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Rams To Promote Nate Scheelhaase To OC

By | at February 20, 2026 10:39 pm

The Rams will take the expected route of promoting from within to fill the offensive coordinator spot. Nate Scheelhaase is in position to take on an elevated role in 2026.

Scheelhaase is being promoted to the role of offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He will serve as Mike LaFleur‘s replacement as a result. Schefter adds that quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone will maintain his current role while also having co-offensive coordinator added to his title.

During a head coaching hiring cycle dominated by staffers with a defensive background, Scheelhaase stood out. The 35-year-old has seen his stock rise considerably during a brief period. Only in place with the Rams since 2024 – his first foray into coaching at the NFL level – Scheelhaase was one of the most popular targets for HC interviews around the league last month.

After starting out at Illinois in 2015, Scheelhaase worked his way up the ladder at the NCAA level. He spent six years at Iowa State, working as the team’s offensive coordinator and QBs coach in 2023. That was followed by an arrival on Sean McVay‘s staff, something which has quickly resulted in an OC gig in the NFL. McVay will no doubt retain play-calling duties moving forward, but Scheelhaase will take on added responsibilities for 2026. He will look to become the latest member of the McVay coaching tree to elevate his standing around the league and land the opportunity to lead a staff elsewhere.

Ragone had been the only coach connected to the Rams’ OC vacancy since LaFleur departed to take charge of the Cardinals. After three years as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator under Arthur Smith, Ragone joined the Rams as their quarterbacks coach. He has played a key role in Matthew Stafford‘s ability to remain highly productive deep into his career, including an MVP campaign in 2025. The two will continue working together for at least one more year, but Ragone, 46, will also take on OC responsibilities for the first time since 2023.

The Rams averaged 30.5 points per game this season, good for first in the NFL. With Stafford set to return – likely on another reworked contract – expectations will remain very high for the unit. Continued efficiency would go a long way in setting Los Angeles up for another deep playoff run, and it would help Scheelhaase’s stock rise even further. A strong year with the title of offensive coordinator would no doubt lead to another wave of HC interest during the 2027 hiring cycle.

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NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Rams, Gray

By | at February 16, 2026 7:03 pm

Kyler Murray did well to secure a rolling guarantee structure on his five-year, $230.5MM Cardinals extension. The deal provides advanced salary guarantees, and by the quarterback remaining on Arizona’s roster on Day 5 of the 2025 league year, his $22.84MM 2026 base salary locked in. A $13.97MM 2026 option bonus also triggered last year. If Murray remains on Arizona’s roster by Day 5 of the 2026 league year, his $19.5MM 2027 base salary guarantees. That will make trading Murray difficult, as an acquiring team would inherit the 2027 salary guarantee. While Murray is a two-time original-ballot Pro Bowler, he has trended downward in recent years. He coming off a foot injury that limited him to five 2025 games.

Although the Cardinals would like to trade the former No. 1 overall pick, SI.com’s Albert Breer indicated during a recent appearance on Fox Sports’ The Herd a release is the more likely outcome here. GM Monti Ossenfort did not design the Murray contract; predecessor Steve Keim did. The Cardinals could spread the $54.72MM dead money figure over two years by designating the QB as a post-June 1 cut. If the Cardinals cannot find a trade partner, that is the expected scenario. Breer mentions the Jets and Vikings as possible destinations. Minnesota came up as a potential suitor late last year.

