Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Monday, Jan. 4:
The NFL coaching carousel is full of buzz, but the question that stands out more than any other is this: What will happen with New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton? He appears to be the first domino to fall in all of this and there is no limit to the possible outcomes. It's possible that GM Mickey Loomis won't even make Payton available to other teams, but indications suggest otherwise. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reports the "potential price" to pry Payton from New Orleans is a second-round pick. That seems a little low -- especially because the last trade of a head coach saw Jon Gruden fetch the Oakland Raiders two first-round picks, two second-rounders and $8 million -- but every scenario is unique, and trades of head coaches are extremely rare. Considering the number of teams that appear to be interested in Payton, perhaps that price will be driven up by demand. ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen reported the interest of the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles in Payton, while Rapoport noted Sunday morning that Payton could have interest in going to San Francisco if the opportunity arose. Other jobs -- if they come available -- that reportedly would catch Payton's eye include the New York Giants, per CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, and the Indianapolis Colts, per Tom James of the Terre Haute Star Tribune. There is plenty still to happen here, but it's clear that Payton has plenty of options if he doesn't return to New Orleans. UPDATE: With the news that Tom Coughlin won't be back with the Giants, Rapoport notes Payton is "monitoring the situation with the Giants. Very closely."
As for who might potentially replace Payton if he departs, La Canfora reports that former Buffalo Bills head coach and current Jaguars assistant head coach Doug Marrone "tops the Saints' list." Marrone worked under Payton as the Saints' offensive coordinator from 2006-2008, so he's very familiar with Loomis and the organization, making for a logical fit. However, it doesn't sound like New Orleans would be Marrone's only suitor in that scenario. Schefter reports the Miami Dolphins will interview Marrone this week, and NFL Media's Rand Getlin adds that the Cleveland Browns will also interview Marrone. Despite how his time with the Bills ended -- he opted out of his contract after just two years -- Marrone drew interest for head-coaching jobs last offseason and appears to have a good shot at getting a gig this January.
Speaking of the Dolphins, they may be casting the widest net of any team looking for a head coach thus far. In addition to the names mentioned by Schefter -- former Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins HC Mike Shanahan, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Marrone and interim coach Dan Campbell -- Miami has interest in Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley, per NFL Media's Albert Breer. One hurdle to hiring Haley, however, would be that the team would have to wait for the Steelers to lose in the playoffs or advance to the Super Bowl to interview him. If Miami clicks with a different candidate this week, it would be surprising to see the team to wait around to interview Haley. Interestingly, the Dolphins will be one of the few teams that won't be pursuing Payton -- according to Pro Football Talk -- despite showing interest earlier in the season. Also of note: Rapoport reports Campbell's interview for the permanent HC gig will be on Friday, though he is a long shot. UPDATE: The Dolphins' list grows even larger, as Schefter reports Miami is requesting interviews with Patriots coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, as well as Bills assistant head coach Anthony Lynn. UPDATE: Lynn will interview with the Dolphins on Wednesday, per Rapoport. UPDATE: The Dolphins' first interview will be with yet another candidate, it seems. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith is meeting with the Dolphins on Monday. Smith did not coach in 2015 after being fired by the Falcons a year ago.
Austin and Gase, who are both on Miami's list, appear to have very similar itineraries this week. As ESPN's Dianna Russini reported, Gase will meet with the Eagles, Dolphins and Browns this week, while Rapoport notes Austin will meet with the same three teams. One interesting scenario to consider is whether or not the Lions would have interest in promoting Austin to head coach if the team's new general manager decides to part ways with Jim Caldwell. Caldwell has the support of ownership, but the new GM will have final say on his status. Depending on how quickly the Lions hire a new general manager, it's possible Austin could be hired by another team before Caldwell's fate has been decided.
Another team in an interesting position is the 49ers, who fired Jim Tomsula on Sunday just a year after hiring him. As previously mentioned, San Francisco appears to be a heavy suitor for Payton's services, while Schefter reported Monday that former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly reached out to the 49ers, as did Shanahan, per NFL Media's Mike Silver. It's not clear if the interest with Kelly is mutual, but La Canfora reported Sunday morning that Kelly is "under strong consideration" in San Francisco, adding that the team's decision to part ways with Tomsula was influenced by Kelly becoming available when he was fired by the Eagles last week. The future of Colin Kaepernick in the Bay Area is still uncertain, but his skill set would seem like a logical fit in Kelly's up-tempo offensive scheme. In addition to Payton, Shanahan and Kelly, yet another head-coaching veteran could be in the 49ers' radar: former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks HC Mike Holmgren. La Canfora noted that Holmgren has interest and shouldn't be discounted "in the least" as a candidate.
