Packers Finalize 2026 Coaching Staff
The Packers reshuffled their coaching staff this offseason, potentially more than they wanted to.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was hired as the Dolphins’ new head coach, while special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia abruptly resigned and took up the same position at Clemson. Green Bay filled both vacancies relatively quickly, but finalizing their various assistant roles took longer.
Their full staff has since come into focus (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman). On the defensive side of the ball, DeMarcus Covington has moved from defensive line to outside linebackers coach, though he retains his title of run game coordinator. Vince Oghobaase has been promoted from assistant defensive line coach and will now lead the unit.
Former 49ers assistant Daniel Bullocks arrived in Green Bay in February without an official title. He has since been announced as the cornerbacks coach, a continuation of his work with defensive backs in San Francisco.
Will Smart (quality control) and Scott Fuchs (analyst) are the final two additions to new DC Jonathan Gannon’s staff. Smart comes to the Packers from Vanderbilt, where he served as a pass rush specialist in 2025. He previously worked with Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner at Wake Forest. Fuchs has primarily been an offensive line coach in his career. After 30 years in the college ranks, he moved to the NFL in 2024 as the Titans’ assistant OL coach. He will now apply his expertise on the defensive side of the ball.
On special teams, the Packers promoted Cory Harkey to assistant special teams coach after he served in quality control role last year. Jeff Koonz, who served as a defensive assistant in 2025, will have the same title under new special teams coordinator Cameron Achord.
Green Bay made fewer changes to their offensive staff,. The latest addition is quality control coach T.C. McCartney. He has a decade of NFL experience with four different teams in various offensive roles. McCartney did not coach in 2025, but he oversaw Drake Maye‘s rookie season as the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach the year before.
Browns’ New-Look OL Taking Shape
The Browns fielded one of the league’s oldest offensive lines last season, but the unit will look very different in 2026. How different remains to be seen – the starting five has started to take shape but is far from finalized.
General manager Andrew Berry said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) that the left tackle spot is currently occupied by 2023 fourth-rounder Dawand Jones. The 24-year-old has lined up at both tackle positions during his time in Cleveland with 20 total starts. He opened the 2025 season as the starting left tackle but was benched in Week 3.
The Browns’ draft plans could push Jones out of the picture. They are expected to pursue an offensive tackle with one of their two first-round picks, but several top prospects lined up on the right side in college. Cleveland may prefer keeping a rookie at their natural position and flipping Tytus Howard from right to left tackle.
The Browns have multiple options on the interior after signing Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson in free agency. Both have spent the most time at left guard, but Jenkins can play center, too. Teven Jenkins would then play right guard.
Again, Cleveland’s draft haul could factor in here. Adding a pure center could bump Elgton Jenkins to either guard spot with Johnson taking up the other. Berry also said that the door is still open for Joel Bitonio, who is contemplating retirement after 12 years as Cleveland’s starting left guard. If he returned, he would retain that job, keeping Jenkins at center and moving Johnson to right guard, where he lined up as a rookie.
The Browns have prioritized versatility in their offensive line room. They have multiple starting options at every position except center, and they will likely add at least one more player to the mix in the draft. Then, it will be up to new head coach Todd Monken to identify the best five-man combination by Week 1.
5 Key Stories: 3/29/26 – 4/5/26
With the annual league meeting now in the books, attention around the NFL will increasingly turn to the upcoming draft. That will bring about several key storylines, but the past few days have been busy as well. Here is a quick recap of the past week’s top stories:
- Walker Lands Jaguars Extension: Talks between Travon Walker and the Jaguars proved to be successful. Team and player agreed to a four-year, $110MM deal which will keep the former No. 1 pick in place through 2030. Walker secured $77MM in total guarantees along with $50MM fully locked in at signing. The 25-year-old saw his sack total drop to 3.5 in 2025 after two straight double-digit campaigns, but he will be counted on as a mainstay along the defensive front for years to come. This deal comes two years after Jacksonville’s previous regime inked Josh Hines-Allen to a big-ticket deal of his own. The Jags are also in negotiations with receiver Parker Washington and tight end Brenton Strange, so it will be interesting to see if agreements can be reached with them prior to the start of the 2026 season.
