Steelers, DT Cameron Heyward No Closer On Extension
Since initially contemplating retirement following an injury-riddled 2023 season, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has made it clear that he’s looking for a two-year extension to continue playing in Pittsburgh. In an appearance today on The Jim Rome Show, Heyward didn’t have much to say regarding an update to the situation, indicating that a new contract doesn’t appear to be imminent. 
Heyward, 35, has spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Steelers, somehow getting better with age. Before reaching the fifth-year option of his first-round rookie contact, the Steelers extended Heyward to a six-year, $59.25MM deal. Up to that point, Heyward had showed plus attributes as a pass rusher with a career-high of 7.5 sacks in a season. After missing the team’s final 10 games of the first year of his new contract in 2016, Heyward delivered a career year with 12.0 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 22 quarterback hits the following season.
Since then, Heyward has perennially been considered one of the top interior pass rushers in the NFL, missing a Pro Bowl last year for the first time since that breakout season. In addition to a down year, Heyward missed more than two games with injury for the first time since 2016, sitting out six contests near the beginning of the year. That groin injury was part of Heyward’s consideration to hang up his cleats, but the Steelers are expecting Heyward to rebound strongly in 2024.
Since expressing his desires for a new contract, Heyward sat out of all spring activities for Pittsburgh. A month ago, he put forth the idea that he’d like to retire with the Steelers sometime after a new two-year deal. A week later, Heyward reeled in the line a bit, claiming that, should Pittsburgh pass up another contract, he’d be open to playing in a new city in 2025, after his current deal expires.
The only big piece of new information in today’s interview was that Heyward has already ruled out at least one destination should he hit the free agent market. Despite having attended college in Ohio with the Buckeyes and having family in the Cleveland area, Heyward doesn’t see himself in brown and orange. He claimed that he didn’t think he could play for a Steelers’ rival with “such bad blood” should he move on. That would likely rule out the Ravens and Bengals, as well, but for now, his focus remains in Pittsburgh.
Giants WR Malik Nabers Stood Out In Spring
Never is a wide receiver drafted in the top-ten without the intention that they will be a crucial part of the offense as a rookie. Three such players emerged in this year’s draft, and LSU-product Malik Nabers will surely be relied upon in New York as a result. While there are several examples of top-drafted receivers not living up to their billing, first impressions seem to indicate that Nabers will not disappoint, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. 
In the past few years, the Giants have become heavily invested in quarterback Daniel Jones, so much so that the quarterback’s recent extension factored into whether or not franchise back Saquon Barkley would remain in New York; spoiler alert, he did not. The struggle has been that, while investing in Jones, the team has neglected their offensive line and receiving corps.
Attempts have certainly been made to improve both position groups over the last few years, but the level of success has been negligible thus far. The Giants routinely see themselves in the top ten for sacks allowed, and the NFC’s New York squad has not seen a 1,000-yard receiver since Eli Manning was hooking up with Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2018. Since then, Darius Slayton has been the team’s leading receiver but has failed to eclipse even 800 receiving yards, topping out at 770 last year.
Enter: Malik Nabers. Nabers was drafted No. 6 overall, and the only reason he wasn’t selected any higher was because of the need for quarterbacks at the top of the draft. Many prospect rankings had Nabers as the third-best prospect in the draft, behind only Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. LSU has produced some NFL greats at wide receiver (Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase in recent years, to name a few), yet Nabers holds career records in receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003) for the Tigers despite only three years of play.
At just over six-feet tall and just under 200 pounds, Nabers lacks ideal size but was still one of the draft’s most polished wideouts. Spending about half his time on the outside and half in the slot, Nabers can be utilized all over the field. He led college football in catches over 20 yards last year with 34, consistently shows an ability to produce on passes underneath, and claims the jet sweep as his favorite call in the playbook. With elite body control and strong top-end speed, it was hardly a surprise to see Nabers become the top pick of the year for New York.