Another potential destination for Kelly: How about Cleveland? There aren't any rumors of interviews or contact between the two sides at the moment, but Pro Football Talk reported Sunday morning that a "plugged-in source" said to "keep an eye on" that potential marriage, which ESPN's Pat McManamon explored last week. The Browns pursued Kelly three years ago, but he wound up with the Eagles and they chose Rob Chudzinski, who was released after one season, leading to Mike Pettine's two-year stint. As with Kaepernick in San Francisco, the future of Johnny Manziel in Cleveland is far from certain, but the QB's mobility would seemingly fit well into Kelly's scheme. UPDATE: Another name to throw into the mix for the Browns is former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Schwartz spent time with the Browns as a personnel scout from 1993 to 1995.
As for the team Kelly left, the Eagles have interest in Payton, Gase and Austin as previously mentioned, but it seems there's another name on their list. Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will also be a candidate to fill the position. McAdoo's resume includes plenty of success with quarterbacks, namely Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and Eli Manning in New York. The Eagles have already interviewed running backs coach and former running back Duce Staley and will interview offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur on Monday, per Mortensen.
One potential head-coaching candidate to keep an eye on is former Broncos head coach and current New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels has been a hot name for a few years now, but he appears to be taking a selective approach for his next opportunity after his stint in Denver ended in ugly fashion midway through his second season. However, La Canfora reported Sunday that McDaniels would be most interested in the head job for the Giants or Tennessee Titans, if either is available to him. New York's status with Tom Coughlin is still unclear, while the Titans may be considering keeping interim coach Mike Mularkey before exploring outside candidates. We should learn more in the next few days. UPDATE: The Dolphins have requested to interview McDaniels for their opening, along with Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. It's unclear if either will be interested, or if the Patriots would block the interviews by a division rival, but this is worth watching moving forward.
Another hot coaching candidate around the league, Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula, may be taking his name out of the mix for many teams. Rapoport reports Shula doesn't want to interview for any positions while his team is still alive in the playoffs, which will be the case until at least Jan. 17. Coaches from teams with first-round byes are allowed to interview during the bye week, but it seems Shula would rather focus on his current job than pursuing his next one. Even if the Panthers bow out in the divisional round of the playoffs, two weeks may be too long for teams with head-coaching vacancies to wait to interview Shula. If Carolina were to reach the Super Bowl, it's fair to expect Shula would again pass up interviews during the off-week, meaning he wouldn't meet with any teams until after Feb. 7. It might be another calendar year before the son of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula gets a legitimate chance at his own head gig.
Last week, we explored the impending free agency of Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who spoke on Monday about his upcoming contract situation. Jeffery's return to Chicago has seemed more likely of late than it did earlier in the season, and the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs notes he'd be "very surprised" if Jeffery is not back with the Bears in 2016. The pairing of Jeffery and 2015 first-rounder Kevin White would form a strong base to build the offense around, as long as both players can stay healthy.
Another pending free agent whose future is up in the air is Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times notes "there is mutual interest" between the two sides for a new deal, guessing that Martin will get $25 million over four years, "if not more." That's a pretty penny to pay a running back these days -- just ask the Eagles how the DeMarco Murray contract ($40 million over five years) is working out -- but Martin certainly looked like an improved player this season. Tampa Bay will have plenty of cap space this offseason ($48.6 million, per Spotrac), so there may not be a problem meeting Martin's demands.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb played primarily at safety in Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and it sounds like that may be a move that is made permanent for next season. Webb told reporters, including the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec, that the move was expected, and he seems to be embracing the new role. "Me at free safety, I think that will help out a lot with me roaming the middle of the field and just being able to have more control of the defense," Webb said. The 30-year-old has struggled to get back to his previous level of play since tearing his ACL during the 2012 season, and other nagging injuries have kept him out of a few games in the last two years. Perhaps the position change will help Webb by limiting the importance of his speed and quickness, while letting his instincts play more of a role.