Giants Hire Mike Bloomgren As OL Coach
The Giants will hire Mike Bloomgren as their offensive line coach, Bob Brookover of NJ Advance Media reports. Bloomgren held the same position with the Browns in 2025, his lone year on the job.
The 49-year-old Bloomgren, known as a disciple of renowned offensive line coach Bill Callahan, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alabama in in 1999. Bloomgren’s first NFL opportunity came as an offensive quality control coach with the Jets in 2007. Callahan joined their staff a year later. The two spent three seasons together until Blomgren returned to the college level.
Bloomgren was Stanford’s O-line coach from 2011-17, a seven-year stint in which he also served as the run game coordinator for two seasons and the offensive coordinator for five. He then earned a promotion as Rice’s head coach. Although Bloomgren held the post for almost seven full seasons, the Owls went just 24-52 under him. Rice fired Bloomgren after a 2-6 start in 2024.
Bloomgren is now coming off a rough season in Cleveland, whose offensive line dealt with a rash of injuries. Guard Joel Bitonio appeared in all 17 games and played almost 100% of snaps, but fellow guard Wyatt Teller, tackles Dawand Jones and Jack Conklin, and center Ethan Pocic all missed significant time. The Browns’ banged-up line ended the season as Pro Football Focus’ 31st-ranked group.
Now on his way to the Giants, Bloomgren will work with head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy for the first time. Bloomgren will take over for Carmen Bricillo, whom the Titans hired last week, and inherit a better situation up front than he had in Cleveland.
With Bricillo’s help, PFF graded the Giants’ line as the ninth-best unit in the league in 2025. Cornerstone left tackle Andrew Thomas, left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and center John Michael Schmitz are all under contract for 2026. However, right-side starters Jermaine Eluemunor (tackle) and Greg Van Roten (guard) are on track to hit free agency in March. Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen will have offseason decisions to make at those spots.
Elsewhere on New York’s staff, Harbaugh is expected to bring in Broncos cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch as the Giants’ defensive backs coach, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. After two years as a defensive quality control coach, the Broncos elevated Lynch to a bigger role this past season. Although Ja’Quan McMillian enjoyed an especially strong 2025 campaign under Lynch, the Broncos fired the coach last week.
Also a former assistant with the Chargers, Raiders and Lions from 2018-22, Lynch doesn’t have any working experience with Harbaugh or new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. They’ll attempt to improve a pass defense that finished a middling 16th in 2025 after adding a pair of pricey free agents, cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, last offseason. The Giants are now facing the potential exits of corner Cordale Flott and safety Dane Belton in free agency this year.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Likely To Seek Trade
FEBRUARY 7: The belief around the league is that Crosby “would be highly interested in pursuing a change of scenery,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes. The Raiders would indeed demand a significant return, but they won’t force Crosby to stay if he wants out, according to Russini. As of now, an offseason trade seems like a strong possibility.
FEBRUARY 5: The dustup between Maxx Crosby and the Raiders regarding his injury shutdown brought considerable awkwardness, and teams around the league monitored the situation closely. That is likely to continue.
As Klint Kubiak will soon prepare to transition from Super Bowl play-caller to one of the architects behind the latest Raiders rebuild, he will soon be briefed on the Crosby situation. We heard last month a Crosby trade would be in play, and Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reinforces that. Crosby is likely done in Las Vegas, according to Glazer, who indicated during an appearance on Yahoo Sports Daily the injury issue last season and the prospect of another Raiders rebuild will likely push the eighth-year edge rusher to seek a trade.
The Raiders would want to keep Crosby, per Glazer, who would expect any trade to unfold before the draft. A Crosby trade would arm the Raiders with considerable draft ammo, but it is important to note the player is more eager to find an exit door than the team is to accommodate him. That could lead to an impasse, but the Crosby trade watch continues as the 2025 season wraps.
As many as 20 teams contacted Glazer after the contentious injury shutdown occurred. With Crosby displaying elite form in 2025, the Raiders would certainly ask for a first-round pick and then some ahead of the All-Pro’s age-29 season. The Raiders are not strangers to holding multiple first-round picks in a draft, but they squandered opportunities upon trading Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. A new regime would be tasked with making a two-first-rounder draft pay off — in the event Crosby is moved before this one.
