2024 January - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

Falcons Owner Arthur Blank Exploring HC Options; Bill Belichick On Radar?

January 7th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Rory Parks

5:32pm: Week 18 did not go as planned for the Falcons, with a 48-17 loss marking an emphatic end to the campaign. Given the nature of Atlanta’s finish to the season, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz provides the unsurprising update that this situation is pointing to a Smith dismissal. In such a scenario, the Falcons would join the Panthers as an NFC South squad in need of a new head coach during the upcoming hiring cycle.

8:24am: As of the time of this writing, the job status of Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is murky at best. Over the course of the past two months, we have heard reports suggesting that Smith is likely to get a fourth year on the job in 2024, as well as reports indicating that he is on the hot seat.

At the very least, it appears that owner Arthur Blank is not fully committed to Smith. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Blank is torn on how he should proceed, and he has “gone back and forth” on the matter (which helps to explain the vacillating reports). In case he does decide to part ways with Smith, Blank has explored what options might be available to him in the upcoming coaching cycle.

Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com also hear that Blank is considering a change, and that the owner has been calling his confidants within the league for advice. Should Atlanta, which is 1-4 over its past five games, defeat the Saints in today’s regular season finale, Rapoport and Pelissero say that Smith would stand a better chance of surviving Black Monday, even if the victory does not propel the club to a playoff spot (in addition to a win over New Orleans, the Falcons need the Panthers to upset the Bucs in order to qualify for a postseason berth). That is in keeping with a report from Albert Breer of SI.com just two days ago.

Smith and GM Terry Fontenot inherited a difficult salary cap and roster situation when Blank hired the duo in 2021, and the team has made considerable strides in terms of talent level on both sides of the ball. The problem has been the Falcons’ quarterback play, though Atlanta obviously has not landed a top-tier QB during the Fontenot-Smith partnership (the team’s attempts to acquire Deshaun Watson from the Texans during the 2022 offseason fell just short, which may have been a blessing in disguise). As Rapoport writes, the team will be taking a big swing on a signal-caller in the 2024 offseason regardless of who the head coach is, so perhaps Blank will give Smith — whose offensive acumen he greatly respects — one more shot to see what he can do with a more talented passer.

If Blank hands Smith his walking papers, Bill Belichick would be a legitimate candidate to replace him, per Rapoport and Pelissero. The prevailing opinion is that today’s game will be Belichick’s last as the Patriots’ HC, and his name has come up a great deal in conversations that the NFL.com duo has had with league sources about the Falcons’ future over the past week (Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, meanwhile, has been beating the Belichick-to-Atlanta drum for some time).

Assuming the Patriots and Belichick do end their relationship, the separation is expected to take weeks to finalize, which could further complicate Blank’s decision. Still, a team that appears to be a quarterback away from legitimate contention may be willing to roll the dice on a 72-year-old head coach, and Belichick, in turn, may believe that Atlanta gives him a real chance to overtake Don Shula for first place on the all-time coaching wins list (assuming the team does, in fact, add a high-end QB).

Jets Expected To Trade QB Zach Wilson

January 7th, 2024 at 4:50pm CST by Ely Allen

It appears that Zach Wilson‘s time in New York may finally be over, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The writing has been on the wall for quite a while, but things seem to finally be playing out for an eventual departure. Rapoport reports that the Jets will attempt to trade the former No. 2 overall pick this offseason.

Since being selected nearly three years ago, Wilson has failed to live up to his lofty draft status. In his three seasons, Wilson has started 33 games, accumulating a career record of 12-21. Even during his best stretches of play, Wilson has had a tendency to underwhelm. When he was able to win five of his nine starts in 2022, he still threw more interceptions than touchdowns and was eventually demoted all the way down to third-string. This year, despite finally throwing more touchdowns (8) than interceptions (7), Wilson was only able to lead the Jets to a 4-7 record as a starter, once again getting benched.

