The Chicago Bears have requested permission to interview Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and are awaiting a response from the Cowboys, according to sources. If the Cowboys don't grant permission this week, the Bears could interview McCarthy after his exclusive negotiating window with Dallas expires on Jan. 14. McCarthy would be a questionable choice to develop young quarterback Caleb Williams, but he comes with extensive head-coaching experience in the NFL. After a disappointing fifth season with the Cowboys, McCarthy is on the hot seat in Dallas and isn't guaranteed to return in 2025, hence the Bears' interest. If owner Jerry Jones was happy enough with the way Dallas' season ended, the Cowboys will need to work quickly to sign McCarthy to a contract extension before he's technically on the open market. For what it's worth, Jones has spoke positively of McCarthy throughout 2024.

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The New Orleans Saints have requested an interview with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for their vacant head-coaching position. The Saints fired former head coach Dennis Allen midway through the season and used Darren Rizzi as the interim head coach the rest of the year. In addition to Moore, the Saints have also requested permission to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The 36-year-old Moore became the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator in 2019 before becoming the Los Angeles Chargers' OC in 2023. In his first year with Philly in 2024, the Eagles ranked seventh in points per game, eighth in yards per game, 29th in passing yards and second in rushing yards.

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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he's unsure if quarterbacks Jordan Love (elbow) and Malik Willis (undisclosed) will be limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. "We'll find out over the next few days," LaFleur said. Despite not knowing if Love and Willis will practice in full this week, he added that he thinks "they're going to be OK" for the wild-card playoff game this Sunday against the Eagles in Philadelphia. A right-elbow injury in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Chicago Bears caused Love's right throwing hand to go numb, which led to Willis taking over for the rest of the game. While Love's removal was precautionary on Sunday, it's unclear if he'll be 100% this weekend against the Eagles, which will give fantasy managers pause when setting DFS lineups. Check back for Love's practice status on Wednesday.

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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said on Monday that he has no new information on quarterback Jalen Hurts (concussion), who remains in the league's concussion protocol. Hurts suffered a concussion in the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders and missed the final two weeks of the regular season as a result. The 26-year-old is reportedly making progress with his head injury, but his availability for the wild-card playoff game this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers is in question. Hurts is apparently on track to return to practice this week, but we won't know for sure until Wednesday. He's also been dealing with a fractured finger on his left (non-throwing) hand, but that shouldn't keep him from playing in the playoffs. Fantasy managers may be more hesitant to use the overall QB9 in fantasy this year playoff leagues if he returns this Sunday against Green Bay.

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (back) will be the team's starter in 2025, according to team sources. Head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard will also get at least one more year to improve the team next season, owner Jim Irsay announced on Sunday night. The Colts missed the playoffs in 2024 for the fourth straight season, which is the club's longest playoff drought since a seven-year streak from 1988-94. Going into his third year in the NFL, Richardson's stock is down considerably with more doubt than ever about his ability to be a franchise QB. He missed the Week 18 regular-season finale with a back injury that he said "might be chronic" and has missed 17 games in his first two seasons due to injury. Richardson finished with the league's lowest completion percentage (47.7), and his 61.6 passer rating is the third-worst by a QB with at least 250 pass attempts since 2010.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said that he will go through his normal process and evaluate whether he wants to continue his playing career this offseason. Thielen said he's leaning in a certain direction, "but I'm not going to tell you what that is." If the Panthers choose to do so, they can cut the 34-year-old with only a $5 million dead salary cap hit to get out of the final year of his deal. He missed time in 2024 due to a hamstring injury that landed him on Injured Reserve, but Thielen was productive when healthy as quarterback Bryce Young's favorite target, catching 48 passes on 62 targets for 615 yards and five touchdowns in 10 starts. Staying in Carolina is the likely outcome if Thielen chooses to play another season. His chemistry with Young would give him a solid fantasy floor as a flex, depending on what the rest of the WR room looks like in 2025.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick snagged both of his targets for 15 yards in his team's 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings on SNF. The veteran was again not deployed much as his team cruised to victory -- ranking fifth on the Lions with each of his statistical totals. Patrick was involved in the offense for a stretch, averaging 3.8 receptions and 40.4 yards per game from Weeks 11 to 15. However, he's totaled two catches and 15 yards on three targets in the three games since. The 31-year-old is a solid NFL wideout in his own right but a distant fourth target in the receiving room, and that doesn't account for the presence of pass-catching RB Jahmyr Gibbs. While he may still have his moments playing on an elite offense, the San Diego native is a better receiver on the field than he is for fantasy. Detroit will get a week off in anticipation of their matchup in the divisional round.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor brought in 3-of-4 targets for 53 yards in Sunday night's 31-9 road loss to the Detroit Lions. Nailor was the team's second-leading receiver in Week 18 -- falling one yard shy of tying Justin Jefferson for the most on the squad. The Lions' defense was disruptive in this one, keeping Sam Darnold off balance and out of rhythm for the majority of the contest. As such, most of the Vikings offense was held to little or no production as Detroit relentlessly broke up passes and held the team to short gains. The 25-year-old will get another exploitable matchup next weekend in the Wild Card round -- squaring off with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi stadium. However, he'll be little more than a DFS dart throw for the road tilt.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White did not receive a touch in Sunday's 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. Woof. Despite playing 18 snaps (27%), the Arizona State product was not utilized. It's the second time in his career -- and first since Week 3 of his rookie season -- that he was active and did not get any work. Backfield mate Bucky Irving dominated touches, and even rookie back Sean Tucker garnered two carries over the third-year pro. It's a poor ending to the year for White, who now enters 2025, bolstering little more than handcuff appeal after finishing 2023 as the PPR RB4. He'll get a slightly tougher test in next weekend's Wild Card round against the visiting Washington Commanders. Still, he'll be tough to trust as a DFS option after goose-egging fantasy managers in the season finale.

