Here are some minor transactions from around the league today:
Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
Former top-five draftee Aaron Curry is moving up the ladder in the coaching ranks. After spending three seasons as a Seahawks assistant, he is joining the Steelers’ staff as a position coach.
The one-time No. 4 overall pick tweeted he will be Pittsburgh-bound, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes (via Twitter) the Steelers are hiring Curry as their inside linebackers coach. Longtime Steelers assistant Jerry Olsavsky will not be back for the 2023 season, Dulac tweets. The Steelers have since announced Curry’s hire.
Curry, 36, will arrive shortly after Brian Flores left to become the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. Flores was not expected to stay long, with Mike Tomlin hiring the veteran staffer as his linebackers coach and senior defensive assistant after his surprise Miami exit. The Steelers will now turn the keys over to a younger staffer.
Although Curry’s NFL playing career did not pan out as expected, he is one of the highest-drafted off-ball linebackers in modern NFL history and has been coaching for nearly 10 years now. After spending five seasons at the University of Charlotte, Curry joined the Seahawks — the team that drafted him 14 years ago — as an assistant. He spent the past three years as a Seattle defensive staffer. This will be his first go-round being an NFL position coach.
The Steelers’ defensive staff will look at bit different in 2023. Assistant HC John Mitchell retired after 29 seasons with the organization, and Olsavsky is out after 22 years — as a player and coach — with the team. A former Steelers 10th-round pick who played nine seasons with the team (37 starts), Olsavsky had been on Tomlin’s staff for the past 13 seasons — eight as inside linebackers coach.
The longest-tenured coach on the Steelers’ staff, John Mitchell announced his retirement Wednesday. The Steelers announced the assistant head coach, who has been with the franchise since 1994, will not return in 2023.
Mitchell, 71, has been an NFL assistant since 1991, when he joined Bill Belichick‘s Browns staff. He signed on to be the Steelers’ defensive line coach under Bill Cowher in 1994 and continued to work in that role for most of his Pittsburgh tenure. This will obviously mark a significant change for the Steelers. Mitchell has been in coaching at the pro or college levels for 50 years.
“I’m grateful to the Rooney family for the wonderful opportunity to coach and work for the Steelers for nearly 30 years,” Mitchell said. “It was truly an honor. I’d also like to thank Coach Tomlin for giving me the opportunity to stay with the franchise when Coach Cowher retired. I will treasure my time in Pittsburgh and appreciate everyone affiliated with the organization.”
A former running back, Mitchell carved out a memorable legacy as a player as well. Mitchell was the first Black player to play football for Alabama, breaking that barrier in 1971. He also became the first Black All-American for the team. Shortly after his playing career ended, Mitchell became Bear Bryant’s first Black assistant coach. Mitchell remained in the college ranks for many years, with a USFL tenure breaking up that run, before signing on with the Browns in 1991.
Mitchell oversaw the likes of Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton during his time with the Steelers, who rode elite defenses to Super Bowl trips in 1995, 2005, 2008 and 2010. The Steelers ranked in the top 10 against the run 17 times during Mitchell’s 24-year stay as defensive line coach, slotting first in that department on five occasions. Mitchell stepped away from that post after the 2017 season but continued with the team in an AHC capacity.
“Coach Mitch has been a pivotal member of the Steelers organization, in a variety of roles, for the better part of 30 years,” Steelers president Art Rooney II said. “When you consider his path, as both a player and coach, Mitch created opportunities in football for young Black men that quite honestly didn’t previously exist. He has left an imprint on this franchise, and the sport and culture of football, that will continue well beyond his retirement.”
Last year, 10 NFL teams hired new head coaches. Following the Panthers, Broncos and Texans’ hires, this year’s vacancy count sits at two. Last year’s Saints and Buccaneers moves, however, showed these job openings can emerge at unexpected points.
Listed below are the head coaching candidates that have been linked to each of the teams with vacancies, along with their current status. If other teams decide to make head coaching changes, they’ll be added to this list. Here is the current breakdown:
Updated 2-14-23 (1:30pm CT)
With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.
For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:
This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
The Steelers faced quarterback uncertainty for the first time in a generation last offseason, after Ben Roethlisberger retired. That ultimately drove the team to draft Kenny Pickett as his successor, but not before adding veteran Mitch Trubisky in free agency. 
The contract he signed to join the Steelers – two years, $14.25MM in base value – suggested that he would handle starting duties for a brief stretch before Pickett took over for good. Trubisky had a very modest salary and cap hit in 2022, but those figures jump to $8MM and $10.625MM, respectively, next season.
Given the increased burden Trubisky would represent on the Steelers’ cap, along with the fact that they handed the reins over to Pickett earlier than expected, many have expected the former to be headed elsewhere this offseason. Indeed, it was reported in December that both Trubisky and third-stringer Mason Rudolph were not likely to remain in Pittsburgh for 2023, and that the Steelers would re-build the bottom of their depth chart at the position. In Trubisky’s case, that may no longer be anticipated.
