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Chargers Expected To Move On From Joey Bosa?

February 22nd, 2025 at 10:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Joey Bosa‘s nearly decade-long stint with the Chargers may be coming to an end. Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post believes the organization will look to move on from their defensive star, while multiple sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano that they expect the Chargers to cut the pass rusher.

While the front office would surely rather keep Bosa or get something in return for the five-time Pro Bowler, the untenable financial commitment makes the player a prime cut candidate. Bosa is attached to a massive $36.47MM cap hit next season, the highest at his position. The team could save $25.36MM by either cutting or trading the veteran, an option that may be too enticing to deny (even with the Chargers armed with the sixth-most effective cap space in the NFL).

That $25.36MM savings also represents Bosa’s true earnings for the upcoming 2025 campaign, although none of that is guaranteed. As Graziano notes, the pass rusher is due a $12.36MM roster bonus in March, so the Chargers will surely look to make a decision on Bosa’s future before the bonus is due.

Bosa has continued to be productive when he’s on the field. Unfortunately, he’s rarely made it through a season unscathed. After being limited to 14 games before the 2022 and 2023 campaign, Bosa did manage to get into 14 games this past season, finishing with five sacks and 13 QB hits. Still, with only two fully healthy seasons on his resume, any suitors would have to account for Bosa missing at least a handful of contests in 2025.

While the two sides could go back to the negotiating table, Bosa already gave up some money last offseason. Still attached to the five-year, $135MM contract he inked in 2020, Bosa reworked his deal in 2024, saving the Chargers more than $10MM on his projected $32MM cap hit. The front office could once again try to convert some of his salary into bonuses, but they’d still be committed to a healthy cap charge either way.

On the flip side, Graziano notes that the Chargers may have no choice but to hang on to Bosa for at least one more season. That’s because Khalil Mack is hitting free agency, and the organization is prohibited from slapping the star edge rusher with the franchise tag. If Mack is destined to leave Los Angeles, the front office may want to retain some semblance of continuity on the edge.

Chargers Re-Sign DB Elijah Molden

February 20th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Being traded to the Chargers shortly before last season, Elijah Molden became one of the pieces that helped Jesse Minter‘s defense climb to No. 1. The Bolts will keep this partnership going.

Molden is staying in Los Angeles via a new three-year contract, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The second-generation NFL DB was on the verge of free agency, but the Chargers evidently made him a good enough offer to pass on the open market. The team has since announced the move.

The deal is worth $18.75MM and includes $13.5MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This checks in just north of the contract fellow Bolts safety Alohi Gilman signed last March, as the Chargers continue to commit resources to the safety position.

The son of former Chargers cornerback Alex Molden, Elijah arrived as a late-August trade acquisition from the Titans. The sent only a 2026 seventh-round pick for the contract-year player, who made Tennessee’s 53-man roster but did not stay long after that deadline. Molden, however, showed growth in L.A. and helped the team rebound to make the playoffs.

Seeing more time at safety, the former Titans cornerback joined Gilman and Derwin James in Minter’s three-safety looks and finished the season with a career-high three interceptions. Molden, 26, also deflected a career-best seven passes while eclipsing his previous best with 75 tackles as well. Grading him much better against the pass than the run, Pro Football Focus tabbed the former third-round pick as the No. 16 overall safety last season.

The Chargers obtained two ex-Titan DB pieces last year, signing Kristian Fulton as well. Molden had joined Fulton as a Day 2 pick during former Tennessee GM Jon Robinson‘s tenure, which was filled with lofty CB investments that did not ultimately satisfy the organization. Although Molden was a regular who saw extensive time in the slot while in Nashville, he topped out at a 68% snap share during his three seasons there. After playing 15 games with the Titans in 2023, a new coaching staff signed off on dealing him. That trade ultimately sent the 5-foot-10 defender to a team that had longer-term plans for him.

This deal comes weeks after Molden suffered a season-ending broken fibula. His absence certainly hurt in a one-sided wild-card loss to the Texans. In signing him weeks before free agency, the Chargers clearly have no concerns Molden will be ready well before next season. This deal also gives the Bolts three veteran contracts at safety, with James still the league’s second-highest-paid player at the position and Gilman having been re-signed (on a two-year, $10.13MM deal) early in Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure.

