HEADLINES

Jayden Higgins To Compete For Starting Role In Houston

July 3rd, 2025 at 9:02pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Texans rookie receiver Jayden Higgins is expected to compete for a starting job during training camp after an impressive showing during spring practices.

The No. 34 pick made a number of plays downfield this spring, according to ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime, though few of those passes were thrown by C.J. Stroud. A sore shoulder limited the star quarterback to handoffs during OTAs, per KRPC’s Aaron Wilson, but he was a full participant in mandatory minicamp and downplayed concerns about his arm.

Higgins has a clear opportunity to seize a role in Houston’s passing offense. Nico Collins is the team’s undisputed WR1, but the absence of a return timeline for Tank Dell and the departure of Stefon Diggs this offseason should open up plenty of targets for which Higgins (and others) can compete. The Texans traded a seventh-round pick for Christian Kirk and drafted Higgins’ Iowa State teammate Jaylin Noel in the third round; both will seek to carve out a target share of their own.

However, the Texans made their biggest investment in Higgins, both in terms of his draft slot and his contract. Not only did they draft him with the second pick of the second round, they also made him the first second-rounder in league history to receive a fully guaranteed rookie contract. (That forced the Browns to sign No. 33 pick Carson Schwesinger to a fully guaranteed rookie deal and has delayed the signing of several other second-round picks.) A full training camp catching passes from Stroud will help Higgins build chemistry with his quarterback and build towards a potential starting role in the regular season.

CB Stephon Gilmore Aims To Play In 2025

July 3rd, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

July 3: Gilmore confirmed on The Money Down podcast that he wants to play in 2025, though he is looking for “the right place” for his 14th NFL season.

“I’m not just going to sign anywhere,” said Gilmore (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams), “so it’s got to be the right situation.”

June 29: In the wake of the 2024 campaign, Stephon Gilmore emerged as one of the veteran Vikings who could elect to retire. No announcement on that front has been made yet, meaning the former Defensive Player of the Year is likely planning to sign with a new team ahead of training camp.

Indeed, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted on a recent Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link) he “believes” Gilmore wants to continue his career. Since the end of his three-year Patriots tenure, the two-time All-Pro has bounced around the NFL. The past four seasons have consisted of one-and-done campaigns with the Panthers, Colts, Cowboys and Vikings.

After being limited to eight games during his 2021 Carolina campaign, Gilmore has managed to remain healthy and continue operating as a full-time starter at each stop. The 34-year-old topped 1,000 defensive snaps in 2022 and ’23 and was a key member of Minnesota’s secondary last season. A return to his peak form will not be expected on a new contract, but with 33 pass deflections over the past three years Gilmore could still offer suitors veteran playmaking at the cornerback spot.

One major domino at that position fell when Jaire Alexander signed with the Ravens. The former Packers Pro Bowler took a one-year deal with a base value of $4MM, a steep decline from what the remainder of his Green Bay pact called for but a sign of his drop in value due to injuries. Gilmore is older than Alexander but his durability could help his value on a summer arrangement.

Jalen Ramsey remains on the trade block, with the Dolphins committed to moving him. The list of suitors in his case is short, though, and any teams looking for a veteran cover man which do not end up acquiring Ramsey could look Gilmore’s way. The latter would become a 14-year NFL veteran in the event he were to join a team in time for the 2025 campaign.

A five-time Pro Bowler who has a Super Bowl title on his resume, Gilmore’s decorated career could continue if he generates a market this summer. A one-year deal will likely be sufficient for any suitors looking to add him as a veteran starting option.

Bills Optimistic About James Cook Extension; Unclear If RB Will Hold In

July 3rd, 2025 at 6:19pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bills have not made significant headway in extension negotiations with star running back James Cook, but the team is still hoping to get a deal done before the regular season.

“I still think the door is open,” said ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on the team’s One Bills Live podcast. “Last I checked, there wasn’t a lot of progress, but there was still some optimism in the big picture that maybe they could figure something out.” 

Cook’s desire for a new contract has been one of the Bills’ main offseason storylines, especially as the team rewarded several other 2022 draftees with long-term extensions. However, those players – WR Khalil Shakir, CB Christian Benford, and LB Terrel Bernard – did not land anywhere near the top of their respective positional markets.

