NFL Staff Rumors: Livingston, Patriots, Titans
Robert Livingston has a long history in the NFL, all with the Bengals. He spent his first season away from the NFL since 2011 last year, and he was very close to returning, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
After his playing career as a safety at William & Mary ended in 2009, Livingston immediately turned to coaching, starting as the safeties coach at Furman in 2010. He spent the next season as a defensive quality control coach at Vanderbilt before heading to Cincinnati.
He started with the Bengals as a scout, holding the role for three years before making his way onto the coaching staff as defensive quality control. It only took one season for him to get promoted to safeties coach in Cincinnati, a role he held for eight years. Last year, he departed in order to accept his first defensive coordinator role under Deion Sanders in Boulder.
After leading the Buffaloes to rank 50th in total defense and 42nd in scoring defense, Livingston reportedly interviewed for the coordinator job under new head coach Kellen Moore in New Orleans. Breer tells us that, though he didn’t get the job, Livingston “made a real impression” on the Saints, giving Moore plenty to consider before he eventually selected Brandon Staley for the job. This bodes well for a potential return to the NFL as a coordinator for Livingston in the future.
Here are a couple other staff rumors from around the NFL:
- Patriots director of pro personnel Pat Stewart has departed from the NFL to accept a general manager position with the University of Nebraska, per Pete Thamel of ESPN. Per Thamel’s colleague at ESPN, Mike Reiss, Sam Fioroni, last year’s assistant director of pro personnel for New England, could be a top candidate to fill the new vacancy.
- Lastly, Dylan Autenrieth will make the in-state move from Vanderbilt to the Titans. The former assistant offensive line coach for the Commodores announced on his X account that he had been hired to a defensive quality control coaching role for Tennessee, making his NFL coaching debut.
WR Brandon Aiyuk Drawing Trade Interest
As the Deebo Samuel sweepstakes continues to heat up, rival teams are sniffing around on another 49ers receiver. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, teams have expressed interest in trading for 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk, of course, was one of the main characters of the 2024 offseason. The receiver was a mainstay in trade rumors before ultimately signing a four-year, $120MM extension with the Niners. The drama proved to be especially worthwhile for the player after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in October, an injury that surely would have impacted his earnings potential in 2025.
A trade market would obviously look different in 2025 vs. 2024. Besides Aiyuk’s injury and impending rehab, the receiver is now firmly attached to a contract that’s tied for fifth at the position in average annual value. Last offseason’s saga featured plenty of potential suitors. The wideout reportedly nixed a trade to the Steelers, and he wasn’t interested in re-signing with the Patriots and Browns. The Commanders also reached out about a deal, although the 49ers were reportedly asking for Terry McLaurin in return.
Samuel’s recent trade request also changes things. The 49ers may be even more reliant on Aiyuk moving forward, as the organization intends to honor Samuel’s wish. The Commanders are once again talking trade with San Francisco, as we heard yesterday that they’re one of two teams “aggressively” pursuing the veteran (along with the Texans).
Any teams interested in Aiyuk would surely be looking to buy low. Even before his season-ending injury, Aiyuk wasn’t putting up the same numbers as his All-Pro 2023 campaign. After averaging 83.9 yards per game in 2023, Aiyuk dropped to 53.4 yards per game in 2024, with his catch percentage and receiving success rate also dropping to career lows.
There’s no true incentive for the 49ers to sell Aiyuk when his value is lowest, and the team would surely prefer he just returns to form and leads the depth chart. The likes of Jauan Jennings, 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, and 2024 fourth-round Jacob Cowing could easily step up in 2025, but the team will already be relying on the depth with Deebo out the door.
Mekhi Becton Drawing Interest, Prefers To Re-Sign With Eagles
After inking a prove-it deal with the Eagles last offseason, Mekhi Becton is ready to cash in. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com, the offensive lineman “is drawing a lot of interest” from around the league.
A former first-round pick by the Jets, Becton struggled to stay on the field during his stint in New York. He was limited to 15 games through his first three seasons in the NFL, and he struggled in 16 starts during the 2023 campaign. With the Jets having previously declined the lineman’s fifth-year option, Becton entered free agency last year with an uncertain market.