The respective free agencies of Fulton and Asante Samuel Jr. leave the Bolts with some questions to answer at corner, but they are loaded up at safety ahead of the Harbaugh-Minter combo’s second season. Molden, who joined the Chargers 23 years after his father’s two-season San Diego stay wrapped, will keep going in Minter’s system as the Bolts attempt to hold off the Broncos and mount a legitimate challenge to the Chiefs in the AFC West next season.

Chargers To Host 2025 Game In Brazil

February 19th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

FEBRUARY 20: The NFL’s game in Brazil in 2024 was heavily criticized for deficient field conditions that made it difficult for players to find their footing. The league is working to address those concerns in coordinator with Brazilian stadium officials, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim, though this season’s matchup hosted by the Chargers is set to be played in the same stadium as last year.

FEBRUARY 19: The NFL is officially returning to Brazil in 2025. The Eagles and the Packers squared off at São Paulo’s Arena Corinthians in 2024, and the Chargers are set to host another regular season game there in 2025, per a team announcement.

Earlier reports indicated that the NFL was in talks with Brazilian officials regarding a long-term hosting agreement. Scheduling a follow-up to last season’s matchup is a sign that the NFL plans to play in Brazil for years to come.

Like last year, the game will take place on the first Friday of the regular season; in 2025, that will be September 5. The league has not yet announced the other team who will be playing in Brazil, though the Chargers’ 2025 away opponents are already known. They are scheduled to host the rest of the AFC West, the Jaguars, the Titans, the Cowboys, the Giants, and the Dolphins.

The NFL has scheduled 49 international games since 2007 with just six between divisional opponents. That makes it less likely that the Chargers would host the Broncos, Chiefs, or Raiders in Brazil, though the last two games in Mexico City featured teams from the same decision. Since the Jaguars and the Dolphins are hosting other international games, the NFL is unlikely to make them travel overseas a second time in one season. That leaves the Titans, Cowboys, and Giants as the primary candidates to face the Chargers in Brazil. The NFL’s full schedule will be announced later this spring.

There are now seven confirmed international games set for 2025: three in London, England (hosted by the Jets, the Browns, and the Jaguars), one in Berlin, Germany (hosted by the Colts), one in Madrid, Spain (hosted by the Dolphins), and one in Dublin, Ireland (hosted by the Steelers). The NFL is permitted to schedule up to eight international games per season, per Mark Maske of The Washington Post, though the Jaguars’ annual games at Wembley Stadium do not count towards that total.

2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 15th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency is roughly one month away, and teams are preparing for the first major roster-building checkpoint on the offseason calendar. In several cases, of course, the lead-in to the start of the new league year will require cost-cutting measures.

Teams expect the 2025 cap ceiling to check in somewhere between $265MM and $275MM, providing a general target to aim for before the final figure is unveiled by the NFL. Using a projected cap of $272.5MM, here is a look at where all 32 teams currently stand (courtesy of Over the Cap):

  1. New England Patriots: $119.8MM
  2. Las Vegas Raiders: $92.53MM
  3. Washington Commanders: $75.21MM
  4. Arizona Cardinals: $71.33MM
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: $63.41MM
  6. Chicago Bears: $62.97MM
  7. Minnesota Vikings: $58.01MM
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $53.26MM
  9. Cincinnati Bengals: $46.26MM
  10. Detroit Lions: $45.69MM
  11. San Francisco 49ers: $44.26MM
  12. Tennessee Titans: $44.08MM
  13. New York Giants: $43.38MM
  14. Green Bay Packers: $42.14MM
  15. Los Angeles Rams: $38.33MM
  16. Denver Broncos: $34.78MM
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: $32.27MM
  18. Indianapolis Colts: $28.25MM
  19. Carolina Panthers: $20.33MM
  20. Philadelphia Eagles: $18.08MM
  21. New York Jets: $16.86MM
  22. Baltimore Ravens: $5.96MM
  23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $2.24MM
  24. Houston Texans: $99K over the cap
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: $916K over
  26. Dallas Cowboys: $2.85MM over
  27. Miami Dolphins: $5.44MM over
  28. Atlanta Falcons: $11.15MM over
  29. Seattle Seahawks: $13.46MM over
  30. Buffalo Bills: $14.18MM over
  31. Cleveland Browns: $30.17MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $54.11MM over