Pete Carroll was believed to be against a Crosby shutdown, moving the blame/credit (as the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick) on the front office. This stands to benefit Kubiak, who will soon be coaching (barring a shocking course change) Fernando Mendoza and either have Crosby ready for an eighth season or a substantial picks package in exchange for trading the standout edge rusher.
The Raiders’ Carroll-Tom Brady-John Spytek regime extended Crosby last March, pushing his contract through 2029. Two years remained on the deal Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler authorized in 2022, and Crosby secured a $35.5MM AAV on his new pact. The Raiders would not be significantly affected by dead money, despite having paid Crosby recently, in the event of a trade. The contract includes a $30MM base salary for 2026 that would be transferred to an acquiring team. Rather than load up the deal with signing bonus money that would go on Las Vegas’ cap in the event of a trade, this regime made Crosby’s guarantee consist mostly of 2025 and ’26 base salaries.
Frontloading the contract will make it easier to move, pointing to this Raiders regime having a potential trade in mind when it structured the deal. If the Raiders trade Crosby, they would only be on the hook for his 2026 signing bonus proration ($5.1MM) in dead money. That represents an opportunity if Brady and Spytek want to go down this road.
When the shutdown happened before Week 17, Crosby “vehemently disagreed” with the decision. With Glazer reporting the edge rusher’s displeasure with the Raiders’ decision, it is not too hard to connect dots here. A report then indicated Crosby would evaluate his future in Vegas, and a video of him playing basketball and jumping on a trampoline despite an injured knee represented a clear message to the Raiders. The team, which also placed Brock Bowers on IR before a Week 17 loss to the Giants, had incentive to lose and completed the mission — a goal Crosby did not share.
Glazer pointed to a Micah Parsons-like return for Crosby. Las Vegas two first-rounders would be a bit of a surprise considering Parsons was heading into his age-26 season. But, as referenced above, Crosby is signed through 2029 on a contract that has since been dwarfed by Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson. That would be attractive to contending teams.
A bidding war would obviously benefit the Raiders, but we have seen these situations resolved peacefully in the recent past. Myles Garrett went from saying he was done in Cleveland to signing a four-year, $160MM extension. With the Raiders already paying Crosby, money may not resolve this matter. But no trade request has emerged. The Raiders have also refused to part with Crosby at recent trade deadlines, with Mark Davis confirming his top player’s unavailability at the 2024 deadline. The Patriots and Seahawks asked about Crosby before his extension last year. It does appear now, however, that Raiders fans need to prepare for the prospect of one of the best defenders in franchise history being moved soon.
Poll: Who Will Win Super Bowl LX?
Eleven years after the Malcolm Butler interception, the Patriots and Seahawks will reconvene to decide an NFL champion. Super Bowl LX is the Patriots’ 12th Super Bowl appearance and the Seahawks’ fourth, but none of the players who played in Super Bowl XLIX are involved here. A small percentage of these rosters carry Super Bowl experience, but for the most part, retooled teams will vie for this year’s title.
The Patriots have completed one of the great turnarounds in NFL history, moving from 4-13 in back-to-back seasons to a 14-3 record en route to the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Drake Maye trailed Matthew Stafford by one first-place vote in the MVP race, as the QBs contested the closest vote since 2003. The Patriots added some veterans around their QB’s rookie contract, as the Seahawks did 11 years ago around Russell Wilson‘s, but their coaching moves became the most significant alterations.
Mike Vrabel is set to coach in his first Super Bowl after playing in four with the Pats from 2001-07. The former linebacker/goal-line pass catcher joined Ben Johnson as the top HC candidates available last year, and while interest from other teams emerged, Vrabel committed to a New England return quickly. Robert Kraft made a mistake in not conducting a coaching search in 2024, committing years before to promote Jerod Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick, and the owner acknowledged that miss by firing him after one season. Vrabel has played the lead role in restoring the Pats to a Super Bowl team.
Vrabel’s decision to bring back Josh McDaniels for a third Patriots OC stint has made a considerable difference as well. Fired in-season by two AFC West teams, McDaniels is unlikely to earn a third HC opportunity. No interviews came this year, despite Maye’s ascent to the MVP precipice. McDaniels topping out on the OC tier would be a boon for the Patriots, as they could ensure Maye play-calling continuity with a defensive head coach. That is rather rare in the modern NFL.