When asked about the former second overall pick’s Pittsburgh future, Steelers owner Art Rooney II said, via Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, “I expect Mitch will be on the roster next year and be an effective backup if we need him. I think he showed that he can be that. We can win with him” (subscription required).
Trubisky, 28, started five games in 2022, making an additional two appearances in place of Pickett, who suffered a pair of concussions as a rookie. The former Bear and Bill struggled in his brief stint as a No. 1 again, throwing more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four). Pittsburgh’s passing attack certainly did not erupt in efficiency with Pickett at the helm, but the first-rounder put any potential controversy to rest with his play down the stretch in particular.
The Steelers would save $8MM by releasing Trubisky, making him a somewhat logical cut candidate. Pittsburgh could put those savings to good use, given how tight they are against the 2023 cap ceiling, though a replacement would of course need to be signed. Kaboly names Gardner Minshew, Jacoby Brissett and Andy Dalton as experienced passers who could likely be added on short-term, low-cost contracts. If Rooney’s remarks hold true, however, the Steelers could maintain the status quo with their top two QBs next season.
Just after one of their preferred targets took a defensive coordinator job elsewhere, the Vikings have pivoted to their other finalist. Minnesota is hiring Brian Flores as their DC, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has since announced the move.
Flores, 41, had been on the radar for a number of positions in this year’s hiring cycle, including both coordinator and head coaching opportunities. One of the former was with the Vikings, who moved on from Ed Donatell following a disappointing 2022 season for his unit. The team’s search for his replacement led them to a relatively short list of candidates, including former Broncos DC Ejiro Evero. 
Minnesota was closely linked to Evero both before and after Denver let him out of his contract to move on to other opportunities. That opened the door to an interview with the Vikings, but the Panthers moved very quickly and hired him Sunday. That move was highly lauded for Frank Reich and his new staff in Charlotte, but it left Minnesota with only one of its two reported favorites available. It thus comes as little surprise that the next major coaching domino has fallen so soon after Evero found his new employer.
Flores spent 2022 as the Steelers’ linebackers coach and an experienced voice on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the Dolphins, a tenure which saw him help guide the team to consecutive winning seasons but be let go amidst tension with the front office. He is one of the plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and many of its teams alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices.
After his one-year posting as a positional coach, the longtime Patriots staffer drew considerable interest this offseason, pointing to at least a coordinator position coming his way. Arizona — one of two teams yet to hire their new head coach in 2023 — had a second interview with Flores lined up for later this week, making him one of three finalists for that job. With his name now off that list, the Cardinals appear set to go with either Lou Anarumo or Mike Kafka as their next HC.
The Broncos, meanwhile, were said to be down to two finalists for Evero’s replacement after it was learned he would not be retained by new head coach Sean Payton. Flores was one of them, and Sean Desai the other. The latter should now be considered the favorite to join Payton in the Mile High city, as Flores prepares for the newest chapter of his coaching career.
The Vikings ranked near the bottom of the league in a number of defensive categories in 2022, including points and yards allowed (28th and 31st, respectively). Flores will thus face an uphill battle to lead the unit to an improved performance in 2023, though the team’s playoff berth under head coach Kevin O’Connell suggests even a small step forward could be enough to turn them into contenders.
Brian Flores remains in the running for the Cardinals’ head coaching position, but teams have reached out to the Steelers assistant about defensive coordinator roles. The Broncos have joined that list.
Sean Payton‘s team has requested a DC interview with Flores, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes on the heels of a multi-day discussion with Ejiro Evero about staying on as Denver’s DC. While the Evero path may not be closed, the Broncos are now considering outside options as well. Evero indeed remains in the running for the position, Mike Klis of 9News tweets, but Payton is also exploring outside hires.
The Broncos and Flores have a unique past, which could complicate a hire. Flores included the team in his ongoing racial discrimination lawsuit. The former Dolphins HC included the Broncos as one of the original teams in the suit, alleging then-GM John Elway arrived for his 2019 HC interview an hour late and hungover. The Broncos called Flores’ account “blatantly false.”
Payton and George Paton are now in charge in Denver, with the latter’s role somewhat foggy given the team’s recent high-profile HC hire. Flores, who spent the 2022 season as the Steelers’ linebackers coach, has interviewed for the Falcons and Vikings’ DC positions thus far. He also met with the Saints last year about succeeding Payton, but New Orleans went with Dennis Allen.
The moving parts here certainly supply intrigue. Evero has interviewed for all five HC positions, but Broncos management wants him to remain the team’s DC. With Nathaniel Hackett hire still under contract, the Broncos blocked him from joining Flores in interviewing for the Falcons’ DC post. Ex-Payton staffer Ryan Nielsen has since filled it. Evero also joins Flores in being on Minnesota’s DC radar, but the Broncos could block that interview as well. Payton passing on Evero, of course, would open the door to that Vikings meeting going through.
