on NFL staffs cannot take place until after the divisional round is completed. Given that rule, and the volume of staffers reciving an extended look, Seattle’s search will likely continue for some time.

Injury Updates: Raiders, Gilmore, Williams

January 20th, 2024 at 2:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Maxx Crosby, who was already a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro selection within his first four years as a pass rusher for the Raiders, surprised nobody by putting up another career year in 2023. What’s even more impressive about this year’s Pro Bowl season and second-team All-Pro selection is that Crosby accomplished both feats while dealing with a knee injury for most of the season, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com.

This week, Crosby posted a picture of himself following a successful procedure on his left knee. The procedure was reportedly meant clean up an issue with his bursa that Crosby had been dealing with since Week 2 of the 2023 season. That’s not all. The 26-year-old also said recently that he will require thumb surgery. All of this information makes career-highs in tackles (90), sacks (14.5), and tackles for a loss (a league-leading 23) this season all the more impressive.

Elsewhere in Vegas, running back Josh Jacobs saw his own injury information made public earlier this month. After leading the league in rushing yards in 2022, Jacobs’ disappointing 2023 campaign came to an unceremonious end four weeks early, as the 25-year-old missed the final four games of the season with injury.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Jacobs had “been dealing with two deep bone contusions that…restricted his range of motion, preventing him from being cleared by the team medical staff.” Pelissero relays that the issues did not result in any structural damage and that Jacobs should be fully healthy heading into free agency this offseason.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL, starting with an update out of northeast Texas:

  • Before Super Wild Card weekend, Cowboys veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore found out that he had suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. An injury like that is certainly grounds for season-ending surgery that late in the season. Gilmore, though, made the conscious decision to delay surgery, toughing it out for what he hoped would be the second Super Bowl run of his career, per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. Gilmore wore a shoulder harness and played 100 percent of the defensive snaps for Dallas in their loss to the Packers. He would’ve done that three more times, if given the opportunity. With the Cowboys’ season now officially ended, Gilmore said that he expected surgery soon, giving him plenty of time to be ready to play in 2024, wherever that may be for the pending free agent.
  • Lastly, the Rams saw rookie sensation Kyren Williams suffer a hand injury in last weekend’s loss to the Lions. The running back out of Notre Dame finished the regular season behind only Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry in rushing yards but was forced to exit his team’s playoff game with a broken bone in his hand, according to Rams senior staff writer Stu Jackson. Williams underwent successful surgery on Tuesday of this week and should have plenty of time to recover for his sophomore campaign.

Patriots Interviewing Candidates For Coordinator Positions

January 19th, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has been on the job for a week now and is starting to look into filling out his coaching staff. A report from Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS informed of the team’s plan to interview their current defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington for their open defensive coordinator position. In addition, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England would interview Rams assistant special teams coach Jeremy Springer for a special teams coaching job.

Covington has been in New England since 2017, when he earned his first NFL job as a coaching assistant. Before coming to the NFL, Covington worked as a defensive graduate assistant at UAB and Ole Miss. He followed that up with a defensive line coaching job at UT Martin and co-defensive coordinator position while coaching the defensive line at Eastern Illinois. Covington was promoted from coaching assistant to outside linebackers coach of the Patriots in 2019, the year Mayo was hired to coach inside linebackers. He transitioned to defensive line coach in 2020, where he’s remained ever since.

Since allowing Matt Patricia to depart for a head coaching gig in Detroit in 2018, the Patriots have not traditionally staffed a defensive coordinator. They’ve had defensive position coaches who delivered play calls to the wearer of the green helmet sticker, like Brian Flores and Steve Belichick after him, and people have speculated that Bill Belichick, a former defensive coordinator himself, was the one determining what plays to call, but much like 2022’s offensive play-calling mystery in New England, the team claims defensive play-calling to be the culmination of many different inputs. While that method may continue into 2024, it appears Mayo interviewing Covington displays a willingness to actually award the coordinator title to someone on staff for the first time since 2017.