In his career as a Jet, Wilson has averaged only 185 yards per game, tossing only 23 touchdowns in 34 games while throwing for 25 total interceptions. Still, there’s likely to be a bit of interest in the one-time college star. Wilson’s high draft slot was solidified after a single strong season at BYU. After combining for 23 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his freshman and sophomore years as a Cougar, Wilson delivered his decisive season in 2020, completing 73.5 percent of his passes for 33 touchdowns to only three interceptions, adding 10 more scores on the ground.

There’s likely to be a number of teams interested in chasing that magical season. A team like the Commanders could provide him with a backup job while allowing him a chance to compete for a starting position. The Colts could prove a good opportunity for playing time if Anthony Richardson‘s injury trouble persists. For those who may wonder how likely it is that Wilson gets released for a lack of trade interest, Rapoport asserts that “quarterbacks get traded,” and he doesn’t have any expectation that Wilson will be released.

Wilson was made aware during this season that his tenure in New York was coming to an end. When he was benched in favor of Tim Boyle this year, the team informed him that they had plans to flip him in the offseason, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. His awareness of a lack of a future with the team understandably contributed to his reluctance to return to a starting role later in the season when asked.

Wilson was placed on injured reserve yesterday with two purposes in mind. Firstly, Wilson has been dealing with a concussion, and with nothing left to play for, it made sense to keep him out of play. Secondly, taking him off the active roster allowed the team the ability to bring a practice squad player up to the 53-man roster, giving the Jets the option to avoid the player hitting free agency. With offensive lineman Jake Hanson and tight end Jeremy Ruckert also being placed on IR, running back Xazavian Valladay, linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, offensive lineman Chris Glaser, and defensive lineman Bruce Hector were granted their opportunities to make a case for a roster spot next year.

Latest On Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, DC Dan Quinn

January 7th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of their regular season finale, the Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot but there is still a division title up for grabs. The team’s ability to secure the NFC’s No. 2 seed and, of course, their showing in the postseason, could have major implications on the sidelines.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has faced an uncertain future during much of a relatively succesful run in Dallas. The former Super Bowl winner guided the team to consecutive 12-5 seasons over the past two years (a mark which would be replicated again with a win today over the Commanders). However, the franchise’s drought with respect to deep playoff runs has continued.

In spite of that, recent reports (along with an offseason vote of confidence from owner Jerry Jones) have pointed to McCarthy being safe for next year. A strong showing both today and in the first two rounds of the playoffs would certainly help his job security, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter does add, however, that personnel around the league and within the Cowboys’ organization feel McCarthy’s future could be significantly tied to today’s result.

A win over the reeling Commanders would clinch the NFC East for the Cowboys, but a loss would open the door to the Eagles claiming the division title. The latter scenario would see Dallas go on the road in the postseason, something which would be particularly signficant given the drastic difference in performance the team has displayed compared to its home contests. Dallas came up short in Washington during last year’s season finale, and McCarthy and Co. will be aiming to avoid a repeat of that situation.

One year remains on McCarthy’s contract, so an extension this offseason would come as little surprise. The Cowboys have continued to post strong numbers on offense after the departure of OC Kellen Moore and McCarthy taking over play-calling duties on that side of the ball. The team has also been effective in many defensive categories, owing in large part to the job done by third-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

The latter has kept himself on the head coaching radar once again this season, as has been the case in the past two years. Quinn withdrew from HC consideration in both cases, but it remains to be seen if that will happen again in the near future. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News notes that Quinn is believed to be “more receptive to the right offer” in the upcoming hiring cycle than those of years past.

The 53-year-old was last a head coach with the Falcons from 2015-20, a stretch which included a Super Bowl appearance. Quinn has rebuilt his value as one of the game’s top defensive minds during his time in Dallas, though, and he will no doubt be a hot commodity if he entertains outside offers. Schefter adds the Cowboys want to keep Quinn, but their ability to do so while also retaining McCarthy would be a key storyline to follow. In any case, plenty will be at stake today and in the immediate future for Dallas’ coaching staff.

