Friday’s minor NFL moves:
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: S Jalen Pitre (story)
Miami Dolphins
- Waived (with non-injury settlement): WR Odell Beckham Jr. (story)
New England Patriots
- Placed on IR: DT Jaquelin Roy
Friday’s minor NFL moves:
Houston Texans
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
Bill Belichick had a chance to gauge his market last year and certainly did not like the result. Although he had believed he was a true contender for the Falcons job hours before the team’s Raheem Morris hire, some of the animosity he created while in New England may well have shown up during the 2024 coaching carousel’s spin.
Several of the teams who held a coaching vacancy “quickly” dismissed the notion of interviewing Belichick, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reports (subscription required). While the Falcons interviewed Belichick twice — with plenty of fallout coming from that saga — the Chargers, Commanders, Raiders, Panthers, Seahawks and Titans also needed a coach. None interviewed Belichick, leading him to what amounted to a months-long media tour. That is now complete, as Belichick accepted North Carolina’s offer to lead its program.
[RELATED: Bill Belichick’s Contract Details Emerge]
This obviously proved shocking, in the grand scheme, as it will all but certainly end Belichick’s run as an NFL head coach and keep him 14 wins short of Don Shula‘s all-time record. However, the NFL’s second-winningest coach is now believed to be “disgusted” by what the league has become, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Wickersham, who adds Belichick and his confidants — Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and ex-Patriots staffer and Browns GM Michael Lombardi among them — began to look to the college level as a possible destination months ago.
Set to turn 73 in April, Belichick did not exactly have the luxury of waiting another year and hoping for more attractive jobs to open up come 2026. And one team with a vacancy already ruled out Belichick, per Howe. This would seemingly mean in addition to the Jets, with that fit — due to mutual feelings — never pointing toward a pursuit. The Bears and Saints need a coach. Belichick and his confidants had viewed the Bears as the most attractive opening thus far, but Wickersham adds Chicago was unlikely to consider the eight-time Super Bowl winner. Belichick’s circle of trust expects the Bears to target an offensive coach, a route that has become quite popular over the past several years.
Indeed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adds Belichick believed he would have many options to coach again in the NFL. Teams, however, were not eager to allow him to bring in his various preferred staffers. The Patriots’ post-Tom Brady decline played a significant role in teams’ view of Belichick and willingness to use what is being viewed as an old-school model, and even the interest of having him only operate as a coach — as opposed to a coach/de facto GM — was weak enough that this college jump took place. Belichick NFL interest existed, per Schultz, but it fell short of assuring him a job would await.
The subject of personnel power came up frequently this year regarding Belichick. Although Arthur Blank said Belichick did not ask for full personnel control during his interviews last year, the issue helped impede him. As Belichick undoubtedly would have threatened the power Falcons president Rich McKay and GM Terry Fontenot have, it is believed Blank was steered away from his initial goal of hiring the 24-year Patriots HC. Other owners were also skeptical, per Wickersham, of Belichick not throwing his weight around. Additionally, Wickersham indicates Fontenot discussing the Falcons’ draft strategies, from a position of knowledge, annoyed Belichick.
The Patriots had attempted to curb some of Belichick’s power around the 2021 draft, Howe adds, but that effort effectively fell apart in 2022. Belichick had lieutenants like Scott Pioli and Nick Caserio during his historically successful New England run, but both had left — Pioli in 2009, leading to more Belichick power, and Caserio in 2021. The latter’s departure coincided with the above-referenced Patriots effort to work more collaboratively. Robert Kraft is believed to have played a lead role in Belichick’s market cooling this offseason, and the owner later admitted he fired his longtime coach — rather than the party line of a mutual parting being reality.
At North Carolina, Belichick will have the kind of control he held in New England. While some big coaching names on the football and basketball sides have left their respective sports due to the chaos the transfer portal and NIL landscape have caused, Wickersham adds Belichick views the current college setup as “more transactional and less relational,” pointing to a coach carrying decades of experience in the pros being well equipped to step down and navigate the destabilized college level. Belichick said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) coaches have reached out to him about NFL-inspired rule changes.
