Texans Interview Thad Lewis For OC Job, To Meet With Nick Caley
After moving on from Bobby Slowik last week, the Texans have added two more names to their list of offensive coordinator candidates.
Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis already interviewed for the job, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, and and Rams pass-game coordinator and tight ends coach Nick Caley will interview on Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
This is Lewis’ first connection to an OC vacancy after a short but successful coaching career in Tampa Bay. The 39-year-old, a former NFL quarterback himself, coached Baker Mayfield to the two best seasons of his career in 2023 and 2024, the latter of which featured top-three finishes in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and success rate. Mayfield’s 106.8 passer rating in 2024 was 106.8, 10 points higher than his previous record, a remarkable turnaround for the former No. 1 overall pick. That reflects well on Lewis and will likely keep him in OC conversations in future offseasons if he doesn’t get the job in Houston.
Caley was a longtime Patriots assistant under Bill Belichick before joining the Rams in 2023 as tight ends coach. He added pass-game coordinator to his title in 2024, helping Los Angeles manage injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on their way to the playoffs. While the Rams’ tight ends haven’t put up flashy statistics under Caley, they have been a crucial part of the offense as blockers. The 39-year-old coach has already interviewed for the Buccaneers’ OC job and has been mentioned as a frontrunner for the same gig with the Jets.
While Lewis has not worked directly under McVay, he will still be a branch on McVay’s coaching tree after working under Liam Coen in Tampa Bay. Coen began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant in Los Angeles in 2018 and later served as offensive coordinator in 2022.
Lewis and Caley are the third and fourth official candidates on Texans’ OC list, though a few additional coaches have been connected with the position. Here’s an overview of their search so far:
- Nick Caley, tight ends coach/pass-game coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/30
- Jerrod Johnson, quarterbacks coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/27
- Chip Kelly, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach (Ohio State): Team has interest
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Saints): Mentioned as candidate; hired by Seahawks
- Bill Lazor, senior offensive assistant (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Thad Lewis, quarterbacks coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/27
- Ben McDaniels, wide receivers coach/pass-game coordinator (Texans): Mentioned as candidate
- Jeff Nixon, offensive coordinator (Syracuse): Interviewed 1/27
AFC Coaching Rumors: Rizzi, Broncos, Browns, Musgrave, Dolphins, Colts, Bengals
Mickey Loomis has been linked to wanting to tie his to-be-determined next HC to some of Dennis Allen‘s contracted assistants, but Mike McCarthy may not see eye-to-eye with that approach. This has introduced one of the potential hurdles in McCarthy’s path back to New Orleans. McCarthy’s view could affect the Broncos‘ staff as well, as 9News’ Mike Klis notes that he or Kellen Moore landing the Saints’ HC job could well lead Darren Rizzi to rejoin Sean Payton in Denver. Before the coaching carousel started to spin, the Saints moving Rizzi from interim HC to another staff position — presumably back to the special teams coordinator role — was likely. But the Broncos are among the teams interested in poaching him if the Saints let the ex-Payton hire out of his deal. Rizzi and Payton coached together for three seasons.
The Broncos have seen two of their staffers — pass-game coordinator John Morton and tight ends coach Declan Doyle — become OCs elsewhere (Lions, Bears). But they are retaining Vance Joseph for a third season; DBs coach Jim Leonhard is also staying, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Leonhard is believed to have drawn DC interest from three teams, and while it is interesting that no interviews are taking place (as Denver cannot block them), the former Wisconsin DC and Broncos safety will stick around.
Here is the latest from the AFC coaching ranks:
- The Browns kept their OC post internal, elevating Tommy Rees, and they will do the same with their QBs coaching role. The team interviewed Giants assistant QBs coach Christian Jones for the job, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets, but they are instead shifting veteran Bill Musgrave to that position (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Musgrave, 57, is a six-time NFL OC — with the Eagles, Panthers, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders and Broncos — and served as a senior offensive assistant on the past two Browns staffs. The Browns are backstopping their 32-year-old OC with considerable experience.
