NFL Staff Updates: Commanders, Falcons, Raiders
The Commanders announced a number of new hires and promotions to their scouting and analytics departments this week.
In the scouting department, Charles Brensinger was promoted from scouting assistant to manager of scouting operations for his fourth year with the team. Before Washington, Brensinger spent seven years in Detroit — five as a pro scout — after internships with the Lions in 2012 and the Giants in 2013. Fellow scouting assistant Mitch Sterner was promoted to BLESTO scout in his second year with the organization. Sterner started in the NFL working in video for the Colts and Lions before a three-year stint in New England as a pro & college scouting assistant.
Filling one of the newly vacant scouting assistant positions will be Austin Walter. A former NFL running back, Walter joined Washington last year as one of two Nunn-Wooten scouting fellows.
In analytics, Doug Drewry has been promoted from manager of football research & development to director of football research & development. A lifelong Washington fan, Drewry made the move from finance to football analytics, joining the team six years ago. The department also announced two new football research & development assistants in Dylan Riordan and Aidan McCarty. Riordan was promoted to the position after serving as a football research & development intern in 2024.
Here are a couple other updates to staffs in the NFL:
- The Falcons have hired Alex Brown to a position as an area scout, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This will be Brown’s NFL debut after a number of collegiate positions. He leaves his position as director of player personnel at Ole Miss after only a year. He spent two years at SMU before that, getting elevated from director of scouting to senior director of personnel/general manager of the Mustangs. He also held the director of football recruiting role at Rice after four years on the recruiting staff at the University of Houston.
- ESPN’s Seth Walder reports that Jonah Lubin has been hired by the Raiders as a new football data science assistant. Previously a business intern for the Texans, Lubin was a semi-finalist in this year’s Big Data Bowl.
NFLPA Exec Director Lloyd Howell Works For Private Equity Firm Seeking Stake In Team
JULY 11: Howell does not plan on resigning in the wake of the recent controversy, Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post report. For the time being at least, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds he is safe from potential efforts for a removal. That process will be long-running if it is sought, though, and efforts on the part of players and senior union leaders will be worth monitoring over the coming weeks.
JULY 10: NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell is under fire after a report by ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kalher that he has been working as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, a private equity firm approved by the league to pursue a minority ownership stake in an NFL team.
Howell began working at Carlyle in a part-time capacity in March 2023; three months later, he was hired by the NFLPA as the union’s principal administrative officer and chief player representative. In August 2024, Carlyle received league approval to invest in an NFL team via a minority stake worth up to 10%. Despite internal concerns by a senior union lawyer regarding a potential conflict of interest, Howell continued to work for Carlyle and received $3.4MM from the firm last year.
With the matter coming into the public eye, Howell will come under even more scrutiny amid criticism regarding the NFLPA’s handling of their collusion grievance against the league and an internal investigation of Howell’s leadership of the union. (The NFLPA has appealed the ruling on the collusion grievance after it, too, was made public.)
According to Pablo Torre of Pablo Finds Out, a Change.org petition calling for Howell’s resignation has been circulating among NFL players and NFLPA staff in the wake of today’s revelations. The NFLPA allows their player reps to remove the executive director with a two-thirds majority vote at a meeting with a two-thirds quorum, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
A Carlyle spokesperson insisted that Howell had no access in the firm’s activities related to the NFL and said that Howell had disclosed his work at the NFLPA to the firm but not the request by union lawyers for him to resign.
“Lloyd had no access to information about the NFL and Carlyle process beyond public news reports due to strict Carlyle information barriers in place,” according to an email statement from The Carlyle Group. “Carlyle was not aware of the request from union lawyers for Lloyd to resign from Carlyle.”
In addition to his compensation from Carlyle, Howell also received almost $700K from board positions at GE HealthCare and Moody’s, per ESPN. His pay for sitting on the board of ManTech, a company privately owned by Carlyle, is unknown.
