The Divisional Round of the playoffs is set to begin this weekend but 24 other NFL teams are sitting at home getting ready for next season. There are plenty of discussions being had around the league about what it will take for those teams to get deep into January next season, and a lot of those conversations involve coaches and quarterbacks.
There are several big names available on those fronts, with Russell Wilson presumably being one of the top quarterbacks set to become available this winter. Read on for where Wilson could end up, along with the latest on Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick, in the latest round of NFL rumors.
Where will Russell Wilson wind up next season?
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler did a deep dive into how the Broncos and Wilson reached the point of a seemingly inevitable divorce. The disconnect between Wilson and Denver head coach Sean Payton appears to be the driving factor in the team’s plans to move on, along with trying to avoid having $37 million of 2025 salary become guaranteed on March 17.
There is a chance Denver could try and trade Wilson to soften their dead cap hit but with teams aware of their desire to move on there is little leverage to be had in talks. The most likely result is an outright release of Wilson, placing him alongside Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield as the top free agent quarterbacks on the market.
Fowler notes that Minnesota and Tampa Bay could be interested in signing Wilson if their current starters depart in free agency. Atlanta, which is also seemingly a quarterback away from being a threat to win their division, could factor into the equation as well if they opt not to pursue a young passer in the NFL Draft.
Jim Harbaugh is exploring his options
The seemingly annual series of rumors about Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL are swirling again. Harbaugh, who is fresh off winning a national championship at Michigan, has already interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers for their head coaching vacancy but Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel notes that he is also engaged in extension talks with the Wolverines.
Michigan is eager to keep the face of their program, offering Harbaugh a six-year contract worth $11.5 million annually to become the highest-paid coach in college football, but Harbaugh is seeking protection in the form of unique termination clauses that protect him from getting fired. The NCAA currently has opened several investigations into the Wolverines’ program and there has been speculation that Harbaugh may look to escape to the NFL if sanctions are levied on the school.
Harbaugh is also waiting to sign a new deal with the Wolverines until Feb. 15, Wetzel notes, in order to maintain a lower buyout number for the current NFL hiring cycle. The current buyout on Harbaugh’s deal dropped from $2.25 million to $1.5 million on Jan. 11, but the Wolverines are seeking to raise the buyout to $4 million going forward.
While the Chargers are the only team currently linked to Harbaugh, there are currently six other head coaching vacancies with the potential for two more openings if Philadelphia and Dallas opt to make changes after disappointing seasons. It’s clear that Harbaugh is taking his time to make the right decision for his football future.
Could Bill Belichick be using the Falcons as leverage?
While there are still questions as to whether Harbaugh will actually return to the NFL, it appears to be a near-lock that Belichick will be on an NFL sideline next fall. Belichick has already been interviewed by the Atlanta Falcons for their head coaching vacancy but Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher is reporting that league sources are curious how real Belichick’s interest in Atlanta actually is.
Those sources are speculating that some of the leaks stating Belichick is “intrigued” by the Falcons’ job are part of a design by Belichick to raise interest in his services on the open market. With seven job openings currently available and the potential of two more to come, Belichick may be using his early meetings with Atlanta to attract the attention of a team he has more interest in, such as the Los Angeles Chargers or Washington Commanders.
It is hard to gauge what Belichick truly values in terms of his next job since he is coming off a 24-year run in New England where he ended up with complete personnel control. Finding a job where he could have complete control may require interviews with other teams to get a desperate owner to give Belichick exactly what he wants.
No other team has been publicly confirmed to have spoken with Belichick besides Atlanta but the odds the Falcons are the only team interested in the future Hall-of-Famer are slim to none. If Fisher’s reporting is accurate that the Falcons are simply a leverage play from Belichick he may not view Atlanta as his top choice.