Cook has previously stated a desire to reach $15MM per year on his next contract, which would match Derrick Henry for the third-highest APY for a running back. Statistically, though, Cook does not appear to belong in that group. He tied Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead with 16 touchdowns last year, but his 2,131 rushing yards and 4.8 yards per carry since 2023 only rank eighth among all ballcarriers.

“He’s been ultra productive,” continued Fowler, “but the only running backs that are really getting paid at a high clip as we’re seeing is the top of the top.”

Cook skipped the Bills’ voluntary OTAs, but participated fully in mandatory minicamp last month. There, he also announced his intention to report to training camp, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, though he did not say if he would participate in practice or stage a ‘hold-in.’

“I don’t know, man. We’ll see when camp comes,” said Cook. Bills general manager Brandon Beane previously expressed confidence that Cook would be “ready to roll whether there’s a deal or not.”

Giants Notes: Hyatt, Belton, Bellinger, Gano

July 3rd, 2025 at 6:17pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Giants WR Jalin Hyatt has added more than 20 pounds to his frame heading into a crucial third season in New York.

“I played at like 170, 171 last year, I’m about 194, 195 now,” said Hyatt on a recent team podcast (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith). “I’m telling you, that’s what darkness does to you. It changes you.”

The 2023 third-rounder has no intention of losing any of his trademark speed and explained that the added weight is to help him absorb contact as a receiver and ballcarrier.

“I felt like that was one of the things that I needed to work on from last season,” admitted Hyatt.

The 23-year-old also wants to diversify his usage in 2025 – both in terms of alignment and route tree – after lining up out wide and running a lot of vertical routes in his first two seasons. Hyatt specifically talked to Giants head coach Brian Daboll about seeing more time in the slot, where he played a majority of his snaps at the University of Tennessee. New York’s slot role has been dominated by Wan’Dale Robinson since 2023, and the addition of Malik Nabers and Theo Johnson in last year’s draft added more competition.

By his own admission, Hyatt is still adjusting to his bigger frame, but playing above 190 pounds should assist Hyatt in his pursuit for more slot snaps, both as a blocker and as a pass-catcher over the middle of the field.

Here are some other updates out of New York:

  • The Giants’ selection of Tyler Nubin in 2024 and addition of Jevon Holland this offseason have pushed 2022 fourth-rounder Dane Belton out of the starting picture in a contract year. However, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen praised Belton’s work in spring practices and said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) that the team is “finding ways to get him on the field.” Belton had three interceptions in five practices open to the media, per Raanan, positioning him for a role as the Giants’ third safety on defense.
  • Fourth-year TE Daniel Bellinger is expected to make the Giants’ 53-man roster, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, but he will likely be asked to take a pay cut in the process. Bellinger played more than 35% of the team’s offensive snaps in his first two NFL seasons to earn a Level One proven performance escalator, bringing his 2025 salary to $3.4MM, per OverTheCap. However, he ceded playing time to veteran Chris Manhertz last year and saw his snap share reduced to 32%. Giants general manager Joe Schoen has gotten previous PPE qualifiers such as Darnay Holmes and Darius Slayton to take similar pay cuts in the past, and he showed last year with Nick McCloud that he is willing to move on from a player if the price is not right.
  • Despite reports of a potential kicking competition in New York, veteran Graham Gano is expected to retain the job despite injuries and inconsistency over the last two years. Irish kicker Jude McAtamney, who filled in for Gano in Week 9 last year, does not have a “real chance to unseat Gano,” per Duggan. McAtamney’s international exemption will allow the Giants to carry him as an extra 17th practice squad player during the season.

Patriots UDFA WR Efton Chism Pushing For Roster Spot

July 3rd, 2025 at 4:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Undrafted rookie reciever Efton Chism has emerged as a potential factor in an already-tight competition for a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster.

Chism earned praise from Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for his play during OTAs, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Chism was effective out of the slot, where he lined up for most of his snaps at Eastern Washington, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He also worked as a punt returner (via Reiss), another role he played in college that could help him make the team.