It took him until late April to find his next gig, with the Eagles signing the 25-year-old as an offensive guard. Becton proceeded to have a career season, starting all 15 of his appearances while finishing 20th in Pro Football Focus’ rankings of 77 qualifying guards. Becton also started each of Philly’s four playoff games en route to a Super Bowl championship.
Considering his success in 2024, it’s no surprise that Becton is eyeing a reunion. Per Pauline, the free agent prefers to re-sign with the Eagles, as he’s “comfortable with the franchise that helped him reclaim his career.” Financials will be an obstacle, however, as Pauline acknowledges that Becton’s return to the Eagles would be reliant on the team fitting “him in the budget.”
In the meantime, other teams are expected to recruit the lineman, with Pauline noting that many of these suitors would intend to keep Becton at offensive guard. The reporter also expects the lineman to take his time in free agency with the hope of providing the Eagles with more opportunites to clean their books.
Rams To Retain Matthew Stafford
Speculation about Matthew Stafford‘s future is now over. The decorated quarterback will remain with the Rams for at least one more season. 
A new, restructured deal was first reported to be agreed upon by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the news that Stafford is staying put. He will play a fifth season with the Rams.
Financial details have not yet emerged, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes this new Rams deal will be worth less than Stafford could have landed on a pact with a new team. A trade remained a distinct possibility once his camp received permission to find a trade partner, a development which came about amidst challenges with respect to working out another short-term arrangement. Team and player avoided a training camp holdout last year by increasing Stafford’s 2024 pay without adding new years (or future guarantees) to his pact.
As a result, the Super Bowl winner approached the new league year with $27MM in base pay scheduled, including a $4MM roster bonus due next month. Finding a resolution before that point represented a logical goal for all involved, and an agreement has in fact been made. The most recent reporting on this storyline – the dominant topic of conversation at the Combine – noted Stafford was set to speak with the Rams today.
To say the least, that summit has gone over quite well. Stafford will continue his tenure in Los Angeles, which has included a Super Bowl win and one of his two career Pro Bowls. He has continued to deal with a number of ailments during the second chapter of his NFL tenure, however, and in 2022 he was limited to only nine games played. The Georgia product has remained generally durable since then, but questions of availability will remain moving forward.
In the wake of the Rams’ divisional round loss, Stafford took time to contemplate his future. He quickly made it known he intended to continue playing in 2025, and Sean McVay and the Rams have repeatedly stated their desire to keep him in the fold. That will be the case in spite of numerous conversations taking place between Stafford’s camp and interested teams. In particular, the Raiders and Giants made pitches to work out a contract agreement in the hopes of then attempting to generate a suitable package of draft capital to send to Los Angeles.
Both Las Vegas and New York were believed to be prepared to make a two-year offer including between $90MM and $100MM in guarantees. That comes as little surprise considering Stafford was known to be angling for an AAV of $50MM on his next pact. The Rams were reportedly unwilling to meet that asking price, so it will be interesting to see how this new arrangement takes shape. If additional void years are included as part of today’s arrangement, Stafford’s 2025 cap hit ($49.67MM) could be reduced.
The Raiders and Giants will now be forced to look elsewhere at the QB position. Stafford represented a massive offseason domino at the position, and the effect today’s news has on the other experienced passer set to reach the market will be notable. With an underwhelming draft class looming, teams could move with urgency in March to secure short-term fixes under center.
Veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent, and his departure could lead to the Rams leaning on 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett (who has yet to play in the regular season) to handle QB2 duties. A Stafford successor is not in place in the organization, and his regression in statistical output from 2024 offers a warning sign that more could be coming in that regard moving forward. Nevertheless, McVay and the Rams will enjoy continuity atop the depth chart next season.
Giants Looking At Aaron Rodgers, Other Veteran QBs
After their failed pursuit of Matthew Stafford, the Giants are “shifting their interest” to Aaron Rodgers, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini.
Rodgers has been reaching out to teams since the Jets decided to release him, including multiple calls to the Giants, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. The Giants have been discussing the possibility of signing Rodgers “all week,” according to Russini.
Acquiring Rodgers would be considerably less expensive than trading for Stafford. The Giants were prepared to give up significant draft capital and give Stafford a contract exceeding $50MM per year, per SNY’s Connor Hughes. Rodgers, meanwhile, will be a free agent once the Jets formalize his release with a post-June 1 designation. He is unlikely to command a top-of-the-market salary and signing him would not require the Giants to part with any draft picks.
