| The NFL is headed for even more money in the next wave of television deals. John Ourand of Puck: /a year and a half ago, as the NBA was negotiating with Amazon, ESPN, and NBC on what would amount to a 150 percent increase in the annual value of its media rights, no one stopped to ask: What will this mean for the NFL? And yet the deal, along with Paramount’s overpayment for UFC rights last year, will be used as a rough benchmark to determine the size of the NFL’s next media packages. Those deals will surely amount to an unprecedented sum—the military budget of media contracts, really—but they’ll also underscore just how reliant the linear networks are on the NFL for their survival. In a very real sense, to linear television, the NFL is the world’s most expensive life-support system. TV executives know they’re going to pay a lot more for, at best, the same amount of games they have now. In fact, they view these new deals as an opportunity to buy the NFL out of its opt-out clause, which can be exercised after the 2029 season for most of the networks. (ESPN’s deal runs one year longer.) The networks essentially require the security of having NFL rights locked in for the next eight years—even at the wild increases they’re expecting to pay—simply because pro football is the most reliable programming they have, and is, in many cases, the final frontier of linear. With all this in mind, the analyst set has begun to scope out exactly how pricey the total package could get. “Coming up with numbers by just using an overall contract doesn’t make sense to me,” said Guggenheim analyst Mike Morris, pooh-poohing any direct comps to the recent $76 billion NBA deal. “We looked at the actual viewer hours on the contract. If you comp the NBA to the NFL, the NFL should see a very significant step-up on that basis. The rights are worth a lot more—but the reality is they’re worth only what somebody will pay.” Interestingly, Guggenheim found that the NBA’s current rights deal has a “cost per viewer hour” almost three times higher than the NFL’s current figure—an incredible stat when you consider how many more NBA games there are compared to football. I spoke with a number of Wall Street analysts to gauge their predictions on how the NFL’s forthcoming negotiations, which are expected to begin this fall, may play out. None of them think the networks will be footing the entire increase. Rather, the consensus is that the NFL will carve out separate slates of games for Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube. That model would likely include five games each, including the four international games the league took back from NFL Network and the two Christmas Day games that Netflix currently has for one more year. (The long-awaited 18th game, which will need to be hashed out with the NFLPA, is not yet factored into this package.) The streamers want big events. Why not put the Opening Kickoff into that package, or the primetime Thanksgiving game? “Why isn’t there a Halloween game? Why is there only one game on Black Friday?” Morris asked. “Now you have two new—call them billion-dollar—packages that didn’t exist before that start to expand your total revenue, but that only modestly come at the expense of your traditional partners.” How Much Is Too Much?Morris ran the numbers and projected that, based on the NBA’s deal, the NFL’s media rights could hypothetically move from their current $10 billion per year to $18 billion (though he predicted the final figure would realistically come in lower). Similarly, Goldman Sachs analyst Michael Ng recently wrote that the NFL could see a 1.8–2.0x increase in the average annual value of its $110 billion, 11-year deals, which “would be broadly in line with its historical escalations.” Meanwhile, the consensus so far is that the Sunday afternoon broadcasters, CBS and Fox, are the most likely to renew their packages. And though streamers are getting a lot more serious about sports, they remain interested in exclusive packages of games rather than carrying multiple games in the same time slot. That said, in his research note, Ng wrote that Fox was the most exposed network, “given that it is a sports-and-news pure play, with the second-largest NFL network contract.” Analysts pointed out, also, that NBC’s Sunday Night Football could be a potential target for the streamers. For the past 20 years, the league has programmed SNF as its premier primetime package, featuring its best games. NBC has made it clear that it wants to renew the rights, but if Amazon decides it wants to upgrade from its current Thursday Night Football package, its deep pockets would make it a formidable bidder. In many ways, that Thursday–Sunday, Amazon–NBC dynamic will be the central tension to watch as negotiations unfold. The NFL knows it can command huge increases from the TV networks; in many respects, it has them over a barrel. The trick is ensuring those increases aren’t so steep that they undermine the next bidding process, in the 2030s. To put it in the lingua franca of the Wall Street crowd: Roger Goodell needs to figure out how to delicately, yet rapaciously, extract significant value from his longtime partners without entirely cannibalizing the relationships. “Conventional wisdom for the last 10 years was that traditional media was inevitably dying,” Morris said. “Well, the data indicates that some of the traditional media companies—particularly those with NFL relationships—are seeing that there is a floor to those subscription declines. And a not-insignificant amount of that floor is supported by the NFL.” Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: As Ourand explains, the current NBA “cost per viewer hour” triples the NFL’s existing figure. That could lead to a possible doubling of the current $10 billion per year haul the NFL gets solely from its broadcast rights. The teams could go from getting $312.5 million each to $625 million each. The current thinking is that the league will find a way to carve up the current slate of 272 regular-season games and 13 postseason games and give every interested network and streamer a seat at the table — if they will pay for the meal. One possibility, as Ourand explains it, is that streamers like Netflix and YouTube would get five-game packages. Ourand also suggests that Amazon may try to flip its current Thursday night footprint for the Sunday night package NBC acquired in 2006. Then there’s the looming possibility that the NFL will mobilize quickly, after the NFL Players Association has its new executive director, to expand the regular season to 18 games as soon as 2027. That would add another 16 regular-season games to the mix, pushing the total available annual games that count to 301. However it goes, the price will keep going up. And the networks and streamers will pay it. In a world of fractured on-demand viewership, one property lures many millions to watch the same thing at the same time. There’s tremendous value in that, and the NFL will benefit from it. – – -Albert Breer of SI.com with good news for broken QBs like KYLER MURRAY and TUA TAGOVIALOA: 1) Sam Darnold’s success only bolsters the idea that high-end quarterback talents can be redeemed later in their careers—and the Seahawks have actually pulled off that trick twice, having had Geno Smith in the hopper when they moved on from Russell Wilson. Likewise, the Buccaneers’ reimagination of Baker Mayfield smoothed the landing on the departure of Tom Brady, and the Colts’ gamble on Daniel Jones settled their turbulent quarterbacking waters (at least until he was injured) and brought alive the young offensive talent on their roster. All of this shows that hope may not be lost for Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. Which should create options for quarterback-hungry teams with a draft class coming that may have Fernando Mendoza and not a whole lot else at the position. |
| NFC NORTH |
| CHICAGOMaster negotiator Kevin Warren, the Bears President, has the team on the precipice of moving to Indiana for a new stadium. Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com on a rare unanimous political vote in today’s divisive times: The Chicago Bears’ endeavor for a new stadium took a “meaningful step” forward Thursday, opening the door for the storied franchise to leave Illinois to potentially build a new, domed stadium in Northwest Indiana. Indiana lawmakers in the state House Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved an amendment to Indiana State Bill 27 by a vote of 24-0 on Thursday that would clear a path for the Bears to build a stadium in Hammond, Indiana. The bill would create the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority with the power to issue bonds, acquire land and finance construction for the stadium. “The passage of SB 27 would mark the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date,” the Bears said in statement obtained by ESPN. “We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana. “We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.” The area of Wolf Lake, which crosses the Illinois-Indiana border along Interstate 90, is located on Chicago’s southeast side and in Hammond in Northwest, Indiana, which is around 25 minutes south of Soldier Field. On his X account, Indiana governor Mike Braun wrote “Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears. We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal. If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 puts forward the essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly. “The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we’ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers. We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.” The Bears had been seeking legislation in the state of Illinois that would allow the team to negotiate tax payments with local governing bodies instead of paying full property taxes. The team had previously announced that it would invest $2 billion into the construction of a stadium but was seeking an estimated $850 million in public funding to cover “essential local infrastructure,” including roads, sewers and improvements to adjacent commuter rail lines around the 326-acre property the team purchased in Arlington Heights, Illinois. An Illinois House panel had been set for a hearing on such legislation on Thursday morning, but the committee canceled the meeting. A spokesperson for Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said that “Illinois was ready to move this bill forward. After a productive three-hour meeting yesterday, the Bears leaders requested the ILGA pause the hearing to make further tweaks to the bill. This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois.” The Bears’ current lease at Soldier Field — the stadium where they play but which is owned by the City of Chicago — runs through 2033. Albert Breer points out that if you live in a high rise on Michigan Avenue within sight of Soldier Field, the move to the wilds of Indiana would actually be less than the move to the wilds of Arlington Heights, a site in Illinois initially championed by Warren. @AlbertBreerWe all know why the Bears are pitting states against each other … That said, I just out of curiosity mapped it, and Wolf Lake is 19 miles from Chicago. Arlington Heights is 25 miles away. I guess the difference would be the Indiana site is farther for most Bears fans? Connor Orr of SI.com has sources that says the Bears are very, very likely to leave Chicago and Illinois behind. It’s time to get used to the Indiana Bears, even if the team would still go by its longtime Chicago moniker. According to a source close to the team’s stadium relocation plan, the Bears’ efforts in Indiana have gone from exploratory to something closer to inevitability, barring an unforeseen change of course by the state of Illinois. As CHGO first reported Thursday, the Illinois House Revenue and Finance committee did not meet as scheduled. A bill containing funding for a new Bears stadium in Illinois was not expected to be entertained. The latest developments appear to move this far beyond posturing. The Bears have been in the city of Chicago for more than 100 years but have been aggressively searching for options after the proposed building site in Arlington Heights stalled. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker told reporters as late as Wednesday that he felt progress had been made on stadium talks, though concerns over the percentage of the stadium that would be taxpayer-funded and the taxpayers’ burden for covering nearly half a billion dollars in Soldier Field renovations remained a sticking point. Having the Illinois funding bill—House Bill 2789—not called on while Indiana and the Bears make a public gesture of handholding certainly complicates matters. Included in the bill was a seemingly prophetic line: “The state’s economy is highly vulnerable to other states that have major financial incentive programs and competitive tax incentives.” The expected path forward—which is subject to the typically strange byways and off-ramps associated with local politics—looks like this: On Monday, SB27 will go to the Indiana house for a vote. On Tuesday, it would be voted on by the state senate. Barring any stalling, it could appear on Governor Braun’s desk as early as Wednesday for a signature. Thursday’s process advanced the bill. Some Indiana legislators wore blue and orange ties while voting. A stadium in Indiana would make the Bears similar to the New York Jets and New York Giants, teams that carry the gravitas of a big city in their name but play in a completely different state (New Jersey). Still, the significance of a possible move would not be lost on fans of the historic franchise. While the proposed relocation site of Hammond, Ind. is actually closer to Chicago than the Arlington Heights, Ill. location, crossing a state border could amount to crossing a line for some fans. Interestingly enough, Gary, Ind. was the site of a potential relocation for the Bears back in 1995 and was discussed at length during a Monday Night Football matchup against the Packers (the clip starts at 19:30). Should the bill make it to the Indiana governor’s desk next week, it would not be game over for Illinois. However, as a source familiar with the process put it, Indiana would be holding a significant lead with time running out on the clock. Clay Harbor says the Bears were no longer willing to fight through Illinois politics for a deal that was far worse financially: @clayharbs82Thoughts on the Bears stadium: 1. Illinois deserves a lot of blame. 2. Bears have been trying for over a year to get a deal in Chicago. 2. The Bears aren’t a charity. Indiana’s corporate taxes are half of Illinois, clearer, faster deal. More revenue, more control. #DaBears Has there even been a regional name for the area around Chicago that doesn’t include the word Chicago (or Michigan). If you know of one, call Kevin Warren. @AdamFerrellNFL REPORT: Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren has released a statement addressing a new team name as the organization takes a step closer to Indiana. “For more than a century, the Chicago Bears have represented tradition, toughness, and a deep connection to the city of Chicago and the Midwest region. As we continue to explore the opportunity of a new stadium development in the state of Indiana, we are committed to honoring both our historic roots and our future home. A regional name is at the forefront of these discussions and is not uncommon as we see with other World Championship franchises like the New England Patriots and Golden State Warriors. We understand how meaningful this team is to generations of fans. Any decision regarding our name or identity will be made thoughtfully, with respect for our heritage and the communities who have supported us for decades. The Bears remain committed to transparency as discussions continue, and we thank our fans for their passion and unwavering support.” CHICAGOLAND BEARS? That’s the only one we see in common usage. WINDY CITY BEARS? Why change Chicago to Windy City? |
| NFC EAST |
| DALLASCharean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com on the Cowboys moving to a 3-4 defense under new DC Christian Parker: The Cowboys have played a 4-3 defense for most of their history. All five Super Bowls they have won in their history came with a 4-3 defense. They will play a 3-4 base this season, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker said Wednesday. “First thing, we’re going to be multiple,” Parker said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “I think that whenever you form a defensive structure it’s about the players that you have. So our core principles we’ll be a 3-4 by nature, 4-3 spacing will be appropriate, 4-2-5 in nickel different front structures, coverages behind it. But I will say being multiple is probably the most important thing about it.” It marks the first time the Cowboys have played a 3-4 base defense since 2012 under Rob Ryan. DeMarcus Ware had 11.5 sacks that season, his next-to-last in Dallas. |