Belichick said he had always hoped to coach in college. This will still be one of the more interesting transitions in coaching history, as he had coached in the NFL only and had done so for 49 consecutive seasons. Belichick’s father, Steve, coached at Navy for more than 30 years and was a North Carolina assistant in the mid-1950s. Signing a five-year contract, Bill Belichick said is not planning to use the Tar Heels as a springboard back to the NFL. That would be more likely to take place with a younger coach, but with Bruce Arians (at 66) being the oldest NFL HC ever hired, Belichick had seen his chances dwindle at the sport’s top level.
Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England, is joining his longtime colleague as North Carolina’s GM. Schools are adding these positions with more frequency as the sport’s compensation model has radically changed. (Andrew Luck is now Stanford’s GM.) Lombardi spent a year as Browns GM, working alongside Joe Banner back with the Browns in 2013, and joined the Patriots in 2014. He has not held a position since, becoming a regular media presence.
Freddie Kitchens, who is most famous for his Browns one-and-done as head coach in 2019, had served as North Carolina’s interim coach post-Mack Brown. Belichick announced he is retaining the former NFL staffer. It would not surprise to see McDaniels, Patricia and Joe Judge join their former boss as well, though it is not known which former Patriots staffers are coming. Steve and Brian Belichick also will undoubtedly be in play to rejoin their father; Steve is the Washington Huskies’ DC, while Brian stayed on under Jerod Mayo with the Pats.
Belichick will be celebrated as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. His late New England decline notwithstanding, his six Super Bowl wins as a head coach lead the field by two. In the salary cap era, Belichick’s six titles are three more than anyone else. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2026, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. That will result in some other decorated coaches who have been waiting to be pushed down the list.
Noah Brown‘s injury will prompt the Commanders to act at receiver. They submitted a successful waiver claim for K.J. Osborn, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
The Patriots ended an unsuccessful Osborn tenure Tuesday. The veteran slot receiver has produced in the past, however, faring well in Kevin O’Connell‘s Vikings offense. The Commanders will give him a shot in their Terry McLaurin-led receiving corps.
Osborn had fallen well off the radar in New England, catching only seven passes for 57 yards as the Patriots attempted to find answers at the position. The Pats had given Osborn a one-year, $4MM deal but did not benefit much from that contract. Only $1.18MM of that deal consists of base salary. Washington will only owe Osborn $278K for the season’s remainder.
Although Osborn did little in New England, he was a consistent producer in Minnesota. The former Vikings fifth-round pick posted 655 yards under then-OC Klint Kubiak in 2021 and caught on seamlessly with O’Connell a year later, finishing with 650 in an offense that featured Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and, after the trade deadline, T.J. Hockenson. Osborn concluded his Minnesota run with 540 yards in 2023 but did not command a substantial market in free agency, leading to a low-end Pats accord. From 2021-23, Osborn totaled 15 touchdown receptions.
Brown suffered what Dan Quinn said was likely a season-ending injury in Week 13. The late-summer addition had been Washington’s top McLaurin sidekick. This organization spent years trying to find a reliable WR2 but saw its Ron Rivera-era efforts fail. Jahan Dotson was the most notable disappointment; the team traded the 2022 first-round pick during training camp. Brown will likely wrap his season with 453 yards, a total boosted by a Hail Mary touchdown against the Bears, and the Commanders do not have another wideout who has passed 275 on the year. That will make Osborn an interesting addition.
Osborn, 27, may need to again settle for a one-year deal in free agency — after struggling in New England and ending up in a few trade rumors before the deadline — but he will have an interesting opportunity. Brown’s quick assimilation in Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense, along with Osborn having played under four play-callers in five seasons, offers some upside here.
Bill Belichick may well be close to make a radical career change. He remains in discussions with the University of North Carolina about succeeding Mack Brown as head coach. This would take the NFL’s second-winningest coach out of the mix for jobs in 2025 and maybe henceforth.
The sides are still negotiating, however, with a few issues lingering. A role for current Washington DC Steve Belichick is among the matters being discussed, according to ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel and Chris Low. Steve Belichick worked with his father for many years in New England. While Brian Belichick stayed on under Jerod Mayo, Steve left to run the Huskies’ defense.
We heard Tuesday that Bill Belichick’s salary and the Tar Heels’ NIL situation were among the other issues holding up a deal. The Tar Heels have made an offer. It would stand to reason Belichick does not view his chances of landing another NFL job as particularly great; otherwise, these North Carolina talks probably would not have progressed to this point. But the all-time coaching great was surprised when little interest emerged beyond the Falcons’ pursuit this offseason. He is close to preempting any NFL talks this time around.
