HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

Dolphins Sign P Ryan Stonehouse; Broncos Did Not Have Interest

March 16th, 2025 at 10:05am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins are signing former Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse, as first reported by Justin Melo of The Draft Network and subsequently confirmed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques adds that it will be a one-year deal). Tennessee recently declined to extend an RFA tender to Stonehouse, thus sending him to the open market.

Melo classifies the Titans’ Stonehouse decision as curious, and indeed, the former undrafted find had established himself as an under-the-radar weapon over his first three seasons in the league. In his rookie year in 2022, the Colorado State product broke Sammy Baugh‘s long-standing single-season punting average mark, moving the NFL’s standard from 51.4 yards per boot (set in 1940) to 53.1. Stonehouse matched that average in 2023, though that season ended a few games early due to a torn ACL and MCL — along with a broken bone — in his plant (non-kicking) leg.

Nonetheless, Stonehouse recovered in time to handle a full slate of punting duties in 2024, and he still managed over 50 yards per kick. On the other hand, his net yards-per-punt average dropped from 44.3 in 2023 to 38.3 last year, and he pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line just 22 times in 2024 compared to 28 times in 2023, despite receiving 20 more opportunities.

The Titans elected to move on from the 25-year-old Stonehouse and bring in the 35-year-old Johnny Hekker as his replacement. Hekker, the NFL’s most-decorated active punter, has four First Team All-Pro nods to his credit, though the most recent of those accolades came in 2017.

Miami hopes that, with Stonehouse’s injury further in the rearview mirror, he can return to the elite form he displayed from 2022-23. Interestingly, the ‘Fins recently hired Craig Aukerman, who coordinated the Titans’ special teams units from 2018-23, as their own ST coordinator.

Aukerman can certainly take some of the credit for Stonehouse’s early-career success, though it was the Week 13 game in 2023 in which Stonehouse was injured — an injury that occurred on the second blocked punt of the contest — that triggered Aukerman’s in-season dismissal. The 48-year-old did not coach in 2024.

Jake Bailey has served as the Dolphins’ punter in each of the past two seasons, and he is under club control through 2025 by virtue of the two-year, $4.2MM contract he signed last March. The club can save nearly $2MM against the cap with a dead money hit of just $550K if it releases Bailey, which Jackson suggests will happen at some point.

The Broncos are in need of a new punter after Riley Dixon agreed to sign with the Bucs, but they did not have interest in Stonehouse, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The team likewise is not presently interested in free agent specialists Pat O’Donnell and Michael Palardy.

Denver did extend an offer to Dixon, as Mike Klis of 9News reports. Clearly, it was not enough to keep him on the club.

Giants, Seahawks Pursued G Will Fries; Giants Surprised To Land S Jevon Holland

March 16th, 2025 at 9:43am CST by Rory Parks

In an effort to improve their offensive front for their rushing attack and for whomever happens to line up at quarterback in 2025, the Giants “went hard for” former Colts right guard Will Fries, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Ultimately, Fries signed a five-year pact worth over $17MM per year with the Vikings.

According to Raanan, Fries’ final decision came down to Minnesota and New York, and it is unclear if his call was purely based on finances or if he also considered the respective competitive situations of the two clubs. In any event, the Giants quickly pivoted to their primary 2024 RG and re-signed Greg Van Roten. 

Van Roten’s deal is unlikely to be a particularly lucrative one, so it should not preclude Big Blue from continuing to explore upgrades. That said, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post indicates the asking price for alternatives like Teven Jenkins is presently too high for the Giants. The same was true of Mekhi Becton, who recently signed a two-year, $20MM contract with the Chargers.

Jenkins is due to meet with the Seahawks tomorrow, and Seattle was also in on Fries, per Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic (subscription required). Given the value of the contract Fries was seeking, GM John Schneider & Co. wanted to bring him in for a physical, as he underwent surgery in October to repair a tibia fracture. The physical could not take place until the new league year started on Wednesday, and since the Vikings did not require one – it is uncertain whether the Giants did – the ‘Hawks lost out. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times echoes Dugar’s report and adds it was the physical issue, and not contract length or value, that eliminated the Seahawks from the race.

