Seattle Seahawks News & Rumors

Pete Carroll Pushing For Chargers’ HC Job?

Although Pete Carroll is one of the top names on this year’s coaching carousel, the 14-year Seahawks leader has not met with a team about its HC position. It appears he is trying to change that.

Carroll had wanted to keep going with the Seahawks, admitting he made an aggressive pitch to stay on. The Seahawks instead kicking him to an advisory role leaves the energetic leader’s NFL future uncertain. But Carroll is believed to have attempted to land another gig. The 72-year-old coach has been making a behind-the-scenes push to land the Chargers’ job, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

While both the Chargers and Falcons have Jim Harbaugh on their respective radars, the Michigan HC is now most closely linked to the Bolts’ opening. The Chargers have made Harbaugh an offer viewed as “extremely strong,” and Harbaugh assistants are already circulating. The Chargers have satisfied the Rooney Rule, and although Harbaugh has been in talks with his current employer about an extension for weeks, it would not surprise to see him make Los Angeles his vehicle for an NFL comeback after nine years in the college ranks.

Carroll and Harbaugh coached against each other throughout the latter’s time in San Francisco, most memorably in a tightly contested 2013 NFC championship game the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks won. While Carroll has coached in two Super Bowls as a head coach and has a ring from Super Bowl XLVIII, his Seattle defenses have declined over the past several years. Over the past two, the Seahawks ranked 30th in total defense. That understandably interfered with his hopes of coming back for a 15th season, with longtime GM ally John Schneider now running the show in Seattle.

It would stand to reason teams would still be interested in Carroll, given his accomplishments, but the two oldest members on this year’s HC carousel — Carroll and Bill Belichick — have not received substantial interest. At least, not from multiple teams. Belichick remains closely linked to the Atlanta HC opening, interviewing twice. But the 24-year Patriots HC has not met with any other team.

Belichick, who is 71, is less than a year younger than Carroll, who was the NFL’s oldest HC last season. No team has hired a head coach older than 66 in NFL history, with only four coaches (Carroll, George Halas, Marv Levy, Romeo Crennel) in league annals coaching a game at 72 or older. Carroll’s age will undoubtedly impede his quest to land a fourth NFL HC gig. It is nonetheless interesting Carroll is trying to land in Los Angeles, where he spent nine years coaching USC in the 2000s.

Bears Hire Shane Waldron As OC

The Bears’ search for a new offensive coordinator is set to come to an end. Chicago is finalizing an agreement with Seahawks OC Shane Waldron, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Waldron was one of several staffers who interviewed for the position after Luke Getsy was fired. That move came as little surprise after Chicago failed to take a tangible step forward in the passing game this season. Improvement in that regard will be a top priority for Waldron, head coach Matt Eberflus and whichever quarterback the Bears make a commitment to for 2024 and beyond.

The Bears requested an interview with nine OC candidates, beginning with Waldron. The 44-year-old has served as Seattle’s play-caller for the past three seasons, and he drew praise for his work in the 2022 season in particular. Quarterback Geno Smith enjoyed a resurgent campaign that year, and he earned himself a new contract in the process. Smith and the Seahawks did not follow up as expected in 2023, however, ranking 17th in scoring and 21st in total offense en route to missing the postseason.

A step forward from those figures will be needed in the future to help Chicago return to postseason contention. The Bears showed signficant improvement on defense in the second half of the campaign, but they finished the season ranked just 27th in passing yards per game. That showing contrasts with the team’s second-place finish in rushing, and a better balance will need to be struck in either another year with Justin Fields at the helm or a rookie season for the top pick in April’s draft.

If the Bears do elect to move on from Fields and start over using the No. 1 selection, they will likely do so by adding Caleb Williams. For that reason, it was particularly notable when USC quarterbacks coach Kliff Kingsbury found himself on the Bears’ radar by receiving an interview request. Kingsbury and Williams worked together in 2023 with the Trojans, so adding them as a package deal this offseason would have come as little surprise. Williams may well find himself in Chicago soon, but it will be Waldron in charge of the offense if that happens.

