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Coaching Rumors: Bears, Washington, Packers, 49ers, Allen, Giants, Pats, Bengals

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Panthers and Colts are recent examples of an incoming coaching staff keeping a coordinator in place, the Bears‘ 2024 coordinators will not stick around like Ejiro Evero and Gus Bradley did elsewhere. Neither Thomas Brown nor DC Eric Washington will be retained under Ben Johnson, The Athletic’s Adam Jahns notes. O-line coach Chris Morgan, quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph and interim OC Chris Beatty are also out in Chicago. This is not especially surprising, as new staffs regularly want to bring in their own hires.

Brown, 38, will be on his way to a fourth team in four years. The former Sean McVay assistant spent the 2023 season alongside Evero, as Carolina’s OC, and moved from pass-game coordinator to interim OC to interim HC in Chicago last year. The Bears went 1-4 under Brown, who has received OC interest elsewhere. Washington came over from the Bills in 2024, when Matt Eberflus replaced Alan Williams after calling the signals himself for most of the 2023 season. Washington, 55, only took over play-calling duties in 2024 when the Bears fired Eberflus.

Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

  • Teams making HC hires will expand the OC and DC carousels, and the Bears’ entrance on the coordinator market revealed interest in Dennis Allen. The rumored favorite to follow Johnson to Chicago, Allen may also have heard from the 49ers, as ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner indicates the NFC West team showed some interest in the ex-Bengals DC. Allen, though, may have been a Robert Saleh contingency plan. Although Allen has been closely linked to the Bears, Saleh is still in the mix for the Jaguars — with a second interview scheduled — and Raiders. The Cowboys also met with the former Jets HC, who would seem likely to rejoin the 49ers if his HC paths close.
  • Speaking of Washington, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds the Packers interviewed him for their defensive line coach role. Prior to his one-season Bears stay, Washington was the Bills’ D-line coach for the previous four years. He was Carolina’s DC from 2018-19. With a few DC gigs yet to open, it will be interesting to see if Washington would return to the position coach level early rather than wait on a potential lateral move. Green Bay is also interviewing Tampa Bay D-line coach Kacy Rodgers for the role, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds Rodgers’ Buccaneers contract is up.
  • Former defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel will change facilities, but he will (presumably) not need to relocate. The four-year Jets safeties coach is joining the Giants as their DBs coach, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. A former NFL safety who ascended to the role of Falcons DC in the late 2010s, Manuel has been an NFL staffer since 2012. The Giants went 3-14 but did not fire their head coach or their coordinators, but Shane Bowen — after retaining some holdover staffers last year — is bringing in his own guy to replace Jerome Henderson, who spent five years in the role.
  • The Patriots already have a “new” OC-DC tandem, with Josh McDaniels’ third stint in the play-calling role accompanying Terrell Williams‘ arrival as the team’s defensive boss. But Mike Vrabel is retaining special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. Springer was not a Bill Belichick hire, but rather a Jerod Mayo addition; he came over from the Rams last year. Pro Football Focus graded the Pats’ ST units second overall in 2024.
  • Vrabel did not retain Mayo’s O-line coaches, and both have found new gigs. The Bengals are hiring Scott Peters as offensive line coach, with Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson adding ex-Pats assistant O-line coach Michael McCarthy to the same role in Cincinnati. Peters spent four seasons under Bill Callahan as Browns assistant O-line coach and, per Hobson, had spent previous time serving as a UFC trainer for Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez. Zac Taylor played under Callahan at Nebraska, creating a natural tie here. The Bengals fired Frank Pollack from the O-line coaching role at season’s end.

Jets Conducting Second GM Interviews With Trey Brown, Darren Mougey

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Ely Allen

After the Titans and Raiders filled their general manager positions, the Jets were the only team still looking to fill a vacancy at that position, until the Jaguars made the move to fire their GM today. Now, the Jets have a bit more pressure on the clock if they want to make sure their top candidate doesn’t get hired away to Jacksonville. To that effort, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported today that Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey and Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown will be brought in for second interviews with New York tomorrow.

Mougey and Brown both interviewed with the Jets on the same day for their first interview, as well. Mougey has been a fast riser in Denver, working his way up from intern to assistant GM. He’s provided the front office with a bit of continuity over the past few years, as he is one of the few executives to work under both former general manager John Elway and current general manager George Paton.

A Kansas City-area native, Brown is 39 but has been in the NFL ranks since 2010. Brown got his front office start in New England before joining Philly’s operation in 2013. He ended up spending six years with the Eagles, working his way up to director of college scouting. After a few years in the AAF and XFL, he landed with the Bengals in 2021. Brown was already popular during last year’s cycle, with the executive earning an interview with the Raiders while also landing on the Patriots’ short list of candidates, as well.

They join Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark as the only candidates who will have received second interviews so far. Newmark had been trending along with new head coach Aaron Glenn as the likely hire, but Pelissero notes that the team bringing in Mougey and Brown does not rule out Newmark as a candidate. Newmark was in the building with Glenn on Monday, and the team may just want Glenn to get facetime with a couple more candidates before making their decision.

Here’s how the Jets’ general manager search is shaping up so far:

Bengals To Hire Al Golden As DC

January 22nd, 2025 at 3:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

Al Golden is indeed set to return to the NFL in 2025. Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator is finalizing an agreement to take that same role with the Bengals, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Golden has informed the school of his decision, ESPN’s Pete Thamel adds.

Cincinnati moved on from Lou Anarumo after the season, one in which the team’s defensive shortcomings played a key role in a 9-8 record and a failure to reach the playoffs. Anarumo has since moved on to the Colts as their new DC, with the Bengals being connected to a handful of replacement candidates. Golden recently emerged as the favorite, though.

The 55-year-old had been in place at Notre Dame since 2022, serving as the program’s defensive coordinator for each of the past three years. The Fighting Irish advanced to the CFP national title game, so it was not until Monday’s loss that Golden was able to work out an agreement for an NFL gig. Reports from yesterday confirmed the Bengals were expected to hire him to take charge of their defense, with an interview set to take place later in the week. Even without that transpiring, Golden is set to make a return to Cincinnati.

Prior to his stint at Notre Dame, Golden had a two-year span as the Bengals’ linebackers coach. Having thus worked under Zac Taylor previously, this deal marks a reunion between the two. Golden also has experience in that same role with the Lions in addition to other college coaching positions, including head coaching jobs at Temple and Miami.

The Bengals are also set to bring in Jerry Montgomery as their new defensive line coach, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports. Montgomery, 45, has considerable experience at the college and pro levels coaching D-linemen. He worked with the Patriots in 2024, but with Mike Vrabel coming to New England the team has made a number of staff chances. Now, Montgomery will join Golden in Cincinnati for the coming campaign.

Dealing with notable injuries at the cornerback spot in particular, the Bengals finished the year ranked 25th in both points and yards allowed in 2024. Room for improvement exists in several departments on that side of the ball as Cincinnati looks to replicate its offensive production from this past season. The latter effort may be a challenge, but taking a step forward on defense would make the Golden hire an effective one and help steer the team back toward the postseason.

Via PFR’s coordinator search tracker, here is a final look at how things shook out for the Bengals:

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
  • Matt Eberflus, former head coach (Bears): Mentioned as candidate
  • Al Golden, defensive coordinator (Notre Dame): To be hired
  • Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed
  • Wink Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Rumored candidate

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/21/25

January 21st, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

One minor move to pass along:

Cincinnati Bengals

It’s a one-year extension for Cam Grandy, who can now avoid exclusive rights free agency and stick with the Bengals through the offseason. As a 24-year-old undrafted rookie, Grandy started six of his eight appearances in 2024, hauling in five catches. He also got into more than a quarter of his team’s special teams snaps.

Bengals Expected To Hire Al Golden As DC

January 21st, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 6:18pm: According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB, Golden is expected to interview with the Bengals at some point over the next 48 hours. Assuming all goes well, the team will then name Golden as their new defensive coordinator.

TODAY, 9:20am: With the college football season over, Al Golden is eligible to make a return to the pro coaching ranks. Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator appears to have his next NFL gig lined up.