Chargers, Raiders “Pressing Hard” For Jim Harbaugh; Commanders, Bears Also Interested

January 7th, 2024 at 1:37pm CST by Rory Parks

1:37pm: Providing a further update to the Raiders connection in particular, Pauline reports Harbaugh would be interested in having quarterback J.J. McCarthy with him in Vegas in the event he took that job. The latter – whom Harbaugh recently termed the greatest QB in Michigan history – is one of several passers in contention to be selected in the first round of this year’s draft, although he is ranked below the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.

Entering Week 18, the Raiders were on track to hold the No. 11 pick in April’s draft. Plenty will change in that department over the course of the day’s action, but Vegas could be well positioned to add McCarthy or another QB outside the top options on the board. With Jimmy Garoppolo‘s Raiders tenure widely expected to come to an end shortly, the team will have a need for at least a depth addition under center this offseason regardless of who is installed as head coach.

11:33am: Recent reports have suggested that the Raiders and Chargers are the likeliest landing spots for Jim Harbaugh should Harbaugh choose to leave the University of Michigan and return to the professional ranks. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com adds some more fuel to that fire.

Per Pauline, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are “pressing hard” to hire Harbaugh, and there are rumors that both clubs have made initial proposals to Harbaugh’s camp. While Pauline is unable to substantiate those rumors, he does say that rumors suggesting Harbaugh’s decision to hire agent Don Yee gives the Raiders an upper hand in these sweepstakes are true (Yee was the longtime agent for Tom Brady, who is likely to soon become a minority owner of the Raiders and who is a trusted voice for majority owner Mark Davis).

We heard at the end of December that Las Vegas interim head coach Antonio Pierce may stand a good chance of having the interim label removed and becoming the club’s full-time head HC. Subsequent reports, however, suggested that Davis may decide to take another “big swing” as he did with his hires of Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels, and that Davis wants his Sin City outfit to be led by a high-profile coach.

Harbaugh certainly qualifies as a high-profile big swing, as does Bill Belichick, who has also been connected to the Raiders’ post. Harbaugh, whose Wolverines will appear in tomorrow’s CFP National Championship game, may yet elect to remain in Ann Arbor, and he reportedly has multiple extension offers on the table from Michigan (Yee’s hiring, aside from what it might mean for Harbaugh’s NFL hopes, obviously would also assist him in his negotiations with his alma mater). The looming presence of the Wolverines, along with Pauline’s report — which conflicts with earlier reports pegging the Chargers as the frontrunners for Harbaugh’s services — make this race a very difficult one to handicap.

Pauline muddies the waters even further by noting that the Bears and Commanders have also shown signficiant interest in Harbaugh. Just two days ago, Albert Breer of SI.com reported that Harbaugh is an unlikely candidate for Washington, though Pauline points to the team’s five top-100 picks in the 2024 draft and signifciant amount of cap space (roughly $80MM) as factors that sources close to Harbaugh say could draw the former 49ers HC to the nation’s capital. And while Chicago’s recent stretch of quality play has led to the belief that its current head coach, Matt Eberflus, has done enough to keep his job for at least one more season, Pauline says that could change if the Bears believe they have a chance to nab Harbaugh.

Should Harbaugh land an NFL gig in 2024, Pauline names Greg Roman and Willie Taggart as potential key coaching hires. Roman worked under Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, with the Ravens from 2017-22, including a four-year stretch as offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Taggart is currently on Baltimore’s staff as the team’s running backs coach and has a close relationship with both Harbaughs.

Of course, Roman also worked as Jim Harbaugh’s associate head coach at Stanford from 2009-10 and then as his OC with the Niners from 2011-14.

Exec Rumors: Caserio, Peters, Aponte

January 7th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Parks

With Bill Belichick perhaps coaching his last game for the Patriots today, the club could have head coach and general manager vacancies in relatively short order (Belichick, of course, has operated as New England’s de facto GM throughout his tenure). Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post hears that Texans GM Nick Caserio, whose 20-year stint in the Pats’ personnel department earned him the Houston gig, would be open to a return to Foxborough, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) says Caserio does not want to leave the Texans.