- Cousins Joins Raiders: Following his Falcons release, Kirk Cousins drew interest from a number of teams. The free agent quarterback elected to join the Raiders, though, setting him up for a stint atop the depth chart early next season. Vegas is still universally expected to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall, and the Heisman winner will of course be viewed as the team’s quarterback of the future. Cousins, 38 in August, nevertheless managed to add further to his impressive total in terms of guaranteed money with this agreement. He will collect $10MM in 2026 (much of which will be Atlanta’s responsibility) while another $10MM is set to be paid out early next offseason as a roster bonus. Cousins’ future past that point is unclear, but he has his next NFL gig lined up.
- Chiefs’ Rice Will Not Be Suspended: Rashee Rice is the subject of a civil lawsuit alleging domestic violence, something which prompted an NFL investigation. The Chiefs wideout will not be subject to a suspension, however, with the league’s probe concluding that the personal conduct policy was not violated in this case. Rice opened the 2025 season with a six-game suspension for his role in a hit-and-run incident, but the coming campaign will begin under different circumstances. The former second-rounder is entering the final year of his rookie contract; a strong showing would provide Kansas City’s offense with a needed playmaker while also increasing his chances of remaining in the fold beyond 2026.
- Rams’ Nacua Staying At Rehab Center: It was recently learned that Rams wideout Puka Nacua checked himself into a rehab facility in Malibu, California in March. He remains there at this time, with a focus on “personal growth” being the target. Nacua, 24, has been involved in multiple off-field matters early in his NFL career, including accusations made by a woman regarding an alleged incident on New Year’s Eve in 2025. Nacua is now the subject of a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim, with a hearing scheduled for next week. Nacua has been one of the NFL’s top receivers since arriving in Los Angeles three years ago, but no extension is imminent in his case as he approaches the final year of his rookie contract.
- Bears Already Planning Williams Extension: As a 2024 draftee, Caleb Williams will not be eligible for an extension until next offseason at the earliest. The Bears will nevertheless devote time this summer to exploring the terms of a new deal for their franchise quarterback. Williams enjoyed a strong first year playing under Ben Johnson in 2025, helping lead Chicago to the divisional round of the playoffs. Especially if the former No. 1 pick delivers a similar showing this year, a monster commitment will likely be in store. In any case, Williams is likely to have his fifth-year option exercised next spring, something which would keep him under team control through 2028.
Dolphins Likely To Hold Competition At Multiple OL Spots
New Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been busy positioning the team for the opening stages of a long-term rebuild. That has included the departure of several veterans, although center Aaron Brewer is still in the fold.
Brewer earned second-team All-Pro honors for his play in 2025, the second year of his Miami tenure. An extension is in the team’s plans in Brewer’s case, something which is only true of a small number of other incumbent players. Left tackle Patrick Paul is coming off his first full season as a starter, and the 2024 second-round pick can be expected to remain a mainstay on the blindside.
The Dolphins’ other three offensive line spots are much less certain, however. Jonah Savaiinaea struggled during his rookie season, leaving the door open to a replacement in the starting lineup under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley. Free agency brought about the addition of Jamaree Salyer, who is expected to compete for the starting right guard gig. Meanwhile, veteran right tackle Austin Jackson is still in the fold, although his health has long been a talking point. Jackson, a pending 2027 free agent, has only totaled 14 appearances across the past two seasons.
“Savaiinaea can be the first one to tell you, he’s got to be more consistent,” Sullivan said (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). “And on the right side, we have some questions that we’ve got to get answered. [Jackson] is coming back. We’re excited to get him back.. And then we’re going to have a competition at the right guard spot.
“But I like a lot of pieces on the offensive line, the left tackle and the center especially. I think there’s going to be competition elsewhere.”
As one might expect given the team’s massive dead money charges for 2026, Miami is near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space. A notable free agent move should not be expected as such, but some of the Dolphins’ 11 draft picks could of course be devoted to adding up front. That would set up one or more training camp competitions as Miami seeks needed improvement on offense for 2026.
Packers To Make RB Addition
Josh Jacobs has spent the past two seasons as the Packers’ top running back. A heavy workload can once again be expected for 2026, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the team’s backfield will take shape.
