Titans HC Rumors: Nagy, Smith, Brady

After firing head coach Brian Callahan on Monday, the 1-5 Titans will move forward with Mike McCoy handling the role on an interim basis. It’s improbable that McCoy will fare well enough to take over on a full-time basis, meaning the Titans’ head coach for 2026 is likely to come from outside the organization. With that in mind, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Steelers OC Arthur Smith are early names to watch, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

While the Titans hired a first-time head coach in Callahan, they’d be getting an experienced option in Nagy, who was at the helm of the Bears from 2018-21. Chicago went 12-4 and earned a playoff berth in Nagy’s first year on the job, though that proved to be the high point. The Bears also made the playoffs in 2020 despite an 8-8 finish, their second straight .500 effort, but a 6-11 showing in 2021 led to Nagy’s ouster. He put together a 34-31 record and an 0-2 mark in the postseason during his time with the franchise.

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After his run with the Bears ended, Nagy went back to Kansas City for his second Chiefs tenure. He has worked in multiple offensive positions since rejoining the team in 2022, including as their O-coordinator since 2023.

The Chiefs have gone to three straight Super Bowls and won two with Nagy back on their staff. However, head coach Andy Reid – not Nagy – calls the plays. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that the 47-year-old Nagy has a connection to Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi, who worked in various roles with the Chiefs from 2009-24.

The Titans and their fans are familiar with Smith, a Tennessee native who held multiple coaching roles with the team from 2011-20. Smith parlayed a successful two-year run as the Titans’ offensive coordinator into his first head coaching job with the Falcons. It proved to be a short-lived stint, however, with the Falcons moving on after Smith guided three straight 7-10 seasons.

In his first year with the Steelers in 2024, Smith oversaw an offense that ranked 16th in points and 21st in yards while struggling to find an answer at quarterback between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. This year’s Steelers have gotten better play under center from Aaron Rodgers and rank 14th in the league in points per game, but they’re just 29th in yards per contest.

While Nagy and Smith may be prominent in the Titans’ coaching search, the team is unlikely to hire Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Brady, 36, has called the plays for Buffalo’s prolific offense since taking over for Ken Dorsey in 2023. However, after the Callahan experiment failed, there’s doubt that the Titans will hire a 30-something with no experience as a head coach for the second time in a row.

Jerry Jones Willing To Deal Packers Picks In Right Trade

A loss on Sunday dropped the Cowboys to 2-3-1, although there have been some signs of life. Dallas has collected 178 points through six games, good for third in the NFL. Much of that production has come without offensive star CeeDee Lamb, with the likes of George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and Javonte Williams stepping up.

On the flip side, the Cowboys are rostering one of the worst defenses in the league, as the team’s 184 points allowed is the second-worst mark in the NFL. Jerry Jones believes his team is close to contention and could patch up the defense with some trade acquisitions. In a bit of an ironic twist, the Cowboys owner also acknowledged that he’d consider dealing some of the assets he acquired when he traded away defensive star Micah Parsons.

[RELATED: Cowboys Endorse DC Matt Eberflus]

“If we can improve our team and it makes sense for what we give up in the future, all of it’s there,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “We have major, major, major resources that we wouldn’t have had had we not made that trade. … I promise you, yours truly or anybody associated with the Cowboys has got our eyes really opened to ways we can help this defense and certainly don’t want to preclude anything on offense, either.

“There’s nothing untouchable in our resources to help our team. And there’s no way that I’m at a point right now to where I would not do something because of where we are into the season, six games. I would go as early as I would if we were talking three games back.”

The Parsons trade sent shockwaves through the league, and his subtraction from the Cowboys defense is a big reason why that unit is struggling at the moment. Still, there’s no denying that the front office received two worthwhile assets in the trade, with Green Bay sending a pair of first-round picks to Dallas. The Cowboys are minus a 2026 third-round pick that was sent to the Steelers in the Pickens trade, but the team is otherwise armed with all of their early- and mid-round picks.

