Texans Claim WR Diontae Johnson
Stefon Diggs‘ injury did not prompt the Texans to act at wide receiver. Tank Dell‘s will. The AFC South champions are adding to their receiver room, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting they have claimed Diontae Johnson.
This will be Johnson’s second revenge game in two months, but the Houston fit also suddenly proves vital for the veteran wide receiver’s long-term value. Johnson’s refusal to enter the Ravens’ Week 13 game brought a suspension, and the AFC North team did not bring the trade acquisition back for Week 15. The parties officially separated late last week, sending Johnson to waivers.
[RELATED: Chargers Tried To Claim Diontae Johnson]
At this point, Johnson is a rather volatile investment. He sought exits from Pittsburgh and Carolina this year, seeing both teams move on. While backup-level players have journeyed to four teams in one year before, it is quite rare for a player of Johnson’s caliber to do so. How Johnson fares in Houston will help shape his 2025 free agent market, which has likely taken a substantial hit after the events of this year.
Beyond Johnson’s recent issues, he has been one of this decade’s best at creating separation. The former third-round pick ranked in the top four in ESPN’s Open Score metric each year from 2019-22, leading the league twice in that span. Johnson was among the league’s top target-commanding wideouts during his time in Pittsburgh, drawing at least 140 looks from 2020-22. Delivering his only 1,000-yard season during Ben Roethlisberger‘s 2021 finale, Johnson eventually wore out his welcome in Pittsburgh. But he has shown an ability to create space; that will be important for a Texans team that has lost two of its top three receivers.
The Texans’ Christmas Day game against the Ravens will be rather interesting now, as Johnson will see a team he recently clashed with immediately after being claimed. It may not be a lock Johnson plays, but with the Texans so shorthanded post-Diggs and Dell, he may have a limited role.
Tertiary status played a central role in Johnson’s Baltimore exit; the sixth-year receiver was believed to be dissatisfied playing behind the Ravens’ Zay Flowers–Rashod Bateman–Nelson Agholor trio. But Baltimore did not move the trade pickup into its top three; Johnson maxed out at 17 snaps in a game as a Raven. After an extended break post-Christmas, Johnson may see an expanded opportunity in Houston, as the Texans will need a proven pass catcher to complement Nico Collins as they prepare for a home playoff game.
It will be interesting to learn if any other teams claimed Johnson. The Chargers and Chiefs came up as potential landing spots via a claim. Houston was comfortably ahead of Kansas City for priority and this will prevent the two-time reigning champions from further adding to their wideout room. Though, Marquise Brown‘s return does give the Chiefs a nearly full depth chart, with DeAndre Hopkins having replaced Rashee Rice.
The Steelers have been lacking at receiver during George Pickens‘ hamstring-driven absence. The team that initially moved on from Johnson this year was not expected to make an effort to reacquire him, per veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly. Pittsburgh has Mike Williams and Calvin Austin in place as Pickens complementary options, and the team’s top weapon is expected back to face the Chiefs on Christmas.
Johnson could make his Texans debut shortly after that Chiefs-Steelers game wraps, and while he did only catch one pass as a Raven, it is notable he played a regular role with the Panthers this season. Although he fell out of favor in Charlotte, Johnson caught 30 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns with the Panthers. The NFC South team moved on from him for a surprisingly cheap return — a pick-swap deal involving fifth- and sixth-round choices — and agreed to pay much of the salary. As a result, the Texans are adding Johnson for next to nothing.
This will help a Texans team in the same predicament as 2023’s squad, as Dell has suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year. Houston has the likes of Robert Woods, John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson as fill-in options. While Woods is a more decorated receiver, he is also 32. Johnson is 28 and will be playing to improve his 2025 market.
Though, this claim gives the Texans exclusive negotiating rights with Johnson until March 10. With Diggs a free agent-to-be and Dell set to rehab two significant injuries (ACL tear, dislocated kneecap), how Johnson performs as a Texan may influence the organization’s thinking at receiver.
