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Raiders To Hire Andrew Janocko As OC

By | at February 15, 2026 10:52 pm

With the Seahawks moving to hire 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury as a replacement for Klint Kubiak at offensive coordinator, the situation became much more clear for Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. No longer an internal candidate for the Seahawks job, a deal has now been finalized to make Janocko the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In the wake of a Super Bowl victory, the Seahawks watched Kubiak depart for Las Vegas to become a first-time head coach. There began immediate conjecture around whether or not any Seattle staffers would be following him to the Raiders and who they may be. Janocko was at the top of that list.

Janocko has worked with closely with Kubiak in five of the past seven NFL seasons. They first worked together in Minnesota, where Kubiak joined as quarterbacks coach in 2019. Janocko was entering his fifth season with the Vikings, serving as assistant offensive line coach after starting as an offensive quality control coach in 2015. In 2020, Janocko moved to wide receivers coach, and when Kubiak was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021, Janocko replaced him in the role of quarterbacks coach.

In 2022, then-Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer was fired, and Kubiak and Janocko went their separate ways. Kubiak spent a year each in Denver and San Francisco and Janocko spent two seasons with the Bears before the two reunited in New Orleans two years ago. They, once again, filled their roles of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and when Mike Macdonald lured them to the Seahawks the next year, they retained their titles in the move.

So, when Kubiak made the move to become the new head coach at Las Vegas, there were two immediate options that seemed to emerge. It made sense to believe that Janocko would either follow Kubiak, once again, to Las Vegas with the potential for a promotion to offensive coordinator or remain in Seattle for a chance to become an offensive coordinator on his own with the added responsibility of calling plays, something that won’t be available to him in Vegas. The Seahawks did interview Janocko — and a few other internal candidates — for the offensive coordinator position, but their ultimate decision to bring in Fleury put the writing on the wall.

The Raiders’ search for a new offensive coordinator was short and sweet. Janocko showed up to interview today and, apparently, got a deal done. The team will have needed to be Rooney Rule compliant in order to make a hire, so one would assume some interviews have taken place that haven’t yet been reported. Here’s our account of the team’s search that led to Janocko:

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview
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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at February 15, 2026 10:15 pm

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 2-23-26 (10:40pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

  • Travis Switzer, run-game coordinator (Ravens): Hired

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

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

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Greg Olson)

  • Andrew Janocko, quarterbacks coach (Seahawks): Hired
  • Frisman Jackson, wide receivers coach (Seahawks): To interview

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Mike LaFleur)

  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Title enhanced
  • Nate Scheelhaase, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Promoted

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Klint Kubiak)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Cleveland Browns (Out: Jim Schwartz)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Las Vegas Raiders (Out: Patrick Graham)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New England Patriots (Out: Terrell Williams)

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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Raiders To Conduct OC Interview With Andrew Janocko

By | at February 15, 2026 4:08 pm

Once the Raiders hired Klint Kubiak as their new head coach, attention turned to the possibility of other Seahawks staffers following him to Seattle. Andrew Janocko is among them.

Not long after Kubiak’s hire, Janocko was identified as the favorite for Vegas’ offensive coordinator position. As Kubiak and the Raiders evaluate their OC options, Janocko will – to no surprise – receive a look. An interview has been arranged for today in Vegas, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Janocko and Kubiak worked together in Minnesota and New Orleans prior to their joint Seattle stint during the 2025 season. A hire on this front would certainly not come as a shock as a result. Of course, the potential for an OC position with the Seahawks loomed as well in this case. With that having changed earlier this afternoon, though, a hire with the Raiders would be expected by many. Per Schefter, Janocko is indeed now in line to be hired as Vegas’ OC.

The Seahawks were thought to prefer an internal promotion to fill the OC vacancy. Janocko was one of four in-house staffers who interviewed for the position recently, and he presumably remained in the running until today. Seattle also spoke with Jake Peetz, Justin Outten and Mack Brown as internal candidates before reaching an agreement with Brian Fleury.

The Raiders’ approach on offense will be a major storyline around the league. Improvements in many areas will be needed as the team seeks to rebound from a 3-14 campaign in 2025. That is widely presumed to include the addition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in April’s draft. Kubiak himself will obviously be a central figure in Vegas’ efforts to take needed steps forward on offense, but his OC hire will be critical as well. Particularly if a familiar face in the form of Janocko is brought in, expectations could be raised in relatively short order.