McDaniels, 49, could provide a tremendous advantage for the underdog Pats on Sunday night. The veteran staffer is set for his sixth Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator. This ties Steve Spagnuolo — McDaniels’ former Rams boss — for the most Super Bowls by a coordinator. But McDaniels was with the Patriots for their Super Bowl XLVI appearance, rejoining the team under OC Bill O’Brien after his Rams one-and-done, and he was on Belichick’s staff for the Pats’ first three Tom Brady-era Super Bowls.
The Pats do not have any players left from their Brady-years Super Bowl berths, having bid farewell to Jonathan Jones, David Andrews, Deatrich Wise and Joe Cardona this past offseason. But the Vrabel-McDaniels pairing stands to help in a game where the AFC champion looks to have the inferior roster.
New England used its cap space to add ex-Vrabel Titans edge rusher Harold Landry and win the Milton Williams sweepstakes. No 2025 FA (Sam Darnold included) received a bigger at-signing guarantee than Williams’ $51MM. The Pats also signed O-line starters Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury. With Maye and Christian Gonzalez on rookie deals, the Pats gave Carlton Davis a three-year, $48MM accord.
Seeing Chris Godwin reject a strong offer, the Patriots inked Stefon Diggs, who has led a third team in receiving during an 11-year career. The team’s K’Lavon Chaisson flier (one year, $3MM) has paid dividends as well, with the former Jaguars first-round bust upping his free agency stock with a 7.5-sack season. The team’s 2025 draft class yielded four starters — left tackle Will Campbell, LG Jared Wilson and safety Craig Woodson, kicker Andres Borregales — and oft-used RB2 TreVeyon Henderson. Campbell, Henderson and Wilson helped the Maye-led offense rank first in EPA per play.
It is certainly worthwhile to mention the Patriots’ favorable schedule to reach this point. New England’s docket included just one victory over a team with a winning record (an October victory in Buffalo), and its playoff slate brought unimpressive offensive work. That postseason schedule featured a Texans team missing Nico Collins (and then second-leading receiver Dalton Schultz), and the Broncos losing Bo Nix late in their divisional-round win may well have altered the Super Bowl matchup, as the Pats limped to a 10-7 win over a Jarrett Stidham-quarterbacked team.
New England will face a more formidable opponent in Seattle. The Seahawks went 14-3 and led the NFL in DVOA; the Patriots ranked ninth. Seattle’s defense ranked first in scoring and second in EPA per play.
Mike Macdonald‘s team beat six regular-season opponents with winning records. While the Seahawks feasted on an injury-battered 49ers team in Round 2, the NFC’s No. 1 seed left no doubt with a 41-6 dismantling. The Seahawks then outdueled MVP Matthew Stafford in a thrilling Rams rubber match; DVOA slotted Los Angeles second this season.
The Seahawks did well to bail on Geno Smith extension talks when they did, foisting another declining quarterback on an AFC West team. John Schneider‘s previous such move — the 2022 Russell Wilson blockbuster — armed the Seahawks with an eight-asset package that helped set up this Super Bowl team. The Broncos ended up trading two top-10 picks, which became left tackle Charles Cross and Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Schneider, who became the Seahawks’ lead decision-maker via Pete Carroll‘s 2024 firing, has moved toward a Hall of Fame-caliber resume thanks to these two trades and guiding a team back to a Super Bowl berth with a fresh nucleus.
Seattle’s Klint Kubiak OC hire helped the team lure Darnold to town, and the team did well to sign the 2024 Vikings Pro Bowler to a three-year, $100.5MM deal. Darnold only received $37.5MM guaranteed at signing; another $17.5MM is due days after the Super Bowl. Given Darnold’s performance, it is safe to assume he will remain on the roster when that guarantee vests next week.
While the Seahawks only boasted one receiver with more than 600 yards, Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s 1,793 led the NFL and earned him Offensive Player of the Year acclaim. Schneider also made a savvy deadline addition with Rashid Shaheed, acquiring the contract-year deep threat/return man from the Saints for fourth- and fifth-round picks. Shaheed has returned a kickoff and a punt for a score while providing Seattle with a solid auxiliary receiving option alongside Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp.
