HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Eagles To Add Doug Nussmeier To Staff; Team Expected To Hire Broncos’ Christian Parker

February 5th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio are bringing some familiar staffers to Philadelphia. One of those will be Doug Nussmeier, who has worked with Moore in Dallas and Los Angeles.

Nussmeier will join the Eagles as quarterbacks coach, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Additionally, the Eagles are expected to hire Christian Parker from the Broncos’ staff, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano tweets. Parker loomed as a DC candidate during this year’s cycle. The young assistant will rejoin Fangio, who hired him in Denver.

Moore and Nussmeier coached together in Dallas from 2018-22, with the latter moving from tight ends coach to QBs coach during that span. Moore brought Nussmeier with him to Los Angeles when he took over as Chargers OC last year. That stint did not go especially well, but the Eagles will give Moore leeway to bring his longtime coworker with him to coach Jalen Hurts.

Seeing as both staffers were tied to the Cowboys for years, the Eagles certainly have a degree of familiarity with Moore and Nussmeier. The latter also served as an offensive coordinator for five college programs — including Alabama, Michigan and Florida — from 2008-17. This will be the second former Gators OC the Eagles will have hired as QBs coach under Nick Sirianni. The Eagles brought Brian Johnson from Gainesville to coach Hurts, whom the assistant had known for years, in 2021. The Eagles have since fired Johnson after one season as OC; no team has hired the young staffer yet.

Johnson and Nussmeier did not coach together at Florida; the latter was in Dallas by the time Johnson got to Gainesville. The Ravens interviewed Nussmeier, 53, for their OC job in 2023 but hired Todd Monken. Philly will now entrust additional Hurts development to two former Cowboys staffers. With Jim Harbaugh now running the Chargers, Nussmeier needed to make new plans.

Parker, 32, interviewed for the Patriots and Packers’ DC jobs this offseason. He has been valued in Denver, working as the team’s DBs coach under Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett and Sean Payton. Residing as the last Fangio assistant coach left this past season, Parker has overseen the likes of Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain. Parker has coached the latter, now a two-time Pro Bowler, throughout his career. He also mentored rookie UDFA slot cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian in 2023. Parker was under contract, per Denver7’s Troy Renck, who notes the team gave the Eagles permission to make this hire.

Additionally, the Eagles are hiring Dolphins assistant Joe Kasper to be their safeties coach, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe tweets. Fangio targeted Kasper, per Wolfe, and the Eagles sent him an interview slip last week. Despite Fangio’s Dolphins fit not proving ideal, the veteran defensive coach’s time in Miami will lead at least one staffer to follow him. This is a return trip for Kasper, who was a quality control assistant with the Eagles from 2021-22. Fangio’s consulting season helped lead Kasper to Miami, where he served as safeties coach.

One of the staffers who worked under Jonathan Gannon and Sean Desai in Philly, DBs coach D.K. McDonald, is departing to become the co-defensive coordinator at Kansas, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. This proves interesting due to he and Fangio overlapping in 2022; McDonald was on Sirianni’s staff from 2021-23. The ex-Gannon assistant began his Philly tenure as assistant DBs coach, moving up to secondary coach in 2023.

Joe Whitt To Call Commanders’ Defensive Plays; Magic Johnson Helped Sway Kliff Kingsbury

February 5th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dan Quinn will step back from the play-calling post he held in Dallas, indicating Monday his new defensive coordinator — Joe Whitt — will run the show on gamedays. This will be a move up for Whitt, who spent the past three seasons as the Cowboys’ secondary coach.

The Cowboys wanted to retain Whitt, who had a pre-Dallas history with both Quinn and Mike McCarthy. Whitt’s past with the latter is far more extensive; Whitt was on McCarthy’s Green Bay staff for 11 seasons (2008-18). He joined Quinn’s Falcons defense in 2020, but Quinn’s October 2020 ouster prevented the two from coaching together much. Quinn brought Whitt to Dallas, however, and will entrust him with the defensive play calls in Washington.

One of Whitt’s former Packers coworkers is also on the Commanders’ radar. The team is interested in hiring Jason Simmons, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating the Commanders sent the Raiders an interview request. Las Vegas granted the request. Simmons spent the past two seasons as the Raiders’ DBs coach and pass-game coordinator, being a Josh McDaniels hire. While some McDaniels hires are in line to stay, others have already been fired or left for other positions.

