Newsstand News & Rumors

Texans Fire OC Bobby Slowik

January 24th, 2025 at 8:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans are set to be among the teams in the market for a new offensive coordinator. Bobby Slowik is out in Houston, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Slowik’s stock grew during the course of his six-year tenure with the 49ers. He held several titles during that span, including pass game coordinator in 2021-22. When DeMeco Ryans took the Texans’ head coaching gig, Slowik was among the staffers who followed him from San Francisco to Houston.

During his first year as a coordinator and play-caller, Slowik oversaw an offense which posted middling numbers in terms of both yards and points. The Texans’ ground game left plenty to be desired, but a superb rookie campaign from quarterback C.J. Stroud helped lead the team to the divisional round of the playoffs. Slowik was among the hottest head coaching candidates during last year’s cycle as a result.

The 37-year-old met once each with the Panthers, Titans and Seahawks last offseason. Slowik was also a finalist for the Falcons’ and Commanders’ openings, but in the end he remained in Houston for 2024. This past campaign saw a regression from his unit; Houston was marginally better on the ground with running back Joe Mixon leading the way, but a major drop-off in passing efficiency led to questions about the Texans’ postseason chances at the onset of the playoffs. While the team managed a home upset against the Chargers, it was again eliminated in the divisional round this time around.

Slowik was one of the names on the Jets’ initial round of head coaching interview requests, and he met with the team. With no other suitors emerging and New York electing to hire Aaron Glenn, it appeared he would be on track for a third campaign at the helm of Houston’s offense. Instead, Slowik is now a late entry into the coaching market for 2025.

Injuries along the offensive line were an issue during the year for Houston, and the losses of Stefon Diggs and, later, Tank Dell left the receiver room shorthanded to close out campaign. While increased health will be a goal for next season, Ryans is also obviously targeting a step forward in terms of production on offense. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson lists Jerrod Johnson, Bill Lazor and Ben McDaniels as names to watch regarding internal replacement candidates. Saints OC Klint Kubiak, meanwhile, could be an external option.

With Stroud under contract for at least three more seasons (presuming his 2027 fifth-year option is picked up), plenty of time still exists for the Texans’ offensive core to reach its potential. With Rapoport adding that offensive line coach Chris Strausser is also on the way out, though, new faces will be in place on the sidelines starting next year when the team looks to join the AFC’s elite.

49ers Hire Robert Saleh As DC

January 24th, 2025 at 8:40pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s now official: Robert Saleh is heading back to San Francisco. After reports from Matt Barrows, Michael Silver and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic that Saleh was expected to join the 49ers as their defensive coordinator, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network officially delivered the news tonight that Saleh will call the defense in the Bay Area, once again.

The report came as a result of the Cowboys hiring of their former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as their head coach. Saleh had interviewed for three head coaching positions but had committed to head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch that, should be not get another head coaching job, he would return to San Francisco as defensive coordinator, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. With his last opportunity for a job this cycle gone, his decision was made.

A reunion with Saleh always seemed like the likeliest outcome as the 49ers sought a replacement for Nick Sorensen. While Saleh interviewed for jobs with the Cowboys and Raiders, his main shot at immediately returning to the HC role appeared to be with the Jaguars. However, that situation took a major turn when Liam Coen reentered the sweepstakes and won the job. Saleh was set to meet with the Jaguars for a second interview, but the coach cancelled his flight after learning about the Coen news.

Following the news, the veteran coach was expected to land back in San Francisco, where he first earned a reputation as one of the league’s top defensive minds. Saleh spent four years as the 49ers defensive coordinator, and he quickly elevated his unit to one of the best in the NFL. The coach parlayed that performance into a head coaching job with the Jets, and he admirably lasted three-plus seasons in New York despite never finishing with a winning record. When he was canned midway through the 2024 season, Saleh had put together a 20-36 record as head coach.

