The latest
The Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching shuffle continued Thursday, as a source confirmed the team has brought back Terry Braden as assistant defensive line coach under Joe Cullen.
Braden spent eight seasons with the Chiefs from 2017-24, working his way up from defensive assistant in 2017 to a quality-control role from 2018-20. A promotion to assistant defensive line coach followed, and he held that job
from 2021-24.
Braden left Kansas City to become Nebraska’s defensive line coach for the 2025 season. But in early December, the Cornhuskers dismissed defensive coordinator John Butler and several assistants, including Braden.
Each of Nebraska’s three starting defensive linemen produced career-highs in tackles, helping the Cornhuskers rank 30th nationally in total defense (329 yards per game). The problem was Nebraska struggled to contain the run, allowing 175.4 rushing yards per game and ranking 100th nationally.
NFL overhaul tiers: Rebuild time for 18 non-playoff teams | ESPN
No Need to Panic
Kansas City Chiefs
2026 cap space: minus-$61.7 million
Top free agents: Jaylen Watson, Bryan Cook
Projected 2026 draft picks: 5The hope for a quick turnaround: The Chiefs ran out of gas in 2025 but have most of what they need to make another run. Coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes enter Year 9 together. Health has been an issue for years, but the offensive line is still quality and the team’s track record in the draft is better than most. R-E-L-A-X.
Why it might take longer than hoped: A small talent drain is inevitable, especially on defense. Three defensive free agents — Watson, Cook and Leo Chenal — will be tough to re-sign, given Kansas City’s cap situation. Chris Jones turns 32 in July. Travis Kelce turns 37 in October. The offense needs a true field-stretching boundary receiver and running back help.
Chiefs are Taking Considerable Risk With Latest Coaching Hire | Heavy
Murray jumped into coaching immediately after his playing days, joining the Arizona Wildcats as their RB coach. He left after one season to join his alma mater Oklahoma in the same role. Since joining the Sooners in 2019, Murray has had his ups and downs.
Oklahoma’s rushing attack was very good during Murray’s first year with the team, averaging 240 yards per game and six yards per carry. However, it’s been inconsistent since then, and hit a low in 2025 as the Sooners 104th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 119 yards. Murray has also been criticized with how he has utilized and rotated his running backs.
None of those things necessarily mean that Murray can’t be successful in Kansas City. He only had so much control as a position coach at Oklahoma, and perhaps the NFL is more suited for his coaching style. He is certainly coming into a great situation with one of the best head coaches of all time in Andy Reid and an OC in Bieniemy that is also a former running back and longtime RB coach.
2026 NFL Free Agency: The Top 100 Players Available and Potential Fits | Fox Sports
29 Bryan Cook, S, Chiefs
Cook, 26, is the model for low-key under-the-radar coverage skills without splash plays. He has three interceptions in four seasons in Kansas City, one sack and zero forced fumbles, but he’s solid and consistent enough as a defender to be Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 safety in 2025. What’s tricky is the Chiefs have the least cap space of any NFL team, so they’re going to have to let talented young players walk and must prioritize which, if any, they’re able to extend.
Prediction: Signs with Steelers
Reasons to Believe Trent McDuffie Trade is Inevitable for Chiefs | Sports Illustrated
Lack of Noise
While everyone on the outside has been suspecting a potential trade, there has been a hushed silence in the Chiefs’ building in this specific situation. There have been no leaks of an extension or trade discussions with other teams.
The 2022 first-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which comes with a fully guaranteed $13.6 million cap hit in 2026. The fact that there have been no murmurs of a long-term extension in place tells you all you need to know.
Additionally, the lack of reports about a trade is reminiscent of how general manager Brett Veach handled the L’Jarius Sneed-Tennessee Titans trade. For weeks, people were expecting the star cornerback to be traded, but there were no concrete reports of that in the developing stage. Then, out of the blue, Kansas City moved the veteran cornerback back for a couple of draft picks.
McDuffie appears to be facing the same fate and will most likely be dealt ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, especially with a couple of cornerback-needy teams holding two first-round picks.
