Buccaneers, Baker Mayfield Set To Resume Extension Talks
Time is running out for the Buccaneers to work out a Baker Mayfield extension if he holds firm on his self-imposed negotiating deadline. Training camp is approaching, but another round of contract talks should be forthcoming.
Tampa Bay is “prepared to dive in on” negotiations this week, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Earlier this offseason, Mayfield stated he would not discuss an extension once training camp started. As Breer notes, though, the Buccaneers have a history under general manager Jason Licht of finalizing deals during camp.
If that trend is to continue in Mayfield’s case, progress will need to be made in short order. The Bucs’ initial extension offer was not close to the asking price from Mayfield’s camp, and a gap remains between the two sides at this point. Per Breer, a counteroffer had not been presented when Tampa’s QB1 spoke about contract talks last month. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see if traction can be gained over the coming days.
Mayfield thrived during his Bucs campaign, substantially outperforming the $4MM flier Tampa Bay took on him. That deal was followed by a three-year, $100MM pact which is set to expire after the 2026 season. Mayfield is in line for a raise on his next contract, one which could add him to the list of passers averaging $50MM or more per year. There are currently 12 signal-callers carrying an average annual value of at least $51MM.
Across his three Tampa Bay seasons, Mayfield has yet to miss a start. Injuries are a factor being weighed by the team, however, and the 31-year-old dealt with a number of nagging ailments last season. A strong start in 2025 was ultimately undone, and the Buccaneers missed the playoffs with a record of 8-9. Better health on offense would go a long way in helping Tampa Bay rebound, but Mayfield’s level of play would become a major talking point during the season if he were enter the year as a pending free agent.
Breer predicts a deal will indeed get done this summer. Another three-year accord, this time worth $165MM (or a similar figure) likely represents a logical baseline in this case, he adds. A desire to finalize an extension has long been mutual, and a new effort to finish negotiations with an agreement being reached will take place over the coming days.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Unlikely To Sign Extension Before 2027?
JULY 20: Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero notes (video link) a new Jackson extension remains a Ravens priority deep into the offseason, although he adds the leverage generated by cashflow and a no-tag clause gives Jackson considerable leverage. With no timeline in place, it remains unclear – but increasingly unlikely – a deal will be struck in the immediate future.
JULY 12: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is under club control through the 2027 season, recently expressed his desire to remain in Baltimore for the long haul. But this offseason has produced no public news of tangible progress on that front, and that reality, combined with a prior report that Jackson will not be with the Ravens beyond 2026 if he and the team do not agree to an extension before Week 1, have led to increased speculation about the two-time MVP’s future.
Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required) points out that the strained nature of the parties’ previous extension talks and the fact that Jackson and the Ravens did not appear to be “on the same page” for portions of the 2025 season have also driven the speculation. However, he believes a lack of news should not be interpreted as an omen of an imminent separation. After all, Jackson’s circle does not leak anything to the media, and the club likewise remains tight-lipped about matters involving the face of the franchise out of respect for him. As such, Zrebiec considers it impossible to handicap the status of the negotiations, though he says owner Steve Bisciotti has made it very clear to Jackson the Ravens want to extend him.
Zrebiec goes on to say there appears to be a “general understanding” between player and team as to the timing of the discussions and that the Ravens will be ready to fully engage if and when Jackson is ready. However, it would not be surprising if a new deal is pushed back to 2027.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) suggested as much at the end of May, and he reiterated his report shortly thereafter (notwithstanding the graphic on the video clip which stated an extension is expected to be finalized this year). As Rapoport observes, it is unusual for a team to restructure a player’s contract and then extend that player in the same offseason, and the Ravens finalized a maximum restructure of Jackson’s current deal in March in order to give themselves the cap space to transact offseason business. Rapoport also suggests Jackson may not be particularly anxious for a new contract at this point since he is due to earn over $50MM in ’26.
Plus, Jackson’s 2025 performance was marred by injury and a subpar level of play (by his standards). Therefore, while he has tremendous leverage by virtue of the restructure and the $84.34MM cap number it created for 2027, he may want to come to the negotiating table on the heels of a better season.
Rapoport does not suggest the 2026 campaign will be Jackson’s last in Baltimore. He simply believes – as does our Adam La Rose – that an extension is more likely to be finalized in 2027. Despite next year’s ominous cap charge, Baltimore could release or trade Jackson even in a pre-June 1 maneuver and create a modicum of cap savings (roughly $9.5MM, albeit with a corresponding dead money hit of $74.81MM). A post-June 1 transaction would allow the Ravens to spread out the dead money and realize 2027 cap savings of $52MM.
