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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-23-26 (4:56pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens 

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

  • Mathieu Araujo, cornerbacks coach (Dolphins): Interviewed
  • Ephraim Banda, safeties coach (Browns): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Packers): Interviewed
  • Chris Harris, interim defensive coordinator (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
  • Daronte Jones, defensive backs coach (Vikings): Interviewed
  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Don Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Interviewed
  • Jim O’Neil, defensive assistant/safeties (Lions): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

2 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Following a wild-card loss, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are separating after 19 years. Now, after an overtime divisional-round loss in Denver, Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo.

The 10 HC openings are tied with 1978, 1997, 2006 and 2022 for the most in one year. Here are the candidates connected to all those searches, including the five remaining jobs. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-23-26 (4:16pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

11 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Giants PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

By | at January 4, 2026 10:45 pm

With the AFC North now settled (in rather dramatic fashion), the 2025 regular season is in the books. Following their decisions to shelve Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby, the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick. After entering Week 17 in that slot, the Giants — as they did in 2024 — slipped out of the top two thanks to a late-season win.

Big Blue’s victories over the Raiders and Cowboys dropped them to No. 5, with today’s win allowing the Jets, Cardinals and Titans to leapfrog them. The Giants, who fell out of the No. 1 spot last year thanks to a Drew Lock-led win over the Colts in Week 17, will still hold a top-five pick — just not the one most expected two weeks ago. The Jets saw the Colts’ collapse, which dropped them from 8-2 to 8-9, give them two picks in the top 16.

The Cardinals started 2-0 but managed to close the season with 14 losses over their final 15 games. This will give Arizona a top-four pick for the third time in the Monti Ossenfort era. The GM traded out of that slot in 2023 before drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024; Ossenfort is expected to be retained for a fourth season, providing another opportunity. This will be the third straight year the Titans will hold a top-seven pick.

The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday, but thanks to a three-way NFC South tie, Tampa Bay’s draft slot will land out of the playoff positions for the first time since 2020. Because Atlanta defeated New Orleans today, Carolina’s first-round pick will slide into the bottom 14 despite its 8-9 finish — one that secured playoff entry for the first time since 2017.

Although the draft order is not fully set due to the upcoming playoffs, the first 18 picks are. Here is how the order looks after Week 18:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
  2. New York Jets (3-14)
  3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
  5. New York Giants (4-13)
  6. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
  7. Washington Commanders (5-12)
  8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
  9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
  11. Miami Dolphins (7-10)
  12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
  13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
  16. New York Jets (via Colts)
  17. Detroit Lions (9-8)
  18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
  19. Carolina Panthers (8-9)
  20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
  24. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
  25. Chicago Bears (11-6)
  26. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
  27. Houston Texans (12-5)
  28. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
  29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
  30. New England Patriots (14-3)
  31. Denver Broncos (14-3)
  32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
27 comments 2026 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Free Agent Stock Watch: Wan’Dale Robinson

By | at December 30, 2025 10:00 pm

The Giants have spent much of the 2025 season without Malik Nabers. That has dealt a blow to the team’s offense but it has also helped allow for fellow receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to enjoy a career year.

Robinson received a whopping 140 targets in 2024, a season in which he was used heavily as a slot receiver. The former second-rounder only averaged 7.5 yards per catch as a result, but he has handled a more varied workload this season. Seeing more time on the perimeter, Robinson has remained a focal point on offense in 2025 but he has seen a notable uptick in efficiency along the way.

Thanks to a strong performance on Sunday, Robinson has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. The Kentucky product’s target total is identical to his 2024 figure and the same is essentially true of his 92 catches, but his yards per reception mark has increased to 11.0, comfortably a new personal best. As a pending free agent, the timing of this step up in production could lead to a lucrative payday.

When speaking to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, one NFL scout pegged Robinson’s market at $15MM-$16MM per season. A team executive agreed with that assessment, pointing to Christian Kirk‘s contract as the ceiling in this case. In 2022, eyebrows were raised when Kirk signed a four-year, $72MM pact during his first trip to free agency. Surges in the salary cap and the receiver market since then have changed the financial landscape at the position, though.

Robinson’s case is somewhat unique based on his size (5-8, 185 pounds). As Dunleavy notes, there are 27 receivers currently attached to an AAV of $16MM or more. That group only includes three under six feet in height, though (Kirk along with the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle). That factor could limit Robinson’s market to an extent, although a considerable raise can nevertheless be expected on his second NFL contract.