The latter began his NFL coaching career in 2008 with the Patriots before spending time in the UFL and the college ranks. Waldron put himself on the coordinator radar during his four-year tenure with the Rams, which included three seasons as the team’s passing game coordinator. After a three-year run in Seattle, he will look to deliver more consistent results in Chicago.

As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes, the Bears attempted to speak with Chargers OC Kellen Moore for their vacancy, but they were blocked from doing so. Moore has spoken with Los Angeles about the team’s head coaching position, so it comes as little surprise an opportunity for a lateral move was denied. While Moore’s future remains in the air, Waldron’s is now clear as he prepares for a move to the Windy City.

Seahawks Arranging Second HC Interviews With Five Candidates

Seattle’s first head coaching search since 2010 has seen a number of first interviews take place, and more are coming. A list of candidates set to receive a second look has emerged as well, however.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Seattle is arranging second interviews with five head coaching candidates: Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Raiders DC Patrick Graham, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Rams DC Raheem Morris and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn. Pelissero adds, though, that the list is likely to grow in time.

Each of those staffers has met with the Seahawks once already. The latter in particular was immediately floated as a top option to replace Pete Carroll given his ties to the organization. Quinn served as Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2013-14, having also spent a pair of seasons there (2009-10) as the team’s defensive line coach. He has enjoyed regular season success during his time with the Cowboys, and Dallas’ postseason letdown has not taken him out of serious consideration for at least the Seahawks’ gig.

Evero, Graham and Morris join Quinn in having a background on the defensive side of the ball. Evero, like many other staffers on the Panthers, entered the 2023 season with notable expectations given his success with the Broncos. While Carolina struggled mightily on offense, Evero’s unit held up well in certain categories and finished fourth in total defense. He has drawn interest from a number of teams as a result, including the Panthers.

Morris, like Quinn, has NFL head coaching experience. The former took over after the latter was fired by the Falcons, and he also spent three seasons in charge of the Buccaneers. Morris has rebuilt his stock to an extent during his run with the Rams’ defense. He has been connected to four openings other than Seattle’s so far.

Graham’s NFL coaching career dates back to 2009, and he has worked as a DC with the Dolphins, Giants and Raiders. Las Vegas experienced a dramatic defensive turnaround after Antonio Pierce was promoted to interim head coach, and with him now having been given the position on a full-time basis, Graham could very well be on the way out. The 44-year-old held the title of assistant head coach during his time in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels.

As the only staffer with a background on the offensive side of the ball, Kafka’s inclusion on the list is notable. He was reported to be in danger of losing his position during the 2023 season, one in which little went according to plan for the Giants. Kafka has survived, however, and he will remain in New York for 2024 unless his second straight year receiving HC interest lands him an opportunity elsewhere.

Today’s news does not include a first interview being arranged with former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. That is signficant given the connections made between he and the Seahawks in recent days. Vrabel has interviewed with the Falcons and Chargers, so the Seahawks could have competition for his services if they decide to meet with him. In-person interviews with coaches currently on NFL staffs cannot take place until after the divisional round is completed. Given that rule, and the volume of staffers reciving an extended look, Seattle’s search will likely continue for some time.

Chargers Interview Mike Vrabel; Falcons, Seahawks Showing Interest

Another big name is on the Chargers’ HC interview docket. Following the Bolts’ Jim Harbaugh meeting, they have scheduled a summit with recently dismissed Titans leader Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel is in Los Angeles today for an in-person interview, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. This is Vrabel’s first known interview since his Tennessee exit. Not attached to a team presently, Vrabel is free to meet in-person with any team.

[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]

The Bolts, who have not hired a retread HC since they replaced Marty Schottenheimer with Norv Turner in 2007, have placed a priority on coaches who have been in the top spot before, Pelissero adds. Vrabel joins Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Leslie Frazier as ex-NFL HCs on the Bolts’ radar. Chargers-Bill Belichick connections emerged early, but the former Patriots icon has only met with the Falcons thus far in his first time on a coaching carousel in 24 years.

As expected, multiple teams are interested in Vrabel for their HC gigs. The Falcons and Seahawks have Vrabel on their respective radars, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, though no meetings have been scheduled just yet. While coaches attached to a team presently must wait until the divisional round’s conclusion to meet in-person with clubs, Vrabel being fired last week exempts him from these newly imposed restrictions.

