Rizzi has been linked to over a half-dozen teams in various capacities, with the report indicating he could be lured to the Bears to form a star-studded cast of new coaches under new head coach Ben Johnson in a complete turnover. The report comes after rumors swirled that Johnson was likely to bring on former Saints head coach Dennis Allen to serve as his defensive coordinator, potentially drawing another link to Rizzi, who previously served as the special teams coordinator under Allen in New Orleans. There are still many dominoes to fall in this year’s coaching cycle but top candidates appear to be flying off the shelf.

Coen clearly made a good impression in his first interview with the Jaguars and will now have a chance to sit down with them in person. The 39-year-old offensive coordinator shined in his first season with the Buccaneers, as his offense finished in the top five in both points and yards per game, while Baker Mayfield turned in his best season as a pro (4500-41-16) in his seven years as a pro. Coen has at least two more finalists to compete with in Robert Saleh and current Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, but he could be exactly what Trevor Lawrence needs to turn things around after a disappointing 2024.

Graham is one of at least three finalists to receive a second interview with the Jaguars. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and current Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen will also have second interviews with the team. Graham, who interviewed for the Seahawks’ and Chargers’ head coaching openings last offseason, is reportedly already a finalist for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator position. Even if he doesn’t land in Jacksonville, it sounds like his services will be in high demand for the 2025 season.

This news comes shortly after it was announced that Saleh’s chances at landing the Jaguars’ head coaching gig would “increase” after the Bears hired Ben Johnson. Saleh showed well during his initial interview with the Jaguars and could soon find himself back in the driver’s seat of a team just months after being dismissed by the Jets following a 20-36 record over four seasons. It’s possible we’ll know by Friday if Saleh has a new home in Jacksonville.

It’s the exact kind of vague statement we’d expect from Sirianni, who often spearheads the team’s vague approach when it comes to discussing injuries. Hurts said after the game that he expects to play in next week’s NFC Championship Game against the Commanders. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, we’d expect the same. Hurts will likely be limited in practice this week, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he logged a DNP or two along the way. That said, he feels like a near-lock to start on Sunday, barring a major setback.

Anarumo’s defensive implosion last season wasn’t enough to keep teams away this offseason. Once considered a potential head coaching candidate, the veteran coordinator saw his defense rank 25th in points and yards allowed per game last season, as their inability to keep points off the board proved to be enough to keep the Bengals out of the postseason despite MVP-caliber play from Joe Burrow. During his six seasons with the Bengals, Anarumo’s defense never ranked higher than 16th in yards allowed and ranked inside the top 15 only once in points allowed per game. Now, he’ll be tasked with taking over a Colts defense that’s ranked among the league’s worst for three straight seasons. It’s easy to argue that Anarumo was never given enough talent in Cincinnati to make him successful, but it’s also fair to wonder if the Colts will give him the players he needs to help them turn a corner.

Just hours after it was reported that Johnson would be finalizing his interview schedule, Johnson appears headed for the Windy City. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report it, as any rumors of Johnson being the next coach of the Raiders can be laid to rest just days after he was being hyped as the favorite to land in Vegas. Johnson will now be tasked with helping Caleb Williams and the Bears take the next step after a tumultuous 2024 that featured multiple offensive coordinators and head coaches for the No. 1 overall pick of last year’s draft. During his three years in Detroit, Johnson’s offense consistently finished in the top five in yards and points per game and led the league with 33.2 points per game this season. Known for his elaborate schemes and ability to create room for his receivers to operate, Johnson is the exact kind of coach many believed Williams would need to reach his full potential as a pro after entering the league as one of the highest touted prospects of the last decade. Johnson will now take the upcoming days to round out his staff as he prepares to embark on his much-anticipated first season as a head coach.

“While he was Denver’s leading rusher with 513 yards, he had his share of struggles and is not the same player he was before suffering a serious knee injury in October 2022,” Tomasson writes. Yup, that about sums it up. Tomasson writes that Jaleel McLaughlin will be back as a reserve but that the Broncos “likely will look for a potential starter in free agency or the draft.” It sure seemed like the way the Broncos managed the running back room this year that they didn’t have a real No. 1 back on the roster, and this report pretty much confirms that finding.

This sounds more like Schefter’s opinion than a known fact, but there’s something to be said for Kingsbury still not interviewing with a team despite multiple requests to speak with the Commanders’ offensive coordinator. Kingsbury, who said he won’t take an interview as long as the Commanders are in the playoffs, also went on record saying he was “very happy” with his current role while adding it “would take a lot” for him to leave Jayden Daniels. The Commanders are one win away from their first Super Bowl appearance since 1991. If they advance past the Eagles next week, it’s possible Kingsbury won’t speak to a team regarding a head coaching vacancy until after the Super Bowl.

This interview was forecasted last week, but now the two sides officially appear ready to speak. Per Underhill, the “logistics are still being set,” and the weather could play a factor in when the meeting takes place. Regardless, McCarthy will have a chance to make his pitch about how he can fix the Saints, who finished the year with a 5-12 record after getting off to a 2-0 start with back-to-back 40-point games. McCarthy has already met with the Bears and is rumored to be one of their top candidates, with Detroit’s Ben Johnson being the other.