Ohio State WR Carnell Tate Declares For 2026 Draft
Ohio State wide receiver and projected first-round pick Carnell Tate is planning to leave school early and declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Tate, 20, arrived in Columbus in 2023 and managed to carve out a small role on offense as a freshman, despite the Buckeyes’ crowded receiver room. He stepped into the No. 3 job in 2024, and averaged 48.9 yards per game with four touchdowns on the season. This past season, he posted 79.5 yards per game with nine touchdowns, positioning himself as one of the top receiver prospects eligible for the 2026 draft.
Ohio State is known as ‘WRU,’ or Wide Receiver University, for their history of producing elite NFL wideouts under longtime receivers coach (and ex-Dolphins WR) Brian Hartline. (Hartline recently took a head coaching job at South Florida, so it will be interesting to see if that affects OSU’s status as the most consistent producer of pro-caliber wide receiving talent.)
Tate is the latest product out of that pipeline, which includes former teammates Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. along with 2022 and 2023 first-rounders Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Based on those names alone, it is easy to see why NFL teams would be interesting in adding a Buckeyes receiver of their own.
Tate’s resume is not limited to his school. In addition to his solid traditional stats, he logged 3.03 yards per route run and a 85.7% contested catch rate, per Pro Football Focus. He also was not charged with a drop on 66 targets this season. Between his reliable hands, consistent route-running, and 6-foot-3 frame, Tate has plenty to offer that could fit in any NFL offense. He is already seen as a potential top-10 pick, and a strong gauntlet of testing at the NFL Combine in March could secure his stock.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/6/26
While many teams are making major decisions on head coaches, those remaining in the playoffs are still tweaking their practice squads before the wild-card round this weekend. Here are the latest updates:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Julian Hicks, WR Kisean Johnson, TE Messiah Swinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Luke Grimm
- Released: TE Tanner McLachlan
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Ben Niemann
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Jeremiah Pharms
- Released: CB Brandon Crossley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DB Parry Nickerson
- Released: DB Ambry Thomas
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: DB Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released: OT David Sharpe
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/6/26
Four teams signed players to reserve/futures contracts on Tuesday, though only the Dolphins made more than two moves. Here are the latest updates:
Detroit Lions
- OL Seth McLaughlin
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Joseph Vaughn
Miami Dolphins
- WR AJ Henning, DT Alex Huntley, LB Derrick McLendon, LB K.C. Ossai, OL Josh Priebe, OL Kion Smith
Washington Commanders
- G Tyler Cooper, WR Nick Nash
Panthers EVP Brandt Tilis To Interview For Falcons’ Football Ops. Job
The Falcons have another candidate for their newly-created president of football operations role: Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis.
Tilis is set to interview for the role, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, though ex-Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan appears to be a frontrunner for the position. Atlanta is nonetheless obligated to interview other candidates, who may also emerge as figures in their search for a new general manager.
Tilis came up in the Chiefs’ front office, starting as a salary cap analyst in 2010 and eventually rising to vice president of football operations in 2021. In 2024, he interviewed for the Panthers’ GM position, and though that ultimately went to Dan Morgan, Tilis still came to Carolina in a VP role. Carolina went 5-12 in their first year under their new front office and improved to 8-9 this year to secure the franchise’s first NFC South crown since 2015.
While head coach Dave Canales‘ work with Bryce Young and the Panthers offense has yielded clear results on the field, Morgan and Tilis have knocked their roster moves out of the park. Major investments, like drafting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and signing safety Tre’von Moehrig, have paid off, and Carolina’s roster is peppered with key contributors on excellent contracts that were signed in the last two offseasons. Among them are safety Nick Scott, cornerback Michael Jackson, and running back Rico Dowdle.
The Falcons’ focus on Ryan seems to close the door on Tilis securing the top football operations job, but his initial discussion with the team may keep him in the race for general manager, as well. The other known candidate for that job is Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, who the team has already requested to interview.
Atlanta will likely finalize Ryan’s hiring as director of football operations before moving onto their GM and head coach selections, by which time Tilis’ name may come back up. He could also draw interest from another team looking to reshape their front office with an executive who helped build a dynasty in Kansas City and has contributed to Carolina’s rapid return to relevance.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/26
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Designated for return from IR: G Chandler Zavala
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Karene Reid
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad QB Desmond Ridder
- Waived: QB Clayton Tune
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DE Darrell Taylor
- Waived: S K’Von Wallace
Set to host the Rams in the wild-card round on Saturday, the Panthers have opened Zavala’s 21-day practice window. That will at least give Zavala a chance to return this week. Zavala has been on IR twice this year – once for a knee injury, again for a calf problem – which limited him to seven games and five starts during the regular season. He hasn’t played since Week 12.