Since the 49ers decided to move Sorensen off of his DC post earlier this offseason, Saleh had been a popular name for the vacancy. The 49ers have actually kept their search relatively small, as Saleh was only joined by 49ers assistant head coach Brandon Staley and Lions defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend on the list of candidates. Still, considering Saleh’s prior relationship and success with the organization, he always seemed like the front runner.

It sounds like Saleh won’t request many sweeping changes to the defensive coaching staff. As The Athletic notes, many of his top lieutenants are still in San Francisco, including defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, linebackers coach Johnny Holland, and defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Jaguars Hire Liam Coen As HC

January 23rd, 2025 at 11:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a stunning turn of events, it sounds like Liam Coen is destined for Jacksonville. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Coen is expected to be named as the next head coach of the Jaguars. Albert Breer of TheMMQB adds to this report, stating that the two sides have a verbal agreement in place. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Coen has already informed the Buccaneers that he’ll be taking the job in Jacksonville.

The official announcement has now been made, with Russini noting that Coen went back home to Tampa Bay while his representatives finalized details with the Jaguars. Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported earlier this evening that the two sides were in “active negotiations.” This will be a five-year deal, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

It was only 36 hours ago that we learned Coen was backing out of the sweepstakes to stick around as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator. According to Breer, Tampa Bay was handing the coach an extension that would make him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history. Coen would also get to stick in a familiar spot, would get to continue guiding Baker Mayfield‘s revival, and would be positioned to enter the head coaching cycle next offseason.

Things rapidly changed. The Jaguars fired Trent Baalke following reports that the GM was a deterrent to HC candidates. Following that development, it didn’t take long for Coen to reenter the conversation, as the coach reportedly took a secret trip to Jacksonville to meet with Jaguars leadership in person. We heard earlier tonight that the Jaguars were persistent in their attempts to get Coen to reconsider, and Russini says ownership called the coach directly to explain that they’d let him pick the next general manager while also paying him “Ben Johnson-level money.”

That last-ditch effort has apparently worked, as Coen is all but certain to be named the Jaguars next head coach. The offensive coordinator recently emerged as the favorite for the position after the team’s initial target, Johnson, landed with the Bears. Shad Kahn wasn’t going to let another candidate get away, especially after the Jaguars had to pivot off top option Byron Leftwich in 2022.

During that last hiring cycle, the team ended up opting for Doug Pederson, who lasted only three seasons in Jacksonville. While the Jaguars brought in a number of offensive and defensive coaches during their active search, it was believed that the organization was prioritizing a coach who could get the most out of franchise QB Trevor Lawrence.

Coen has recently garnered a reputation as someone who can maximize their QB, as he helped guide Mayfield to a career-best season in 2024. That showing also helped put Coen back on the head coaching radar following a few bumps with the Rams and Kentucky. This head coaching job will now represent Coen’s sixth unique gig in the past six years, and both the coach and the Jaguars are surely hoping he’ll be sticking around for the long-term.

Liam Coen Reenters Jaguars’ HC Mix; Deal Close?

January 23rd, 2025 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Liam Coen agreed to a Buccaneers extension, the Jaguars’ update to their front office setup looks to have changed the equation. Coen is back in the mix for the Jags, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

The Tampa Bay OC backed out of a second Jacksonville interview Wednesday; hours later, the Jags fired GM Trent Baalke. With Baalke gone, Coen appears more interested in the job. He is back on the radar, joining Robert Saleh, Patrick Graham and hopeful second interviewees Joe Brady and Kellen Moore in this search. With Coen back in play, it will be interesting to see if the Jags stick around to meet with Brady and Moore or if the former favorite lands a deal before then.

The Bucs had agreed on a raise for Coen to stay for a second season, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo connects the Baalke development to the young candidate being more interested in the job. Reports earlier this month indicated Baalke’s presence had turned off Jags HC candidates, and Coen almost definitely looks to have been among that group. After seeing Ben Johnson choose the Bears and Coen momentarily exit the picture, Shad Khan changed up.

Jacksonville is expected to hire a head coach before settling on a GM search, giving said HC considerable power. That understandably is appealing to Coen, who is huddling up with Jags brass barely 24 hours after initially refusing to do so. Coen is in Jacksonville, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who notes a deal may be close. Coen is only in the mix for the Jags job, but this would keep Brady and Moore in play for the other HC-needy teams.