While it seems unlikely that a defensive player would become available that would warrant a first-round pick, it should still be encouraging for Cowboys fans that their owner is willing to deal from their stockpile of draft selections. The team’s performance over the coming weeks will surely influence the organization’s approach to the trade deadline.

Besides potential acquisitions, the Cowboys are also counting on some returning players to add a spark to their defense. Jones said the return of DeMarvion Overshown could influence how the team approaches the trade deadline, per Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. The linebacker is still working his way back from a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL suffered towards the end of the 2024 season, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be back to his former form when he returns to the field. After missing his entire rookie campaign, Overshown showed flashes in 2024, finishing with five sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Giants Inquiring About WR Trade

When Malik Nabers suffered an ACL tear, questions were raised about the Giants adding a receiver for the remainder of the campaign. At first, it appeared as though New York’s internal replacement options would be counted on.

Indeed, no wideout available in a trade could be expected to duplicate Nabers’ impact on the team’s offense. Earlier this month, it was reported the Giants would not pursue a trade given that reality. No moves at the position have been made yet, but that could change soon.

New York has made inquiries about receiver trades, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post confirms the team is conducting its “due diligence” ahead of the November 4 deadline. Only one wideout (Ja’Lynn Polk) has been traded around the league so far this season, but that is of course likely to change over the coming weeks.

The Giants hosted a number of free agent receivers on workouts in the wake of the Nabers injury, a sign depth would be a priority over a starting-caliber addition. As things stand, Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson are set to remain atop the depth chart. Jalin Hyatt, along with tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger, round out the room in terms of pass-catching options.

Dunleavy names several potential targets who could be on the move prior to the deadline. Among them is Rashid Shaheedone of many Saints interested teams have called about this year. Others are under contract beyond 2025, which would make it surprising for a swap to take place. Still, pending free agents like Alec Pierce are included in the list of options. The 5-1 Colts will obviously not be sellers at the deadline, but a Pierce trade could be preferred to seeing him depart on the open market in March.

The Giants currently own seven 2026 draft picks, so capital for a modest receiver addition should not be a issue. Finances, on the other hand, will be a challenge. Entering Tuesday, New York sits at the bottom of the league with just $474K in cap space. Sending money back in any potential trade will likely be necessary as a result.

Sitting at 2-4 on the year, operating as a buyer at the deadline would be a surprise in the Giants’ case. As the team moves forward with rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo as key figures on offense, though, it will be interesting to see if a new wideout will be added to the mix shortly.

Browns WR David Bell Announces Retirement

David Bell is walking away from football. The Browns wide receiver announced he’s retiring from the NFL, with the fourth-year player citing complications from a recent injury.

“Several months ago, I was blindsided by an off-field injury that was beyond my control, which put my football future in jeopardy,” Bell wrote on social media. “After consulting with medical experts and praying, I accept that continuing to play football would literally risk life and limb. Although it is the last thing I would otherwise want to do, with a heavy heart I am announcing my retirement.”

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the player retired following a surgical complication on an undisclosed injury. The procedure took place during the offseason, and the complication would have made it “life-threatening” for Bell to play football again. This injury wasn’t related to the dislocated hip that ended the receiver’s season in 2024. Bell has been on the non-football injury list since the beginning of training camp.

The former third-round pick spent his entire career in Cleveland, appearing in 32 games. He had his best showing as a rookie in 2022, when he finished with 24 catches for 214 yards. He had 14 catches in 2023 before his standout performance in the Browns’ playoff loss, when he hauled in eight receptions for 54 yards. Bell was limited to three touches in his lone appearance in 2024.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/14/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: G Karsen Barnhart, LB Garrett Nelson

Green Bay Packers

  • Released: K Mark McNamee

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: OT Bayron Matos, QB Brett Rypien
  • Released: OT Marcellus Johnson

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: TE Marshall Lang
  • Released: DB Tyron Herring, TE Gee Scott Jr.

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

  • Released: G Tyler Cooper

With Anthony Richardson heading to injured reserve with an eye injury, the Colts are set to add some QB depth in veteran Brett Rypien, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 29-year-old brings four games of starting experience to Indy, with his most recent start coming with the Rams in 2023. In total, Rypien has completed 58.3 percent of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Riley Leonard will temporarily be the QB2 behind Daniel Jones, but there’s a chance Rypien eventually works his way up to the active roster.