Clashes with Titans ownership played the lead role in Vrabel’s Tennessee demise, but after the AFC South team had been connected to seeking compensation in a trade, it was surprising to see him fired. The former Super Bowl-winning linebacker proved a natural HC fit early, guiding the Titans to four straight winning seasons without a top-tier quarterback in place. The team ventured to an AFC championship game for the first time in 17 years and won the AFC South over the next two years, earning the conference’s No. 1 seed in 2021. The past two seasons showed some cracks in the Titans’ armor, as a rebuild appears to loom. Despite back-to-back losing seasons, Vrabel is still 54-45 as an NFL HC.

Amy Adams Strunk expressed disappointment when Vrabel trekked to New England to be enshrined in the Patriots’ Hall of Fame in October, and the latter not being onboard with the Ran Carthon GM hire also rankled the second-generation owner. Vrabel, 48, is believed to have sought full roster control prior to the Carthon hire. The Titans refused, keying a downfall for the well-respected leader.

The Chargers are seeking both a head coach and GM, and considering the high-profile names on the radar, it would stand to reason the team will not stick its next sideline leader with an unapproved front office boss. It did not seem a Vrabel-Carthon conflict brought down his run with the Titans, but the former not viewing the latter as ready for the job certainly did not help matters. The Los Angeles job brings natural interest, with Justin Herbert by far the best quarterback tied to a team with a coaching vacancy. The Chargers have not seen their run of first-time hires post-Turner — Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn, Brandon Staley — move the needle, though it will also be interesting how much control they are willing to give a more experienced head coach.

Seattle’s roster also invites intrigue, with Geno Smith still playing like an above-average quarterback and the team deploying one of the NFL’s better skill-position cadres. The Seahawks’ Pete Carroll-led defense has struggled for many years; the past two, in particular, have provided cause for concern. Vrabel did not spend extensive time calling defensive plays in Tennessee, but that is obviously his area of expertise.

The Falcons appear serious with Belichick, setting up a second interview, after Arthur Blank‘s run of first-time hires failing to deliver a Super Bowl win. Though the Falcons have been successful at points in the Blank era (under Quinn, Jim Mora Jr. and Mike Smith), Belichick obviously resides in a different genre as a coach. Vrabel spent eight seasons playing under Belichick, adding appeal, and is 23 years younger than his former mentor. Atlanta has a high-end offensive line, three top-10 skill-position draftees on rookie contracts and saw its defense improve in 2023. The matter of the quarterback remains an issue, however, separating that job from those in L.A. and Seattle.

Coaching Notes: Vrabel, Seahawks, Quinn, Morris, Falcons, Staley, Browns, Giants, Izzo, Steelers, Rams

The Seahawks have not met with Mike Vrabel yet, but interest is believed to exist on the NFC West team’s part. More smoke has emerged connecting Vrabel to Seattle. Several sources indicated this is a match worth monitoring, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, while the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora has heard Vrabel and Dan Quinn are the two names to watch with regards to the Seattle HC job.

Vrabel and Seahawks GM John Schneider are believed to be close, La Canfora adds. With Pete Carroll out of the picture, Schneider — who operated in a right-hand man role as Carroll held final say — is running the show in Seattle. Vrabel sought full personnel control in Tennessee when the team was between GMs, but the organization did not grant it. A structure in which Schneider holds final say but Vrabel possesses more input than he held with the Titans could make sense, but Quinn’s four seasons — spread across two stints, the latter two as a Super Bowl-bound DC — obviously provide a strong connection. The Dallas DC was also the first candidate mentioned for this opening. Quinn has a busy week on tap; the Cowboys’ DC is interviewing virtually with the Panthers, Chargers, Seahawks, Titans and Commanders.

Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

  • Deviating from their Arthur Blank-era trend, the Falcons are believed to be eyeing a coach with experience. Raheem Morris represents an interesting choice, considering he was Atlanta’s interim HC in 2020, but La Canfora adds some around the league view this as a potential match. Sean McVay is advocating for his three-year DC, and a coaching agent informed La Canfora that Morris is believed to have left Atlanta the first time on good terms. Morris, who served as Buccaneers HC from 2009-11, was a Falcons staffer from 2015-20. Bill Belichick having a second interview booked does point to the ex-Patriots coach being the favorite here, however.
  • Duce Staley paid a visit to the Browns this week, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson. The Browns just fired running backs coach Stump Mitchell and are in need at that post. Staley did not make it into December during his first season as Panthers RBs coach, joining QBs coach Josh McCown in being fired. But Staley has been an NFL backfield coach — with the Eagles, Lions and Panthers — since 2013.
  • The Browns are also interviewing Titans outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow, per veteran NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky. While incumbent D-line coach Ben Bloom is not believed to have been fired, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirms the Crow report, indicating Bloom could be reassigned. Crow was with Tennessee throughout Vrabel’s six-year tenure; Bloom has enjoyed two stints in Cleveland — 2009-10 and over the past four seasons under Kevin Stefanski.
  • Seeking a replacement for six-year special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, the Giants are eyeing one of their Tom Coughlin-era assistants. Larry Izzo, the former Patriots linebacker who coached on Coughlin’s staff from 2011-15, is in the mix for the ST coordinator job, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets. Izzo spent the past three seasons as the Seahawks‘ ST boss, but with Carroll gone, the organization has given its assistants permission to explore other opportunities. Izzo broke into coaching in New York, serving as assistant ST coach before moving up the ladder elsewhere.
  • The Rams are losing their defensive line coach to the college ranks. USC announced the hiring of Eric Henderson, who spent the past five seasons as the Rams’ D-line coach. Henderson’s Los Angeles run will continue; he started his NFL coaching stay with two seasons as the Chargers’ assistant D-line coach. Henderson, 40, will become the Trojans’ co-defensive coordinator.
  • Steelers assistant Glenn Thomas will rejoin Matt Rhule, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Sherman, who notes the former Baylor and Temple assistant will become co-OC at Nebraska. Thomas spent one season with the Steelers, coming to Pittsburgh after being Arizona State’s OC in 2022.

Browns To Interview Seahawks’ Andy Dickerson For OC

As the Browns begin their search to replace Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator, they are one of the many teams preparing to interview a former Sean McVay assistant.

Andy Dickerson, who finished his second season as the Seahawks’ offensive line coach, is set to interview for the Browns’ OC post, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. Dickerson has coached under Shane Waldron in Seattle for the past three seasons, moving up to O-line coach in 2022. He spent the previous nine years with the Rams, however. Dickerson is the first known candidate for Cleveland’s OC job, which had been Alex Van Pelt‘s for four years.

McVay kept Dickerson aboard from the Jeff Fisher years, with the veteran coach in place since the Fisher-Les Snead partnership formed in St. Louis back in 2012. Dickerson provided rare continuity in an assistant O-line coach for the Rams, being with the team during Steven Jackson‘s final seasons as the team’s starting back through Todd Gurley‘s ascent. He was in place when the Rams ventured to Super Bowl LIII but left with Waldron to work under Pete Carroll in 2021.

Dickerson’s first season as Seattle’s O-line coach, 2022, featured a historically rare experiment that featured two rookie tackles. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas helped Geno Smith to Comeback Player of the Year honors and Kenneth Walker make a rookie-year impact for a surprising playoff team. Injuries affected the Seahawks’ O-line this past season, which produced the same 9-8 record. But the season can be labeled a disappointment given the resources the team put into this year’s squad.

Carroll’s ouster led the Seahawks to greenlight its staffers permission to interview elsewhere without the threat of being blocked. That would not apply to any Dickerson OC interview, however, as this is a move up the ladder. That said, the Browns are looking for a non-play-calling OC, as Kevin Stefanski will stay in place to call the shots in 2024. But the team is seeking new ideas on offense ahead of Deshaun Watson‘s third season running the show.

Seahawks Request HC Interviews With Ben Johnson, Bobby Slowik

As the Seahawks continue to cast a wide net in search of a Pete Carroll replacement, they plan to speak with two of the 2024 cycle’s most popular candidates. Seattle has requested a head coaching interview with Lions OC Ben Johnson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In addition, Texans OC Bobby Slowik has received a slip, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports.