What is perhaps even less of a surprise is hearing that Nabers has impressed in offseason work so far. With quickness, great hands, and constant playmaking, Nabers caught the attention of many at the team’s minicamp. He’s immediately become a fixture on the first-team offense, playing all over the field like he did in college, and has received rave reviews from his new quarterback.
“I think he can be a tremendous weapon for us. He’s had a good spring. He’s looked good and made a lot of plays,” Jones told reporters. “I mean, he can do everything. There is not much that he can’t do, really, from a route-running standpoint. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands and strong, fast, explosive, catches the ball well.”
All of this buildup is creating larger-than-life expectations for the rookie who has his fellow LSU-alum Beckham’s legacy to live up to. Beckham delivered on expectations, opening his career with three straight seasons of at least 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns. Nabers may not need to reach those types of numbers to avoid the “bust” label, but New York is hoping at least to see him emerge as WR1 in his rookie year.
Nick Cross In Lead For Colts Starting S Role
Julian Blackmon spent a notable amount of time on the free agent market, but he ultimately re-signed with the Colts. Indianapolis has one starting safety spot locked up as a result, but the other is up for grabs. 
Similar to slot corner Kenny Moore, Blackmon is a rare known commodity in the Colts’ secondary at the moment. The team has a number of options at both the cornerback and safety positions, many of whom are lacking in experience. At the latter spot, Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II are the primary contenders for a starting position.
It was Cross who took the majority of first-team reps during OTAs and minicamp, James Boyd of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The 2022 third-rounder entered the league with high expectations, and he earned a start in each of his first two games during his rookie season. Between that point and the final two weeks of the 2023 campaign, however, Cross was relegated to backup duties.
The 22-year-old has primarily played on special teams to date, but he has contributed 56 tackles, one interception and two pass deflections on defense. Cross was replaced as a starter by veteran Rodney McLeod Jr. in 2022, but no such presence is on the Colts’ safety depth chart at the moment. Ronnie Harrison Jr. has spent considerable time on the backend in his career, but Boyd notes he is likely to remain in the linebacking role he took on with Indianapolis last season.
Thomas (a seventh-rounder in Cross’ draft class) has 34 appearances and 25 starts to his name. He has produced six interceptions and 10 pass deflections, but struggles in coverage have been a factor in his career as well. The 26-year-old has two years remaining on his rookie deal, and he could essentially swap roles with Cross with respect to third phase duties if the spring pecking order carries over into the season.
Indianapolis selected Jaylon Carlies and Jaylin Simpson in the fifth round of this year’s draft, giving the team developmental backup safety options. Several veterans at the position remain unsigned, however, and members of that group are not expected to cost much for interested teams. To little surprise, then, Boyd echoes previously-expressed sentiments that the Colts could be suitors for an addition capable of pushing Cross and Thomas for starting duties. Indianapolis currently has nearly $26MM in cap space.
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown In Line For Starting Role?
The Cowboys were among the quietest teams in free agency this offseason, but the team did add Eric Kendricks as a veteran linebacking presence. The former All-Pro is on track for a starting role, but he could be joined in that respect by a player yet to see regular season action in the NFL. 
DeMarvion Overshown is expected to handle first-team duties if he can remain healthy this season, Jon Machota of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The 2023 third-rounder was sidelined for his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear. He did not take part in offseason workouts this spring while continuing to rehab, but returning to full health in time for Week 1 could lead to a notable role.
Overshown entered the NFL with high expectations given his college production. The Texas alum posted 96 stops, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks in his final collegiate season, showcasing his value against the run and the pass. Remaining on the field for third downs in particular would constitute a sign of confidence in Overshown on the team’s part if such a workload were to emerge come the fall.
Of course, using the 23-year-old as a full-time defender would limit Damone Clark‘s usage. The latter logged a heavy workload as a rookie in 2022 before becoming a central member of the Cowboys’ defense last season. Clark handled a 73% defensive snap share, racking up 109 tackles. Dallas’ run defense was a sore spot in 2023, however, so it comes as little surprise there will be new faces competing for roster spots and playing time during training camp and the preseason.