Budda Baker Agrees To Cardinals Extension
DECEMBER 22: Further details on the Baker extension are in, courtesy of PHNX’s Howard Balzer. Of the nearly $30MM in guarantees, $17.45MM is locked in at signing (including a $12.25MM signing bonus). Baker’s base salaries for 2025 and ’26 contain injury guarantees which will shift to full guarantees this March; no salary is locked in for the final year of the deal.
Baker is in line to collect a $1MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year for 2026 and ’27. The pact also includes offseason and per-game roster bonuses which could reach a combined total of $755K. Baker’s cap hit increased slightly for this year, but it will drop to $10.82MM next season before rising again ($19.23MM and $20.89MM) at the end of the pact.
DECEMBER 17: A year after asking for a trade, Budda Baker has remained a cornerstone Cardinal. This will lead to the perennial Pro Bowler passing on a trip to free agency.
The Cardinals have reached an agreement with Baker on a three-year, $54MM contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is Baker’s third Arizona contract, and it places the All-Pro near the top of the market at safety. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports had reported earlier this week that Baker and the Cards were discussing a deal.
Baker’s extension includes $30MM in guaranteed money and will keep him in Arizona through the 2027 season, per Schefter. The deal’s 18MM average annual value ranks fourth among active safeties and represents the largest third contract at the position in NFL history. The three players ahead of him in terms of AAV — Antoine Winfield Jr., Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick — are on second contracts. Baker, 28, has done well to maintain top form at the end of his second.
Baker requested a trade away from the Cardinals in April 2023 due to frustration with his contract. The two sides came to a short-term resolution last July with additional guarantees and incentives on his existing contract, but his status as a pending free agent reignited trade speculation ahead of this year’s deadline.
The Cardinals never seemed to entertain the idea of moving Baker and have now solidified their commitment to their 2017 second-round pick. If he plays out his full extension, he will turn 32 years old at the end of his 11th season in Arizona, setting him up to retire as a Cardinal. While plenty of time remains between now and then, Baker has now excelled in three different defensive systems. He has done well to help the Jonathan Gannon regime produce some improvement this season.
The locker room leader, a 2017 second-round pick, has received Pro Bowl nods in each of the past five seasons. He is on pace for a career high in tackles, having racked up 142 in 14 games this season. He of five 100-plus-tackle seasons, Baker resides as a veteran presence on a team that has seen several quality defenders — J.J. Watt, Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones, Byron Murphy and Zach Allen among them — either leave in free agency or retire over the past three years. Rather than let Baker follow that pack out the door, the Gannon-Monti Ossenfort regime will bet on the veteran to keep playing at a high level into his 30s.
Baker’s new contract reflects the NFL’s recent trend of rising safety contracts. Winfield’s offseason extension with the Buccaneers set new league records for total value, per-year average, total guarantees, and full guarantees, and the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton could earn even more once he reaches extension eligibility in 2025.
The deal was negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, who recently lost wide receiver Tee Higgins as a client as he approaches extension talks with the Bengals.
Ravens Waive WR Diontae Johnson
The Ravens have cut the cord. After suspending Diontae Johnson and then announcing he would not return to the team, Baltimore is done with the trade acquisition.
Johnson is now on the waiver wire. Teams will have until 3pm CT on Monday to claim the former Steelers and Panthers wideout, who has submitted an eventful (mostly for the wrong reasons) 2024.
Johnson arrived in Baltimore by way of Carolina for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. The Panthers also sent a sixth-rounder back to the Ravens and ate most of Johnson’s salary to facilitate the deal. The Ravens hoped that Johnson could contribute to their offense, but he was unhappy with a peripheral role behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews. Johnson was active for the Ravens’ first four games after he was traded, but recorded just one catch for six yards on five targets.