As evidenced by their upcoming Jenkins summit, Seattle remains in the hunt for offensive line help, as the unit was one of the club’s weakest spots in 2024. Left tackle Charles Cross was an exception to that rule, as he started all 17 games and generated an excellent 82.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (which placed him ninth among 81 qualified OTs). Cross, a 2022 first-rounder, is extension-eligible for the first time, and in anticipation of contract talks taking place at some point, the formerly self-represented player has signed with Klutch Sports Agency (as relayed by Dugar in another subscribers-only piece).

The Giants may have been priced out of the Becton market and are currently unwilling to meet Jenkins’ ask, but they were luckier with respect to safety Jevon Holland. Per Dunleavy, New York did not expect Holland – who was linked to a $20MM/year deal before free agency opened – to be available at its preferred price point. When it became clear the Giants could land Holland for less, they acted quickly and acquired the No. 6 FA on PFR’s Top-50 list for a three-year, $45MM commitment. 

With CB Paulson Adebo and D-linemen Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris also in the fold, the club has undergone a significant defensive overhaul over the past week.

Extensions For Jets’ 2022 First-Rounders Not Imminent; Team Unlikely To Explore Early Extension For RB Breece Hall

March 16th, 2025 at 8:11am CST by Rory Parks

There are myriad reasons why the Jets have failed to post an above-.500 record since 2015, but the top of their 2022 draft class is not one of them. CB Sauce Gardner (No. 4 overall pick in 2022), WR Garrett Wilson (No. 10), and DE Jermaine Johnson (No. 26) form a talented young foundation that could help lead the club back to playoff contention, and that trio is now extension-eligible for the first time.

Gardner, 24, took a step back last year after earning First Team All-Pro acclaim in each of his first two pro seasons. Still, a player who possesses his youth and talent and who plays a premium position can command a massive second contract, and the Cincinnati product has made clear his desire to sign such a contract with the Jets.

“I want to be part of this for a long time,“ Gardner said back in January. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.“

Wilson, also 24, seemed a bit more reticent about his future with New York, at least partially because of perceived tension with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and competition for targets with 2024 deadline acquisition Davante Adams. However, with the club having released both of the former Packers standouts, it is believed Wilson is more amenable to a long-term relationship with Gang Green (which could be especially true now that he has been reunited with college teammate Justin Fields; ESPN’s Rich Cimini details the close relationship the former Buckeyes enjoy).

Johnson, 26, was limited to just two games in 2024 due to an Achilles tear, though he totaled 7.5 sacks, 25 pressures, and a forced fumble in 2023, his first season as a full-time starter. The Jets are expected to exercise his fifth-year option for 2026, and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms that the team plans to exercise the option for all three of its 2022 first-rounders (picking up the Gardner and Wilson options is a particularly easy call for new GM Darren Mougey to make).

Naturally, the players themselves want to land lucrative extensions sooner rather than later, while the Jets may not feel as pressured since they can keep all three under club control through 2026 via the fifth-year option and can put the franchise tag on one of them for the 2027 season. On the other hand, as Connor Hughes of SNY.tv observes, locking up a player when they are first eligible sends a positive message to the player and the team as a whole, and it can get a second contract out of the way before markets for certain positions soar even higher.

Hughes believes Mougey is more amenable than his predecessor, Joe Douglas, to entertain an early extension. Douglas was not necessarily adverse to the idea; in order for him to green-light such a deal, though, he wanted certain concessions from the player (lower guarantees, longer contract term, etc.). Mougey may not be as demanding in that regard.

That could spell good news for the Gardner/Wilson/Johnson triumvirate. But Hughes – in a piece that was published before free agency got underway – said no extensions are imminent. 

At this year’s scouting combine, in response to a question about whether he would sign off on extensions for Gardner and Wilson, Mougey said, “[t]he to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players, so yeah” (via Cimini).

Cimini observes that Mougey did not set a concrete date for talks to commence, and he also points out that cornerbacks and wide receivers have not generally received new deals prior to their fourth NFL season. That said, recent contracts authorized for players like Patrick Surtain II, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith could indicate the league is changing its modus operandi.