Russini points out that Caserio, who squeezed an excellent return from the Browns in the 2022 Deshaun Watson trade and who appears to have hit a home run in drafting quarterback C.J. Stroud and hiring head coach DeMeco Ryans last year, has laid the groundwork for sustained success in Houston and wants to see it through. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine Caserio leaving a young and talented HC-QB pairing for the uncertainty that would await him in New England.

Here are a few more rumors relating to league executives:

49ers assistant GM Adam Peters is once again expected to be a hot name in the upcoming hiring cycle, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes in a subscribers-only piece. Peters turned down GM interview requests from the Cardinals and Titans last year, and it has been rumored for some time that he is the heir apparent to current San Francisco GM John Lynch. Per Fowler, it remains possible that the Niners will simply promote Peters to general manager now that Lynch has been given the additional title of president of football operations.
Like Peters, Falcons assistant GM Kyle Smith has been viewed as a future general manager, and as Albert Breer of SI.com notes, Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot promoted Smith to his current role this year partly to dissuade rival clubs from trying to poach him (a team can block an assistant GM from interviewing for anything other than a GM job). While the Falcons have yet to find a long-term answer at quarterback since Fontenot and Smith joined the team, they have injected a great deal of talent into the rest of the roster, and Smith appears poised to generate serious GM interest.
We recently heard that the Commanders may wish to add a president of football operations to oversee both their head coach and general manager, and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reports that Dawn Aponte‘s name has come up in connection with that role. Aponte, who presently works as the league’s chief administrator of football operations, was mentioned as a potential candidate for the Giants’ GM job in 2022, though she was not interviewed for that post. Aponte has, however, served in high-ranking executive positions for the Jets, Browns, and Dolphins.
In another subscribers-only piece, Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com compiled a list of other top candidates for GM jobs, a list that includes Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, and Browns assistant GM Catherine Raiche. Cunningham was offered the Cardinals’ GM job last year but turned it down, while Hortiz and Raiche have both taken GM interviews in recent years.

Steelers’ T.J. Watt Sustains Grade 2 MCL Sprain

January 7th, 2024 at 12:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 7: Watt has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain, as first reported by brother J.J. Watt via X. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) says the team has confirmed the news, which represents a best-case scenario. While a Grade 2 sprain will still force T.J. Watt to miss mutliple weeks — thereby sidelining him for the rest of the campaign unless the Steelers qualify for the postseason and make a deep run — the star sack artist has avoided a complete tear and will therefore avoid surgery.

It does not sound as if this injury will have any long-term consequences.

JANUARY 6: The Steelers gave their postseason chances a considerable boost on Saturday, but the victory may have come at a substantial cost. Edge rusher T.J. Watt exited the game with a knee injury, and initial tests point to neither a best- or worst-case scenario.

Watt is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate asked to return to the contest – a 17-10 win over the Ravens – but he was not allowed to risk further injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that Watt is thought to be dealing with a Grade 3 sprain, which would likely require a multi-week recovery timeline, albeit a much shorter one than a tear or an ACL injury.

Further testing will be done in the near future, and a clearer diagnosis will emerge at that point. An MRI is scheduled for tomorrow, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. If the initial fears are proven to be accurate, however, Watt will face a steep challenge to be able to suit up for the Steelers’ wild-card matchup should they qualify for the postseason. Missing him would deal a massive blow to Pittsburgh’s defense.

Watt entered Saturday’s game tied for the league lead in sacks with 17. He added a pair before colliding with teammate Montravius Adams and being forced out of the contest. The 2021 DPOY earned a sixth consecutive Pro Bowl invitation days ago, and he is on track for a fourth first-team All-Pro nod. Given his continued elite production after an injury-shortened 2022 campaign, the Steelers’ edge contingent would be severely shorthanded if he were to miss time.

However, Pittsburgh would still have fellow starter Alex Highsmith available in the event the team managed to reach the wild-card round. Highsmith signed a four-year, $68MM extension this offseason after establishing himself as a productive complement to Watt. The former third-rounder posted seven sacks this season while remaining healthy for every contest. The latter point is a signficant one given not only Watt’s injury, but the signficant ailments suffered by All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and multiple inside linebackers which have left the Steelers’ defense shorthanded.

