HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

NFC West Coaching Updates: Cardinals, Scheelhaase, 49ers

February 18th, 2025 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals are not one of the teams to hire a new head coach this offseason, necessitating the hiring of a new surrounding staff, but they still made a few updates this offseason. For instance, we’ve already reported on the hirings of offensive line coach Justin Frye, defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere, and linebackers coach Cristian Garcia.

In addition to those, Matt Feeney was hired as outside linebackers coach after three years in Las Vegas, the most recent of which he spent as assistant defensive backs coach after two years as a defensive quality control coach. Alec Osborne joins Feeney as a new hire and will serve as a defensive quality control coach.

Arizona also announced two internal promotions. After working as assistant quarterbacks coach this year and an offensive quality control coach before that, Conner Senger has been promoted to pass game specialist. Lastly, Blaine Gautier, who served two seasons as the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellow, will now work as an offensive quality control coach in 2025.

Here are a couple other coaching updates out of the NFC West:

  • Rams pass game specialist Nate Scheelhaase interviewed for both the Buccaneers’ and Jaguars’ offensive coordinator jobs this hiring cycle and was even considered a favorite for the job in Jacksonville before it was announced that he would stay in Los Angeles. Perhaps a reward for staying but certainly in recognition of the interest he sparked around the league, the Rams have promoted Scheelhaase to passing game coordinator, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He’ll continue to learn under head coach Sean McVay with increased responsibilities in 2025.
  • Lastly, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the 49ers have a new cornerbacks coach in Ray Brown. Brown most recently spent the 2024 season as the secondary coach at Boston College after a two-year stint coaching cornerbacks at Washington State.

Buccaneers, WR Chris Godwin Agree To Delayed Void Date

February 18th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Ely Allen

As we’ve seen Minnesota do in recent days with players heading to free agency like running back Aaron Jones and cornerback Byron Murphy, the Buccaneers have come to an agreement with wide receiver Chris Godwin to move his contract void date, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports. With what’s becoming a popular negotiation strategy, Tampa Bay is following the Vikings early lead this offseason.

The Vikings have utilized this strategy to give themselves a bit more time in negotiating with veterans with expiring contracts. When those veterans have void years on the end of their expiring deals, the amount from those years officially hits the future cap as dead money at a deadline that was designated to occur this week.

Delaying the deadline provides benefits for parties. First, it grants the team more time to communicate and work towards an extension with their pending free agents. Second, it decreases the likelihood that a player will receive a franchise tag, since the deadline to announce the franchised players falls before the void deadline.

With Godwin, his impending void deadline was set to trigger $18MM in dead money against the team’s 2025 salary cap. Instead, the veteran wideout and team will have until the final day of the league year to figure out a new extension and avoid that dead money hit.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/18/25

February 18th, 2025 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s free agent tender decisions:

ERFAs

Tendered:

The 49ers made the decision today to tender all of their exclusive rights free agents today. The move restricts the seven players from negotiating with other teams. The players will have the choice to accept the offer and play for the 49ers or not play football in 2025.

San Francisco also has two restricted free agents: linebacker Curtis Robinson and running back Jordan Mason. It is yet to be seen what the team will do with those players who, if tendered, would be allowed to negotiate with other teams but would have to give the 49ers the chance to match any offer.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/18/25

February 18th, 2025 at 7:37pm CST by Ely Allen

We had a number of minor moves today in the NFL:

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Byron Murphy, Vikings Push Back Contract Void Date

February 18th, 2025 at 6:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Vikings have agreed with cornerback Byron Murphy to push back the void date on his contract, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

Murphy’s deal was set to void this week, which would accelerate the remaining prorations of his signing bonus into $4.2MM of dead money in 2025. The Vikings now have until March 11 until the contract voids, giving them more time to negotiate an extension with Murphy. The agreement is similar to one reached with veteran running back Aaron Jones last week.

As part of the deal, the Vikings cannot place the franchise or transition tag on Murphy. However, the move signals that the team is interested in extending Murphy for 2025 and beyond after he started all 17 games in 2024 with a team-high six interceptions. He is reportedly looking for a significant raise from the two-year, $17.5MM deal he signed with the team in 2023.

The Vikings did not reach a similar agreement with quarterback Sam Darnold, whose contract will also void this week, according to Graziano. That will cause his $5MM in remaining signing bonus prorations to hit the Vikings’ 2025 cap as dead money. However, the team retains the option to use the franchise or transition tag on Darnold, a crucial factor in their ongoing negotiations.

This continues what has already been a busy and important offseason for Minnesota. In addition to Murphy, Jones, and Darnold, the Vikings see key veteran contributors like offensive tackle Cam Robinson and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin face expiring contracts this offseason, as well. The front office will have several decisions to make as they plan to once again push for the NFC North title in 2025.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Saints Hire Scott Tolzien, T.J. Paganetti; Team ‘Zeroing In’ On Doug Nussmeier As OC

February 18th, 2025 at 5:29pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Like many coordinators who get head coaching opportunities, Kellen Moore is bringing multiple members of his staff in Philadelphia to his new job in New Orleans.