Tensions with his new team reached a boiling point in Week 13, when Johnson refused to enter the game against the Eagles after Bateman went down with an injury. The Ravens responded by suspending Johnson for their next game, a Week 15 blowout of the Giants. Unlike the 49ers and De’Vondre Campbell, who joined Johnson in refusing to enter a game recently, this partnership will end via an exit (Campbell received a three-game suspension). Johnson, 28, would stand to draw consideration from WR-needy teams; of course, his value has plummeted considerably over the past several months.
A 1,000-yard receiver with the Steelers, Johnson served as Ben Roethlisberger‘s final No. 1 wide receiver. He regularly showed elite separation ability, commanding more than 140 targets each year from 2020-22. Though, Johnson did display drop and effort issues in Pittsburgh. He famously did not score a touchdown in 2022, but much of that was on the struggling Kenny Pickett‘s shoulders as opposed to the high-end route runner. Johnson had sought a trade out of Pittsburgh, but even after receiving it, he then pushed for a way out of Charlotte. The Panthers obliged, even though the return proved low. Johnson’s path to a fourth 2024 team figures to be cloudier, and his 2025 route has undoubtedly changed because of his recent actions.
Johnson catching one pass in four Ravens games could have been written off as a poor fit, but his refusal to enter Baltimore’s Week 13 contest may be a dealbreaker for many teams. This incident likely did major damage to Johnson’s 2025 free agency value as well. His track record in Pittsburgh and consistent ability to separate would have made the former third-rounder a coveted commodity next year, even if a top-market deal was unrealistic. Now, anything beyond a “prove it” deal might be as well.
The Steelers deviated from their usual trend at receiver, giving Johnson a multiyear extension (two years, $36.7MM). It was the organization’s first notable multiyear WR deal (not counting rookie pacts) since the 2017 Antonio Brown re-up. Otherwise, going back to Hines Ward would be necessary regarding Pittsburgh second contracts for starting wideouts. The organization’s exception for Johnson and his Panthers performance this year (30 catches, 357 yards, three touchdowns) seem like afterthoughts following the Toledo alum’s Ravens tenure.
Johnson being unable to be claimed until Monday would leave him eligible for just two regular-season game checks, creating a minimal sum — as was the case with Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Dolphins deal — for a claiming team to pay. No one claimed Beckham, who remains a free agent. While Johnson being four years younger may add intrigue, it would also not surprise to see him pass through to free agency and teams then reassessing before 2025.
Then again, it only takes one team here. As such, Johnson now waits for a potential third opportunity this season. The Ravens will move forward with their healthy Flowers-Bateman-Agholor trio, with Andrews having come on after a slow start, as they attempt to reach an elusive Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson at the controls.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Falcons To Bench Kirk Cousins, Start Michael Penix In Week 16
The Falcons are expected to bench veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix for their Week 16 matchup with the Giants, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris released a statement confirming the switch under center: “After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward. This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”
Cousins has struggled in recent weeks, throwing nine interceptions and just one touchdown since Week 10. That culminated in another rough game against the Raiders on Monday Night Football in Week 15 in which the veteran signal-caller completed just 11 of his 17 passing attempts for 112 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Reporters then asked Morris about Cousins’ level of play after Monday night’s game.
“He’s got to play better,” Morris said, via ProFootball Talk’s Mike Florio. “We’ve got to find a way to get him to play better.”
Morris was then asked about the possibility of replacing Cousins with Penix, the eighth overall pick in this past April’s draft. Morris’ answer fueled speculation that he was considering such a move: “We’ve got everybody on our roster for a reason, right?…Those things will always be discussed. That’s just the nature of the beast in football. It’s just so heavily talked about at the quarterback position because there’s only one guy out there.”
The same questions resurfaced during Morris’ Tuesday presser. His non-answer hinted that his staff was already thinking about benching Cousins. This marks the second time in three years the Falcons have benched their starting quarterback in December. Their decision to park Marcus Mariota late in his first season with the team effectively led the former No. 2 overall pick away. The team’s ensuing Desmond Ridder plan failing keyed the Cousins-Penix offseason.