Golden is the Bengals’ top target for defensive coordinator, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Head coach Zac Taylor has paused his search for other candidates in anticipation of pursuing a hire in this case. Golden previously worked under Taylor as Cincinnati’s linebackers coach for the 2020 and ’21 seasons.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic confirms Golden has long been considered the top DC option for the Bengals. Over the next few days, he is expected to finish his tenure with the Fighting Irish (which began in 2022) with a Cincinnati interview likely to take place on Wednesday. After that, Dehner notes, it appears to “inevitable” Golden will be hired to return to the Bengals.

When Taylor was hired as head coach in 2019, he brought in Lou Anarumo as his first defensive coordinator. The latter remained in place for six years, but after the 2024 campaign he was fired. Anarumo has since agreed to charge of the Colts’ defense while the Bengals have yet to replace him. If all goes according to plan with Golden, though, that vacancy will be filled very shortly.

Cincinnati ranked sixth in the NFL in scoring this year, with Joe Burrow topping the league in passing and wideout Ja’Marr Chase winning the ‘Triple Crown’ by finishing first in receptions, yards and touchdowns. In spite of that, the team finished 9-8 and out of the postseason in large part due to defensive shortcomings. After finishing 25th in points and yards allowed, there is considerable room for improvement on that side of the ball moving forward. Golden – who has previously been a DC at Virginia in addition to his time in that capacity with Notre Dame – could soon find himself as an NFL coordinator for the first time.

Via PFR’s coordinator search tracker, here is an updated look at where things stand for the Bengals:

  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive coordinator (Patriots): Interviewed
  • Matt Eberflus, former head coach (Bears): Mentioned as candidate
  • Al Golden, defensive coordinator (Notre Dame): Hire expected
  • Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed
  • Wink Martindale, defensive coordinator (Michigan): Rumored candidate

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

January 19th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Two weekends of playoff football have come and gone, providing us with 10 more draft slots cemented into position as NFL teams continue to be eliminated from the playoffs. The top 18 picks were already divvied up at the conclusion of the regular season to the teams who failed to make the playoffs, while picks 19-28 have been determined over the past two weeks.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order has been determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. The playoff squads are being slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular-season record.

The league’s Super Wild Card weekend resulted in the elimination of Chargers, Steelers, Broncos, Packers, Buccaneers, and Vikings after their respective losses. Tampa Bay benefitted from the three-way tie in record with Denver and Pittsburgh, just as the Chargers did over the Packers.

The divisional round of the playoffs resulted in the elimination of the Texans, Rams, Ravens, and Lions. This time, Houston held the tiebreaker over Los Angeles, gifting it higher draft priority.

We are still at a place that, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, there is a chance that every team drafts in the first round, as no first-round picks have yet been traded. It’s extremely unlikely that this will remain the case, as draft-day trades are a very common occurrence, but it’s still an interesting concept to note this close to the draft.

Here is how the draft order looks following two weeks of playoff football:

  1. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
  2. Cleveland Browns (3-14)
  3. New York Giants (3-14)
  4. New England Patriots (4-13)
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
  6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
  7. New York Jets (5-12)
  8. Carolina Panthers (5-12)
  9. New Orleans Saints (5-12)
  10. Chicago Bears (5-12)
  11. San Francisco (6-11)
  12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
  13. Miami Dolphins (8-9)
  14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
  15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
  16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
  17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
  18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
  20. Denver Broncos (10-7)
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
  22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
  23. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
  24. Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
  25. Houston Texans (10-7)
  26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
  27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
  28. Detroit Lions (15-2)
  29. Washington Commanders (12-5)
  30. Buffalo Bills (13-4)
  31. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)

2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

January 17th, 2025 at 10:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, half the league changed up at offensive and defensive coordinator. As most HC-needy teams have now filled their open positions, the coordinator carousel will accelerate. Here is how the market looks now. When other teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-26-25 (10:31am CT)

Offensive coordinators

Chicago Bears (Out: Chris Beatty)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Ken Dorsey)

Detroit Lions (Out: Ben Johnson)

Houston Texans (Out: Bobby Slowik)

New England Patriots (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

New York Jets (Out: Nathaniel Hackett)

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Ryan Grubb)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Liam Coen)

Defensive coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Jimmy Lake)

Chicago Bears (Out: Eric Washington)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Lou Anarumo)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Mike Zimmer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Aaron Glenn)

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Gus Bradley)

New England Patriots (Out: DeMarcus Covington)

  • Ryan Crow, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/21
  • Terrell Williams, defensive line coach (Lions): Hired

New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)

Sheldon Rankins, Alex Cappa Among Bengals’ Potential Cuts

January 16th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals are projected to enter the 2025 offseason with just under $50MM in cap space, per OverTheCap, the 11th-most in the NFL. Still, that might not be enough for the front office to accomplish all of their offseason goals.