Rodgers is not the Giants’ “leading candidate,” according to FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacciano. The team is discussing other free agent quarterbacks, per Hughes, including Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold, and Justin Fields. The Giants had interest in Darnold last offseason, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, but he was too expensive at the time. His value has certainly risen in the last year, but so has the Giants’ need for a quarterback.
After playing for four different teams over the last five years, Darnold may be looking for a long-term situation if he hits free agency. That could clash with the Giants’ vision for the position. They would prefer to pair a veteran signing with a top rookie from this year’s draft, according to Hughes.
Rodgers might fit better into those plans. The team views the four-time MVP as a “viable option” for one season, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. The Giants could then use a first-round pick on a quarterback prospect who would sit behind Rodgers as a rookie before taking over in 2026.
That rookie would likely be either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, who are generally considered the top two quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class. The Giants currently hold the No. 3 pick, but are exploring a trade with the Titans to acquire the first overall pick that they would then use on their preferred quarterback prospect.
Clearly, the Giants’ pursuit of a new quarterback remains fluid. Stafford was the first domino to fall, and other signings and trades will certainly impact the team’s plans. They will have to balance the financial investment of a free agent signing with the draft capital required to secure their top choice in April. The Falcons were criticized last year for signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in free agency and using the No. 8 pick on Michael Penix a month later. That has left Atlanta at an impasse with Cousins after moving to Penix during the season, something Schoen will likely consider as he navigates the quarterback market in free agency and the draft.
Commanders, Texans Aggressively Pursuing Deebo Samuel Trade
Deebo Samuel is known to be on the trade market, and the 49ers are prepared to honor his request to be moved. A pair of serious serious suitors have emerged. 
The Commanders and Texans have shown “significant interest” in acquiring Samuel in recent days, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. He adds that talks have progressed at the Combine, meaning an agreement could soon be in place. While other teams could find themselves in play, Washington and Houston have been the most aggressive to date, per Schultz.
Both teams represent logical suitors for a veteran receiver addition. Washington has 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels attached to his initial NFL contract through at least 2027, giving the team a window of opportunity to make a strong push in terms of acquisitions this offseason. Bringing in a secondary option to complement Terry McLaurin is known to be on the Commanders’ radar.
McLaurin is only on the books for one more year, and none of his 2025 base salary ($15.5MM) is guaranteed. An extension could be on tap as a result, and Washington could stand to make a number of additions on the defensive side of the ball during free agency and the draft this spring. Still, adding a wideout with a stronger track record than the likes of Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey or Noah Brown – the latter of whom wants to re-sign – would be feasible.
Just like the Commanders, the Texans have the benefit of an affordable high-end quarterback under team control for years to come in the former of C.J. Stroud. Houston assembled a strong trio atop the WR depth chart last year, acquiring Stefon Diggs via trade from the Bills. Given his presence, along with that of Nico Collins and Tank Dell, expectations were high in 2024. The team’s offense did not preform as hoped, though, and both Diggs and Dell wound up suffering ACL tears.
Diggs is a pending free agent as a result of the restructure he worked out upon arrival in Houston. The team is open to bringing him back, but the injury could complicate his market value. Dell, meanwhile, is in danger of missing most (potentially all) of the 2025 campaign. An experienced pass-catcher would therefore be welcomed, particularly if veteran Robert Woods – who handled a small workload this past campaign – departs in free agency.
One year remains on Samuel’s pact, part of the reason he has long been seen as a trade candidate. That become true to an even larger extent last offseason when the 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the draft and (eventually) worked out a big-ticket extension with Brandon Aiyuk. Samuel, 29, could soon see his San Francisco tenure come to an amicable end.
The former second-rounder earned All-Pro acclaim in 2021, the year in which he best highlighted his unique skillset. Samuel led the NFL in yards per reception (18.2) with a 77-1,405-6 statline. Toward the end of the campaign, he increasingly handled ‘wide back’ duties and racked up eight rushing touchdowns. On the back of that success, he secured a three-year, $71.55MM extension (the end result of a process which included a trade request at one point). 