These figures will of course change based on where the final cap ceiling winds up for the year, but they take into account each team’s carryover amount for 2025. Even with those savings in play, more than one quarter of the league finds itself in need of cost-shedding moves to simply achieve cap compliance by mid-March.

With the Patriots leading the way in terms of spending power, they will be a team to watch closely once free agency begins. The team’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make major free agent additions last year was a talking point, and it will be interesting to see if the regime featuring de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and new head coach Mike Vrabel takes a different approach in 2025. A serious push for Tee Higgins – by far the most sought-after wideout set to hit the market – can be expected.

Aside from Higgins, the Bengals have a number of financial priorities. Working out a monster extension for fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a new deal (and accompanying raise) for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are key goals for the franchise. Quarterback Joe Burrow is prepared to restructure his own pact to create cap space for this offseason, but the team will no doubt need to break with tradition in terms of contract structure and guarantees to keep its core intact.

The Colts’ offseason has been defined in large part by a focus on retaining in-house players during recent years. That approach has not paid off as hoped, and general manager Chris Ballard said last month he plans to oversee a shift in roster-building philosophy this year. With the finances to make at least a modest addition or two on the open market, Indianapolis could be a suitor for some of the middle-class free agent options.

Over the coming weeks, many teams will proceed with extensions and restructures to free up cap space; the Seahawks recently took the latter route with defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Teams like the Steelers (in the case of edge rusher Preston Smith) and Dolphins (with running back Raheem Mostert as well as corner Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe) have already begin cutting veterans to free up cap space. That will increasingly continue in the near future with respect to the teams currently slated to be over the cap in particular.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/10/24

February 10th, 2025 at 6:19pm CST by Ben Levine

One minor transactions to pass along:

Chicago Bears

The Bears claimed Jordan McFadden off waivers from the Chargers exactly one month ago today. However, since the team didn’t have any remaining games on their schedule, the move was deferred until the first business day after the Super Bowl. So, while McFadden had been destined to land in Chicago, the move was only made official today.

A 2023 fifth-round pick, McFadden saw a reduced role playing for a new coaching staff in 2024. As a rookie, the Clemson product got into 12 games (two starts), but he was limited to only a single appearance this past season.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

February 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LIX in the books, the 2024 campaign has come to a close. The final first-round order for April’s draft is now set as a result.

All 32 teams currently own a Day 1 selection, leaving the door open to each one adding a prospect in the first round for the first time since expansion in 2002. Any number of trades will no doubt take place between now and the draft, though, and it will be interesting to see how teams maneuver in the lead-in to the event. Of course, Tennessee in particular will be worth watching closely with a move to sell off the No. 1 pick being seen as a distinct possibility.

A weak quarterback class will leave teams like the Titans, Browns, Giants and Raiders with plenty of key offseason decisions. The free agent and trade markets do not offer many short-term alternatives which are seen as surefire additions, and teams which do not make moves in March will rely on the incoming group of rookies as part of their efforts to find a long-term solution under center. The two prospects seen as the clear-cut top options in 2025, however, are two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2024 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 a final look at the first-round order:

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

Davante Adams “Intrigued” By Move To West Coast; Jets Have Not Been In Contact

February 8th, 2025 at 10:43pm CST by Ben Levine

10:43pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms a move out west will be something to watch for in the event Adams is released (video link). Notably, he adds the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn has not yet been in contact with Adams’ camp about a potential restructured deal. Until discussions on that front take place, this situation will be filled with uncertainty.

11:12am: Davante Adams has been generally noncommittal about a return to the Jets. The star receiver’s contract allows him to effectively control his own destiny, and if he wishes to move on from New York, he may be eyeing a move west.

