NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

The Bears are going to let DC Chuck Pagano retire while GM Ryan Pace and Coach Matt Nagy will be back.  Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com:

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has decided to retire, league sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports.

The Bears are likely to retain head coach Matt Nagy and general manger Ryan Pace, sources said.

Pagano, 60, spent just two seasons in Chicago after a six-year run as head coach of the Colts. He was hired by the Bears on Jan. 11, 2019, to replace decorated defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who left to become head coach of the Denver Broncos.

In Pagano’s first season, the Bears’ defense lead the NFC in points allowed per game (18.6) and ranked second in the conference in net yards per game (324.1).

Chicago’s defense again appeared to be the club’s strength in the early parts of the 2020 season, but the group’s performance leveled off as the year wore on. Chicago ended the regular season 15th in run defense and 11th versus the pass as the Bears (8-9) backed into the playoffs in Week 17.

Chicago was eliminated from the postseason by the New Orleans Saints in a 21-9 loss Sunday in the Superdome.

In six seasons as head coach of the Colts, Pagano went 53-43 in the regular season and 3-3 in the playoffs.

The fates of Nagy and Pace had been uncertain after the Bears lost eight of 11 to end the year and finished 1-7 versus playoff teams in 2020.

Nagy — named NFL Coach of the Year in 2018 — has guided the Bears to two postseason berths in the past three years.

Pace just completed his sixth year as Chicago’s general manager.

GREEN BAY

The great “Jeopardy” champ Ken Jennings has taped 30 episodes as the first replacement “guest” host for the late Alex Trebek.  Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com:

There will be others as well, including Katie Couric says the rumor mill.

And now we learn, another former “Jeopardy” champ will host at least one show.

– Aaron Rodgers is making a return to “Jeopardy!” This time, however, the Green Bay Packers quarterback will be the host instead of a contestant.

He revealed Tuesday that he has been asked to be a guest host for an episode of his favorite game show — one he appeared on in celebrity edition of the show in 2015.

Rodgers, who is preparing for Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, first mentioned it during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. He later apologized for letting the news out.

A representative from “Jeopardy!” declined to comment and said no announcement has been made about future guest hosts.

“I may have jumped the gun a little bit, so I apologize to ‘Jeopardy!’ if they wanted to announce it,” Rodgers said. “I just got so excited on the show earlier. It just went down the last couple of days, us figuring it out. It is very exciting. It’s for the offseason. We’ll be even more excited when that opportunity gets a little closer, but, man, the show has been so special to me over the years.

“It’s been a staple at my house here in Green Bay for the last 16 years — 6 o’clock watching Alex [Trebek] and trying to get as many questions as I can.”

Trebek, the show’s longtime host, died of cancer at age 80 on Nov. 8.

“When the opportunity came up [for ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’] in 2015, I mean that was a dream come true — it really was — to be on there,” Rodgers said. “To get to meet Alex was just such a special moment, and we’re all obviously sad about his passing.

“There’s this nostalgic connection to certain figures in our life based on our childhood and where we were at and the times we had those memories, it almost makes these people feel like family, like you know them.”

Rodgers compared meeting Trebek to the first time he met football announcers like Keith Jackson and Dan Fouts, who broadcast one of his college games at Cal, and Pat Summerall and John Madden when he got to the NFL.

“We all have so much love and affection, I think, for what [Trebek] meant for that half hour, that 22 minutes of our lives on a daily basis for those of us who were big fans of the show,” Rodgers said. “So to be able to be a guest host is really, really special for me, and I can’t wait for the opportunity.”

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA

Jeff Kerr of CBSSports.com puts together a list of candidates for Eagles coach:

The Philadelphia Eagles have moved on from Doug Pederson as head coach after five seasons at the helm. Pederson, the only Super Bowl-winning head coach in franchise history, is out after the Eagles went on the downswing after winning the NFL championship three years ago. Philadelphia was just 22-25-1 since capturing the Super Bowl LII title, culminating in a 4-11-1 season in 2020 — the franchise’s worst season since Andy Reid’s final year as head coach (2012).