In addition to the team’s decision to move on from Baalke, it sounds like the Jaguars’ persistence also helped lure Coen back to Jacksonville. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz says the Jaguars “reached out repeatedly” with the logic that the coach would have to deny their inquiries multiple times. While the Jaguars are considering multiple candidates for the job, it sounds like Coen is the clear favorite. Schultz notes that a deal hasn’t been finalized, but Khan has identified Coen as “his guy.”

Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says the Buccaneers haven’t spoken with Coen since yesterday afternoon, although that wasn’t due to a lack of trying. The Bucs tried reaching out to their OC but haven’t been able to reach him. Instead of immediately inking a new contract with Tampa Bay, Coen “secretly” traveled to Jacksonville to meet with the Jaguars. While The Athletic’s Diana Russini says the Buccaneers’ multiple calls to Coen have gone unanswered, ESPN’S Adam Schefter reports that Coen reached out to Todd Bowles directly to inform his boss of the renewed interest in the Jaguars job.

Coen’s stint as the Rams offensive coordinator didn’t go as planned, but the coach rehabilitated his image with a strong season in Tampa Bay. The new OC helped guide Baker Mayfield to the strongest season of his career, as the QB tossed 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark. As a result, Coen found himself on the head coaching radar, and it sounds like he’s currently in a can’t-lose situation. The coach can either return to a familiar spot in Tampa Bay before reentering the hiring cycle next offseason, or he can join a relatively attractive situation in Jacksonville.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Jaguars Fire GM Trent Baalke

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

This Jaguars coaching search has seen two top candidates — Ben Johnson and Liam Coen — bow out. With Trent Baalke‘s presence again rumored to be causing issues during a head coaching hunt, Shad Khan has changed course.

Despite keeping the GM on to lead the search, Khan is firing Baalke, according to a team announcement. Baalke stayed on for five years in Jacksonville, moving to the GM role in his second offseason with the team. Although he looked to have survived after Doug Pederson‘s firing, the veteran exec is out.

“Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,” a statement from Khan reads in part. “Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and play an important role, with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to serve as our new head coach.”

Baalke’s job security was a talking point during the campaign, one for which Khan held very high expectations. The Jags finished jut 4-13, though, creating an expectation that he would simply clean house in advance of the 2025 campaign. Pederson was dismissed on Black Monday, but many were surprised to see Baalke remain in place. On the other hand, Bovada’s Josina Anderson and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini note Khan was believed to be willing to still make a GM change this late in the hiring cycle under the right circumstances.

Baalke was viewed as a potential deterrent for the top head coaching candidates, and the fact Johnson and Coen have both elected not to take the job in Duval County is certainly an indication that proved to be true. In any case, those two (along with Mike Vrabel and Aaron Glenn) are off the market while the Jags prepare to take a different approach to their coaching search. Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh recently scheduled in-person interviews for the position.

In the aftermath of firing Pederson, Khan offered another vote of confidence in Baalke. The 60-year-old had GM experience prior to his Jacksonville arrival as a result of his time with the 49ers. Baalke served as San Francisco’s VP of player personnel in 2010 before a six-year run as general manager. He notably won a power struggle with head coach Jim Harbaugh during that time following the team’s run to Super Bowl XLVII. His Jags spell did not feature a repeat of that success.

During the four years with Baalke in place as GM, the Jaguars managed one playoff appearance and twice won fewer than five games. The fact he was authorized to make long-term commitments to the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Josh Hines-Allen and Walker Little suggested he still had runway to continue in his current position. Instead, Khan will pivot to new GM; Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms a head coach will likely be in place before a front office hire is made given the timing of this situation (video link). Rapoport adds coaches whose teams are still playing could be on Jacksonville’s radar, meaning the HC move may not be strictly down to Graham and Saleh.