[RELATED: Davante Adams On Future With Jets]

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Adams is “intrigued” by a move to the west coast, with a source specifically pointing to the Rams and Chargers as an option. Fowler also adds the 49ers as a potential suitor, noting Adams’ connection to Northern California.

Adams’ two-plus season stint in Las Vegas ended this past season when he was traded to the Jets. Despite teaming up with old friend Aaron Rodgers, things obviously didn’t go as planned. The Jets went 3-8 when Adams was in the lineup, and the veteran ended up finishing with his fewest yards from scrimmage since the 2019 campaign. Following the season, Adams admitted he “would love to be a part of this football team,” although he cautioned that a number of factors would come into play (including the status of Rodgers).

While Adams is technically signed through the 2026 season, he has the ability to push his way out of New York. The Jets previously restructured the wideout’s 2024 salary without touching his 2025 and 2026 figures, leaving untenable base salaries of $35.6MM for each of the next two seasons. If the Jets want to keep Adams, they’ll surely require another restructured deal to keep the wideout on the books. If the receiver decides he wants out, he could simply decline the inevitable restructure request, which would ultimately lead to his release.

Considering Adams’ track record, he wouldn’t have a lack of suitors should he hit free agency, and each of the cited teams could make sense. The Rams are looking to move on from Cooper Kupp, which would open a significant spot in their receivers room opposite Puka Nacua. Kupp’s health concerns have surely played a role in the Rams’ decision to move on, although the team is also making it clear that they’re not looking to pay $20MM for a veteran WR.

The Chargers got a standout season from rookie Ladd McConkey, but there are questions behind their young wide receiver. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is still under contract, but the second-year player struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024. Much of the rest of the team’s depth chart, which includes the likes of Josh Palmer, DJ Chark, and Simi Fehoko, are set to hit free agency, so the team could be in the market for another notable pass catcher.

The 49ers are loaded with pass catchers. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings are attached to veteran pacts, and the team added a pair of rookies last year in first rounder Ricky Pearsall and fourth rounder Jacob Cowing (not to mention tight end George Kittle, who led the team in receiving yards). The organization has shown an ability to juggle multiple offensive stars, but an Adams acquisition would surely push another big name off the roster.

2025 Hall Of Fame Class Unveiled

February 6th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

As part of tonight’s NFL Honors program, the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class has been revealed. It consists of just four players this year. Here is the full breakdown of the 2025 class:

Eric Allen, cornerback (1988-2001)

Playing long enough to be part of the Reggie White–Jerome Brown Eagles defenses to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders teams, Allen excelled well into his 30s and is one of the great playmaking cornerbacks in NFL history. Allen is responsible for eight pick-sixes, cramming seven of them between the 1993 and 2001 seasons. Allen finished his 14-year career with 54 INTs, which is tied for 21st in NFL history.

The Eagles drafted Allen in the 1988 second round and installed him as a starter on Buddy Ryan‘s defense in Week 1 of his rookie season. Allen intercepted 13 passes over his first two years, helping the Eagles — with White at the wheel — form a dominant defensive nucleus. The Eagles won the NFC East in Allen’s rookie season, ending a five-year playoff drought. As Randall Cunningham soared on offense, Allen patrolled the back line of a defense geared around one of the NFL’s all-time greats. Allen joins White as the Hall of Famers from that unit.

Allen notched four pick-sixes during the 1993 season, including this gem against the Jets, but the Eagles fell short of the playoffs that year and dipped a bit as the Cunningham years waned. Allen still made the Pro Bowl each year from 1991-95, following a first-team All-Pro honor in 1989. He signed with the Saints as a free agent in 1995, playing three years in New Orleans, before joining the Raiders in Gruden’s first offseason at the controls.

As the Raiders hoarded aging players who still had plenty left in the tank during Gruden’s first stint as HC, Allen was among the most productive. He nabbed six INTs at age 35 in 2000, returning three for scores. That season snapped a seven-year Raiders playoff skid and produced a run to the AFC championship game — the franchise’s first in 17 years. Allen retired after the ’01 season, starting 214 games. Among pure corners, that ranks third all time. While the turnover counts aided Allen, his longevity will send him to Canton nearly 25 years after his retirement.