| PHILADELPHIAGood news for the Eagles as T LANE JOHNSON says he’s coming back. A tweet from Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer: @Jeff_McLaneLane Johnson just told me that he’s officially returning for a 14th season with the #Eagles. Having the future HOF right tackle will be key as HC Nick Sirianni alters the offense under new OC Sean Mannion in 2026. The Eagles will also have a new O-line coach after Jeff Stoutland resigned earlier this month. Johnson will lead a group that has had only one positional coach in the NFL. Chris Kuper will be taking over responsibilities as the scheme is likely to change. Johnson missed the final eight games of the season, including the playoff loss to the 49ers, with a Lisfranc foot injury. But he has continued his rehab as he works to regain full strength. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAThe Cardinals have broken ground on a new headquarters and practice facility. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com: The Cardinals officially broke ground on their new training facility and business offices. “It is a multi-generational decision that we discerned,” owner Michael Bidwill said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “I wanted to make sure it was player-first, performance-first, and we leveraged the Cardinals headquarters to have the most greater good for the state of Arizona and the city of Phoenix as possible.” The Cardinals have called Tempe home since 1990 and were badly in need of an upgrade to their facilities, which currently sit on 14 acres. They will relocated to a 217-acre site in north Phoenix, which the Cardinals purchased at a state land auction for $136 million. The new facility is scheduled to open in 2028. The team’s football facilities and its business offices will sit on 30 acres, with the remaining acreage mixed-use, with housing and an entertainment district among the development over the next several years. Bidwill said the design will allow the whole area to be walkable, even in the heat of the summer. The Cardinals will have three grass practice fields as well as a fieldhouse with a full-size turf field. A new expanded locker room will house the players. “Everyone loves being in Arizona as a whole, and to have a state-of-the-art facility like this will only do great things for the community, but also for the players,” Cardinals safety Budda Baker said. “Investing into our futures is definitely exciting.” For those who know Phoenix, here is where you can find the Cardinals in 2028: The Cardinals broke ground on a privately funded, $200 million, 30-acre training facility and headquarters on Thursday, Feb. 19, at the intersection of the Loop 101 Freeway and Scottsdale Road in north Phoenix, near Desert Ridge. It is expected to open in summer 2028. That’s right on the border with Scottsdale and not far from the TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Open.- – -Coach Mike LaFleur says that the only offensive coordinator he ever wanted was Nathanial Hackett. Hmmmm. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Mike LaFleur wasn’t hired as the Cardinals’ head coach until February 1, which meant he was behind most other head coaches in building his staff. But LaFleur thinks that might be a good thing. LaFleur says it’s true that many good assistant coaches already had their 2026 jobs lined up at the time LaFleur started the process of looking for assistants, but he believes the late start gave him an opportunity to take a look at coaches he otherwise might not have considered. “Every day in January and early February, guys are getting plucked off,” LaFleur said. “But there’s so many good coaches out there, so you just go through the process. You lose one but sometimes when you lose one it might be the best thing that ever happened because you end up finding the next one that’s a better fit for us. You learn some things about some guys you might not have interviewed. Challenges, but I can flip it and say it’s actually a good thing.” LaFleur said he got the only offensive coordinator he ever wanted in Nathaniel Hackett, and that he took some time to get to know the Cardinals’ incumbent defensive coordinator, Nick Rallis, and decided he was the best coach for the job. LaFleur said he’s close to having his full staff hired. And it’s a staff he likes. |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSThere will be three respected minds backing up Sean McVay with the Rams offense as the team announces titles. ESPN.com: The Los Angeles Rams are promoting passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase to offensive coordinator and making quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone their co-offensive coordinator/QB coach, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday. Scheelhaase remained with the Rams after interviewing for five head coaching jobs during the offseason. The Rams had the top offense in the NFL last season and are bringing back quarterback Matthew Stafford, who announced when he accepted the NFL MVP Award that he would return for 2026. Scheelhaase will lead an offensive staff that brought in former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury earlier this month. Before he was hired by the Rams in 2024, Scheelhaase was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State. Ragone also joined the Rams in 2024 after serving as Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator for three seasons. |
| SEATTLEIs this a thing? Can’t say it crossed the DB’s mind, but apparently Kole Musgrove, managing editor of “Seahawks Wire,” has heard from folks who think the new owners will move the Seahawks out of Seattle. @KoleMusgrove23For those concerned about the Seahawks relocating, let me say it’s EXTREMELY unlikely! The NFL is not going to give up their only presence in such a massive region of the country. The Seattle-Tacoma market is the 13th largest in the country. All 12 above them have *at least* one NFL team, and so do 5 of the next 7 after them to round out the top 20. There’s no financial reason why the NFL would abandon the Seattle market, especially since they’re the only team for 4 states… WA, OR, ID, AK, and if you want to count western MT then go right ahead! The DB found a list of TV markets that has Seattle-Tacoma in 14th, not 13th, behind Tampa-St. Pete. What are the markets in the top 25 that don’t have an NFL team? 1 New York2 Los Angeles3 Chicago4 Philadelphia5 Dallas-Ft. Worth6 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose7 Boston8 Atlanta9 Washington, DC10 Houston11 Detroit12 Phoenix13 Tampa-St. Petersburg14 Seattle-Tacoma15 Minneapolis-St. Paul16 Miami-Ft.Lauderdale17 Cleveland-Akron18 Denver19 Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne20 Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto21 St. Louis22 Portland, OR23 Pittsburgh24 Charlotte, NC25 Indianapolis So there are four of the top 22 without an NFL team.