A Russell Wilson-like scenario in which Murray plays for the veteran minimum following a release will be in play, and he would be a natural stopgap option as a free agent — while the acquiring team would hold exclusive negotiating rights with the 28-year-old passer until March 2027. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • With the Raiders and Seahawks hiring offensive coordinators, the Rams are the only team left without one. The Cardinals hiring Mike LaFleur as HC seemingly opens the door to the Rams promoting pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, but Breer mentions QBs coach Dave Ragone as an option not to be dismissed. Ragone, 46, served as a three-year non-play-calling Falcons OC from 2021-23 and has spent the past two seasons on Sean McVay‘s staff, overseeing Matthew Stafford‘s first two original-ballot Pro Bowl seasons. McVay pointed to an internal hire recently, and it appears he joins Scheelhaase as internal candidates.
  • Former DC Jerry Gray is joining the 49ers as defensive backs coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweets. Formerly the Titans’ DC (2011-13), Gray has settled back on the position coaching tier over the past decade. He spent the past three years in Atlanta working under Arthur Smith and Raheem Morris. With the latter becoming the 49ers’ DC, Gray had a natural path to San Francisco. The former NFL cornerback spent the previous three seasons in Green Bay and the six before that on Mike Zimmer‘s Vikings staff as DBs coach. Gray has been an NFL assistant since 1997.
  • The Rams are hiring Robert Wright as a defensive assistant, according to ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel. Wright is a former DC at Syracuse and Buffalo, serving in that role with the Orange over the past two seasons.
  • More notably on the coaching front, the Cardinals have their new wide receivers and cornerbacks coaches lined up. Four-year Vikings assistant wideouts coach Tony Sorrentino will be the new Arizona WRs coach, ESPN’s Peter Schrager tweets. Sorrentino joins Brian Angelichio — the new Steelers OC — in defecting from Kevin O’Connell‘s offensive staff for a promotion elsewhere. The Vikings gig was Sorrentino’s first NFL job. Zac Etheridge is leaving his role as the Miami Hurricanes’ defensive pass-game coordinator to become the Cardinals’ CBs coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz adds. Etheridge spent one season at Miami, coaching DBs at Houston (2024) and Auburn (2021-23) before that.
  • The Cardinals, however, will lose a member of their scouting staff to the college ranks. Stephen Wise is leaving Arizona to join Georgia Tech’s front office, Zenitz notes. Wise had been with the Cardinals since 2021, working as a low-level scouting staffer.
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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’ HC Search Moving Forward With Second Interviews

By | at January 25, 2026 10:40 pm

The Raiders are one of four teams remaining with a head coaching vacancy as the six other vacancies have filled with new head coaches in the last few weeks. Because many of the candidates they are interested in have had limited availability to interview as they have been participating on playoff staffs, the elimination of two more teams today is expected to help move the Raiders’ search on to the next stages.

For starters, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is currently in Las Vegas for a second interview with the team. This is only the third candidate to receive a second interview with the Raiders. The team hosted Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for second interviews this past week, but Minter quickly came off the board after accepting an offer to coach his former team in Baltimore. Vegas was also expecting to host former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski before he accepted the job in Atlanta.

Brady has been connected to three of the four remaining open jobs, including the one with his current team, which moved on from former head coach Sean McDermott. Brady saw a meteoric rise following a single year as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach at LSU the year the Tigers won a championship on the arm of Joe Burrow and the hands of Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. That run led to an offensive coordinator opportunity in Carolina, but Brady was fired before his second season came to end. He rebounded quickly with a job in Buffalo as quarterbacks coach, taking over the offensive coordinator job upon Ken Dorsey‘s mid-2023 dismissal and holding the position ever since. This will be Brady’s first in-person interview of the coaching cycle. The Cardinals haven’t met with him virtually yet, but they’re also expected to meet with him in-person soon.

Las Vegas is also expected to meet with Broncos passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for a second interview this week, according to Schefter. Webb has been mentioned as a candidate for a couple teams, but the Raiders are the only team to actually interview him thus far. They won’t be for long, though, as Schefter adds that the Bills also have interest in meeting with Webb for their head coaching job.

If the Broncos had beaten the Patriots today to head to the Super Bowl, Vegas would’ve held an advantage over Buffalo. Their early interview with Webb would’ve made it permissible for the Raiders to meet with Webb between the AFC Championship game and the Super Bowl, but because they didn’t do an early initial meeting, as well, the Bills would’ve been forced to wait until Denver’s season had come to a close in Santa Clara. Instead, they’ll be able to plan for an interview with Webb as soon as he’s finished his meeting with Las Vegas, and according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Buffalo is expected to do just that. Landing a head coaching job would be extremely impressive, as the 31-year-old hasn’t even served as an offensive coordinator.

In addition to Brady and Webb, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is considered “a prime candidate” following the impression he made in his first interview with the team. Similar to the advantage over Buffalo mentioned with Webb, the Raiders should be able to meet with Kubiak sometime before the Super Bowl, since they interviewed him early in the month. Since Buffalo was not able to conduct those early interviews, they should be forced to wait until Seattle’s season is over. Other head coaching candidates the team has interviewed that this would apply to is Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.