- Former Cardinals and Giants DC James Bettcher has landed another gig under Lou Anarumo. The new Colts DC is adding Bettcher as linebackers coach, Pelissero tweets. Bettcher, 46, served as the Bengals’ LBs coach from 2022-24. He had previously headed up the Arizona and New York defenses in the 2010s but has since settled back on the positional level. This will also be a second tour of duty for Bettcher in Indianapolis; he coached under Chuck Pagano in 2012, before following Bruce Arians — Indy’s acting HC during Pagano’s cancer battle that year — to Arizona.
- The Bengals will replace Bettcher with Mike Hodges, who will come over from the Saints. New Orleans had employed Hodges, 38, as its linebackers coach from 2020-24. Overall, Hodges spent eight seasons under Dennis Allen in the Big Easy, making it a bit interesting he is headed to Cincinnati than following Allen to Chicago.
- Two new staffers are joining the Dolphins. Craig Aukerman is set to lead Miami’s ST units, Pelissero adds. An NFL staffer for 14 years, Aukerman spent 10 seasons with the Titans, staying on staff through four HCs. A 2023 game that featured two Tennessee punts blocked and standout punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a serious knee injury led to Aukerman’s firing, and he did not coach in 2024. The Dolphins are also hiring Robert Prince as their wide receivers coach, per Pelissero. Prince has not previously coached under Mike McDaniel, but he has been an NFL assistant since 2004. After seven seasons with the Lions and a 2021 stop in Houston, he coached the Cowboys’ WRs for the past three years.
- Circling back to Denver, the team is moving on from one of Joseph’s staffers. Greg Manusky will not be back as the Broncos‘ linebackers coach, Pelissero offers. The Broncos’ linebackers were perhaps the weak point on a top-five defense this season, though the unit lost top tackler Alex Singleton in Week 2. A four-time NFL DC, Manusky spent the past two seasons as Denver’s ILBs coach.
Chuck Pagano Coming Out Of Retirement To Join Ravens Staff
Chuck Pagano is heading back to Baltimore. The veteran coach is coming out of retirement to join the Ravens as their senior secondary coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
“It is exciting to add coach Chuck Pagano to our defensive staff and continue to develop and grow our young and talent secondary,” coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “Chuck brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and coaching talent to our team. He has deep ties to the program and is excited to get to work.”
The 64-year-old was a member of Harbaugh‘s first staff in Baltimore, where Pagano served as the secondary coach for three seasons before earning a promotion to defensive coordinator in 2011. He parlayed that job into a head coaching gig with the Colts, where he went 53-43 across six seasons.
Pagano was canned by the Colts following the 2018 campaign, and after serving as a consultant for a season, he spent two years as the Bears defensive coordinator. He retired following the 2021 campaign, stating a desire to spend more time with his family. In the last few years, he could be seen making appearances on The Pat McAfee Show.
Pagano will also reunite with Dean Pees, who succeeded him as defensive coordinator for six seasons before the first of his three retirements. Pees came out of his third retirement last fall to join Zach Orr‘s staff as an advisor and will remain with the Ravens in 2025, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. However, he will be a consultant rather than continuing in the full-time role he held this past season.
Inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone, who succeeded Orr after he was promoted to DC, will not be returning to Harbaugh’s staff in 2025, per KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson. After both Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen made the Pro Bowl in 2023, the unit took a step back in 2024 with early struggles from Smith and inconsistent contributions from 2023 third-rounder Trenton Simpson.
As of now, though, Harbaugh is poised to retain much more of his staff than last offseason, which saw several coaches earn promotions with other teams. Among them was Dennard Wilson, the Ravens’ defensive backs coach in 2022 and 2023. He took a defensive coordinator job with the Titans, who, despite their struggles virtually everywhere else, finished second in passing yards allowed in 2024.
The Ravens, meanwhile, allowed the second-most passing yards last year, something Pagano will be looking to remedy in his new role. He has a long history of coaching talented players in the secondary, starting with Ed Reed in Baltimore. Pagano’s defenses in Indianapolis struggled at times, but he coached Vontae Davis and Mike Adams to Pro Bowls in 2014 and 2015. He was more successful in Chicago, especially in 2019 with a top-five pass defense led by Pro Bowlers Kyle Fuller and recent ex-Raven Eddie Jackson.
