NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz Heading into Regular-Season Finales

The 2015 NFL regular season concludes following Sunday's slate of finales, featuring plenty of playoff stakes to be preoccupied with.

But for the wandering minds of fans who don't donate their allegiance to a postseason-bound team, the predominant focus figures to be on the future of their teams and the rumors therein.

One piece of intel has to do with the future of a prominent player, while the other bits of buzz deal with the outlooks for head coaches and front-office types. Read on for a breakdown of the latest NFL chatter and what it might mean for the respective situations it involves.

Alshon Jeffery's Future with the Bears

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Injuries have plagued Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery this season, but he’s looked the part of an elite player at his position when he's been on the field.

That has to be at least part of the rationale behind why the Bears are interested in offering Jeffery a long-term contract this offseason, according to CSNChicago.com's John Mullin.

General manager Ryan Pace put forth a contingency plan of sorts by selecting Kevin White No. 7 overall in the 2015 draft. Unfortunately, White's own injury issues prevented him from playing this season, making Jeffery an even bigger priority to retain.

But given his 807 yards receiving in only nine games while battling through pain and the back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons he posted the two years prior, Jeffery should have his choice of suitors on the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport gave Jeffery a distinguished label in alluding to his promising offseason prospects:

Jeffery may opt to upgrade the man throwing passes to him, because Jay Cutler is hardly the paragon of consistency. Part of why Cutler hasn’t been able to truly find his groove in the Windy City is constant schematic changes, though.

Offensive coordinator Adam Gase figures to be a hot head coaching candidate, as he has been in recent years. Depending on what Gase decides to do, which would likely come well before free agency hits, it could have a major impact on Jeffery's decision.

If he has to digest a new playbook in Chicago anyway in the event Gase leaves, Jeffery may be enticed to seek out a fresh start with another team and a superior quarterback.

Gase staying may bode well for Jeffery's future in Chicago considering how well he produced despite being in his first year in the system and not having the departed Brandon Marshall or the injured White as a No. 1-caliber player to complement him.

The Uncertainty Regarding Chip Kelly's Next Move

The reputed offensive genius and final-say personnel chief of the Philadelphia Eagles was released even before Week 17. Philadelphia is wasting no time moving on from Chip Kelly, but as Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported, he didn't exactly beg for his job when he was let go.

A potential reunion awaits in Tennessee in the form of the Titans' full-time coaching vacancy, where Kelly could be reunited with his former Oregon QB, Marcus Mariota. That would be a dream pairing and the ultimate test as to whether Kelly's system could truly work at the NFL level.

Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd certainly seems to believe the fit is ideal:

According to Cole, though, the Cleveland Browns, presuming they fire head coach Mike Pettine, are another possible landing spot. If Cleveland sticks with polarizing signal-caller Johnny Manziel, he figures to be an ideal candidate to run Kelly's offense.

The same goes for another past Texas A&M standout in Ryan Tannehill of the Miami Dolphins. A converted receiver during college, Tannehill is still trying to establish himself as the long-term answer in Miami. Kelly may be the man Tannehill needs to become a franchise QB.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen, while acknowledging Kelly's interest in staying with the pro game, reported he was informed of a radically different possibility for the former Oregon coach. According to Mortensen, Kelly would have been interested in the Navy job if it had opened up, as his next move won't be motivated by any amount of money.

Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson had some sage words to say about Kelly in the wake of his departure that ought to be food for thought.

"I know he's a brilliant coach. It's probably tough making the transition from college to the NFL," said Johnson, per ESPN.com's Phil Sheridan. "It's different, and if you're set in your ways, maybe closed-minded a little bit and not willing to change, it's going to be difficult. It's going to rub people the wrong way."

Whatever his next move is, perhaps Kelly won't be as much of an iron fist in his leadership style, receive input more openly and learn from his mistakes at the helm in Philadelphia to thrive in his next stint.

Browns to Retain Mike Pettine, Fire Ray Farmer?

The Cleveland Browns have been an absolute nightmare since returning to the NFL in 1999: constant regime changes, perpetual instability at QB and the only consistent trend being losing.

Cole reported it could well be GM Ray Farmer who takes the fall, as owner Jimmy Haslam may allow Pettine to remain on despite a 3-17 record in his past 20 games.

If the NFL is indeed a bottom-line business, Pettine's merit to staying for a third year seems to be dubious at best. Former Browns reporter Kevin Jones cautions those who are quick to dismiss Pettine without a second thought:

Giving more credence to what Cole is hearing, the numerous misfires by Farmer in the draft and free agency have kept Cleveland with a roster bereft of talent, particularly at receiver, where numerous, instant-impact pass-catchers have been drafted high in the past two years.

Manziel is a key figure into how everyone's future plays out. Whether he realizes that is another matter. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner showed marked improvement on the gridiron in 2015 but has had lapses in judgment off of it to not preclude the possibility of the Browns taking yet another QB high in the 2016 draft.

Defense has been the big shortcoming for Cleveland this season. The QB play between Manziel and Josh McCown has been rather solid with the absence of a steady rushing attack for most of the year. It's Pettine's apparent expertise that deserves scrutiny.

If Pettine does indeed stay, at least there will be continuity in the offense. First-time play-caller John DeFilippo has positioned the quarterbacks to succeed and has schemed a way to run the ball late in the season.

The potential firing likely to make the most difference and appease the fanbase would be defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil, whose unit has been downright awful, particularly against the run, since he took over.