The front office will be focused on re-signing wide receiver Tee Higgins and offensive lineman Cody Ford while shoring up a defense that ranked in the bottom 10 in points and yards allowed in 2024. An extension for Ja’Marr Chase is likely also in the works, so $50MM may not be enough for all of their offseason priorities. The Bengals have a few options to create some additional cap space, according to Paul Dehner of The Athletic, starting with two veterans in the trenches.

Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins struggled to anchor the interior of Cincinnati’s defensive line this season, making it unlikely the team will carry him at a $10.6MM cap hit. He played in just seven games before coming down with an undisclosed illness that sidelined him for the rest of the season. The Bengals can save $8.6MM by releasing Rankins, with a dead cap charge of just $2MM.

Offensive guard Alex Cappa played through an injury to start all 17 games in 2024, but struggled to protect the pocket for Joe Burrow. Cappa has been an iron man since signing with the Bengals in 2022, starting all but one regular season game with 3,319 total snaps, but he hasn’t played well enough to merit his $10.25MM cap charge in 2025. The Bengals can clear $8MM in cap savings by releasing him while absorbing a $2.25MM dead cap hit.

Dehner lists a handful of additional potential cap casualties, including linebacker Germaine Pratt, safety Geno Stone, and running back Zack Moss. One of the organization’s tougher decisions will surround the team’s longest-tenured player. Defensive end Sam Hubbard is attached to an $11.5MM cap hit in 2025, and the team would be left with only $2.5MM in dead cap by moving on from the veteran. Hubbard’s play has declined in recent years, but the edge rusher is still one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Because of his connection to the organization, Dehner wonders if the two sides may be able to find a common ground that reduces the player’s cap number and allows him to finish his career in Cincy.

As Dehner notes, Cincinnati Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn has drawn criticism for being reluctant to hand out guaranteed money beyond the first season of a contract. That’s already led to some degrees of tension with Higgins, Chase, and Jessie Bates. On the flip side, it’s also provided the front office with some easy outs on under-performing veterans like Rankins and Cappa. After the Bengals disappointed in 2024, the team could be eyeing a roster overhaul, and the team can unlock more wiggle room thanks to the creative structuring of their contracts.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Garrett, Bengals, Ravens

January 16th, 2025 at 4:46pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Myles Garrett made it clear before the end of the regular season that he has no intention of playing through another rebuild in Cleveland. Crucially, Garrett has asked the Browns for a concrete plan at quarterback after their disastrous 2022 trade for Deshaun Watson crippled the offense for much of the last three seasons. On the latest episode of Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North, Garrett revealed that he has discussed the Browns’ future with general manager Andrew Berry, who agreed that changes need to be made. The conversation appears to have warmed Garrett to the team’s direction.

“How are we gonna make the most of all the talent that is here?,” Garrett said. “We’re closer than some may think we are.”

Garrett has somewhat of a point. The Browns’ 3-14 record doesn’t reflect the talent of their roster, but it does represent their rudderless quarterback situation. In 2025, defenders like Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome will be back from injuries, while offensive playmakers like Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku can build on solid 2024 seasons.

Watson, meanwhile, re-tore his Achilles and could miss the entire season. The only Browns quarterback under contract in 2025 is former fifth-rounder Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who is 1-4 as a starter with a career passer rating of 45.2 and completion rate of 52.6%. Bailey Zappe will be easy to retain as a restricted free agent, but he is a marginal upgrade on Thompson-Robinson at best.