North Carolina is working to close this deal, Thamel and Low report, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter adding the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC met with university officials during a five-hour meeting Sunday. Another development that points to this actually happening: Belichick has been contacting potential staff members for days. While the likes of Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge have been mentioned as being ready to follow their former Patriots boss, it is unclear if all would do so for a college job.
Steve Belichick, 37, coached on his father’s Patriots staff from 2012-23. While obviously possessing an advantage due to his father’s status, Steve worked his way up to the role of defensive play-caller late in his New England tenure. Mayo offered him the chance to stay in New England, but the Washington gig became the path. The Huskies ranked 46th in scoring defense this season, improving in that area (from 56th in their national championship game season) despite their first Big Ten season at 6-6.
Considering how much interest North Carolina has shown in what would be a fascinating hire, it would surprise if the school stood in the way of Steve Belichick being a major part of the program. Several former Patriots staffers would likely be en route to Chapel Hill. Now, if Bill is mandating his son be named his successor, that is a different matter. But a deal that would allow Belichick full control — something that would not be available if another NFL HC job became a legitimate possibility — certainly appears close.
This would take him out of NFL consideration, but while Bill Belichick said he would be fine staying in the media, these negotiations do not reflect that statement. At 72, Belichick appears adamant about coaching again in 2025 — to the point he is willing to enter college football at one of the most unstable points in its history.
Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
Tennessee Titans
Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins has made just 64.0% of his field goal attempts this season, which includes two misses from inside 40 yards. Patterson kicked for Cleveland when Hopkins was injured at the end of last season, and his addition to the practice squad indicates that head coach Kevin Stefanski is considering a similar change this year.
The Titans signed Narveson as insurance for starter Nick Folk, who is dealing with an injury, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Narveson began the season as the Packers’ kicker, but after missing five of his 12 field goal attempts, all of which came inside of 50 yards.
The Patriots are activating offensive lineman Cole Strange from the Physically Unable to Perform list, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Strange suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee last December, sidelining him for almost a year. He returned to practice on November 20, so his 21-day practice window was set to close this week. Rather than allow him to revert to the PUP list for the rest of the season, the Patriots will move their 2022 first-round pick to the active roster as they determine his immediate playing future.
New England has shuffled their offensive line a number of times this season. Chukwuma Okorafor left the team in September while David Andrews, Jake Andrews, and Caedan Wallace all landed on injured reserve with long-term injuries. Andrews is out for the season, while Wallace was designated to return on Monday. Mike Onwenu has also played 329 snaps at right tackle and 522 at right guard.
Strange’s return will give the Patriots another option along the interior for the rest of the year. At 3-10, they’re no longer fighting for a playoff spot, but rookie quarterback Drake Maye could still take crucial developmental steps over their last four games. Making sure he can get the most out of his rookie year – and ensuring he’s healthy going into his first full NFL offseason – are top priorities for the a rebuilding New England franchise.
All 27 of Strange’s starts over his first two seasons came at left guard, but he could also land at right guard or center upon his return. Left guard still seems like the most likely spot; Onwenu and Ben Brown have both started at right guard and center for the team’s last six games, while Layden Robinson just moved to left guard in Week 13.
Evaluating Strange’s effectiveness coming off of last year’s injury and a lengthy recovery will be crucial to New England’s upcoming fifth-year option decision. Strange’s fully-guaranteed fifth-year option is projected to be $17.4MM after this offseason’s explosion in the guard market, per OverTheCap. That would rank eighth in average annual value among current guard contracts, a hefty sum for a player who has yet to prove that he is one of the best at his position.
Henry Anderson‘s time in the NFL has officially come to an end. The veteran defensive lineman announced his retirement on Tuesday.
Forever grateful to this incredible game for all the lessons, memories and relationships that will last a lifetime,” Anderson wrote in his retirement message. “Excited for the next chapter!”
The 33-year-old last played in 2022, serving in a rotational capacity with the Panthers. He re-signed with Carolina last March, but being moved to injured reserve during roster cutdowns ensured he would be sidelined for the entire campaign. After not managing to land an opportunity over the past few months, Anderson has elected to hang up his cleats.
