Chris Orr

Coaching Notes: Chargers, Saints, Sirmon, Wilber, Eagles, Vikings, Chiefs, Steelers

Jim Harbaugh now has former Michigan offensive and defensive coordinators on his staff. A year after bringing Jesse Minter with him, the Chargers HC is hiring Kirk Campbell from Ann Arbor, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Campbell moved up to Wolverines OC following Harbaugh’s exit but was in place as QBs coach during the team’s unbeaten national championship-winning season. Campbell, 38, moved up the ranks quickly, rising from offensive assistant in 2022 to OC two years later. Serving as Old Dominion’s OC before heading to Michigan, Campbell will be in place as a Chargers offensive assistant in 2025.

The Bolts have also promoted Dylan Roney to edge rushers coach, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz adds. Roney, 29, had joined Minter in following Harbaugh to Los Angeles last year, working as a defensive assistant. He was previously in place as a Michigan graduate assistant.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The last team to make an HC hire this year, the Saints continue to fill out Kellen Moore‘s staff. New Orleans is hiring two former NFL linebackers. They are adding Cal defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon as its linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel tweets. Sirmon played seven seasons with the Titans, starting for the final four (2003-06). He had been the Golden Bears’ DC for the past six years. This will be the former NFLer’s first coaching job in the league. Another retired linebacker, Kyle Wilber, will join Moore as Saints assistant special teams coach, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Wilber was a Moore teammate in Dallas, playing with the Cowboys from 2012-17; he comes over after two years on the Packers’ staff.
  • Elsewhere on New Orleans’ staff, the team is hiring Bo Davis to be its D-line coach, NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson tweets. This is a local hire, as Davis was previously in place as LSU’s D-line coach. Davis previously spent time on the Dolphins and Lions’ staffs. They are adding Texas assistant Terry Joseph to be their defensive pass-game coordinator, per Pelissero. Terry Joseph is the younger brother of Broncos DC Vance Joseph; he had been the Longhorns’ pass-game coordinator for four seasons.
  • Needing a QBs coach because the Saints poached theirs (Doug Nussmeier) for OC, the Eagles interviewed Syracuse QBs coach Nunzio Campanile, per 247Sports.com. Campanile had previously served as interim HC and OC at Rutgers; he spent the past two years at Syracuse, being retained despite the Orange changing HCs in 2024. The Eagles are also are bringing back a familiar face, hiring Greg Austin, according to 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks. Austin was the team’s assistant O-line coach under Chip Kelly from 2013-15. After some time in the college ranks, Austin worked in a quality-control role on Doug Pederson‘s Jaguars staff. He will likely work under Jeff Stoutland, Shorr-Parks adds.
  • Keith Carter has resurfaced in Minnesota. The Vikings hired the former Jets and Titans offensive line coach as their assistant O-line coach. An NFL assistant for the past nine years, Carter was fired from his post as Titans O-line coach after the 2022 season. He resurfaced under Nathaniel Hackett in New York in 2023.
  • The Chiefs are also greenlighting a reunion, rehiring Matt House. Formerly the Chiefs’ linebackers coach form 2019-21, House is now in place as a senior defensive assistant with Kansas City. The veteran staffer had been working as the Jaguars’ ILBs coach, having served as LSU’s DC during the two years prior. He also served as DC at Kentucky, Pitt and Florida International over the past decade. The Chiefs also hired Chris Orr as a defensive quality control coach.
  • After Aaron Curry joined the Jets’ staff, the Steelers have replaced him as ILBs coach. They brought in Scott McCurley to fill the job. A Western Pennsylvania native, McCourley was the Cowboys’ linebackers coach throughout Mike McCarthy‘s tenure. He previously spent 13 years under McCarthy in Green Bay, working his way up to Packers LBs coach.

Panthers Sign DT Caraun Reid

Caraun Reid will receive an opportunity in yet another city. The Panthers are signing the veteran defensive tackle, bringing him aboard Monday. To make room on its roster, Carolina waived linebacker Chris Orr.

A veteran of seven NFL teams since coming into the league in 2014, the veteran defensive lineman will have a chance to accomplish a rare NFL feat. Should he make the Panthers’ 53-man roster, Reid will have played for six teams in the past six years.

Reid, 29, spent the 2020 season bouncing on and off the Jaguars’ active roster. He played in seven games with Jacksonville last season — all as a backup. He started three games for the 2019 Cardinals and played for the Cowboys, Lions and Chargers in the three years prior. Reid also spent time with the Colts and Washington but never saw regular-season action with those teams. Overall, the Princeton alum has played in 54 games and started 16 since entering the league as a fifth-round pick.

Reid joins ex-Titans starter DaQuan Jones as veteran interior D-linemen to sign with the Panthers this year. Carolina also used multiple draft picks to address this position, selecting Daviyon Nixon in Round 5 and Phil Hoskins in Round 7.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/21

We’ll keep track of the latest reserve/futures deals here:

Carolina Panthers 

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/20

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/12/20

Here is Saturday’s usual barrage of minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jachai Polite; Polite tested positive for the coronavirus, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter)

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/21/20

Here is Saturday’s usual flood of minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/20

Here is Saturday’s bevy of minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Football Team

Panthers Reduce Roster To 53

The Panthers are the first team of the day to officially get down to 53 players. The team’s moves are below:

Waived:

Released:

One of the most notable names on the list is Bonnafon, who has been with the organization since 2018. The running back appeared in 16 games last season, rushing for 116 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries. He also hauled in six receptions for 57 yards.

Of course, considering that the NFL was expanded practice squads to 16 players for the 2020 campaign, there’s a good chance that Bonnafon (along with several other players on this list) end up being retained by the organization.

Panthers Agree To Terms With 17 UDFAs

The Panthers have been busy adding undrafted free agents, as the organization announced that they’ve agreed to terms with 17 rookies:

As the press release notes, three of those free agents (Mack, Sutton, Thompson) officially signed with the Panthers on Monday.

The front office was clearly looking to plug a hole at linebacker, as the organization added five undrafted rookies at the position. While the front office used each of their seven draft picks on defensive players, all those rookies are either defensive backs or defensive linemen.

The Panthers are also making a relatively large investment in Bayless. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the wideout will earn $100K in guaranteed money. The Arkansas State product finished last season with 93 receptions for 1,653 yards and 17 touchdowns.