Broncos To Hire Colorado DC Robert Livingston As Pass Game Coordinator
The Broncos are making a local hire to replace Jim Leonhard, their former pass game coordinator who now serves as the Bills’ defensive coordinator. University of Colorado DC Robert Livingston is set to take Leonhard’s position on Sean Payton‘s staff in Denver, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Livingston, 40, spent the last two years running the Buffaloes’ defense under Deion Sanders. The unit allowed 34.8 points per game in 2023, which ranked 124th out of 133 FBS teams. In Livingston’s first season, they improved to 46th, surrendering 23.1 points per game. , allowed the 10th-most points per game. Colorado regressed in 2025, ranking 112th with 30.5 points allowed per game. They did, however, rank 11th in opposing completion rate (55.4%), a positive sign for his new role overseeing the Broncos’ pass defense.
In Denver, Livingston will reunite with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. The two overlapped in Cincinnati in 2014 and 2015 while Joseph was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. Livingston was a scout focusing on defensive backs from 2012 to 2014 and a defensive quality control in 2015. Joseph left during the 2016 offseason, but Livingston was promoted to safeties coach that role until 2023, when he was hired by Sanders.
Before reaching the NFL, Livingston served as the safeties coach at Furman in 2010 and a defensive quality control coach at Vanderbilt in 2011. He will now take on a role overseeing a Broncos’ pass defense that ranked among the league’s best in 2025.
Raiders Hire Nick Holz As Pass-Game Coordinator
Previously a Raiders assistant from 2012-21, Nick Holz is returning to the team to work for rookie head coach Klint Kubiak. Holz will serve as the Raiders’ offensive pass-game coordinator, the club announced.
When Holz’s initial Raiders stint ended, he stayed in Las Vegas as UNLV’s offensive coordinator in 2022. He returned to the NFL a year later as the Jaguars’ pass-game coordinator.
With Holz’s assistance, the Jaguars boasted the league’s 10th-ranked aerial attack in 2023. Then in his second season, quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for a personal-best 4,113 yards to earn the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career. Lawrence’s go-to targets – Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram – combined for 239 catches, 2,697 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Holz parlayed his success with Jacksonville into the Titans’ offensive coordinator position in 2024. It was a non-play-calling gig for Holz, who took a backseat to Brian Callahan in his first year as the Titans’ head coach. Callahan retained those responsibilities heading into 2025, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward‘s rookie year, but the Titans fired him in the wake of a 1-5 start.
Even after Callahan’s ouster, the Titans still did not elevate Holz to play-calling duties. Rather, quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree filled in for the rest of the year. The Titans went on to rank 30th in total offense and 31st in scoring. New head coach Robert Saleh, who grabbed the reins Jan. 22, did not retain either Holz or Hardegree.
In his return to Las Vegas, the 41-year-old Holz should have an opportunity to coach a third consecutive first overall pick at quarterback. After mixed results with Lawrence and Ward, he is likely to have a hand in Fernando Mendoza‘s development. The Raiders are considered locks to draft the Indiana Heisman Trophy winner and national champion with the top choice this spring.
To make life easier on Holz and Mendoza, the Raiders figure to upgrade their pass-catching group around star tight end Brock Bowers this offseason. Bowers missed five games with knee problems in 2025, preventing him from properly following up on a dazzling rookie year. Between Bowers’ injury issues and a November trade that sent wideout Jakobi Meyers to the Jags, no Raider reached 700 receiving yards last season.
Browns Want To Re-Sign Devin Bush, Cory Bojorquez, Teven Jenkins
The Browns are prioritizing re-signing their own players rather than pursuing available free agents this offseason.
General manager Andrew Berry said at the Combine (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson) that the team is “probably one offseason away from being hyper aggressive” in free agency. Instead, they will look to retain linebacker Devin Bush, punter Corey Bojorquez, and guard Teven Jenkins, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Bush is a “high priority” for a multi-year deal after two strong years in Cleveland. He replaced Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in 2024 after season-ending injury and started every game last year with the Pro Bowler still on the shelf. Koramoah is not expected to play again – certainly not anytime soon – so Bush would be inline to start alongside Carson Schweisinger in 2026. He ranked second on the team behind the rookie with 125 tackles and led the NFL with 164 interception return yards and two pick-sixes. However, strong classes of free agents and draft prospects at the linebacker position could deflate Bush’s value on the open market and encourage him to re-sign with the Browns.