Speaking of Shula, Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post claimed that the defensive coordinator in Los Angeles is firmly in the mix for the Raiders’ top position. Bonsignore also hinted that, should Shula be the hire, Rams quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone would be a name to look out for as an offensive coordinator reporting to Shula. Ragone has three years of coordinator experience in Atlanta, where despite not having the best weapons, he was able to put together one of the league’s better rushing offenses.

The Broncos’ loss today opens the door for more interview action in Las Vegas, and should the Rams fall tonight, even more movement could occur. Here’s the latest breakdown on the Raiders’ search for their next head coach:

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Buccaneers Conduct OC Interview With Rams’ Dave Ragone

By | at January 28, 2025 11:42 am

As the Buccaneers seek out Liam Coen‘s replacement, their list of offensive coordinator candidates continues to grow. The Rams’ staff in particular remains an area of interest for Tampa Bay.

Dave Ragone interviewed with the Buccaneers on Tuesday, per a team announcement. He is the third member of Sean McVay‘s Los Angeles staff to speak with Tampa Bay for the team’s OC opening. For the second straight offseason, the Buccaneers are on the lookout for a new offensive coordinator with Coen backing out of his agreed-upon new Tampa deal to speak again with the Jaguars and ultimately take their head coaching position.

Ragone’s NFL coaching tenure began in 2011 with the Titans, including one season as the team’s quarterbacks coach. He has held that same role with the Bears as well as the Rams for this past campaign. In between, the 45-year-old worked as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator during Arthur Smith‘s 2021-23 run as Atlanta’s head coach. Smith called plays during that span, but Ragone nevertheless qualifies as a candidate with OC experience.

Atlanta finished no better than 17th in yards or 15th in scoring in a season with the Smith-Ragone tandem in place. The former was able to immediately secure an OC position last offseason with the Steelers, though, and it will be interesting to see if the latter can do the same in the near future. On the other hand, this marks the first time Ragone has drawn interest in the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley is a popular name on the OC circuit at the moment, with the Jets in particular being a team to watch as a potential destination. Especially if Caley – who has also spoken with the Bucs – departs, Ragone would represent one of the Rams’ options to take on an increased role as part of McVay’s staff. Needless to say, Los Angeles’ situation on the sidelines could change more than once by the time every coordinator position is filled.

Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand with the Buccaneers:

  • Marcus Brady, pass-game coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/25
  • Nick Caley, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
  • Josh Grizzard, pass-game coordinator (Buccaneers): Rumored candidate
  • Dave Ragone, quarterbacks coach (Rams): Interviewed 1/28
  • Nate Scheelhaase, offensive assistant/passing game specialist (Rams): Interviewed 1/27
  • Grant Udinski, assistant quarterbacks coach (Vikings): Interviewed 1/25
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2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 26, 2025 9:57 pm

Last year, half the league changed up at offensive and defensive coordinator. As most HC-needy teams have now filled their open positions, the coordinator carousel has accelerated. Here is how the market looks now. When other teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-21-25 (1:59pm CT)

Offensive coordinators

Chicago Bears (Out: Chris Beatty)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Ken Dorsey)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Brian Schottenheimer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Ben Johnson)

  • John Morton, pass-game coordinator (Broncos): Hired

Houston Texans (Out: Bobby Slowik)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Press Taylor)

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Klint Kubiak)

New York Jets (Out: Nathaniel Hackett)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kellen Moore)

  • Kevin Patullo, pass-game coordinator (Eagles): Promoted

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Ryan Grubb)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Liam Coen)

Defensive coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Jimmy Lake)

Chicago Bears (Out: Eric Washington)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Lou Anarumo)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Mike Zimmer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Aaron Glenn)

  • Larry Foote, inside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Kelvin Sheppard, linebackers coach (Lions): Promoted

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Gus Bradley)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

  • Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach/running game coordinator (Packers): Hired
  • Jonathan Cooley, pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
  • Patrick Graham, former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/27
  • Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/27
  • Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/28

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: DeMarcus Covington)

  • Ryan Crow, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/21
  • Terrell Williams, defensive line coach (Lions): Hired

New Orleans Saints (Out: Joe Woods)

New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)

  • Chris Harris, former defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/29
  • Steve Wilks, former defensive coordinator (49ers): To be hired

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)

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Rams Add Two To Offensive Staff

By | at February 19, 2024 7:24 pm

The Rams have seen a number of coaching assistants depart for bigger jobs in 2024 on both sides of the ball. Today, the team filled two of the recently vacated positions on offense, bringing in one former offensive coordinator from the NFL and another from the college ranks.