No Ravens from Pagano’s first stint in Baltimore remain on the roster, but he will reunite with Smith and Brent Urban, who he coached in Chicago.
Nikhil Mehta also contributed to this article.
Cam Ward Trending Towards Being First QB Selected In Draft
As NFL teams gather at the Shrine Bowl for an extensive look at this year’s top prospects, the focus has naturally been at the top of the draft board. As scouts and executives have started to congregate, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com says the “overwhelming belief” is that Cam Ward has emerged as the top quarterback prospect in the draft. In fact, Pauline spoke to some individuals who believe that if the draft happened today, Ward would go first-overall to the Titans.
Ward was somewhat on the NFL radar heading into the 2024 campaign, but he put himself firmly on the map following a strong showing at Miami. During his lone season with the Hurricanes, Ward connected on 67.2-percent of his passes for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while guiding the school to a 10-3 record. For his efforts, he earned the Davey O’Brien Award and ACC Player of the Year honors, and he ultimately finished fourth in Heisman voting.
It’s a pretty rapid rise for the QB, who entered the 2024 season as a potential Day 3 selection in the 2025 draft. As Pauline notes, the player’s turnaround isn’t completely dissimilar to that of Jayden Daniels, who evolved from a fringe prospect into the eventual No. 2 pick.
While Ward will face plenty of competition to be the first-overall selection, he’s likely only competing with one individual to be QB1: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Unfortunately, teams won’t get an in-person look at the Colorado quarterback during the Shrine Bowl, as Sanders is an interview-only participant, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. Interestingly, Sanders made that decision after speaking to a handful of NFL teams, as Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports says the Titans, Browns, and Giants all asked Sanders not to practice this week.
Each of those organizations, of course, is armed with a top-three pick, and Robinson notes that all three squads are kicking the tires on a potential Sanders selection. The QB prospect met with those three teams Friday before practices started on Saturday.
While both Ward and Sanders could be trending towards top-three picks, there continues to be a sentiment that this year’s QB class is lacking. Notably, Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy seems to share that opinion, telling Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he’s unsure “if any of these guys would be in the top-six last year.” This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this viewpoint, especially after the likes of Daniels, Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix all showed promise as rookies.
Considering the underwhelming opinion of this year’s QB prospects, there was some thought that QB-needy teams could look to other positions atop the draft board (especially Colorado’s Travis Hunter). While some of these front offices could still avoid the top of the 2025 QB class, it sounds like at least Ward and Sanders will hear their names early during the first round.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/28/25
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
- WR Tyrell Shavers, WR Jalen Virgil
Cleveland Browns
Washington Commanders
- RB Kazmeir Allen, DT Viliami Fehoko Jr., G Julian Good-Jones, QB Sam Hartman, TE Tyree Jackson, DE Andre Jones Jr., WR Chris Moore, S Ben Nikkel, TE Cole Turner
Darrell Bevell Expected Raiders OC Favorite; Tom Cable Reunion On Radar
TODAY, 6:12pm: The Raiders are moving quickly in their search for a new OC, and that includes meeting with the favorite for the gig. The team interviewed Bevell for the job today, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
TODAY, 4:50pm: Pete Carroll is believed to have studied potential successor options in the event he landed a head coaching job. A familiar name has surfaced for the team’s second-most important coaching role.
Darrell Bevell is believed to be the frontrunner for the Raiders’ OC position, The Athletic’s Tic Tafur and Tashan Reed report (subscription required). Bevell and Carroll coached together for seven seasons in Seattle, with that period doubling as the best in Seahawks history. Bevell served as Seahawks OC from 2011-17. The Raiders have not begun OC interviews, but it should be expected Bevell receives a request soon.
[RELATED: Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold In Play For Raiders?]
Although Carroll fired Bevell after the 2017 season, the experienced play-caller had helped Russell Wilson develop into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Earlier in Wilson’s career, he formed an elite tandem with Marshawn Lynch. Yes, Bevell and Carroll did collaborate on a hotly debated goal-line play call that resulted in the Seahawks blowing a chance to win a second straight Super Bowl. But Carroll kept his OC on for three more seasons post-Super Bowl XLIX. Bevell has worked as an OC twice since his Seattle stay, doing so with the Lions and Jaguars. Both teams then moved him to interim HC after firing coaches in-season.