Kendricks – who backed out of a 49ers deal before signing with Dallas – is a highly familiar face for new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The pair spent considerable time together in Minnesota, and Kendricks noted Zimmer’s presence as a factor in deciding to join the Cowboys this offseason. The 32-year-old has 127 starts to his name, and he will look to stabilize the second level of Dallas’ defense this season.
In addition to Overshown and Clark likely battling for a starting role this summer, the Cowboys have third-round rookie Marist Liufau and UFL addition Willie Harvey Jr. amongst their depth options at the linebacker spot. The latter two will likely handle heavy special teams workloads if they survive roster cuts, but Overshown’s role will be worth watching closely once the campaign begins.
Latest On Giants’ Brian Burns Acquisition
Reports of serious trade talks between the Panthers and Giants regarding Brian Burns emerged one day before the teams worked out an agreement for the Pro Bowl edge rusher. Initial conversations on that front began much earlier, however. 
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan first discussed the possibility of a Burns trade with Giants counterpart Joe Schoen in February, as chronicled in the debut episode of the 2024 Hard Knocks: Offseason series (video link). Morgan’s comments to Schoen – along with Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who shares a longstanding relationship with the pair – made it clear Burns was available.
Carolina rejected a Rams trade offer of two first-round selections when Scott Fitterer was at the helm. His dismissal allowed Morgan to take over, but in the absence of an extension agreement a move seeing the 26-year-old join a new team became increasingly feasible. Morgan’s conversation with Schoen began with an asking price of two Day 1 picks before quickly being lowered to “a one and something.”
The latter price was a more logical one considering the fact Burns was set to play on the franchise tag in 2024. Needing to be extended upon arrival, his trade value for an acquiring team was far lower than it was at the time the Rams proposal was rejected. Giants director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti also pegged Burns’ acquisition cost as a first-rounder and more, although Schoen remained optimistic the lack of progress on extension talks could lower it (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic).
In the end, the parties worked out a trade agreement in March. The Panthers sent Burns and No. 166 in the 2024 draft to the Giants for picks No. 39 and 141 in addition to a fifth-round selection next year. New York moved quickly in hammering out a five-year, $141MM extension which will make the Florida State product the focal point of the team’s edge rush. Expectations will be high as a result, with Burns representing a new big-ticket contract on the Giants’ books.
For the Panthers, meanwhile, the return was greater in value than the compensatory selection the team would have received following a Burns free agent departure after the 2024 campaign. Carolina can move forward with considerable cap flexibility, although the sack artist’s absence will no doubt be felt amongst the team’s remaining edge contingent. Considering their ties stemming from their Panthers days, Morgan and Schoen could use the Burns deal as a blueprint for future trade negotiations.
Latest On Jets, QB Aaron Rodgers
Absent for a key part of his team’s offseason program for a third time in four years, Aaron Rodgers showed for Jets voluntary work before being conspicuously absent at minicamp. The Jets deemed their quarterback’s minicamp no-show unexcused, creating a slew of headlines.
While this may not matter too much in the grand scheme, the unexcused nature of the absence — as well as the message it sends to the team — has caused issues from a perception standpoint. The Jets are attempting to downplay them, however, and SNY’s Connor Hughes is now confirming where Rodgers was during minicamp.
The future Hall of Famer took a trip to Egypt, having scheduled it during his rehab from Achilles surgery. Rodgers made the Jets aware of his plans after he discovered Africa excursion overlapped with minicamp, Hughes adds. The Jets are not concerned with their franchise centerpiece’s absence at the mandatory workout, which came as Haason Reddick skipped amid a contract holdout.