Jared Allen, defensive end (2004-15)

One of the best sack artists of his era, Jared Allen will make this a two-Allen class (on a big night for NFL Allens). Jared excelled for the Chiefs and Vikings, being part of a win-win trade in 2008, and then retired after playing in Super Bowl 50 as a Panther. Allen sits 12th in the sack era (1982-present) in QB drops, racking up 136 despite playing only 12 seasons.

The Chiefs drafted Allen in the 2004 fourth round out of Division I-FCS Idaho State. He immediately became an impact edge rusher but joined a team in transition. As Kansas City’s offense-oriented team aged, Allen ascended and became a star for a franchise in decline. After the Chiefs made the playoffs in 2006 under first-year HC Herm Edwards, Allen led the NFL with 15.5 sacks in his fourth season. The 2007 Chiefs went 4-12, losing their final nine games. The Chiefs cashed out on a player who had encountered off-field trouble, in the form of two 2006 DUIs, early in his career. The trade equipped both the Chiefs and Vikings.

During the 2008 draft, Kansas City dealt Allen to Minnesota for first- and third-round picks. A win-win swap sent tackle Branden Albert and running back Jamaal Charles to the Chiefs in the ’08 draft, while Allen landed an extension (six years, $73.26MM) enjoyed his prime in the Twin Cities. Registering 14.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons, the second effort falling just short of a Super Bowl after Minnesota’s Brett Favre-led team lost in overtime in the NFC championship game, Allen then made a run at the NFL record in 2011. Allen tallied 22 sacks during the ’11 season, falling a half-sack short of Michael Strahan‘s official record.

Allen played out his Vikings contract in 2013, signing with the Bears. Chicago then traded him to Carolina for a conditional sixth-round pick during the 2015 season, as he joined fellow former Bear Charles Tillman in going for a championship with the Panthers. Although Carolina went 15-1 and ranked sixth defensively, the team’s high-powered offense fell to a superior Denver defense in Super Bowl 50. Allen needed to wait a bit before his induction, but he has gained entry in this year’s unusually small class.

Antonio Gates, tight end (2003-18)

Gates remains the NFL’s leader among touchdown receptions by a tight end. The longtime Philip Rivers target totaled 116 TD grabs during his 16-year career, bettering Tony Gonzalez‘s mark by five. Gonzalez also played 17 seasons (to Gates’ 16). Gates tied Gonzalez’s then-record in 2016, posting five TDs across his final two seasons. The converted basketball player’s mid-2000s surge helped the Chargers win four straight AFC West titles to close the decade.

The Chargers made Gates an integral part of that climb, which remains the franchise’s best sustained stretch since its Air Coryell years. LaDainian Tomlinson shattered the single-season touchdown record, which still stands nearly 20 years later, and Gates broke through as an impact tight end. The Chargers built their passing attack around Gates for many years, and he helped anchor the team’s skill-position group in between Tomlinson’s exit and Keenan Allen‘s arrival.

Initially playing alongside Drew Brees, the ex-Kent State hooper earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second, third and fourth seasons. Gates only suited up for the Chargers, walking away after his age-38 season. The Bolts and Gates agreed to five contracts, the most lucrative a five-year, $36.2MM extension in 2010.

Although Gates needed to wait a year before being enshrined, he is one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. His 116 TD receptions rank seventh all time at any position. While his production tailed off as he hit his mid-30s, after making eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2004-11, the former UDFA remained a solid red zone target for Rivers.

Sterling Sharpe, wide receiver (1988-94)

If the NFL had a No. 1 contender status to Jerry Rice during his peak, Sharpe would have been the best answer. The star Packers pass catcher was 5-for-7 in Pro Bowl nods, during an era where that meant more, and raced to three All-Pro first teams during a career cut short by a neck injury.

Sharpe was close to doing enough for Hall entry by the time he retired at 29, and he exited just before Favre grew into MVP form. In Favre’s early years, however, Sharpe helped the Green Bay trade acquisition become one of the game’s best.