Two of the NFL’s general manager vacancies have already been filled, with the Titans and Raiders landing new personnel to lead their respective front offices. The Jets do not have a new GM at the moment, but it appears Lance Newmark is on track to land that position. The Jaguars’ next general manager will likely report directly to Khan, with the same being true of the new head coach. Once that tandem is in place, it will be interesting to see what direction the franchise moves in since Lawrence’s presence will no doubt eliminate the option of a long-term rebuild.

Waugh spent time alongside Baalke in San Francisco, so it came as little surprise when he was hired to take on assistant general manager duties with Jacksonville in 2022. Waugh (who has a background in player personnel departments) will now have a role in the Jaguars’ search for a new general manager, something Khan will also be heavily involved in. A organizational setup will be in place in time for next season, but the means by which it will have been put together will no doubt remain a point of scrutiny for the franchise moving forward.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Jets Hire Aaron Glenn As HC

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a spree of rumors, Aaron Glenn is signing up to lead the Jets. The parties have a deal in place, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. This will bring the former Jets first-round pick back to New York. Glenn’s hire is now official, per a team announcement.

Bovada’s Josina Anderson reported earlier today Glenn had informed the Lions he would be leaving for New York, barring a snag. No snag ultimately took place, and Glenn will cancel his second Saints interview to take over as the next Jets HC. News developed Tuesday that Glenn had become the Jets’ favorite, and the team is believed to have offered a substantial deal to entice the former cornerback. This will be a five-year agreement, per Schefter.

Glenn, 52, spent the past four seasons leading Detroit’s defense and had been on the past three coaching carousels — despite the Lions not impressing statistically on that side of the ball until this season. Glenn managing to keep the Lions a top-10 defense this season, after Aidan Hutchinson‘s season-ending injury occurred in Week 6, burnished his HC credentials, and the Jets will be the team that commits to the veteran assistant.

Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell — a Jets Mark Sanchez backup in the early 2010s — has been linked as a potential OC option, while NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo pinpoints Steve Wilks as a “strong” DC candidate. Wilks had come up as a Jets option Tuesday, as the Glenn-to-New York buzz circulated, and resurfaced on the DC carousel earlier this month. Glenn has been linked to wanting an experienced DC option, which is interesting since that is his side of the ball, and Wilks would match that description. The former Panthers interim HC also led the Cardinals for a season and served as the defensive play-caller for the 49ers and Panthers as well.

The Jets chose Glenn 12th overall in 1994, Pete Carroll‘s lone season as their HC, and he stayed with the team for eight years. Glenn became a Pro Bowler with the Jets under Bill Parcells, helping their 1998 team reach the AFC championship game. The Jets later left Glenn exposed in the 2002 Texans expansion draft, where he was selected. After Glenn played eight more NFL seasons to stretch his career to 16 years, he returned as a Jets scout. More than a decade later, the team — despite having hired a defensive coach (Robert Saleh) in 2021 — will turn to him at a critical point. Parcells helped vouch for Glenn with the Jets’ Mike Tannenbaum-led search committee, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager notes.

Earlier this month, the Jets made a late push for Mike Vrabel. But the ex-Patriot chose an offer to return to New England. Glenn, who intercepted 24 passes with the Jets, now returns to the Big Apple to help a team likely to begin a transition. The Jets are expected to release Aaron Rodgers, though the future Hall of Famer is not 100% out the door just yet. That said, Rodgers is not committed to even playing in 2025. Meanwhile, Glenn will head up a Jets defense that still features some young talent. The longtime secondary coach will get to work on mentoring Sauce Gardner, while his OC hire will be vital as the Jets likely search for a young quarterback after several recent misses.

New York has not enjoyed a steady quarterback presence since Glenn’s playing tenure, when the team crafted a Vinny Testaverde-to-Chad Pennington baton pass. Several draft choices have missed, and the Rodgers trade backfired, with the 2024 team somehow winning fewer games with the ex-Packers legend than Saleh’s 2022 and ’23 squads did with Zach Wilson at the helm. Woody Johnson‘s decision to fire Saleh after five games also proved the wrong call, as interim leader Jeff Ulbrich — who has since left to become the Falcons’ DC — did not generate a boost.