Bill Belichick‘s de facto DC in 2018, Flores played a lead role in the Patriots securing their sixth Super Bowl championship. The Pats held the Rams to three points in Super Bowl LIII, becoming the second team to keep a Super Bowl opponent out of the end zone. This performance paved the way to Flores’ Miami hire. That produced two winning seasons and a rather notable 5-11 campaign — after the Dolphins gutted their roster amid a rebuild effort — that became the subject of an NFL investigation after Flores alleged Stephen Ross offered bribes for 2019 losses.
The league did not punish Ross as a result of Flores’ allegations, but it did strip the Dolphins of first- and third-round picks for attempting to replace Flores with Payton. The Payton-Tom Brady tampering scandal could conceivably loom as a factor in a Flores-Broncos partnership as well, adding another wrinkle to what would be one of the more interesting DC interviews in recent memory.
Earlier this week, the NFL revealed its 2023 salary cap. Teams can now budget for their offseasons, knowing a $224.8MM ceiling is in place. This year’s nonexclusive franchise and transition tag numbers also emerged, giving teams more clarity on those fronts as well. With that in mind, here is where every team stands in terms of cap space:
These figures (courtesy of OverTheCap) will change dramatically in the coming weeks, but this is where each team stands ahead of Super Bowl LVII. After that point, cap-casualty cuts can begin taking place. Restructures, extensions and trades will commence as well, with the Saints of recent years doing well to prove there are a few roads to cap compliance.
While New Orleans is in its usual February place, the team actually was further over the 2021 and ’22 caps at this point on the NFL calendar. Using void years to load up its roster during Tom Brady‘s three-year stay, Tampa Bay has seen much of that bill come due. If Brady does not re-sign a procedural deal, which would allow for the Buccaneers to spread out his dead money, the team will be hit with a $35.1MM dead-cap charge this year.
The Browns led the league by a wide margin in cap carryover from 2022, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Cleveland carried over $27.6MM in cap space. The Browns paced the league in cap space throughout the 2022 season, bracing for the Deshaun Watson contract’s spike. As of now, Watson’s cap figure will balloon from $9.4MM to $54.9MM. No NFL player has ever played a season on a cap number higher than $45MM.
The Panthers, Broncos, Bears and Raiders rounded out the top five in carryover dollars, ranging from $10.8MM to $6.7MM. Chicago ate considerable dead money via the Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn trades. The rebuilding team is still paying most of Quinn’s salary, doing so in order to secure a better draft pick from the Eagles. The Bears will have quite the opportunity to bolster their roster in Ryan Poles‘ second year in charge, leading the league by a massive margin and holding the No. 1 overall pick. The Falcons still have $12MM-plus in Deion Jones dead money on their 2023 payroll, but the team is rid of Matt Ryan‘s record-setting dead-cap hit ($40MM).
Baltimore will have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. GM Eric DeCosta said he has not decided if the team will place the exclusive or nonexclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Even the nonexclusive number — $32.42MM — will dramatically change the Ravens’ budget ahead of free agency. The exclusive tag, which prevents other teams from submitting an offer sheet to Jackson, is expected to come in just north of $45MM.
The Steelers seemed destined for their first ever losing season under head coach Mike Tomin midway through the 2022 campaign, but the team rallied to a 9-8 finish. While that was not enough for them to make the postseason, it seems to have been sufficient to earn him another new deal. 
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Tomlin, 50, is under contract through 2024. However, the Steelers have routinely extended him during offseasons when he had two years remaining on his existing pact, including most recently in April of 2021. That would make this spring the next expected date for a re-up, which would mark Tomlin’s seventh extension with the Steelers.
2022 saw Pittsburgh turn their offense over to first-round rookie Kenny Pickett, a move which involved growing pains and inconsistency on offense in general. The team’s performance on that side of the ball led to plenty of criticism for offensive coordinator Matt Canada, though he is expected to be retained for at least one more season. A return to health from edge rusher T.J. Watt helped spark another high-end defensive performance, though, which brought the team back into postseason contention.
That concluded Tomlin’s 16th season at the helm of the Steelers, a franchise which has had only three coaches since 1969. His recent tenure does not include the postseason success of his earlier years – Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since 2016 – but he is still very highly regarded by the team’s front office. That includes president Art Rooney II, who spoke about Tomlin in a recent interview.
“I don’t really evaluate Mike on anything other than I’m glad he’s our coach,” Rooney said, via Dulac. “Hopefully he’ll be our coach into the future. He gives us a chance to win, year in and year out, and put us in a position where we have a chance to compete for a championship.”
While Rooney also cautioned that he did not want to “speculate” on Tomlin’s contractual status, his above remarks certainly point to another multi-year deal coming soon. Assuming that takes place, a two-year re-up would put Tomlin on track to coach in Pittsburgh for 20 seasons, only three shy of Chuck Noll‘s tenure with the franchise. Even without a new contract, he can safely be pegged for another campaign in 2023 as the team looks to build off of this year’s late-season turnaround.