Former NFLPA lead outside counsel Jim Quinn told ESPN that the union’s previous executive directors held neither outside jobs nor paid board seats during their tenure. Quinn characterized Howell’s position at Carlyle as an “outrageous conflict” and said that he would have expected Howell to resign upon being hired by the NFLPA.
NFL players have yet to publicly react to the latest news about Howell. Multiple members of the executive committee decline to comment on the collusion grievance confidentiality agreement, with Cameron Heyward calling the situation at the union “dicey.”
TE George Kittle Addresses 49ers Extension
George Kittle landed another 49ers extension this offseason, and he is now tied to the team through 2029. The All-Pro tight end did not enjoy an entirely smooth process during negotiations, but he is satisfied to be in position to finish his career in San Francisco. 
When reflecting on his pact – a four-year, $76.4MM deal – Kittle informed ESPN’s Nick Wagoner it would be “fair to say” team and player dealt with an initial dispute over his value. The 31-year-old’s previous pact carried an average annual value of $15MM, but his new one checks in at $19.1MM in compensation per year. That means he is once again the league’s top earner amongst tight ends.
Amidst uncertainty over his future, Kittle drew trade interest from at least one team just before April’s draft. An offer of a second-round pick was rejected, and shortly after the draft concluded the extension was in place. As a result, Kittle is set to remain a focal point on offense in 2025 and beyond.
“It’s somewhere that I want to be for as long as I possibly can be because I go to work every single morning and I look up and I’m walking into Levi’s Stadium as my office,” the six-time Pro Bowler said. “I am just so beyond lucky and I am so happy to be able to be here for longer.”
Kittle has spent his entire career with the 49ers, and when healthy he has been a critical member of the team’s offense. The Iowa product has topped 1,000 yards four times in eight seasons; his 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns from 2024 were the second-highest total of his career. Remaining available should allow Kittle to continue producing as one of the league’s best at his position for years to come.
As the 49ers look to bounce back from last season’s underwhelming campaign, they will do so without Deebo Samuel at the receiver spot. Brandon Aiyuk is a strong candidate to miss the first four games of the season, so especially early on in the campaign Kittle’s level of play will be key. If he manages to remain productive during that period and beyond, more deep postseason runs could be in store over the length of his latest contract.
Steelers Hesitant About T.J. Watt Extension Based On Late-2024 Performances?
As training camps loom around the league, T.J. Watt is one of several notable edge rushers whose financial situation is uncertain. He and the Steelers hope to work out another extension, but considerable work still needs to be done. 
Watt was absent from minicamp with no agreement imminent. That remains the case at this point, with both guaranteed money and term length representing sticking points in negotiations. The top of the pass rush market has been known for months, though, leading many to believe other factors are leading to hesitation on the Steelers’ part.
Indeed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported during a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan (video link) the sense around the league is that Pittsburgh is hesitant to make another long-term Watt commitment based on how last season ended. Watt wound up with 11.5 sacks and a league-leading six fumbles in 2024. His performances down the stretch and during the team’s wild-card loss fell short of his All-Pro standards, however.
Taking that into account along with his age (31 in October), Watt is not as straightforward of a candidate for a market-topping deal as he was in 2021. That year, the Steelers moved him to the top of the pecking order at an average of just over $28MM. That figure has since been surpassed several times over, and Myles Garrett moved the bar to $40MM per season with his latest Browns pact. Watt aims to surpass him on his third Steelers contract, but the team will need to weigh a potential falloff in production over the coming years.
A torn pec limited Watt to 10 games in 2022. During each of the two seasons preceding that one as well as the campaign following it, however, the seven-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in sacks. That will no doubt be a point of emphasis from his side during negotiations, a process which could last well into the summer. In 2021, Watt engaged in a hold-in during training camp until his deal was finalized mere days before the start of the campaign. A similar sequence could be in store this time around, with Week 1 representing a hard deadline given the Steelers’ philosophy of not negotiating contracts in-season.