Macdonald’s defensive expertise has illuminated the value defense-oriented HCs can bring — amid annual quests for offense-oriented leaders — and additions DeMarcus Lawrence and Nick Emmanwori have made impacts. Emmanwori joins guard Grey Zabel as pivotal 2025 draft choices for the NFC champs, who also have benefited from re-signing Leonard Williams (2024) and Ernest Jones (2025) after trades. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues with Shaheed.
The Seahawks are currently 4.5-point favorites over the Patriots. Will Seattle win championship No. 2 and avenge the Butler sequence, or will New England break a tie with Pittsburgh to claim its seventh Super Bowl crown? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the matchup in the comments section.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz Resigns
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was a finalist to become their head coach, but the job ultimately went to Todd Monken on Jan. 28. Schwartz made it clear afterward that he wanted to leave Cleveland, and he’ll do just that a little over a week later. Schwartz has resigned, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network was among those to report.
In announcing Schwartz’s departure, the Browns stated: “Yesterday, Jim Schwartz submitted his letter of resignation as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns. We’d like to thank Jim for his contributions to our organization over the last three seasons. Our search for a new defensive coordinator will begin immediately.”
The Browns tried to retain Schwartz as their defensive leader for a fourth season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Although they were unable to do it, they continue to hold his rights, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes. The 59-year-old is not expected to coach anywhere in 2026, per Garafolo. He stepped down with two years left on his contract.
Schwartz was the Lions’ head coach from 2009-13, but he hasn’t gotten another shot since he guided the team to a 29-51 record and one playoff berth in five seasons. While his time in Detroit didn’t go well, Schwartz was a top-tier defensive coordinator with the Titans from 2001-08. He has thrived in that role with the Bills (2014), Eagles (2016-20) and Browns (2023-25) since the Lions let him go. Schwartz won Super Bowl LII in Philadelphia.
After returning to Tennesee as a senior defensive assistant from 2021-22, now-former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski brought him in to replace Joe Woods as their D-coordinator. The Browns earned their most recent playoff berth in Schwartz’s first season, and his defense was a major contributor. The unit topped the league in total defense and ranked 13th in points allowed. Schwartz subsequently picked up AP Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
The Browns’ win total plummeted from 11 to three in 2024, during which their defense submitted below-average marks in yards (19th) and points (27th). Although the Browns struggled again during a 12-loss campaign this past season, Schwartz’s group did its best to make up for a bottom-of-the-barrel offense.
Cleveland’s defense rebounded to finish fourth in yards and 14th in scoring in 2025. End Myles Garrett set the all-time single-season sack record (23) en route to unanimous Defensive Player of the Year honors. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger also took home hardware on Thursday, the day Schwartz tendered his resignation. Schwesinger was voted the unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year after piling up 156 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions in 16 games.
Despite the success Garrett, Schwesinger and the rest of the Browns’ defense enjoyed under Schwartz, it wasn’t enough to earn a promotion. The Browns are higher on the offensive-minded Monken after his terrific three-year run as the Ravens’ play-caller. Monken, who emerged as the “strong No. 1 choice” in the Browns’ HC search, now faces the unenviable task of replacing Schwartz.
During his introductory press conference on Tuesday, Monken expressed a desire to continue with the same defensive system in the event of Schwartz’s exit. With that in mind, Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso and defensive pass game coordinator Cory Undlin are names to watch for the Browns, Rapoport relays.
Vasso and Undlin serve under Texans DC Matt Burke, a Schwartz disciple who worked with him in Detroit and Philadelphia. Schwartz also had Vasso and Undlin on his staff with the Eagles, and now either could end up replacing him in Cleveland in the coming days. Undlin is familiar with the organization, having worked as a Browns assistant from 2005-08.
NFL Mailbag: Pats, Crosby, Tua, Kyler
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag contains a Super Bowl prediction and answers questions on Maxx Crosby, the Dolphins' and Cardinals' quarterback situations and the Rooney Rule.
Davis asks:
How improbable has this Patriots Super Bowl run been? Is this more a masterful coaching job by [Mike] Vrabel and strong GM effort by Eliot Wolf or an example of a good, not great team catching enough breaks to make it this far? Also, who wins Sunday?