Bojorquez has spent the last four seasons in Cleveland, and the Browns’ anemic offense in 2024 and 2025 made him the busiest punter in the league. The 29-year-old led the NFL in total punts and punt yardage in each of the last two seasons, though his per-punt averages significantly decreased last year. Bojorquez will likely be looking for a decent raise over his previous $2MM AAV in a punter market that has risen above $4MM per year.
Jenkins, 28, only started four games in 2025, primarily at right guard. But with the Browns’ entire starting offensive line hitting free agency, Cleveland will want to maintain some continuity up front. But all five of those players are at least 30 years old, while Jenkins is 28 and could come at a discount given his injury history. The former Bears’ second-round pick has received solid grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in his career and could be penciled in as a Week 1 starter, likely at right guard.
The Browns are expected to consider re-signing center Ethan Pocic and cornerback Martin Emerson, who are both recovering from torn Achilles. The situation with Emerson is “unsettled,” per Jackson, and both players could face tough markets due to their injuries.
New head coach Todd Monken also wants to retain left guard Joel Bitonio, according to Cabot, but the 34-year-old is considering retirement before exploring a new contract with the Browns or another team. He has spent all of his 12-year career in Cleveland and has remained a durable, reliable blocker well into his 30s.
Titans Interested In Re-Signing Kevin Zeitler, Chig Okonkwo
With the March 9 legal tampering period closing in, Titans right guard Kevin Zeitler and tight end Chig Okonkwo are among their highest-profile pending free agents. Of all the Titans’ unsigned players, they are “pushing hardest” to re-sign Zeitler and Okonkwo, according to team insider Paul Kuharsky.
Although Zeitler has been a full-time starter since his career began as a 2012 first-rounder, the 35-year-old could move on to a seventh team in free agency. The former Bengal, Brown, Giant, Raven and Lion joined the Titans a year ago for $9MM, pushing him past $100MM in career earnings. It was money well spent for Tennessee, even though the team posted its second straight 3-14 record.
Playing the 14th year of his career, the reliable Zeitler gave the Titans 16 starts in as many appearances. Pro Football Focus ranked Zeitler’s performance 11th out of 79 qualifying guards. He earned an especially solid grade as a pass blocker, which should be important to a Tennessee team trying to protect a prized young quarterback.
As a rookie last year, 2025 first overall pick Cam Ward took a league-worst 55 sacks. Losing Zeitler wouldn’t do Ward any favors. Plus, having released center Lloyd Cushenberry this week, Zeitler’s exit would force the Titans to add two new starters on the line. They would like to avoid that, per Kuharsky.
Okonkwo was part of former Titans general manager Jon Robinson‘s last draft class in 2022. Since a 32-catch rookie season, Okonkwo has gone over the 50 mark three years in a row. The Titans added a fourth-round rookie tight end in Gunnar Helm, who racked up 44 catches, but it did not hamper Okonkwo’s production. In his fourth consecutive 17-game season, the durable Okonkwo set career highs in receptions (56) and yards (560). He also led Titans TEs in snap share (63.07% to Helm’s 50.47%) and scored two touchdowns.
“I definitely want to be a part of the core and watch this place grow from where we’re at now into a winning organization,” Okonkwo said in January.
Okonkwo is clearly open to re-signing, but it’s unknown if Zeitler feels the same way. Regardless, both players should sign reasonably priced deals. With a league-high $94.8MM in cap room, the Titans are well-positioned to keep Zeitler and Okonkwo in the fold.
Cowboys Plan To Spend More In Free Agency This Year
At approximately $56.133MM in the red, the Cowboys own the worst salary cap situation in the NFL heading into March. That will not be the case for long. Owner Jerry Jones indicated the Cowboys will adjust several contracts to give themselves far more financial freedom before the legal tampering period begins March 9.
Dallas will restructure deals belonging to quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and left guard Tyler Smith, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Doing so will free up $66MM in breathing room. The Cowboys will also rework contracts for the expensive defensive tackle trio of Quinnen Williams, Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark. As things stand, they are due to count an untenable $63MM against the cap in 2026.
Once those changes become official, Jones will act aggressively to improve a team coming off back-to-back seven-win seasons. Adding defensive lineman Solomon Thomas on a two-year, $8MM deal was the Cowboys’ priciest outside free agent signing last offseason. It appears they will operate much differently this year.
“I would bet that we will spend more money in free agency than we have,” said Jones, who added that the team also has “ammunition” to be active on the trade front.
On the offensive side, the Cowboys have already placed the $27.298MM franchise tag on receiver George Pickens and re-signed running back Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24MM pact. Those two were key contributors on one of the league’s best offenses in 2025, whereas the Cowboys’ last-ranked scoring defense was a train wreck. The unit predictably stumbled after losing its best player, outside linebacker Micah Parsons, in a late-August blockbuster trade with the Packers.