The Steelers own a 1-10 record in games Watt has not suited up for during his decorated career. Given the team’s offseason moves centered on competing in 2025, a trade sending him elsewhere would come as a major surprise. Still, speculation about Watt’s situation will continue until an agreement is in place. It will be interesting to see if general manager Omar Khan winds up making a similar investment to the one his predecessor (Kevin Colbert) made four years ago or if he leaves the door open to a potential 2026 free agent departure.
RB Nyheim Hines Eyeing 2025 Deal
JULY 11: In an interview with Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer, Hines confirmed he is feeling healthy ahead of the 2025 campaign. He is eyeing a return to the NFL primarily as a returner, and it will be interesting to see if teams show a willingness to add him ahead of training camp.
JULY 7: A jet ski accident suffered in the summer of 2023 has proven highly detrimental to Nyheim Hines‘ career. The veteran running back/returner is now seeking a return to the NFL, however. 
Hines suffered a major knee injury as a result of the accident, and it cost him the entire 2023 campaign. Efforts were made to rehab in time for last season, but by October the Browns made it clear he would not be activated from the non-football injury list. The 28-year-old was released by the Browns in February, leaving him free to sign with an interested suitor at any time this offseason.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Hines now feels his knee has fully recovered. As a result, he is looking to land a deal in time for training camp. The NC State product already took a visit with the Texans this spring, but this latest health update could point to a small market being generated over the coming weeks.
Hines spent four-plus seasons with the Colts to begin his career. He never surpassed 380 rushing yards along the way, but the former fourth-rounder was a consistent producer in the passing game (notching 40 or more receptions in a season four times). Hines also offers value as a kick and punt returner; he has surpassed 1,100 All-Purpose yards twice to date.
Of course, suitors will be hesitant to sign Hines given his missed time and concerns over his knee. Future visits will no doubt include detailed medical tests in this case as teams consider a short-term, low-cost investment. A veteran of 81 games, Hines will provide experience in a backfield along with special teams potential in the event he does manage to land a contract ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Byron Leftwich Yet To Join Colorado’s Coaching Staff; Team Eyeing Mike Zimmer
Byron Leftwich was involved in this year’s coaching cycle as he eyed a return to the NFL. The former Cardinals and Buccaneers offensive coordinator interviewed with the Seahawks for their OC posting, but it did not result in a hire. 
In March, it was reported Leftwich would join Colorado’s staff for 2025 in an unknown capacity. That could still prove to be the case, but head coach Deion Sanders‘ latest comments on the matter indicate a deal has not officially been made on that front. Sanders is still interested in adding Leftwich to his staff along with another veteran NFL coach.
“Our coaching staff, this is without Byron Leftwich, which I’m praying that he does the right thing, and Mike Zimmer, we have 160 years of NFL experience,” Sanders said at the Big 12 media day (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “With those two added, that’s 204 years of NFL experience. And I want those years.”
Leftwich last worked in the NFL in 2022. Bruce Arians‘ retirement following the previous season resulted in Todd Bowles being promoted to head coach. The Buccaneers’ offense saw a notable downturn in production, ranking 25th in points after a top-three finish in each of the previous three campaigns. Bowles elected to move on from Leftwich, who has been unable to land another NFL gig over the past two years. The 45-year-old was last in the college game in 2022, the final season of his playing career.
Zimmer was out of the NFL for two seasons after his tenure as head coach of the Vikings came to an end. In 2024, he reprised his previous role as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. Zimmer’s tenure in Dallas was tied to that of head coach Mike McCarthy, however, so the team’s mass changes on the sidelines left him in need of a new opportunity. At the age of 69, Zimmer has been linked to retirement, and the end of his second Cowboys stint thus appeared to mark the end of his career.
Zimmer has previously expressed a desire to again work as an NFL head coach, although he has noted it is unlikely an opportunity will present itself on that front. The college ranks could allow him to continue his career, though. If he were to take that route, Colorado would be an obvious landing spot. Zimmer worked as a consultant for Sanders with the Buffaloes (and earlier at Jackson State) and his nephew Andrew is already on Colorado’s staff.