Simmons, 47, spent nine years with the Packers, overlapping with Whitt from 2011-18 in Wisconsin. Both coached Green Bay’s DBs at points during that span, with their final year together featuring Whitt as the Pack’s pass-game coordinator and Simmons in the DBs coach post. Simmons served as the Panthers’ pass-game coordinator under Matt Rhule and doing the same under McDaniels and Antonio Pierce in Las Vegas. With Whitt in place as the DC, it would seem the Commanders are targeting Simmons for another pass-game coordinator role.

Shifting to the higher-profile Commanders coordinator choice, Kliff Kingsbury is indeed bound for D.C. after initially committing to the Raiders. Contract length represented a sticking point for Kingsbury and the Raiders, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds Commanders limited partner Magic Johnson was in the USC assistant’s ear during the hiring process.

Johnson is believed to have informed Kingsbury the Commanders would be interested if his Raiders talks broke down. Soon after, Kingsbury had a deal in place with the Commanders. This probably will not go over well with the Raiders, who have since moved on to Luke Getsy as their offensive play-caller. But after the Commanders were unable to land their top choices as head coach, their OC position enticed Kingsbury to bail on a Vegas pledge.

Johnson aligned himself with Josh Harris when he attempted to buy the Broncos in 2022, and the NBA legend did so again during the 76ers owner’s successful push to acquire the Commanders. The Kingsbury about-face also has not prompted the Raiders to block a Simmons interview, potentially indicating the latter was not firmly in their 2024 plans.

The Commanders wanted an experienced play-caller to team with Quinn, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds. Kingsbury fits the bill, having run the show on offense at Texas Tech and then with the Cardinals. After a season as Caleb Williams‘ position coach, Kingsbury is likely to coach a rookie quarterback five years after mentoring No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. Washington is unlikely — barring a Chicago trade-down — to be in position to take Williams, but a Commanders future with Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels is firmly in play. The team now has Kingsbury readying to lead this likely development effort.

Giants To Hire Shane Bowen As DC

February 5th, 2024 at 4:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of this offseason’s longer searches appears to have finally come to an end. The Giants have a defensive coordinator in place. Former Titans DC Shane Bowen is coming to New York to serve in the same capacity, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

Bowen was one of the first names on the Giants’ DC radar. More than three weeks after the Don Martindale–Brian Daboll situation combusted, the Giants will bring in the former Titans defensive play-caller. The Giants are preparing to speak with former Titans staffers to follow Bowen to the Big Apple, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds.

While Mike Vrabel‘s ouster has removed most of his assistants from the Tennessee equation, the team was hanging onto Bowen during the DC carousel. But the multiyear Titans play-caller will land a gig. This will be Bowen’s second DC gig; he served in this role for three seasons — following Dean Pees‘ exit — with the Titans.

News of Bowen’s interview with the Giants surfaced back on Jan. 12. In the coming weeks, the Giants saw some of their preferred choices land jobs elsewhere. Bobby Babich, whose Bills tenure overlapped entirely with Daboll and Joe Schoen, ended up taking over the DC gig in Buffalo. Another Giants frontrunner, Dennard Wilson, is replacing Bowen in Tennessee. But Bowen, 37, was on the team’s radar early. He may not have been the Giants’ first choice, but the team is bringing in a staffer who became a DC at a young age.

Vrabel saw enough in Bowen to move him to the coordinator role at just 34. This will be a bit of a different situation for Bowen, however. While Vrabel’s background is on the defensive side, Daboll is an offense-oriented coach. Bowen will naturally see more responsibility in New York, being the top defensive voice in the Giants’ building.

Martindale’s stint in this position spiraled as his second season progressed. Bubbling tension between he and Daboll eventually came to a head, with the two-year DC cursing out his boss after the latter’s firing of longtime Martindale assistant Drew Wilkins. Martindale has not landed another job yet, though multiple teams have interviewed him.

The Titans’ injury troubles in recent years have been well documented. Already missing Harold Landry for the season, the 2022 team ran into trouble at a few positions to lead to the stretch-run swoon. Bowen’s 2023 Tennessee defense fared much better than the team’s offense in 2023, ranking 16th in scoring and 18th in yardage. The Titans’ best work under Bowen came in 2021, when they ranked sixth in scoring defense. The Titans closed out that season by sacking Joe Burrow nine times, but the No. 1-seeded team still lost that game, a result that started the team down the path to rebooting around a new GM and head coach.