The Cowboys received Clark and two first-round picks in the Parsons swap, giving them a pair of No. 1s in each of the next two drafts. They have picks 12 and 20 in Round 1 this April. It seems fair to expect the Cowboys to use both of those selections to upgrade their defense. Regardless, the 83-year-old Jones expects immediate impact from his top rookies in 2026 (via Jon Machota of The Athletic).
Having kept Pickens and Williams from the open market, the Cowboys will turn their attention to complementing their prolific offense with a vastly improved defense. New coordinator Christian Parker‘s plan to implement a 3-4 base, which Dallas has not run since 2012, only increases the urgency for outside additions.
Tua Tagovailoa Drawing Interest As Potential FA, Not Trade Target
The Dolphins will part ways with Tua Tagovailoa this offseason, and the entire NFL knows it.
As a result, other teams are not interested in the 27-year-old quarterback as a trade target, per Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline. There are multiple clubs, however, who would pursue Tagovailoa as a free agent. All they have to do is wait for Miami to cut him.
Moving any draft capital for Tagovailoa to then take on his massive contract – including $54MM in guaranteed compensation in 2026 (via OverTheCap) – is an over-investment in an asset that has rapidly depreciated over the last two seasons. Signing him as a free agent, however, would cost no draft picks and only a veteran-minimum salary, since Tagovailoa would still be receiving his pay from Miami.
Perhaps an enterprising general manager with plenty of extra cap space could take a creative approach.
The Dolphins are just $772k over the 2026 salary cap and badly need to clear space just to fill their roster, sign their draft class, and field a team this season. Releasing Tagovailoa will incur a dead cap charge of $99.2MM, some of which can be pushed into 2027 with a post-June 1 designation. That will still add $11.1MM to their balance sheet this year. That can be offset with a post-June 1 release of Bradley Chubb, but the Dolphins’ new regime probably wants to do more than balance the budget in their first offseason.
Back to that enterprising GM: he could try to acquire Tagovailoa via trade and ask the Dolphins to give him better draft capital in exchange for taking on his massive salary. Miami would not package Tagovailoa and a draft pick in exchange for no return, but perhaps a pick swap upgrading one of the acquiring team’s selections could be equitable. The new club would have a potential bridge starter, and the Dolphins will have minimized the financial impact of moving on from their former first-round pick. There are also a number of teams that need to spend rather aggressively this offseason to meet the league’s three-year cash spending requirement, and absorbing Tagovailoa’s salary is one way to contribute to that effort.
Still, the most likely path is an outright release followed by Tagovailoa signing for the veteran minimum with a new team. He will likely be looking for a starting opportunity, or at least the potential to earn one.
Bears Want To Retain QB Case Keenum As Coach
Case Keenum is set to hit free agency in March, but if the Bears have it their way, the journeyman will stay in Chicago.
But it would not be as a quarterback. Instead, Ben Johnson is hoping that Keenum can join his coaching staff and continue to mentor the team’s young passers, Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, according to Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline.
Keenum, 38, arrived in Chicago in 2025 and quickly endeared himself to Johnson as a veteran voice in the quarterback room. At this point in his career, he does not profile as much more as a player. He last started a game in 2023 for the Texans with no more than two starts in a season since 2019. And despite the positive reputation Keenum has built up in the league, his stretches of starting-caliber play were far and few between.
But the backup quarterback-to-assistant coach pipeline has been active in recent years, especially this offseason with Sean Mannion and Davis Webb both landing offensive coordinator gigs. It is unclear what role Keenum would take on; the Bears already have quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett and Robbie Picazo as an offensive assistant focused on quarterbacks and receivers. Perhaps Keenum could be an assistant quarterbacks coach.
He would have to retire from playing to do so. If he thinks he still has gas left in the tank, he may want to see his options in free agency before taking off the pads. But the Bears are a rising team, and this could be a good opportunity to kickstart his coaching career.
Offseason Outlook: Chicago Bears
Last offseason, the Bears underwent a major overhaul on the sidelines and in various parts of the roster. Expectations increased considerably for Year 2 of the Caleb Williams era, and it is certainly fair to say they were met.
The 2025 Bears made a habit of winding up on the right side of games decided in the closing moments through a run to the divisional round of the playoffs. The connection between Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson developed over time, and a much-improved offensive line yielded needed upgrades. There is nevertheless work to be done this spring if Chicago is to become a consistent postseason contender.