“We still have to go through that process,” Morris said (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic). “All those things will happen over the course of the week. We didn’t play well enough at the quarterback position.”
Now, Penix will make his first NFL start at a crucial time for the 7-7 Falcons. They trail the Buccaneers by one game in the NFC South and are two games back of the Commanders for the NFC’s last wild card spot. Atlanta’s front office drew criticism for using a top-10 pick on Penix just a month after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180MM contract in free agency, but the gamble might pay off if the rookie can lead the team to the playoffs.
Penix has only thrown five passes across two garbage-time appearances this season, but he has been “doing well behind the scenes,” according to Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan. The former Washington Husky led the NCAA with 4,903 passing yards (and 11 interceptions) in his last season, earning the Maxwell Award and a second-place finish for the Heisman Trophy. Penix will be the sixth of 11 quarterbacks selected in the 2024 draft to start at least one game as a rookie.
The Falcons drafted Penix as the future of their franchise, but he will be taking over for Cousins far earlier than expected. Cousins’ contract included fully guaranteed salaries in 2024 and 2025, indicating that he would have at least two years as the team’s starter. Arthur Blank had said the team did not necessarily plan to draft Penix at No. 8, but the team’s football ops department viewed Penix as too good to pass up — despite the standout college passer not being mocked that high for the most part — at that point of the draft.
Cousins expressed shock, joining most of the football-following population, when the Falcons pulled the trigger and drafted Penix eighth overall. The Falcons were later docked a fifth-round pick for tampering in signing the former Washington and Minnesota starter. Months later, his future in Atlanta is in doubt.
The Falcons will have to navigate Cousins’ sizable contract if they want to move on from him this offseason. Cutting him outright before June 1 would force the team to absorb the remaining $65MM of Cousins’ guaranteed money as a dead cap hit in 2025, per OverTheCap. That would be the largest single-season dead cap hit in NFL history, surpassing the $53MM the Broncos took on this year after cutting Russell Wilson.
A post-June 1 release would allow the Falcons to spread out the dead money with $40MM in 2025 and $25MM in 2026. A trade, even for minimal draft compensation, would be the most efficient option; the Falcons could transfer Cousins’ $27.5MM fully guaranteed base salary in 2025 to the acquiring team while accepting the remaining $37.5MM of his prorated signing bonus as a dead cap hit.
Lions’ David Montgomery Out For Season
2:04pm: A brutal stretch for the Lions will impact the team’s backfield. Dan Campbell announced Monday afternoon Montgomery is set to undergo season-ending knee surgery. This will certainly change how Detroit proceeds on offense, as Montgomery and Gibbs have formed a lethal tandem since being paired together in 2023.
Montgomery’s extension secured $2MM guaranteed as part of his $5.49MM base salary next season; he is signed through 2027 as part of the deal. The Lions have veteran Craig Reynolds and fourth-round rookie Sione Vaki in place as backups behind Gibbs.
11:30am: The notable losses suffered on defense are not the only blows the Lions were dealt yesterday. Running back David Montgomery is dealing with an MCL injury and is out indefinitely, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Schefter adds Montgomery is set to undergo further testing on the injury; he will also seek out a second opinion on the matter. If he is to miss significant time (which Schefter notes is a distinct possibility), Detroit’s rushing attack will be greatly affected. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the injury is in fact an MCL tear.
As a result, it remains to be seen if Montgomery will be available again in 2024. Losing him for the rest of the year would deal a major blow to Detroit’s rushing attack given the effective tandem he has formed with Jahmyr Gibbs over the past two years. The Lions rank sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game in no small part due to Montgomery’s success.
The former Bear eclipsed 1,000 yards for the second time in his career in 2023, averaging a career-high 4.6 yards per attempt along the way. Montgomery’s efficiency has seen a slight decline this year, and an increased workload for Gibbs has lowered his per-game rushing output. Still, the Montgomery-Gibbs pairing has remained a focal point of the Lions’ elite offense, and losing one of the league’s top short yardage and goal line backs could be crippling down the stretch. Detroit remains in contention for the NFC’s No. 1 seed, but overcoming a long list of injuries will be needed to secure the first-round bye.