As the Eagles offense struggled under Pederson, franchise quarterback Carson Wentz also regressed significantly this season. Wentz was one of the worst quarterbacks in football, setting a career-low in completion percentage (57.4), passing yards (2,620), and passer rating (72.8) while leading the league in interceptions (15) and giveaways (19). Wentz was benched after 12 games in favor of Jalen Hurts, who provided a spark in the offense despite the Eagles failing to significantly improve their points per game average.

The Eagles have a decision to make between Wentz and Hurts this offseason (or maybe they keep both for 2021), but the franchise will certainly value Wentz’s future in mind as they seek a new head coach — and if Wentz can be salvaged with a massive contract set to kick in.

Here are 10 candidates the Eagles should consider as they search for their next head coach to lead the franchise:

1. Eric Bieniemy

Current role: Offensive coordinator — Kansas City Chiefs

The Eagles have dug into the Andy Reid coaching tree once before with Pederson — and won their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Reid was the most successful head coach in franchise history, making five NFC Championship Game appearances in eight seasons and compiling a .583 win percentage in 14 seasons as the Eagles head coach. Reid disciples have succeeded in the NFL and changed franchises (see John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens and Sean McDermott with the Buffalo Bills).

Bieniemy may be the best assistant coach Reid has ever had as the offensive coordinator of one of the greatest offenses in NFL history. The Chiefs offense was first in total yards per game (415.8) this season under Bieniemy (sixth in 2019, first in 2018) and has led the NFL with 406.9 yards per game over the past three seasons. Patrick Mahomes won a league MVP and Super Bowl MVP with Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator — throwing for 13,868 yards for 114 touchdowns to just 23 interceptions (109.8 passer rating).

If the Eagles seek Bieniemy, he could either work with reinventing Wentz or develop Hurts. Bieniemy played for the Eagles as a running back in 1999 (under Reid) and has been on Reid’s staff in Kansas City since 2013. There’s familiarity with Philadelphia’s front office and ownership, which could get Bieniemy to Eagles.

2. Arthur Smith

Current role: Offensive coordinator — Tennessee Titans

Smith is a hot candidate after the work he has done with Ryan Tannehill since he became the Titans quarterback in Week 7. Tannehill is first in the league in yards per attempt (8.5), third in touchdowns (550) and third in passer rating (111.3) among NFL quarterbacks since becoming the Titans starter — some of the best numbers in the NFL at the position. Then there’s Derrick Henry, who has led the NFL with 3,565 yards rushing over the past two seasons (875 more than the second on the list, Dalvin Cook). The Titans offense was tied for second in total yards per game (396.4) and fourth in points per game (30.7) in 2020.

If there’s any coach that can fix Wentz and make him one of the game’s top quarterbacks again, Smith is the guy. The Eagles will certainly take the Carson Wentz that threw 81 touchdowns to just 21 interceptions from 2017 to 2019.

3. Brian Daboll

Current role: Offensive coordinator — Buffalo Bills

Daboll is the architect of the emergence of Josh Allen as the NFL’s most-improved quarterback — and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season. Allen set Bills franchise marks in passing yards (4,544) and passing touchdowns (37) in a season while leading the league in completion percentage inside the pocket (73.4). The Bills offense was second in points per game (31.3) and tied for second in total yards per game (396.4) in 2020, thanks to the emergence of Allen and a solid mix of run plays and pass plays.

Daboll comes from a winning culture with five Super Bowl rings under Bill Belichick and has established himself as a rising play caller in the league. Given his work with Allen, the Eagles would be wise to give Daboll a call and see what he has in store for Wentz or Hurts.

4. James Urban

Current role: Quarterbacks coach — Baltimore Ravens

If the Eagles want to commit to Hurts as the starting quarterback, they should strongly consider the work Urban has done with Lamar Jackson over the last two years. Jackson is the first quarterback to have two 1,000-yard rushing seasons and won the NFL MVP in 2019 while leading the league in touchdown passes. Over the last two seasons, Jackson has completed 65.25% of his passes for 5,884 yards with 62 touchdowns to 15 interceptions (106.6 rating) and 2,211 rushing yards to 14 touchdowns (6.6 yards per carry).