The Saints “are currently working to finalize a deal” to make Doug Nussmeier their next offensive coordinator, per veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson. Nussmeier spent 2024 as the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach and is considered the frontrunner for the job position in New Orleans. He previously coached quarterbacks for the Chargers and the Cowboys. Nussmeier also served as offensive coordinator for several major college programs from 2008 to 2017, including Alabama, Florida, and Michigan.

Nussmeier isn’t the only top Eagles assistant following Moore to New Orleans. The Saints are also hiring Eagles run game specialist and assistant offensive line coach T.J. Paganetti, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. He has spent the last eight seasons in Philadelphia, working closely with legendary Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Paganetti will likely take over as the Saints’ offensive line coach after John Benton followed Klint Kubiak to Seattle.

Moore is hiring another familiar face to serve as quarterbacks coach in Scott Tolzien, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Tolzien was an assistant in Dallas when Moore was the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022. Tolzien was promoted to quarterbacks coach after Moore moved on in 2023, but was not expected to be retained on Brian Schottenheimer‘s new staff.

Tolzien, a former NFL quarterback himself, will help the Saints navigate an uncertain quarterback situation this year. Derek Carr performed well in 2024, but struggled to stay healthy. His durability will remain a concern entering his age-34 season – if he even stays on the roster – but neither Spencer Rattler nor Jake Haener inspired much confidence in 2024. The Saints’ cap situation will hinder them in the free agent quarterback market, and the draft’s top quarterbacks will likely go before their first round pick (No. 9 overall).

Seahawks Add Justin Outten, Rick Dennison To Staff

February 18th, 2025 at 1:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 18: In addition to the Outten hire, the expected move of bringing in Dennison is now official. The former will have the title of assistant offensive line coach in addition to his run-game specialist role, while the latter will work as Seattle’s run-game coordinator.

FEBRUARY 13: Two former offensive coordinators are joining Klint Kubiak in Seattle. The Seahawks are adding Justin Outten to their coaching staff, and Rick Dennison is believed to be joining him.

This will be a reunion among ex-Broncos, as Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak during both the latter’s Denver coaching stints (the latter of which involving Klint). Outten and Klint Kubiak were together on a rather memorable 2022 Broncos staff. Outten is coming aboard as a run-game specialist, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.

[RELATED: Seahawks Hire Klint Kubiak As OC]

Dennison, who is following Klint from New Orleans (per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), received Saints permission to interview with the Seahawks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo add. Teams can block contracted assistants from leaving, but with the Saints changing coaching staffs, it is not too surprising they let Dennison explore other options.

Although coordinators regularly have leeway to bring in assistants, the Seahawks signing off in reuniting the two right-hand men on offense during Nathaniel Hackett‘s disastrous Broncos season is interesting. Both Kubiak and Outten called plays at points that season, with Hackett initially going around Outten to give play-calling duties — as the Broncos struggled mightily in Russell Wilson‘s debut — to his QBs coach. After the Broncos fired Hackett, Outten called plays during the team’s final two games.

A former Packers staffer, Outten spent the past two seasons on the Titans’ staff. He served as Tennessee’s running backs coach and run-game coordinator in 2023 and was retained under new HC Brian Callahan last season, when he coached tight ends. The Titans had planned to move on this offseason. It appears this Seattle role will be closer to his 2023 position, as the Seahawks look to generate more from their run game after Mike Macdonald expressed concern about it upon firing OC Ryan Grubb.

Dennison, 66, has spent much of his career working with the Kubiaks. A teammate of Gary’s in the 1980s and ’90s with the Broncos, Dennison coached on Mike Shanahan‘s staff alongside his former teammate from 1995-2005. Dennison stayed in Denver after Kubiak landed the Houston HC job in 2006, replacing his colleague as Broncos OC. Kubiak then hired him as Texans OC in 2010. Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak again in Baltimore and back in Denver, where he reprised his role as Broncos OC from 2015-16. While Denver’s Super Bowl-winning team is best remembered for its defense, Dennison was a key presence during the one-year Kubiak-Peyton Manning overlap.

Dennison worked with both Kubiaks in Minnesota and then rejoined Klint as part of the 2024 Saints’ staff, serving as a senior offensive assistant. Dennison has been an NFL staffer for 28 years. While the Seahawks have 30-somethings at HC and OC, they now have two 60-somethings (Dennison, Leslie Frazier) as key advisors.

Additionally, the Seahawks are adding Michael Byrne to their staff as an offensive assistant. Byrne is also following Klint Kubiak from New Orleans and also worked with the new Seattle OC at Texas A&M during the early 2010s. An analytics-geared staffer, Byrne also spent time with Pro Football Focus.

Doug Nussmeier Favorite For Saints’ OC Position; Joel Thomas Returning To Staff

February 18th, 2025 at 11:19am CST by Adam La Rose

Three of the staffers connected to the Saints’ offensive coordinator vacancy are currently with the Eagles. To no surprise, one of them is in pole position to join Kellen Moore in New Orleans.

