Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Monday, Dec. 7:
Matt Hasselbeck's undefeated run as the Indianapolis Colts' starting quarterback ended with a thud on Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a loss that makes the return of Andrew Luck from injury all the more important. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport noted Sunday morning that owner Jim Irsay expects Luck back for Week 15 against the Houston Texans, who remain tied with the Colts at 6-6 in the AFC South standings. "At latest," Irsay believes Luck will be ready for Week 16 against the Miami Dolphins. The difference between the two timetables could be crucial, as the Week 15 game in Indianapolis might decide the division. The Texans have a tall task in Week 14 when they host the New England Patriots, while the Colts will visit the Jacksonville Jaguars. If the favorites in both games (Patriots and Colts, respectively) win, Indy could then clinch the AFC South by beating the Texans in Week 15, which would put the Colts up two games with two weeks to go and the tiebreaker. Sunday night's defeat raised questions about Hasselbeck's health and effectiveness moving forward, so getting Luck back for Week 15 could be the difference between a playoff appearance or a January spent at home for the Colts.
Last month, we explored whispers about the possibility of Sean Payton leaving the New Orleans Saints this offseason, whether by trade, release or being let out of his contract by the team. Now, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, the Saints "are not entertaining the prospect of releasing" Payton, but a trade is certainly a possibility. La Canfora suggests the Colts, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans could each be interested in trading for Payton. The team that has most commonly been connected to the Saints coach so far, the Miami Dolphins, might need to make "a change in their organizational structure" to pique Payton's interest, according to La Canfora. That could imply that Payton would want significant say in personnel, which he has had in New Orleans while working with GM Mickey Loomis. One way or another, it sounds like Payton might wind up being the first domino to fall in what could be a busy coaching carousel this winter.
In other coaching news, speculation about the future of Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly swirled after two blowout losses in five days, but all current signs point to Kelly remaining with the team after this season. Sunday's upset of the Patriots in Foxborough obviously helps things, but owner Jeffrey Lurie was already planning to keep Kelly as the team's head coach, according to La Canfora. La Canfora also noted that Kelly is unlikely to depart for a college gig, a topic that Kelly expanded on to The MMQB's Peter King after Sunday's win."I made a commitment to this organization when they hired me, and I will see it through," Kelly told King. Despite Eagles' turmoil in recent weeks, both sides appear happy with the current marriage. At 5-7, Philly still has plenty of life in the NFC East, but even if the Eagles don't reach the postseason, it seems safe to expect Kelly back for another season.
Another topic covered by King in his Monday column is the status of the NFL's presence in Los Angeles, with several interesting nuggets of information about the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders. King hears that the Chargers' plan in Carson "seems to have more momentum" than Stan Kroenke's proposal to move the Rams to Inglewood because the Spanos family has more support from owners. King adds that while no team seems to have the 24 votes necessary for approval at the moment, the Chargers "would probably" have 24 votes if they were the only team involved in the Carson plan, which is still a possibility. The reasoning behind that sentiment is that the Raiders' involvement in the plan feels like a "drag on the project" to many owners, King writes. The NFL is aiming for a mid-January meeting to decide which team(s), if any, will make the move to L.A, but there is still plenty to be sorted out. This situation will be one of the league's bigger stories over the rest of the season.
While the Chargers try to sort out their geographical future, there are also many questions about how the team's coaching staff will look next season. After signing a three-year contract extension in the summer, GM Tom Telesco is in a position to shake things up this offseason if he so chooses. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune hears from a "highly placed source" that "if head coach Mike McCoy is retained, he likely will have to get rid of the bulk -- if not the entirety -- of his offensive staff." Changes to the defensive coaching staff have also been considered, per Acee. After 9-7 campaigns in each of McCoy's first two seasons, the Chargers' 3-9 record this season has been a huge disappointment, so the clamor for change is understandable. However, it's also important to remember that San Diego's offense has been hit with a brutal rash of injuries, with a ravaged offensive line and various ailments suffered by Antonio Gates, Keenan Allen, Melvin Gordon and Malcom Floyd as well. Still, it's no certainty that McCoy will even be retained at this point, let alone his staff.