Urban is also a former assistant coach under Reid from 2004 to 2010, coaching Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick to a Pro Bowl when he was the team’s quarterbacks coach in his last two seasons (2009, 2010). His work with quarterbacks and the opportunity to call plays for the first time could be enough for a good marriage between the Eagles and Urban (who actually turned down a chance to be the Eagles offensive coordinator last year).

Urban isn’t on the radar for head coaching vacancies, but neither was Reid in 1999. That turned out well for Philadelphia.

5. Lincoln Riley

Current role: Head coach — Oklahoma Sooners

Getting Riley to leave the college ranks to the NFL will be difficult, but that doesn’t mean Riley could be intrigued by the possibility of working with Hurts again. Riley is an innovator in football circles, allowing his playmakers to get the ball in space as a result of quick passes — giving his quarterback multiple options before the ball is snapped. Hurts thrived with the options presented to get rid of the ball quickly or use his legs to make a play and move the chains.

A former college quarterback at Texas Tech, the Sooners are 45-8 in the four seasons with Riley as head coach. Riley has developed Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray into No. 1 overall picks and reinvented Hurts’ game. His knowledge of the air raid offense and his development of quarterbacks should intrigue the Eagles. Maybe his offensive system could fix Wentz if the Eagles keep him around.

6. Jim Caldwell

Current role: Unemployed

If the Eagles went a head coach with experience, Caldwell is a very ideal candidate. Caldwell spent seven seasons as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions, compiling a 62-50 record in his head coaching career with three 10-win seasons — including leading the Colts to an appearance in Super Bowl XLIV. Caldwell went 26-22 from 2009 to 2011 with the Colts — 24-8 in the two years he had Peyton Manning at quarterback (Manning missed all of 2011 with a neck injury).

Caldwell was hired by the Lions in 2014 after two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, which included a stint as the offensive coordinator — that guided Joe Flacco to 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in the 2012 postseason — leading Baltimore to the Super Bowl XLVII title. He finished 36-28 in four seasons with Detroit, taking the Lions to two postseason appearances.

Caldwell is 65 years old, but his work with quarterbacks and getting the most out of them speaks for itself. He’s had a top-10 passing offense four times and helped Matthew Stafford throw 107 touchdown passes and have 17,292 passing yards in the four years he was head coach.

Caldwell could reinvent Wentz and get the Eagles back to playoff contention immediately. He deserves another shot in the NFL as a head coach after his stint in Detroit.

7. Mike Kafka

Current role: Quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator — Kansas City Chiefs

The Eagles tried to get Kafka to become their offensive coordinator last year, but they were blocked by the Chiefs after Kansas City promoted him to their passing game coordinator. The 33-year old Kafka — a former Eagles quarterback — guided the Chiefs passing offense to the most passing yards per game in the NFL (300.4). Kansas City was fifth in 2019 and third in 2018 in passing offense, Kafka’s other two seasons as quarterbacks coach.

Just look at Mahomes’ success for how well Kafka has done as quarterbacks coach. A head coaching job will be heading Kafka’s way soon, but he’ll be Bieniemy’s successor as the Chiefs offensive coordinator. Kafka owes it to himself if the Eagles ask for an interview, a young voice the team needs — and someone who can work with Wentz and Hurts. Let’s not forget he’s from the Reid tree, so there’s another positive going for him. Kafka will be a head coach in the NFL at some point.

8. Robert Saleh

Current role: Defensive coordinator — San Francisco 49ers

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie hasn’t hired a defensive head coach since Ray Rhodes in 1995 and has favored offensive coaches in his other head coaching searches, but the Eagles owe it to themselves to give Saleh a look. Saleh is one of the rising coaches in the NFL, as the 49ers have allowed the fewest yards per game in the league over the last two years (298.1) and the 10th-fewest points in the league. Saleh won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks in 2013 as a defensive quality control coach, helping guide the “Legion of Boom” into one of the dominant defenses in the league.

The Eagles need to revamp their defense and already have one of the best pass rushing units in the league. Actually focusing on the linebacker position and having a competent secondary would help the Eagles compete with the high-powered offenses in the league. Saleh can hire an offensive play caller to work on that side of the ball and develop a quarterback.