Montgomery landed a two-year extension in October in a move which ensured he would remain in the Motor City through Gibbs’ rookie contract. Expectations remained high in the wake of that raise, and that will still be the case whenever the 27-year-old is next on the field. If testing indicates Montgomery will not be available again in 2024, however, Gibbs will face a notably increased workload while Detroit’s passing game will be leaned on to compensate.
The defensive side of the ball has been hit much harder than the offensive side in the case of the 2024 Lions. Quarterback Jared Goff, along with Gibbs, wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta – not to mention all five of the team’s O-line starters – are healthy at this point. Montgomery’s absence would nevertheless be acutely felt if he is in fact unable to return.
Broncos, Garett Bolles Agree To Extension
Uncertainty is no longer in place with respect to Garett Bolles‘ future. The longtime Broncos left tackle announced on Thursday he and the team have reached agreement on a new deal.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds this will be a four-year extension. Bolles was on track for free agency, but now he will remain on the books with Denver through 2028. Colleague Ian Rapoport notes this pact has a base value of $82MM, with upside for $86MM. The Broncos’ longest-tenured player, Bolles will collect $42MM guaranteed.
This marks the second time the Broncos have extended Bolles during the second half of a season. The first such instance came in November 2020, during the former first-round pick’s fourth season. Denver had circled back to paying its longtime LT that year despite passing on his fifth-year option. While Bolles has been somewhat inconsistent, he has been a better player over the course of his second contract than he was on his rookie deal.
Bolles, 32, had pursued an extension for a while now. After completing a rehab effort on a broken leg, Bolles had expressed a desire for a third Broncos contract. The team let him play out the 2023 season unsigned and let him enter his contract year without a new deal. Between those points, the team had signed Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey and extended Quinn Meinerz. While it looked for a stretch like Bolles would be allowed to hit the market in 2025, the Broncos will continue their run of high-end O-line payments. Four of their five starters up front are now attached to deals worth at least $13MM per year.
At $20.5MM per year, Bolles is once again the Broncos’ highest-paid O-lineman. McGlinchey’s 2023 deal had bumped him down to second, but with left tackle remaining the NFL’s top O-line market, it was expected a third deal would need to be in this range. That said, Bolles did not secure top-five money at the position. His AAV will check in fifth among left tackles, just ahead of Bills blindsider Dion Dawkins but south of Jordan Mailata‘s $22MM-per-year accord agreed to earlier this year.
The Broncos have an interesting situation in terms of near-future commitments. While their O-line deals now overlap with Bo Nix‘s rookie contract, the team still has the second half of the Russell Wilson dead money bill due in 2026. Though, Denver took on the larger portion of the penalty ($53MM) this year. A $30MM-plus dead cap hit is still on tap for 2025, but the team will be free of it in 2026. Nix cannot be extended until 2027.
Bolles has excelled this season, ranking in the top 10 in both pass block (seventh) and run block (10th) win rate at tackle. Pro Football Focus slots the Utah alum 16th among tackle regulars. He has done well to protect Nix, with Denver’s high-paid O-line ranking first in pass block win rate and fifth in run block win rate. After the sack-prone Wilson was dropped 45 times last season, Nix has only taken 19 this year.
Returning to make all 30 regular-season starts since a broken leg ended his 2022 season, Bolles has made the most starts by a Bronco left tackle (112) left tackle. He will now proceed to create more distance between himself and the field.