The Browns will have to convince Garrett (signed through the 2026 season at $25MM per year) that they have a plan under center moving forward. Otherwise, he could demand a trade to facilitate his way out of Cleveland. Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • The Browns are facing a pivotal offseason for another longtime player: running back Nick Chubb. Berry made it clear that the team values Chubb and his contributions to the Browns over the seven years, but admitted that his pending free agency was a “challenging situation,” per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Last offseason, when Chubb was under contract and recovering from his season-ending knee injury, the Browns got him to take a pay cut. Chubb is once again rehabbing an injury – this time a broken foot – but it shouldn’t cost him any of the 2025 season. That will give him more leverage in free agency negotiations, whether that be with the Browns or another team. Though, Chubb’s back-to-back injury-marred seasons will not help the former perennial Pro Bowler.
  • Two of Cleveland’s young defenders are facing uphill battles to be ready by training camp. Berry is expecting a “months-long” recovery for Michael Hall after his right knee injury, which could involve surgery, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The status of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah remains unclear, but Berry “hopes” he can play in 2025, according to Zac Jackson of The Athletic.
  • Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is continuing to push his team to re-sign Tee Higgins. “You just can’t let him outside of the building,” he said, per ESPN’s Ben Baby. Burrow has repeatedly told the media that he wants Higgins to stay in Cincinnati, sending a clear message to team decision-makers in the process.
  • While the Bengals would have to pony up significant money for Higgins – potentially in the region of $30MM per year – they won’t have to pay at the top of the market to retain offensive lineman Cody Ford. His multi-positional versatility is appreciated by the Bengals’ coaching staff, per The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., but he’s unlikely to command the salary of a starting offensive lineman.
  • Despite a career-high nine sacks in 2023 after signing with the Ravens off the street in September, no other team expressed interest in Kyle Van Noy during the 2024 offseason, per Dan Pompei of The Athletic. He re-signed with the Ravens on a two-year, $9MM deal and played through a fractured orbital socket to rank fourth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks. Doctors recommended surgery after the Week 1 injury, but Van Noy refused to miss a single game.

Wink Martindale Interviews For Falcons’ DC Job, To Meet With Colts; Bengals On Radar

January 14th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a year out of the NFL, Wink Martindale is squarely on the radar to return. Two teams have set up interviews with the veteran defensive coordinator, while a third could be eyeing the Michigan DC.

The Falcons announced they have completed an interview with the former Ravens and Giants DC. Martindale is scheduled to meet about the Colts‘ job Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. Despite a turbulent New York exit, Martindale looks to be aiming to follow ex-Baltimore coworker Mike Macdonald by turning a one-year Ann Arbor stay into a return to the league.

In addition to Martindale’s Falcons and Colts meetings, Pelissero points out the Bengals — who fired Lou Anarumo after six seasons in that role — could have interest. Business is picking up for a coach who had previously ascended to the HC carousel. The Colts interviewed Martindale twice for the job Shane Steichen landed; Steichen will now determine if a fit will exist with one of his former competitors.

Martindale’s most recent NFL act certainly caught interest. After the Giants fired two of his lieutenants, Martindale stormed into Brian Daboll’s office and resigned his post. This came after the brash DC was accused of going rogue at points during the 2023 season. Rumblings about a Martindale-Daboll separation lingered for much of that ’23 campaign, and the dustup combusted quickly. The Jaguars were the only team to interview Martindale for their DC job last year, leading him to Michigan.

The Wolverines ranked 19th in points allowed per game (19.9) this season, marking only a slight step back from Jim Harbaugh‘s unbeaten national champion team. Martindale’s unit came for an 8-5 Michigan squad, with the Big Ten program’s defense in far better shape than its offense (113th in scoring) in its first post-Harbaugh season.

After a poor showing running the 2010 Broncos’ defense, Martindale found his footing with the Ravens. Baltimore’s defense ranked in the top three in scoring each year from 2018-20, before a step back commenced in 2021. The Ravens moved on from their DC, hiring Macdonald from the Michigan staff, in 2022. A Giants team thought to be rebuilding saw its defense climb to 17th in scoring defense in 2022, helping an undermanned team reach the divisional round. New York’s unit regressed in 2023, however.

Anarumo will be competing with Martindale for two of these jobs, with the former Bengals DC up for the Colts and Falcons’ positions as well. The veteran staffer will meet with the Colts on Wednesday and Falcons on Thursday, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds. While these jobs are available now, a host of new ones will likely be opening up once teams decide on HCs. Anarumo is on a few prospective HCs’ lists, Breer adds, pointing to a second-chance opportunity being more likely than not for the well-regarded coordinator.

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