Hiring a defensive coach is a long shot for the Eagles, but Saleh is one of the best in the league in that department. His players also play hard for him — just ask the 2020 49ers in the final month of the season.

9. Brandon Staley

Current role: Defensive coordinator — Los Angeles Rams

Staley is one of the rising young defensive minds in the NFL — just look at his work in his first season as the Rams defensive coordinator.

First in the NFL in opponent yards per play 4.6)

First in the NFL in pass defense (190.7)

First in the NFL in opponent big plays (20-plus yards) allowed (38)

First in the NFL in total defense (281.9)

First in the NFL in scoring defense (18.5)

First in the NFL in opponent three-and-out percentage (27.9%)

Second in the NFL in sacks (53)

Third in the NFL in rush defense (91.3)

Third in the NFL in third down defense (35.4%)

The 38-year old Staley is bound to get a big raise from the Rams, but he’s earned a promotion to be a head coach already. His defensive scheme is relentless in getting to the quarterback, which greatly benefits the Eagles. Staley can turn the Eagles defense around and hire a young mastermind play caller to work on reinvigorating a dormant offense. Like Saleh, wouldn’t hurt the Eagles to give Staley an interview.

10. Duce Staley

Current role: Assistant head coach — Philadelphia Eagles

If the Eagles want to promote from within, Staley would be a popular choice to be the next Eagles head coach. A fan favorite from his playing days as an Eagles running back, Staley has earned an opportunity to interview for the job again — and a chance to actually call plays.

Staley is one of the few head coaches on Pederson’s staff that actually develops players (see Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Corey Clement over the years) and gets the most out of them. Eagles players respect Staley in the locker room and he has been a motivator on the coaching staff.

The Eagles deserve to hear what Staley has to offer. A commitment to the running game in an evolving run-heavy NFL could be just what Wentz or Hurts need over the next several seasons. better to have either quarterback as an efficient passer than someone who doesn’t have to carry the team every week. That’s what Staley will provide to the Eagles offense, a fresh look for a stale unit.

The Eagles have set up three interviews, of which two are off the above list.

One day after the organization announced Doug Pederson would not return as head coach, the team requested interviews with Robert Saleh, Todd Bowles, and Arthur Smith, according to several ESPN reports.

Both Saleh and Bowles are defensive-minded head coaches, which likely isn’t owner Jeffrey Lurie’s preference for his fifth head-coaching hire. Lurie said the team would be open to candidates with a background in defense during his Monday news conference, although his last three coaching hires have all been offensive-minded guys.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution hears the Falcons are down to the final three in their GM search:

Former Houston general manager Rick Smith, Rams director of college scouting Brady Holmes and Saints vice president/assistant general manager–pro personnel Terry Fontenot are the finalists for the Falcons’ vacant general manager’s position.  This according to a person familiar with the situation.

The Falcons, who fired Thomas Dimitroff on Oct. 11, have interviewed five GM candidates.

In addition to Smith, Fontenot and Holmes, the Falcons interviewed director of college scouting Anthony Robinson and Colts director of college scouting Morocco Brown.

The Falcons, per NFL rules, can’t hire Holmes or Fontenot until after each person’s team loses in the playoffs. Fontenot, who interviewed with the Jets last season, also had an interview with the Denver Broncos for their vacant GM position.

All three are Black.

NEW ORLEANS

RB ALVIN KAMARA is now part of the Saints offensive brain trust.  Mike Triplett ofESPN.com:

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was jogging back to the locker room for halftime at Atlanta in Week 13 when he decided to pick the brain of one of his most trusted offensive minds:

Running back Alvin Kamara.

“It was just in casual conversation — he happened to be next to me walking to the locker room. And I said, ‘What do you like in the second half?’ Just getting his gut,” Payton said. “We talked about a few different runs. And then he said to me, ‘I really like that same play that we ran Taysom [Hill’s quarterback] keeper, but the run off of it.'”

Sure enough, Payton took Kamara’s advice. He installed an adjusted version of the play at halftime — this time with Kamara getting the ball — and it resulted in an 11-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the third quarter.

Kamara led the NFL with 21 touchdowns this season — three more than any other player. But that one was probably his most satisfying.

