Declan Doyle Left Bears, Joined Ravens To Call Plays
Declan Doyle was planning to stay in Chicago for at least one more year. The 29-year-old withdrew from the Eagles’ search for a new offensive coordinator, telling them he would remain with the Bears, who were under the same impression.
Then, the Ravens came calling, and their offer – to work with Jesse Minter and call plays for Lamar Jackson – was too good to turn down. Ben Johnson‘s presence in Chicago would keep Doyle from ever becoming the Bears’ play-caller. With many (though not all) teams looking for such experience when hiring new head coaches, Doyle accepted the job in Baltimore.
While Minter and Jackson were major draws, Doyle was already working with one of the league’s most exciting head coach-quarterback duos in Johnson and Caleb Williams. Instead, the opportunity to develop and call his own offense put the appeal of the Ravens’ offensive coordinator gig over the top, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Jackson was named MVP in his first season with his last two offensive coordinators, Greg Roman and Todd Monken. The latter’s success with Jackson is a major reason he was named the Browns’ new head coach last week.
Similar results from Doyle will keep him on the radar for future head coaching gigs. He is already seen as a fast riser in the coaching world with time under Johnson and Sean Payton, two of the most respective offensive minds in the league. He played a key role in revitalizing the Bears in 2025, and success in Baltimore will further boost his resume for future hiring cycles.
Cowboys To Interview Georgia OLBs Coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is looking to the college ranks to fill his new staff in Dallas. Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe will interview for a position on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Uzo-Diribe, 33, has spent the last decade working in a variety of roles at the college level. He was a starting defensive lineman at Colorado, and after a brief stint with the Saints, returned to Boulder in 2016 as a graduate assistant.
Uzo-Diribe then went to Kansas as a defensive quality control coach in 2019 and received a promotion to outside linebackers coach the following year. One-year stints as the defensive line coach at SMU and TCU followed after which Uzo-Diribe was hired by Kirby Smart to lead the OLB room at Georgia. The Bulldogs churned out three first-round outside linebackers – Nolan Smith in 2023 and Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker in 2025 – during Uzo-Diribe’s tenure.
Interviewing an outside linebackers coach is yet another sign that the Cowboys will be switching their base defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 under Parker. Ejiro Evero, Vance Joseph, and Vic Fangio – the last three defensive coordinators under whom Parker worked – all run 3-4 schemes, which typically requires separate coaches for inside and outside linebackers.
This would be a major departure from the Cowboys, who have run a 4-3 since Jason Garrett was hired as head coach in 2013. His first defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, installed a 4-3 scheme to replace the 3-4 system first brought to Dallas by Bill Parcells. Every subsequent Cowboys DC – Rob Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and Matt Eberflus – used a 4-3 defense, a trend that seems very likely to end with Parker.
Todd Monken Was Browns’ ‘Strong No. 1 Choice’
The Browns’ decision to hire Todd Monken surprised many around the NFL, but very few in Cleveland. The former Ravens offensive coordinator was the “strong No. 1 choice” of the team’s entire search committee, including general manager Andrew Berry, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Monken, 59, beat out Nate Scheelhaase and Jim Schwartz for the job. Scheelhaase, the 35-year-old Rams’ passing game coordinator, is viewed as a future head coach around the league, including by the Browns. Schwartz has been the Browns’ defensive coordinator since 2023 and is currently trying to force his way out of Cleveland after being passed over for the head coaching gig.
The trio of finalist was determined by the Browns’ unorthodox hiring process that prioritized coaches’ resumes and reviews from former players and colleagues over their interviews, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Monken has a strong history with younger players dating back to an impressive stint as the head coach at Southern Miss, and his references included Jameis Winston, one of his quarterbacks in Tampa Bay; Kirby Smart, his head coach at Georgia; and Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens’ longtime front office executive.
That information, obtained early in the hiring process, kept Monken in the running even as younger candidates with hotter names interviewed for the job. Kevin Stefanski emerged as an early favorite in 2020 for similar reasons.
These reports could be interpreted as spin from the Browns after criticism of their coaching search, which featured several candidates who withdrew from consideration. Their decision to tap Monken over Scheelhaase is understandable, given his relative youth and inexperience, but opting not to promote Schwartz could cost them a coach they had been planning to keep all along.