[RELATED: 2024 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Seattle moved Carroll into an advisory role last week, despite his public comments suggesting he was prepared to coach the team for a 15th season. Interview requests have begun as a result of the move, with general manager John Schneider at the helm of the coaching search. As he confirmed in a Tuesday press conference, the latter will handle all personnel matters after Carroll held final say in that regard during his lengthy HC tenure.

Johnson has received an interview request from each HC-needy team except the Patriots and Raiders to date. The up-and-coming play-caller is believed to have a mutual interest with the Chargers, but significant competition will exist for his services. The Commanders and Panthers have identified Johnson, 37, as their top target. Seattle will thus have a number of suitors to outmaneuver if the team is to land him in this year’s cycle.

Much Like Johnson last year, Slowik has boosted his stock considerably in his first year as a coordinator. The former 49ers passing game coordinator followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco to Houston this offseason, and he has delivered a strong performance. The Texans ranked seventh in the league in passing yards this season despite quarterback C.J. Stroud missing time due to a concussion. Slowik, 36, is lacking in experience compared to a number of other candidates available this year. He has nevertheless received interview requests from the Falcons, Panthers, Titans and Commanders.

Schneider said he intends to begin Seattle’s coaching search tomorrow with virtual interviews (in-person meetings with coaches still in the playoffs cannot take place until after the divisional round). CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the Seahawks’ interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is scheduled for Thursday. Quinn was immediately named as a candidate to watch given his ties to the franchise, though he too has garnered considerable interest from other teams with a HC vacancy.

Given the fact the team has several roster pieces in place from last year’s run to the postseason and the continuity strived for in terms of adding a coach similar to Carroll in terms of culture-building (as Schneider added will be the goal), Seattle’s hiring process will be worth watching closely. The team has targeted staffers from both sides of the ball, and the ultimate selection will be tasked with the significant challenge of matching Carroll’s success.

Seahawks Request HC Interview With Raiders DC Patrick Graham

Patrick Graham has earned another head coaching interview. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Seahawks have requested an interview with the Raiders defensive coordinator.

[RELATED: Seahawks Request HC Interview With Giants OC Mike Kafka]

The veteran coach worked his way up through the Patriots coaching staff, and following stints with the Giants and Packers, he was named the Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2019. He was recruited to the Giants by Joe Judge to serve in the same coordinator role (plus the title of assistant head coach) in 2020, and despite the change to Brian Daboll, Graham was expected to stick in New York in 2022.

Instead, he joined Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, where he’s spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator. Graham has been credited with an improved defense in 2023. The group finished the season ninth in points allowed, and the defense finished top-12 in most passing defense categories. Thanks to the Raiders’ performance, Graham also got an interview for the Chargers head coaching job.

The Seahawks list of head coaching candidates continues to grow. We learned earlier tonight that the team was eyeing Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and the two newest candidates join five other potential names:

Seahawks Request HC Interview With Giants OC Mike Kafka

The Seahawks’ list of head coaching candidates continues to grow. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team requested a head coaching interview with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

[RELATED: 2024 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Following a successful first season in New York, Kafka emerged as a serious head coaching candidate last offseason. The coordinator garnered interviews with the Cardinals, Texans, and Colts for their head coaching jobs, but he ended up sticking with the Giants for the 2023 campaign. Thanks in part to injuries, the Giants offense ended up being one of the worst in the NFL this past season. The offense ultimately ranked 29th in yards and 30th in points scored.

That performance didn’t stop the Giants from retaining Kafka, and it hasn’t stopped HC-needy teams from pursuing the former Chiefs staffer. Kafka has already interviewed for the open head coaching position in Tennessee.

Now we can add Seattle to the list of suitors. Kafka guided Saquon Barkley to one of his most productive seasons in 2022, and it’d be interesting to see what he could do with the talented Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet tandem in Seattle.