Bevell, 55, has been the Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach since 2022. This stretch has doubled as a breakthrough period for Tua Tagovailoa, even with injuries frequently slowing the talented passer. An NFL assistant since 2000, Bevell has been an OC for four teams — a five-year Vikings run from 2006-10 began his time in that job — and has 15 seasons’ worth of experience in that role. Bevell met about the Browns’ OC job this month.
Patrick Graham served as Raiders DC under both Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce, but he twice met with the Jaguars about their HC post and then completed a coordinator interview. He is viewed as a frontrunner to join Liam Coen. But Carroll will still speak with Graham about potentially staying in Las Vegas, Reed and Tafur add.
The Raiders’ defense tumbled after showing improvement in 2023. After producing the Raiders’ first top-half scoring defense finish since 2002, Graham’s unit fell from ninth to 25th from 2023-24. Granted, the Raiders’ shaky offensive situation did not put Graham’s defense in good spots. And, in terms of total defense, Graham’s troops placed 15th in each of the past two years. Graham lost out on the Bengals’ DC post earlier this month, but he has been a coaching carousel regular in recent years.
Carroll also has a past with ex-Raiders HC Tom Cable, and The Athletic indicates the new Vegas leader is interested in reuniting with his former O-line coach. Cable has already enjoyed two stints with the Raiders. The first was more memorable, as it featured him taking over for Lane Kiffin during the 2008 season and keeping the Oakland HC job through the 2010 slate. Cable went 17-27 as the Raiders’ HC, though a chunk of that time came with JaMarcus Russell at quarterback.
Cable joined Bevell in Seattle from 2011-17, serving as Seahawks O-line coach, and returned to the Raiders to work under Jon Gruden in the same capacity. Cable, 60, has not coached since spending the 2021 season with the Raiders. Reuniting the Carroll-Bevell-Cable trio on offense may not be the most inspiring route for the Raiders, but it certainly would supply experience. The Chiefs’ coaching staff continues to show important that can be. Carroll and GM John Spytek are not at the Senior Bowl presently, with Reed noting they are focusing on putting a staff together. It will certainly be interesting a Seahawks South vibe comes to fruition.
Steelers Considering Extension For T.J. Watt
T.J. Watt is set to enter the final year of his contract, and with the pass rusher attached to a $30MM cap hit for 2025, there have been some rumblings that the Steelers could look to move on from their franchise star. Art Rooney was quick to dismiss that idea, as the Steelers owner said the team wasn’t considering parting with Watt.
“I’d have to put it in the ‘unlikely’ category,” Rooney said (h/t Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com). “He’s certainly been one of the real, solid pieces we have on that defense. I think he’s the kind of guy we want to have in the locker room going forward.”
Rooney also said he’d be interested in extending the veteran pass rusher (via Mark Kaboly), further indication that Watt will be sticking in Pittsburgh long-term. An extension always seemed like the likeliest path forward; the front office could reduce Watt’s impending cap hit (and, potentially, his $21MM in true earnings) by handing the star another long-term pact.
Watt is about to conclude his second contract with the organization, a four-year, $112MM deal he inked in 2021. The former first-round pick has generally been worth every penny. While he was limited to 10 games and career-worst marks during the first season of his extension, he’s rebounded by compiling 30.5 sacks and 38 tackles for loss over the past two campaigns. That includes a recently-completed 2024 season where he led the NFL with six forced fumbles.
Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett, and Trey Hendrickson could all look to reset the edge-rusher market this offseason, and Watt’s next deal could be a reflection of those pacts. The Steelers star currently ranks fourth among edge rushers with a $28MM average annual value, and while he may be able to garner similar financials on his next deal, the contract’s term will surely be a sticking point between the two sides. The 2025 campaign will represent Watt’s age-31 season, and with the Steelers potentially focused on improving the offensive side of the ball, the team may be pinching pennies on defense.
