Plenty of questions to sort through this week. I got to as many as I could. The answers I’ve got for you …
Titans
From Thomas Estes (@thomas_estes98): Is the Titans HC attractive, or does impulsive ownership and lack of clearly defined structure worry top candidates?
I think it depends on a couple things.
The first factor is Cam Ward. The Titans, presumably, will pick someone who likes their rookie—and they better. Barring something unexpected, you’d assume he’ll be the quarterback for at least another two years. The organization’s actions shouldn’t give any coach confidence that, if hired, he’d get more time than that to prove he can win. So, with that in mind, how Ward plays the rest of the year should materially impact how attractive the job is.
Then, there’s the setup moving forward. The structure now has the coach reporting to GM Mike Borgonzi, who in turn reports to president of football operations, Chad Brinker. That’s a layered structure necessarily separating the coach from the ultimate boss, owner Amy Adams Strunk, and limits his power outside of game day. Reassessing and reworking that framework is another thing that could make the job more enticing for a candidate with options.
Now, with all that established, this is still one of 32 jobs. It’s in a desirable city, in a tax-free state. The facility is new, and the coach should have a real shot to remake the team as he sees fit, given that Borgonzi inherited a rebuild in January. Also, I do think candidates will be intrigued with the front office Borgonzi assembled, which is full of experienced, accomplished evaluators.
So it certainly stands to reason that the job could look more attractive three months down the road than it does right now.
Commanders
From C_jackson (@sacred_fandom): Washington’s defense is old and not getting better. WHY!!!!!!!!
That’s a lot of exclamation points, Jack! But I get it, and it is explainable.
Adam Peters and Dan Quinn took an aggressive approach when they took over 21 months ago, inheriting a barren roster and building it for the present and future. On defense, the cupboard was particularly bare, after in-season trades of Montez Sweat and Chase Young in 2023, with only Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen (and Allen’s since been cut) as foundational pieces. So they duct-taped it together to facilitate the longer build.
Last year, it was with Quinn-adjacent players such as Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr., Bobby Wagner, and other veteran pieces such as Frankie Luvu and Jeremy Chinn. This year, with some of those guys leaving, players such as Javon Kinlaw and Von Miller were brought in, and in each of these cases, the commitments were reasonable financially and allowed for the team to remain flexible. At the same time, they developed younger guys they drafted like Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil and Jer’Zhan Newton.
Bottom line: There’s a plan. It’s just going to take a bit, with the team investing in Jayden Daniels, Laremy Tunsil, Josh Conerly Jr., Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin.
Jon Gruden
From Ronnie (@Tray4o): Do you think Jon Gruden has a chance to get the Titans head coach job?
Ronnie, I have a tough time seeing the Titans organization going that far afield with the league office, considering its grudge with (and litigation against) Jon Gruden.
First of all, Amy Adams Strunk isn’t exactly a swashbuckling or rebellious owner—she’s always struck me as someone who likes being a part of the club. Additionally, the Titans’ chief lawyer is Adolpho Birch III, who spent 23 years at the league office before flipping over to the team side and heading for Nashville back in 2020.
Gruden has some loose ties to the Titans. His Packers background provides with some common links to Brinker. Also, Gruden spent time with the Chiefs over the past few years with his old Green Bay staffmate Andy Reid. Borgonzi was there, too, and got to know the old coach a little through that experience. But, again, I just don’t see it happening.
Saints
From darrell samels Jr (@JrSamels): Will the Saints have a fire sale?
Darrell, I’d be surprised.
Mickey Loomis is 69 years old. Since Sean Payton departed in early 2022, Loomis has shown little appetite for a full-on rebuild, holding on to aging stars, even as the team struggles to find a real successor to Drew Brees. Even in the case of Marshon Lattimore last fall, New Orleans moved on only when Washington showed a willingness to pay the full freight for him in midseason.
You can use that one as the guidepost for this year . I doubt they’ll be peddling older players like Alvin Kamara, Demario Davis or Cam Jordan, or guys with looming contract situations like Chris Olave. But they’ll listen. And if you’ll pay like the Commanders did for Lattimore, then you’ll have a shot at prying someone loose.
Jets
From Ghostvader (@Ghostvader50): When will the Jets turn it around? Do you agree Glenn should be fired and Taylor should be playing QB?
Ghost, I hate talking about a new coach who has only had six games. However, it’s worth at least examining, given where things stand.