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Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce expects to return to his same role leading the team next season. "I haven't been told anything different," said Pierce. The former New York Giants linebacker took over as interim head coach in Week 9 of 2023, closing out the year with a 5-4 record. However, he was far less successful in his first full season -- culminating in a 4-13 record on the back of a carousel of bad quarterback play. For now, his job is safe, but he'll need to do a better job of getting quality play out of whomever the QB for the team is in 2025. With the Raiders slated to pick sixth in the upcoming NFL Draft, they'll be out of the range of one of the top available options at the position. Unless they trade up, it looks like they could be returning to the veteran well once more next season.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau (knee) underwent further testing on his injured knee and will undergo offseason surgery, according to a source. Before getting hurt in the loss to the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday, Moreau caught all four of his targets for 31 yards and finished his second year in New Orleans with 32 catches on 43 targets for 413 yards and a career-high-tying five touchdowns in 17 starts. Depending on the severity of his knee injury, the 27-year-old could be in danger of missing the start of the 2025 season this fall. Moreau wrapped up his two-year, $12 million deal in 2024 and will be an unrestricted free agent in March. With a knee injury now clouding his future and a new coaching regime coming in, there's a good chance Moreau will have to latch on with another team.

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The Chicago Bears have put in a request to interview Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for their head-coaching job, according to a source. The Bears are searching for a new head coach this offseason after firing Matt Eberflus in the middle of the season. Petzing just finished his second season as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator. He was able to help Arizona's offense improve in 2024 in terms of both total yards and points scored with quarterback Kyler Murray healthy all season long. The favorite for the Bears' head-coaching gig (if he wants it) will be Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Cardinals offense averaged 23.5 points per game (12th in the league), 358.2 yards per game (11th), 144.2 rushing yards (seventh) and 5.9 yards per play (seventh) in 2024 under Petzing. He has limited coaching experience but is an intriguing name to help QB Caleb Williams develop.

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When asked if he expects quarterback Geno Smith to return as the starting QB in 2025, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Seattle Sports radio, "Got no reason to say no, so I guess yeah." If Smith is still under contract with the team in mid-March, he'll earn an extra $2 million after hitting three escalators in the win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in the Week 18 regular-season finale. While battling injury, Smith went 20-for-27 for 223 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on Sunday to close out his fifth year with the team. His 4,320 passing yards in 2024 were among the top five in the league, but the Seahawks offense never really hit its stride this year, and Smith finished as the QB12 in overall fantasy points. Seattle could save over $30 million by cutting him this offseason, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll be back in 2025.

