NFL Player News

Baker was set to count $2 million against the cap after coming in dead last in net punting average last season. An 11-year veteran, he had been with the Panthers since 2005.

Shula, the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula, will have a chance to bring the family full circle in Miami after his Rams ranked 17th in total defense and 10th in points allowed per game in his second season in Los Angeles. The 39-year-old defensive coach has coached with the Rams under head coach Sean McVay since 2017 after coming up at the collegiate level. He would be amongst the five youngest head coaches in the NFL should he land a head-coaching gig this offseason.

Palmer failed to practice all week before initially drawing the questionable tag, eventually ruled out on Saturday for the team’s Wildcard Round game against the Jaguars. Keon Coleman is expected to be active due to the absence for a team in desperate need of play makers behind quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook.

It’s the fifth interview request for the former Jets head coach as the 2026 coaching carousel continues trudging on. Saleh has also drawn interest from the Cardinals, Ravens, Falcons, and Titans after interviewing with the Cowboys and Jaguars ahead of the 2025 season. The veteran defensive mastermind coach could be on the move once more this offseason.

Young improved a lot in his third year after a rough first two seasons with the Panthers. The 24-year-old quarterback led Carolina to eight wins, a division championship and the playoffs. Young orchestrated four fourth quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives. He threw for over 20 touchdowns for the first time without increasing his interceptions and lowered his sack percentage. Young led the league in deep ball accuracy with a catchable percentage of 75 percent on passes that traveled at least 20 yards in the air. While Young still has work to do to be a top-15 fantasy quarterback, the Panthers are committed to him for at least the next two years now.

Ryan spent 14 of his 15 years in the NFL as a player with the Falcons, winning the MVP in 2016 and making four Pro Bowls. He signed a one-day contract to retire with the organization and was inducted into the Falcons’ ring of honor in 2024. Ryan is putting his reputation on the line in taking a job many believe was created specifically for him as the Falcons’ President of Football. He’s been granted full control with final say over all football decisions, including leading the search for the team’s next head coach and general manager. Ryan will pause his broadcasting career at CBS while he takes over the Falcons.

LaFleur’s current contract runs through the 2026 season, but the Packers aren’t going to have him coach next season on an expiring deal. Green Bay intends to extend the 46-year-old coach’s contract whenever the Packers’ season ends. LaFleur is 76-40-1 and has taken the Packers to the playoffs six times in seven years, though he’s yet to make it to the Super Bowl. Recent reports that LaFleur might not be safe in this round of the NFL coaching carousel never passed the smell test. Rapoport couldn’t be clearer in his reporting, explicitly stating that LaFleur isn’t coaching for his job in the first round of the playoffs, according to sources.

ESPN previously reported that “many believe” the position was “created” for Ryan. It is safe to say he is the favorite to land the role. Per team owner Arthur Blank, the president of football will lead the interview process as the team searches for its new head coach and general manager. Both positions will report directly to the president of football, who reports directly to Blank. The trio “will work collaboratively as a football leadership team on all football decisions.” While the head coach and general manager “remain the primary decision-makers” in their respective roles, “final decision-making authority will rest with the president of football.”

The arraignment will now occur five days after Super Bowl LX, making it “virtually certain,” per Mike Florio, that the NFL will not place Diggs on the commissioner exempt list before the Super Bowl. Diggs is “the subject of a criminal complaint” that accuses him of “felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.” Nothing is guaranteed, but it appears as though Diggs will be available for the playoffs.

Downs began his college career at Alabama in 2023. He transferred to Ohio State the following season and helped the Buckeyes win the 2024 College Football Playoff Championship. In 2023, he was a second-team All-American, the SEC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-SEC. In both 2024 and 2025, Downs was a Unanimous All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. In 2025 alone, he won the Lott Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award. The Athletic’s James Boyd notes Downs is Colts WR Josh Downs’ younger brother and “is widely considered to be a potential top-10 pick.”

The Cowboys completed two defensive coordinator interviews today, having met with Vikings defensive pass game coordinator and DB coach Daronte Jones earlier on. Tomorrow, they are set to speak with Broncos assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard.