Cowboys
- Calvin Watkins notes the Cowboys re-signed Harold Nash, Kendall Smith, and Cedric Smith to their strength and conditioning staff.
- Todd Archer reports the Cowboys interviewed Saints RBs coach Derrick Foster for the same role in Dallas.
- Adam Schefter the Cowboys are signing TE coach Lunda Wells to an extension to stay on HC Brian Schottenheimer‘s coaching staff.
Panthers
Panthers QB Bryce Young had an up-and-down season where he saw a second-half surge after taking over for injured QB Andy Dalton. Carolina HC Dave Canales praised Young for handling a tough season and rekindling his love for the game.
“I just gotta give all the credit to Bryce,” Canales said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Handling it the way that he did with maturity, attacking it, and really positioning himself for that next opportunity not knowing when that opportunity would come. Stepping back in and doing the work, taking the challenge and really finding the joy in playing again.”
Saints
Giants OC Mike Kafka is currently a finalist for the Saints’ head coaching job. He explained how he’s spent a lot of time studying the organization from top to bottom this offseason.
“I certainly spent a lot of time studying, number one, the roster, the staff, the history of the organization, the ownership group,” Kafka said, via Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.net. “There’s a lot of things to like about that organization. If that opportunity presents itself, you’ll be lucky to get that job.”
Kafka is eager to become an NFL head coach but mentioned it has to be with the “right organization.”
“(Being a head coach is) certainly a thing I aspire to be,” Kafka said. “I want to be a head football coach, but it has to be the right organization, has to be the right fit. I’ve been on a number of these interviews already, and some are a great fit, and some aren’t. So I think those kinds of decisions are out of my control. I try to just present myself in the best light possible, be as honest as possible about my planning and what I would do. And then given an opportunity – go out and execute that.”
In addition to being New York’s offensive coordinator, Kafka was the team’s assistant head coach in 2024. He said the role enabled him to be more involved on a daily basis.
“You’re able to be in certain meetings that you probably weren’t as a coordinator,” Kafka said. “Whether it’s interviews, whether it’s staff daily checkups with some of our doctors or strength and conditioning. (The) conversations that you didn’t really hear before as a coordinator or position coach, you’re now in those conversations.”
- Josina Anderson reports that some of the questions surrounding Mike McCarthy and the Saints head coaching vacancy involved the power structure and communication regarding football decisions and the length of the contract.
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