“I was coming off and [Payton] was like, ‘You called that play!’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, you damn right,'” recalled Kamara, who said it was both validating to know he read the situation correctly and potentially useful in the future.

“It’s like, OK, I might have some money in the bank now,” Kamara said. “I might be able to call a couple plays in the game.'”

The truth is, Kamara has had “money in the bank” since the first time Payton went to Tennessee for a private visit before the 2017 draft.

The Saints were enamored with Kamara — not only because of his physical gifts, but because of the intelligence he showed while sitting in on a meeting with quarterback prospect Joshua Dobbs and the way he picked things up so quickly when Payton asked him to run several routes on the field.

“The whole day made an impact,” Payton said. “I could tell right away he was someone that was going to learn extremely quickly.”

Less than a week into Kamara’s first training camp, Payton compared his intelligence to that of Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, whom Payton coached at San Diego State and described as “one of the smarter players I ever coached.”

Payton has routinely praised Kamara’s football mind since. So it should come as little surprise Kamara still touched the ball 25 times for a total of 116 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s playoff win over the Chicago Bears, despite not being able to practice while on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

“There are some players that it might have affected more,” Payton said. “But he’s extremely smart, so he can pick things up right away. He was Zoomed in for meetings, [watched practices virtually via live stream]. And he is one of those players that understands what we’re doing formationally. So it made the transition a little bit smoother.”

NFC WEST

SEATTLE

Pete Carroll is no stranger to major changes in his coaching staff during his time in Seattle, and he now has another one.

The Seattle Seahawks are in the market for a new offensive coordinator.

Seattle has fired Brian Schottenheimer, who has been the offensive coordinator since 2018, the team announced today.

“Brian Schottenheimer is a fantastic person and coach and we thank him for the last three years. Citing philosophical differences, we have parted ways,” the team’s statement said.

The 47-year-old Schottenheimer has also been offensive coordinator of the Jets and Rams in addition to a number of other assistant jobs. He’ll land somewhere, although given the way Seattle’s offense stagnated down the stretch in 2020, he may be a tough sell as an offensive coordinator.

Now Seattle will try to find a coordinator who can run an offense that makes the most of Russell Wilson‘s skill set.

Brady Henderson of ESPN.com offers some insights:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that after a meeting Monday night, it was evident there were philosophical differences between Carroll and Schottenheimer, and that they decided it would be in the best interest of both sides to part ways.

In his public comments since the season ended, Carroll has expressed regret that the Seahawks didn’t adjust better to the way opponents were defending them in the second half of the season. He also cited his own dialing back of the offense as part of the reason for the decline in production, saying he tightened things up as the Seahawks faced a handful of strong defenses near the end of the season.

Carroll said part of the solution next season will be to run the ball enough to force defenses into more favorable coverages.

Carroll hired Schottenheimer in part to work hands-on with quarterback Russell Wilson and to fix a running game that had fallen apart in 2017. Seattle re-established its run-heavy offense in 2018 and ’19, then dropped back to pass more than any team in the NFL over the first 10 weeks of this season in a drastic shift.

The Seahawks scored a franchise-record 459 points in the regular season, but that was heavily weighted toward the beginning of the season, as Seattle topped 30 points in seven of the first eight games. Wilson was throwing touchdowns at a record pace for part of that stretch — and was the early front-runner for MVP — before he and the rest of the offensive hit a wall.

Over the first nine weeks, the Seahawks’ offense led the league in scoring at 34 points per game, while Wilson led the league with 28 touchdown passes. But over the final eight weeks of the regular season, Seattle’s points-per-game average dropped to 22.6 (which was 16th) while Wilson threw 12 TD passes (tied for 13th).

Wilson’s 40.7% completion rate on 11-of-27 passing in Seattle’s wild-card loss was tied for the second lowest of his career, while his 17.6 Total QBR was his worst in 16 career playoff games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. He was sacked five times in that game and pressured on a season-high 50% of his dropbacks. Wilson threw two touchdowns and a pick-six that Carroll said was not his fault.

