Friday’s reserve/futures deals:
Carolina Panthers
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Ajou was a strong high school recruit whose collegiate career didn’t amount to much in two years at Clemson, a season at South Florida, and a season at Garden City CC. After going undrafted, he spent 2024 in the Canadian Football League, where he collected 20 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Although the news coming out of Chicago will probably be the biggest across the NFL today, the Colts have identified their next defensive coordinator. Lou Anarumo is the pick, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the news.
Anarumo and Dennis Allen had been discussing the possibility of joining Ben Johnson wherever he landed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds. While the new Bears HC is expected to choose Allen to be his top defensive assistant, Anarumo will make an early jump to Indianapolis. Allen was also a Colts interviewee.
The Chicago component here helps explain why Indianapolis moved so quickly with Anarumo. But the former HC candidate figured to have more options as soon as other teams hired coaches. The ex-Bengals defensive boss had already met with the Falcons about their vacancy, but Atlanta went with Jets interim HC Jeff Ulbrich. That cleared a path for the Colts, who will replace Gus Bradley with another DC with considerable experience in the role.
Anarumo, 58, had devised a plan to cool off Patrick Mahomes and a then-elite Chiefs offense to help the Bengals to an upset in the 2021 AFC championship game. While he was unable to match that feat in the teams’ rematch a year later, the Bengals had entered the 2022 AFC title game ranked sixth in scoring defense. This came after the team went toe-to-toe with the Rams in Super Bowl LVI. Not too many HC looks emerged, however, as Anarumo only met with the Giants (2022) and Cardinals (2023). The Colts had passed on such a meeting, but they will pair Anarumo with Shane Steichen after Bradley’s defense had become somewhat stale.
After Matt Eberflus had engineered three top-10 defensive finishes in his four seasons, Bradley had seen his troops rank 28th, 28th and 24th in points allowed during his three seasons at the helm. The former Jaguars HC and four-time DC coached a similar cast from 2023-24, with GM Chris Ballard continuing to focus on retaining players rather than pursuing outside help. The results did not produce success, potentially leading to a philosophical shift. Bradley’s unit bottomed out in Week 17, when a 45-point outing from a basement-level Giants team eliminated the Colts from playoff contention.
While Anarumo is also coming off a down season (25th in point and yardage), as the Bengals’ defense effectively kept an MVP-caliber Joe Burrow season from even producing a wild-card berth, he has been a well-regarded option for a while. Anarumo spent more than 20 years in the college ranks but has now been an NFL assistant for 13 years. He coached Dolphins DBs under Joe Philbin and Adam Gase, moving to the Giants for a one-year tenure as their secondary coach in 2018. The Colts will sign off on a quick second chance as a DC, keeping one of the higher-profile options off the market for the five teams that still need to hire HCs.
Via PFR’s Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker, here is how Indy’s process concluded:
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:
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 (2:30pm CT)
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)
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)
New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)
San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)
The Patriots have already gotten off to a fast start in the offseason as the first team to hire a new head coach. With Mike Vrabel now in place, they can get a head start on building the staff beneath him. With a defensive-minded head coach in Vrabel, New England has begun by searching for a new offensive coordinator. Their most recent interview target, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, is Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady.
Per Fowler, New England requested to interview Brady today, making him the fourth candidate to be linked to the position. Bears passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, who served as interim offensive coordinator and interim head coach after the team fired both coaches at different points of the season this year, is the only interviewee so far, meeting with the team earlier this week. Former Raiders head coach and former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has also been confirmed as a candidate, but no interview has been scheduled as of yet.
Brady, a former undrafted quarterback who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League, first got his coaching start in the CFL the season following his retirement from playing. His first coaching job came on the team he retired with, the Montreal Alouettes, as a wide receivers coach in 2009. By 2012, the team promoted him to offensive coordinator for a season before he was hired by the Toronto Argonauts for the same position. He called plays in Toronto for five years, with the Argonauts winning the Grey Cup in 2017.
In 2018, Brady finally got his chance in the NFL, getting hired as assistant quarterbacks coach for the Colts. A year later, he was the full quarterbacks coach, a role he held for two seasons before quickly rising to his first coordinator job in the NFL for Indianapolis. That role came under Frank Reich, though, who called his own plays, so though the Colts offense ranked ninth in scoring in his first year as offensive coordinator, it was not a result of his play-calling. When the team’s offense struggled mightily in his second season as OC, Reich fired Brady before getting fired himself shortly after.
Brady rebounded in Philadelphia, rejoining Nick Sirianni, who he replaced as OC in Indianapolis. He spent his first partial season with the Eagles as an offensive consultant before getting promoted to senior offensive assistant in 2023. In 2024, he joined Jim Harbaugh‘s new staff in Los Angeles in his current role. While the Chargers’ passing attack ranked only 19th in the NFL this year, largely due to Greg Roman‘s run-heavy offensive philosophy, they led the NFL with the fewest interceptions (3) and the lowest interception percentage (0.6). Justin Herbert‘s high-octane production was curtailed a bit in the new system, but reining in his turnover issues after he threw 35 interceptions in his first three seasons was an impressive feat.
Since being fired from his first NFL OC job, Brady has been active on the interview circuit. Before taking his promotion in Philadelphia, Brady interviewed for open coordinator jobs with the Rams and Jets in 2023. Brady also had interview requests for the OC opportunities with the Panthers and Bears before taking the job as passing game coordinator in Los Angeles.