Chism is one of 12 receivers on the Patriots’ roster; six are expected to make the cut, according to Reiss. Free agent signings Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins should be locks, as should second-round rookie Kyle Williams. Demario Douglas, who led New England’s receiver room in catches and receiving yards last year, is another safe bet.

That leaves 2024 draftees Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker competing with 2023 sixth-rounder Kayshon Boutte and eight-year veteran Kendrick Bourne for the last two spots.

Polk and Baker both disappointed as rookies, but the Patriots’ second-round investment in Polk will likely give him a longer leash than Baker, a fourth-rounder. Boutte’s 589 receiving yards in 2024 ranked third on the team, while Bourne has not eclipsed 450 yards since 2021 with just 20 games played in the last two years. That would suggest that Polk and Boutte have the inside track heading into training camp, a view shared by Chad Graff of The Athletic.

After turning heads during spring practices, Chism will need to sustain his momentum into training camp – literally, with the introduction of pads and contact. Carving out a role in the slot on offense and as a returner on special teams will be crucial to the undrafted rookie’s chances of making the 53-man roster.

T.J. Watt’s Next Contract Expected To Top Positional Market

July 3rd, 2025 at 3:35pm CST by Ben Levine

July 3: Watt doesn’t just want to reset his positional market; he wants to be the “highest-paid non-quarterback in the league,” according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via the Rich Eisen Show). That bar is currently set by Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase at $40.25MM per year. Watt would join fellow AFC North edge rusher Myles Garrett as the only defensive players with an APY over $40MM.

Such a contract would require a five-year deal on the Steelers’ end, per Dulac, keeping Watt in Pittsburgh through his age-36 season. The team may have some concerns about Watt’s game declining with age, but they are still willing to sign him to another long-term contract and believe they will come to an agreement before the season. Additionally, Dulac notes, the Jalen Ramsey trade has no financial bearing on the Steelers’ plans regarding Watt.

July 2: T.J. Watt‘s next contract was always expected to approach the top of his position, but it sounds like the former Defensive Player of the Year could reset the market altogether. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently stated that Watt will “probably” become the highest-paid pass rusher on his next deal.

“The Steelers, I’m sensing, are optimistic that they can reach a deal with Watt eventually,” Fowler said during a recent appearance on ESPN2 (h/t Barkley Truax of On3.com). “My sense is that he will probably be the highest-paid pass rusher in the league. When this is all said and done, he wants to be a Steeler for life. The Steelers want that. He’s a legacy type player.

“They believe at 30 years old, he still has several good years left. They’re just going to have to come up with a number and a good guarantee structure. He did miss minicamp, so Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do. But typically, Pittsburgh perks up in these things around training camp and late July.”

Watt is eyeing his third Steelers contract, and it sounds like this next pact could once again break records. Watt’s expiring four-year, $112MM contract ($80MM guaranteed) once made him the highest-paid defender in NFL history. With an average annual value around $28MM, Watt now sits seventh among edge rushers. Myles Garrett recently topped the market with a $40MM AAV; while Watt could temporarily leap the Cleveland pass rusher, impending deals for Aidan Hutchinson and Micah Parsons could quickly create a new benchmark.

Watt skipped out on mandatory minicamp as he pursued a new contract, subjecting him to more than $100K in fines. Teams reportedly reached out to the Steelers about a potential trade, although the organization has continued to express optimism that they’ll eventually agree to a new contract. Both sides are now working to wrap up negotiations by training camp, although it sounds like they continue to haggle over guarantees.

Watt’s age-30 season saw him compile 11.5 sacks and six forced fumbles, leading to him earning a second-team All-Pro nod. The Steelers are clearly confident that Watt can continue to contribute well into his 30s, but that hasn’t stopped the front office from considering some depth options. Alex Highsmith inked a four-year extension in 2023, and the team recently used a fourth-round pick on Jack Sawyer.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this article. 

Latest On Falcons’ LB Situation

July 3rd, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kaden Elliss is in line to once again operate as a full-time linebacker starter for the Falcons in 2025. It remains to be seen who will occupy the other first-team role at that spot.