• Justin Fields and the offense look listless. There is a talent issue on that side of the ball, to be fair. The offensive line is young and still inconsistent (though promising). Beyond Garrett Wilson, there aren’t a lot of threats in the passing game. Still, Fields’s issues in Pittsburgh and Chicago have followed him to New York, and the ceiling of the group as a whole is better than ranking 27th in the league after six weeks.
• The defense does not have a talent issue. It was a good group under Robert Saleh, and with top-end players at every level of the unit. Ranking 20th in total defense and allowing 27 or more points every week until the last one is a significant underachievement. On paper, in Year 1 for Glenn’s group, the formula for the Jets was going to be leaning on the run game and the defense. The former has actually held up its end of the bargain, for the most part, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. The latter most certainly has not.
• Then, there’s the talent development question. Are the young players getting better? I’m not sure I see that with a lot of players right now.
Here’s the flip side: Glenn was part of a ground-up operation in Detroit under Dan Campbell in 2021, and those Lions started 0–9, and 0-10-1. They then split their final six games to set the stage for their ascension. Do these Jets have that sort of turnaround in them? So if you’re a fan of that team, the hope now is that a strong finish to this season, with a young group coming together, will set the stage for brighter days ahead.
Bills
From Paul #BillsMafia (@BillsMafia1985): Please tell me Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane are on the hottest of hot seats. I think Bills fans are going to look back in 10 years, after Allen has lifted a few Super Bowl trophies with the Rams (or insert another team) and think how did he not win one here.
From VZ (@ventazones): What would it take for the Bills to part ways with this front office?
Paul, on one hand, I get your angst. That fan base has been through a ton and is one of the NFL’s best. With Josh Allen approaching 30, every loss must feel like a bad sign for where things are going. On the other, I still believe that the Bills are one of the league’s best-run operations under Beane and McDermott.
So, I focus on the windows that were created for Allen to pursue a title. The first window, I’d say, was 2019 to ’23, with core players such as Micah Hyde, Tre’Davious White, Dion Dawkins, Ed Oliver, Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano, Stefon Diggs and Dawson Knox. That group aged out, and now a new window is open with Dawkins, Oliver, Knox, Greg Rousseau, James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, Terrel Bernard and Christian Benford.
With all those guys now paid, and Allen on a big contract, the Bills have a foundation from which to take another big swing or two, like they did with Diggs and Von Miller in their previous iteration. So, I don’t know. If I’m Buffalo, I’m making a call on Olave or maybe Jermaine Johnson (if the Jets were willing to deal him).
Either way, I think the idea that McDermott and Beane have failed Allen now that the Bills have hit a rut is overcooked, and I think Buffalo’s going to be standing at the end. But I do get why you’re worried.
Buccaneers
From Tom Marshall (@aredzonauk): Is it time for Tampa to pay Baker Mayfield?
Tom, that’s an interesting question. The Buccaneers have gotten an absolute bargain on Mayfield. He made under $39.35 million over his first two years in Tampa. This year, he has $30 million in base pay, plus the potential for another $5 million in incentives. Next year, he’s on the books for $40 million in base pay, but my guess would be he’s not playing on the final year of the contract he signed in 2024 (a deal that’s been tweaked since).
To me, the Bucs now are in the spot where the Lions were a couple summers ago, with a reclamation project that’s worked out better than anyone could’ve expected, and a market correction in order. So I think this offseason, they go in and make things right with Mayfield, who is beloved in that organization, and has fully embraced being the face of the franchise.
I also wouldn’t argue with a more aggressive move to do something in-season. If you’re looking for a window to do it, the Bucs’ bye comes in Week 9.
Cowboys
From Z A Kretchmer (@Kret1970): Could the Cowboys trade Pickens to a SB contender and work out a side deal where he re-signs with them in the offseason?
I have a hard time seeing Dallas do that in-season, because it isn’t the Cowboys’ way. But I’ll play the game here. If the team is out of the race, and if the brass has decided it isn’t going to pay Pickens, then that should be considered. And Pickens has certainly emerged as a big-time weapon for Dallas, fulfilling the potential he’s had since he was a teenager, with CeeDee Lamb banged up. He has 32 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns through six games, which projects to 91 catches, 1,488 yards and 17 touchdowns for the season.
He’s set himself up for a massive payday. Tagging Pickens in 2026 will cost close to $30 million, but that might be palatable given that the top of the market at the position has now surpassed $40 million. Would the Cowboys be willing to pay that sort of lump sum while carrying Lamb’s big contract? Would they be willing to extend Pickens and have two such deals on the books? Are they convinced the issues the Steelers had are past Pickens now?