Los Angeles was left with one of their two offensive vacancies when former quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator Zac Robinson departed to follow former defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to Atlanta, where Morris will now serve as head coach. Robinson will be Morris’ new offensive coordinator for the Falcons. The other vacancy came when former pass game specialist Jake Peetz left for the pass game coordinator role in Seattle.

To replace Robinson as quarterbacks coach, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Rams have hired the man Robinson will be replacing in Atlanta, former Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone. Ragone has coached in the NFL since 2011, when he entered the NFL coaching ranks as the Titans wide receivers coach. He’s since served as the quarterbacks coach for both the Titans and Bears before taking the coordinator job in Atlanta.

In Ragone’s first season as a quarterbacks coach in 2013, he coached the duo of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jake Locker in Tennessee for a season. Three years later, Ragone started a four-year stint in Chicago that would see him mentor the likes of Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Matt Barkley, Brian Hoyer, Mike Glennon, and Chase Daniel. He would then move on to the Falcons as offensive coordinator. The team’s offense has struggled the past three years under Ragone as they have transitioned from Matt Ryan to Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder. Though he doesn’t show many signs of slowing down, with quarterback Matthew Stafford recently turning 36 years old in Los Angeles, Ragone could be in place to assist with future transitions at quarterback again after dealing with plenty in Chicago and Atlanta.

To fill Peetz’s former role of pass game specialist, the Rams reached down to the collegiate ranks to hire Iowa State offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, according to Schefter. At only 33 years old, this will be Scheelhaase’s first NFL job, though he interviewed for the Eagles offensive coordinator job last offseason. After finishing a four-year playing career at Illinois, Scheelhaase stayed at his alma mater to coach from 2015-17.

In 2018, he made the move to Ames, starting off as a running backs coach. He spent the next two years as wide receivers coach, the two years after that as run game coordinator, running backs, and wide receivers coach, and the final year after that as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Under his direction of the offense, the Cyclones putting up middling stats, performing better in the pass game than the run game behind redshirt freshman quarterback Rocco Becht.

As the Sean McVay coaching tree continues to extend away from him, the Rams will continue to reload around him. This time, McVay brings in a veteran with experience working with an unstable quarterbacks room and yet another up-and-comer who is sure to continue rising under the watchful eyes of McVay.

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Falcons Hire Dean Pees, Dave Ragone

By | at January 21, 2021 5:29 pm

Previously rumored Falcons plans came to fruition Thursday. Arthur Smith will bring Dave Ragone aboard as his offensive coordinator, and the first-year Falcons coach has a big role planned for the recently retired Dean Pees.

The former Titans defensive coordinator will again come out of retirement, committing to become the Falcons’ DC. The Falcons are also hiring Marquice Williams as their special teams coordinator.

While Pees and Smith served as Titans coordinators together in 2019, this will be Ragone’s first run as OC. Working as Bears QBs coach for the past five years, this will represent a move up for the ex-quarterback — the first known target for this post.

Ragone, 41, will not, however, have an immediate path to a play-calling role. Smith’s play-calling chops helped him draw interest from all seven head coach-seeking teams this year, and he confirmed he will call plays in Atlanta.

For Pees, this marks unretirement No. 2. Mentioned early as a likely to join Atlanta’s staff, Pees will skip any advisory or consulting roles and jump back into the play-calling fire.

Pees left his post as Ravens DC after the 2017 season but re-emerged as the Titans’ defensive boss ahead of the ’18 campaign. Pees, 71, stuck to retirement for a season this time around — which coincided with a Titans defensive regression — but will return to lead a fourth team’s defense. Pees served as Patriots defensive coordinator from 2006-09 and led the Ravens’ defense for six seasons beginning with their Super Bowl-winning 2012 slate. Of Pees’ 12 defenses, only one has ranked outside the top 12 in points allowed.

Williams has worked as assistant special teams coach with the Chargers and Lions, working in that capacity with Detroit for the past two seasons.