Speculatively, it is difficult to imagine the Ravens going that route unless Jackson completely underperforms in 2026 or the relationship between him and the team truly sours. At present, a new commitment sometime next offseason would seem to be a fair expectation.
NFL Owners Expected To Finalize Roger Goodell Extension
Last May, it was reported NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was expected to receive another contract extension. That has yet to take place, but a deal is still likely in his case.
A new Goodell contract is expected to be finalized within the coming months, Mark Maske of Front Office Sports reports. No firm timeline is in place, but four sources he spoke with stated confidence an agreement will be reached in time for the upcoming round of CBA negotiations as well as discussions on new broadcast deals. Goodell’s most recent extension was signed in 2023, and it runs through next March.
The NFL opted to wait until a new NFLPA executive director was in place to begin talks on the latest collective bargaining agreement extension. J.C. Tretter returned to the union as its new ED earlier this year, although he is still in the process of polling players on their top priorities with respect to CBA talks. As a result, formal negotiations have still not begun. Meanwhile, the NFL is widely expected to reopen its broadcast deals early given the likelihood of securing more lucrative terms with an ever-expanding number of media partners.
An owners’ meeting has been set for August 26. It is on that date that the sale of the Seahawks – for a record-shattering $9.61 billion – is set to receive formal approval. Goodell’s contract status could also be discussed at that point, although Maske points to October’s quarterly meeting as a logical point for his extension to be finalized. It was in October 2023 that he is current deal was approved; when it expires, Goodell will be 68.
In place since 2006, Goodell succeeded the late Paul Tagliabue as the NFL’s second commissioner since Pete Rozelle. His tenure has seen the finances of the league benefit to an unprecedented degree, as evidenced by (among other things) the soaring prices of franchise sales. Domestic revenue has increased through a broadening of broadcast agreements, while international growth targeting a wide range of overseas markets has been a central league priority for several years. The next CBA – whenever it is finalized – is expected to include a further expansion of the regular season from 17 games per team to 18.
Goodell has drawn criticism on a number of fronts, with inconsistent discipline decisions and a reversal of the NFL’s stance on gambling once it was legalized among the topics which have led to scandals. Nevertheless, ownership has remained willing to extend his tenure on several occasions with minimal opposition emerging. Per Maske, no stumbling blocks to another deal are believed to exist.
During Goodell’s last round of contract talks, the NFL’s finance committee was authorized to finalize the deal without approval from owners being necessary. Whether or not that will be the case again remains to be seen, but in any event a new contract should be in place relatively soon.
49ers Could Make Pass Rush Addition
Training camp will be critical for 49ers pass rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams on the health front. Full clearance in both cases in time for Week 1 would not come as a surprise, although there is still progress to be made regarding ACL recoveries for that to take place.
Even in the event Bosa and Williams are at 100% in the near future, the 49ers’ EDGE depth chart could change shortly. Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes it “seems like” San Francisco will bring in a veteran this summer. Bryce Huff elected to retire in a move which allowed him to commit fully to his entrepreneurial efforts, leaving the team short on veteran pass rushers. There are a number of options available on the open market as things stand.
The likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd and Denico Autry are unsigned with training camps not far away. Bosa’s brother Joey is also a free agent, but a deal sending him to the Bay Area has never seemed imminent this offseason. The elder Bosa could be a retirement candidate, although a final decision has yet to be made in his case.
The 49ers added Cameron Sample this spring, but Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell and Tarron Jackson have not been retained. Coupled with the Huff retirement, that should leave room for at least one veteran signing in time for the start of training camp. Third-round pick Romello Height – who signed his rookie contract earlier this month – could be in line for a regular defensive role early in his NFL career. Nevertheless, a free agent signing would be an understandable approach entering the 2026 campaign. It would also be affordable, since the 49ers lead the league with over $71MM in cap space.
In the case of Nick Bosa, Tafur adds the coming season will be critical for financial reasons. 2027 currently calls for a cap charge of $54.87MM, so an extension aimed at lowering that figure will likely be pursued next offseason. Of course, Bosa’s ability to deliver a healthy campaign and produce at his previous All-Pro levels will be key in determining how he and the 49ers proceed on that front.
In the meantime, San Francisco will remain a team to watch regarding an addition or two on the open market. If a move is to be made, bringing in additional edge rush depth would make for a logical priority.