Samuel has missed multiple games each year since signing his pact, though, and only once in that span has he eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards. The 49ers could be equipped to move forward with Aiyuk and Pearsall leading the way at the receiver spot, with Jauan Jennings in the fold in a notable complementary role as well. Samuel, if healthy, would nevertheless add a distinct element to any number of offenses.
Schultz’s report also names the Steelers and Broncos as teams which have shown some level of interest. Pittsburgh was linked to many receiver additions last offseason, including extensive trade talks and extension negotiations related to Aiyuk. Denver aims to keep Courtland Sutton in the fold, but the team is not believed to have serious interest in adding a pricey veteran such as Samuel or Cooper Kupp.
A Day 3 pick was recently mentioned as the potential trade price in a Samuel deal. The Commanders are on track to own seven selections, including four on the draft’s final day. The Texans only have six picks at the moment, but they own one in each of the fourth and fifth rounds. It will be interesting to see if an agreement can be reached with either team in the near future.
Rams To Re-Sign LT Alaric Jackson
Alaric Jackson will indeed be avoiding a trip to free agency. The fourth-year left tackle was known to be making progress on a new deal, and one is now in place. 
Jackson and the Rams have agreed to a three-year contract, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This will be a $57MM pact including $35MM in guarantees. Instead of hitting free agency, Jackson will now be on the books through the 2027 campaign.
The former UDFA took over from Joe Noteboom as the Rams’ preferred left tackle ahead of the 2023 campaign. Noteboom’s efforts to serve as Andrew Whitworth‘s long-term successor did not go according to plan, opening the door for Jackson to step in. The latter has started all 29 of his appearances across the past two campaigns.
Jackson earned a PFF grade of 66.6 during his first full campaign atop the depth chart. That left plenty of room for improvement, but the Rams made a short-term commitment to him via the second-round RFA tender last offseason. That move allowed him to collect $4.89MM during the 2024 campaign; the 26-year-old’s play certainly allowed him to command a much more lucrative pact this time around.
Showing improvement in pass protection in particular, Jackson graded out as PFF’s 18th-best tackle in 2024. It thus comes as no surprise he represented a key offseason priority for the Rams. Shortly after an agreement was reached which will keep quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fold for at least 2025, the team has additional cost certainty on offense.
12 offensive tackles are currently attached to an AAV of at least $20MM. Jackson’s deal checks in at $19MM per season, confirmation that he does not have the track record of many of the blockers ahead of him in the financial pecking order but also a strong commitment on the part of the Rams that he will continue developing over the life of the deal. Details on Stafford’s new pact are not yet known, but it is safe to assume Jackson will remain in place through the team’s transition to a new starting QB.
The right tackle spot could be a question mark in the future for the Rams since Rob Havenstein‘s $11.5MM-per-year deal will expire after the 2025 campaign. Regardless of whether or not the 32-year-old is retained past the coming season, though, Jackson’s medium-term future is now secure. The Windsor, Ontario native will look to justify this lucrative investment while remaining a key figure up front for Los Angeles.
The Rams can now turn their attention to sorting out their interior O-line situation. 2024 free agent signing Jonah Jackson has been given permission to seek a trade, having been benched midway though his debut Los Angeles season. A parting of ways could be on tap in that situation, but Alaric Jackson will remain a mainstay on the blindside for years to come.
NFC Staff Updates: Loeffler, Packers, Bears
The Super Bowl champion Eagles have brought on a former collegiate staffer to help fill out their pillaged coaching staff.
After watching quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier follow offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to New Orleans, Philadelphia has brought in Scot Loeffler to fill Nussmeier’s old position. The report came from Bowling Green State University, where Loeffler had spent the past six years as head coach of the Falcons. His overall record with the team was 27-41, though he appeared to lead the team in the right direction, securing berths in three straight bowl games before his departure.
Loeffler took a passing offensive that typically ranked in the 120’s out of 134 collegiate teams and helped them to finish as the 48th-best passing offense in the FBS this season.
Here are couple other staff updates from around the NFC:
- The Packers will lose coaching assistant Myles White to the collegiate ranks, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. White, who joined the team just last year after roles as wide receivers coach at Stephen F. Austin and Miami (OH), will return to college coaching as the pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach for the Orange at Syracuse.