Green Bay has MarShawn Lloyd on the books, but injuries have proven to be a major issue in his case. The 2024 third-rounder was limited to just one game during his rookie season, and he was out of the lineup this past year. Lloyd will look to carve out a role during training camp, with the same being true of Pierre Strong – who inked a futures deal in January – as well as special teams regular Chris Brooks.
“I like our group,” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said at the recent league meeting (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). “We’re certainly gonna add competition to that room. But I like — whether it’s MarShawn as we get him healthy and get him going, [and] Pierre Strong’s there. There’s guys we really like, but I’m sure there will be more competition to come.”
Jacobs is owed $11.6MM for 2026, the third season of his four-year free agent pact. The former Raider earned his third career Pro Bowl nod in 2024 as he enjoyed a strong debut season in Green Bay. 2025 saw Jacobs’ efficiency and overall production take a step back, although he remained a strong red zone presence with 13 rushing touchdowns. RB1 duties can be expected moving forward, but adding a consistent backup would no doubt help the 28-year-old in particular and Green Bay’s offense in general.
A number of veteran backs such as Najee Harris, Joe Mixon, Austin Ekeler and Antonio Gibson are unsigned at this point. That will likely remain the case until after the upcoming draft, but in any event a low-cost deal would likely be feasible for most or all of those options. The Packers have roughly $22MM in cap space at the moment, so affording a depth addition should not be a challenge.
A rookie draft selection will of course receive consideration as well. Green Bay currently does not have a first-round pick thanks to the Micah Parsons trade, but the team still has seven overall selections. The 2026 RB class is not held in high regard beyond Jeremiyah Love, who will be long gone by the time the Packers are on the clock for the first time. Whether through free agency or the draft, though, it would come as no surprise if Green Bay were to make at least one backfield move.
Browns Unlikely To Re-Sign CB Martin Emerson
A late-July Achilles tear cost cornerback Martin Emerson the entire 2025 season. It appears the injury will also end Emerson’s Browns tenure. The team is not expected to re-sign the free agent, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
A third-round pick in 2022, Emerson came off the bench in 11 of 17 appearances as a rookie. He then took a starting job from Greg Newsome during a four-interception second season and continued in that role in 2024. Emerson did not pick off any passes that year, though, and Pro Football Focus ranked him a bottom-10 corner.
Despite Emerson’s struggles in his most recent healthy season, he started a career-high 15 games and led Browns corners in snap share (76.48%). A similar workload may have been in store had Emerson stayed healthy last year, especially with Newsome on the trade block at the time. The Browns pulled the trigger on a Newsome deal a couple of months later, sending him to Jacksonville in an October swap for fellow corner Tyson Campbell.
General manager Andrew Berry said he would “love to have [Emerson] back” in 2026, per Cabot, but he acknowledged it could be difficult because the Browns have two set starters at corner. Between the Jags and Browns, Campbell logged the second 17-start season of his five-year career. PFF ranked Campbell a solid 30th among 112 corners. He will continue opposite Denzel Ward, Emerson’s former running mate, next season.
Now eight months removed from a severe injury, Emerson is a free agent at an inopportune time. Assuming the 25-year-old lands another contract, it will be a low-cost deal.
Jets Favor Arvell Reese At No. 2 Overall?
With the Raiders all but guaranteed to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall, there is more intrigue surrounding the Jets at No. 2. A pair of Ohio State linebackers, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, as well as Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey are candidates for New York’s top selection. Still two-plus weeks away from having to make a decision on April 23, the Jets are “leaning toward” Reese, Rich Cimini of ESPN reports.
[RELATED: Jets, Cardinals Could Take Similar Approach]
Reese’s versatility may tip the scales in his favor as the Jets transition to a 3-4 base defense that will use multiple fronts. As Cimini notes, Reese played 356 snaps at outside linebacker and 238 as an off-ball LB in 2025. Reese handled all responsibilities with aplomb during a season in which he earned consensus All-America honors and Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. The 6-foot-4, 241-pounder totaled 69 tackles, 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks over 14 games.