Like Martindale, Bowen has used a 3-4 scheme. That will be a natural transition for the Giants, who have been in that base alignment — which continues to mean less and less, with nickel now the most common NFL defense — for years. Bowen followed Vrabel from Houston in 2018. It is rather interesting that the longtime Vrabel assistant has landed another gig but Vrabel remains unattached. While it is conceivable teams have reached out to Vrabel about DC positions, he has not interviewed for any non-HC posts this offseason.

The Giants dropped to 26th in Martindale’s second season. While they have some talented players on all three levels, the team is looking to bounce back after what appeared to be a turbulent year on that side of the ball.

RB Le’Veon Bell Aiming For Steelers Return

February 5th, 2024 at 3:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Le’Veon Bell has not played in the NFL since 2021, but he is aiming to change that soon. The former All-Pro running back recently went public with his intention to return to the NFL.

Bell made it clear in a series of Snapchat videos that he will train this offseason in a bid to find an NFL opportunity. More specifically, though, he added that he is targeting a return to the Steelers, with whom he started his career. Bell played five seasons in Pittsburgh.

“And I’m gonna be honest with myself, I got to go out there and be like, I’m going to put my foot in the ground,” Bell said. “Do I feel it? Am I hurting? Can I go out there and really play again? And bro, I’m telling you all right now when I go out there and train in March and if I hit April and I make this decision to come back to play in the NFL again, mark my words down – I will be better than I ever was.

“And I will only come back for that one team. You all know who it is. I don’t have to say no team. You all know who it is.”

Bell’s Steelers tenure ended when he sat out the 2018 season, refusing to play on the franchise tag. That move allowed him to depart in free agency on a four-year, $52.5MM deal with the Jets the following year. His New York tenure (and the brief stints with the Chiefs, Ravens and Buccaneers which followed) did not go as planned, however. The three-time Pro Bowler has been out of football for the past two seasons, and he will be 32 by the time the 2024 campaign begins.

Those factors would weigh heavily against any player, let alone a running back. The position’s market has taken a downturn in recent years in large part due to the fall-off in production experienced by players as they reach their late 20s. In 2017, Bell received a league-leading offensive 402 touches, so past workloads would also be a concern for any interested teams.

The Michigan State alum has expressed regret for departing the Steelers, but it would be a surprise if Pittsburgh reciprocated his desire to explore a deal. The team has Jaylen Warren under contract for two more years, and Najee Harris is likely to have his 2025 fifth-year option picked up. With their backfield tandem seemingly in place for the short-term future, the Steelers are unlikely to have much interest in any signficant RB moves this offseason. If Bell manages to return to game shape, though, he could be a name to watch in free agency.

Chiefs Designate RB Jerick McKinnon For Return

February 5th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

FEBRUARY 5: While McKinnon’s status in practice will be monitored closely, Rapoport notes there is a “very real chance” he is activated in time for the Super Bowl (video link). Signs are certainly pointing toward Kansas City having a full array of backs available on Sunday.

FEBRUARY 3: The Chiefs will be shorthanded in the front seven for Super Bowl LVIII, but they could have added depth in the offensive backfield. Kansas City designated running back Jerick McKinnon for return from injured reserve on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes.

McKinnon was placed on IR in December, a move which guaranteed he would miss the final three weeks of the regular season. A groin injury left him on the sidelines through Kansas City’s three-week postseason run back to the Super Bowl, but the veteran will now be an option to return to the lineup in the event he is activated in time. Kansas City has five activations remaining.

In the 2021 postseason, McKinnon racked up 315 scrimmage yards in three games. His playoff production fell off last year with only 92 total yards, however, and his usage in the 2023 campaign took a step back. The 31-year-old received just 21 carries in 12 contests this season, one in which Isiah Pacheco confirmed his status as the Chiefs’ lead back. McKinnon averaged only 2.9 yards per carry this year, though he did chip in with 192 yards and four touchdowns in the passing game.

A healthy McKinnon would give Kansas City a number of options to choose from in the backfield. The team has, to no surprise, leaned mainly on Pacheco in the playoffs. Former first-rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire has also been used sparingly, receiving 10 postseason carries to date. After he was a healthy scratch for last year’s Super Bowl, Edwards-Helaire is in line to play in next Sunday’s title game. The Chiefs also have La’Mical Perine available as a special teams contributor.