This contract will at least cover the 2017 first-rounder through the 2026 season, and it would stand to reason — due to Bolles’ age — the team will reassess at that point. McGlinchey’s deal runs through 2027, while Powers’ goes through 2026. Meinerz’s pact extends to 2028. While the team’s ascending right guard had profiled as the cornerstone piece, this Bolles agreement ensures he will continue to be the leading man on this unit for a while.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Bill Belichick To Become UNC Head Coach
Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is headed to the University of North Carolina to take over as head coach of the Tar Heels’ football program, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Belichick’s contract was initially reported to be worth $30MM over three years, per The Athletic’s Ralph Russo and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero later reported that Belichick will be signing a five-year deal. UNC’s Board of Trustees is expected to officially approve the deal on Thursday, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Initial reports of Belichick’s interest in the UNC head coaching gig emerged last week, though he remained linked to several NFL jobs as well. A second interview in Chapel Hill indicated that Belichick was serious about coaching at the college level and was not using the interest from the Tar Heels as leverage to get back into the NFL. Extensive negotiations involved Belichick’s salary, a job for his son (and current University of Washington defensive coordinator) Steve Belichick, and UNC’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and recruitment strategy.
Bill Belichick appears to have gotten his way when it comes to funding for recruitment. The Tar Heels are expected to quintuple their NIL package for football from $4MM to $20MM, per USA Today’s Matt Hayes. UNC is also expected to hire as many as 30 additional staff members, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Belichick was not expected to garner much interest from the NFL during this year’s hiring cycle, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Rather than wait for more vacancies to open up, Belichick opted to take his talents to the college level, likely giving up his career-long pursuit of Don Shula‘s NFL-record 347 wins. The ex-Patriots coach will turn 73 next April, so a return to the pros would run counter to the league’s recent trend of hiring younger first-time head coaches. Belichick’s Patriots run ended with the future Hall of Fame HC at 333 wins, second all time.
Belichick will replace longtime UNC head coach Mack Brown, the winningest coach in program history, who was fired at the end of November. The Tar Heels compiled a 44-33 under Brown since 2019 – his second stint in Chapel Hill – but have gone 1-4 in bowl games in that span.
Had the Tar Heels not met Belichick’s demands, UNC was expected to offer its head coaching job to Browns passing game specialist and tight ends coach Tommy Rees, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Like Belichick, Rees went through two interviews with the Tar Heels and even received support from former Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Belichick’s decision sent shockwaves through the NFL’s winter meetings in Dallas, according to ESPN’s Diana Russini. Any team that was considering him as a head coach candidate will have to look elsewhere in the coming months. Though Belichick’s last four seasons in New England only yielded a 29-38 record, his status as a legendary football coach will bring excitement and legitimacy to the Tar Heels’ football program.
Bill Belichick Interviewed For North Carolina HC Job; Latest On NFL Interest
This season marked Bill Belichick‘s first out of the NFL since 1974. The legendary HC-turned-media mainstay has only served as a full-time coach in the NFL ranks, moving from assistant positions in Baltimore, Detroit, Denver and New York to his two HC roles (Cleveland, New England). It is widely known the recently fired Patriots leader is eyeing a jump back into the league.
An unusual development may well have taken place in the meantime. Belichick interviewed for the North Carolina head coaching job, according to 247Sports.com’s Grant Hughes. Considering the instability in the college ranks right now, along with Belichick’s exclusive ties to the NFL over a near-five-decade span, it would be borderline shocking if he made his coaching return to that level. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms the North Carolina meeting.
Discussions have occurred over a several-day period, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and Pat Forde report. Belichick is the son of a longtime college coach. His father, Steve, was an assistant at Navy for 34 years. Steve Belichick also spent three seasons (1953-55) as an assistant at North Carolina. While the NFL lifer bowing out of a second NFL derby to coach the Tar Heels 70 years after his father did would be unexpected, it is a key coaching storyline to monitor right now. Belichick indeed still would likely prefer the pros, per Breer, though he has done extensive research on the current college game.
[RELATED: Ex-Belichick Lieutenants Ready To Rejoin Him At Next Job?]
Belichick, 72, has been tied to the Giants and Cowboys and has connections to Jaguars ownership, further clouding Trent Baalke‘s Jacksonville future. All three jobs may soon be available, and while Belichick has an advantage on candidates employed by teams presently, he would need to wait on those three jobs. The Bears, Jets and Saints are the only teams that can interview Belichick now.