Robinson is set to turn 25 next week, so his next pact will cover the prime of his career. Whether it will come from the Giants or an outside suitor will be interesting to see. New York already has Darius Slayton on the books through 2027, and his pact includes considerable guarantees for next year. A monster Nabers extension can be signed as early as the 2026 offseason and it will of course need to be budgeted for. New York is currently projected to have roughly $17.5MM in cap space this spring, although that figure will change once cost-cutting season begins.

The group of pending free agent receivers is headlined by George Pickens, who looms as a Cowboys franchise tag candidate. Alec Pierce (Colts), Romeo Doubs (Packers), Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks) and Jalen Nailor (Vikings) are also in line to receive their second contract in the near future. Older wideouts could parlay their longer track record of production into a notable deal as well, but Robinson’s consistency over the past two years and his expanded role in 2025 should make him one of the top options at the position.

Last month, Robinson stated his desire to remain with the Giants. If that feeling is mutual and a deal is worked out, he will be in line to operate as a key figure in New York’s young offensive core for years to come. Otherwise, his market will be one worth monitoring closely.

8 comments Free Agent Stock Watch New York Giants PFR Originals

Poll: Will Raiders Fire Pete Carroll?

By | at December 29, 2025 11:30 pm

Pete Carroll became the oldest head coach in NFL history when the Raiders hired him last January. With a resume that includes a Super Bowl championship and a national title, expectations were that the Raiders would give the 74-year-old a long leash. However, now a week away from finishing a disastrous season under Carroll, the Raiders may go in another direction in 2026.

In a game featuring 2-13 teams and top contenders for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, the Raiders took a 34-10 beating at the hands of the Giants on Sunday. The outcome may be good for the Raiders’ future – they’re now in pole position to draft first – but it continued a brutal run for the Carroll-led club. Las Vegas has now dropped 10 in a row. The Raiders haven’t been competitive during several games in that stretch. They’ve lost three by 24-plus points and two via shutout.

With the Raiders showing little life on the field, Carroll has reportedly been on the hot seat for weeks. Moves to shake up his first (and perhaps only) Raiders coaching staff haven’t gotten the team out of the basement. Carroll parted with special teams coach Tom McMahon and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly at different points in November, but the losing hasn’t stopped.

Even though Kelly was the league’s highest-paid OC, and although part-owner Tom Brady was instrumental in hiring him, the Raiders cut the cord on the experienced play caller. The philosophies of Carroll and Kelly clashed during their 11-game run together.

The Raiders’ offense averaged a horrid 15 points per game with Kelly at the controls, but replacing him with Greg Olson hasn’t worked. The number has fallen to 14.2 since Kelly’s ouster. Not surprisingly, the Raiders are last in the league in scoring.

Hoping to improve Carroll’s chances of immediate success, the Raiders reunited him with quarterback Geno Smith. They traded a 2025 third-rounder to Seattle for Smith and immediately handed him a two-year, $75MM extension. While Smith performed well as Carroll’s starter in Seattle from 2022-23, that hasn’t been the case in a new city. Smith has been among the league’s least effective QBs this year, which is among the reasons Carroll may be at risk of a one-and-done tenure in Las Vegas.

While this has easily been the worst season of Carroll’s 19 as an NFL head coach, he still believes Raiders ownership (Mark Davis and Brady) is in his corner. Brady’s presence helped steer Carroll to Las Vegas, but the results have been so poor that the two sides may be on their way to a divorce a year later. It wouldn’t be the first short-lived Vegas marriage.

Do you expect the Raiders to dismiss Carroll? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.

43 comments PFR Originals PFR Polls

Free Agent Stock Watch: Breece Hall

By | at December 29, 2025 10:53 pm

With 111 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, the Jets’ Breece Hall was among the NFL’s most productive running backs in Week 17. He was a rare bright spot for the Jets in a 42-10 blowout loss to the Patriots. As a pending free agent, it’s possible a Week 18 matchup in Buffalo will be the last time Hall dons a Jets uniform.

Hall joined the Jets as a second-round pick from Iowa State in 2022. The 5-foot-11, 217-pounder totaled single-digit carries in each of his first three games as a rookie, but the Jets leaned on him more after that.

Hall posted his first career 100-yard rushing game in Week 6. He followed that up with a 62-yard touchdown during a four-carry, 72-yard showing the next week, but he suffered a season-ending ACL tear that day in a win over the Broncos. Hall’s rookie campaign ended with 463 yards on 80 carries – good for a robust 5.8 YPC – and five TDs (four rushing, one receiving) in seven games.

While Hall hasn’t approached the YPC mark he logged in his first season, there haven’t been any durability concerns since then. Hall missed a game in 2024, but he played in all 17 the previous year and is on track for perfect attendance again.