Kubiak has been busy on several fronts within the first few days of his initial head coaching opportunity. The Raiders already have their DC (Rob Leonard) and special teams coordinator (Joe DeCamillis) in place. Bringing in Janocko would/will fill another notable vacancy on the sidelines.

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Seahawks Arrange Interviews With Four Internal OC Candidates

By | at February 11, 2026 4:24 pm

In the aftermath of Seattle’s Super Bowl victory, Klint Kubiak‘s departure became official. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator will take charge of the Raiders next season.

As a result, head coach Mike Macdonald finds himself in need of a new OC for the third time in as many years. At least some external candidates will receive a look, but Kubiak’s replacement has a strong chance of coming from within the organization. The team will conduct four in-house interviews over the coming days.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Seattle will interview quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz, run-game specialist Justin Outten and tight ends coach Mack Brown. Their interviews will take place tomorrow and Friday. Each of them have been floated as logical targets for the Seahawks as a Kubiak replacement. Of course, every member of that quartet is also a candidate to follow Kubiak from Seattle to Las Vegas.

Janocko in particular is a name to watch in the Raiders’ case. The outcome of his Seahawks interview will be critical as a result as Kubiak aims to build his staff deep into the 2026 hiring cycle. Janocko, 37, previously worked with Kubiak in New Orleans. Provided the two continue their working relationship in a new setting once more, Seattle’s attention will turn elsewhere.

Peetz, 40, has worked in a number of roles over the course of his coaching career. He has previously been an offensive coordinator in college (LSU, 2021) but not at the NFL level. Outten had a one-year OC stint with the Broncos in 2022. The 42-year-old has also served in several other capacities over time. Brown was hired as part of Macdonald’s initial staff following five years with the Jets. He split his time between work on offense and defense over that time.

The Rooney Rule requires teams to conduct at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate before making a coordinator hire. The list of staffers Seattle looks into will grow as a result, but the team’s attention will be aimed largely at in-house options.

7 comments Seattle Seahawks

Andrew Janocko Favorite To Become Raiders’ OC?

By | at February 10, 2026 11:03 pm

Refraining from a Josh McDaniels-like swerve after a Super Bowl, Klint Kubiak indeed signed a contract to become the next Raiders head coach. The Seahawks’ 2025 offensive coordinator generated considerable momentum thanks to his play-calling role on a Super Bowl-winning team.

The Seahawks may well promote from within, but a logical candidate for that role may be spoken for. Seattle quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is the “widely presumed” leader to follow Kubiak as Raiders OC, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. Janocko has worked under Kubiak during each of his three one-year OC stints — in Minnesota, New Orleans and Seattle — which makes a Las Vegas trek logical.

[RELATED: 2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

The Raiders have not conducted any OC or DC interviews yet, but Kubiak naturally has names in mind for key staff positions. Janocko came up as a rumored Raiders option, but the Seahawks could dangle a carrot the Raiders cannot. Being in consideration for the Seattle OC would open the door to a play-calling role, while Kubiak will call plays in Vegas. Janocko is a clear candidate for the Seattle OC post, with Breer adding offensive line coach John Benton and pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz also figure to be options.

Janocko, 37, worked under both Kubiaks — Klint and Gary — in Minnesota; his tenure as a Vikings assistant also covered the Pat Shurmur and Kevin Stefanski Vikes OC stops. Janocko worked as a Vikings staffer from 2015-21. After Mike Zimmer‘s firing, Janocko ended up as the Bears’ quarterbacks coach. He coached Justin Fields for two seasons under Luke Getsy before rejoining Kubiak in New Orleans as Saints QBs coach.

Janocko’s work with Sam Darnold has generated understandable attention, and it would seem likely the veteran assistant ends up with an OC job in Vegas or Seattle. Janocko has only coached QBs since a 2021 shift to that role in Minnesota, previously residing as the Vikings’ wide receivers coach (2020) and an O-line staffer (2018-19). In Vegas, Janocko would join Kubiak in coaching near-certain No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. But the Raiders certainly need help elsewhere on offense. The Seahawks stand to feature mostly the same starting 11 from their Super Bowl LX win.

Benton, 62, has hovered on the O-line coach level since entering the NFL in 2003. He has been in that role with the Rams, Texans, Dolphins, 49ers, Jets, Saints and Seahawks. Peetz, 40, has been Seattle’s pass-game coordinator for two seasons. He has experience on the OC carousel as well, interviewing for the Lions’ job this year and the Buccaneers’ gig in 2024. Had McDaniels not spurned the Colts in 2018, he was planning to hire him as OC. While no promotion to that level has occurred yet for Peetz, the ex-Sean McVay assistant may end up in the Seahawks’ chair soon.