Coaches still on staff elsewhere must wait until after the wild-card round to interview, while unattached candidates can start early. Though, Belichick is almost definitely not returning to the Jets due to a long-adversarial relationship. Unless the Bears and Saints show interest, Belichick will need to wait until the offseason carousel starts.
North Carolina fired its two-time HC Mack Brown recently, and Steelers OC Arthur Smith came up as a target. Smith rebuffed Tar Heels interest, as a potential second chance as an NFL leader awaits. Belichick taking the meeting is certainly interesting, and he would obviously raise the ACC program’s profile. That said, Belichick’s age and the unstable landscape of Division I sports right now stand to generate roadblocks. The Tar Heels have been open to senior-citizen HCs, hiring Brown back at age 67 in 2018. The Tar Heels have produced one 10-win season over the past 27 years.
Belichick’s 20-plus-year tenure as a de facto GM would appeal to schools in the NIL era, in addition to his obvious coaching resume’s draw, though the transfer portal and evolving compensation setup have led high-profile coaches in both football and basketball out. Boston College’s Jeff Hafley was among them, leaving an ACC HC gig for the Packers’ DC post (Brown also expressed frustration with the current state of college sports). The world’s highest-profile football coach stepping in would be rather strange. Indeed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adds some in the NFL believe Belichick is using North Carolina in an effort to push teams to act faster and make it known he wants back into the league in 2025.
Any college commitment would also drain time from Belichick’s quest to break Don Shula‘s career wins record. At 333, Belichick sits 14 behind Shula’s mark. The NFL also brings a potential age barrier, one that impacted Belichick’s candidacy this year. No team has hired a head coach older than 66; Belichick will turn 73 in April. The Falcons viewing Belichick as a short-term option prompted them to steer clear, though myriad other factors were also behind Atlanta’s decision.
The Raiders job also may open soon, creating a fascinating what-if about now-part-owner Tom Brady overseeing his former coach. Mark Davis pulling the plug so quickly on longtime Belichick lieutenant Josh McDaniels likely makes that a nonstarter, and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano indeed does not see a fit there if the Silver and Black boot Antonio Pierce soon.
The Cowboys continue to come up as a potential Belichick destination, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the Buccaneers have as well. Tampa Bay passed on firing Todd Bowles last year, as the third-year HC ultimately rallied to lead the team to the divisional round. The Bucs are 6-6, putting Bowles on shaky ground once again. Though, they play in the NFL’s worst division and could certainly claim a playoff spot for a fifth straight year. Mike McCarthy is wrapping up a five-year contract, though the prospect of Jerry Jones keeping his embattled HC — one Dak Prescott strongly endorsed this week — has also surfaced.
Belichick was believed to be willing to cede some power if hired by the Falcons, with Arthur Blank confirming the coach did not demand a de facto GM role during his interviews. But meshing with Dallas’ long-running honcho, who obviously plays the lead role in Cowboys personnel moves, continues to loom as a potential dealbreaker for both parties. Barring an unexpected move into the college ranks, Belichick connections to teams figure to pick up again soon.
Cardinals Extend RB James Conner
DECEMBER 5: Details of Conner’s contract have emerged via OverTheCap. The deal includes $10.39MM in total guarantees, including $8.25MM of fully-guaranteed money. Conner’s $6.75MM signing bonus and his $1.5MM guaranteed salary in 2025 are both fully guaranteed, with an additional $2.14MM of 2025 salary that becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year.
The contract also includes $100k in workout bonuses and $510k in per-game roster bonuses in both 2025 and 2026, as well as a $1MM roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2026 league year. Connor’s 2024 salary cap number rose to $11.24MM to account for the $2.25MM prorated portion of his new signing bonus. His cap hit will be $6.5MM in 2025 and $10.25MM in 2026.