- Lastly, in front office news, Matt Feinstein was named the new vice president of football administration for the Bears. His appointment comes via promotion after Feinstein spent the past three years as director of football administration for Chicago. Before his time with the Bears, Feinstein spent seven years on the NFL’s Management Council, serving part of that time as a director within labor relations. The Management Council serves as the league’s primary council of governance.
Texans Announce Finalized 2025 Coaching Staff
The Texans switched things up this offseason when they fired offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik following a sophomore slump calling the offense for C.J. Stroud and company in Houston. Despite changing coordinators, most of the staff remains the same heading into 2025, according to the team’s finalized coaching staff announcement. 
We already reported on Slowik’s replacement, Nick Caley, taking over as offensive coordinator, as well as the promotion of assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich to replace Chris Strausser as offensive line coach with the added title of run game coordinator. We also reported already on the hiring of Jerry Schuplinski, who followed Caley from the Rams, though now we know his title to be senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist.
The new updates from the announcement tell us that Patrick Reilly has come over from the division-rival Jaguars, where he served as a defensive quality control and assistant linebackers coach, to be an offensive assistant for the team. Asauni Rufus has been hired into the same role after some time as an offensive quality control coach for the 49ers.
On defense, we already reported on Frank Okam joining the team as assistant defensive line coach, replacing Nate Ollie, who left to become the defensive line coach of the Falcons. The only other updates on the defensive staff saw Ben Bolling get promoted from defensive assistant to assistant linebackers coach and Sean Baker add “special teams” to his title of special teams/defensive assistant. Lastly, Cole Weeks, who recently worked at Troy University as an offensive assistant coach, was hired as a defensive assistant in Houston, as well.
With this staff, many of which are holdovers from 2024, DeMeco Ryans will hope to lead his team to another playoff berth. With another year of development for Stroud under a new play caller, they will hope to advance further in the postseason and establish themselves among the other AFC powers.
Mutual Interest In Extension For Jets LB Jamien Sherwood
The Jets were expected to have a strong couple of linebackers with C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams leading the group in 2024 before Mosley got knocked out for most of the year as he dealt with a herniated disk in his neck. With Mosley out for an extended period, New York got a surprise strong contribution from fourth-year linebacker Jamien Sherwood, whose performance in a contract-year could pay big dividends, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. 
Despite signing an extension almost a year ago, Mosley is now expected to be released by the Jets sometime this offseason. Mosley’s extended absence in 2024 was the third time he had missed most of a season in New York since signing with the Jets in 2019. If the team moves on from Mosley, as expected, Sherwood’s career-year could have been a successful audition to replace Mosley for good.
Sherwood’s first three years in the league were relatively quiet. A torn Achilles tendon cut the fifth-round pick’s rookie season short after he started four of the first six games that year. Despite showing that starting potential, Sherwood didn’t make a single start in any of the 17 games he appeared in the following year. He returned to the starting lineup three times in 2023.
After entering the year slotted as a backup to Mosley once again, Sherwood ended up starting 16 of the team’s 17 games. While notching career highs in most statistics, Sherwood recorded an impressive 10 tackles for loss while leading the league in solo tackles (98) and tying for third in the league in total tackles (158).
The analytics were impressed with the 25-year-old, as well. After his first full season as a starter, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Sherwood as the league’s 18th-best linebacker. He’d had favorable analytics in 2022 and 2023, as well, but he didn’t log enough playing time to rank among the linebackers who did in those years.
With Sherwood’s rookie contract expiring, he’s bound for free agency, and after a career year, he’s well-positioned for a strong second contract. Rosenblatt said as much on the Flight Plan Podcast, claiming that Sherwood should expect “a pretty big contract for a linebacker.” Rosenblatt later added that he was hearing about interest from both sides in reaching a new deal with the Jets.
After only one strong season, it’s hard to imagine Sherwood coming out and making Roquan Smith, Fred Warner, or Tremaine Edmunds money. We’ve seen a few of the league’s more frequent tacklers (Zaire Franklin, Bobby Okereke, Foyesade Oluokun) all sign contracts around $10MM per year in recent years, so there’s a chance he lands in that range. The Jets know that he works in their system and have need with Mosley expected to be gone, so they may just be willing to make a new deal like that work for Sherwood.