NFC Staff Notes: Cowboys, Pack, Rams
After interviewing Chidera Uzo-Diribe on Tuesday, the Cowboys are expected to hire the former Georgia assistant as their outside linebackers coach, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. As PFR’s Nikhil Mehta noted earlier this week, Uzo-Diribe helped develop OLBs Nolan Smith, Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker into first-round picks during his time on Kirby Smart‘s coaching staff. He’ll now play a key role under new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Marcus Dixon will join Uzo-Diribe and Parker in Dallas as the team’s defensive line coach, Todd Archer of ESPN reports. A Cowboys D-lineman from 2008-10, Dixon began his coaching career as a Rams assistant in 2021. He spent 2022-23 leading the D-line in Denver alongside Parker, then the Broncos’ defensive backs coach. Dixon held the same position with the Vikings over the past two seasons. The Vikings allowed Dixon’s contract to expire after the season, and they’ve since found a replacement in Ryan Nielsen.
Stephen Bravo-Brown, previously the Browns’ assistant receivers coach, is also on his way to Dallas, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. It’s unclear which role Bravo-Brown will take with the Cowboys after he wore multiple hats over six years in Cleveland. Before working with receivers last season, Bravo-Brown spent time as a defensive quality control coach and a special teams assistant.
Here are more staff updates from the NFC:
- Longtime 49ers assistant defensive backs/safeties coach Daniel Bullocks is joining the Packers’ staff in an unspecified role, Zenitz relays. Bullocks, a defensive back with the Lions from 2006-09, spent nine seasons in San Francisco and coached the team’s safeties over the past seven years. Jimmie Ward, Jaquiski Tartt, Talanoa Hufanga, Tashaun Gipson, Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha are among 49ers safeties who enjoyed success under Bullocks.
- After hiring Bubba Ventrone as their special teams coordinator, the Rams have brought in Kyle Hoke as an assistant, per Wilson. A college coach for 13 years, Hoke jumped to the NFL for the first time last season and worked in Cleveland under Ventrone. Now in Los Angeles, the two will attempt to turn around a special teams unit that helped lead to the Rams’ downfall in 2025. ST gaffes were an all-too-frequent occurrence for the Rams during the regular season, and they reared their head in the playoffs with Xavier Smith fumbling a punt in an NFC title game loss to the Seahawks.
Cowboys To Interview Georgia OLBs Coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is looking to the college ranks to fill his new staff in Dallas. Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe will interview for a position on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Uzo-Diribe, 33, has spent the last decade working in a variety of roles at the college level. He was a starting defensive lineman at Colorado, and after a brief stint with the Saints, returned to Boulder in 2016 as a graduate assistant.
Uzo-Diribe then went to Kansas as a defensive quality control coach in 2019 and received a promotion to outside linebackers coach the following year. One-year stints as the defensive line coach at SMU and TCU followed after which Uzo-Diribe was hired by Kirby Smart to lead the OLB room at Georgia. The Bulldogs churned out three first-round outside linebackers – Nolan Smith in 2023 and Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker in 2025 – during Uzo-Diribe’s tenure.
Interviewing an outside linebackers coach is yet another sign that the Cowboys will be switching their base defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 under Parker. Ejiro Evero, Vance Joseph, and Vic Fangio – the last three defensive coordinators under whom Parker worked – all run 3-4 schemes, which typically requires separate coaches for inside and outside linebackers.
This would be a major departure from the Cowboys, who have run a 4-3 since Jason Garrett was hired as head coach in 2013. His first defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, installed a 4-3 scheme to replace the 3-4 system first brought to Dallas by Bill Parcells. Every subsequent Cowboys DC – Rob Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and Matt Eberflus – used a 4-3 defense, a trend that seems very likely to end with Parker.
Workout Notes: Friday
Here is a list of the players working out with clubs, hoping to join a roster for the season’s home stretch:
- The Jaguars worked three players, including former second-round pick Arrelious Benn, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team also worked out Tim McCornett and Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
- The Raiders worked out former Saints’ receiver Joe Morgan earlier this week, but have also looked at Vernon Kearney and Marvin McNutt, reports Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Dolphins tried out kicker Dustin Hopkins, reports Wilson (via Twitter)
- The Falcons have worked out Lavelle Westbrooks, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Chiefs worked out Travis Chappalear, writes Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Vikings worked out two players, Jordan McCray and Greg Van Roten, reports Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Lions brought in Dejon Gomes for a workout, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Steelers brought Ronald Patrick in for a visit, writes Wilson (via Twitter).
- Wilson doesn’t get to have all the fun, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that the Broncos have worked out two defensive backs on Wednesday (via Twitter). They brought in Delvin Breaux and Jalil Carter, who played in the Canadian Football League.
NFC West Notes: Harbaugh, Cards, Seahawks
Within his latest 10-Point Stance column for Bleacher Report, Mike Freeman includes an item on 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, writing that there’s “definitely a chill” between Harbaugh and a significant number of players on San Francisco’s roster. Freeman didn’t go so far as it say Harbaugh has lost the team or even that there’s a rift, but suggests that many players are somewhat worn out by Harbaugh’s approach.