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Coaching Notes: Bieniemy, Texans, Falcons

By | at January 16, 2021 4:59 pm

With the Eagles requesting an interview with Eric Bieniemy, the Chiefs offensive coordinator is now 7-for-7 in meeting requests during this hiring period. However, the third-year OC has again run into issues on the interview circuit. Despite being Andy Reid‘s right-hand man during the most successful period in Chiefs history, Bieniemy may go a third cycle without landing a coaching job. It is trending in that direction, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets. Bieniemy did not interview well on the whole last year and has encountered similar issues during this cycle, according to Tony Pauline and Benjamin Allbright of ProFootballNetwork.com.

Although the Texans changed course and submitted a request to speak with Bieniemy, as they deal with a disgruntled Deshaun Watson, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora notes that interview is doubtful to commence. With the Chiefs’ bye week over, any team wishing to meet with Bieniemy going forward must wait until Kansas City’s season ends. If the No. 1-seeded Chiefs make it back to the Super Bowl, the remaining jobs may be filled by then. Three teams have filled their positions; the Lions are soon expected to hire Saints assistant Dan Campbell; the Chargers may be zeroing in on Bills third-year OC Brian Daboll. This would leave only the Houston and Philadelphia jobs available. Though Bieniemy not being his team’s primary play-caller makes him an atypical HC candidate from the offensive side of the ball, it would certainly be strange if he exited another offseason without landing a coaching gig.

Here is the latest from the coaching circuit:

  • Staying with the Texans, they will interview another Bills coordinator this weekend. They will speak with Buffalo DC Leslie Frazier on Sunday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Frazier, who has been Buffalo’s defensive play-caller, has re-emerged on the HC radar after four seasons as Buffalo’s DC under Sean McDermott. Support is building for Frazier with the Texans, La Canfora notes. Since the Vikings ended Frazier’s three-plus-year run as their head coach after the 2013 season, he has been a coordinator for two teams (the Bucs and Bills) and coached the Ravens secondary in between.
  • In hiring Arthur Smith, the Falcons almost certainly have their offensive play-caller in place. But they have identified a Smith right-hand man in Bears passing-game coordinator Dave Ragone. The Chicago assistant has emerged as an early favorite to become Atlanta’s OC, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweeting a Smith-Ragone partnership running the Falcons’ offense has a “good chance” of happening. Ragone has been with the Bears since 2016.
  • Now that Chuck Pagano has retired, the Bears are on the lookout for a new defensive coordinator. Defensive line coach Jay Rodgers and safeties coach Sean Desai stand to be the top internal candidates to succeed Pagano, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Rodgers served as D-line coach under John Fox in Denver and followed him to Chicago in 2015. Rodgers’ contract expires next week, and Rapoport notes he is expected to be a DC candidate for other teams as well in the coming days.
  • Marion Hobby will make a move to another AFC team’s defensive staff. The Bengals are hiring the veteran assistant as their D-line coach, Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets. Hobby, who spent six seasons as Clemson’s co-defensive coordinator under Dabo Swinney, coached the Dolphins and Jaguars’ D-lines in the four seasons since. Hobby was with Jacksonville when the team’s “Sacksonville” D-line drove a run to the AFC title game.
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Bears To Hire John DeFilippo As QBs Coach

By | at January 15, 2020 5:36 pm

The Bears have hired former Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo as their new quarterbacks coach, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Incumbent Chicago quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone is being promoted to passing game coordinator.

DeFilippo didn’t last long in the free agent coaching ranks after being let go by Jacksonville earlier this week. The 41-year-old spent only a single season with the Jaguars, leading an offense which ranked 24th in offensive DVOA and 26th in scoring.

In Jacksonville, DeFilippo was dealt an early blow when free agent addition Nick Foles went down in Week 1, but he was able to coax a reasonable performance out of sixth-round rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew. The Jaguars represented DeFilippo’s third OC job, and neither of his first two gigs (with the Browns and the Vikings) lasted more than one year, either.

In Chicago, DeFilippo will work alongside Ragone and new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor in an effort to right the Mitchell Trubisky ship. Head coach Matt Nagy will retain play-calling duty, but DeFilippo, Ragone, and Lazor will surely all have a hand in not only Trubisky’s continued development, but the Bears’ weekly game-planning.

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