Although his injury sapped him of some explosiveness, Hall still averaged 216 carries, 935 yards and five scores as a rusher from 2023-24. He complemented his output on the ground with prolific pass-catching numbers during that two-year stretch, as he averaged 67 receptions, 537 yards and roughly four TDs per season.

With 36 catches, 350 yards and TD, Hall’s impact as a receiver has dropped this year as part of the league’s worst-ranked passing offense. However, as a runner, he has already set career highs in carries (243) and yards (1,065) heading into the season finale. The 24-year-old is also one rushing TD away from tying a personal-best five.

Regardless of how he performs Sunday, Hall will finish the season as the Jets’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Chris Ivory hit the mark in 2015. It’s especially impressive considering the lack of help around him. The Jets have tried three different quarterbacks – Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook – but haven’t found anything resembling an answer at the position. They’ll also go a 10th game without No. 1 wide receiver Garrett Wilson on Sunday. Wilson’s knee issues have left Hall as the Jets’ only significant weapon for most of 2025.

Other teams have taken notice of Hall’s success this season, which bodes well as he gears up for a potential trip to the open market. He was popular in trade rumors leading up to the Nov. 4 deadline. The Chiefs, among the teams with interest, reportedly offered a fourth-round pick for Hall. That wasn’t good enough for the Jets, who decided to ride out 2025 with their No. 1 back.

First-year head coach Aaron Glenn wasn’t with New York when the team drafted Hall, but he has made his affinity for the running back known. Glenn and rookie general manager Darren Mougey, both expected to return in 2026, will likely make some attempt to retain Hall. If the two sides can’t come together on a multiyear agreement by early March, the Jets will have the option of keeping Hall from reaching the market unfettered with the franchise tag. They’d have three choices in that case: 1. Keep him for another year at around $14MM; 2. Trade him; 3. Hammer out an extension by the July 15 deadline.

In the event he becomes a free agent and shops himself around the league, Hall’s next deal could check in around $12MM per year, Rich Cimini of ESPN writes. That would match the average annual value the Packers’ Josh Jacobs landed on the four-year, $48MM contract he inked as a free agent in 2024. Jacobs now ranks sixth among RBs in AAV, and he continues to lead the position in total contract value, but the pact only came with $12.5MM in guarantees.

While Jacobs had a better track record then than Hall does now, the salary cap continues to rise. That should boost Hall’s chances of approaching Jacobs’ payday or at least matching or exceeding $10MM per annum. Nine backs are currently raking in eight figures per year. Hall and other soon-to-be free agents in the Jaguars’ Travis Etienne and the Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker may have an opportunity to join the club in the offseason. All have enjoyed strong careers, but it works in Hall’s favor that he’s the youngest of the three.

7 comments Free Agent Stock Watch New York Jets PFR Originals

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

By | at December 29, 2025 10:52 pm

Aside from tonight’s Rams-Falcons game, Week 17 is in the books. Most of the playoff field has been set in both conferences, but there is still plenty to be determined regarding the first-round draft order.

By virtue of their loss on Sunday, the Raiders are now in pole position to secure the No. 1 pick. Vegas sits at 2-14 on the year, with four teams sporting a record of 3-13. Only one of those, however – the Giants – is still in contention to land the top selection. Vegas will play against Kansas City in Week 18, while New York’s season will end against Dallas.

Fernando Mendoza looms as the projected top quarterback option in the 2026 class, with the futures of Dante Moore and Ty Simpson still uncertain. Demand usually outweighs supply at the top of the draft when it comes to signal-callers, and scarcity at the position could very well come into play in April. Mendoza may find himself on the radar of teams not immediately in need of a quarterback depending on how things play out.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is an updated look at the first-round order:

  1. Las Vegas Raiders (2-14)
  2. New York Giants (3-13)
  3. New York Jets (3-13)
  4. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
  5. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
  6. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
  7. Washington Commanders (4-12)
  8. New Orleans Saints (6-10)
  9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
  11. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  12. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
  13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
  14. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1)
  15. Detroit Lions (8-8)
  16. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
  17. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
  18. New York Jets (via Colts)
  19. Carolina Panthers (8-8)
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
  21. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5)
  23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
  24. Buffalo Bills (11-5)
  25. Chicago Bears (11-5)
  26. Houston Texans (11-5)
  27. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
  28. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
  29. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
  30. New England Patriots (13-3)
  31. Denver Broncos (13-3)
  32. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
7 comments 2026 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order

By | at December 22, 2025 10:08 pm

Several dominoes have fallen so far in Week 16 with respect to the NFL’s playoff picture. The Cowboys have been eliminated while the Patriots, Seahawks, Bears, Eagles and 49ers have locked in a postseason berth.

