Yesterday, FTVLive FIRST told you that WJLA News Director Mitch Jacob had handed in his resignation and is leaving the Sinclair station at the end of the week.

FTVLive posted Jacob’s goodbye email to the staff that included the line, “As you face new challenges, and head in directions yet to come, always remember to “Go big or Go Home!”

It appears Jacob is not going big and is going home.

So, now the speculation moves to who takes over his ND job at WJLA?

One of the early favorites to get the job is former WBFF (Baltimore) News Director Joe Defeo.

Defeo is a good friend of Sinclair’s VP of News Scott Livingston and is already in the WJLA building working in a different role. He was also the VP of news for Sinclair’s News Central.

Sources believe he is the early front runner to replace Jacob.