Philadelphia quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier is seen as the favorite at this point, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. While nothing is imminent, he adds the situation is likely heading toward Nussmeier taking on the position. This would represent his first OC opportunity at the NFL level.

Nussmeier’s coaching career began in the CFL, and he has experience at a number of levels as a QBs coach. The 54-year-old also handled coordinator duties at five different college programs from 2008-17 before beginning his time in the NFL. During his time with the Cowboys, Chargers and Eagles, Nussmeier has overlapped with Moore with the latter operating as offensive coordinator.

Moore now has his first head coaching gig, and once it became clear he would depart the Eagles to join the Saints Nussmeier’s name came up as a logical candidate to join him. As expected, Moore will call plays in 2025, but his coordinator hires will of course be key as he puts together his initial staff. That process will include a return to New Orleans for a familiar staffer.

Running backs coach Joel Thomas is set to join the Saints once again, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Thomas spent the 2024 campaign coaching the Giants’ running backs, but he will now make the lateral move back to New Orleans after working there from 2015-23. Brian Daboll will once again need to find a replacement at the RBs coach spot, something which has become an annual endeavor during the hiring cycle.

With Thomas in the fold and Nussmeier the top name to watch on the OC front, here is how the Saints’ coordinator search is shaping up:

Bengals Extend P Ryan Rehkow

February 18th, 2025 at 10:33am CST by Adam La Rose

For 14 years, Kevin Huber handled punting duties in Cincinnati. The team found a new contributor at the position in 2024, and he appears set to operate as Huber’s long-term successor.

The Bengals announced on Tuesday that Ryan Rehkow has signed a two-year extension. As a result, he is on the books through 2026 and will avoid ERFA status this offseason. The former undrafted free agent proved to be the team’s top option throughout his rookie season after winning out a competition with Brad Robbins.

The latter handled punting duties in 2023, the first season after Huber’s retirement. Robbins, selected in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, began this past campaign on IR but was among the players slated as designated for return during roster cutdowns. He returned to the active roster in September, but by that point Rehkow had cemented his status as the Bengals’ preferred choice. As a result, Robbins was waived immediately after his activation.

Rehkow grossed 49.1 yards per punt on average, with a net of 43.3. Both figures represented franchise records, and over 47% of the BYU product’s punts landed inside the opposition’s 20-yard line. As a result of that performance, today’s news comes as little surprise.

At the age of 26, Rehkow has the potential to serve as the Bengals’ punter well into the foreseeable future. After he earned $795K during his rookie campaign, a modest raise is likely coming his way as a result of his new pact.

Departure Likely For Packers CB Jaire Alexander; Team Hopes To Re-Sign K Brandon McManus

February 18th, 2025 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

As the Packers map out their offseason, they have a number of important decisions to make. Among the most notable of those is a call on Jaire Alexander.

Green Bay made Alexander the league’s highest-paid cornerback when he inked a four-year, $84MM extension in the spring of 2022. While his $21MM AAV has since been surpassed on two occasions, expectations have remained high as a result of the pact. Alexander has delivered strong play when on the field since signing his second contract, but the frequency with which he has been sidelined (along with perceived tension with the team) has led to speculation about a release.

“There’s frustration, I think, on both sides, from the fact he can’t get out there,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said when speaking about Alexander’s situation (via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette). “That’s tough. I feel for him because he wants to be out there, he wants to play. But no disconnect.”

While it is certainly possible at this point that the Packers could elect to keep the former first-rounder in place for 2025, a parting of ways would not come as a surprise. Indeed, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky writes there are “strong indications” Alexander will not be back, adding multiple sources from within the organization are frustrated with his injury-driven absences. After making 16 appearances in 2022, the Packers’ top cover man has been limited to seven games in each of the past two years.

Alexander is set to carry cap hits of $24.96MM and $27.38MM in 2025 and ’26, the final two years of his pact. A release before June 1 would not create a net savings for the team, but a post-June 1 designation would yield just over $17MM in cap space along with a dead money charge of $7.88MM. Those funds could be put towards a less expensive replacement at the CB spot as the Packers also seek out upgrades along the defensive front through free agency and the draft this spring.

In addition to making a decision on Alexander, Green Bay will look to find stability at the kicking spot. The Anders Carlson selection in 2023 did not go as planned, and the Packers spent last offseason cycling though several options at the position. Brandon McManus proved to be a worthwhile midseason addition, though, connecting on 20 of his 21 field goal attempts and each of his 30 extra point kicks. Despite one miss in the wild-card round of the playoffs, McManus is a priority for the Packers with respect to a new deal.

“If we were able to get Brandon back, I think certainly that would make me feel very, very, very good about that [specialist] group,” Gutekunst said (via Demovsky) when asked about retaining McManus.

The Packers currently sit mid-pack in terms of projected cap space, and a modest deal is no doubt all that will be required to keep McManus in place. Green Bay could free up additional funds by moving on from Alexander, and his situation will remain one to watch closely as cost-cutting season unfolds around the league.

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