Sanders has Pat Shurmur in place as the offensive coordinator on his staff, one which also includes Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp. Plenty of notable names will be in place for 2025 regardless, but the staff could still add one or two more if Leftwich and/or Zimmer wind up taking positions for this season.
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Likely To Land On Active/PUP List
An ACL tear limited Brandon Aiyuk to seven games last season. Given the timing of the injury, it has long been a question with respect to when the 49ers wideout will be able to return to action in 2025. 
Time still remains for Aiyuk to continue making progress in his recovery, but at this point it remains unlikely he will be in the lineup at the start of the campaign. During an appearance on KNBR, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area confirmed (via 49ers WebZone) a stint on the reserve/PUP list would come as no surprise in this case. Moving Aiyuk to that list would ensure at least a four-game absence to begin the campaign.
However, Maiocco added Aiyuk’s knee remains ahead of schedule, an update which has been provided more than once this offseason. As a result, the door could still be open to the 27-year-old suiting up in Week 1. The 49ers have made it clear they are satisfied with their current group of receivers – a unit which no longer includes Deebo Samuel – heading into 2025. That is based in large part on the team’s confidence Aiyuk will manage to return to his previous form in short order.
The Arizona State product’s receiving totals increased during each of his first four seasons in San Francisco, including 1,342 in 2024. That improvement made Aiyuk an extension priority for the 49ers, although the long-running process of working out a second contract included a trade agreement being reached which would have sent him to the Steelers. In the end, a four-year pact was signed carrying an average annual value of $30MM to keep Aiyuk in the Bay Area. That makes him one of eight wideouts attached to an AAV of $30MM or more.
Expectations will thus remain high whenever Aiyuk manages to return to the field. The former first-rounder will be tasked with leading a pass-catching group which still features tight end George Kittle and veteran Jauan Jennings but has seen a number of changes in recent years. 2024 No. 31 pick Ricky Pearsall and free agent signing Demarcus Robinson are among the receivers who will be expected to carve out notable roles on offense, particularly while Aiyuk is sidelined.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already said Aiyuk will miss the beginning of training camp, but his ongoing rehab process will be worth watching closely. In the lead-in to the start of the campaign, a decision will need to be made to place him on the reserve/PUP list or leave him on the active roster in the hopes he will be available earlier than Week 5. It will be interesting to see if progress in the coming weeks alters the team’s thinking in this case.
Bengals, Trey Hendrickson Not Expected To Agree To Extension Before Training Camp
There appears to be no end in sight to the standoff between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals. While the 2025 version of the organization would benefit from an immediate resolution, it doesn’t sound like that will end up coming to fruition. While Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic says that the “best play” for the Bengals’ chemistry would be to wrap up this saga ASAP, the writer doesn’t anticipate a new deal being signed before training camp.
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To review: Hendrickson has made it clear he doesn’t intend to play the upcoming season on his expiring contract, and the pass rusher also admitted that negotiations between the two sides got personal. The Bengals have been known to dig their heels during negotiations, and they’ve also been apprehensive about giving veterans a third NFL contract. That would seem to signal that Hendrickson’s tenure with the organization would soon be coming to an end, although the team hasn’t been all that receptive to dealing the star defender.
For what it’s worth, we heard recently that the two sides resumed communications as they work towards a contract resolution, with the front office starting to feel some desperation to get their defensive leader back on the practice field. Of course, after handing out lucrative new contracts to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the cash-strapped Bengals may be hard pressed to fit Hendrickson into their cap sheet.
We also heard that there’s been a disagreement about the structure of any contract. While Hendrickson is rightfully seeking some long-term security, the Bengals have traditionally front loaded contracts so they’d have the ability to bail early. The two sides dealt with similar negotiations last offseason, with the Bengals and the defender ultimately agreeing to a one-year, $21MM extension that kept him attached to Cincy through the upcoming season.
That $21MM average annual value keeps Hendrickson just outside of the top-10 among pass rushers, although the four-time Pro Bowler certainly deserves to be among the highest-paid players at his position. Since joining the Bengals ahead of the 2021 campaign, Hendrickson has compiled 57 sacks, a total that already places him sixth on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard. The veteran has been especially productive over the past two seasons, collecting a total of 35 sacks.