Let’s start by setting the scene at the onset of the 2025 season. New England’s longtime Bill Belichick successor (Jerod Mayo) lasted only one year as a head coach and much of the staff present for his disastrous 4-13 season was replaced. Vrabel, Josh McDaniels (again) and Co. took over a team not carrying much in the way of postseason expectations.
Rams To Hire Kliff Kingsbury
As the coordinator carousel spins, Kliff Kingsbury was connected to a few of the jobs that opened up this offseason. But it looks like the recent Commanders OC will land in a popular spot.
The Rams are planning to add Kingsbury to their offensive staff, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager report. It does not appear this is for the OC job Mike LaFleur vacated, though the ESPN duo does not specify what position Kingsbury will take on Sean McVay‘s staff.
This staff has been a launching pad for upward mobility, and Kingsbury has seen a recent Los Angeles stopover reignite his career as well. Kingsbury moved back onto the coordinator radar after coaching quarterbacks at USC in 2023.
McVay’s staff just sent three-year OC Mike LaFleur to the head coaching ranks. Prior to that, McVay OCs Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell landed HC jobs, as did quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor. Previous McVay OC Liam Coen is now a head coach, and McVay-era Rams DCs Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris enjoyed HC chances as well.
McVay’s recent comments on his OC situation point to an internal promotion. The 10th-year HC said (via Stu Jackson of the team website) the Rams have “great candidates in-house.” Pass-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is the top candidate to become the next Rams OC, having pledged to stay in Los Angeles after losing out on the Browns’ HC job. Scheelhaase received more HC interviews than Mike LaFleur did, and it should be expected he will become McVay’s fifth OC.
As for Kingsbury, Schrager notes he and McVay have been in talks for more than two weeks. Kingsbury, 46, was in the mix for the Giants’ OC job; once that went to Matt Nagy, a clearer path back to L.A. formed. Kingsbury’s stay with the Trojans lasted just one season, when he coached Caleb Williams. It reignited his career, leading to a host of OC interest in 2024. Based on the interest of the past three offseasons, his four-year run as Cardinals HC and McVay’s history of losing staffers to promotions elsewhere, Kingsbury should be expected to receive extensive HC interest again in 2027.
Kingsbury opted to stay in Washington after his first season as Commanders OC produced a stunning NFC championship game berth. But an injury-plagued Jayden Daniels second season brought disagreements between Kingsbury and his bosses. Adam Peters was said to have issues with Kingsbury, while Dan Quinn looked to have lost some faith in his play-caller as well. This led to a dismissal. Kingsbury then interviewed for the Ravens and Titans’ head coaching jobs. He later circled back to both teams as an OC candidate, interviewing for the Giants’ OC position as well.
The former Texas Tech HC’s only two NFL jobs have been on the HC and OC levels, which will make this an interesting fit. But McVay and Kingsbury have been friends for a while, making it unsurprising the two will link up for at least one season. Kingsbury’s six combined seasons of HC/OC experience at the NFL level stands to help the Rams, who have an advantage when it comes to recruiting assistants due to McVay’s stellar track record of sending them up the league ladder.
It will be interesting to learn Kingsbury’s role. It is possible he takes Scheelhaase’s pass-game coordinator position if/once the latter is promoted to OC. Neither will call plays, as McVay operates in that role. But Scheelhaase is 11 years younger than Kingsbury, making for an interesting dynamic.
This hire also could set up a 2027 scenario where McVay loses two offensive assistants to HC jobs. That has not happened yet, and it is rare when a team hires a non-coordinator for a head coaching job. Taylor’s move from QBs coach to Bengals HC is one of the exceptions, however.
Ravens Expected To Hire Marcus Brady To Offensive Staff
The Ravens continue to work on filling out their coaching staff under new head coach Jesse Minter. One of the newest updates comes from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports who reports that Chargers offensive pass game coordinator Marcus Brady is expected to join Baltimore’s offensive staff. 
Brady’s road to the NFL was an intriguing one. After wrapping up his collegiate playing career at Cal State Northridge, Brady went undrafted in both the NFL and CFL in 2002 before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. He played seven years in the CFL before immediately shifting to a coaching role in 2009. By 2012, he had become an offensive coordinator and spent six seasons as an OC in Canada. After winning the Grey Cup in 2017, Brady finally got an opportunity in the NFL.