The Chargers moved on from a notable edge defender today in Clelin Ferrell. The former Raiders first-round pick started all 17 games for the 49ers just two years ago, with the edge rusher finishing that campaign with 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. He started 10 of his 14 appearances with the Commanders in 2024, adding another 3.5 sacks to his resume. After being among Washington’s final preseason cuts, Ferrell caught on with the Chargers practice squad and ended up getting into one game with the big-league club.

The Eagles moved on from a pair of skill players today. Audric Estime was a fifth-round pick by the Broncos last year, with the running back compiling 337 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 81 touches. He was waived by Denver back in August and landed on Philly’s practice squad. Javon Baker was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in last year’s draft, but he was limited to a single catch in 11 games.

Titans Place LB Oluwafemi Oladejo On IR

Oluwafemi Oladejo‘s leg injury is going to cost him some games. According to Paul Kuharsky, the Titans linebacker is heading to injured reserve. Linebacker Ali Gaye has been signed to the active roster to take his teammate’s place.

Kuharsky adds some context, noting that the rookie suffered a fractured leg during Sunday’s loss. Fortunately, the injury won’t be a season ender, but it will still sideline the linebacker for at least the next month.

Oladejo was selected by the Titans in the second round of this year’s draft following a breakout 2024 campaign at UCLA. The rookie has mostly been deployed as an edge rusher in 2025, and he collected 13 tackles through his first six career games. Pro Football Focus hasn’t been particularly fond of his NFL performance so far, grading him 101st among 110 qualifying edge defenders.

Jihad Ward saw a season-high 51 defensive snaps this past weekend, and he’ll likely play opposite Dre’Mont Jones on the defensive line. The team is also rostering Arden Key, although the veteran missed Week 6 while nursing a quad injury. Sophomore Jaylen Harrell could be in line for more playing time, as well.

Gaye is another option, although the linebacker will likely have to work his way up the depth chart. The former UDFA got into 15 games for the Titans in 2024, finishing with eight tackles and one sack while getting into about 20 percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

OL Charles Leno Announces Retirement

After 10 seasons in the NFL, offensive tackle Charles Leno is hanging up his cleats. In an Instagram post that’s worth reading in full, Leno announced his retirement on Wednesday, exactly two years after he and his wife lost their daughter on Oct. 14, 2023.

Leno entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick from Boise State in 2014 and went on to enjoy a quality career. He spent his first seven seasons in Chicago, where he started in 94 of 102 regular-season appearances. Leno earned the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career with the Bears in 2018.

While Leno inked a four-year, $38MM extension with the Bears in 2017, he didn’t see the whole deal through. Chicago released Leno in a cap-shedding move in May 2021. That came after Leno started 93 consecutive games at left tackle with the team.

After his time with the Bears ended, Leno landed in Washington on a one-year, $5MM pact. The club was so impressed with Leno’s work during a 17-start 2021 campaign that it re-signed him to a three-year, $37.5MM deal. Leno notched another 17-start season in 2022, but a calf injury limited him to 13 games (all starts) in 2023. With Leno set to undergo hip surgery in 2024, the Commanders released him after a 47-start tenure. He didn’t catch on anywhere else after that.

Leno’s career will officially end with 149 regular-season games, 141 starts, and over $61MM in career earnings. He also received recognition for his off-field work, earning a Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination, among other accolades.

Chargers Inquiring About Offensive Tackles

The Chargers are already known to be in the market for running back help in advance of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. They’re also making preliminary offensive tackle inquiries, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit reports.

Just weeks before the 2025 season began, the Chargers appeared to have an enviable situation at tackle with Rashawn Slater protecting quarterback Justin Herbert‘s blind side and 2024 fifth overall pick Joe Alt on the right. It turns out that the two standout blockers were unable to play together at all this year.

In signing Slater to a four-year, $114MM extension in July, the Chargers made the two-time Pro Bowler one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in NFL history. Under two weeks later, though, the Chargers lost Slater for 2025 when he suffered a torn patellar tendon during practice.