Another offensive blunder in that game came midway through the fourth quarter, when the Seahawks couldn’t get a fourth-and-1 play off in time despite an injury stoppage from the play before serving as a de facto timeout. They false-started after rushing to the line. Carroll said he was pushing back on the play call, which led to the delay, and that they were about to run the play he wanted had the penalty not forced them to punt.

When asked about the Seahawks’ offensive regression after their hot start, Carroll said they didn’t adjust well enough to how opponents were defending their deep passing in the play-action game, traditionally a big part of Seattle’s success.

AFC WEST

LAS VEGAS

Gus Bradley will be the new DC of the Raiders.  Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com:

The Las Vegas Raiders hired Gus Bradley as their new defensive coordinator, nine days after finishing an 8-8 season that began with a 6-3 record.

Defensive shortcomings down the stretch hurt the Raiders, who fired Paul Guenther as DC after a 44-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 13 and replaced him with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli on an interim basis. Marinelli will be retained by Bradley.

“The style that you should see is a team that plays with great effort, great enthusiasm, great toughness and a defense that plays smart,” said Bradley, who was head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for four seasons (2013 to 2016) and most recently was the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator the past four years.

“That is our key. That’s the style. Now, if you just said, ‘Hey, what is our nonnegotiables?’ That is fast, physical and we’ve got to find a way to get the ball.”

The Raiders were 30th in the NFL in takeaways last season with 10 interceptions and 5 fumble recoveries. The Chargers, meanwhile, had 19 takeaways — 12 INTs and 7 fumble recoveries.

Overall, the Chargers had the No. 10 total defense in 2020, No. 9 against the pass, No. 18 against the run. The Raiders were No. 25 overall, No. 26 against the pass, No. 24 against the run.

Las Vegas was 30th in points allowed, giving up a franchise-record 478 points (the 434 points Las Vegas scored were the fourth most by a Raiders team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger), while the Chargers gave up 423 points, which ranked 23rd.

With the Raiders, Bradley inherits a young and inconsistent unit that includes defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby, linebackers Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton, cornerbacks Trayvon Mullen and Damon Arnette, and safety Johnathan Abram.

It starts up front, Bradley said.

“Get things right up front and then build in everywhere else,” he said.

AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH

QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER is a big part of Pittsburgh’s cap calculations.

With an empty field in front of them, $55.72 million of contracts sat on the bench at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ postseason was cut shorter than anyone in the organization expected when they lost in a wild-card game to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

And with retirement looming in their future — perhaps sooner than they had anticipated — it could be the last time quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, 38, and center Maurkice Pouncey, 31, share a sideline bench together.

A team known for its stability will be challenged this offseason by the costly cap hits of its veterans, forcing the Steelers into either a complete rebuild or another round of extensions and restructures to push the cap charges off one more year to keep Roethlisberger’s Super Bowl window cracked open.

“It’s very tough,” said defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. “Every year, the team looks completely different. I’m appreciative of everybody in that locker room, coming to work, sacrificing, their families’ sacrificing, as well. It’s been a year. It’s not been our year. We did some great things this year. But we didn’t reach our goal. It hurts knowing we’re going to lose players. Especially in the pandemic, and things have changed. But I loved every one of these guys in here.”

The Steelers, led by cap whiz executive Omar Khan, are known for their ability to restructure contracts and spread cap charges with extensions. That task, though, becomes increasingly difficult with players in the final years of their careers and a lower cap.

Without any restructures, veterans Roethlisberger, Pouncey, Heyward, David DeCastro, Stephon Tuitt, Joe Haden and Steve Nelson already take up 71% of a projected $182.4 million salary cap, one reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey shared an emotional moment on the bench after the Steelers lost to the Browns in a wild-card game. Don Wright/AP Photo

“It’s totally possible that I could be gone next year,” Heyward said after Sunday’s loss. “I don’t know what to expect. We are in uncharted territory to say the least, and changes have to be made. That’s part of the game. We all have to deal with this.”

Roethlisberger’s salary alone takes up more than 40% of the 2021 salary cap — a significant cost for a team with 19 unrestricted free agents and a handful more restricted and exclusive rights restricted free agents.

Of those free agents, five started at least one game on offense, and five started at least one game on defense. Two more are special-teams mainstays, including punter Jordan Berry.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to hit the open market for the first time in his career, but on Sunday night he expressed a desire to stay in Pittsburgh.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON

Cal McNair is under assault – this from former great WR Andre Johnson.  Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com:

Former Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson tweeted his thoughts on the current situation surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson’s displeasure with the team, saying, “If I’m [Watson], I will stand my ground.”

“The Texans organization is known for wasting players careers,” the former All-Pro receiver added. “Since Jack Easterby has walk into the building nothing good has happened in/for the organization and for some reason someone can’t seem to see what’s going on. Pathetic!!!”

Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was traded by former Texans head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien in March, also tweeted, “When Dre speak listen.”

Johnson, the Texans’ franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, played for Houston from 2003 to ’14. His final season was O’Brien’s first with the team. After Johnson retired, he transitioned into a role with the Texans’ coaching staff under O’Brien. In August, Johnson left the Texans’ coaching staff but continued as a Texans ambassador. Johnson and Easterby overlapped with the organization for more than a year.

Easterby, the Texans’ executive vice president of football operations, was hired by O’Brien and team chairman and CEO Cal McNair in 2019. After McNair fired O’Brien in October, he named Romeo Crennel the team’s interim head coach and gave Easterby responsibility over the personnel department.

McNair initially said Easterby would not be involved in the process of hiring the Texans’ next general manager, Nick Caserio, but he said he did ask for Easterby’s feedback “on Nick as a leader” during the decision process.

“Jack and I have had a really special relationship,” Caserio said in his introductory news conference. “It goes back a number of years. … I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for. Any personnel decisions that will be made we’ll make as a group, but ultimately that’s a responsibility that Cal has instilled in me, is to handle the personnel side of the football operations. So that’s the expectation moving forward.

“Jack will have a role and we’ll work in conjunction with each other on a number of things for sure. But as it pertains to football decisions, those will ultimately be my decision in conjunction with the head coach once we get to that point, as well.”

On the day the Texans announced they had hired Caserio, there were several media reports that Watson was unhappy with the hiring process. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Watson found out on social media that the Texans intended to hire Caserio. While there have been several reports about his unhappiness, Watson’s lone reaction about the general manager hire came in the form of a since-deleted tweet that stated, “some things never change …”

On Friday, McNair said he had reached out to Watson but had not heard back from the quarterback while he was on vacation.

McNair has apparently scheduled or tried to schedule an interview with Eric Bienemy of the Chiefs who is Watson’s preferred candidate.

JACKSONVILLE

Urban Meyer, QB TREVOR LAWRENCE and Duuuuval!

That is what Mike Florio is hearing:

It’s no secret that the Jaguars coaching job is Urban Meyer’s if he wants it. There’s a growing sense in league circles that he does.

Rumors are spreading late Tuesday/early Wednesday that Meyer is close to taking the job, and that if he does he’d likely retain interim G.M. Trent Baalke.

This is a window into word that’s making the rounds in league circles, specifically among coaches. It’s not a report that Meyer has taken the job. It’s a head’s up, a peeling back of the curtain, insight into the chatter that’s currently making the rounds.

It’s clear that the Jaguars have essentially shut down their search as they speak with Meyer. They interviewed Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith on Sunday night, but the request was made before they interviewed Meyer on Friday. There’s no real cost to going through with it; if nothing else, they had a chance to pick the brain of a guy who, if he doesn’t leave the Titans, will remain in the division next year.

The Jaguars have done nothing to push back on the perception/reality that Meyer has become the team’s first choice for the job, even as reports have spread that Meyer has made calls to potential staff members and General Managers.

As of Monday, the feeling was he’d wait until after Ohio State played in the National Championship to finalize things. And, like so many other situations of this nature (and as a team like the Colts well knows), it’s not done until it’s done

THIS AND THAT

RANKING THE QUARTERBACKS

Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com ranks the remaining QBs from Goff to ?:

The difference in playoff quarterbacks between the AFC and NFC is obvious.

There are great quarterbacks still alive in the postseason in both conferences. There are multiple quarterbacks in the field who will be in the Hall of Fame someday. It’s just that one group has more experience. A lot more experience.