Atlanta added Divine Deablo on a two-year, $14MM pact in free agency. The former Raider made 42 starts while playing out his rookie contract, handling a regular defensive role over each of the past three seasons. That could continue during his debut Atlanta campaign.

ESPN’s Marc Raimondi writes head coach Raheem Morris has been impressed with Deablo so far. The 26-year-old is candidate to start alongside Elliss in 2025, with Deablo also a candidate at this point to wear the green dot as the defense’s signal-caller. His best season came in 2023, with 106 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. A repeat of that production would certainly help Deablo’s chances of maintaining a full-time starting gig.

In other Falcons linebacker news, the status of Troy Andersen remains unclear at this point. The 26-year-old was limited to just two games in 2023 due to shoulder and pectoral injuries. He once again finished the campaign on injured reserve last season after seven games played. Andersen’s situation has not been specifically updated recently, but Morris said in June the Falcons had a few players they would be “extremely cautious” with.

Will McFadden of the team’s website notes Andersen can be put in that category. The Montana State product is nevertheless expected to be available at some point this season, per McFadden, with Week 1 not out of the question. When healthy, though, Andersen may not be in line for the starting spot he appeared to be on track to handle at the start of the 2023 campaign. As a pending free agent, his showing this year will be critical, and a cautious approach on the recovery front is an understandable one for team and player.

Elliss has been with the Falcons since 2023 after a four-year run with the Saints. He has eclipsed 120 tackles in both of his Falcons campaigns, adding nine sacks over that span. Expectations will remain high for the coming campaign as a result, but it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds with respect to who will join him as a starting linebacker.

Steelers Extend GM Omar Khan

July 3rd, 2025 at 1:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Omar Khan‘s tenure as general manager of the Steelers will not be ending any time soon. The team announced on Thursday that Khan has received a contract extension through 2028.

Kevin Colbert handled GM responsibilities in Pittsburgh from 2000-21. Khan loomed as a potential in-house successor during the latter stages of his tenure, so it came as no surprise when the team looked internally as part of the final round of interviews. Khan was promoted to the role in May 2022.

The timing of that move meant Khan was tasked with overseeing the start of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era at quarterback. That stretch has seen six different signal-callers start for Pittsburgh, but the team has yet to identify a long-term solution at the position. That remains true at the moment, but for 2025 Khan and the Steelers will rely on 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers to lead the offense.

The decision to sign Rodgers (in June, ending a months-long run of uncertainty over whether or not he would suit up for a 21st NFL campaign) is one of several unorthodox moves Khan has made this offseason. The trade acquisition of D.K. Metcalf – which involved a big-ticket extension – and the departure of fellow wideout George Pickens coupled with the Rodgers signing mean Pittsburgh’s offense will look much different this year.

More recently, the Steelers and Dolphins pulled off a blockbuster trade. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith are now in place, while Minkah Fitzpatrick is not. The latter earned All-Pro acclaim early in his Pittsburgh tenure, but the past two years have seen a downturn in production. Despite two years remaining on Fitzpatrick’s contract, the team moved forward with a notable swap which sees Ramsey arrive with considerable term (and 2025 guarantees) remaining on his pact.

Khan has acted with an aggression Colbert did not often display during the 2025 offseason in particular. His moves up to this point have clearly sat well with owner Art Rooney II, who has certainly shown an affinity for stability in the front office and on the sidelines during his tenure. Regardless of how his recent moves play out, Khan will be in position to continue shaping the Steelers’ roster – which still has defensive stalwarts Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt in the fold – for years to come.

That effort will include the 2026 draft, an event which will take place in Pittsburgh. By next spring, Rodgers will likely be retired, leaving Khan and Co. in position to target a rookie passer early. Other key roster moves will be required regardless of how the current setup fares, but Rooney and the Steelers will not be on the lookout for a replacement in the front office in any case.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 3rd, 2025 at 12:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

By the end of the 2024 regular season, the Bears, Jets and Saints had already moved on from their head coaches. Those teams were joined by Cowboys, Jaguars, Raiders and Patriots in making a change on the sidelines.