- – -Brady Henderson of ESPN.com explains how Brian Fleury persuaded Mike Macdonald to hire him as the team’s new OC, plus some other Seahawks football business: When Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, fresh off a win in Super Bowl LX, set out to find a new offensive coordinator last week, he thought he was most likely going to fill that role by promoting from within. Then he talked to Brian Fleury. The longtime San Francisco 49ers assistant impressed Macdonald enough to get the job over four in-house candidates that also interviewed to replace Klint Kubiak, who became the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach. “He just did a phenomenal job,” Macdonald said Thursday while sitting next to Fleury inside the team’s headquarters. “I think his vision and what he believes in offensively … was aligned with how we want it to. The principles and philosophy on how he goes about his business and how he coaches and what he wants from our offense, he took it straight out of our culture graphic.” Fleury has no offensive playcalling experience, but when Macdonald interviewed him last Saturday, he heard a coach who spoke his language. “All the things we’ve talked about throughout the season in terms of connectivity, attention to detail, the chasing edges type of mentality, he didn’t use those words verbatim, but he might as well have,” Macdonald said. “How we want to run off the football. Tacitly, there’s a lot of similarities as well. But just how we do business, it felt like he’d be a great partner to work with.” Macdonald was seeking continuity for quarterback Sam Darnold and the rest of Seattle’s offense. It’s why he initially interviewed four of his assistants — quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, run game specialist Justin Outten, tight ends coach Mack Brown and passing game coordinator Jake Peetz — and why he ultimately tabbed someone from a similar West Coast system. Fleury spent seven seasons under coach Kyle Shananan with the 49ers, including the past four as their tight ends coach. He added the title of run game coordinator in 2025, though he was heavily involved in their run game before that. Kubiak was San Francisco’s passing game coordinator in 2023, the year Darnold backed up Brock Purdy. “So a lot of alignment,” Macdonald said, “and it gave us an opportunity to have some great continuity and keep some great coaches as well, and let us take our offense to the next level.” Not that it will look much different. “It looks very similar to the one that just won the Super Bowl,” Fleury said about his offense. “It’s more about how you play than what you actually are doing schematically. We’re going to be fast and violent and aggressive in every way that we possibly can, put pressure on defenses both schematically and from a tempo standpoint, and always have that type of a mindset.” During Kubiak’s lone season in Seattle, the Seahawks led the NFL in designed rush rate. They ran the second-highest rate of plays from under center while also ranking in the top 10 percentage-wise in play-action, dropbacks that took the quarterback outside of the pocket and rushes outside the tackles. Like San Francisco, the Seahawks rostered a fullback, though Fleury said their usage of that position might depend on the opponent. “I’ve already started to dive into everything that Klint was doing here last year and the goal would be to maintain as much of that as possible,” Fleury said. “But there’s also areas where we can supplement that with things that we’ve developed and done at San Francisco under Kyle that Klint wasn’t there for or maybe didn’t implement as much. “… I think there’s definitely areas where we can grow, some different ways that we can challenge the players that they should be looking forward to when they get back here.” A college quarterback, Fleury began his playing career at Maryland before transferring to Towson, where he would later serve as special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach. He began his NFL coaching career in 2013 and worked on the defensive side of the ball for his first seven seasons, including a three-year stint with the Miami Dolphins in which his main duties entailed football research. Fleury said his defensive background “100%” has influenced his offensive approach. “I was fortunate enough to work in a bunch of different styles of defense,” Fleury said. “So it makes it easier for me, I think, to diagnose how the defense is operating, how they’re built, where the coverage structure is and how it works with the fronts. What that allows me to do is — probably quicker than maybe some other people — get to ways to unlock that both formationally and then structurally and put pressure on them to create conflicts.” Fleury hasn’t called offensive plays at any level. Now he’s one of 13 non-head coaches who have that job in the NFL. He said he’ll probably call plays from the field but that he’ll also do so from the booth in the preseason. Macdonald said playcalling experience is “a bit overrated,” noting that every playcaller has to start somewhere. “You’re going to have to grow into any new role, but we have a lot of great people around here and a lot of great opportunities for him to get ready to go and I’m really confident that he’s going to be off and running sooner than later,” Macdonald said. “So, I’m excited about it. It’s going to be a fun process to build this thing.” The Seahawks are finalizing their offensive staff under Fleury. Among the positions still to be filled is quarterbacks coach, with Janocko following Kubiak to be the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. He confirmed former Baltimore Ravens director of football strategy/assistant quarterbacks coach Daniel Stern has joined Seattle’s staff, saying his role will be fluid. Seattle is promoting Outten to run game coordinator and hiring former Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock as running backs coach/senior offensive assistant, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Pete Thamel, respectively. Macdonald also confirmed the hiring of former Ravens defensive coordinator Zachary Orr as inside linebackers coach. Kirk Olivadotti, who filled that position the past two seasons, will have a different role on Seattle’s staff. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CLEVELANDG WYATT TELLER, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Browns, is moving on. Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com: Right guard Wyatt Teller is the latest stalwart who won’t return to the Cleveland Browns in 2026 as the team begins to overhaul its offense. Teller, an impending free agent, and his wife, Carly, said goodbye to the city of Cleveland in an Instagram post Wednesday. “While we are excited and look forward to what the future holds, Cleveland will always have a special place in our hearts,” Teller said. Teller, 31, made 94 of his 101 career starts in Cleveland and was named to three Pro Bowls, as well as three All-Pro teams, in seven seasons. But the Browns began rotating Teller with Teven Jenkins in a Week 13 game against the San Francisco 49ers. Teller injured his calf in that game and then sat out the next three games. He returned in Week 17 but aggravated his calf injury. Cleveland put Teller on injured reserve days later. In 2025, Teller ranked 57th out of 65 qualifying guards in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric and 40th out of 62 guards in run block win rate. A fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2018, Teller had expressed a desire to retire in Cleveland but acknowledged the uncertainty of his future the day the Browns put him on IR. “I don’t want it to be [my last game], but if it is, it is. I enjoyed my time,” Teller said. Last week, tight end and impending free agent David Njoku also said in an Instagram post that his time in Cleveland has come to an end. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOIn their drive to christen the new stadium with a Super Bowl team, the Bills have added the “other guy” on the list of seven coaches who have taken two different teams to the Super Bowl. Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Andy Reid top the list, then Dick Vermeil, Dan Reeves, Mike Holmgren AND….this from Bills Rumblings: Over the last two weeks, new Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady has been assembling his coaching staff, bringing in a mix of veteran minds and up-and-coming assistant coaches. The Bills and Brady finalized the list of Brady’s coaching staff, and there was an intriguing name: John Fox, who coached both the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos to Super Bowl appearances. Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by assessing Brady’s complete coaching staff and exploring how Fox could serve as a valuable sounding board for Brady, Buffalo’s first-time head coach and the youngest head coach in the league heading into the 2026 NFL season. John Fox, who led the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Denver Broncos to Super Bowl XLVIII, is coming to Western New York as a senior assistant coach. Fox, 71, coached the Panthers (2002-10), Broncos (2011-14) and Chicago Bears (2015-17) and will bring a veteran presence to Brady’s coaching staff. In his first year as Buffalo’s head coach, Brady retained 11 assistants from Sean McDermott’s staff: Rob Boras (tight ends coach/run game coordinator), Joe Danna (secondary coach), Austin Gund (offensive line coach), Mark Lubick (pass game specialist/game management), DJ Mangas (assistant wide receivers coach), Kelly Skipper (running backs coach), Jason Rebrovich (senior defensive assistant), Alvin Vaughn (defensive assistant), Kyle Shurmur (assistant quarterback coach), Turner West (special teams assistant), and Milli Wilson (offensive assistant/fellowship coach). The newcomers to the staff include Fox, Pete Carmichael (offensive coordinator), Jim Leonhard (defensive coordinator), Jeff Rodgers (special teams), Bobby April III (outside linebackers), John Egorugwu (inside linebackers), Bo Hardegree (quarterbacks), Terrance Jamison (defensive line), Pat Meyer (offensive line coach), Craig Robertson (defensive quality control), and Drew Terrell (wide receivers). Albert Breer breaks down the hiring of Joe Brady as head coach, and why the hiring of Fox was part of the deal: While we’re there, we never got the chance to dive all the way in on the Bills’ hire of Joe Brady, which figures to be the most impactful of all these. I say this mostly because the fate of perhaps the NFL’s best player, Josh Allen, in the prime of his career hangs in the balance. And that puts a good amount of pressure on everyone involved. Squarely in the crosshairs of all that is GM Brandon Beane, who was promoted and empowered in the aftermath of Sean McDermott’s dismissal. Beane, of course, knew going in that he had to get this one right. So I figured it’d be good to go through a timeline of how he landed on the guy who was working right down the hall the whole time … • Beane’s initial list included around 25 names, so the first order of business was to narrow the list to a manageable number. Time was of the essence because the Bills were essentially victims of their own success—two weeks behind most teams after advancing to the divisional round. • McDermott was let go on the third Monday in January. That night, Beane and his top two lieutenants, Terrance Gray and Brian Gaine, started pouring over the list, and Tuesday was spent doing research and making reference calls around the league. They were categorized in definites for interviews, maybes, and nos. Brady was the first one, and Beane told him Tuesday afternoon that his interview would be the next day. Their old OC Brian Daboll and Colts DC Lou Anarumo were both in the New York City area, so they’d be close enough to come and interview on Thursday. • With a winter storm coming, the Bills made the call that they’d leave for Florida, and do the next phase near owner Terry Pegula’s Boca Raton home starting on Friday. Around that time, Philip Rivers’s name popped up, so Beane called Rivers’s agents, who communicated that Rivers would only interview with two or three teams, and the Bills were one. So his interview was Friday in Florida. Then-Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Commanders running backs coach Anthony Lynn interviewed in Boca on Saturday, and Jaguars OC Grant Udinski’s interview wrapped there during the AFC title game. • Beane, Gray, Gaine, Pegula and Allen watched the rest of that one, painful as it was, and then reached out to Webb’s people to try and get him to Florida. Webb was already committed to go to Vegas, but agreed to Zoom that Monday morning. The Bills then waited on Rams pass-game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase, who’d coached in the NFC title game, to finish his interview in L.A. with the Browns before Zooming with him Monday night. • The Bills also had an interest in Kubiak, but figured it’d be unfair to everyone to wait until after the Super Bowl to interview him—by rule, because the Bills missed the first window to interview him, they couldn’t talk to him until after the Seahawks’ season ended. • And at that point, as they worked to narrow the list, the Bills kept coming back to Brady. They’d asked him, in the first interview, to go over the roster “like you’ve been coaching for the Green Bay Packers.” They loved his knowledge of their defensive players. They loved his insight on where defenses were going, and how he’d use his experience coaching against those that gave him (and Allen) the most trouble to find a DC to build something similar. They loved the staff lists, which included Jim Leonhard prominently, he gave the Ravens and Raiders. And they loved his vision for being team CEO. • One line from his interview that stuck out to those in the room, in assessing defenses: “This actually stresses me out, seeing this in the box, and it’s actually this. You can see it in Josh.” Allen, of course, was in the room for that. And, interestingly enough, the coordinator he picked for his defense, Jim Leonhard, would come from the team that ousted Buffalo. • There was also perspective there from Brady, and not just from his time with McDermott, but also Joe Burrow and Ed Orgeron at LSU, and Sean Payton before that in New Orleans, that showed the Bills would be hiring a whole lot more than just a play-caller. And that’s just what Beane & Co. were looking for. They hardly asked him anything about his offense in the interview, because they felt like doing that would be wasting everyone’s time. • From there, logistics had to be worked out. Brady was in Vegas to interview with the Raiders that Monday, and had flown back to Buffalo and landed around 11:30 p.m. local time. The Ravens were looking hard at hiring him to be Minter’s first OC. And weather had come into play, too, as the Bills looked to get Brady back down to Florida for his second interview. In the end, Beane made the call to do it over Zoom. And since Brady has two young kids at home, he did the interview from the offensive coordinator’s office at the Bills facility. • Allen, for what it’s worth, wasn’t in on the second interview. Pegula didn’t want to make the hire Allen’s—but did want to make sure the quarterback was on board with whoever the Bills brass chose. Allen chose to be in the interviews, but was mostly an observer. He took notes. He asked granular questions like when coaches would schedule practices, or meals, and added in what the players in Buffalo like. Beane told Allen that if he thought a coach didn’t fit, he should speak up. On the three-hour flight to Florida, he gave his take on Brady, Daboll and Anarumo, but was intentional in not trying to sway opinion. In the end, he found out Brady was the pick after Brady had already accepted the job. And when it was over, the Bills bosses had just one request of Brady, and that was to bring in an experienced ex-head coach as a sounding board. Luckily enough, Beane had John Fox, with whom he’d worked for nine seasons in Carolina, on speed dial, and Brady met with him and decided to hire him (Fox has been on the job for a week already). In the end, Brady may have gone in with a small edge in this race in that everyone knew him—which can work against a coach too, in that the team will know all your warts. But it wasn’t what the Bills knew about him that won him the job. It was all the things they didn’t, that were fleshed out through the two interviews. And now all Brady has to do is go win a championship. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| UNDER-RATED FREE AGENTSZachary Pareles of CBSSports.com offers some upcoming free agents worth taking a flyer on: When NFL free agency begins, hundreds of millions of dollars will come flying off the shelves in short order. When it’s all said and done, roughly $4 billion will be spent, league-wide, on free agency this offseason. Yes, that’s billion with a “b.” The New England Patriots showed that big spending — when used wisely — can fuel a major turnaround. According to Spotrac, the Patriots spent over $364 million last year in free agency, the most in the NFL. That included several big-ticket items such as Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, Carlton Davis, Harold Landry III and Robert Spillane. But it also included crucial, under-the-radar signings like K’Lavon Chaisson (one year, $3 million), Khyiris Tonga (one year, $2.1 million) and Jaylinn Hawkins (one year, $1.8 million). The more expensive acquisitions got the headlines for New England’s historic turnaround from 4-13 to AFC champions, but Chaisson had 7.5 sacks in the regular season (and three more in the playoffs), Tonga was a crucial part of the defensive line rotation, and Hawkins had the best season of his career, reeling in four interceptions. Hitting on these signings was immense, and that wasn’t just true for the Patriots. Kenneth Gainwell was a key part of the Steelers’ offense. Tony Jefferson and Benjamin St.