NFL Rumors: Chiefs-Davante Adams buzz, Nathaniel Hackett hot seat, Saleh's future

We are less than a month away from the NFL trade deadline and things are happening. There's a lot stirring behind the scenes these days, so we can expect a fairly constant barrage of NFL rumors over the next few weeks.

Robert Saleh was, out of the blue, fired from his post as the New York Jets head coach on Tuesday morning. No reports of butting heads or mounting tension; just a surprise pink slip handed down at the practice facility.

At long last, Saleh can live out the rest of his days without the stress of spearheading football's least functional organization. We should all be so lucky.

So, here are a few buzz-worthy tidbits from around the league on a hectic weekday.

NFL Rumors: Robert Saleh has 'no plans' to coach again in 2024

Robert Saleh was escorted out of the Jets practice facility on Tuesday morning in a move that was not telegraphed whatsoever. That's not to say it's a bad move for New York — Saleh's welcome was well worn — but it's not often that "contenders" can their lead decision-maker midseason. DC Jeff Ulbrich will take over interim head coaching duties for the remainder of the campaign.

Saleh spent four years as the defensive coordinator for Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers prior to leveling up with the Jets. He is expected to become a hot commodity on the coordinator market, and a number of contenders would surely welcome the chance to bring Saleh into the building for the stretch run.

That said, according to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, Saleh has "no plans" to coach again in 2024. He is going to take a well-deserved vacation, reset, and prepare for the coaching carousel next offseason. For all we know, a team could bring in Saleh for head coaching interviews at that point. If nothing else, he should have no trouble lining up a DC gig.

His Jets tenure was tumultuous at best, which has complicated Saleh's reputation a great deal. Fear not, though, as getting canned by the Jets should put Saleh in a better position to succeed moving forward, especially if he's relegated to a coordinator role.

NFL Rumors: Nathanial Hackett was on the hot seat before Robert Saleh's firing in New York

Before Saleh was thrown out of the practice facility like a cartoon villain, the Jets were apparently considering a different change to the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, an Aaron Rodgers transplant from Green Bay, was initially on the hot seat.

"There was some feeling, from those I touched base, that Nate Hackett’s job could be in jeopardy," reports SNY's Connor Hughes. "Higher ups have been on him last couple weeks. No one expected Robert Saleh — especially when there was nothing Monday."

It's clear that Saleh's firing came out of left field. There was not a single word of warning on Monday, and players weren't informed ahead of time. Now that Saleh has been cast out, however, the Jets "do not plan on firing" Hackett, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Hackett has been a source of great anxiety for Jets fans since his arrival. He achieved great heights as the Packers' OC alongside Aaron Rodgers, but this is a different team and a different Aaron Rodgers. Plenty of Jets fans would've preferred to keep Saleh over Hackett, as the offense has been more problematic than the defense, but a new voice could still do a world of good for New York.

That said, Hackett is officially on the firing watchlist. If not this season, a subpar finish could put him out of a job come the offseason. There is pressure on Rodgers and company to turn this around before it's too late.

NFL Rumors: Davante Adams to the Chiefs isn't totally out of the question after all

The Las Vegas Raiders and Davante Adams are prepared to part ways, but Las Vegas' high asking price has kept the market at bay. Adams is still a gifted pass-catcher, but he's 32 years old coming off a hamstring injury. He is also effectively in the final year of his contract, which means there is little guaranteed stability beyond the 2024 campaign.

That could play right into the hands of the 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs, a team nobody (aside from Chiefs fans) wants to see land Adams.

The general reporting has been that Adams is too expensive for Kansas City and therefore not a feasible option, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic laid out the blueprint for Adams landing with the two-time defending champs.

"Other teams, like the Chiefs and Bills, are hoping this thing stalls," she said on the Scoop City podcast. "Because every week that goes by, they owe Davante Adams less money."

All of a sudden, it sounds a heck of a lot more possible than it did a few days ago.

Adams would obviously supply a dramatic upgrade to the Chiefs' beat-up WR room. Both Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice are expected to miss the rest of the season, leaving Kansas City without its top two pass-catchers at what was already a weak position on the depth chart. Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and JuJu Smith-Schuster will handle the primary burden in the meantime, but adding an established top-shelf wideout like Adams could transform the 5-0 Chiefs into a proper juggernaut.

The Chiefs haven't even played that well by their standards and they're already outclassing the rest of the NFL. Las Vegas pushing Kansas City over the top by trading Adams to a division rival feels unlikely, but if the Chiefs are the only team that approaches the Raiders' asking price, that front office will have a tough decision to make.

If the Adams trade saga drags on closer to the trade deadline on Nov. 5, that could make the Chiefs more comfortable with the salary implications. If Adams is dealt within the next few days, however, odds are it's a different team making the play.