Kansas City designated wideout Skyy Moore to return in mid-January, and his status will be worth watching in the coming days to see if he will be an option for the Super Bowl. O-lineman Prince Tega Wanogho would also use up one of the team’s remaining activations (and a roster spot) if he were to be brought back into the fold in the near future. At a minimum, though, McKinnon should be able to play next week as he searches for a second career Super Bowl win.

Seahawks To Hire Jay Harbaugh As Special Teams Coordinator

February 5th, 2024 at 12:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

When signs were pointing to Jim Harbaugh landing the Chargers’ head coaching position, his son Jay was floated as a logical candidate to join him as special teams coordinator. The latter is indeed making the jump to the NFL, but not in Los Angeles.

Harbaugh is set to join the Seahawks as their special teams coordinator, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. He has been with Michigan under Jim Harbaugh since 2015, and much of his tenure with the Wolverines has included time as special teams coordinator. Jay has held that title since 2017, while also serving as a position coach (running backs, tight ends and safeties) at various points along the way.

Once it became clear Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers were talking terms on a contract and candidates to fill out his staff, Jay was reported as a top option for the role of ST coordinator in L.A. The Chargers have indeed matched expectations by hiring Greg Roman in a top offensive role, but today’s news confirms that the younger Harbaugh will not be joining him. Instead, incumbent ST coordinator Ryan Ficken will be retained, as KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson recently reported would likely be the case.

Jay Harbaugh, 34, and new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald worked together at Michigan when the latter spent the 2021 season as the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator. Macdonald excelled in the DC post with the Ravens for two years, and his success in that role has now helped him become the youngest head coach in the NFL. Macdonald will have a familiar face in at least one coordinator spot on his initial staff.

Seattle’s third phase units had been guided by Larry Izzo for the past three seasons, after he had spent the previous three years as an assistant on special teams. The Seahawks allowed their staffers to seek out new opportunities once it was announced Pete Carroll would return, however. Seattle ranked eighth in special teams DVOA in 2023, and Harbaugh will look to at least match that level of success as the Seahawks aim to return to the postseason. This will mark his first full-time NFL gig as Macdonald’s staff begins to take shape.

Latest On Giants’ DC Search

February 5th, 2024 at 11:05am CST by Adam La Rose

As the coordinator carousel continues to spin, a number of teams have already filled their OC and DC vacancies. The Giants do not need to concern themselves with the former, having blocked Mike Kafka from interviewing for a lateral Seahawks move. The latter position remains unfilled, however.

[RELATED: Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker]

Don Martindale initially appeared to be set for a third campaign in New York, but he and the Giants ultimately parted ways. New York has been looking for a replacement ever since, and general manager Joe Schoen said he hoped the team would have a hire in place by the end of last week. That has yet to take place, in part because desired candidates have wound up elsewhere.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports the Giants have recently witnessed two of their “top targets” come and go. That has resulted in a reset in their search, with a number of other candidates under consideration. Two staffers (Bobby Babich and Dennard Wilson) are among those who received Giants interview requests and have since been promoted or hired to a different DC posting. It is unclear if those two are the coaches referenced in the report, but in any case New York remains a team to watch over the coming days.

As Raanan notes, Giants head coach Brian Daboll enters the 2024 season with considerable pressure given the way in which the team underwhelmed in his second year at the helm. He and Kafka will remain in their current postings for at least one more year (although the matter of play-calling remains unsettled at this point). Martindale’s replacement will be tasked with guiding a unit which ranked 17th and 26th in points allowed over the past two years. The relatively uncertain future of Daboll could lead to trepidation on the part of interested DC candidates, though.

With New York’s search set to enter a new phase, here is how things currently stand:

Panthers To Retain DC Ejiro Evero

February 5th, 2024 at 10:29am CST by Adam La Rose

During his introductory press conference, new Panthers head coach Dave Canales praised incumbent defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. That pointed to the latter being retained, and the team will indeed head in that direction.

Joe Person of The Athletic confirms Carolina will keep Evero in place for 2024 (subscription required). Person adds that most of the Panthers’ defensive staffers are expected to stay put as well, meaning Carolina will have stability on that side of the ball. Evero was again a top candidate for both head coaching and defensive coordinator postings in the 2024 hiring cycle.

He met twice with the Panthers before they elected to hire Canales, but also the Falcons and Seahawks. Evero was also linked to several DC openings, but the Panthers blocked him from interviewing on three different occasions. The 43-year-old led a 2-15 Panthers team to a fourth-place finish in total defense, after guiding the Broncos to seventh in that department in 2022.