Only time will tell if the Browns’ out-of-the-box approach to finding their new head coach will yield better results than more standard hiring practices. Monken has a tough task in front of him – Cleveland has won just eight games in the last two years – but the team seems confident that he can get the most out of their young roster.
Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Chargers
For nearly a decade, the Chargers stood as the top Chiefs challenger in an AFC West that rarely featured great competition for Andy Reid's bunch. But the Broncos overtook the Bolts this season, zooming to the AFC's No. 1 seed. With the Chiefs unlikely to be down for long, competition in this division figures to be fierce in 2026. The Chargers will be in the mix again, after two straight playoff berths under Jim Harbaugh. But two consecutive uninspired wild-card showings have brought questions about where this operation can go.
Some vintage Chargers injury luck resurfaced in 2025, with Rashawn Slater going down in training camp and Joe Alt suffering a season-ending injury around midseason. The team also lost a central figure in its early-Harbaugh success when Jesse Minter became the Ravens' head coach. But the Bolts probably upgraded when they hired Mike McDaniel to run things on the other side of the ball.
Coaching/front office:
- Fired OC Greg Roman; Mike McDaniel named replacement
- DC Jesse Minter hired as Ravens' HC; Chris O'Leary named replacement
All six of Harbaugh's NFL seasons came with Roman calling offensive plays. Roman unleashed Colin Kaepernick, helping the 49ers to three straight NFC championship games and Super Bowl XLVII before calling the shots in Lamar Jackson's first MVP season. But the run-oriented OC's style has a habit of growing stale. The Chargers retrained Justin Herbert compared to his years under Anthony Lynn and Brandon Staley, with his pass attempts number freefalling under Roman. Offensive line issues limited the Chargers in 2025, but they ranked 20th in scoring offense and 25th in EPA per play.
AFC East Notes: Hall, Hill, Patriots, Bills
It is fairly well known the Jets have wanted to retain Breece Hall. After all, they rejected a Chiefs offer believed to include a fourth-round pick at the deadline. The Jets eyed at least a third, and they retained the four-year starter as he finished his first 1,000-yard rushing season. As the likely top running back set to be available in free agency, Hall could command a salary around $12MM per year. With Aaron Glenn continually speaking highly of the former second-round pick, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini mentions the franchise tag as a possibility to ensure he stays in New York. The running back tag is expected to cost more than $14MM, per OverTheCap, though precise tag figures are not yet known. The transition tag could also be a possibility, per Cimini. That is expected to come in just south of $12MM, though the Jets would not be entitled to any compensation if Hall signed an offer sheet and departed.
The Jets are projected to hold the fourth-most cap space, so a tag would be a way to ensure Hall does not bolt for a contending team. Rumors ahead of the deadline pointed to the RB wanting to be moved, though he denied he requested a trade. Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- Tyrod Taylor played out a two-year, $12MM Jets contract. After backing up Aaron Rodgers in 2024, Taylor began this season as Justin Fields‘ understudy. The team then turned to Taylor after Fields struggled, but by season’s end, overmatched rookie Brady Cook was taking snaps. A November report indicated the Jets were likely done with Taylor, but Essentiallysports.com’s Tony Pauline indicates the team has interest in re-signing him. If the Jets re-sign Taylor, he would be placed into a third offensive system in three years as the team hires a new OC. That, of course, would not be new for Taylor — a veteran of six teams during a 15-year career. The Jets retaining Taylor would give them some continuity as they search for a new starter.
- The NFL is investigating allegations from Tyreek Hill‘s wife, who has accused the All-Pro wide receiver of domestic abuse over an extended period. The league is reviewing parts of Hill’s deposition in his divorce case with Keeta Vaccaro, the Miami Herald’s Grethel Aguila notes. Vaccaro filed for divorce and alleged eight incidents of domestic violence. Hill is no stranger to such accusations. He was arrested in 2014, pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend in college, and was later the subject of an NFL investigation into abuse claims by the same woman — the mother of his oldest children — in 2019. Hill and Vaccaro’s divorce trial is expected to begin in June. Hill, 31, is expected to be a Dolphins cap casualty soon.
- Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was arrested on a domestic assault charge late last year, and the Boston Globe’s Travis Anderson indicates the sixth-year defender’s arraignment has been pushed back to March. The arraignment was initially scheduled for Tuesday, but Barmore’s lawyer pushed for a delay. This will prevent Barmore from making a court appearance during Super Bowl week. Any suspension for the high-priced D-lineman would likely come before or during the 2026 season.
- Jordan Phillips has enjoyed three stints with the Bills, returning after being released by the Cardinals and Cowboys. Phillips’ third Bills stay came after the Cowboys moved on midway through the 2024 season; he re-signed with Buffalo in August. The veteran defensive tackle spent the past two years in Buffalo and does not want to relocate again if he continues his career. Phillips, 33, is amenable to continuing his career but only wants to do so in Buffalo, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg tweets.
Bills To Rehire Bobby April III, John Egorugwu; Team Adds Drew Terrell To Staff
Two former Bills defensive coaches are returning under new DC Jim Leonhard. The team is rehiring Bobby April III and John Egorugwu, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. They will coach the Bills’ outside and inside linebackers, respectively.
Buffalo is also making two new hires, with Schefter adding the team is bringing in Drew Terrell as its wide receivers coach and adding former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Jay Valai as its cornerbacks coach. Terrell interviewed for the Chargers, Commanders and Falcons’ OC jobs last month.
April is coming to Buffalo after three years as Stanford’s defensive coordinator. More notably with regards to this Bills hire, April worked with Leonhard at Wisconsin from 2018-22. April served as the Badgers’ OLBs coach during that span, which featured Leonhard as the Big Ten program’s DC and interim HC. Before heading to Madison, however, April was linebackers coach under Rex Ryan in Buffalo from 2015-16. April is the son of former NFL ST coordinator Bobby April Jr.
While April’s Bills stint occurred before Brandon Beane‘s arrival, the current GM was on staff when Egorugwu was in place previously. The Bills hired Egorugwu from the Ravens in 2017. Egorugwu, who completed a notable jump in being a 2015 Ravens hire weeks after he had pledged to work at then-Division I-FCS Missouri State, was on Sean McDermott‘s staff from 2017-20. The final three years featured him as assistant LBs coach. Egorugwu spent the past four seasons as the Giants’ linebackers coach under Brian Daboll, having reunited with ex-Bills coworkers Daboll and Joe Schoen after a season at Vanderbilt.
Terrell spent the past three seasons as the Cardinals’ pass-game coordinator under Drew Petzing. Terrell had spent the previous three seasons as wideouts coach in Washington under Ron Rivera. Valai spent the past four seasons as Oklahoma’s co-DC, having previously coached at Texas and Alabama. He worked under Bob Sutton as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 2018. While Valai was a former Wisconsin DB, his tenure did not overlap with Leonhard’s time as a player or a coach with the program.
Eagles DC Vic Fangio Expected To Return In 2026
FEBRUARY 2: Fangio did indeed “seriously entertain” retirement in recent days, but PHLY Sports’ EJ Smith reports the Eagles are now “confident” he will remain in place for at least one more year. A third season with Philadelphia as the team’s D-coordinator can be expected.
FEBRUARY 1: The Eagles have already made a change at offensive coordinator this year, hiring Sean Mannion to replace the demoted Kevin Patullo. It is unclear whether the club will also be in search of a new defensive coordinator.
During a recent appearance on The Anthony Gargano Show, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network said he has not heard that DC Vic Fangio is retiring, nor has he heard that Fangio will return (video link). He added that he would not be surprised either way.
According to Garafolo, during the Eagles’ Super Bowl party last year, Fangio told his fellow attendees that he appreciated working with them and suggested he was going to end his career on a high note with a Super Bowl ring. And then he elected to continue working.
It sounds as if something similar transpired this year. Citing multiple sources, Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com says Fangio told the team he was retiring, only to be convinced to come back for at least one more season. That said, a team spokesperson declined to confirm that Fangio would remain in place in 2026.
Following up on Kempski’s report, Garafolo reiterates that while Fangio appears to be leaning towards returning at the moment, that could still change. Dianna Russini of The Athletic also heard that Fangio waffled a bit in 2025, but a team source told her that “we’ll convince him to stay” in 2026.