The Packers rested starting quarterback Jordan Love in their regular-season finale against the Vikings. Backup Malik Willis was unavailable because of shoulder and hamstring issues, which led to Tune receiving his second NFL start. It went poorly for the 26-year-old Tune, who completed 6 of 11 passes for 34 yards in a 16-3 loss. Ridder, who combined for 18 starts with the Falcons and Raiders from 2022-24, will replace Tune on the Packers’ roster as they prepare for a playoff showdown with the rival Bears.
Browns Request Interview With Seahawks DC Aden Durde
Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde has joined the Browns’ list of head coach candidates.
The Browns submitted an official request to interview Durde on Tuesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The 46-year-old U.K. native began his coaching career in Europe before internships with the Cowboys (2014-2015) and the Falcons (2016) led to more opportunities in the NFL. He returned to Dan Quinn’s staff in Atlanta in 2018, first as a defensive quality control assistant and then as outside linebackers coach. Durde then followed Quinn to Dallas in 2021 and took over as the Cowboys’ defensive line coach.
The Seahawks came calling last offseason after hiring Mike Macdonald as their new head coach. Though Macdonald has been Seattle’s defensive play-caller, Durde has still played a key role in a unit that finished 11th in scoring and 14th in total defense in his debut season before ranking first and sixth, respectively, in 2025.
The Browns seem to be open to a new head coach with a background on either side of the ball, though their last four hires have all been offensive-minded coaches. Durde would not only represent a departure from that pattern, but a major leap of faith in a relatively unproven coach. His units in Seattle have been excellent, but that might have more to do with Macdonald, who is among the foremost defensive minds in the NFL. Handing Durde play-calling duties along with the other responsibilities of a head coach would be a tremendous leap of faith, one that could probably only be inspired by a flawless interview process.
Durde seems like a long shot to land the top job in Cleveland, but his consideration reflects the defensive focus of this offseason’s hiring cycle. Continued success in Seattle this postseason and in 2026 will keep him in the mix for future head coaching vacancies.
David Blough A Candidate For Lions’ Offensive Coordinator Job
Former Lions quarterback David Blough could return to the organization as a coach. Blough, the Commanders’ assistant quarterbacks coach, is a candidate to become the Lions’ offensive coordinator, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. It’s unclear if he’ll interview for the position.
The Lions’ hunt for an O-coordinator began when they fired John Morton on Tuesday afternoon. Morton, the Lions’ initial replacement for Ben Johnson, lasted just one year in the role.
Detroit ranked fifth in both total offense and scoring in 2025, but Morton didn’t call the plays for the entire season. Head coach Dan Campbell took over the responsibilities in Week 10. The unit improved after Morton’s demotion.
Blough, an NFL quarterback from 2019-23, spent a good chunk of his short career in the Motor City. There’s familiarity with Campbell, who coached him in 2021 and ’23.
Still just 30 years old, Blough has been on Commanders head coach Dan Quinn‘s staff since 2024. Blough worked under former quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard for most of the past two seasons, and the two aided in the development of Jayden Daniels during that span.
While Daniels enjoyed a tremendous first season en route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, injuries limited him to seven games in 2025. The Commanders fell from NFC Championship Game participants in 2024 to a dismal 5-12 during an injury-wrecked campaign. They lost Pritchard when he left to become Stanford’s head coach in late November. Blough finished the season as the Commanders’ interim QBs coach.
In returning to Detroit as a coordinator, Blough would inherit one of the league’s most talented offenses. Quarterback Jared Goff, running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and tight end Sam LaPorta are among their weapons under contract through at least next season.
Even if the Lions don’t hire him, it’s unclear if Blough will remain in Washington in 2026. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury exited his post on Tuesday. Kingsbury’s replacement may want to hire an entirely new group of coaches, which would leave Blough to look elsewhere.
Cardinals Request HC Interview With Patriots’ Thomas Brown
Add Patriots passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown to the Cardinals’ list of head coaching candidates. The Cardinals have requested an interview with Brown, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.
A running back with Atlanta and Cleveland from 2008-10, Brown climbed up the college coaching ranks before joining the Rams’ staff in 2020. He worked under Sean McVay as a running backs coach, assistant head coach and tight ends coach through 2022.
Brown impressed enough on McVay’s staff to land the Panthers’ offensive coordinator job in 2023, but it ended up as a one-and-done stint. The Panthers finished 2-15 during a season in which they fired head coach Frank Reich in late November. With Brown as their on-again, off-again play caller and rookie Bryce Young at quarterback, the Panthers ranked last in total offense and 31st in scoring.
With the Panthers moving on to a Dave Canales-led coaching staff in 2024, Brown spent the season with the Bears. He began the year as the Bears’ passing game coordinator before replacing the fired Shane Waldron as their offensive coordinator in mid-November. That was the first of two in-season promotions for Brown, who finished the year as Chicago’s interim head coach after the firing of Matt Eberflus. The Bears went 1-4 under Brown, and their offense scored the fewest points in the league in quarterback Caleb Williams‘ rookie campaign.
Brown interviewed to become Chicago’s full-time head coach last January, but the role wound up going to Ben Johnson. That decision has worked out beautifully for the NFC North-winning Bears, while Brown has upped his stock as a Mike Vrabel assistant in New England.