In the wake of Slater’s devastating injury, the Chargers moved Alt to the left side. However, Alt added to the Chargers’ injury woes when he left a Week 4 loss to the Giants with a high ankle sprain. Alt avoided an IR stint, but he has missed the Chargers’ last two games. The Bolts also went without another starting tackle, RT Trey Pipkins (knee), in their win over the Dolphins in Week 6.

There’s no word on whether Alt or Pipkins will play Sunday against the Colts in a matchup of AFC contenders. Austin Deculus and the just-signed Bobby Hart, making his first regular-season appearance since 2022, served as L.A.’s starting tackles last Sunday. Deculus and Hart could start again this week if Alt and Pipkins are unavailable.

Despite their injuries along the O-line and the absences of running backs Omarion Hampton (ankle) and Najee Harris (Achilles), the Chargers rushed for 140 yards against the Dolphins. Backup RB Kimani Vidal unexpectedly ran for 124 yards on 18 carries, while Herbert completed 29 of 38 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins only sacked him once.

While the Chargers’ offense is coming off a productive performance, it’s understandable that general manager Joe Hortiz doesn’t fully trust his healthy tackle options. There’s no word on which players Hortiz has targeted, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter names the Giants’ Evan Neal as a trade candidate leading up to the deadline. The problem is that Neal doesn’t look like a clear answer to the Chargers’ issues. After struggling at tackle during the first three seasons of his career, the former seventh overall pick has worked as a backup guard this year. Neal has yet to take a snap in 2025.

Broncos Place OL Matt Peart On IR, Promote OL Calvin Throckmorton

For a second straight week, the Broncos will move their starting left guard to IR. After placing Ben Powers on the injured list with a biceps injury, the Broncos are sliding Matt Peart off the 53-man roster.

A knee malady will send Peart to IR, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. They are moving veteran O-lineman Calvin Throckmorton to the 53-man roster from the practice squad in a corresponding move, Klis adds. Denver will also bump special-teamer J.T. Gray to the roster from the Ravens’ P-squad, with Klis adding tight end Garret Wallow is heading to IR.

Peart is believed to have suffered the injury on the third play of the Broncos’ London-based matchup against the Jets, per Klis. Peart struggled in the game, committing three penalties (including two holding infractions), but was playing hurt. An otherwise healthy Broncos O-line will need to make another adjustment at left guard.

Re-signed this offseason, Peart became the next man up for Powers — who had not missed a game during his Broncos tenure until the London trip. The team still has some options here, including Throckmorton. A former Saints spot starter, Throckmorton lined up with New Orleans’ first-stringers in 20 games from 2021-22. This included 14 starts during Sean Payton‘s 2021 New Orleans finale. Throckmorton, however, has played in only three games since joining the Broncos in 2024.

Denver uses former UDFA Alex Palczewski as its sixth O-lineman in jumbo packages, but he is a swingman as well. The team also has backup center Alex Forsyth, who lost the 2024 center competition to Luke Wattenberg, as an option now that Peart is out of the picture for at least four games. The Broncos hope Powers will be back before the regular season ends, but they will need to make another switch for the foreseeable future.

A former Giants third-round pick, Peart worked mostly as a backup during his New York rookie-deal stay. He has started at both guard and tackle in Denver, having re-signed on a two-year, $7MM deal. None of Peart’s 2026 money is guaranteed.

Although Gray comes via the Baltimore taxi squad, he played for Payton in New Orleans. Obtained as a 2018 UDFA, Gray soared to three All-Pro teams in seven years as a Saints special-teamer. This included four seasons with Payton at the helm. Technically a DB, Gray earned first-team All-Pro acclaim as a special-teamer in Payton’s final Saints season (2021). Gray and Throckmorton add more ex-Saints to Payton’s third Broncos roster, which includes tight ends Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, fullback Adam Prentice, defensive linemen Malcolm Roach and Jordan Jackson and kicker Wil Lutz as ex-New Orleans presences on Denver’s 53.