This is Johnson’s first HC hire since Todd Bowles in 2015. The oft-criticized owner had been part of Donald Trump’s first presidential administration, as ambassador to the United Kingdom, when the Jets hired Adam Gase and then Saleh. Johnson bought the Jets during Glenn’s playing tenure, but his reputation has steadily worsened since — with some hits coming recently. Johnson has been accused of meddling on a regular basis, to the point Madden ratings and his sons’ involvement in decisions and presences in the locker room have come under fire. Glenn is not walking into the most stable situation, but his history with the organization probably played a significant role in him signing on.

Vrabel being turned off by Johnson’s presence came up during this search, and the Jets were not expected to receive an audience with Glenn colleague Ben Johnson. Ex-Glenn Lions coworker Lance Newmark, however, has been closely linked to coming over from Washington — where he has served as assistant GM over the past year — to lead the Jets’ front office. It would be Newmark who would be positioned to work more closely with Johnson compared to Glenn. That partnership did not end well for Joe Douglas, who lost respect for the owner and lobbed anonymous criticism his boss’ way as his tenure progressed.

These developments, along with the quarterback matter, may raise the degree of difficulty for Glenn. The Lions, however, completed this decade’s premier rebuild effort after climbing from 3-13-1 to the NFC championship game in a two-season span. Detroit followed that up with a 15-2 record this season. The Lions’ divisional-round loss allowed for Johnson (Bears) and Glenn to be hired this week, as opposed to the No. 1-seeded team’s top assistants potentially needing to wait until after Super Bowl LIX to be appointed — like the Eagles’ coordinator duo two years ago.

Glenn helped develop Hutchinson, and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph made substantial leaps under the former secondary coach this season. This came after Glenn helped groom the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams in New Orleans.

The Lions, however, ranked 31st, 28th and 23rd defensively in Glenn’s first three seasons; their defense collapsed in a loss to the 49ers in last season’s NFC championship game. Glenn helped generate a rebound this year (seventh), and his defenses never finishing above 19th in yards allowed did not impede his candidacy.

As the Lions will need new coordinators and potentially some new position coaches, depending on who Johnson and Glenn take with them, the Saints lost one of their finalists. New Orleans still has Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver second interviews scheduled. But Glenn came up in every HC-needy team’s search this offseason. He met with five teams, declining a Patriots interview as it became clear Vrabel was heading to Foxborough.

While the Saints refocus, the Jets have landed one of the bigger names available as they attempt to end what has become by far the NFL’s longest active playoff drought (14 seasons). The Lions will obtain two future third-round picks because of Glenn’s hire, due to the Rooney Rule.

Raiders To Add John Spytek As GM

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Raiders going in a different direction after Ben Johnson chose the Bears, they are circling back to a GM candidate not tied to the Chicago-bound coach. Tom Brady will turn to one of his college teammates to join him in Las Vegas.

Mentioned as a candidate early in this process, John Spytek landed the job. The Buccaneers’ assistant GM is finalizing a deal to join Brady in Vegas, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Spytek and Brady overlapped at Michigan in the late 1990s and with the Bucs. This will be a five-year deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com adds.

Although the Raiders became connected to pairing Johnson with former Lions coworker-turned-Commanders AGM Lance Newmark, the young assistant’s Monday choice changed that path. But Spytek has been on the Raiders’ radar for a bit longer. Earlier this month, when it became clear Brady was the lead voice in the Raiders’ GM search as well as their HC interview process, the team became tied to Spytek. The latter has been with the Bucs since 2016 and has been an NFL staffer for 21 years.

Spytek, 44, trekked to Ann Arbor a few years after Brady. The two only overlapped in 1999, before Brady’s NFL journey began, but Spytek crossed paths with the former Wolverines quarterback in 2020. Spytek was in place as Tampa Bay’s director of player personnel when the Bucs signed Brady in free agency. He remained one of Jason Licht‘s top lieutenants during Brady’s three-year tenure and climbed to an assistant GM post in 2023. Both Spytek and Mike Greenberg held that title in Tampa; Greenberg is still in the mix for the Jets’ job, but Newmark — especially after Aaron Glenn accepted the HC job — may be the most likely to land it.