Overall, the deal rewards Conner for his success this season with solid guarantees while the structure minimizes risk for the Cardinals if his effectiveness dips next year. Conner can be released after the 2025 season with just $2.25MM in dead money while saving $8MM against the cap.
NOVEMBER 30: James Conner is sticking in Arizona. The impending free agent running back has signed a two-year extension with the Cardinals, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is worth $19MM. The extension will keep Conner in Glendale through the 2026 campaign.
The 2025 campaign will represent Conner’s age-30 season, a milestone that teams have generally been wary of investing in. While the RB missed time in each of his first three seasons with the organization, he’s still topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage each year. He’s collected 35 touchdowns over that span, including an 18-score campaign during his debut in Arizona.
Conner has avoided the injury bug for the first chunk of the 2024 campaign, and he’s continued to produce. In 11 games, the 29-year-old has collected 993 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. As Schefter notes, the Cardinals are 5-1 when Conner reaches 100 scrimmage yards…and 1-4 when he doesn’t. The team continues to be especially reliant on their RB1, and he should continue to be a focal point over the next few seasons.
The former third-round pick started his career as Le’Veon Bell‘s backup in Pittsburgh. When the starter sat out the 2018 campaign due to a contract dispute with the Steelers, Conner literally and figuratively ran with the job. Conner finished his sophomore campaign with 1,470 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. Thanks in part to injuries and a drop in efficiency, Conner’ was barely able to match his 2018 numbers to his 2019 and 2020 outputs; between those two campaigns, the RB collected 1,651 scrimmage yards and 13 scores.
The Cardinals were somewhat taking a chance on Conner during the 2021 offseason, signing the RB to a one-year deal. His 18-touchdown performance earned him a new three-year pact with the organization, so today’s extension represents his third contract with the Cardinals.
The front office could have been preparing for a post-Conner backfield when they selected running back Trey Benson in the third round of this year’s draft. The Florida State product will move forward as high-end insurance behind the oft-injured starter.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article.
Ryan Poles To Lead Bears’ HC Search
In the wake of Matt Eberflus‘ firing, Ryan Poles’ status briefly became a talking point. The latter is nevertheless set to remain in place as general manager of the Bears through the team’s upcoming head coaching search. 
“Ryan Poles is the general manager of the Chicago Bears and he will remain the general manager of the Chicago Bears,” president Kevin Warren confirmed on Monday (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “I am confident in Ryan. My belief is strong in Ryan.”
[RELATED: Latest On Bears’ Play-Calling Changes]
Warren noted that Poles – in place since 2022 – will be Chicago’s “point person” during the process of finding Eberflus’ replacement. The Bears went 14-32 with Eberflus at the helm, and a distinct lack of success in close games played a key role in the decision to make the franchise’s first in-season coaching change. Poles specifically mentioned the handling of late-game situations as being a factor in Eberflus’ firing (h/t Adam Jahns of The Athletic).
Poles’ tenure has featured a rebuilding effort at a number of positions, including the decision to reset under center this offseason. Justin Fields was traded away before Chicago used the No. 1 pick (acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Panthers the previous spring) on Caleb Williams. The rookie’s play this season has been up and down, but it has shown signs of improvement since Thomas Brown took over as offensive play-caller. Brown is now interim head coach, and strong reviews from within the organization could give him a realistic chance at landing the full-time gig.
Still, the Bears will of course look at outside candidates as well. A long list of staffers with an offensive background could be on the team’s radar over the coming months, and to no surprise Poles named (via Cronin) a development plan for Williams as a central aspect of any candidates’ chances of being hired. Helping Williams reach his potential will be crucial as the Bears look to find stability at the QB spot and elsewhere in the organization.
Questions have been raised about whether or not Warren is truly leading the way for the Bears in terms of key decisions. During his Monday remarks, Warren did say (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) that Poles will have the final call on the upcoming head coaching hire. That decision will nevertheless be a collaborative one this winter with Chicago looking for a long-term solution on the sidelines.