Although Reese did not post gaudy numbers in 2024 (43 tackles and a half-sack in 16 games), Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is unconcerned. In that regard, Glenn likens Reese to Texans five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, who recorded just 4.5 sacks in three years at LSU. Hunter has since racked up 114.5 during a prolific decade in the pros.
“His stats weren’t up there, but he had all the traits and he’s had a coach that can coach him to be where he’s at right now,” Glenn said of Hunter (via Cimini). “So I look at [Reese] the same way. Man, it’s a combination of the traits and this combination of the football character again. Is that player coachable enough to be able to do the things that you want him to do to be successful?”
By now, Glenn and the Jets should have a good idea of whether Reese is “coachable.” Jets brass took extra time to meet with Reese at Ohio State’s pro day in late March. They also dined with Reese in Columbus, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Cimini). If the Jets draft Reese, it would give them another pass rusher to join holdover Will McDonald and free agent pickups Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. He would also supply another off-ball option to a team that reunited with Demario Davis in free agency and has Jamien Sherwood entering the second season of a three-year, $45MM deal.
Turning to other early draft possibilities for the Jets, it would count as “an upset” if they pass on taking a wide receiver sometime in the first two rounds, Cimini writes. No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell will play big roles in 2026, but the Jets have little else at the position. Considering the team owns four of the draft’s top 44 picks, that could change soon.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Crosby, Commanders, Aiyuk, Eagles
The Cowboys were aggressive in trade talks for Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby earlier this offseason, submitting multiple offers before ultimately falling short. Las Vegas agreed to send Crosby to Baltimore for two first-round picks, but the deal fell apart after the five-time Pro Bowler failed the Ravens’ physical. Crosby continues to pop up in trade rumors almost a month later, though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones does not expect to circle back (via Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS). “I don’t anticipate, standing here right now, revisiting that situation,” Jones said. “I don’t anticipate it. Is it possible? Yes.”
While Jones is not slamming the door on another Crosby pursuit, it is notable that Cowboys physician Dr. Dan Cooper raised concerns over the defender’s surgically repaired meniscus before he failed his physical. The Ravens consulted with the well-respected Cooper during the process. Unless Dallas does a 180 on Crosby, its best hope to upgrade its pass rush could be via the draft. The Cowboys are scheduled to pick 12th and 20th in the first round.
Here’s more on Dallas and a pair of NFC East rivals:
- Washington is considered the most likely destination for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but San Francisco will have to release him first. The Commanders are not going to trade for Aiyuk, according to John Keim of ESPN. The 49ers are in no rush to cut Aiyuk, who is still tied to the four-year, $120MM extension he signed in August 2024. The team has gotten almost nothing from the deal, as Aiyuk has not played since suffering a knee injury that October. The 28-year-old is now coming off a bizarre season in which he distanced himself from the team during his recovery. The 49ers placed Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list in December. Odds are they will eventually cut him, but the Commanders are not going to bank on a release and “bypass other potential options,” Keim writes.
- Having lost Reed Blankenship to the Texans in free agency, the Eagles are down a starting safety to pair with Andrew Mukuba. Nickel cornerback Michael Carter II and safety Marcus Epps, whom the Eagles re-signed on the cheap, are among in-house options to fill the void. To no surprise, general manager Howie Roseman intends to address safety during the draft (via Brooks Kubena of The Athletic). “In some shape or form we will add at that position,” Roseman declared.
- Shifting back to Dallas, the team is in the market for a nickel cornerback, Jon Machota of The Athletic relays. No. 1 corner DaRon Bland has slot experience, including 200 snaps last year, but the Cowboys prefer to keep him on the outside. While Reddy Steward amassed 384 slot snaps in 2025, Pro Football Focus ranked his play a lackluster 99th among 112 qualifiers. Notably, the Cowboys have visited with Miami’s Keionte Scott, one of the highest-rated nickel CBs in this year’s draft class.
- The Cowboys will stage “an open competition” between backup quarterbacks Joe Milton and Sam Howell for the No. 2 job, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via Machota). The Cowboys sent a fifth-rounder to the Patriots for Milton and a seventh-rounder a year ago. Starter Dak Prescott went on to enjoy a healthy and productive campaign, which left little playing time for Milton. Howell, who joined the Cowboys on a one-year deal last month, was a 17-game starter in Washington in 2023. The 25-year-old has not made a start since then, and he didn’t even play a snap as a third-stringer in Philadelphia last season.