“We listen to him, we respect him as a man, we all want to win. But he drives us crazy,” one player told Freeman. “Right now, we’re all on autopilot.”
Considering extension talks between Harbaugh and the Niners were postponed until after the season, the situation will be one worth watching, amidst increasing speculation that this will be the coach’s last year in San Francisco. Here’s more from out of the NFC West:
- With Carson Palmer‘s health steadily improving, the Cardinals aren’t currently exploring any outside options at quarterback, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- Defensive ends Everette Brown, Israel Idonije, and Chidera Uzo-Diribe worked out for the Cardinals this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). While John Abraham is working his way back to the field, the team is likely exploring ways to bolster its pass rush.
- The Seahawks also auditioned a handful of players, according to Wilson, who tweets that tight ends Orson Charles and Weslye Saunders, as well as linebackers Todd Davis, Troy Davis, and Martez Wilson all worked out for the club.
- Former Bears cornerback Demontre Hurst tried out for the 49ers this week, tweets Wilson.
South Auditions: Bucs, Titans, Jags, Panthers
Earlier today, we passed along several updates from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on AFC and NFC East teams working out free agents, perhaps with an eye on signing some of them later in the season. A handful of teams in the AFC and NFC South have also auditioned players this week, and Wilson has those items as well, via Twitter. Here are the highlights:
- Special teams was an area of focus for the Buccaneers this week, with the team working out long snappers Brandon Hartson and Charley Hughlett, as well as punter Kasey Redfern. Cornerback Derek Cox and running back Lache Seastrunk also tried out for the club.
- Jacob Pedersen, Brett Brackett, and Blake Annen were among the tight ends to work out this week for the Titans, who also auditioned quarterback Alex Tanney.
- In addition to conducting the previously-reported workout for tight end David Paulson, the Jaguars also took a look at tight end Jake Murphy, along with defensive backs Tommie Campbell and Brandon Ghee.
- A pair of interior offensive linemen, Philip Blake and Evan Finkenberg, tried out for the Panthers.
- We’d previously heard about the Colts hosting free agent running back Mikel Leshoure and signing outside linebacker Chris Carter, but Wilson adds one more name to the team’s list of workouts: former Saints edge defender Chidera Uzo-Diribe.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the following players are now on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists: Darnell Dockett (Cardinals), Greg Latta (Broncos), Fendi Onobun (Jaguars), Jeremy Deering (Raiders), and Mike Caussin (Redskins). Because he has four or more accrued seasons, Dockett can be placed on IR without passing through waivers, and we heard previously that Latta, Onobun, and Deering were waived-injured by their clubs. Caussin’s case is less clear — he doesn’t appear to have four accrued seasons, so he should have to be waived before landing on IR. For what it’s worth, the Redskins’ official site still lists him as on the team’s active roster.
Earlier updates:
- Former Falcon Eric Weems has returned to the team, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that wideout Jabin Sambrano has been cut to make room for the veteran receiver and return specialist. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reported earlier this week that Weems wanted to sign with Atlanta but appeared headed to the Titans, said today (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear took a physical in Tennessee, but it hit a snag. The Falcons, who entered the picture last night, signed Weems to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, per McClure (Twitter link).
- The Saints have begun making cuts in advance of next Tuesday’s first deadline, parting ways with four players today. As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune details, the club waived outside linebacker Chidera Uzo-Diribe, running back Tim Flanders, tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Tobais Palmer.
- Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud has been waived by the Cardinals, opening up a second spot on the team’s 90-man roster, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Buccaneers have swapped a pair of players at the back of their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard R.J. Mattes and waived defensive end James Ruffin.
- The Patriots have made two cuts, letting go of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams, according to a team release.
Saints Sign 20 Undrafted Free Agents
7:57pm: In addition to Hull, the Saints have signed former Tulane defensive back Derrick Strozier, according to Strozier’s Twitter. Per Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune, Strozier, who also played a little offense in college, tried out for New Orleans as a running back.
SUNDAY, 4:43pm: The Saints have also signed former Illinois receiver Steve Hull, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: The Saints added one more undrafted free agent to their haul, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who tweets that Akron DT Moses McCray signed with the club.
MONDAY, 11:53am: The Saints have become the latest club to formally announce their undrafted free agent class, confirming in a press release that they’ve agreed to terms with 17 new players. Here’s the complete list:
- Matthew Armstrong, OL, Grand Valley State
- Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers
- Brian Dixon, DB, Northwest Missouri State
- Kasim Edebali, OLB, Boston College
- Tim Flanders, RB, Sam Houston State
- Spencer Hadley, LB, Brigham Young
- Je’Ron Hamm, TE, Louisiana-Monroe
- Nic Jacobs, TE, McNeese State
- Seantavius Jones, WR, Valdosta State
- Logan Kilgore, QB, Middle Tennessee State State
- Brandon McCray, DL, Louisiana-Lafayette
- Micajah Reynolds, OL, Michigan State
- George Uko, DL, USC
- Chidera Uzo-Diribe, OLB, Colorado
- Lawrence Virgil, DL, Valdosta State
- Pierre Warren, S, Jacksonville State
- Ty Zimmerman, S, Kansas State