The final two weeks of the campaign will determine the remaining playoff spots, but they will also sort out the top of the draft order. Six teams remain within striking distance of the No. 1 pick, although the Titans’ win on Sunday greatly weakened their chances of landing the top selection for the second year in a row. One contest in particular will be worth monitoring next week with respect to draft positioning.

The Giants and Raiders each sport a record of 2-13. They will play each other in Week 17, meaning the loser of that contest will have the inside track for the No. 1 pick. New York already has a head coaching vacancy while Pete Carroll is in danger of going one-and-done in Vegas. Plenty of incentive for winning will exist for Carroll in particular, but the outcome of that game will have major implications on the draft order.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.

Here is an updated look at the first-round order:

  1. New York Giants (2-13)
  2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-13)
  3. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
  4. New York Jets (3-12)
  5. Arizona Cardinals (3-12)
  6. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
  7. Washington Commanders (4-11)
  8. New Orleans Saints (5-10)
  9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
  10. Miami Dolphins (6-9)
  11. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
  12. Kansas City Chiefs (6-9)
  13. Dallas Cowboys (6-8-1)
  14. Baltimore Ravens (7-8)
  15. Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
  16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
  17. Detroit Lions (8-7)
  18. New York Jets (via Colts)
  19. Carolina Panthers (8-7)
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)
  21. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
  22. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)
  23. Houston Texans (10-5)
  24. Buffalo Bills (11-4)
  25. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
  26. San Francisco 49ers (11-4)
  27. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
  28. Los Angeles Rams (11-4)
  29. Chicago Bears (11-4)
  30. New England Patriots (12-3)
  31. Denver Broncos (12-3)
  32. Seattle Seahawks (12-3)
27 comments 2026 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Poll: How Will Falcons Proceed With HC Raheem Morris, GM Terry Fontenot?

By | at December 21, 2025 8:49 pm

Entering the 2025 season, expectations were elevated for the Falcons. The first full year with Michael Penix Jr. atop the quarterback depth chart coupled with a renovated defense brought with it the possibility for a return to the playoffs.

Atlanta’s most recent winning season came in 2017. Since then, the team has been mired in mediocrity (at best) while struggling through the post-Matt Ryan era. That stretch will continue through the end of 2025, a season in which improvements in some areas on defense have taken place. Nevertheless, the fate of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot remains unclear as the campaign winds down.

Owner Arthur Blank is in the process of evaluating the Falcons’ football operations. He will continue to do so through the remainder of the season before deciding on any changes along the sidelines and/or in the front office. The veteran owner offered an endorsement of both Morris and Fontenot in August, but things have not gone according to plan since then.

Injuries to Penix – a well-documented concern in his case upon entering the NFL – and others on offense have hindered the Falcons on that side of the ball. The team’s defense has, on the other hand, enjoyed a resurgence in the pass rush department after years of struggling on that front. That is of course thanks in large part to the pair of first-round rookies the Falcons have along the edge.

After drafting Jalon Walker last April, Fontenot traded back into the Day 1 order to select James Pearce. As a result of the move, Atlanta’s 2026 first-rounder (which could very well end up being a top-10 pick) will belong to the Rams. That is an illustration of how far the Falcons have fallen short of expectations this year.

Fontenot drew criticism for the team’s succession plan – or lack thereof – once Ryan’s Atlanta tenure ended. Efforts were made to add short- and long-term stability under center last spring when the Penix selection was preceded by the Kirk Cousins signing. Eyebrows were raised at how Atlanta handled the situation, and since being benched late last season Cousins has been the subject of speculation regarding his future.

The four-time Pro Bowler’s contract makes a trade unlikely, although Penix’s injury highlights the need for veteran depth of some kind. Still, Fontenot’s track record (five years and counting with a mark no better than 8-9) could lead to a reset and a new voice being trusted to sort out Atlanta’s direction at the QB spot moving forward. Likewise, Morris is not viewed as being on solid footing.

Atlanta reunited with the 49-year-old during the 2024 hiring cycle, doing so after taking a long look at Bill Belichick. The Falcons managed to win on Sunday, but that only moved their 2025 record to 5-9. Morris thus has an overall mark of 35-56 as a head coach taking into account his time in Tampa Bay along with his interim HC stint with Atlanta in 2020. The decision this past offseason to replace defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake with Jeff Ulbrich has not yielded the desired improvement in many categories on that side of the ball. Given Morris’ defensive background, that could prove to be a factor working against him.