Lions O-line coach Hank Fraley also looms as a name to monitor for the Seattle OC job, Breer adds. The Seahawks interviewed Fraley for their OC role last year, scheduling a second interview, but the Lions reached an agreement to retain him and remove him from the Seattle search. Fraley also helped the Lions zero in on Drew Petzing as OC this offseason. Fraley, 48, has been with the Lions since 2018.

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Raiders Officially Name Klint Kubiak Head Coach

By | at February 9, 2026 11:14 pm

The Raiders have made it official. The team announced this evening that they’ve named Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach.

Kubiak is now the 25th head coach in franchise history, and he’s the sixth since the team moved to Las Vegas. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Kubiak will receive a five-year contract from the Raiders.

Of course, this move doesn’t come as any surprise. The franchise seemed to be leaning towards Kubiak last week, and the 38-year-old was reportedly set to negotiate a deal with the organization. Then, Kubiak all but confirmed the news last night following the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win when he revealed that he’d indeed be taking his talents from Seattle to Las Vegas.

The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint has bounced around the NFL during his coaching career, including stops with the Vikings, Saints, and Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. It was that latter stop that made him seem destined to take the next step of his career, as Kubiak was the most popular name during this year’s hiring cycle. The 38-year-old ultimately interviewed for seven of the 10 HC vacancies, and he landed one of those opportunities in Las Vegas.

After helping guide Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense to a surprising top-10 showing this past season, Kubiak will now be tasked with turning around a franchise that’s only made the postseason twice in the past 23 years. Besides landing on their new head coach, the Raiders are also anticipated to add a new franchise QB this offseason, as the team is expected to select reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick.

Before Kubiak can focus on the on-field product, he’ll have to quickly build out his staff. Considering his inexperience as a head coach, Jason La Canfora of Sportsboom.com writes that the Raiders are expected to prioritize experience as they look to fill out the coaching staff. One name in particular that could stand out is Jim Schwartz, who hastily left the Browns after losing out on their head coaching job.

Per La Canfora, the veteran defensive coach has several fans in the building. This includes Kubiak, and the offensive-minded head coach presumably wouldn’t meddle in Schwartz’s defensive approach. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is also a “strong supporter” of the coach. Since the Raiders have traditionally shown a willingness to “spend heavily” on assistants, there’s an expectation among league sources that Schwartz will ultimately land in Las Vegas.

There would remain one hurdle in the Raiders’ pursuit, however: the Browns have Schwartz under contract through 2026, meaning Las Vegas would have to negotiate with the AFC foe to lure the coach. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, this has led some to believe that Schwartz could simply sit out the upcoming campaign, and there’s some belief that the coach may be simply waiting for the Eagles DC job to open up.

On the offensive side of the ball, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko is a “natural candidate,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Prior to his success with Darnold, Janocko was credited with getting some of the best career showings from the likes of Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, and Derek Carr. It’s no coincidence that the coach has also joined Kubiak in multiple stops, making him an obvious candidate for the gig. Of course, there’s also a chance the Seahawks simply look to promote him to their newfound OC vacancy.

Speaking of the Seahawks, Fowler notes that in-house options like offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten could also be options to replace Kubiak, as could Lions senior assistant Mike Kafka.

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Seahawks Likely To Pursue Internal Klint Kubiak OC Replacement?

By | at February 9, 2026 2:29 pm

Sunday night’s Super Bowl victory marked a successful end to Klint Kubiak‘s Seattle tenure. After one season as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, Kubiak is in position to become the new head coach of the Raiders.

Replacing Kubiak will be a key priority for Seattle in the near future. Many of the coordinator openings around the NFL have of course already been filled, something which will limit the market for outside candidates in Seattle’s case. That may not prove to be particularly relevant, though.

There is a “strong possibility” the Seahawks will look to replace Kubiak through an internal promotion, ESPN’s Brady Henderson reports. He also predicts the list of staffers who will follow Kubiak from Seattle to Las Vegas will be relatively short. How things play out on that front will obviously influence the candidate pool the Seahawks have to choose from.

Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz and running backs coach Justin Outten are among the coaches Seattle had in place for the team’s Super Bowl run. Any or all of them will no doubt receive consideration from Kubiak as he pieces together his staff. Each could be seen as prime candidates to be promoted to the OC role in Seattle, however. In any event, the Seahawks are required to conduct at least one in-person interview with an external minority candidate to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

Head coach Mike Macdonald will soon have a third OC in place in as many years leading the Seahawks. Needless to say, he will look for a level of success much closer to Kubiak’s single campaign in Seattle than Ryan Grubb‘s one-and-done showing as offensive coordinator from 2024.

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NFC West Notes: Rams, Seahawks, Cards

By | at February 6, 2025 9:32 pm

The Rams are hiring former Ravens, Giants, and Patriots defensive assistant Drew Wilkins as their next defensive pass-game coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Wilkins started out as an intern in Baltimore in 2011 and worked his way up John Harbaugh‘s staff. When Don ‘Wink’ Martindale took over as defensive coordinator in 2018, he promoted Wilkins to outside linebackers coach. The Ravens parted ways with Martindale in 2022, and Wilkins followed his mentor to the Giants, where he continued in the same position. However, Wilkins did not follow Martindale to Michigan in 2024, instead choosing to join Jerod Mayo‘s staff in New England.

Like Martindale, Wilkins is known for his blitz packages that prioritized pressure over sacks. In his seven seasons coaching outside linebackers, only one reached double-digit sacks in a season (Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2023). The Patriots’ pass rush struggled under Wilkins in 2024, but he will have access to a more talented defensive line in Los Angeles. Wilkins will seek to get the most out of the Rams’ young, athletic quartet of Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Braden Fiske.

  • Fiske left the Rams’ divisional-round loss with a knee injury that will require surgery, per ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. However, head coach Sean McVay told media that it would be a “minor procedure” that “won’t affect his ability to be ready for next year.”
  • Mike Macdonald made a few hires heading into his second year as the Seahawks‘ head coach. Andrew Janocko will join Seattle as their quarterbacks coach, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. This will be Janocko’s third stint as quarterbacks coach under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The two first coached together in Minnesota in 2021 and reunited in New Orleans last year, where they were joined by offensive line coach John Benton. Benton is also set to follow Kubiak to Seattle, according to Pelissero, where he will look to improve an offensive line that allowed 54 sacks in 2024, the third-most in the NFL.
  • Kubiak will not be bringing in his own wide receivers coach; incumbent Frisman Jackson will be retained, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. After a disappointing rookie year from 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jackson joined the staff coached the former Ohio State star to 100 receptions and 1,130 receiving yards in 2024.
  • The Cardinals hired Cowboys assistant defensive backs coach Cristian Garcia to be their next inside linebackers coach, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Dallas was hoping to retain Garcia, but he opted to take a promotion on Jonathan Gannon‘s staff.
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Saints Hire Klint Kubiak As OC

By | at February 12, 2024 11:07 am

FEBRUARY 12: With the Super Bowl now in the books, the agreement between Kubiak and the Saints has indeed been finalized, Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes. Kubiak’s second coordinator gig will take place in New Orleans in 2024 as part of a staff which has undergone a number of changes.

FEBRUARY 11: Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network confirms that Klint Kubiak’s deal with the Saints is expected to be finalized after today’s Super Bowl (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). Kubiak reportedly plans to add former Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko to his staff — Chicago dismissed Janocko at the end of the season — and longtime O-line coach John Benton is also likely to be hired, as previously reported.

FEBRUARY 2: Another Kyle Shanahan staffer is on track to move up the ladder. The Saints are working on a deal to hire Klint Kubiak as their next offensive coordinator, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

No agreement between Kubiak and the Saints can be announced until after Super Bowl LVIII, with the current 49ers pass-game coordinator preparing for the game. Following the Super Bowl, the deal can go through. But it appears the Saints have decided on a name to conclude their long-running OC search.

This will bring a second chance for Kubiak, who spent the 2021 season as the Vikings’ OC. Succeeding his father (Gary) as Minnesota’s play-caller, Kubiak needed to look elsewhere after Mike Zimmer‘s firing. He landed in Denver, and while that brought a Colorado return for the second-generation coach, the Nathaniel Hackett-guided season produced disastrous results. Kubiak, 36, has managed to land on his feet, working alongside QBs coach Brian Griese as Shanahan’s top assistants on offense.