Saints Expected To Extend WR Chris Olave Before Week 1
The Saints’ first training camp practice will take place on July 29. One of the team’s top storylines leading up to that point is the contract status of Chris Olave.
An extension has been a long-running discussion point between team and player in this case. As things stand, Olave is due to play on his fifth-year option in 2026. That would see him collect $15.49MM, a figure which doubles as his team-high cap charge for the coming season.
A long-term commitment would come as little surprise, though. As Larry Holder of The Athletic writes, an expectation exists that an extension agreement will be reached in time for Week 1. Olave himself said last month he is aiming to have a deal in place by the onset of training camp. The possibility of a multiyear commitment being in place within the next few days will remain something to watch closely as a result.
Olave was limited to eight games in 2024, but he managed to avoid any further concussion issues while remaining largely healthy last season. Lingering blood clot issues led to missed time during the spring, although the 26-year-old is cleared to participate in padded practices during camp. A hold-in could be staged in the event no deal is in place when summer work begins. Olave, though, has not indicated his plans in such a scenario.
New Orleans’ passing attack has leaned heavily on the Ohio State product during his career. Olave has received at least 119 targets in each of his three healthy campaigns, and he set new career highs across the board in 2025 with a 100-1,163-9 statline. Expectations will be high for another productive outing during quarterback Tyler Shough‘s first full year as the Saints’ starting quarterback, even with first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson in place as a new starting receiver.
The Saints have managed to clean up their cap relative to recent years with less dead money charges due in the future for aging veterans. Olave is a logical candidate to benefit from that additional spending power beyond 2026, something which could soon be realized in the form of an extension.
Designation Of Neeru Khosla As Controlling Owner May Have Impacted Seahawks Sale
Offering some context to previous reports regarding the two finalists that emerged to purchase the Seahawks – the winning group led by Vinod Khosla and the runner-up group led by Aditya Mittal – Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the endgame of the competition became a genuine auction. A source with knowledge of the situation described it as an “extremely close” back-and-forth affair in which one side would submit a bid, the other side would top it, and so on, until Khosla’s $9.6 billion offer convinced Mittal to keep his paddle down.
According to Florio’s source, Khosla’s pursuit of the franchise was also aided by the fact that his wife, Neeru, will serve as the controlling owner (assuming the purchase is approved by league owners). That appealed to Jody Allen, who had been running the Seahawks since her brother, Paul, passed away in 2018. Paul purchased the club in 1997, and his will provided that the team must be sold and the proceeds donated to charity.
The league memo issued in the wake of the sale indicated the Khosla group had become the Seahawks’ “preferred buyer.” Speculatively, that could be because of Neeru Khosla’s status as the prospective controlling owner, though a spokesperson for Paul Allen’s estate did not confirm as much to Florio. The spokesperson simply said they had “nothing to share beyond the statement we released last week about reaching a sale agreement with the Khosla family.”
Four of the league’s 31 other teams are run by female controlling owners: the Colts (Carlie Irsay-Gordon), the Lions (Sheila Ford Hamp), the Saints (Gayle Benson), and the Titans (Amy Adams Strunk). Jody Allen had served in that capacity for roughly eight years, and Neeru Khosla is now poised to take her place.
While the Mittal group and Khosla group ultimately led the charge, at least six suitors showed interest in the Seahawks, and at least four of them made offers. As such, interest in the defending champs was stronger than some prior reports had suggested, with the $9.6 billion purchase price comfortably shattering the previous record for the sale of an NFL franchise ($6.05 billion, which was Josh Harris’ winning bid for the Commanders in 2023).
League ownership will convene on August 26 to determine whether to approve the sale. It presently does not appear as if approval is in doubt.
Sam Ehlinger Could Unseat Jarrett Stidham As Broncos’ QB2?
After re-signing Sam Ehlinger in March, the Broncos have their three-man quarterback group from 2025 in place: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Ehlinger. Stidham has worked as Denver’s second-string passer in each of the past three seasons, operating as Russell Wilson’s QB2 in 2023 and then as Nix’s backup over the 2024-25 campaigns.
According to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, that could change in 2026. In Gabriel’s opinion, Ehlinger will overtake Stidham for the backup job.
Gabriel makes it clear his prediction is not based on Stidham’s performance in last season’s AFC championship game, in which the former Patriots draftee was thrust into action due to the ankle injury Nix had suffered the week before. In that contest, which was ultimately derailed by snowy conditions, Stidham completed 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also committed a costly fumble, but MVP runner-up Drake Maye did not fare well either, and New England won the contest by a slim 10-7 margin.