A report from earlier this month indicated a head coaching change this offseason is essentially considered inevitable. No public developments since then have suggested Morris is any likelier to be retained or fired, and the final two games of the season could sway Blank’s thinking. There are currently two HC openings around the NFL, but more vacancies will no doubt emerge after the regular season ends.

Whether or not the list of openings on the sidelines and/or in the front office winds up including Atlanta will be one of the team’s central storylines through the coming weeks. Fontenot had a lengthy spell with the Saints before taking his first GM gig in Atlanta. Morris, meanwhile, has drawn praise for his work as a defensive coordinator and another DC gig could await him in the event he were to be dismissed by the Falcons for a second time.

How do you see the team proceeding on this front? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.

18 comments Atlanta Falcons PFR Originals PFR Polls

2025 NFL Dead Money, By Team

By | at December 17, 2025 4:31 pm

As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season:

  1. New Orleans Saints: $107.83MM
  2. San Francisco 49ers: $103.77MM
  3. New York Jets: $102.1MM
  4. Las Vegas Raiders: $87.79MM
  5. Philadelphia Eagles: $87.27MM
  6. Seattle Seahawks: $86.1MM
  7. Jacksonville Jaguars: $85.49MM
  8. Cleveland Browns: $83.22MM
  9. Miami Dolphins: $72.45MM
  10. Houston Texans: $66.44MM
  11. Tennessee Titans: $59.42MM
  12. Green Bay Packers: $57.98MM
  13. Los Angeles Rams: $56.23MM
  14. New England Patriots: $50.56MM
  15. Denver Broncos: $42.78MM
  16. Dallas Cowboys: $41.34MM
  17. Detroit Lions: $40.71MM
  18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $40.39MM
  19. Los Angeles Chargers: $38.78MM
  20. Baltimore Ravens: $38.38MM
  21. Buffalo Bills: $37.58MM
  22. Carolina Panthers: $36.55MM
  23. New York Giants: $33.74MM
  24. Pittsburgh Steelers: $33.7MM
  25. Minnesota Vikings: $30.6MM
  26. Washington Commanders: $27.29MM
  27. Atlanta Falcons: $27MM
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: $20.99MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $20.33MM
  30. Indianapolis Colts: $17.37MM
  31. Arizona Cardinals: $16.51MM
  32. Chicago Bears: $8.6MM

The $100MM trio dwarfs last year’s leaders — the Broncos — in this unwanted area. The Saints began taking some overdue medicine for their cap-gymnastics past by trading Marshon Lattimore last year. That move coming after June 1 pushed $31.67MM onto New Orleans’ 2025 cap sheet. Derek Carr also counts $19.2MM on this year’s Saints cap, while Ryan Ramczyk‘s retirement covers more than $11MM.

The Carr punishment covers $55.88MM in total, meaning nearly $37MM from the QB’s retirement will land on New Orleans’ 2026 payroll. Mickey Loomis‘ spree of restructures on that contract created that inflated figure.

Deebo Samuel brought a receiver-record dead money total to the 49ers, who absorbed $34.12MM by trading the seventh-year veteran in March. The second leg of the post-June 1 Arik Armstead transaction from 2024 created a $15MM dead cap hit this year, with void years on Charvarius Ward‘s deal covering more than $12MM.

Gang Green took on barely $20MM combined from the Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams trades and will do the same next year, reflecting the low signing bonus figure on the Gardner extension. The Jets, though, have taken $56MM in total from the Aaron Rodgers release ($21MM this year, $35MM next). That is the second-highest total dead cap hit in NFL history.

The team that authorized the highest dead money sum in league annals — Denver, via the 2024 Russell Wilson release — is still carrying $32MM on that contract. It comes off the books next year, and the Broncos do not have any other player counting more than $3MM in dead cap on their 2025 payroll.

The Eagles and Seahawks are also moving toward the playoffs with higher dead money counts compared to the 2024 Broncos, though it should be noted the cap’s $24MM increase from last year plays into this. Philadelphia is still carrying a combined $26MM from the 2024 Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox retirements. Josh Sweat void years also comprise $16.44MM of this year’s cap. The Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf trade brought $21MM in dead cap, while Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and Dre’Mont Jones combine to cover more than $41MM in dead money.

Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith‘s 2024 Cleveland exits via trade tagged the Browns with more than $36MM in dead money together, while the Dolphins are dealing with more than $30MM combined from the post-June 1 designations on Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. The latter counts $15.7MM in dead money this year and $20.9MM in 2026. That eclipses Lattimore’s defender-record total for dead cap.

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