The team having, per Hughes, “zero concern” about Rodgers’ mid-June whereabouts aside, it is unusual the 20th-year veteran would schedule a trip at a point when minicamps are regularly on the docket. Minicamps generally occur during the first and second weeks of June. Players, coaches and staffers use late June and most of July for vacationing purposes. That has become a key topic as the NFLPA prepares to unveil a polarizing proposal that would reshape the offseason program. Multiple players also told Hughes they were not concerned about Rodgers not showing for the offseason’s lone mandatory portion.
Gang Green’s reasoning behind designating the absence as unexcused predictably centers on not wanting to set a precedent, per Hughes, of allowing players to skip mandatory workouts for pre-planned trips. Although being in position to execute this plan would stand to require a lofty stature within the game, the 40-year-old passer doing so created an unusual storyline for the Jets — one that will continue once Rodgers is required to speak to media members at training camp.
Rodgers knowing Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense and spending last summer and this spring developing a rapport with the likes of Garrett Wilson and Tyler Conklin make his minicamp absence a midlevel storyline; the Jets are attempting to spin it as a nonstory. But it will be a bullet point as Rodgers’ Jets career is discussed.
Rodgers criticized the Jets late last year, citing a poor culture as the reason for leaks coming out of the team’s building. He then famously issued a plea to his team to avoid distractions. Rodgers, of course, has created many of those since being traded to New York. A January report later detailed Rodgers’ outsized influence with the team. This latest distraction could be minimized if the four-time MVP bounces back and leads the Jets to ending the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. Not reestablishing quality form after the Achilles injury and an underwhelming 2022 season would open the door to this storyline lingering.
Meeting Does Not Bridge Value Gap Between 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk
Justin Jefferson rumors circulated before his mammoth extension, and CeeDee Lamb has been tied to a holdout threat. But Brandon Aiyuk has been the offseason headline champion at his position, with his 49ers talks coming up frequently.
Aiyuk requested (and received) a meeting with 49ers brass. After the fifth-year wide receiver lobbed a comment indicating the 49ers do not want him back, the team — as has long been reported — confirmed during the summit it does indeed envision a future with Aiyuk. The two-time 1,000-yard pass catcher conceded, as Tee Higgins did weeks ago, he does not expect to be traded this year.
The recent Aiyuk-49ers meeting may end up catalyzing an extension, but it has not generated movement yet. The parties are not progressing on a deal in the wake of the summit, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes (h/t 49ersWebZone.com). This refrain continues, as a lack of development in these talks led to Aiyuk skipping OTAs and then incurring a $102K fine for not attending minicamp.
Aiyuk’s camp has referenced Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s $30.01MM-per-year deal as an AAV comp, and a guarantee figure that approaches Jefferson’s position-record-shattering $88.7MM number came up regarding locked-in compensation. Aiyuk has not shown himself to be in the Vikings superstar’s class, and St. Brown — albeit on more targets — has submitted better numbers. Aiyuk’s 3,931 career receiving yards rank 17th since 2020, further complicating extension talks for a player who resides on a team with an elite skill-position corps dependent on spreading targets around.
Considering no non-Vikings team has authorized a WR contract that includes more than $53MM fully guaranteed, it would be surprising if the 49ers caved to Aiyuk’s push at guarantees in Jefferson territory. AAV-wise, the team may be seeking something closer to where the Eagles went for DeVonta Smith ($25MM per year) than a deal that hits St. Brown’s $30MM-per-annum number.
No trade request has come, separating Aiyuk’s situation from Deebo Samuel‘s 2022 offseason. But a training camp holdout could be the next step, if the 2020 first-rounder is up to it. Aiyuk must be fined $50K per each training camp day missed, though the 49ers would have the option of waiving the fines — as they did for Nick Bosa — due to the standout receiver being on a rookie contract. Aiyuk, 26, is due a $14.12MM fifth-year option salary.