Selected in the third round of the 2015 draft, Anderson spent his first three years with the Colts. He made 29 appearances with Indianapolis, seeing a total of 19 starts and logging a snap share of 62% or higher twice during that span. Anderson was traded to the Jets in August 2018, a move which set him up to fill a regular role on defense for New York. The Stanford product spent three years as a Jet, starting each of his 13 appearances in 2019.
Anderson was released by the Jets shortly before he landed another AFC East deal, this time with the Patriots. He played for New England in 2021, although in his four appearances his role was notably diminished compared to many of his previous campaigns. A slight rebound in that regard ensued with the Panthers, but well over one full season removed from his last playing time Anderson will now turn his attention to his post-playing days.
Overall, Anderson made 84 appearances and 43 starts across his NFL tenure, collecting 188 tackles and 11.5 sacks. Thanks in large part to his free agent Jets pact, he accumulated roughly $26MM in career earnings.
After long-running speculation about his Patriots tenure coming to an end, K.J. Osborn is indeed on the way out. The veteran receiver is being waived, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter adds, to little surprise, this was a mutual decision by team and player. Osborn is among the Patriots receivers who have seen their playing time fluctuate during the campaign, and he has not suited up since November. Having been let go after the trade deadline, he will hit the waiver wire.
Osborn played out his rookie contract with the Vikings, establishing himself as a notable complementary receiver during his final three seasons with the team. His first foray into free agency saw him sign a one-year, $4MM Patriots pact, a deal which seemed to set him up as at least a rotational option in New England’s revamped WR room. Osborn saw more than three targets only twice in his seven appearances, however.
In the build-up to the trade deadline, signs pointed to the 27-year-old wanting a fresh start. That made Osborn one of many names to watch at the receiver position, and the Chargers showed interest. In the end, though, no trade was made and Osborn thus appeared set to close out the campaign with the Patriots. Instead, he will now be available to any teams willing to put in a claim for an addition over the stretch run. If that does not take place, Osborn will become a free agent.
New England’s pass-catching corps has been a sore spot in 2024, and Tyquan Thornton found himself in a similar position to Osborn leading up to the trade deadline. He was cut last month, a sign of the willingness on the part of Eliot Wolf to move on from receivers who have been unable to make an impact (although New England’s inability to pull off a trade for Thornton or Osborn is notable given the team’s readiness to finish the year without them).
For the final four games of the 2024 season, New England’s WR depth chart will consist of DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Every member of that group is under contract for 2025, so they could all remain in place over the course of the offseason. Adding at the position will nonetheless be a priority during free agency and/or the draft, something which would have already been the case even if Osborn had stayed in place.
John Parker Romo was waived by the Vikings once he was no longer needed as a fill-in kicker. No teams put in a claim, but he has not needed to wait long to find an interested suitor.
The Patriots are expected to sign Romo, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. This will be a practice squad agreement, he adds. Romo had a successful short-term run in Minnesota after Will Reichard landed on injured reserve. Romo connected on 11 of 12 field goal tries and seven of eight extra point attempts over a four-game span.
Reichard is healthy again, though, and his activation led to Romo being placed on waivers. The latter will head to New England for the closing weeks of the season, although an immediate path to playing time does not exist. The Patriots have veteran Joey Slye in the fold after he was signed in May and won a preseason competition over incumbent Chad Ryland.
Slye has gone 22-for-28 on field goals this season, including four of six on attempts beyond 50 yards. The 28-year-old has missed only one of his 18 extra point kicks, making his season a more successful one than Ryland’s in 2023. Since Slye is on a on-year contract, however, the Patriots could soon find themselves in need of a replacement at the position. Romo could use the coming weeks to audition for at least an offseason roster spot.
The Virginia Tech product earned first-team All-XFL honors in 2023, something which kept him on the NFL radar after he was unable to see regular season game time with the Saints and Lions. Romo was briefly with the Bears last year, but it was not until his recent Vikings spell that he found himself on an active roster and in a gameday lineup. After the success of his Minnesota stint, Romo will look to carve out a spot in New England’s kicking plans.
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
Cincinnati Bengals
New England Patriots
Patriots third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is set to return to practice for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in early October. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the rookie lineman “stayed close” to veteran David Andrews as the two went through their respective rehabs. Considering New England’s current patchwork OL, Wallace should get some run before the season ends.