After only a year in that role, Brady’s pursuit of a second chance as an offensive coordinator and an opportunity to call plays for the first time in the NFL could continue with this request from New England. Here’s how the Patriots’ OC search is shaping up so far:
Wednesday’s reserve/futures deals around the NFL:
Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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.
JANUARY 14: The Titans’ second round of interviews will take place in person today, tomorrow and Thursday, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports’ reports. Once all six candidates have been met with, it would come as no surprise if a decision were to be made in relatively short order. Tennessee may well be the first of the three GM-needy teams to move forward with a hire during the 2025 hiring cycle.
JANUARY 13: Needing a GM for the second time in three years, the Titans are moving fast. Less than a week after firing Ran Carthon, Tennessee is setting up second interviews. One of those involves a candidate the team met with in 2023 as well.
Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham met with Titans brass two years ago, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Ryan Poles lieutenant is in line for a second interview this time around. Joining Cunningham in advancing to this stage will be Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi and Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek.
We may not be at the finalist stage yet, though third interviews are virtually unheard of. Still, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray and Colts AGM Ed Dodds are also expected to receive second interviews. Ditto Jon-Eric Sullivan, per Pelissero. While this process is moving swiftly, the Titans still have several candidates in the race.
This batch of candidates includes some who are still in consideration for the Jets and Raiders’ GM gigs. Spytek, a Tom Brady college teammate, is on the Raiders’ radar early. Borgonzi is a Long Island native who has interviewed with the Jets. Sullivan interviewed for the Jets’ job as well. Beyond these three, none of the Titans’ set of second interviewees has been connected to one of the other available jobs. Though, the Raiders have not made official requests yet.
Cunningham would join the Bears’ HC search committee once he is no longer connected to leaving, but for now, the fourth-year Chicago staffer is in limbo. The Bears gave Cunningham an extension after he lost out to Adam Peters for the Commanders’ GM job. The Titans strongly considered Cunningham in 2023, giving him a second interview during the pursuit Carthon eventually won. Cunningham is also believed to have turned down the Cardinals’ GM job that year, with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort winning. Titans brass circling back with another second interview bodes well for Cunningham’s status this year.
Dodds has been on GM carousels previously and has been in the AFC South for seven seasons now. The Colts hired Dodds shortly after Chris Ballard took over in 2017. Dodds interviewed for the Chargers, Panthers and Raiders jobs last year. Gray met with the Bolts and Raiders but declined a Patriots interview request, joining others in doing so as the Patriots looked to satisfy the Rooney Rule for a job most correctly figured would go to Eliot Wolf.
Borgonzi was part of last year’s GM carousel as well, meeting about the Commanders job, but this year marks the first time he has met with multiple teams in the same offseason. The Chiefs have lost Ballard and Brandt Tilis from their front office during Andy Reid‘s tenure. Considering Kansas City’s success over the past several years, it would surprise if Borgonzi was not in the mix for the Jets and Titans’ jobs until the end. Both the Bucs’ assistant GMs, Spytek and Mike Greenberg, are on this year’s GM carousel. Greenberg has interviewed with the Jets. Spytek has been with the Bucs for nearly 10 seasons, two in his current role.
The Titans are giving Chad Brinker significant power, with the team’s former assistant GM — after having usurped Carthon — now president of football operations. That will affect the team’s next GM considerably, significantly affecting this search. Sullivan’s resume should be important here, as he and Brinker worked together for nearly 15 years in Green Bay. Sullivan has been with the Packers since 2004, learning under Ted Thompson and Brian Gutekunst. Brinker featured the same background upon arriving in Nashville.
Via PFR’s General Manager Search Tracker, here is how the Titans’ process looks nearly a week in:
Today’s minor moves:
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Rams
The Colts announced that they’ve re-signed linebacker Cameron McGrone to a one-year extension. The former fifth-round pick has spent the past two-plus years in Indy, including a 2024 campaign where he collected six special teams tackles in nine appearances.
If Ryan Kelly has his way, he’ll continue his career in Indianapolis. However, the impending free agent center understands that there’s no guarantee that he’ll return to the only team he’s ever played for. Following the Colts‘ season finale, the former first-round pick discussed his future in the NFL…and he seemed to hint that his long stint with the organization may have come to an end.
“I just can’t be more thankful to be drafted here nine years ago,” Kelly said (via Mike Chappell of FOX59 in Indianapolis). “Two hours from home [in West Chester, Ohio]. Through the ups and downs. There’s not another place I’d rather be. Indy will always be home. … I love the horseshoe, man. It’s been an honor to represent it the right way.”
Despite 2024 representing his age-31 season, Kelly has continued to produce. He was named an alternate on this year’s Pro Bowl squad despite missing a chunk of games due to a knee injury. He also helped anchor a strong running attack, and considering his track record, he should attract plenty of interest as a free agent. While GM Chris Ballard has recently focused on retaining his own free agents, there’s a chance the organization is priced out of the Kelly sweepstakes. If that ends up being the case, the lineman is proud of his nine years in Indy.
“If I’m part of the team going forward, great,” Kelly said. “If not, it was an honor to wear the horseshoe.”
More notes out of the AFC South…