Provided the ongoing Texans-Colts game does not end in a tie, Pittsburgh will require a loss by at least one of Jacksonville or Buffalo to claim a wild-card berth. In the event the Steelers find themselves playoff-bound, their recent momentum with quarterback Mason Rudolph at the helm could make them a more difficult opponent than their play through much of the season would have suggested. Pending Watt’s tests, though, his health status will be a major storyline to watch.

Broncos Likely To Retain GM George Paton

January 7th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Rory Parks

We heard last month that Broncos general manager George Paton could be on the hot seat, but that does not appear to be the case. As Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report, Paton is expected to keep his job through at least the 2024 season.

Paton was one of the most popular names on the GM interview circuit for years before the longtime Vikings exec finally decided to leave Minnesota to head up Denver’s personnel department in January 2021. While detractors will point to his ultimately disastrous decision to hire Nathaniel Hackett as head coach in 2022 and to the ill-fated blockbuster trade for quarterback Russell Wilson, Paton did show off his talent evaluation chops during his first draft with the Broncos, bringing in the likes of Patrick Surtain, Javonte Williams, Quinn Meinerz, Baron Browning, and Jonathon Cooper. The 2022-23 drafts started late due to the Wilson trade, though it was the club’s new ownership that drove the Wilson extension that is expected to create a salary cap nightmare in short order (likewise, although Paton is the one who ultimately approached Wilson about pushing back his 2025 guarantee, ownership and head coach Sean Payton surely had a hand in that controverisal overture).

Payton is widely believed to wield final say over the Broncos’ roster decisions, and even if that is not the case, Paton did lose plenty of power when club CEO Greg Penner announced in December 2022 that both the head coach and general manager would report to ownership. Despite that, and despite Payton’s surprisingly open criticism of Paton over the summer, Rapoport and Pelissero say that the two men enjoy a strong working relationship. That relationship, combined with Paton’s evaluation abilities, may well be enough to keep Paton in Denver.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com also notes that Payton and Paton have worked well together this year, and that Payton respects Paton’s talents. Schefter does not indicate one way or another whether Paton will be retained, though he does confirm that Payton “has significant authority and influence” over Denver’s football operation and that a decision will need to be made on Paton.

Assuming that the Payton-Paton partnership survives for another season, Paton will have at least some role in navigating the Broncos’ complex quarterback situation. The expected Wilson release and the dead money hit that it will generate will make it difficult for Denver to acquire a high-end veteran passer, and the team may not be picking high enough to land a surefire prospect in the 2024 draft. As such, Jarrett Stidham may find himself as the Broncos’ starting QB to begin the 2024 season, a season that could go a long way towards determining Paton’s long-term future in the Mile High City.

Steelers DL Cam Heyward Contemplating Retirement?

January 7th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Rory Parks

Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward, who has long been one of the best interior defenders in the game, is on the back nine of his illustrious career. Heyward himself has suggested that he may have already played his final NFL game.

When asked earlier this week what the future holds for him, Heyward said, “First and foremost, I have to see how my body feels. It’s been a rough season” (via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

Indeed, Heyward played in only 11 games this season due to a groin injury he sustained in Week 1, making 2023 the first year in which he has missed any signficant action since a seven-game 2016 campaign. And his performance has taken a noticeable dip, with Pro Football Focus assigning him a 69.8 overall grade that, while strong, is nowhere near the elite levels he has attained in recent seasons. In fact, that is the lowest mark that Heyward has earned since his injury-shortened 2016 season, when he was given a 66.5 grade.

The surface-level stats are also lacking, as the two sacks, 33 tackles, and six tackles for loss he posted this year would still fall well short of his 2021-22 totals even if they were extrapolated over a full season. That diminished performance, combined with a season marred by a difficult injury, could certainly deter Heyward from returning for his age-35 campaign in 2024.