It is not difficult to see why the Eagles want Fangio to return. One of the most respected and influential defensive minds in the game, Fangio joined Philadelphia in his current capacity in 2024, after a collapse on the defensive side of the ball torpedoed the club’s chances of a deep postseason run the year prior. A concerted effort to address deficiencies in the secondary certainly helped, but after the Eagles finished 26th in total defense and 30th in scoring defense in 2023, they finished first and second, respectively, in those areas in 2024. They went on to capture the second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
Although Fangio’s unit regressed a bit in 2025, its performance was still respectable (13th in total defense, fifth in scoring defense). This time, it was the Patullo-directed offense that undermined Philadelphia’s championship aspirations.
Additionally, with a rookie play-caller in the offensive coordinator seat, it stands to reason that head coach Nick Sirianni wants some stability and experience among his top lieutenants. It does appear the Eagles have been formulating a backup plan just in case Fangio decides to call it quits.
According to Kempski, Philadelphia reached out to former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, whose success in that role over the 2021-22 campaigns helped him become the Cardinals’ head coach in 2023. Arizona cut ties with him last month, and he subsequently accepted the Packers’ DC position.
Philly was also planning to contact Jim Schwartz, per Kempski. Schwartz was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator when they won their first Super Bowl title at the end of the 2017 season. After being passed over for the Browns’ head coaching job in this year’s cycle, Schwartz reportedly wants out of Cleveland, where he has worked as the DC since 2023.
Now 67, Fangio previously said he wants to finish his coaching career as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. It is too soon to say whether that time has already come. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer says Fangio has not responded to questions about his future since the 2025 season came to an end.
Broncos Want To Extend GM George Paton; Vikings On Radar?
George Paton has completed one of the more interesting GM recovery efforts in recent memory. After a disastrous 2022 offseason that brought the Nathaniel Hackett hire and the Russell Wilson trade/extension sequence, the veteran GM has presided over a Broncos turnaround.
Denver overcame two years of historic Wilson dead money to make the playoffs in both seasons, including a 2025 No. 1 seed and AFC championship game berth. When Paton took over for John Elway in 2021, he signed a six-year contract. That makes 2026 a platform year. Although Paton is technically a lame duck as it stands, the Broncos want to keep his partnership with Sean Payton going long term.
[RELATED: Bo Nix Addresses Sean Payton Injury Comments]
“We’d love to have both of them here long term,’’ Broncos CEO Greg Penner said, via 9News’ Mike Klis. “I think the partnership they’ve created and how they work together, it’s very complementary. In terms of their contracts, those are things that we’ll always deal with on a personal basis in private and take that as it comes.”
A recent report indicated the Broncos were eyeing a second Paton contract, and one will need to be worked out soon if the team indeed will keep the Payton-Paton pair together beyond 2026. The longtime NFL exec lost some power when he orchestrated the January 2023 trade for Payton, but the team has done well to rebound. While the Payton-Bo Nix union has led the way, the GM’s round of extensions have been no small part of that.
From 2024-25, the Broncos extended six All-Pro or Pro Bowl players — Patrick Surtain, Quinn Meinerz, Garett Bolles, Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto. All six were honored as All-Pros or Pro Bowlers in 2025, with five of the six receiving one or both those distinctions in 2024 a well. Paton’s 2021 draft class produced Surtain, Meinerz and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper; the latter is also tied to an extension.
The Broncos hired Paton after his lengthy run with the Vikings, who employed him from 2012-20. Paton served as Vikings assistant GM from 2015-20, becoming a regular GM candidate in that span. A year after removing his name from Browns consideration, Paton took the Broncos’ job. The Vikings now have a GM vacancy, having fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday. With his Broncos contract not yet extended, Paton’s name has floated in connection with a potential Minnesota return, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis note. Paton still has strong relationships with Minnesota, per The Athletic.
Paton, 55, was Rick Spielman‘s top lieutenant with the Vikings. He was there long enough to cover the Brett Favre seasons all the way to Kirk Cousins‘ second Vikes contract. The franchise made the playoffs with five different starting quarterbacks from 2009-19. The Vikings hired Paton from the Dolphins in 2006.
Considering the success the Broncos have begun to achieve with this regime, it would surprise if the team let its GM out of the building. Despite Payton having no relationship with Paton upon arrival in 2023, the veteran HC has spoken well of his partnership with the GM since. The Broncos would have to grant the Vikings permission to interview Paton, since the hire would be a lateral move. But Minnesota interest could give the sixth-year GM some leverage as he prepares for extension talks in Denver.
