NFL Player News

Not a big surprise here as Mayo is in his first year with New England. It would’ve been a pretty bad look for the organization to make him a one-and-done coach. The Patriots have struggled with a 3-10 record this season, but the team is breaking in rookie quarterback Drake Maye and has limited weapons at the offensive skill positions. New England would have the third pick in the draft if the season ended today and it’s expected that Mayo will still be in charge when they make that selection.

Gonzalez was listed with a hip injury and limited in practice Tuesday, but practiced fully Wednesday. The Commanders still tried out Matthew Wright, Aldrick Rosas, and Tucker McCann at kicker. They are presumably looking for depth on the slim chance Gonzalez is not ready for Saturday’s Divisional Round matchup against the Lions. He kicked the game-winner in the Commanders’ Wild Card win over the Buccaneers and made 5-of-7 field goals in six regular season games. Expect Gonzalez to play; one of Wright, Rosas, or McCann could get the call if he does not.

Frazier is a long-tenured coach in the NFL. His last stint as an NFL head coach was with the Vikings from 2011-2013, which included a 2012 playoff appearance. Since then, he has been a defensive coordinator for the Buccaneers and Bills, and a secondary coach for the Ravens. He joined the Seahawks as an assistant head coach to another defensive mind, Mike Macdonald, for 2024. Frazier is back on the head coaching radar as the Cowboys begin to expand their search.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Bowen will coach the West while Williams will coach the East. Both are coaches for teams that did not make the playoffs and will get a chance to evaluate some of the college talent that their teams may be selecting down the road. Schefter also reports Titans staff will also be on the West team, meaning they will be able to evaluate Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, a candidate for the Titans’ No. 1 overall pick.

Ventrone was in contention for the Colts’ vacant head coach role in 2023 before ultimately ending up in his current roles with the Browns. The 42-year-old appears to be on the head coaching fast track and accepting the temporary position at the Senior Bowl will both provide valuable head coaching experience while also giving Ventrone an in-depth look at the 2025 rookie class. Giants offensive coordinator and assistant head coach will lead the other Senior Bowl squad.

This is a great opportunity for one of the NFL’s up-and-coming offensive minds. Kafka is currently a candidate for both the Bears’ and Saints’ vacant head coach roles and the Senior Bowl gig gives him an in-depth opportunity to work with myriad players from the incoming rookie class. Any insight Kafka gleans from the experience could prove to be valuable for whichever NFL team he coaches for in 2025. Browns special teams coordinator and fellow assistant head coach Raymond “Bubba” Ventrone will serve as Kafka’s Senior Bowl counterpart.

Alexander was hired by the Chargers last offseason and has been highly regarded in the team’s front office. He started as a scout for the Ravens, spending most of two decades in Baltimore and participated in the NFL’s Accelerator Program for front office executives. He followed current Chargers GM Joe Hortiz to Los Angeles and is now next on the Raiders’ list of general manager interview requests. If hired, Alexander would be the second straight Chargers executive to be general manager for the Raiders, following Tom Telesco.

The Jets have made over 15 head coaching interview requests, with the latest being Jeff Hafley. His last head coaching experience was four seasons at Boston College, which included three bowl games. Joining the Packers prior to the 2024 season, Hafley helped Green Bay’s defense to top-six showings in both points allowed and yards allowed per game. Both numbers were an improvement from 2023 as the Packers also ranked top-ten in defensive DVOA this season. With a loss in the Wild Card round, Hafley’s schedule has now cleared up as the Jets add him to their long list of interview requests.

Jackson evidently picked up a chest injury of unknown severity last week. Given the stakes, he will likely play through the pain but his Thursday and Friday practice participation are critical. Rams starting nose tackle Bobby Brown III (shoulder) was also sidelined on Wednesday.

Higbee is already practicing after a hospital visit earlier this week, putting him on track to play barring setbacks. Higbee finished second on the team in targets (five) and receptions (five) and led the team in receiving yards (58) last week. His expected presence is huge for the Rams’ upset odds.

Flores’ return to the NFL’s head coach ranks appears imminent after a successful two-year run, serving as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. The Jets’ organizational issues could be an issue for Flores but their defensive talent cannot be questioned. It’s a unit he could hit the ground running with next season.