After their midseason terminations, Matt Eberflus, Robert Saleh and Dennis Allen each landed defensive coordinator gigs during the 2025 hiring cycle. The staffers who remained in place through the end of the campaign have yet to line up their next NFL opportunity, however. Mike McCarthy withdrew from the Saints’ search, setting the 61-year-old for at least one year out of coaching (just like the pause between his Packers and Cowboys stints).

Meanwhile, Doug Pederson was unable to parlay interest in an offensive coordinator position into a hire this spring. The former Super Bowl winner is thus set to be out of coaching for 2025. The same will also be true of Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo after their one-and-done stints as full-time head coaches did not go as planned.

While recent months have brought about the latest round of changes, many of the longest-tenured head coaches around the league remain in place. McCarthy was the only staffer within the top 10 on last year’s list in that regard who has been replaced. In all, nine head coaches hired at the beginning of this decade (or earlier) will carry on with their respective teams in 2025.

Six of those reside in the AFC, with Mike Tomlin – who became the league’s longest-tenured head coach last year in the wake of Bill Belichick’s Patriots departure – once again leading the way, albeit with questions about his future beyond this season present. The NFC will include Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur handling their familiar roles in 2025, although the latter (who has two years left on his deal) will not receive an early extension.

Here is a look at how the league’s head coaches shape up entering the 2025 campaign:

  1. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2027
  2. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2028
  3. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2029
  4. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  5. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2027
  6. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  8. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  9. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020; signed extension in June 2024
  10. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021; extended through 2027
  11. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021; signed offseason extension
  12. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  13. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022; signed offseason extension
  14. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  15. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022; extended through 2028
  16. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  17. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  18. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  19. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023
  20. Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans): January 22, 2024
  21. Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers): January 24, 2024
  22. Dave Canales (Carolina Panthers): January 25, 2024
  23. Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons): January 25, 2024
  24. Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks): January 31, 2024
  25. Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders): February 1, 2024
  26. Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots): January 12, 2025
  27. Ben Johnson (Chicago Bears): January 20, 2025
  28. Aaron Glenn (New York Jets): January 22, 2025
  29. Liam Coen (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 23, 2025
  30. Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders): January 24, 2025
  31. Brian Schottenheimer (Dallas Cowboys): January 24, 2025
  32. Kellen Moore (New Orleans Saints): February 11, 2025

Steelers, T.J. Watt Not Close To Extension Agreement

July 3rd, 2025 at 11:15am CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the offseason, it has become clear that T.J. Watt and the Steelers have not had a smooth process with respect to extension talks. Since the former Defensive Player of the Year’s absence from minicamp, uncertainty has picked up regarding his future.

Team and player have publicly expressed a desire to work out a third contract, one which will bring about a raise from the $21.05MM Watt is currently owed for 2025. The four-time All-Pro could move to the top of the pecking order amongst defensive players once his new pact is signed, but it remains unclear when that will take place. Surprising as a trade may be, it is also yet to be seen if Watt will indeed stay in Pittsburgh moving forward.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Watt and the Steelers are “nowhere close” to a deal at this point. Time remains until training camp for progress to be made, of course, but the financial gap present in this case has added to the interest shown by outside teams. Suitors have reached out to Pittsburgh about a potential trade even though hammering out an extension is still the priority for general manager Omar Khan and Co.

During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan (audio link), Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed Watt is currently unhappy with the nature of contract talks. At least one offer of unknown value has been submitted, and to no surprise the matter of guarantees will be a sticking point in negotiations. Fittipaldo predicted an extension will be the outcome in this situation while adding “nothing is off the table” with regard to a potential trade.

Watt led the NFL in sacks for the third time in a four-year span in 2023. His production in that respect slipped last season, one in which he still managed to top the league with six forced fumbles. At the age of 30, the Steelers will need to weigh the risks of a drop-off in play with age to a much larger extent this time around compared to their 2021 Watt investment. That deal came about after a lengthy negotiating process, and it appears the situation will not be much different this summer.

Myles Garrett leads the way with a $40MM AAV amongst edge rushers. The Steelers – a team which has done away with standard operating procedure this offseason in terms of roster moves – could wind up matching or surpassing that figure in Watt’s case. If that is to happen, however, considerable progress will need to be made over the coming weeks.

Load More Posts