MichiganCardinal

There is a surprising amount of reporters covering this. Maybe I'm just optimistic, but I think McDaniel may really want the job.

Now this feels Rooney Rule. Probably not a ringing sign of endorsement when your own team won't publicly guarantee your job is safe.

Though if memory serves, McDaniel satisfies the rule. The 49ers got a draft pick when he went to Miami.

You're right, starting in 2021 it had to be external. It was only 2022 that it grew to include coordinators.

Maybe. They could probably just interview Scottie Montgomery and David Shaw though if they didn't at all care for Martin... Looking at Martin's resume, I'm guessing they are interested in hiring him for Passing Game Coordinator, but can't interview him for that, even though the Ravens don't have a coach.

I think my take is more long-term versus short-term. The Packers bet the future on the now and finished 9-8-1 with a wildcard exit. The Lions refused to stray from the course and finished 9-8, a record sometimes good enough and sometimes not for a chance. The Packers finish is better in theory, because they had the chance. But now the Lions can add and improve, while the Packers are handicapped. I'd rather a 9-8 season where we miss the playoffs or squeak in every three or four years, if it means being a true contender the other two or three years. As opposed to mortgaging the future for one big shot, only to fall short at that one big shot and have to struggle to make it to 9-8 for the next 3-4+ years.

Browns and Raiders are probably worse jobs on some larger scale levels. I sincerely doubt that either will seriously improve as an organization until a Martha Hamp falls into their laps. I'd put it Ravens >>> Giants >> Cardinals > Titans > Falcons > Dolphins > Browns > Raiders

There's probably some truth to this and it's not all that dissimilar from what Ben Johnson did. Benjamin could have gone to the Panthers in 2024 but bet on himself, waited a year to bolster the resume, and landed a better opportunity. Hypothetically, if McDaniel gets an offer from both the Lions (for OC) and Browns (for HC), which would put him in a better position in 2029?

On paper, his Green Bay teams are not very talented. Particularly at the talent/speed positions (RB, WR, CB) and the interior trenches (particularly IDL). I also don't think Jordan Love would still be a starting quarterback in the NFL on many other teams. So to the extent he gets the most out of the least, he deserves some credit for routinely making the playoffs. That being said, I also don't think they're winning a Super Bowl with him. It's not all that dissimilar from the Ravens problem. He seems to have hit a ceiling, but it's not clear if that's a talent issue or a coaching issue, and if you fire him he instantly gets a job and probably makes you look stupid when he pulls a Mike Vrabel.

In fairness there is a difference between "bringing back" a player who is under rookie contract and "bringing back" a free agent. The former isn't "bringing back" as much as it is just not giving up. Levi was re-signed once, and it was after a 2024 season where he missed only one game and was arguably the most consistent performer on the defensive line. As opposed to Davenport, who was a non-factor even when he was on the field. (And yes, Levi then burned us and never even participated in training camp). For a better comparison to Levi I would look to Rakestraw, who I also anticipate will be back in 2026 despite chronic injury.

I was thinking about this yesterday, as well as the Packers trading the house for Micah Parsons and promptly making it exactly as far as they did last year (and not having Parsons to open 2026). The patient mouse doesn't always get the cheese, but neither does the aggressive mouse. There isn't a one size fits all approach to personnel in the NFL. I do think Holmes' approach, building through the draft and paying your own, probably provides the most number of bites at the apple in trying to get that elusive championship. The Eagles are due for a regression (that we've already seen in their offense) and are in a perilous position with the salary cap. The Packers have no first round picks until 2028. The Rams have a limited number of opportunities remaining with Stafford. Meanwhile, the Lions will continue to do what they do, few splash moves but overall improving the team on paper.

I'd be happy to see him go, so probably the right decision by Green Bay to keep him.

I would be surprised if they bring back Davenport. They've shown a two strike policy before on injury-prone free agents. Emmanuel Moseley got two years, two ACLs, and one pectoral to get healthy. They weren't going to keep banging their head against the wall believing he would get healthy though. Paschal I am 50/50. I think he'll likely be back on a very cheap one-year deal like Levi originally was, because his value on the open market after missing an entire year due to back surgery will be next to nothing. The Lions will present the best opportunity for him to get back on the field. I'm not opposed to that either, high-reward and very little risk as long as you're not seriously depending on him to start the season (and how could you at this point?)

Nah. The Bears going to the NFC Championship would make them insufferable. They have an innate ability to be as obnoxious as Cowboys fans, it’s just been beat out of them for 40 years. No need to give them hope.