Brady’s first NFL job came in Indianapolis under then-head coach Frank Reich. He spent a year as assistant quarterbacks coach before being named to quarterbacks coach the next year. When Nick Sirianni departed for the head coaching job in Philadelphia two years later, Brady was promoted to offensive coordinator, though Reich was calling plays. After Reich was fired midseason, Brady was let go, as well, and he rebounded quickly, landing with Sirianni as an offensive assistant for the Eagles.
Brady has frequented offensive coordinator interviews over the years. In 2024, the Chargers considered him for their OC position before hiring him to his most recent role. Last year, he interviewed for the OC jobs in New England and Tampa Bay, and the Chargers interviewed him again this year before hiring Mike McDaniel. Now expected to depart, Brady will likely hold the same offensive pass game coordinator title in Baltimore.
Looking to fill out another position on the offensive staff, the Ravens are also expected to hire Broncos pass game specialist Zack Grossi to be their tight ends coach, per Zenitz. Baltimore recently signed veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year extension, meaning he will get a chance to enhance his numbers as the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions (484), receiving yards (5,952), and receiving touchdowns (56). The rest of the room is currently a bit of a mystery as Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are both set to hit free agency. Grossi was diagnosed with cancer partway through the Broncos’ 2024 campaign and declared cancer-free eight months later.
On the defensive side of the ball, Zenitz reports that Baltimore is hiring Duke assistant coach/defensive ends coach Harland Bower to serve as their new outside linebackers coach. In 2024, the Blue Devils finished sixth in the NCAA in sacks (43) and third in tackles for loss (116). Their sack numbers dipped a bit in 2025, but they finished strong in tackles for loss once again, ranking 11th in the nation with 93. He’ll be in charge of coaching up a position group that underperformed for the Ravens in 2025. Veterans Kyle Van Noy and Dre’Mont Jones, as well as David Ojabo, are headed for free agency, but young pass rushers Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, and Adisa Isaac all return in 2026.
Lastly, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Chuck Pagano will not be retained on Minter’s staff in Baltimore. The former Colts head coach came out of four years of retirement to rejoin John Harbaugh‘s staff for the 2025 campaign, but with Harbaugh now departed, he’ll take his leave now, as well.
Eagles Didn’t Offer DT Milton Williams Before Free Agency
After a strong season to close out his rookie contract in Philadelphia, Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams found himself on the outside looking in at his two talented, first-round pick teammates. With the Eagles looking ahead at the potential of needing to eventually extend both Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, Williams didn’t even receive an offer from the team that drafted him before departing in free agency, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic. 
Realizing that the Eagles were shifting their focus to the younger Georgia duo, Williams made his desires known. While most breakout players exit their contract years seeking to cash in as much as possible on their second deals, even if it means joining a losing team, Williams expressed a desire to stay in a winning situation. In his four years with the Eagles, the team made the playoffs every season, alternating conclusions between first-round losses to the Buccaneers and Super Bowl matchups with the Chiefs.
Unfortunately for Milton, the two teams that pursued him the hardest finished the 2024 season a combined 9-25. After some early interest from the 4-13 Patriots, the 5-12 Panthers looked to be pursuing an agreement with the young defensive lineman. Ultimately, the team with the lesser record won out, and New England signed Milton to the largest free agent deal of the offseason. While quarterback Sam Darnold edged Milton out in annual average value with his move to Seattle, there was no free agent deal last year that saw a higher total value than Williams’ four-year, $104MM contract with the Patriots.
It turned out, though, that Williams was, in fact, heading to another winning situation. In coming to New England, not only did Williams find himself on a team that finished with more total wins than any other team in the league (17, including playoffs), but he also found himself heading right back to the Super Bowl. As current underdogs, Williams and his teammates will have to pull off an upset in order to secure him consecutive rings, but to even have this opportunity in February is a fortunate situation to be in.
As the years roll on, the Eagles may not necessarily regret letting Williams walk without so much as an offer as they attempt to tie themselves to Carter and Davis long term. Regardless, Williams certainly benefitted from taking the opportunity to cash in on his strong contract year and unexpectedly landed in a good situation, nonetheless.