-Juste played important roles in the Chargers’ excellent secondary. Nahshon Wright had five interceptions as part of the Bears’ magical season. Nate Landman was excellent for the Rams. Pete Prisco released his top 100 free agents this week, and those are the players who will command most of the attention and money this free agency cycle. Christian Kirk, WR, TexansAfter a quiet regular season, Christian Kirk had 10 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns in two postseason games, showing he still provides some downfield juice from the slot, a valuable commodity especially for his likely price point. Kirk will turn 30 midway through the 2026 season, and health has been an issue. Still, he was a 1,108-yard receiver in 2022, and he had 787 yards in just 12 games in 2023. A team in search of a slot receiver with some giddy up could do much worse, especially on what will likely be a short, cheap deal. Kevin Zeitler, G, TitansFor his entire career, no matter where he’s been, Kevin Zeitler has come in and provided high-level guard play. That was true even in 2025, when the Titans were a mess and Zeitler was 35. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 11th-best guard in the NFL. He has played at least 15 games every season since 2015, he is sturdy in pass protection, and he has yet to show any signs of a large drop-off. Perhaps a reunion with the Lions or the Ravens — both of whom need guards — could be in order. Braxton Jones, T, BearsBraxton Jones’ once-promising time with the Bears came to a tough end. He had ankle surgery in the 2025 offseason, slowly but surely worked his way back to being a Week 1 starter, struggled, got removed from the lineup and then suffered a knee injury. That’s one unfortunate development after another, especially considering he had shown real progress in 2023 and 2024 after a tough rookie year. Jones is still just 26, he has significant starting experience at left tackle, and he was on an upward trajectory before multiple injuries derailed his 2025. Malcolm Koonce, EDGE, RaidersLike Jones, Malcolm Koonce was a small-school product who started to emerge before injuries stunted his progress. Koonce registered eight sacks and an impressive 15.7% pressure rate in 2023 before missing the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL. He was a part-time player for the Raiders last year but started to get back into form with 3.5 sacks and a solid 14% pressure rate from Week 11 on. He has a strong motor and a good skill set, and he’s only 27. Don’t be surprised if he receives more attention from NFL teams than his relative lack of name recognition suggests. Dennis Gardeck, EDGE, JaguarsHere were the top four pressure rate leaders among edge defenders in 2025 (min. 100 pass rush snaps): Will Anderson Jr.: 21%Dennis Gardeck: 19.5%Nik Bonitto: 19.4%Micah Parsons: 19.4%One of those things is not like the other. Yes, Gardeck is very much a part-time player, but when that time comes, he is a relentless pass rusher with a fun mix of speed and spin moves. He had three sacks in just seven games in 2024 and six sacks in 2023 (when he had an 18.3% pressure rate). He’s 31, but there’s not a ton of tread on the tires, and in his role, he brings a ton of value. Some team is going to be very happy it added this high-effort player. Alex Singleton, LB, BroncosAlex Singleton, 32, shined in Denver after starting his career with the Eagles, and now he enters free agency once again. PFF graded him very highly as a run defender and not as highly as a pass defender. Still, he can provide solid play in the middle, especially when behind an impactful defensive line. Eric Wilson, LB, VikingsAnother veteran linebacker, Eric Wilson returned to Minnesota after spending his first four seasons there and excelled, registering 115 tackles, 6.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. When things are in front of him, he plays quickly and arrives violently. When it comes to coverage, it gets a little hairy. He’s 31 and has a major hole in his game, but he brings the thump in the run game and when rushing the passer. His 21.9% pressure rate was second in the NFL (min. 100 pass rush snaps) last season. Roger McCreary, CB, RamsRoger McCreary split his season between the Titans and the Rams, and the former second-round pick was PFF’s No. 25 cornerback. He has always been a willing tackler. While the coverage metrics have been up and down, he’s just 26 years old and he has allowed just four passing touchdowns as the primary defender over the past three seasons combined. Greg Newsome II, CB, JaguarsGreg Newsome II also split the 2025 season between two teams, going from the Browns to the Jaguars. The 2021 first-round pick hasn’t been able to recapture the form he had early in his career, but he is just 25 years old, and he was one of the NFL’s better corners from 2021-23. He has good length and can play in the slot. He’s a prime bounce-back candidate in the right landing spot. Andre Cisco, S, JetsAndre Cisco had seven receptions across 2022 and 2023 before just one in 2024 and, after leaving the Jaguars, zero in 2025 for the Jets, who infamously had zero as a team. He appeared in just eight games in 2025 due to a pectoral injury and is now back on the market at just 25 years old. Cisco’s numbers as a tackler and in coverage were down this season, but he had been solid in both areas earlier in his career. Plus, it’s not as if Cisco had a ton of talent around him in what was a rough year for the Jets. If the ball production returns, he’ll be a valuable contributor again in 2026. |