For what it’s worth, Watt recently made it clear that he wants to stick in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career. On the flip side, the four-time All-Pro noted he is uncertain of how long he plans on playing in the NFL, so there’s a chance his next contract ends up being the final deal of his career.
Robert Saleh Stood As Jaguars’ Liam Coen Backup Plan?
Robert Saleh is back in San Francisco, agreeing to rejoin the 49ers’ staff as defensive coordinator. This role launched Saleh into a top HC candidate by 2021, and although his Jets stay did not go well, he gained considerable interview seasoning on what was deemed a weak market this year.
The Cowboys, Raiders and Jaguars met with Saleh. Jacksonville had scheduled two meetings with the four-year New York HC, but after it became clear Liam Coen was the team’s preferred choice, Saleh and the Jags pressed pause on a second interview that never happened. Coen maneuvered his way into a favorable deal in Jacksonville, where the new HC will have significant input into the team’s GM hire.
[RELATED: Coen Eyeing Buccaneers’ Mike Greenberg For GM?]
Had Coen stuck with his agreement to stay with the Buccaneers, Saleh may have been set for another reunion. The Jaguars were prepared to go with Saleh had Coen stayed in Tampa, a GM informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. This would have brought Saleh back to the team that employed him as linebackers coach under Gus Bradley.
The Jets’ freefall after Saleh’s October firing reflected well on the head coach, as well as it could on a leader that did not post a .500 season. His two 7-10 slates with Zach Wilson as the primary QB, before a Broncos trade dropped the former No. 2 pick to the third-string tier, also aged well. Saleh could well find himself back on the HC radar in 2026, should he stabilize the 49ers’ defense. It is also interesting the Jags had Saleh positioned above Patrick Graham. The three-year Raiders DC did meet twice with the Jags, and he has also since met about the DC job. This would make it rather surprising if Graham is not Coen’s pick to become DC, but it does not appear he was a true threat to be the team’s head coach.
Coen’s maneuvering to Jacksonville ruffled feathers in Tampa, as he avoided calls from prominent Bucs staffers — Jason Licht, Todd Bowles and Mike Greenberg among them — on the day he was supposed to sign an extension. Coen had delayed the signing, as he had informed the Jaguars he was back in after they fired Trent Baalke. As for the GM of his previous team, the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud notes Licht is “furious” with how Coen left. Coen did express remorse for how he left the Bucs but noted he spoke with Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans and others on offense to inform them he was leaving for Jacksonville. Mayfield offered encouraging words to Coen on his way out, the new Jags HC revealed.
Shad Khan has not determined who Baalke’s successor will be, but he said Tuesday that former Jags tackle Tony Boselli will have a role with the franchise moving forward. Khan confirmed the 52-year-old Hall of Famer was part of the team’s HC search. Coming into the league as the Jaguars’ first draftee (in 1995), Boselli played in a golden era for left tackles. Walter Jones, Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace beat Boselli to the Hall of Fame, as injury trouble cut Boselli’s career short. But he earned first-team All-Pro recognition from 1997-99. He will now hold an undetermined role with the team.
Kliff Kingsbury To Pass On Saints Interview, Will Stay With Commanders
The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the regular season ended, but no meeting was ever scheduled. The Commanders’ OC received interest from other clubs as well but indicated he would not meet regarding any HC jobs until after his team’s season wrapped.
Washington’s remarkable turnaround ended in the NFC championship game, and the New Orleans job remains open. But Kingsbury is not interested. He will stay on as the Commanders’ OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This decision will provide important continuity for Jayden Daniels as he attempts to follow up on one of the best rookie seasons in quarterback history.
Kingsbury’s stock has surged as a result of Daniels’ rookie-year form. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC post, despite having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will probably be a coveted option come 2026. While Kingsbury still wants a second HC chance, he will commit to waiting another year. This is quite the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.
The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests January 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest in the Texas native. While most who receive interview requests take those meetings, Kingsbury is being patient this time around. Already having an interesting past regarding NFL interest, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels adjust his thinking further. The potential superstar’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.
Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Big 12 program (Texas Tech) only to be hired as an NFL HC; the Cardinals formed that unusual path for Patrick Mahomes‘ college coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 team to the postseason, but his tenure turned after a woeful 2022.