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Not Throwing At NFL Combine
Coming off a Heisman-winning, championship season, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has become the overwhelming favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Already sitting atop most draft boards, Mendoza has chosen to pass on the opportunity to improve his stock. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Mendoza doesn’t intend to throw at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. 
Mendoza is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he led the NCAA with 41 touchdown passes. Accompanying those scores was a 72.0 completion percentage, 3,535 passing yards, and only six interceptions. In two blowout College Football Playoff games leading to a berth in the National Championship, Mendoza dominated Alabama and Oregon, throwing eight touchdowns to only five incompletions — not interceptions, incompletions.
Coming off some of his best play on college football’s biggest stages, Mendoza sees no need to go for a big day in Indianapolis in front of coaches, scouts, and general managers. “The combine, I don’t think throwing’s going to be a priority just because it’s such a quick turnaround,” Mendoza said on a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Mendoza had previously mentioned attending the combine, so it looks like he’ll at least be in Indianapolis to interview with any teams who think he stands a chance at falling past the first pick of the draft. While drills at the combine appear to be off the table, Mendoza told McAfee and company that he intended to help his wide receiver teammates as best he could at the Hoosiers’ pro day.
“At the combine, you’re throwing to different receivers, it’s a whole different thing,” he said. “And I want to make sure I give my guys the best chance. I want to throw at pro day with my guys, with my running backs and be there with the boys.”
Mendoza is likely referring to his top targets this year, wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt, who are both projected to be Day 2 picks in April. While scouts likely would’ve appreciated seeing him throw with players he hasn’t spent the whole season with, his stock at the moment doesn’t seem to have anywhere to go but down. He’ll help his receivers look good to help them potentially improve their draft stock, but participating in the combine won’t do much to help his already sky-high stock.
RB Kenneth Walker Wants To Re-Sign With Seahawks
In November, a report surfaced indicating Kenneth Walker was not a clear-cut re-signing target for the Seahawks. But circumstances have changed since. The team has advanced to Super Bowl LX, and Zach Charbonnet is out after suffering an ACL tear in the divisional round.
Charbonnet is under contract for one more season but is now rehabbing a major injury. Walker is set for free agency, and Mike Macdonald recently expressed interest in the former second-round pick staying. Walker, 25, also wants to remain in the Pacific Northwest.
“I’ve been here four years, so you know I’ve gotten to know a lot of stuff about Seattle, and you know a lot of the city, and I feel like they feel good about me as well,” Walker said, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra. “So if it was my choice, though, I’d definitely stay.”
Considering the talent gap between Walker and his healthy backups, it would behoove the Seahawks to enter into contract talks. The team has barely a month left of exclusive negotiating rights with its starting running back. Walker is poised to join Breece Hall and Travis Etienne as the top RBs available on this year’s market. Hall has been connected to a possible franchise tag, which is projected (via OverTheCap) to come in around $14.5MM. A transition tag, which brings no compensation in the event of an unmatched offer sheet, is projected to cost more than $11MM.
The Seahawks are in great shape, cap-wise, having signed Sam Darnold to what looks like a wildly team-friendly contract. They are projected to hold more than $73MM in cap space. The team will likely enter extension talks with Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but talks with DB Coby Bryant did not produce a deal. Defenders Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen also are expected to hit free agency next month. Walker could suddenly profile as a player at or near the top of the NFC champions’ priority list.
Walker stayed healthy this season, playing 17 games, and posted his second 1,000-yard slate (1,027) but has seen injury trouble affect him during periods on his rookie contract. And the team gave Charbonnet a bigger role in 2025. Charbonnet tallied a 49% snap share this season to Walker’s 47%. The 2023 second-round pick had previously held more of a true backup role, but he impressed in training camp this year and secured the trust of Klint Kubiak and Co. Charbonnet will now be a candidate to begin next season on the reserve/PUP list; that would strengthen Walker’s leverage in Seahawks talks.
The Hawks have re-signed RBs in the past, inking Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny to second contracts. They also re-signed Marshawn Lynch under GM John Schneider in 2015. Both Carson and Penny ran into injury trouble on their second deals, however. The team drafted Walker months after Carson’s career-ending neck injury. Seattle will need to pony up more money if a second Walker pact is to commence, but it would now make sense for the team to show interest.