Facing uncertainty at the onset of the hiring cycle with respect to the head coaching position, the Panthers made it clear Evero would receive consideration to remain in place at least until a HC hire was made. Canales is a rookie head coach, and he landed the Carolina gig after a single season as offensive coordinator with the Buccaneers. While his attention will thus primarily be on overseeing quarterback Bryce Young‘s development and that of the offense as a whole, Evero will remain a key staffer in charge of the defense.

Carolina ranked 29th in points allowed in 2023 despite the team’s strength in certain defensive categories, and improvement in that regard will be a goal moving forward. A more productive showing on offense will aid that effort, of course, but continuity on the sidelines will help Evero and Co.’s efforts to deliver another impressive showing. Doing so would no doubt keep him on the HC radar for the 2025 cycle.

Chiefs’ Joe Cullen Drawing DC Interest From Seahawks

February 5th, 2024 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

The Commanders made their defensive coordinator hire last night, tapping Joe Whitt for the position. He was joined by Joe Cullen in terms of drawing interest for the position in Washington, however.

Cullen is also on the Seahawks’ radar for their DC position, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports. Cullen has been in Kansas City for the past two years holding the familiar title of defensive line coach. He has worn that hat on a number of occasions at both the college and NFL levels, and his time with the Chiefs has been successful.

Kansas City ranked 29th in sacks one year before Cullen’s arrival, a move which was preceded by his one-and-done stint as defensive coordinator of the Jaguars. The defending champions have posted the second-highest total in that department in each of the two seasons with Cullen in place, though. While draft investments along the edge (particularly the selection of George Karlaftis) have played a role in that turnaround, Cullen’s work has not gone unnoticed during the 2024 hiring cycle.

The 56-year-old has only one season of coordinator experience at the pro level, but he has been an NFL staffer in all but one year since 2006. Jacksonville ranked 20th in total defense and 28th in scoring under Cullen, and Seattle would be looking for better statistical showings than that in 2024 with a new DC. Clint Hurtt is out as part of the sweeping changes to the Seahawks’ staff, with Mike Macdonald taking over from Pete Carroll as head coach. Both the OC and DC spots are open in Seattle at the moment.

A shortlist of candidates to replace Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator has emerged, but Cullen is the first name linked to Seattle’s defensive coordinator posting. With the Commanders having found their preferred candidate already, the Seahawks could be in the lead to pursue Cullen, although Jones notes that Michigan is also interested. The Wolverines are likely to lose DC Jesse Minter to the Chargers as part of Jim Harbaugh‘s staff, and an opening will soon exist in Ann Arbor should that take place. Cullen could thus have a few options to consider if he wishes to take on another coordinator opportunity.

Chargers To Hire Marcus Brady

February 5th, 2024 at 8:47am CST by Adam La Rose

Greg Roman is in place with the Chargers, but further additions are being made to Jim Harbaugh‘s staff. Los Angeles is set to hire Marcus Brady as pass-game coordinator, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Roman will likely take on offensive coordinator responsibilities, given his experience in that department and his familiarity with Harbaugh. Brady was the only other name seriously linked to the Chargers’ OC vacancy, and he interviewed for the position. Despite making the expected move of bringing in Roman, the team has now managed to land both he and Brady as part of a new-look staff.

The latter was also linked to the OC positions of the Panthers and Bears. Both teams went in another direction with their respective hires, meaning a return to an NFL coordinator gig will be delayed at least one more year for Brady. The 44-year-old held hat title with the Colts from 2021-22 as part of Frank Reich‘s staff, but he was let go as part of Indianapolis’ coaching changes. He spent the 2023 campaign as an assistant with the Eagles.

Prior to his five total years on the Colts’ staff, Brady served as an OC for six years in the CFL. His experience has now taken him to Los Angeles, where he will play a large role with an offense which struggled across the board last season. The Chargers finished the campaign ranked 21st in scoring and 13th in passing yards per game, figures weighed down in part by Justin Herbert‘s season-ending injury. Still, a step forward in 2024 will be critical for the former No. 6 pick individually and the Chargers as a whole.

Roman is known for his work in the run game, and finding more production on the ground will be a key goal in the offseason. However, Herbert’s arm will likely remain a significant aspect of Los Angeles’ attack, meaning Brady will bear a large degree of responsibility in Harbaugh’s initial group. As the Chargers’ staff comes further into focus, Brady will be a key figure to watch while he looks to boost his own coordinator stock in a new environment.

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