San Francisco’s leading receiver (by a wide margin) last season, Aiyuk can use the 49ers’ cap-space figure against them in his negotiations. Without any Aiyuk money or a Brock Purdy payment factoring into the equation, the 49ers are projected to be more than $38MM over the cap in 2025. A receiver franchise tag would cost more than $22MM next year. Unless the 49ers would be keen on letting Aiyuk simply walk in free agency if they are unable to extend him in 2024, they would need to clear enough space to apply the tag. That process, with Charvarius Ward also unsigned for 2025, would be tricky.
The 49ers still want Aiyuk around long term, to the point Samuel exit rumors have emerged after draft-weekend trade talks. This year, the reigning NFC champions are planning to keep their long-running WR duo intact, with first-rounder Ricky Pearsall in place as a developmental option for a future in which — in the most likely scenario — one of the starters departs in 2025.
Cowboys Unlikely To Carry Three QBs; Trey Lance Expected To Claim Backup Job?
Trey Lance has been in the Cowboys’ system for nearly a year, but the former No. 3 overall pick has not gone through a preseason slate with his current team yet. While Lance joins most of the 2021 first-round QB quintet in being headed toward free agency, the Cowboys want to give the former 49ers draftee an extended look come August.
Set to resume a competition with Cooper Rush for Dallas’ No. 2 QB gig, Lance will likely see more time during the team’s three-game preseason slate. The Cowboys know what they have in Rush, who has spent almost his entire seven-plus-year NFL career with the team. As Rush goes into another camp with the Cowboys, he may be poised to wind up in an emergency role — thanks to another NFL rule change this offseason — in Year 8.
Although a recent assessment of the Rush-Lance matchup pegged the more experienced option as leading the competition for the backup job, that may well change once the team sets its 53-man roster. Lance is likely to be the second QB the Cowboys carry once they set their initial 53, The Athletic’s Jon Machota notes (subscription required).
The team is unlikely to put three QBs on its active roster, and Machota adds the former high-end prospect would need to “look awful” during camp and the preseason to not be Dak Prescott‘s top backup. This would stand to make Rush more of an insurance option, as the Cowboys hope their August 2023 trade pickup has another level to reach during their upcoming training camp.
It would be unsurprising to see the Cowboys prioritize Lance upon setting their roster, even if it came at the expense of Rush’s roster spot. Not yet a vested veteran, Lance would need to be exposed to waivers if the Cowboys placed Rush as Prescott’s only backup. Rush is a vested vet, and given his familiarity with the team, the former UDFA being open to sticking around as the emergency option on the practice squad seems realistic.
A number of teams will probably take this route, as the NFL has increased flexibility to stash a third-string QB on its taxi squad. While the 49ers’ experience in the 2022 NFC championship game prompted the league to reintroduce the emergency rule in 2023, its offseason rule change will provide teams more flexibility this year. Clubs can elevate a practice squad QB onto their 55-man gameday rosters as many times as they choose, which would allow the Cowboys to keep Lance from the waiver wire while Rush resides on their 16-man P-squad.
Joining Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Mac Jones as 2021 first-round quarterbacks to be traded over the past year, Lance is tied to a $5.3MM guarantee. He spent the 2023 season as Dallas’ No. 3 QB, with the team carrying three on its roster last year. As expected, the Cowboys passed on Lance’s fifth-year option ($22.41MM) in May. Lance, 24, has not thrown a regular-season pass since September 2022, when a broken ankle led to the 49ers changing moving to a course that eventually involved Brock Purdy making a stunning leap from Mr. Irrelevant to productive starter.
Lance, who famously only started one season at North Dakota State due to the COVID-19 pandemic nixing the fall schedules for Division I-FCS teams, has only thrown 102 NFL passes. The emergency QB rule would allow the Cowboys the chance to effectively keep Rush as their backup come Week 1 — in the event Lance truly is not ready — but they plan to give the younger option every chance to overtake the 30-year-old vet in August.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill Seeking New Deal
Tyreek Hill reset the WR market a few years ago with a $30MM average annual value on his four-year pact. He’s recently been leaped by Justin Jefferson ($35MM), A.J. Brown ($32MM), and Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30.02MM), and teammate Jaylen Waddle earned more guaranteed money in his lucrative extension than Hill got in his Miami deal. With only a year’s worth of guaranteed money remaining on the veteran’s contract, Hill is naturally pushing for a revised contract.