TE, S Among Panthers’ Potential First-Round Targets
The Panthers have set up a “30” visit with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., signaling they could spend their first-round pick on a wide receiver for the third straight year. Head coach Dave Canales acknowledged choosing a wideout at 19th overall is a possibility, though there are also other positions on the Panthers’ radar in their search for an impact rookie (via David Newton of ESPN).
“It could be a wideout. It could be a tight end. Could be a safety,” Canales said. “There’s a couple of dynamic safeties that could free us up. The pass-rush class, we’ve got to still kind of see where they are at the top. Where do we think the top guys are going? Look at the mocks and all that, and see where there might be a little bit of a dropoff there.”
The Panthers have already taken a home run swing on a pass rusher this offseason, having given former Dolphin and Eagle Jaelan Phillips a four-year, $120MM payday in free agency. On the other hand, they have not made any needle-moving additions at tight end or safety, leaving room for upgrades.
Carolina is set to welcome back top three tight ends Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans next season, but there is not a big-time pass-catching threat in the group. If the Panthers invest in the position with their first-rounder, odds are they will end up with Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. Barring something unforeseen, no other tight end will come off the board in Round 1 this year.
Sadiq’s stock was already high after a second-team All-America season in which he won Big Ten Tight End of the Year honors. He further helped his cause with a stellar performance at the Combine. The highlight of the 6-foot-3, 241-pounder’s showing was a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. That is the fastest 40 time for a tight end since at least 2003.
At safety, the Panthers brought back Nick Scott on a modest one-year deal early in free agency. He and Tre’von Moehrig easily led Panthers safeties in snaps last year. Scott, Moehrig and 2025 fourth-rounder Lathan Ransom remain in the fold, but Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren may be the type of “dynamic” options Canales, general manager Dan Morgan and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero are seeking at the position. Either Thieneman or McNeil-Warren would give Carolina someone with star potential to pair with Moehrig, who is a lock to start in the second season of a three-year, $51MM contract.
Patriots Could Pursue Maxx Crosby Trade
Since the Raiders-Ravens Maxx Crosby trade fell through, expectations have turned to Crosby remaining in Las Vegas. Interest from other suitors could of course emerge, however.
One team to watch in that regard could be the Patriots. New England is open to making notable trades deep into the 2026 offseason, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe confirms. One such move could be an A.J. Brown trade, something a majority of PFR’s readers believe will indeed take place after June 1.
The Patriots remain the most popular presumed landing spot for Brown in the event he is dealt from the Eagles. Regardless of what happens on that front, Volin points to Crosby as a potential New England trade target. A trade for two first-round picks was agreed to with Baltimore before a failed physical nixed the deal.
Concerns were raised about the long-term health outlook of his surgically repaired knee, something which will no doubt lower the value of any trade worked out in the future. Especially given the discounted price of a future Crosby acquisition, Volin writes a Patriots pursuit would not come as a surprise. The Patriots came up as a Crosby suitor before the Ravens reached their agreement.
New England managed just 35 sacks during the 2025 season, so upgrading the pass rush represented a clear goal entering the new league year. The team has not been busy through free agency so far, though, and as expected K’Lavon Chaisson departed on the open market. That leaves the edge as an area of need entering the draft for the reigning AFC champions. Acquiring Crosby – a Pro Bowler in each of the past five years, including the one full campaign in which Pats OC Josh McDaniels was Vegas’ head coach – would certainly provide a boost in the pass rush department.
The 28-year-old is under contract through 2029. Crosby is owed $30MM in salary for the upcoming season, and his $29MM in base compensation for 2027 has already vested. A major financial commitment would thus be needed for the Patriots or any other team in addition to the draft capital to swing an agreement with Vegas. The Raiders have issued a stance against further trades in Crosby’s case, but it remains to be seen if that will hold throughout the course of the offseason.
New England is still in a strong position with respect to cap space after entering the new league year with plenty of spending power. Part of the team’s financial planning will obviously be dependent on a Brown trade being finalized later on, but it will be interesting to see if the Patriots also check in regarding a Crosby move.