Around the NFL
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss granted injunction by judge | ESPN
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was granted an extra year of eligibility by a state court judge, who issued an injunction that paves the way for Chambliss to be eligible in 2026.
In a ruling that lasted well over an hour Thursday, Judge Robert Whitwell ruled that Chambliss clearly met the criteria to receive a medical redshirt for a sixth season.
Whitwell detailed that the NCAA ignored medical evidence in denying Chambliss’ waiver and the quarterback would suffer irreparable harm if denied this year. The judge concluded that Chambliss submitted adequate medical reference and that the NCAA didn’t act in good faith in denying the waiver.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby refuses to ‘throw gasoline on the fire’ as trade rumors rage | NFL.com
Maxx Crosby refuses to feed rumors that he wants out of Las Vegas.
Speaking with Jim Gray on the “Let’s Go!” podcast, Crosby said he wouldn’t “throw gasoline on the fire” as reports of his interest in leaving Vegas proliferate.
“My focus has been on getting healthy because that’s all I can control right now,” Crosby said. “That’s all that matters to me is being with my daughters and being with my wife and taking care of myself. People are gonna have rumors.
“I just looked at my phone — I’ve been working all morning. Everyone’s hitting me up, ‘Did you say this?’ I can’t control that. You earn that as a player. If I wasn’t doing the right things and if I wasn’t the person and player I was, people wouldn’t be talking about all the nonsense. But that’s what comes with it. If you have drama, if you have a losing season, they just try to throw gasoline on the fire and make things a certain way.”
While that certainly is not an “I will always be a Raider” statement, there is wiggle room for reconciliation in Crosby’s response. Not that the five-time Pro Bowler cares how anyone reads his reactions.
Why Lamar wasn’t himself in 2025? Past NFL MVPs weigh in | ESPN
In the Baltimore Ravens’ season finale in Pittsburgh, Lamar Jackson looked like his two-time NFL Most Valuable Player self again, putting together his best quarter in what had been a frustrating year.
Jackson launched touchdown passes of 50 and 64 yards to Zay Flowers and even turned a near-certain sack into a magical escape. This marked the second time in NFL history that a player threw two go-ahead touchdowns of 50 yards or longer in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN Research.
It was a performance that would have carried Baltimore to an AFC North title, if not for Tyler Loop‘s missed 44-yard field goal as time expired. Instead, Baltimore’s 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh led to an offseason filled with questions, starting with a difficult one: Where was this Jackson all season?
“I don’t think it’s any one thing when you look at him,” said Rich Gannon, a former NFL quarterback who is a host on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Three past NFL MVP QBs — Gannon, along with Matt Ryan and Kurt Warner — weighed in on the issues that impacted Jackson’s tumultuous season, from his reduced practice time to poor pass protection and a decline in rushing attempts.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
How the Chiefs will find 2026 salary cap space before March 11
Two Kansas City cap numbers loom large above the salary cap: quarterback Patrick Mahomes at $78.2 million and defensive tackle Chris Jones at $44.9 million.
Obviously, Mahomes’ number will be reduced. The bigger question will be if the Chiefs do another restructure (that could clear $44.4 million in cap space) or sign him to a new contract. Because Mahomes’ actual salary drops to an unrealistic $28 million in 2028, he is effectively only signed through 2027, no matter the seasons nominally remaining on the extension signed in 2020.
With no quarterbacks leaguewide in line for a new, massive contract this offseason, it may be time completely redo Mahomes’ pact with Kansas City in a way that frees funds now while creating a roadmap to navigate finances for much of the remainder of his career.
Jones is a more difficult question. The Chiefs may very well decide to restructure him again. Regardless of his status in team history, however, the front office needs to have some difficult conversations about the earnings Jones is due through 2028. With $35 million in guaranteed 2026 salary, Jones will remain in Kansas City at least one more season. While restructuring him could open as much as $22.5 million in additional salary cap space, leaving the number untouched would allow for more lucrative savings if the Chiefs were to move on completely in 2027.
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