As the Titans recently reminded via their Mike Borgonzi hire, not all GM posts are designed equally. As Borgonzi prepares to work with another exec (Chad Brinker) who holds final-say responsibilities in Tennessee, Spytek will walk into a situation that has changed significantly since NFL owners approved Brady as a minority Raiders stakeholder. Mark Davis has since given the all-time great/lead FOX analyst carte blanche in Vegas, entrusting him to lead the HC and GM searches and then perhaps do the same when it comes time to identify a quarterback. Spytek will now rejoin his former teammate and coworker to bring in HC and QB answers.

The Raiders have now hired three GMs since January 2022, and the most recent dismissal came due to Brady seeking alignment to go with the team’s next head coach. While Tom Telesco equipped Brady’s team with All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, the ex-Chargers front office boss was shown the door in an effort to start fresh following the Antonio Pierce firing. The Raiders have one half of their next duo in place, but the other will probably be more significant — especially when considering how involved Brady figures to be on the personnel side.

With this GM job potentially a second-in-command post to Brady, the Raiders need a head coach after their Johnson push failed. Going by early favorites can lead to shaky ground — as the Jaguars’ search most recently reminded — but Pete Carroll has suddenly moved into serious contention for the job. The ex-Seahawks leader would be the oldest head coach in NFL history, at 73. No head coach older than 66 has ever been hired. It would mark a wild swing for the Raiders to zero in on a 38-year-old staffer only to hire a coach 35 years older soon after.

Spytek was in Tampa when the Bucs acquired Bruce Arians‘ rights in 2019, being part of the Bucs’ roster-building mission that eventually attracted Brady. The Bucs built a team that rolled to four playoff wins to close out the 2020 season, the last a dominant Super Bowl LV win that has aged well thanks to the Chiefs’ rebound effort. Spytek also played key roles in Tampa Bay reaching the playoffs with a $70MM-plus dead money bill, largely created by Brady’s retirement, and the team reaching agreements with Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tristan Wirfs this past offseason. Those re-ups helped produce the Bucs’ fourth straight NFC South title.

The Raiders have not formed cores strong enough for mass retention projects in a while, and their plans to replace Derek Carr fizzled quickly. Brady and Spytek will certainly make that continued effort their centerpiece task this offseason, as the Raiders have seen the AFC West strengthened by the arrivals of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh. This duo improving the fortunes of the Broncos and Chargers has made life more difficult for the Raiders, who have been looking up at the two-time reigning champion Chiefs for many years.

After the Telesco-Pierce and Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regimes failed, Davis will entrust Brady and Spytek to take a crack at restoring the Silver and Black to a consistent contender for the first time in more than 20 years.

Liam Coen Bows Out Of Jaguars’ HC Search, Agrees To Bucs Extension

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering Wednesday as the rumored favorite for the Jaguars’ head coaching job, Liam Coen is prepared to pass. The young offensive coordinator will stay with the Buccaneers.

Coen will sign a new Bucs contract that makes him one of the game’s highest-paid coordinators, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This deal comes with an extension but not a coach-in-waiting clause, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds. Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham remain Jags finalists, but after Coen-to-Jacksonville buzz had steadily built, this could certainly be labeled a setback for the AFC South franchise. The deal is believed to be in the $4.5MM-per-year neighborhood, per the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud.

Ben Johnson recently showed this path can be effective. The former Lions OC backed away from a potential Panthers hire in 2023 and then informed the Commanders last year he was out of that mix as well. Johnson remained a top candidate and just accepted a Bears offer. Coen’s profile checks in south of Johnson’s, however, and he was only in the mix for the Jags job. While this could be deemed a risk by a coordinator who has yo-yoed between the pro and college ranks this decade, it also could represent hesitancy involving the Jaguars.

