Vikings Extend DC Brian Flores; Flores Still HC Candidate
While Brian Flores is currently pursuing a higher position elsewhere, the Vikings have signed him to an extension. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Flores is still considered a candidate for the open head coaching jobs in Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but he’ll now have his job as defensive coordinator in Minnesota if those teams end up hiring other candidates. 
Similiar to another coach on the offensive side of the ball, Mike McDaniel, Flores was getting interest around the league lately for his potential to become both a team’s new head coach or a team’s new defensive coordinator. The former Dolphins head coaches were both looking to return to another leading role, and Flores has interviewed with the Ravens and Steelers, while also being mentioned as a candidate for the job in Las Vegas.
With his contract as defensive coordinator in Minnesota coming to an end, though, other teams around the league were showing signs of interest in Flores continuing in his role as a defensive play-caller. A week ago, he interviewed for the job in Washington, so the speculation was already up in the air on whether Flores would end up being a head coach or a coordinator with a new team. With this extension in place, though, Flores’ two options are to land a head coaching job with a new team or return to the Vikings and remain as defensive coordinator.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell had recently expressed doubt that Flores would leave for the same job with another team. In reaction to the news of Flores’ extension, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifer, O’Connell told the media, “The identity of our defense is a reflection of his leadership and preparation. On a personal level, I’ve really valued the relationship we’ve built over the last three years, and that shared trust, alignment, and high standard will continue to be critical to our success.”
As Flores had continued as a candidate outside the building, the team had held discussions concerning the potential for a new deal like this with Flores, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. In his three years as defensive coordinator in Minnesota, Flores’ unit has given up the second-fewest points per game in the NFL over that span. The unit has improved each year and finished seventh in points allowed and third in yards allowed at its peak this season, anchored by a defense that gave up the league’s second-fewest passing yards per game this year.
The Ravens are starting to select finalists as they move slowly through their interview process, and the Steelers have made it known that Flores is considered to be a “serious contender” to land as their head coach, but the Vikings have been loud in their assertion that seeing him return to lead the defense was their No. 1 priority. Now, they’ve held up their end of the bargain and secured his place on next year’s staff. They’ll just have to hope that Baltimore and Pittsburgh neglect to had him a bigger opportunity.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/21/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
- TE Joshua Simon
Chicago Bears
- TE Qadir Ismail
Las Vegas Raiders
- LS Alex Ward
Los Angeles Rams
- S Nate Valcarcel
Miami Dolphins
- LB Seth Coleman
Philadelphia Eagles
- TE Jaheim Bell
San Francisco 49ers
Chiefs Bring Back Eric Bieniemy As OC
JANUARY 21: Bieniemy and the Chiefs have officially agreed to a deal, according to Pelissero.
JANUARY 19: Earlier today, Eric Bieniemy received an interview request from the Chiefs for their offensive coordinator position. A reunion is indeed set to take place. 
Bienemy is expected to return to his previous role with Kansas City, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Once a hire takes place, the Chiefs will have their Matt Nagy replacement in the building. Nagy has not yet taken a head coaching position, but the team has been preparing for a departure in his case.
According to Scoop City‘s James Palmer, this reunion has been in the works for a notable stretch. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with Bieniemy last night after the Bears’ divisional round loss, Palmer adds. A plan to have Bieniemy depart Chicago – where he served as the team’s running backs coach in 2025 – is now in motion.
From 2013-22, Bieniemy worked on Reid’s staff in Kansas City. The final five years of that span included Bieniemy operating as the team’s offensive coordinator. Reid routinely campaigned for the 56-year-old to receive a head coaching opportunity, but numerous interviews across various hiring cycles did not result in a hire. In the end, Bieniemy took on a play-calling OC gig with the Commanders for 2023. One season in that role was followed by another one-and-done campaign at UCLA.