On the other hand, the 2011 first-rounder has earned Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the last six seasons, a stretch that also included three First Team All-Pro bids. So he may have another quality year or two left in the tank, especially if he can put this season’s health struggles behind him.

He is also under contract through 2024, though his $16MM base salary for next year is not guaranteed. He is due to carry a $22.41MM cap charge due to bonus prorations, which may be an untenable figure for the Steelers. If Heyward does choose to continue his playing career, the team could explore either a pay cut or a brief extension that lowers his cap hit.

Pittsburgh kept its playoff hopes alive with a victory against Baltimore in yesterday’s regular season finale. However, the club needs one of the Bills or Jaguars to drop their Week 18 contests today to qualify for the postseason.

Latest On Panthers’ Offseason Plans

January 6th, 2024 at 10:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers already have a head coaching vacancy, and there’s an expectation that he’ll soon have an opening at general manager. Unsurprisingly, it sounds like Panthers owner David Tepper isn’t wasting any time preparing for his next big hires.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Tepper has been working with consulting firm Sportsology, which is led by former Chelsea FC executive Mike Forde. As Joe Person of The Athletic notes, Forde recently helped Tepper with his Charlotte FC coaching search, and the executive has also worked with the Rams, 49ers, and Falcons. For what it’s worth, Tepper didn’t rely on a consulting firm when he hired Matt Rhule and Frank Reich.

While Scott Fitterer sounds like he’s at risk of losing his job, the general manager’s replacement could already be in the building. Per Schefter, Panthers assistant GM Dan Morgan has “support within the organization” to take over the full-time gig. There’s also a chance Fitterer sticks around the organization…at least temporarily. Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the GM could “help with some of the transition” to a new head coach.

Of course, whoever takes over at GM will face a tough task of turning around the franchise. The Panthers have already traded their first-round pick (which ultimately came in at No. 1) to the Bears in order to draft Bryce Young, who struggled throughout his rookie campaign. With limited draft resources and a roster that’s lacking top-end talent, the next GM will surely require a multi-year rebuild to get the Panthers back on track.

As for the replacement for the ousted Reich, Russini writes that Tepper is expected to “try again” to hire Ben Johnson. The Lions offensive coordinator is expected to be a popular name on the coaching circuit, just as he was last offseason. In fact, Johnson was at one time considered the front runner for the Panthers job before he dropped out of the race to stay in Detroit.

Raiders Eyeing Bill Belichick?

January 6th, 2024 at 10:26pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like we can add another team to the list of potential Bill Belichick suitors. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Raiders are “hoping to get a chance to meet with Belichick” if he’s let go by New England.

The Raiders sourced their most recent head coaching hire from New England, although it led to disappointing results. Josh McDaniels didn’t last two seasons in Las Vegas, as he was ousted in late October after starting the season 3-5. The team also fired GM Dave Ziegler, who previously spent close to a decade in New England’s front office.

Belichick would obviously bring a lot more credibility to the role than his former offensive coordinator. However, you have to wonder if Mark Davis and co. would be so willing to hire a Patriots staffer following their recent failure.

The Raiders’ connections to the Patriots go beyond McDaniels and Ziegler. While the move still isn’t approved, Tom Brady is set to become a minority owner of the organization, and there are whispers that he’ll have a say in the team’s next coaching hire. Considering the reported tension between Brady and Belichick at the end of the quarterback’s Patriots tenure, it’d be an interesting development if the new part-owner is willing to recruit his former coach.

Interim head coach Antonio Pierce reportedly has the support of his locker room when it comes to earning the full-time job. However, as Russini notes, Davis has “always made it known” that he wants his Las Vegas franchise to be led by a star name. That’s a reason why Jim Harbaugh could also be a leading candidate for the gig.

Of course, it remains to be seen if Belichick will even leave New England. We learned last night that the potential divorce could take weeks to finalize, and at the very least, it sounds like the respected coach will avoid a Black Monday ouster. A drawn-out separation could limit Belichick’s ability to get a new job, so it’ll be interesting to see how teams like the Raiders navigate their HC search while juggling Belichick’s uncertainty.

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