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Kliff Kingsbury To Pass On Saints Interview, Will Stay With Commanders

By | at January 28, 2025 2:58 pm

The Saints requested a Kliff Kingsbury interview shortly after the regular season ended, but no meeting was ever scheduled. The Commanders’ OC received interest from other clubs as well but indicated he would not meet regarding any HC jobs until after his team’s season wrapped.

Washington’s remarkable turnaround ended in the NFC championship game, and the New Orleans job remains open. But Kingsbury is not interested. He will stay on as the Commanders’ OC for a second season, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This decision will provide important continuity for Jayden Daniels as he attempts to follow up on one of the best rookie seasons in quarterback history.

Kingsbury’s stock has surged as a result of Daniels’ rookie-year form. The Washington play-caller has gone from being fired from his Arizona HC post, despite having signed an extension months earlier, to an assistant who will probably be a coveted option come 2026. While Kingsbury still wants a second HC chance, he will commit to waiting another year. This is quite the turnaround for a scrutinized coach whose Cardinals operation unraveled in a 4-13 2022 season.

The Bears and Saints sent Kingsbury interview requests January 9, and the Cowboys subsequently showed interest in the Texas native. While most who receive interview requests take those meetings, Kingsbury is being patient this time around. Already having an interesting past regarding NFL interest, Kingsbury has since seen Daniels adjust his thinking further. The potential superstar’s trajectory was rumored to be dissuading Kingsbury from leaving Washington so soon.

Kingsbury, 45, has already gone from being fired by a Big 12 program (Texas Tech) only to be hired as an NFL HC; the Cardinals formed that unusual path for Patrick Mahomes‘ college coach in 2019. Kingsbury did snap a five-year Cardinals playoff drought by guiding the 2021 team to the postseason, but his tenure turned after a woeful 2022.

The Cardinals fired Kingsbury and did not bring back longtime GM Steve Keim, rebooting and ultimately sending their HC back to the college ranks. Kingsbury catching on as USC’s position coach, where he mentored Caleb Williams, helped his stock. Several teams reached out with OC interview requests — to the point at least two teams offered jobs. Kingsbury backed out of a Raiders agreement and joined the Commanders, who are believed to have offered him a three-year deal.

Daniels is all but certain to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, Brock Bowers‘ record-setting season notwithstanding, and losing his play-caller after Year 1 would have introduced a hurdle. Kingsbury now will reset and prepare to further develop Washington’s dual-threat sensation, as other teams monitor him ahead of the 2026 HC carousel.

Kellen Moore, Mike McCarthy, Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver represent those still believed to be vying for the Saints’ HC post. Kingsbury having a rising Commanders team as a fallback option proves important here, as the Saints are again standing alone in terms of cap space (or lack thereof, in New Orleans’ case) and they have an onerous Derek Carr contract to navigate. The Saints’ next HC will likely be tasked with finding a long-term QB solution either this year or next, and limited funds — a Saints staple — will impact this effort.

Kingsbury’s current team having found said answer will allow the experienced play-caller to keep rebuilding his stock. Although Bobby Slowik‘s C.J. Stroud partnership represents a cautionary tale here, Kingsbury will bet on Daniels keeping him in the HC mix beyond this year.

23 comments New Orleans Saints Newsstand Washington Commanders

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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Minor NFL Transactions: 1/25/25

By | at January 25, 2025 7:38 pm

Today’s standard gameday practice squad elevations in advance of championship Sunday:

Buffalo Bills

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

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Jets Moving Toward Aaron Glenn, Lance Newmark Hires

By | at January 21, 2025 11:12 pm

11:12pm: It doesn’t sound like any deals will come together tonight. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both Glenn and Newmark have left the Jets facility without deals. Connor Hughes of SNY.tv cautions that all sides will continue to talk, so there’s no huge cause for concern within the Jets front office.

4:45pm: The clear favorites for the Jets are known regarding both the head coach and general manager vacancies. Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Commanders AGM Lance Newmark are meeting in person with the team today, paving the way for a potential hire in both cases.