The 36-year-old coach joins four definitive candidates and one rumored candidate in Seattle:

Seahawks Request HC Interviews With Dan Quinn, Frank Smith, Ejiro Evero, Raheem Morris

Dan Quinn came up as the first known candidate to replace Pete Carroll in Seattle. The ex-Carroll lieutenant will indeed land on the Seahawks’ request list.

The Seahawks sent out a slip to the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Quinn, 53, enjoyed multiple stints in Seattle, the second of which coming when he spent both Super Bowl seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator in the 2010s. While Quinn’s Dallas defense disappointed Sunday, he is now likely to conduct HC interviews with at least five teams.

[RELATED: 2024 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

The former Falcons HC has been a popular name on the interview circuit for three years now. After Quinn bowed out of the 2023 interview process early, he appears set to stay on this year’s carousel longer. Quinn has been Dallas’ DC for three seasons, though it will be interesting to see how the organization handles the Mike McCarthy situation following the Packers’ runaway win.

Dolphins OC Frank Smith and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero have also received an interview request from the Seahawks, Pelissero adds. Smith has been Mike McDaniel‘s OC in Miami for the past two seasons. McDaniel and Smith’s offense fared miserably Saturday night in frigid Kansas City, but the team turned a corner under McDaniel. The Seahawks join the Panthers in showing interest in McDaniel’s right-hand man on offense.

Evero has been a coveted HC candidate despite spending his two DC years on bad teams. Evero’s defenses outshined the offenses in Denver last season and in Carolina recently, and he has now secured interview requests from the Falcons and Seahawks — in addition to his Panthers meeting.

This fast-moving process also includes Raheem Morris, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Morris has spent the past three seasons in the NFC West, working as the Rams’ DC. He joins Quinn in bringing HC experience to the table, having coached the Buccaneers for three seasons and having served as the Falcons’ interim coach following Quinn’s 2020 ouster. Morris spent six seasons on Quinn’s Atlanta staff, serving in myriad capacities.

A usual-suspects list thus far, the Seahawks are jumping onto the HC carousel a bit later. They reassigned Carroll to an undetermined role, in what amounts to a firing due to the 14-year HC making a case to keep his job, and it is unknown if the longtime leader, who is 72, will coach again. But longtime Carroll leadership partner John Schneider is steering the ship right now; the GM will be likely to explore a reunion with Quinn, who helmed the Seahawks to back-to-back first-place finishes in scoring defense from 2013-14. He parlayed that into a Falcons HC gig, which started to go south following the Super Bowl LI collapse. Quinn has rebuilt his stock in Dallas, though it will be interesting to see how Sunday’s shocking loss affects his chances of securing a second HC position. Quinn initially worked in Seattle from 2009-10, being hired by Jim Mora Jr. and then retained by Carroll as D-line coach.

Evero, 43, worked with Morris in 2021 while also working alongside OC Shane Waldron with the Rams in prior years. Waldron, however, is far from guaranteed to stay. The Seahawks have greenlit a Waldron Bears OC interview. As for Evero, he has garnered respect for his work to keep the 2022 Broncos in games — during their mess of a season under Nathaniel Hackett — and his Panthers defense ranked fourth in yards allowed. DVOA was less kind to Evero’s defense (25th), but eight teams over the past two years have sought HC interviews.

Miami’s offense ranked second in scoring and first in yardage, but the frontrunning label and the team’s struggles against quality opposition will be inescapable after the egg the team laid against the Chiefs. It will be interesting to see if Smith, 42, garners serious consideration in the wake of Miami’s inconsistent season. Morris, 47, is 21-38 as a head coach. But he was just 32 when he landed the Bucs’ top job in 2009. Morris is now best known for collecting a Super Bowl ring as the Rams’ DC. He did well to develop some Aaron Donald pass-rushing sidekicks this year, in third-round picks Byron Young and Kobie Turner.

It should be expected Ravens DC Mike Macdonald will receive a request; the two-year Baltimore defensive boss joined Quinn in early rumors pertaining to the Seahawks’ HC gig. Teams are already interviewing candidates virtually, and Quinn has four Zoom meetings scheduled for this week. No in-person interviews can occur until the divisional round concludes, marking a delay from the NFL’s usual schedule.