The Saints’ OC search produced some twists and turns. Four interviewees bowed out early or accepted jobs with other teams. Shane Waldron (Bears), Dan Pitcher (Bengals) and Zac Robinson (Falcons) landed OC gigs; Jerrod Johnson agreed to stay with the Texans. This led to a search that will end up taking more than five weeks to complete, with the Kubiak agreement not becoming official until after the 49ers’ eighth Super Bowl.

Kubiak will follow Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur as Shanahan-tree coaches to have moved into HC or OC positions. The Saints also interviewed Griese, but they will go with the more experienced coach. Kubiak also barely qualifies as a Shanahan tree branch, though the younger Shanahan’s offense is derived from the attack Mike Shanahan and Kubiak’s father used with the Broncos in the 1990s and 2000s. The Shanahan-Sean McVay-based attack continues to succeed, and the Saints are the latest team to buy in.

With Zimmer a defense-based HC, the Kubiaks served as the Vikings’ play-callers in back-to-back seasons. Returning to the sideline in 2020 to replace Kevin Stefanski, Gary Kubiak spent one season as Minnesota’s OC. Klint took over a year later. The Vikings ranked 14th in scoring in 2021, an 8-9 campaign, and 12th in total offense. That year brought Justin Jefferson‘s first All-Pro nod, a 10-touchdown Adam Thielen slate and Dalvin Cook keeping his 1,100-yard rushing streak intact.

Nothing especially positive can be said about the 2022 Broncos’ offense, but Hackett did give Kubiak a play-calling shot — over OC Justin Outten — as that season went south. This season has obviously brought a Kubiak bounce-back effort. Brock Purdy has continued his stunning ascent from his Mr. Irrelevant status, becoming a Pro Bowler and helping the 49ers make up for their Trey Lance misstep. Purdy’s 9.6 yards per attempt is the best mark by a full-season starter since the 1950s, with Kurt Warner‘s 2000 number (9.9) coming in 11 games. The 49ers’ passing attack also nearly became the sixth team in NFL history to see three pass catchers eclipse 1,000 yards, seeing Deebo Samuel‘s October shoulder injury impede that path. Brandon Aiyuk reached a career-high 1,342 yards this season, while George Kittle surpassed 1,000 as well.

This offseason brought new territory for the Saints, who had not changed offensive coordinators since promoting Pete Carmichael in 2009. Carmichael served as one of the longest-tenured coordinators in NFL history, but after two seasons calling the plays post-Sean Payton, Carmichael received his walking papers (Payton has since hired Carmichael in Denver). The Saints did rank ninth in scoring and 14th in total offense this season, but the unit submitted inconsistent work during a 7-10 campaign. Kubiak will be charged with elevating the Derek Carr-led attack in 2024.

Here is how the Saints’ OC search wrapped:

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NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Saints

By | at February 11, 2024 9:08 pm

With their offensive and defensive coordinators in place, the Panthers shored up their final coordinator position under new head coach Dave Canales by hiring Seahawks assistant special teams coach Tracy Smith as their new special teams coordinator, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt.

Like new offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who coached with Canales in Tampa Bay and Seattle, Smith was on a staff with Canales and Idzik when the three were all coaching for the Seahawks. In his time with Seattle, Smith has been a part of a special teams group that has been among the league’s best in each of the last three seasons.

With Idzik and Smith taking over units that will play with a top-four defense led by Ejiro Evero, the Panthers are hoping their new coaching staff under Canales will deliver the desired results in 2024.

Here are a few more staff updates coming out of the NFC South:

  • The Panthers were also able to add a new mentor for second-year quarterback Bryce Young today. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Will Harriger has been hired as Carolina’s new quarterbacks coach. Harriger, who comes out of Dallas as a quality control coach and offensive assistant, has experience with Canales from their time in Seattle.
  • Carolina wasn’t the only NFC South team to add a new quarterbacks coach recently as both the Saints and Falcons found new passing mentors, as well. Atlanta is bringing in Saints offensive assistant D.J. Williams to coach their passers as assistant quarterback coach, per Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune. Williams is the son of former NFL quarterback and current Commanders personnel senior advisor Doug Williams. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tells us that New Orleans will hire Andrew Janocko as quarterbacks coach. Janocko most recently served the same role in Chicago and has worked with the Vikings, as well.
  • Finally, the Panthers will part ways with senior director of football strategy and analytics Taylor Rajack, according to Seth Walder of ESPN. A former Eagles staffer, Rajack has been with Carolina since 2019.
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