During last year’s hiring cycle, Bieniemy returned to the NFL ranks by joining Ben Johnson‘s staff. The Bears produced a record of 11-6 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs during Johnson’s first year as a head coach. The ground game played a key role in that success, and both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai enjoyed strong seasons down the stretch in particular. Their performances have helped Bieniemy’s stock as a coordinator, although this KC reunion will no doubt see Reid continue to handle play-calling duties.
Nagy was a top Reid assistant during his first Chiefs stint, and he was the team’s OC for one season before becoming the Bears’ head coach. After that Chicago run ended, Nagy returned to Kansas City at first as a quarterbacks coach. Nagy has again held the title of offensive coordinator for the past three years, but this Bieniemy return signals he will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. Nagy has been connected to a number of HC openings in recent days, and a Titans hire in particular would come as little surprise given his Chiefs connections with general manager Mike Borgonzi.
Broncos Designate C Luke Wattenberg For Return From IR
Denver will go without starting quarterback Bo Nix when it hosts New England in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, but one of the Broncos’ top offensive linemen could return. The Broncos have opened center Luke Wattenberg‘s 21-day practice window, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.
A shoulder injury has kept Wattenberg out of three straight games. Under normal circumstances, a player on injured reserve is required to miss four contests. However, because the Broncos clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, Wattenberg is now eligible to come off IR.
Wattenberg, a fifth-round pick in 2022, spent his first two seasons in Denver as a backup. He became the Broncos’ No. 1 center in 2024 and has since started in all 28 appearances, including 15 this season. Pro Football Focus ranked Wattenberg’s performance 10th among 38 qualifying centers in 2025. He earned solid grades as both a run and pass blocker.
With Wattenberg a few months from free agency, the Broncos awarded him a four-year, $48MM extension on Nov. 25. He now sits fifth at his position in contract value and AAV. Wattenberg’s $27MM in guarantees trails only the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey ($35MM).
On Christmas Day, a month after the Broncos locked up Wattenberg for the long haul, he landed on IR. Alex Forsyth has filled in at center during Wattenberg’s IR stint, and that will likely continue if the latter is unavailable against the Patriots. Forsyth suffered an injury in a 33-30 divisional round win over the Bills, which led the Broncos to plug in Sam Mustipher for the rest of the game. However, Forsyth participated in practice Wednesday, Tomasson relays.
Despite their injuries at center, the Broncos escaped in overtime against the Bills in an instant classic. Nix sustained a season-ending ankle injury, though, leaving the Broncos as rare home underdogs in the AFC title game. Former Patriot Jarrett Stidham will fill in for Nix as the Broncos vie for their first conference championship in a decade.
While Stidham’s facing an uphill battle this week, the return of Wattenberg would help his cause. The Broncos could also welcome No. 1 RB J.K. Dobbins back after opening his practice window on Monday.
Packers Cut CB Trevon Diggs
JANUARY 21: As expected, Diggs has cleared waivers, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. He’s now a free agent.
JANUARY 20: Trevon Diggs exited the season still attached to his five-year, $97MM Cowboys-designed extension. But it was unrealistic for the veteran cornerback to expect that to continue much longer, given his play on the deal.
The Packers are indeed moving on. They are cutting Diggs, per a team announcement. This confirms the veteran cornerback’s status as a late-season rental. He will not be eligible to join one of the four remaining teams’ rosters before season’s end.
The six-year veteran will end up in free agency, being given a chance to catch on before unrestricted FAs hit the market on March 9. Technically, Diggs is subject to waivers, but it is extraordinarily unlikely a claim comes in to keep him on this contract after the playoffs conclude.
This will not tag the Packers with any dead money and free up $15MM in cap space for the team ahead of the 2026 offseason. Diggs, 27, was not expected to remain attached to his Dallas terms for much longer. The Cowboys waived him after Week 17, leading to a Packers claim. Although the Packers deployed Diggs as a backup, most of his work came in a meaningless Week 18 game in Minnesota. Diggs played just one defensive snap in the Packers’ wild-card loss to the Bears.