The No. 7 overall pick in a 1988 draft that also included Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Tim Brown, Pro Bowler Anthony Miller and single-game receiving yardage king Flipper Anderson, Sharpe was the first wideout off the board. The physical South Carolina product, who entered the league two years before brother Shannon (and with much greater fanfare), posted a 1,400-yard season in 1989, helping QB Don Majkowski finish second in MVP voting. Sharpe added another 1,100-yard year in 1990 and soared back to the All-Pro level when the Pack landed Favre in ’92.

Sharpe’s first year with Favre featured the wideout break Art Monk’s single-season record by catching 108 passes. Becoming the first receiver to post back-to-back seasons with 100 catches, Sharpe broke his own mark with 112 grabs in 1993. Sharpe led the NFL in touchdown receptions in 1992 (13) and ’94 (18), reaching the latter perch despite dealing with the neck injury and other ailments.

The Favre-Sharpe connection played a central role in the Packers snapping a 10-year playoff drought, and in the duo’s first playoff game, they hooked up on a game-winning score to beat the Lions in Detroit. Sharpe scored three touchdowns in Green Bay’s wild-card win. Sharpe never missed a game and retired ranking 13th in career catches (595) and 18th all time in TD receptions (65).

AFC Staff Notes: Jets, Jaguars, Bills, Titans

February 5th, 2025 at 9:56am CST by Sam Robinson

While new regimes have been known to wait until after the draft to make major front office changes, the Jets are acting early to start their Aaron Glenn-Darren Mougey run. The team is moving on from two veteran execs. Co-director of player personnel Greg Nejmeh is out after 16 years with the organization, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Jones classifies this as a mutual parting. Senior director of football administration David Socie is done as well, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Socie had been the Jets’ chief negotiator since 2018, Costello adds, while Nejmeh climbed to his post upon Joe Douglas‘ 2019 GM hire. These moves come a year after the team fired assistant GM Rex Hogan, leaving Mougey with work to do in the front office. Woody Johnson had prevented Douglas from replacing Hogan or Chad Alexander, who left to become Chargers assistant GM, so it will be interesting to see how the Jets move forward here.

Additionally, one of the other veteran presences in the front office — ex-Browns GM Phil Savage — is being retained as a consultant, Costello adds. Savage, who closed the season as Jets interim GM, interviewed for the full-time job as well. It is unclear if Savage is being retained for the long haul, as Costello expects more changes post-draft; the veteran exec has been with the Jets since their Douglas hire. He spent six years as a senior personnel advisor.

Here is the latest from AFC staffs:

  • Liam Coen still needs to hire an offensive coordinator, but that to-be-determined Jaguars staffer will oversee a new quarterbacks coach. Spencer Whipple is coming over from the Cardinals to take that job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. A Kliff Kingsbury hire, Whipple stayed on in Arizona under Jonathan Gannon. He had climbed to co-pass-game coordinator under Kingsbury before sliding to the title of pass-game specialist during Gannon’s first two seasons. This will be a key promotion, as Coen will entrust him to help elevate Trevor Lawrence.
  • Elsewhere on Coen’s offensive staff, the team is interviewing Vikings assistant offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett for its O-line coaching position, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. This has been a rather difficult position for Coen to fill, as attempts to add Buccaneers staffers Kevin Carberry and Brian Piccuci failed due to Tampa Bay blocking the moves. The Bucs have let it be known they are not letting contracted assistants follow Coen, who departed after indicating he would stay. Sarrett served as Steelers O-line coach from 2019-20, spending nine years with the organization, before settling in as an assistant OL coach. He was with the Chargers during Brandon Staley‘s three seasons in Los Angeles. The Jags also have Rams staffer Zak Kromer on the radar for this gig.
  • Former Bears assistant Travis Smith will find his way to Tennessee, joining the Titans as the team’s defensive run-game coordinator. Smith worked as D-line coach under Matt Eberflus for three seasons. Prior to that, he was with the Raiders for 10 years. Smith’s hire comes shortly after the Titans added ex-Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie to the front office. Smith arrived in Oakland during McKenzie’s first offseason as Raiders GM.
  • The Bills are signing off on a reunion for their defensive staff. Jason Rebrovich is coming back, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, to work as the team’s assistant D-line coach. A Packers staffer for the past three seasons, Rebrovich had previously worked as Bills assistant D-line coach — one of his Buffalo titles during a four-year stay — in 2014. The Bills had hired Rebrovich to work under Doug Marrone and retained him under Rex Ryan. Rebrovich spent the past three seasons with the Packers.
  • The Chargers lost their previous safeties coach, Chris O’Leary, to the college level. After O’Leary became the DC at Western Michigan, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel indicates the team has selected his replacement from the ACC. Florida State DC Adam Fuller will fill the position. Fuller had been the Seminoles’ DC for five seasons and has only coached in college, doing so since the late 1990s.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Bolts, Broncos, Nix