According to Hughes, the negotiations for Gardner are expected to be straightforward. Despite not earning any Pro Bowl or All-Pro accolades for his 2024 work, there is no doubt he will reset the CB market. Wilson will be trickier, because although he is a terrific player, it could be difficult to pinpoint exactly where he falls in the league’s WR hierarchy (and of course he could value himself differently than the Jets do).

None of the writers cited above mention Johnson’s name in connection with an extension in the near future. His Achilles injury certainly muddies the waters a bit, and player and team may prefer to wait to see how he rebounds before engaging in substantive contract talks.

Similarly, Rosenblatt says it is unlikely the Jets pursue an early extension for running back Breece Hall (who, as a 2022 second-rounder, is is not subject to a fifth-year option and is therefore eligible for free agency in 2026). Hall was electric in his rookie season, turning 80 carries into 463 yards (5.8 YPC) and four rushing TDs. ACL and meniscus tears ended that promising showing early, and while he rebounded to play a full 17-game slate in 2023, he was not quite as explosive (though his 4.5 YPC average was still strong).

His efficiency dipped again in 2024, as he posted a 4.2 YPC rate over 209 carries. He continues to be a valuable receiving weapon, as he has notched 133 receptions for 1,074 yards and seven receiving scores over the past two seasons, but the dynamo that took the league by (an admittedly brief) storm in 2022 has not resurfaced.

Two 2024 draftees, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, are under contract through 2027 and could represent the Jets’ long-term future at the RB position.

Russell Wilson Prepared To Sign; Steelers, Giants Waiting On Aaron Rodgers’ Decision

March 15th, 2025 at 10:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top free agent storyline around the league remains Aaron Rodgers‘ next destination. That could be the Vikings, although it remains to be seen if they will match his willingness to take a Minnesota deal.

Retirement is also an option for the 41-year-old, but if does elect to play – and the Vikings decline to submit an offer – the Steelers and Giants loom as interested suitors. Both Pittsburgh and New York have made a pitch to sign Rodgers, with the latter’s believed to be the best one on the table. Much of the remaining movement at the quarterback position will likely wait until after this situation reaches a conclusion.

In the case of Russell Wilson, his landing spot therefore remains uncertain for the time being. That is not due to hesitation on the player’s part, however. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Wilson is ready to sign at any time, a notable update given his recent Browns and Giants visits (video link).

The 10-time Pro Bowler met with Cleveland on Thursday and then New York yesterday. The Browns have already made one move under center by trading for Kenny Pickett, but they are still in the market for another passer. The Giants are also set to make multiple additions, a factor which explains the strong Rodgers pursuit as well as their continued interest in Wilson. Prior to the former Seahawk and Bronco’s decision to take a one-year Steelers pact last offseason, he met with the Giants. As Fowler notes, though, Wilson’s market is on hold until the Rodgers domino falls.

Handling starting duties since from Week 7 onwards, Wilson saw his play (and that of the team in general) decline at the end of the 2024 campaign. Justin Fields – who had support from some in the building to stay atop the depth chart even when Wilson’s calf injury healed – was widely viewed as Pittsburgh’s preference to retain over the veteran this spring. Fields ultimately took a two-year Jets deal, though, leaving Wilson in play as a fallback option should Rodgers not head to Pittsburgh.

Whereas Rodgers has a number of options to consider, Wilson’s market seems to be more limited. The 36-year-old has not been connected to the Vikings yet, while a report from earlier this week indicated the Titans are not interested despite their need for Will Levis competition. Provided one of Pittsburgh or New York end up acquiring Rodgers, the other could pivot to Wilson in short order.

Given the offset money left from his Broncos pact, Wilson was able to sign for just $1.21MM with Pittsburgh last year. He will be aiming higher this time around, but no movement should be expected with respect to his market before Rodgers’ future is determined.

Falcons Won’t Cut Kirk Cousins Ahead Of Bonus Trigger

March 15th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Ben Levine

10:12pm: Cousins’ desire to play elsewhere in 2025 remains unchanged, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms. As a result, this situation could very well remain in a stalemate for the foreseeable future as the rest of the quarterback market takes shape around the league.