Other teams do not seem to be holding his title game showing against Stidham, as he reportedly generated trade interest earlier this year. And, as Gabriel concedes, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has earned a great deal of equity with the Broncos during his three-year Denver stint.
But the Broncos’ staff – including newly-promoted offensive coordinator Davis Webb, as Gabriel observes in a separate piece – thinks highly of Ehlinger as well. Ehlinger impressed Webb & Co. last year, his first in Denver, with his mobility standing out as a particularly appealing trait. Even though he did not make the 53-man roster at the end of the 2025 preseason, he opted to remain with the team’s practice squad and continue working under Webb and head coach Sean Payton rather than accept an active-roster opportunity elsewhere.
The fact that Ehlinger did receive active-roster offers indicates the Broncos would not be overvaluing him if they were to elevate him to the top backup job. Indeed, Gabriel says whomever ends up as the third-stringer may be another team’s No. 2 by the end of August, thereby suggesting Denver could eventually entertain trade offers for one of its understudies.
Gabriel acknowledges he is going out on a bit of a limb with his projection and that Stidham is still seen as the favorite for the backup post. Of course, the Broncos will strongly consider keeping all three on the 53-man roster.
Stidham is due to earn just shy of $6MM in 2026, the last year of his current deal. Ehlinger’s new one-year accord is worth $2MM.
Three-Man Starting Battle In Bears’ Pass Rush
The Bears finished 2025 with the seventh-fewest sacks in the league. Star pass rusher Montez Sweat led the team with 10.0 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 18 quarterback hits, but no other defensive end on the team reached even half his sack total. Chicago will be looking for someone to step up in 2026, and according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, a three-man competition will play out over training camp to determine who will start across from Sweat.
Last year, the Bears employed free agent addition Dayo Odeyingbo as a starter after signing him to a three-year, $48MM contract. The team was counting on Odeyingbo to take a step forward after only amassing 16.5 sacks in four years with the Colts.
To be fair, Odeyingbo didn’t start until his final year in Indianapolis. He showed strong progress leading up to that, improving from 0.5 sacks as a rookie to five in Year 2 then tallying eight in 2023. Starting 14 games in a contract year, Odeyingbo only totaled three sacks, though he created a decent amount of pressure, as evidenced by 17 quarterback hits.
In his first year in Chicago, Odeyingbo started eight games before suffering a torn Achilles tendon. He notched a sack, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits in his first game with the team, but over the next seven weeks, Odeyingbo only made one more tackle for loss and two more quarterback hits. Odeyingbo is expected to return to the field in training camp, but whenever he does, he’ll have to fend off two challengers for his starting position.
Before the 2025 season began, second-year end Austin Booker had been tabbed as a breakout candidate, but a knee injury in the preseason put him on injured reserve for the first eight weeks of the season. Booker’s first game back was the day Odeyingbo got hurt, allowing for a smooth transition for Booker into the starting lineup for the second half of the season. In 10 games, Booker delivered to some degree on the breakout promise, notching 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits.
The third man in this competition is second-year defender Shemar Turner. The Texas A&M-product debuted in the third week of the season as the Bears worked to shift him out from the more traditional interior role he played in College Station to the edge. The rookie second-rounder ended up splitting his time between the two positions in a rotational role off the bench but wasn’t able to produce much before tearing his ACL the week before Odeyingbo’s injury. Upon his return from injury, though, Chicago reportedly intends to continue working him in an edge role.
So, the Bears have two players coming back from serious injuries and Booker, who impressed to some degree in his return from injury last year. The team didn’t make any moves in the draft or free agency to supplement the group, so it seems clear they feel confident moving forward with the group they have. On that note, though, Cronin believes that, if Odeyingbo’s return in camp doesn’t inspire confidence that he’ll be able to effectively contribute this year, Chicago may become a potential destination for one of several veteran free agent pass rushers on the market today.
Former K Jose Borregales Turns To Scouting
It was a bit of a disappointment not to see former Buccaneers kicker Jose Borregales find his place in the NFL. The former Lou Groza-winner quickly fizzled out of Tampa Bay and saw similarly unsuccessful stays in the XFL and CFL. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, though, Borregales will be pursuing a new route to the NFL when he works as a Nunn Wooten scouting fellow for the Dolphins in training camp.