New York’s reported intention is to work out an agreement with Glenn before he leaves the facility; especially if that proves to be the case, Newmark could soon agree to take on GM duties. The two have worked together in Detroit, and Newmark is the only candidate so far who has met with the Jets for a second time regarding the general manager vacancy. This situation could produce a pair of hires very soon.

Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports optimism is building with respect to both Glenn and Newmark being brought onboard. An agreement has yet to be finalized in either case, but that could of course change at any time. Considering Glenn has already been in contact with potential coordinator hires, it would come as no surprise if he were to agree to a New York deal. If that does not take place today, however, the Saints will continue to loom as an alternative destination.

Newmark’s Commanders are one of the four teams still playing, but as the Titans’ hiring of former Chiefs exec Mike Borgonzi demonstrated, front office personnel are free to join new teams at any time. Coaches whose seasons have ended cannot do the same, but the Lions’ upset loss this weekend left Glenn (along with Ben Johnson) on the market earlier than expected.

The Jets have leaned heavily on The 33rd Team’s Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to lead the search for both the HC and GM roles. Both processes have been wide-ranging, but further signs indicate they have come to an end. SNY’s Connor Hughes reports other candidates are being contacted and told they are out of the running, all-but confirming a Glenn-Newmark tandem will soon officially be in place.

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Cowboys Have ‘Mutual Interest’ With Anthony Lynn For HC Job

By | at January 20, 2025 8:25 pm

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has been mentioned as an early contender for the Cowboys’ head coaching vacancy, but he may not want to leave Washington after his success with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Dallas may then pivot to Kingsbury’s run game coordinator and running backs coach, Anthony Lynn. He coached the same position for the Cowboys in 2005 and 2006 and later went 33-31 in four seasons as the Chargers’ head coach.

There is “mutual interest” between Lynn and the Cowboys, according to WFAA’s Ed Werner, putting another reunion on the table in Dallas. Former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has already interviewed for the head coaching job, and ex-players Deion Sanders and Jason Witten have also been mentioned as possibilities.

Lynn has not received serious head coaching consideration since he was fired by the Chargers after the 2020 season. He spent 2021 and 2022 as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, then moved onto San Francisco were he served as assistant head coach while also overseeing their running backs. He was in contention for the Commanders’ offensive coordinator gig in 2023, but lost out to Eric Bieniemy, who held the job for just one season.

A year later, Lynn was hired onto Kingsbury’s staff where the two put together one of the league’s top rushing attacks in 2024. The Commanders finished third in rushing yards, fourth in yards per carry, and fifth in rushing touchdowns during the regular season despite injuries to both Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. Lynn helped get the most out of Daniels, whose 891 rushing yards led the team and ranked second among all QBs this year.

Lynn won’t be available to interview with the Cowboys until at least next week. Neither will Kingsbury, as both coaches will be fully focused on extending the Commanders’ surprising playoff run.

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Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

By | at January 19, 2025 10:00 pm

Two weekends of playoff football have come and gone, providing us with 10 more draft slots cemented into position as NFL teams continue to be eliminated from the playoffs. The top 18 picks were already divvied up at the conclusion of the regular season to the teams who failed to make the playoffs, while picks 19-28 have been determined over the past two weeks.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order has been determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. The playoff squads are being slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular-season record.

The league’s Super Wild Card weekend resulted in the elimination of Chargers, Steelers, Broncos, Packers, Buccaneers, and Vikings after their respective losses. Tampa Bay benefitted from the three-way tie in record with Denver and Pittsburgh, just as the Chargers did over the Packers.

The divisional round of the playoffs resulted in the elimination of the Texans, Rams, Ravens, and Lions. This time, Houston held the tiebreaker over Los Angeles, gifting it higher draft priority.

We are still at a place that, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, there is a chance that every team drafts in the first round, as no first-round picks have yet been traded. It’s extremely unlikely that this will remain the case, as draft-day trades are a very common occurrence, but it’s still an interesting concept to note this close to the draft.

Here is how the draft order looks following two weeks of playoff football:

  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 (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. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
17 comments 2025 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Cowboys Expected To Expand HC Search; Kliff Kingsbury On Team’s Radar?