The average age of the NFC starting quarterbacks for the divisional round is a little less than 37 years old, and that’s with Jared Goff bringing the average way down. A game between Tom Brady and Drew Brees will be the first time two 40-year-old quarterbacks square off in the playoffs.

The AFC’s average age among its four remaining quarterbacks is 24.5 years old. All four were first-round draft picks, two have won MVP awards, one has a Super Bowl championship already, and each of them has led at least one playoff win. The NFL’s future is in good hands.

It’s hard to pick among the eight quarterbacks remaining in the postseason. They’re all accomplished. But we’ll try to put them in order, based on which quarterback you’d choose for the rest of the playoffs:

8. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

Goff’s thumb injury assured him of the final spot among the eight starting quarterbacks still playing. Goff downplayed the injury after last week’s game but he looked like he was less than 100 percent. That’s understandable after he had surgery on a broken thumb after Week 16. Even when healthy, Goff has been up and down. He’s the biggest question among the eight quarterbacks, by far.

7. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Mayfield has been on a roll. Mayfield has thrown one interception since Oct. 25. He has 19 touchdowns and two interceptions over his past 11 games, including the wild-card playoff win over the Steelers. Mayfield had a good rookie season, poor second season and has answered a lot of questions with a strong third season. He doesn’t have the track record of success of some other quarterbacks ahead of him on this list, but his recent play has been very good.

6. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Brees missed time with 11 broken ribs, and looked bad in his first game back. Since then he has mostly been the same efficient Brees we’re used to seeing. Over the past three games he is completing more than 70 percent of his passes. He has five touchdowns and no interceptions over the past two games, including the wild-card win over the Bears. This could be Brees’ final season, and he’s finishing it pretty well.

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

It will always be hard to rank Jackson. He’s great, but different than most other quarterbacks. Jackson was fantastic in a wild-card win over the Titans, rushing for 136 yards with several big plays. He also threw for just 179 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and a 74.8 passer rating. He can take over a game, but a dip in passing efficiency this season pushed him down a bit.

4. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brady wasn’t perfect this season, but his faults were overstated. He had 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns this regular season with his highest passer rating since 2017. Brady followed that up with 381 yards and two touchdowns against a good Washington defense in the wild-card round. More than anything, there aren’t many quarterbacks in NFL history you’d trust in a clutch spot more than Brady, even at age 43. What a story it would be if Brady wins a championship with Tampa Bay after 20 years with the Patriots.

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Imagine a year or more ago seeing Allen on a list of playoff quarterbacks at No. 3, ahead of guys like Brady, Jackson and Brees … and wondering if he might be too low. Allen’s breakout has been remarkable. He has harnessed all of his physical skills, and the inclusion of Stefon Diggs in the offense has unlocked a new level not just for Allen but the Bills as a whole. Allen’s fine game against the Colts in the wild-card round should answer questions about whether he can do it in the playoffs, too. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if Allen keeps his hot streak going through a Super Bowl title.

2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Rodgers will win MVP and he deserves it. If you want him in the No. 1 spot, that’s justified. It seems like more of a 1A and 1B ranking (and we can probably include Allen as a 1C). Rodgers has been shredding defenses lately and doing so in an effortless manner. He has waited a long time for a playoff path like this, with the NFC going through Green Bay. We’re going to see the best of Rodgers this month as he chases a second Super Bowl that has eluded him for a decade.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Rodgers had a better individual season, passing Mahomes in the MVP race with a scorching hot December. It’s even fair to argue Allen had a better season than Mahomes. But if you were picking one quarterback for the rest of the playoffs, wouldn’t Mahomes be the pick? He has been the most consistently great quarterback in the NFL since taking the starting job in 2018, and his playoff comebacks en route to a Super Bowl last season proves he is just as great in the clutch. Rodgers and Allen were great this season. Brees and Brady have had all-time great careers. Jackson has unique skills that no other quarterback in the NFL can match. You can make a great argument for any of them topping this list. But anyone picking Mahomes probably won’t regret it. No quarterback has ever had a start to an NFL career like Mahomes, and he’s the biggest reason the Chiefs are the favorites to take home another title.