It should not be ruled out Diggs comes back at a far lower rate, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. Packers defensive pass-game coordinator Derrick Ansley coached Diggs at Alabama. Though, Green Bay is set for some defensive staff changes after Jeff Hafley‘s departure for Miami. It is unclear who will be part of the team’s 2026 defensive staff; some degree of turnover will be expected.
Diggs’ 11-interception 2021 season placed him on the radar for a big-ticket extension, and the Cowboys followed through with that move in summer 2023. But an ACL tear in September of that year sidetracked the former second-round pick. Diggs has battled knee trouble since, and a dustup with the Cowboys regarding Christmas Day travel plans preceded his early exit. Had the Cowboys not waived him before Week 18, they would have done so after the season.
Playing in just nine games this season, Diggs ended up missing 29 games since he signed the lucrative second contract. He made it back from another knee surgery by Week 1, but a concussion sustained in his home parked him on IR. A disagreement about the corner’s health between player and team also factored into a turbulent final Diggs Dallas season. As a result of the poor return on investment, Diggs will not be a candidate to sign for anything close to his most recent Cowboys terms.
Eagles Interview Matt Nagy For OC
The Chiefs’ expected rehire of Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator complicates Matt Nagy‘s path. He had been viewed as the frontrunner for the Titans’ HC job, which would have brought a reunion with Mike Borgonzi, but Robert Saleh ended up being Tennessee’s choice. Nagy resides in limbo presently.
Turning down a Chiefs extension offer in 2025, Nagy is a coaching free agent. He is still connected to a few available HC jobs — the Cardinals, Ravens and Raiders’ positions — but a coordinator post also has come up. The Eagles interviewed Nagy for their OC job, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.
Nagy began his NFL career in Philadelphia, interning under Andy Reid before moving to the quality control level in 2011. Nagy followed Reid to Kansas City and linked back up with the coaching legend after a four-year Bears HC stint. Nagy spent the past three seasons as the Chiefs’ OC.
Reid has called the plays in Kansas City, but Nagy was nonetheless a key member of a staff that won two Super Bowls and booked a third straight trip to the dance in 2024. The Eagles wound up beating Kansas City in a lopsided affair last year, and the Chiefs’ long-running dominance of the AFC West came to a screeching halt this season. At 6-11, the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
The Eagles won 11 games and returned to the playoffs, but their Kevin Patullo-led offense sputtered for most of the season. As part of a passing attack that finished 23rd in the league, wide receiver A.J. Brown made his frustration known on multiple occasions. Meanwhile, with Saquon Barkley‘s rushing total falling from 2,005 yards during an electric 2024 to 1,140 this year, the Eagles’ offense ranked an underwhelming 19th in scoring and 24th in yards.
Philadelphia’s offensive struggles continued during a one-and-done postseason. The 49ers knocked the Eagles out of the wild-card round in a 23-19 contest. The Eagles gained just 308 yards that afternoon, and head coach Nick Sirianni quickly removed Patullo from the offensive coordinator position after one season.
Sirianni has been on the job since 2021, but he’s already seeking his fifth OC. Shane Steichen, Brian Johnson, Kellen Moore and Patullo were his first four choices. The Eagles lost Steichen (Colts) and Moore (Saints) to head coaching positions, while the Johnson and Patullo promotions fell flat.
Here’s a look at where the Eagles’ latest OC search stands:
- Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator (Colts): Interview requested
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/20
- Josh Grizzard, former offensive coordinator (Buccaneers): To interview
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/17
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview; expected to become Chargers OC
- Matt Nagy, former offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/16
- Bobby Slowik, senior pass-game coordinator (Dolphins): Interview requested
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis Among Eagles’ Extension Priorities
The Eagles are heading into the 2026 offseason with a number of extension candidates, and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter could be at the top of general manager Howie Roseman‘s list, per Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic.