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The Chicago Bears have put in a formal request to interview Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their head-coaching position. Weaver just finished his first season with the Dolphins and spent the previous three years on John Harbaugh's staff with the Baltimore Ravens. The Bears believe Weaver could be a "leader of men" type that they are searching for to change the culture in the Bears' locker room moving forward. The 43-year-old has been described as "high energy" and "emotionally intelligent" while also holding players accountable. He interviewed for the Washington Commanders' head-coaching job last year and was a finalist for the spot before Dan Quinn was eventually hired. While leading the Dolphins' defense in 2024, Miami's unit ended up being a top-five defense.

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Green Bay Packers standout wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is believed to have suffered a torn right ACL and additional damage to his knee in the loss to the division-rival Chicago Bears on Sunday in the Week 18 regular-season finale. It will put an end to Watson's season for the playoffs and also put him in jeopardy for the start of the 2025 regular season this fall. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2022 out of North Dakota State was held out of the Week 17 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings due to a bruised knee he suffered the week prior, but he returned on Sunday and suffered a non-contact injury in the second quarter before being carted off. The oft-injured pass-catcher has lots of big-play ability but has struggled to stay on the field in his three seasons. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and tight end Tucker Kraft should all benefit in the playoffs with Watson sidelined.

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Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced on Monday that Ejiro Evero will be back next season as the team's defensive coordinator. Even though the Panthers defense struggled mightily at times in 2024 and gave up 38 points to an Atlanta Falcons offense with a rookie QB at the helm in the overtime win in the Week 18 regular-season finale, Evero will be back in 2025. The Panthers defense allowed 534 total points this year, which is a new NFL record for a single season. The Carolina defense also surrendered the most total yards per game (404.5) and the most rushing yards per game (179.8) under Evero. In his first year as the defensive coordinator in 2023, the Panthers' defense ranked fourth overall. He'll be entering the final year of his three-year deal and will need to make glaring improvements if he wants to stick around beyond 2025.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington caught four of five targets for 48 yards in the season-ending 32-20 loss to the New York Jets. The rookie took on a more significant role later in the season with the injury to Jaylen Waddle (knee) and the lack of depth Miami has at the receiver position. In the last four games, Washington saw more targets, receptions, and yards than he had in any stretch this season. Tyreek Hill will surely be parting ways with the organization in the offseason, and he could find himself in a more prominent role when the 2025 season starts. Time will only tell, but the rookie has shown a level of promise that he looks to build off of when the NFL season comes around in September.

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The Chicago Bears have officially requested interviews with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for their head-coaching job, according to sources. Johnson is the hottest head-coaching candidate this cycle and reportedly will also interview for the New England Patriots' head-coaching job this week with the Lions on a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Although Johnson turned down head-coaching opportunities at this time last year, he's apparently much more receptive to a head-coaching position this year, although he needs to be on the same page with a front office. In addition to Johnson and Glenn of the Lions, the Bears have requested to interview Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their head-coaching job. The biggest draw for an incoming head coach in Chicago is working with last year's No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Caleb Williams.

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The Seattle Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after just one season with the team on Monday, according to sources. The 48-year-old was in his first season in the NFL in 2024 after having been a long-time college football offensive coordinator, including running the Washington Huskies' offense in 2022 and 2023. Under Grubb this year, the Seahawks offense had trouble clicking consistently despite plenty of weapons on that side of the ball. They finished 14th in total offense, 18th in points scored, and missed the playoffs under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald despite going 10-7. The Seahawks particularly struggled on the ground, finishing 28th in the league with 1,627 rushing yards. About the only good thing that Grubb did in his only year with the Seahawks was aid second-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in his breakout campaign.

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The New Orleans Saints will interview David Shaw for their head-coach position, according to two sources. Shaw is currently a senior personnel executive for the Denver Broncos but previously spent 12 years at Stanford and coached quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Davis Mills. Shaw also has an extensive background in the NFL and has served as an assistant head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders. The 52-year-old was Stanford's head coach from 2011-22, going 96-54, including three Pac-12 conference titles. The Saints are looking for a new full-time head coach after firing Dennis Allen in November after the team started the year 2-7. Darren Rizzi stepped in as the interim head coach after Allen was axed and led the team to a 5-12 finish, which was good enough for last place in the NFC South division.

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