By | at January 19, 2025 9:55 pm

Given the timing on the decision to move on from Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys are slightly behind other head coach-needy teams around the NFL. A list of candidates has emerged over the past few days, but it could grow in the near future.

[RELATED: HC Search Tracker]

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Dallas is expected to speak with more potential hires over the coming days (video link). Once the divisional round concludes, several notable coaches will become eligible to conduct in-person interviews with the six teams still in need of a new HC. The Lions’ in-demand duo of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are among the staffers available to be hired at any time starting tomorrow, and to no surprise ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes they represent the next two dominoes to fall in the hiring cycle (video link).

Glenn was mentioned yesterday as a potential Cowboys target, but to date no connections have been made between Dallas and Johnson. A different candidate with an offensive background could be on the team’s radar, though. Rapoport names Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury as someone who could receive an interview request from the Cowboys. Washington’s season is ongoing, of course, something which will delay the process by which he could land his next head coaching gig.

Kingsbury returned to the pro game this offseason by joining Dan Quinn‘s staff. The former Cardinals coach and USC staffer has drawn praise for the performance of the Commanders’ offense in general and the play of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels in particular. The Bears and Saints have submitted interview requests for the 45-year-old, while the Jaguars have also been mentioned as a potential suitor. Kingsbury made it clear last week he will not take part in any interviews (even virtual ones) until the Commanders’ season comes to an end.

The only remaining interview on the Cowboys’ docket as things stand is with Seahawks assistant Leslie Frazier. Dallas was not among the teams to request an interview with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, although he is now off the market for at least one more year as a result of his Longhorns extension. It will be interesting to see which other targets emerge for the Dallas vacancy with an increased pool of candidates available.

For the time being, though, here is where things stand with the Cowboys:

17 comments Dallas Cowboys Washington Commanders

Commanders’ Sam Cosmi Suffers ACL Tear

By | at January 19, 2025 2:45 pm

2:45pm: Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has since confirmed (via Rapoport) Cosmi suffered a torn ACL. He will miss the rest of Washington’s playoff run in addition to considerable time next season as a result.

12:10pm: The Commanders pulled off a stunning upset of the NFC’s top-seeded Lions in last night’s divisional round contest, though the win came with a price. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link), Washington fears that starting right guard Sam Cosmi suffered a significant knee injury during the game, and Cosmi is likely to miss the remainder of the club’s postseason run as a result.

Cosmi, who will turn 26 next month, was selected by the Commanders in the second round of the 2021 draft. He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, but after he turned in a stellar 2023 campaign – Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best guard out of 79 qualifiers – Washington made sure to prevent the converted tackle from hitting the market. 

Before the 2024 regular season got underway, the Commanders authorized a four-year, $74MM pact for Cosmi, a deal that keeps the Texas alum under club control through 2028. While only $26.6MM of the contract value was guaranteed at signing, the team clearly envisions him as a long-term O-line fixture.

PFF was not as high on Cosmi’s 2024 work as it was on his 2023 efforts, but his 67.8 overall grade still positioned him as the site’s 23rd-best guard out of 75 qualified players. His work in pass-blocking remained strong – he yielded just one sack and even fewer pressures than he did in 2023 – though his run-blocking suffered a bit in PFF’s estimation.

Nonetheless, his loss will be acutely felt as the Commanders seek to secure their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1991 season. Cosmi is arguably the best blocker on the club’s offensive front, and as good as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is, losing one of Daniels’ top protectors will sting.

Plus, any knee injury of a certain magnitude that a player sustains at this point in the calendar could affect that player’s availability for the following season. An upcoming MRI will reveal more, but for now, it appears certain that the Commanders will rely on Trent Scott to fill the RG void for the rest of the playoffs.

6 comments Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/18/25

By | at January 18, 2025 5:08 pm

Saturday’s minor moves, including stand gameday practices squad elevations for the weekend’s remaining divisional playoff games:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Rams

Philadelphia Eagles

Washington Commanders

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NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 11/17/25

By | at January 17, 2025 10:04 pm

Friday’s reserve/futures contracts around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

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