February 4th, 2025 at 6:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The brain drain in Denver continues. Losing high-ranking exec Darren Mougey to the Jets, the Broncos have also seen two Sean Payton staffers (John Morton, Declan Doyle) become OCs elsewhere — Detroit, Chicago. They will now see one of their front office staffers join a division rival. The Raiders hired Mark Thewes as their senior VP of football operations Tuesday. Thewes, 48, will reunite with John Spytek, his coworker in Denver during part of the 2010s. Coming to the Broncos back when Josh McDaniels was hired as HC, Thewes lasted through several regimes, joining Mougey in that regard. Despite McDaniels’ quick dismissal, the Broncos retained his former high school teammate. McDaniels’ quick Las Vegas ouster notwithstanding, he will join Spytek, Tom Brady and Pete Carroll among the Raiders’ bigwigs.

Thewes follows David Shaw out of Denver’s front office; Shaw is returning to coaching, being set to join Morton in Detroit. Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • The Raiders are retaining DC Patrick Graham and D-line coach Rob Leonard, but offensive staffers are departing. Running backs coach Cadillac Williams, wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett and assistant QBs coach Fred Walker are out, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Additionally, linebackers coach Mike Caldwell and cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. will not be back. This comes a year after the Jaguars fired Caldwell as DC. Williams joined the Raiders’ staff last year, while Bennett’s tenure stretched back to Jon Gruden‘s 2018 return. Formerly the Packers’ OC, the ex-NFL running back coached Raiders receivers under Gruden, McDaniels and Antonio Pierce. He has been an NFL staffer since 2005. Caldwell was part of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl-winning staff, overlapping with Brady and Spytek, making it a bit more interesting he will not be asked back.
  • Las Vegas had a name in mind to replace Bennett, but a division rival will not allow it. The Chargers blocked a Raiders request to meet with Sanjay Lal, Fowler adds. Jim Harbaugh hired Lal as his WRs coach last year, and the team is intent on keeping the veteran position coach. Lal was on Carroll’s staff as an offensive assistant in 2020; because he is still under contract with the Bolts, they can block any lateral move.
  • Elsewhere on the Chargers’ staff, they will lose safeties coach Chris O’Leary to the college ranks. Western Michigan is hiring O’Leary as its DC, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel reports. O’Leary had been safeties coach at Notre Dame from 2021-23.
  • Bo Nix passed on a Pro Bowl Games invite, as an alternate, due to a cleanup procedure, 9News’ Mike Klis notes. It is not known what issue this operation will address, but it does not appear Nix is in much danger of missing the Broncos‘ offseason program. Nix played through a transverse process fracture in his back during the season. Any type of back surgery would certainly be notable for the impressive rookie QB, so it will be interesting to learn what exactly will be addressed via this cleanup.
  • Asante Samuel Jr. missed 13 games this season, slowing his momentum in a contract year. Samuel said he dealt with “stinger symptoms,” via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper (subscription required). The second-generation NFL corner said he has dealt with these symptoms throughout his career, and a flareup occurred during a practice before Week 1. Another issue cropped up before Week 6, leading to the shutdown. Samuel said he should be fine for offseason work, though it is not certain where that work will be. Playing outside and in the slot for Los Angeles, Samuel said he wants to re-sign. The 47-game Chargers starter joins Kristian Fulton in being a free agent-to-be at CB from this secondary.
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