Today was to be Coen’s second Jags interview (and first in-person meeting with team brass), but the Stroud reports the Bucs’ OC did not board the plane for Jacksonville. Coen, 39, was negotiating with the Bucs as well. He will stick around and continue to work with Baker Mayfield, after the two enjoyed a promising start that resulted in another NFC South title for the Bucs.

This marks the second time this week a coveted candidate has exited the Jags’ search. Johnson was believed to be considering the Jags (and a Trevor Lawrence partnership), but the high-profile play-caller was not overly thrilled about the franchise’s setup. We heard shortly after Black Monday that the Jags’ decision to retain GM Trent Baalke, who is running their HC search, had influenced some candidates to steer clear. For a second HC cycle, Baalke’s presence appears to be affecting the Jags’ viability as a destination.

In 2022, the Jags appeared close to a deal with Byron Leftwich. Baalke’s presence impacted that search, leading to the Doug Pederson hire. Pederson had also expressed apprehension regarding Baalke, and as last season progressed, the three-year Jags HC was not on good terms with his top coworker. Many expected Baalke to be fired along with Pederson, but Shad Khan retained the polarizing exec. Rumors about Baalke being kicked to another position within the organization emerged, but Johnson and Coen’s decisions may not point to that actually happening.

Coen had been the Rams’ 2022 OC, with that stay sandwiched between two seasons as Kentucky’s play-caller. Helping Will Levis to a breakthrough 2021 season with the Wildcats, Coen did not impress as L.A.’s non-play-calling OC — albeit during an injury-plagued Rams season — and returned to the SEC program in 2023. After the Wildcats again improved under Coen, the Bucs hired him.

Mayfield soon took steps forward this past season, throwing 41 touchdown passes — 13 more than his previous career-high mark — and powered Todd Bowles‘ team to a 10-7 record and a fourth straight division championship. After losing Dave Canales to the Panthers, the Bucs still ranked fourth in scoring offense. This will mark Mayfield’s first instance of play-caller carryover since his 2020-21 Browns seasons.

Graham is slated to interview for the Jacksonville post Thursday, while Saleh is heading to Duval County on Friday. Saleh has a history with the Jags, being their linebackers coach from 2014-16, but has also met with the Cowboys and Raiders. It will be interesting if Jacksonville adds another finalist now that Coen is out, as both Saleh and Graham are defensive-minded leaders. The Jags have also interviewed OCs Joe Brady, Todd Monken and Kellen Moore. Kliff Kingsbury was believed to be on the team’s radar, but teams will have to wait until the Commanders’ season ends to meet with the resurgent play-caller.

Bengals To Hire Al Golden As DC

January 22nd, 2025 at 3:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

Al Golden is indeed set to return to the NFL in 2025. Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator is finalizing an agreement to take that same role with the Bengals, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Golden has informed the school of his decision, ESPN’s Pete Thamel adds.

Cincinnati moved on from Lou Anarumo after the season, one in which the team’s defensive shortcomings played a key role in a 9-8 record and a failure to reach the playoffs. Anarumo has since moved on to the Colts as their new DC, with the Bengals being connected to a handful of replacement candidates. Golden recently emerged as the favorite, though.

The 55-year-old had been in place at Notre Dame since 2022, serving as the program’s defensive coordinator for each of the past three years. The Fighting Irish advanced to the CFP national title game, so it was not until Monday’s loss that Golden was able to work out an agreement for an NFL gig. Reports from yesterday confirmed the Bengals were expected to hire him to take charge of their defense, with an interview set to take place later in the week. Even without that transpiring, Golden is set to make a return to Cincinnati.

Prior to his stint at Notre Dame, Golden had a two-year span as the Bengals’ linebackers coach. Having thus worked under Zac Taylor previously, this deal marks a reunion between the two. Golden also has experience in that same role with the Lions in addition to other college coaching positions, including head coaching jobs at Temple and Miami.