Special teams, on the other hand, has been the responsibility of special teams coordinator Cameron Achord since 2020. Rapoport didn’t specify that the position Springer was expected to interview for would be a coordinator position, but Springer is considered one of the rising young coaches in the NFL, so it’s hard to imagine him changing teams for another assistant job. If that’s the case, it could point towards Achord either being an unlikely holdover candidate on Mayo’s new staff or being a likely special teams coordinator candidate wherever Belichick ends up. Springer has been with the Rams for the past two seasons after eight years coaching in at the collegiate level.

Whether or not Covington or Springer end up on Mayo’s 2024 Patriots staff, both interviews underline the start of the new regime in New England. No longer are the Patriots under the watchful eye of a multi-role head coach/coordinator/general manager. Mayo is establishing a new norm in New England, one subscribed to by most other teams in the NFL.

McVay: Matthew Stafford ‘100%’ To Be Rams’ 2024 Starter

January 18th, 2024 at 7:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Rams are eliminated, Matthew Stafford delivered a quality final-game performance to punctuate a comeback season. The 35-year-old quarterback is not planning to retire, and his job will be waiting for him when the Rams reconvene in April.

Sean McVay said Stafford “100 percent, absolutely, unequivocally” will be the Rams’ starter in 2024, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. Considering the season Stafford put together, his status as the starter for a fourth year in Los Angeles no longer appeared to be in doubt. This certainly was not the case last year.

While McVay said the Rams came to a consensus that Stafford would remain the team’s starter — after an injury-plagued 2022 — the team did attempt to trade the veteran quarterback earlier during the 2023 offseason. A nagging elbow injury and a spinal contusion disrupted Stafford’s 2022 season, leading to the worst title defense in the Super Bowl era. But the veteran passer re-emerged this year, playing in 16 of the Rams’ 18 games (he rested in the team’s regular-season finale) and booking his first Pro Bowl nod with the team.

Stafford’s renewed health played the lead role in the Rams’ return to the playoffs. The team had stripped several Super Bowl pieces off its roster last year and ended up relying on numerous rookie-contract pieces. A few of those made substantial contributions to the cause. None more so than Puka Nacua, who formed an instant connection with Stafford en route to breaking Bill Groman‘s 63-year-old record — albeit in three extra games — for receiving yards by a rookie. Stafford finished with a lower completion percentage (62.6) compared to his previous Rams slates, and his 24 touchdown passes paled in comparison to the 41 he tossed during the team’s Super Bowl-winning campaign. But the 15th-year veteran ranked 5th in QBR, landing in the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2014.

The Rams extended Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp in 2022. Donald’s contract makes 2024 a pivotal year for the team, which will likely adjust Stafford’s deal to avoid a $49.5MM cap charge. Stafford’s $31.9MM 2024 base salary became guaranteed early in 2023; the Rams have their starter tied to a $40MM-per-year deal that runs through 2026. Donald’s landmark contract expires after the ’24 season, and Nacua was in better form than Kupp for most of the ’23 slate. Still, the Super Bowl stars are on their way back to team with a promising rookie class once again.

It is not certain the Rams’ hopeful Stafford backup, Stetson Bennett, will be part of that effort. McVay stopped short of guaranteeing (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) Bennett would be back. The Rams placed the two-time national championship-winning QB on the reserve/NFI list in September, and while McVay believed Bennett is “doing better,” the seven-year Rams HC said it was too early to know if the young passer would be ready to be part of the team again. The Rams eyed Bennett as a potential project ahead of the draft.

Additionally, McVay said the Rams are not planning another staff shakeup. The team moved on from several coaches following its five-win 2022 season, but the longtime L.A. leader wants continuity for 2024. The only departures are set to be from teams plucking Rams assistants. That is already happening, with D-line coach Eric Henderson becoming USC’s co-DC. Rams DC Raheem Morris is up for multiple HC jobs, while QBs coach Zac Robinson is a candidate for the Bears and Saints’ OC positions. The Rams have seen frequent turnover during McVay’s successful stay, but the team is planning on keeping as many assistants as it can.

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