[RELATED: Tyreek Hill Addresses Contract Situation]
In a conversation with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, Hill acknowledged that he’s looking for a new deal.
“I’m very excited to like just be a part of the old wave, which was $30 million, and Justin Jefferson came and surpassed that, man,” Hill said. “So, very proud of those guys, happy for obviously my teammate Waddle getting his new deal. For guys like me, that’s great. I’m 30 years old, also looking for a new deal. So, very, very excited to see where I fit into that category. It’s amazing.”
Hill is still playing on the four-year, $120MM contract he inked with the Dolphins in 2022. However, the 2024 campaign will mark the final year where Hill is connected to any guaranteed money. With a lofty $50MM-plus cap hit coming during the 2026 season (plus a potential out in the contract following the 2024 campaign), it would make sense for both sides to return to the negotiating table.
While Hill has put up incredible numbers since joining the Dolphins, he’ll be entering his age-30 season in 2024. That would probably make him hard pressed to approach Jefferson’s record AAV, although Hill once admitted that he’s never necessarily aspired to be the league’s highest-paid WR. That could lead to some common ground between the two sides, allowing Hill to lock in more guaranteed money and/or a higher AAV while the Dolphins can clean their books for 2025 and 2026.
Fortunately for the organization, it doesn’t sound like Hill is distracted by a potential pay raise. He told Wilson that his lone focus is to help the Dolphins get over the hump.
“Oh yeah, for sure, so very excited for it, man, but the real goal is to win the Super Bowl,” Hill said. “It’s cool to get paid and all that, but you know being able to win a Super Bowl and bring something special to the city of Miami, that’s something that can live with us forever. I believe that’s very monumental for all of us. Create greatness, man.”
Malcolm Koonce On Raiders’ Extension Radar?
New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco has made a few key additions this offseason, but the team has a number of extension-eligible players who could make a case for new deals. An evaluation period for those contributors would not come as a surprise during Telesco’s first campaign at the helm. 
Nevertheless, a small number of players could be in line for an extension. One of those is edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, whom The Athetic’s Vic Tafur notes is highly regarded by the team’s staff (subscription required). The 26-year-old barely saw any defensive time across his first two seasons with the team, but things changed in 2023. Koonce logged a 44% snap share in addition to a heavy special teams workload.
Seeing time both as a base end as well as a stand-up rusher, the former third-rounder enjoyed a strong third season in the NFL. Koonce racked up eight sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 23 pressures and three forced fumbles while playing 500 defensive snaps. As Tafur writes, Vegas’ staff is confident further development can take place moving forward, and as such an extension would be logical from the team’s perspective. One year remains on Koonce’s rookie contract.
As a result, the Buffalo alum is due $1.34MM in 2024. A new deal would no doubt check in at a much higher rate, depending on how optimistic the Raiders are regarding Koonce’s ability to develop into a full-time starter. The team has already made one of the league’s most lucrative edge investments with Maxx Crosby, and free agency brought about the high-priced addition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. With those two in the fold, Vegas already has plenty of money committed to the defensive front.
Koonce – who ranked 22nd amongst edge defenders with an overall PFF grade of 81.3 last season – could increase his market value with another strong season in 2024 and thus make a Raiders re-up more expensive next spring than it would be now. The team has plenty of financial wiggle room at the moment, but Telesco is not expected to make any more splashy moves this offseason.
Tafur names linebacker Robert Spillane as the player likely second in a hypothetical extension pecking order, and several other defenders are also candidates for a new deal. Koonce could play his way into the most lucrative one, however, so it will be interesting to see if the Raiders show urgency in pursuing an agreement.