The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and did not bring back longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and ultimately sending their HC back to the college ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s position coach, where he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his stock. Several teams reached out with OC interview requests — to the point at least two teams offered jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders agreement and joined the Commanders, who are believed to have offered him a three-year deal.
Daniels is all but certain to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season notwithstanding, and losing his play-caller after Year 1 would have introduced a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and prepare to further develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as other teams monitor him ahead of the 2026 HC carousel.
Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver represent those still believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC post. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders team as a fallback option proves important here, as the Saints are again standing alone in terms of cap space (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) and they have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ next HC will likely be tasked with finding a long-term QB solution either this year or next, and limited funds — a Saints staple — will impact this effort.
Kingsbury’s current team having found said answer will allow the experienced play-caller to keep rebuilding his stock. Although Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary tale here, Kingsbury will bet on Daniels keeping him in the HC mix beyond this year.
Mike McCarthy Losing Ground With Saints?
After a flurry of activity late last week filled three more jobs on this year’s market, only the Saints are still looking for a head coach. Kellen Moore‘s Super Bowl LIX responsibilities introduce a situation similar to 2023, where a team could wait on an Eagles staffer. But the Saints are also still considering a few candidates not on Super Bowl staffs.
Mike McCarthy joins Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka among staffers viewed as still in this mix. Bills OC Joe Brady bowed out over the weekend, and no Kliff Kingsbury interview is believed to have been scheduled — despite a previous request coming out. The Saints have preferred familiarity under Mickey Loomis, and McCarthy is the only finalist left who checks that box. The former Packers and Cowboys HC served as the Saints’ OC from 2000-04. McCarthy emerged as an early candidate, but issues remain ahead of a potential reunion.
A snowstorm last week prompted the Saints to push back some interviews, and no formal McCarthy in-person meeting is believed to have occurred. The team flew in Moore on Monday night and already conducted second interviews with Kafka and Weaver. New Orleans does intend to finally bring in McCarthy for a meeting later this week, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Informal conversations leading up to that point may be creating some distance between the parties, though.
Some in the Saints organization are not high on McCarthy, according to Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates initial talks between McCarthy and Loomis — who was in place as GM when the Saints and McCarthy split in 2005 — have produced snags. One of them appears to be how many assistants he would be forced to retain. Although the Saints have lost OC Klint Kubiak to the Seahawks, Pauline adds Loomis is expected to want to retain some other staffers who are under contract. McCarthy may not be seeing eye-to-eye with the Saints on this matter, even if this is the only HC vacancy left.
The Saints’ power structure may be an issue as well. How the Saints will arrange their internal communication, along with the power structure in general, are coming out as issues, per Bovada’s Josina Anderson. As was the case in McCarthy’s Cowboys talks earlier this month, Anderson adds contract length has come up with the Saints as well. With coaching contracts guaranteed, longer-term deals are preferred. McCarthy is 61, which may be a slight complication; though, the Raiders just hired Pete Carroll months after his 73rd birthday.
Some around the league are also wondering how owner Gayle Benson should handle football ops moving forward, Anderson adds. This could pertain to Loomis’ foothold. Among pure GMs, only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm enjoyed a longer tenure than Loomis, who is going into his 24th offseason in power. The Saints installed Loomis as their front office boss in May 2002. While that tenure changed dramatically when the team outflanked the Dolphins for Drew Brees in 2006, Loomis’ team is now riding a string of four straight playoff absences since the superstar QB’s retirement.
Loomis and Benson were not believed to be on the same page regarding Dennis Allen‘s firing, with the former not believing it was time to move on from the ex-Sean Payton lieutenant. Still, Loomis is running this coaching search and has not believed to have been in any danger.
The Jets intervened on a potential Saints frontrunner by hiring Aaron Glenn, a move that surprised some in the league (per Pauline) given Glenn’s Saints past. Loomis could still hire McCarthy to ensure some degree of familiarity, though it has now been 20 years since the latter’s New Orleans stay, but that might not be the most likely scenario based on the information to surface thus far.