These are the questions you have to ask, if you’re Dallas. Because the other thing that Pickens has played his way into is real trade value.
From Flanny (@FlannyForReal): Any premier edge rushers or LBs (more likely LB because they're cheaper and Jerry won’t admit the Micah mistake) available for trade for Dallas, @AlbertBreer? Also, based on your experience in Dallas, what do you anticipate Joneses do now? No postgame for Jerry this week?
I didn’t see that Jerry Jones didn’t talk postgame, which is pretty interesting.
I don’t think they trade for a pass rusher at the deadline, mostly because they’re trying to develop the young guys they have, and I’m not sure that someone so much better than Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland and Donovan Ezeiruaku is going to be available. We’ll see.
Giants
From Jimmy T (@jimmy_tomredle): Do you believe the Giants will trade for a wide receiver with the trade deadline looming?
And just as I took the Pickens question!
No, Dallas would not trade a star to the Giants.
Jimmy, I do think the Giants have some flexibility to make a move if the right opportunity presents itself. Their quarterback, Jaxson Dart, is on a rookie deal. So, too, is injured No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers. Which gives New York the opportunity to get a little greedy, and at least look around at receivers who could help replace Nabers now, then join him next year on what could be a suddenly supercharged offense.
Now, I will be the wet blanket and say that if I were the Giants, I’d only consider long-term scenarios. In other words, I’m not giving up something significant for a short-term fix. So it’d have to be another guy I could give Dart for the foreseeable future, where you’d expect him to be around in 2026 or ’27. Olave would be the name that jumps out again.
Lions
From The Gamblin’ Bachelor (@gamblinbachelor): With the latest Lions trick play debacle, do other teams employ or consult with former league officials on the legality of their plays?
Yes, oftentimes they do. It happens during camp, pretty routinely, when officials come and visit, and teams aren’t showing what they’re doing to the rest of the league.
Steelers
From Joey Bag 0f Donuts (@joeybagovdonuts): Are the Steelers a legit Super Bowl contender now?
Joey, Pittsburgh’s getting better week over week. We know how good the defense can be, and the Steelers’ pass rush absolutely destroyed the Browns last week, showing that high ceiling. Now, the offense has started to follow suit. Seeing how easily Aaron Rodgers made the across-his-body throws he was known for in his prime against Cleveland was encouraging. To me, that reflects his comfort level in the offense, and knowing where everyone is at any given time. And the young line is starting to come together.
Because Pittsburgh’s older in so many key spots, staying healthy is a pretty big variable in where all this goes. But the Steelers look like they’re on their way.
Colts
From Nicken Chugget (@ColtsGpt): With Colts playing well, do you think they’re buyers at trade deadline?
Nicken, it’s interesting because I don’t think there’s a huge need on their roster. Maybe they could use a pass rusher, and there’s the obvious Trey Hendrickson–Lou Anarumo tie if the Bengals were to fall apart in the coming weeks. But they don’t really need to force anything, which is a good place to be.
Dolphins
From Jeff Butera (@BayNews9Jeff): Is there any scenario where the Dolphins QB isn’t Tua through 2028? Or are they locked trying to make that situation work due to his contract?
Sure, Jeff. Tua Tagovailoa is due $54 million fully guaranteed next season, so he’ll be around in 2026, regardless of who’s in charge. But thereafter, he only has $3 million fully guaranteed (that vests this coming March), giving Miami flexibility starting in 2027 to move on from the quarterback. Seeing as though the alternative would be paying him over $36 million that year, there’s a good chance whoever’s in charge sees that as the point to walk away.
Seahawks
From Jeffrey (@Jome253): Thoughts on Sam Darnold? Does he need to win in the playoffs to actually get some respect?
Jeffrey, if you can’t see what Sam Darnold’s done since the start of 2024, I can’t help you.
Patriots
From Professor Peter Arenella (@arenella1): Were the Pats lucky that their former coach Mayo made a ridiculous decision in last season's final game that a meaningless win was more important than preserving the #1 draft slot? Irony that if Mayo had let Pats lose, Pats wouldnt have drafted Maye at #1 because most draft
Peter, you’re getting your years mixed up, and asking a coach to throw a game in that situation is ridiculous.
But losing the first pick last year definitely didn’t help. The Titans, Browns and Giants all would’ve been trying to move up for it, so you could’ve added a ton of capital while staying in the top five and getting the player you wound up with at No. 4 anyway.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Albert Breer’s Mailbag: Factors That Will Determine the Titans’ Next Head Coach.