Rams Expect To Retain WR Davante Adams For 2026
As part of the Rams’ roster moves at the receiver spot last offseason, Davante Adams was added via free agency. His two-year pact was structured in a way which left Los Angeles an out during the 2026 offseason. 
The Rams are currently set to have Adams carry a $28MM cap charge for next season. The team could create $20MM in savings with a trade, while a release carrying a post-June 1 designation would free up $18MM. Neither route should be expected, however. Head coach Sean McVay said on Monday (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) he has “no reason to believe” Adams will not be retained for 2026.
[RELATED: Rams Extend McVay, GM Les Snead]
The former Packer, Raider and Jet arrived with the Rams tasked with providing a veteran presence following the release of Cooper Kupp. Adams was limited to 14 games during the regular season due to a hamstring injury, but he was a key figure on the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense. The 33-year-old totaled a league-leading 14 touchdowns while adding 789 yards on 60 catches. Adams managed to return to the lineup in time for the playoffs, posting a statline of 11-185-1.
Puka Nacua is eligible for an extension this offseason, and he will no doubt become one of the league’s highest-paid wideouts once his new deal is in place. That will need to be taken into consideration as the Rams contemplate the Adams situation. The six-time Pro Bowler is owed $24MM next season; $6MM of that figure will be paid out as a roster bonus in mid-March. Any efforts to work out a restructure or extension will take place before that point.
Tutu Atwell remained in place with the Rams by signing a one-year, $10MM deal last offseason. He once again faces the possibility of departing via free agency this spring, although there will not be a strong market in Atwell’s case after he made just six catches in 2025. Los Angeles is currently projected to be among the league leaders in cap space this offseason. That should help accommodate Adams’ jump in cap hit along with any potential Nacua raise if one is to be finalized this spring.
Adams has played 12 seasons in the NFL, with most of them seeing him play alongside Aaron Rodgers. Another reunion with the four-time MVP would come as a surprise at this point, but a second campaign partnered with Matthew Stafford would allow Adams to remain a productive contributor.
Titans To Hire Gus Bradley As DC
Known to be an interested party with respect to Gus Bradley, the Titans are indeed bringing him aboard. Tennessee is hiring Bradley for the role of defensive coordinator, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. 
The 49ers assistant saw Raheem Morris brought in as San Francisco’s new defensive coordinator yesterday. That move opened the door to a departure on Bradley’s part. The Titans and Cardinals emerged as potential destinations in short order. As such, today’s news come as little surprise.
Robert Saleh returned to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator last year. Following one season in that familiar role, the ex-Jets head coach managed to land a new HC gig with Tennessee. Bradley loomed as a candidate to be promoted as Saleh’s replacement in San Francisco. Instead, he will now follow Saleh to Nashville.
Saleh will call plays on defense, a departure from his approach during his time in New York. Bradley’s newest DC gig will still see him handle a key role on staff, though, and he will represent another experienced voice in Tennessee. Brian Daboll is in place as the Titans’ offensive coordinator, and Saleh’s staff also includes longtime special teams coordinator John Fassel. Tennessee prioritized veteran coaches in the team’s HC search, and several of them are now in the fold.
Bradley has worked as a defensive coordinator with the Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts over the course of his lengthy NFL career. The 59-year-old also served as the head coach in Jacksonville from 2013-16. His record on that front has not yielded a second HC opportunity, but Bradley remains a well-regarded defensive mind around the league. He spent 2025 with the title of assistant head coach/defense in San Francisco.
The Titans saw Dennard Wilson depart last month when he took the defensive coordinator position on John Harbaugh‘s staff. Tennessee ranked second in the NFL in total defense during Wilson’s first year in place, but the team regressed in 2025 in a number of areas. Improvement across the board will be sought out with Saleh and now Bradley in place.
Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is a final look at how Tennessee landed on Bradley for the defensive coordinator position:
- Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Hired
- Aaron Whitecotton, defensive line coach (Cowboys): Interview requested; hired as DL coach
- Al Harris, defensive backs coach (Bears): Interviewed 1/24
- Mike Rutenberg, defensive pass-game coordinator (Falcons): Interview requested
- Dino Vasso, defensive backs coach (Texans): Interviewed 1/24