The Georgia products were drafted by the Eagles in the first round of back-to-back drafts – Davis in 2022 and Carter in 2023. Davis had a quiet rookie year before emerging as a starter in his second year. Pre-draft concerns about his conditioning seemed to be validated as the team carefully managed his snap count in 2024, but he played 61% of the team’s snaps in 2025. That corresponded with career-highs across the board, giving Philadelphia plenty of reason to pursue an extension.
The Eagles picked up Davis’ fifth-year option – worth $12.94MM – so an extension would clear up some 2026 cap space. The same is not true for Carter, who is set for a $6.94MM cap hit that could go up depending on the size of his signing bonus. The team also has to make a decision on his fifth year option, which is currently projected to be $21.04MM, per OverTheCap. Given the rapidly-escalating price of interior pass rushers, that would be a bargain for an additional year of Carter’s services,
Carter has already become one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the game, while Davis’ expanded production proves he is more than just a massive run-stopper in the middle of the defense. That should push the combined price of the duo over $50MM per year and potentially as high as $60MM.
The Eagles also have Nolan Smith‘s fifth-year option to consider. He would cost $15MM in 2027, a good price for an edge rusher. However, Roseman may not be as motivated to pursue a long-term deal with Smith as he failed to even match his 2024 breakout season in 2025.
Brian Daboll Prefers Titans’ OC Job If Unable To Land HC Post?
Brian Daboll is officially part of the Bills‘ head coaching interview process, receiving a request Wednesday. He will meet with his former team about replacing Sean McDermott. Like Mike McDaniel, however, the recently fired HC is in the mix for multiple coordinator positions.
The Eagles interviewed Daboll for their OC job, but they do not appear to be his preferred choice. If Daboll is unable to land the Buffalo HC job, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes he would prefer to end up in Tennessee as Titans OC. The Eagles view Daboll as wanting to return to Buffalo, which certainly makes sense seeing as he is a Western New York native. HC salaries also dwarf coordinator money, in most cases. But a Titans-over-Eagles preference intrigues.
Philadelphia has tremendous talent on that side of the ball, but this is the team’s fourth OC search in four years. The Eagles fired both Brian Johnson and Kevin Patullo after one season apiece, and headlines regarding disgruntled players — A.J. Brown chief among them — have been regular occurrences since the team’s Super Bowl LVII appearance. That said, both Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore have used Philly OC gigs as springboards to HC opportunities.
Tennessee, conversely, has been one of the league’s worst operations over this span. Amy Adams Strunk’s decision to fire Mike Vrabel backfired, and Brian Callahan was done after 23 games. The Titans have hired Robert Saleh, who was believed to be targeting a McDaniel reunion for his OC plan. The Chargers, who interviewed Daboll for their OC job, scuttled that plan by tabbing McDaniel to call plays under Jim Harbaugh. Daboll, however, has come up as a candidate as well. It is believed he will have options despite the downward-trending Giants tenure ending with an in-season firing. The Eagles and Titans aren’t the only teams “pushing hard” to land him as OC, Russini adds.
The Titans will present coordinator options with 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward to develop. Not too much is around Ward presently, with Calvin Ridley expected to be released, but the AFC South team is projected to hold more than $93MM in cap space. No team outflanks them there presently, but after back-to-back three-win seasons, the Titans obviously have plenty of work to do.
More OC jobs will open up as HC posts are filled. The Ravens’ OC job, in particular would provide considerable intrigue, and it is worth wondering if Daboll would consider reprising his role as Bills OC if he is passed over for the HC job. The Titans interviewed Daboll for their HC position, going with Saleh as their retread of choice. Yet, Daboll remains interested in relocating to Nashville. He may need to choose a destination before the Bills determine their OC, but for now, teams are waiting on Daboll’s HC fate in Buffalo.
Nick Sirianni has not called plays in Philly since midway through the 2021 season, providing an interesting opportunity. But with Daboll not believed to want this job, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes the Eagles may need to cast a wider net after their top targets — Daboll and McDaniel — are likely unavailable.