Borregales started his initial road to the NFL as a kicker at FIU, staying local for college after growing up in Miami. As a redshirt sophomore working his second season as the Panthers’ primary placekicker, Borregales was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award (given to college football’s best kicker), finishing behind current Browns kicker Andre Szmyt. Staying local a second time, Borregales transferred to Miami (FL) for his redshirt senior year. After converting 20 of 22 field goals attempts and all 37 extra point attempts, Borregales won the Lou Groza Award and was named first-team All-ACC and a consensus first-team All-American.
Despite his success with the Hurricanes, Borregales went undrafted in a 2021 draft that only saw one kicker — Evan McPherson of the Bengals — selected. He signed with the Buccaneers, who had just signed Ryan Succop to a three-year extension. Still, Borregales initially made the team’s 53-man roster, but the team waived him three days before the start of the regular season and stashed him on their practice squad. Borregales signed a reserve/futures deal to stick with the team another offseason, but when he was waived in final roster cuts in 2022, it appeared to be the end of his opportunity in the NFL.
Borregales’ latest move is once again keeping him local. A fellowship with the Dolphins will give the 28-year-old an opportunity at a new path to the NFL. If he eventually finds a permanent role in the Dolphins’ personnel department, he’ll be scouting to build a roster that can beat the reigning AFC East champion Patriots, a team that rosters his little brother, Andy Borregales.
Jets’ QB2 Battle Between Bailey Zappe, Cade Klubnik
The Jets quarterback position is built for the future, but at the moment, it’s built for a short-term future. Starter Geno Smith is now two seasons removed from his last Pro Bowl campaign, and coming off a 2-13 year in Las Vegas, the 35-year-old’s homecoming back to the team that drafted him is not a move intending for him to lead the team long term. Instead, he should be expected to serve as a bridge passer until the team can find a promising successor.
Currently, it’s anticipated that the arm of the future will come from the 2027 NFL Draft class, which is expected to be rich in quarterback talent. Because of this, unless New York looks like a playoff contender early, the team won’t want to win so many games that it takes them out of position to land a top passer in next year’s draft. If the team falls out of contention early, though, the Jets may opt to bench the veteran, lessening their chances at achieving wins without significance and giving them a chance to get eyes on other arms currently in the system.
To that end, the QB2 battle in New York holds a decent amount of intrigue. Assuming the Jets don’t become world beaters in 2026, it’s reasonable to assume that, at some point in the season, the team will sit Smith, at which point the primary backup quarterback will get their opportunity to shine. Back in May, it was reported that Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook, and Cade Klubnik were all considered contenders for the No. 2 job with Zappe an early leader in the race. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, the latest reports seem to indicate that Cook has fallen out of reach of a competition that now appears to be Zappe vs. Klubnik.
Cook was an undrafted rookie for the Jets last year out of Missouri. He spent most of the season on the practice squad, moving to the active roster late into the season, when initial starter Justin Fields was made inactive for Week 14. He made his NFL debut when New York benched starter for the week Tyrod Taylor as they reached a 21-0 deficit in the first quarter. Cook finished the game and would make the final four starts of the season for Gang Green after. In those five games, he finished the season having completed 57.5 percent of his passes for only 739 yards, two touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Between Zappe and Klubnik, it’s a difference between experience and potential. Zappe showed potential early in his career. Over a four-game stretch covering for an injured Mac Jones in his rookie season, Zappe completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 781 yards and five touchdowns to three interceptions. In six starts the next season, Zappe failed to recreate his early success, completing 59.9 percent of his passes for 1,272 yards and six touchdowns to nine interceptions. He appeared in one game over the past two seasons, losing a solitary start for the Browns in 2024 before sitting on Cleveland’s practice squad behind Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders last year.
Klubnik is an intriguing rookie option for New York. After a strong junior season at Clemson, many predicted he could wind up going in the first round, following in the footsteps of Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson before him. A disappointing senior campaign put a damper on those hopes as Klubnik fell to the fourth round of this year’s draft. Klubnik even helped his draft stock a bit as he impressed the Jets throughout the pre-draft process, and he continued to impress in the spring. Per Cimini, his coaches don’t believe there’s much work to be done with his mechanics. They believe all he needs to develop is experience.
Practically, if Smith goes down, Zappe reasonably gives the Jets a better chance to win now than Klubnik. Considering the path that this team is on right now, though, if Smith isn’t starting and the coaches feel comfortable putting the ball in Klubnik’s hands, it would do New York a lot of good to be able to see what they have in Klubnik before turning back to the draft for the next highly drafted QB.