We heard recently that Hendrickson is still willing to hold out into the regular season if necessary. Assuming the organization wants to avoid that worst-case scenario, they’ll have to make some major progress in negotiations over the next month-plus.
Chiefs’ Trey Smith Addresses Extension Talks
Time is ticking for the Chiefs and Trey Smith to agree to a multiyear extension. While both sides would benefit from some long-term security, it sounds like the offensive guard isn’t overly concerned about his current lame-duck status.
“I leave it to the hands of my agents,” Smith said during a recent appearance on Up and Adams (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “Obviously, the front office staff of the Chiefs are elite, and you know, at the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player and being prepared for training camp because St. Joe’s is around the corner.”
The former sixth-round pick finished his rookie contract in 2024 and was subsequently slapped with the franchise tag. That means the offensive guard is temporarily attached to a $23.4MM salary for the upcoming season, an AAV that would easily make him the highest-paid player at his position. That probably explains why Smith isn’t sweating his lack of an extension, and assuming he can stay healthy next season, he may be happy to face a similar situation next year. The two sides have until July 15th to agree to an extension. Otherwise, Smith will play the upcoming season on the tag.
Still, it seems pretty clear that Smith is destined to ink a long-term deal with Kansas City. The Chiefs moved on from fellow guard Joe Thuney this offseason, opening a potential hole on one side of the offensive line. That competition will likely come down to Mike Caliendo and Kingsley Suamataia, who have combined for five career NFL starts.
Alongside center Creed Humphrey, Smith provides some stability on the interior. Smith has only missed a single regular season game since entering the NFL, and he’s consistently finished in the top-20 in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. With a Pro Bowl nod and two Super Bowl rings on his resume, Smith is surely eyeing a lucrative pay day, and the Chiefs have plenty of reasons to hand him that next pact.
Garett Bolles Intends To Play Rest Of Career With Broncos
The ink is barely dry on Garett Bolles‘ new contract with the Broncos, but the offensive tackle is already anticipating his next deal. While speaking with reporters recently, Bolles said he hopes to sign one last contract with Denver before calling it a career.
“Well hopefully I can do one more. That’s my goal,” Bolles said (h/t Zack Kelberman of SI.com). “We can talk about that later. I’m just grateful to be here. This organization has given me everything. This state has given me everything. The fanbase, the love I have for all my teammates. … I have an amazing coaching staff that believe in me. That’s all it takes. Once you believe in me, I’ll run through a wall for you. I’m glad to be here. I don’t think too much about the future or anything like that. I just focus on the now and what that’s going to bring to me, and just get ready to protect [QB] Bo [Nix] as much as I can.”
While the lineman’s sentiment is nice, it may be a bit premature to be thinking about his fourth NFL contract. The former first-round pick just inked a four-year, $82MM deal back in December that should keep him in Denver through the 2028 season, although there’s an out in 2026 that could lead to that desired fourth contract. Bolles signed a four-year, $68MM extension following the conclusion of his rookie pact.
Bolles is currently placed seventh among left tackles in average annual value, a ranking that is well deserved. The Utah product has started all 116 of his regular-season appearances since entering the league. After being limited to five games in 2022 thanks to a broken leg, the veteran didn’t miss a single contest between 2023 and 2024. After Pro Football Focus graded him as the 19th-best tackle in 2023, Bolles improved to the 14th spot (among 81 qualifiers) in 2024.
Bolles is now the longest-tenured member of the Broncos, and he should continue to be a franchise stalwart playing in front of a franchise QB. While the lineman intends to keep climbing the franchise games-played leaderboard (he’s currently ranked 54th), he admitted that he’s not thinking much about his long tenure with the organization.
“I don’t know if it changes much. I just love everyone,” Bolles said. “Everyone asks me a bunch of questions all the time. I’m just there for everybody. I don’t want to call myself old. I still have more years to go, but I guess I’m old in age but not in football years. I have a young body that I can just continue to go.”