It is not known if Sirianni will give full autonomy to any candidate, McLane adds, but that would have happened with Daboll or McDaniel. The latter did end up interviewing virtually for the Eagles’ job, per the Inquirer’s EJ Smith, but chose the Bolts.
Bucs Set Second OC Interview With Brian Callahan
The Buccaneers are taking another step towards hiring a new offensive coordinator by kicking off their second round of interviews.
Former Titans head coach Brian Callahan is set for a second meeting with the team, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, which will take place tomorrow. The 41-year-old previously spent five years as the offensive coordinator on Zac Taylor’s staff, playing a major role in Joe Burrow‘s development and the overall development of Cincinnati’s offense into one of the best in the league.
However, balance often eluded Callahan’s units. He put together the Bengals’ high-flying passing attack, but could not budge their running game out of a bottom-10 ranking in his five years in Cincinnati. He also struggled to construct a consistent offensive line.
So, when Callahan arrived in Tennessee and downgraded from Burrow to Will Levis at quarterback, the cracks began to show. He no longer had one of the best QB-WR duos in the league, and he could not find a way to help Levis progress. A 3-14 record got the Titans the No. 1 pick, which they used on Cam Ward, but a 1-5 start to the 2025 season
The Buccaneers may be wondering if Callahan will be able to find more success with their talented offense. Tampa Bay already has an established quarterback, a strong offensive line, and several offensive weapons. That would allow Callahan to focus less on development and more on application of the team’s talent as they seek a return to the top of the NFC South.
Here are the rest of the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator candidates:
- Brian Callahan, former head coach (Titans): Second interview scheduled for 1/22
- Mike Kafka, former interim head coach (Giants): Interviewed
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/16
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed
- Dan Pitcher, offensive coordinator (Bengals): Interviewed 1/21
- Zac Robinson, offensive coordinator (Falcons): Interviewed 1/10
- David Shaw, pass-game coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/10
- Israel Woolfork, quarterbacks coach (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/10
Falcons Add James Liipfert, Ian Cunningham, Josh Williams To GM Interview List
With the Falcons’ search for a new president of football operations and head coach complete, the team is now looking for their next general manager.
Three names have been added to the list: Texans assistant GM James Liipfert (via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini), Bears assitant GM Ian Cunningham (via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer), and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). That trio joins Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl as Atlanta’s first four candidates.
Liipfert got his NFL start with the Patriots. He spent nine years in New England in various scouting roles before joining the Texans as their new director of college scouting in 2019. Liipfert began to move up the chain after Nick Caserio, a former Patriots colleague, was installed as the Texans’ general manager. Liipfert became the assistant director of player personnel in 2022, replaced ‘assistant’ with ‘executive’ in his title the following year, and moved up to assistant GM last June. His job, however, has largely stayed the same. He manages the Texans’ college scouting operations and has therefore played a huge role in building their current roster, which is powered by homegrown players.
Cunningham interviewed for the Falcons’ football operations job that went to Matt Ryan. It never seemed like anyone but Ryan would secure that position, but Cunningham did enough in his first meeting with the team that he is now under consideration for general manager. He interviewed for several jobs over the last few years, including the Jaguars’ and Titans’ GM jobs last offseason. He was thought to be a finalist for those jobs, as well as the Commanders’ vacancy in 2024. Like Liipfert, he has spent his career largely focused on scouting.
Williams also interviewed for what is now Ryan’s job and was a finalist for the Jaguars’ opening last year. He was also a finalist in the Dolphins’ search for a new GM this year, though Miami went with Jon-Eric Sullivan instead. In San Francisco, Williams oversees pro and college scouting and also assists in contract negotiations.
It is clear that the Falcons are looking to draft a general manager with a background in scouting. There are a number of young stars in Atlanta, but almost all of them were secured with first- or second-round picks. In the third round and beyond, former GM Terry Fontenot struggled to find players who could become starters while still on their rookie contract. His successor would look to correct that pattern to add more depth and build around players like Drake London and Bijan Robinson.