Coaching/front office:
- Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle accepted Ravens' OC position
- Press Taylor promoted as OC replacement
- Assistant general manger Ian Cunningham hired as Falcons' GM
- Jeff King promoted as assistant GM replacement
- Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy hired as Chiefs' offensive coordinator
- Eric Studesville hired as RBs coach
- DBs coach Al Harris interviewed for Commanders, Packers, Titans' DC vacancies
Doyle was an important member of Johnson’s initial staff, taking on the OC gig as part of his ongoing career ascension. The former Saints and Broncos staffer did not call plays during his one-and-done stint in Chicago, though. That proved to be a critical factor as the 2026 hiring cycle played out.
Eagles Seeking First- And Second-Round Picks For A.J. Brown?
With wide receiver A.J. Brown regularly sharing his frustration over the Eagles’ offense last season, they reportedly listened to trade offers ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline. Brown is still an Eagle almost four months later, but questions regarding his future have not subsided. As the offseason gets underway across the NFL, Brown continues to look like a legitimate trade candidate.
A late-December report indicated the Eagles could look to move Brown this offseason. Around two weeks later, the Eagles’ season ended with an uninspired offensive showing in a 23-19 wild-card round loss to the 49ers. Brown and head coach Nick Sirianni got into a memorable sideline dust-up in the first half, though the coach downplayed it afterward.
[RELATED: Patriots Interested In Brown Trade]
It was also a rough evening on the field for the 28-year-old Brown. On the heels of his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, he caught just three of seven targets against the 49ers. Brown dropped two passes and accounted for a meager 25 yards.
When meeting with media on Tuesday, Sirianni did not “guarantee” Brown would return to Philadelphia for a fifth season. General manager Howie Roseman acknowledged that “you go into the league year listening to offers for everything and anything.”
Although Brown had his problems with the Eagles last season, Roseman is not inclined to ship out the three-time Pro Bowler/second-team All-Pro for cheap. One NFL executive told Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer he heard that Roseman is seeking a first- and second-round pick in return. Whether that is realistic remains to be seen, but the Eagles are expected to make a decision by March 9, sources told McLane. That would give Roseman clarity on Brown’s future heading into the new league year.
Although there is plenty of smoke around a potential Brown trade, Roseman will keep him if he doesn’t receive a tempting enough offer, according to McLane. If Brown is still an Eagle next season, he will count an affordable $23.39MM against their salary cap. On the other hand, trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room. Meanwhile, an acquiring team would have to take on what’s left of the three-year, $96MM extension Brown signed before the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign.
Holding off until after June 1, as the Falcons did when they traded Julio Jones in 2021, would point to a more favorable financial situation for the Eagles next season. They would still have to spread his dead money over two years ($16.35MM in 2026 and $27.1MM in ’27), but they would free up $7MM in breathing room in 2026. Despite that, it does not appear the Eagles will wait that long to map out Brown’s future. By the sounds of it, Roseman will either get rid of Brown in the next 10 days or the wideout will stay put.
Offseason Outlook: Buffalo Bills
With the offseason beginning in January for most NFL teams, it was in fashion for dissatisfied owners to throw their head coaches under the bus while retaining their general managers. Of the record-tying 10 clubs that switched head coaches over the past several weeks, eight of them maintained the status quo atop their front offices. The Bills are part of that group. Not only did general manager Brandon Beane stay in place at Sean McDermott's expense, but owner Terry Pegula promoted him to president of football operations/GM.
Most teams that shook up their sideline leadership missed the playoffs in 2025, whereas the Bills earned a berth for a league-leading seventh straight year. They even won a wild-card round game, a 23-20 nail-biter in Jacksonville, but it was not enough to buy McDermott a 10th year. After the Bills dropped a 33-30 overtime thriller to the No. 1-seeded Broncos in the divisional round, Pegula decided he had seen enough.
Believing the Bills "hit the proverbial playoff wall" under McDermott, Pegula fired him two days after the Denver game. On the other hand, Pegula is convinced Beane is not at fault for the Bills' long-running playoff shortcomings. Pegula went along with Beane's decision to promote McDermott's last offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, to head coach (more on that below).
With the grizzled McDermott gone and a rookie head coach in place, Beane is wielding more power than ever. Beane is now in the beginning stages of a crucial offseason for a team that has to find a way to break through as superstar quarterback Josh Allen enters his 30s. While Beane will aim to beef up his roster around Allen, a lack of financial wiggle room and some potentially painful losses in free agency will boost the difficulty level.