The Bengals are also set to bring in Jerry Montgomery as their new defensive line coach, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports. Montgomery, 45, has considerable experience at the college and pro levels coaching D-linemen. He worked with the Patriots in 2024, but with Mike Vrabel coming to New England the team has made a number of staff chances. Now, Montgomery will join Golden in Cincinnati for the coming campaign.

Dealing with notable injuries at the cornerback spot in particular, the Bengals finished the year ranked 25th in both points and yards allowed in 2024. Room for improvement exists in several departments on that side of the ball as Cincinnati looks to replicate its offensive production from this past season. The latter effort may be a challenge, but taking a step forward on defense would make the Golden hire an effective one and help steer the team back toward the postseason.

Via PFR’s coordinator search tracker, here is a final look at how things shook out for the Bengals:

DeMarcus Covington, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
Matt Eberflus, former head coach (Bears): Mentioned as candidate
Al Golden, defensive coordinator (Notre Dame): To be hired
Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed
Wink Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Rumored candidate

Patriots Hire Terrell Williams As DC

January 22nd, 2025 at 7:41am CST by Sam Robinson

Familiarity will continue to play a lead role for Mike Vrabel as he fills out his first Patriots coaching staff. After Josh McDaniels‘ New England return became official, the new Patriots HC will make one of his former Titans assistants McDaniels’ counterpart on defense.

Terrell Williams will come over from the Lions to become Vrabel’s defensive coordinator, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss report. The hire has since been confirmed. This had become a rumored scenario, and it will reunite Vrabel and Williams after a year apart. Prior to becoming the Lions’ defensive line coach last year, Williams spent six seasons with the Titans.

Williams, 50, spent six seasons as Tennessee’s D-line coach, presiding over Jeffery Simmons‘ rise into one of the game’s premier interior defenders. Vrabel’s 2024 firing led Williams to Detroit, where he helped Aaron Glenn‘s defense remain a top-10 unit despite numerous injuries. Now, Vrabel will give the veteran position coach/one-year Lions run-game coordinator his first DC shot. Interviewing only one other candidate (Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow), it is fairly clear Vrabel had Williams in mind from the start.

Dan Campbell‘s team has now lost two assistants — Williams and Ben Johnson — and appears likely to see Glenn leave for the Jets’ head coaching position. This exodus from a 15-2 team is certainly not unexpected, but it will challenge the Lions to both protect certain assistants from following some of the departing coaches while also finding new hires who can keep the NFC North champions in high gear.

A college assistant for over a decade, Williams has now been in the NFL since 2012. He coached the Raiders and Dolphins’ defensive lines, respectively, from 2012-17. Vrabel brought him to Nashville with a lateral move in 2018. The finest hour for Williams’ Titans troops may have come in a loss, as Simmons joined Harold Landry and Denico Autry in driving a nine-sack effort against Joe Burrow in a 2021 divisional-round matchup. While the Titans’ DC from that period (Shane Bowen) was also believed to be on Vrabel’s Pats radar, the Giants are retaining their defensive play-caller. And Williams will end up replacing DeMarcus Covington to run the Pats’ defense.

Covington’s year in charge under Jerod Mayo brought a steep step down after Bill Belichick had kept the Patriots’ defense as the 21st century’s most reliable NFL unit. After consistently giving Tom Brady‘s teams sturdy safety nets, Belichick’s defense continued to play well following the legendary QB’s exit. The Pats had sported 18 top-10 scoring defenses from 2001-21, and despite Mac Jones‘ significant regression in 2022 and ’23, Belichick’s unit respectively ranked seventh and eighth in total defense during the since-fired coach’s final two seasons in town. Under Covington, New England regressed to 22nd in both scoring and total defense.

Vrabel’s team is carrying the most cap space in the NFL, by a wide margin, and will have some holes to fill. And, as expected, neither Covington nor one-year OC Alex Van Pelt are in line to be part of the 2025 operation. Covington had been the Patriots’ D-line coach under Belichick from 2017-23, before Mayo elevated him to DC. It should be expected the young assistant — who has received coordinator interest elsewhere, including a recent Bengals interview — should land on his feet soon.

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