Thanks largely to their passing attack, the Patriots pulled off a stunning 10-win improvement from 2024 to 2025. The 14-3 Pats won the AFC East and will enter the postseason as the second seed in the conference. With Brown’s help, second-year quarterback Drake Maye has quickly turned into an MVP front-runner. Maye finished the season first in completion percentage, yards per attempt, traditional passer rating and QBR. He also ranked third in touchdown passes and fourth in yards.
Unlike the Patriots, the Cardinals don’t have an obvious answer at quarterback. They’re expected to trade or release Kyler Murray in the offseason. Veteran Jacoby Brissett is under contract for another year, but he isn’t a long-term solution. It’s an area Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort and their next head coach, whether it’s Brown or another candidate, will likely address in the coming months.
Giants Hold John Harbaugh As Frontrunner For HC Job?
Prior to the news of John Harbaugh‘s Ravens exit, the Giants had been viewed as a team monitoring that situation closely. Now that Harbaugh is available, New York looks to have considerable interest.
The Giants are believed to have Harbaugh as their top choice, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter calling him a favorite to land the gig. The team had prepared for the possibility Harbaugh would become available, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. After Big Blue has struck out on coaches post-Tom Coughlin, Harbaugh appears a clear target.
Harbaugh, 63, is believed to have a high regard for the Giants’ job and Jaxson Dart, The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor tweets. After Week 18 began with a thin-looking talent pool for HC-needy teams, Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski have become available. Stefanski is already set to interview with the Giants this week.
Six non-Baltimore HC openings currently exist, but teams who have a head coach employed are believed to be in on Harbaugh too. Within an hour of Harbaugh’s ouster, Schefter reports at least seven teams have reached out to the newly available coach. Other teams without HC openings are likely to follow, Schefter adds. Considering Harbaugh’s experience and credentials, and this year’s crop lacking the level of candidates the Ben Johnson-Mike Vrabel 2025 pool included, it is unsurprising he is generating this much interest early.
Harbaugh has only worked for two NFL teams despite coaching in the league since 1998. Ray Rhodes hired him to be on the Eagles’ staff that year, and Andy Reid kept him on as special teams coordinator for an additional eight years. Hired by the Ravens in 2008, Harbaugh became the rare ST coach to rise to the HC level. He enjoyed immediate success and guided Baltimore to 12 playoff berths and Super Bowl XLVII, where he edged brother Jim in a Ravens-49ers shootout.
With so much interest in Harbaugh, the Giants could be in a competition. The team’s decision to retain GM Joe Schoen after a mostly woeful first four seasons becomes more interesting when it comes to attracting a top candidate. The Giants have gone 7-27 over the past two seasons,. The jury is still out on Dart, but the team will not enter this draft with a quarterback need. Big Blue’s QB situation compares favorably to a few of the HC-needy teams’ depth charts at the game’s marquee spot, though the roster needs plenty of repair.
Harbaugh’s age does introduce a complication for interested teams. Clubs considering a rebuild would not appear to be fits for Harbaugh. No coach has ever been hired past the age of 66 (Bruce Arians). Harbaugh should still land a gig immediately, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates he is expected to want one. But the age component is not one to entirely dismiss. That said, a few interviews will probably be set up soon. The Giants figure to be among those clearing part of their schedule to talk with the seasoned coaching vet.
49ers To Sign LB Kyzir White
Battling a slew of injuries at linebacker as they prepare for a first-round playoff matchup against the Eagles on Sunday, the 49ers are adding veteran insurance at the position. They have agreed to a deal with Kyzir White, insider Jordan Schultz reports.
The 49ers went through most of the regular season without their best linebacker, four-time All-Pro Fred Warner, who broke and dislocated his ankle in Week 6. Tatum Bethune stepped in as his replacement, but he suffered a season-ending groin injury in Week 18. Meanwhile, the statuses of fellow banged-up linebackers Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quadriceps) are uncertain as San Francisco’s trip to Philadelphia draws closer.
Warner may return if the 49ers advance a couple of rounds in the playoffs. In the meantime, they have another much-needed healthy option in White, though a hamstring injury shelved him for most of 2025.
After signing a practice squad deal with the Titans in early September, White’s only appearance of the regular season came in Week 3. The Titans waived him Dec. 5. The 29-year-old hoped to land with a contender when Tennessee cut him. A month later, he’ll get his wish.
White, who now has 93 games and 73 starts on his resume, entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2018. Also a former Cardinal and Eagle, White has gone over the 100-tackle mark on three occasions and logged two 17-start seasons. He was a full-time starter in 2024 in Arizona, where he finished with 137 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Although White has barely played since his two-year Cardinals tenure ended, he could factor into the 49ers’ postseason plans at linebacker. Eric Kendricks (currently on the practice squad), Curtis Robinson and Garret Wallow are among the injury-riddled team’s other options.