12:51pm: Today was a key date in the Kirk Cousins saga, as a guaranteed bonus on the QB’s contract was set to kick in. The Falcons won’t be avoiding the extra financial commitment, as they’ll hang on to Cousins past the 4pm deadline today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

[RELATED: Kirk Cousins Pushing For Falcons Release]

Specifically, keeping Cousins on the roster through today will trigger a guarantee on a $10MM roster bonus that is due in 2026. After collecting $62.5MM of his total contract in 2024, Cousins is due another $27.5MM in 2025. Combined with this guaranteed 2026 roster bonus, Atlanta’s total commitment to the quarterback is now at $100MM.

The Falcons have made it clear that they intend to roll with Michael Penix Jr. in 2025. Still, the organization hasn’t shown any urgency to bail on their previous blockbuster addition. Cousins will continue to be the subject of trade rumors, and today’s decision buys the Falcons as much time as they want to find a resolution.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the $10MM in guaranteed money for 2026 is subject to offset language. That means the Falcons could simply find a suitor who’s willing to pick up this portion of the bill. In other words, this temporary commitment could ultimately cost Atlanta no money if they find a willing trade partner.

Cousins was reportedly pushing for his release, and the veteran possesses some leverage with his no-trade clause. Still, GM Terry Fontenot has made it clear that he’s willing to proceed with Cousins on the roster, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero says the front office “has shown no motivation to move him.” This is surely some gamesmanship from the organization, as it’s hard to envision the Falcons rostering such a high-priced backup. Still, the team is clearly operating without any sense of urgency, whereas Cousins would surely like a resolution as soon as possible.

Cousins inked a four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons last offseason, with $90MM guaranteed at signing. The organization shocked many when they used a first-round pick on Penix, but their bold decision proved to be worthwhile when Cousins showed signs of rust. In his return from a torn Achilles, Cousins guided his new squad to a 7-7 record while tossing 18 touchdowns vs. a league-leading 16 interceptions.

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers; RB Agrees To Minnesota Extension

March 15th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Despite receiving the second-round RFA tender from the 49ers this week, Jordan Mason will not play in San Francisco next year. The fourth-year running back has been traded to the Vikings, per his agency (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

As part of the deal, Mason has agreed to a two-year Vikings contract, Rapoport notes. The pact has a maximum value of $12MM and includes $7MM guaranteed at signing. Per Rapoport and colleague Tom Pelissero, the trade consists of a 2026 sixth-round pick being sent from Minnesota to San Francisco. The teams will also swap picks No. 160 and 187 in this year’s draft.

Mason totaled only 83 carries during his first two seasons, but in 2024 he was a key member of the 49ers’ ground game. Christian McCaffrey‘s Achilles issues opened the door for the former UDFA to see notable usage, and he received 153 carries on the year. Mason’s success (880 scrimmage yards, three touchdowns, 5.2 yards per attempt average) made it clear San Francisco would look to keep him in the fold moving forward. The decision to apply the second-round tender appeared to lock him into a $5.3MM salary for 2025.

As a result, the 49ers would have been in line for a second-round pick as compensation in the event Mason signed an offer sheet with an outside team which they declined to match. Now, the 25-year-old will be on the move by means of a swap. San Francisco still has McCaffrey on the books, along with Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor. An addition in the 2025 draft – which features several highly-regarded RB prospects – would come as no surprise given this deal.

For the Vikings, meanwhile, Mason will allow for more of a tandem in the backfield moving forward. Aaron Jones impressed while playing on a one-year contract in 2024, setting a new career high in rushing yards. That yielded a new agreement just before the negotiating period opened, and Jones is now attached to a two-year, $20MM pact. While the Vikings expressed a desire to keep the former Pro Bowler in the fold, they also made it clear they intended to reduce his workload after Jones handled 306 touches (the most of his career) in 2024. Mason will help achieve that goal.

The latter recorded double-digit carries seven times in his 12 appearances last year. Mason suffered an ankle sprain in Week 13, however, and the injury ended his campaign. His absence will be felt on a 49ers team which lost Elijah Mitchell to the Chiefs in free agency. Even if Guerendo takes on a larger role next season (after logging 84 carries as a rookie), at least one addition in the backfield can be expected.

Instead of hitting free agency in 2026 after playing on the tender, Mason has now secured more guaranteed than he would have received with San Francisco next season. The Georgia Tech product drew interest from other teams, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. Now, he will look to duplicate his 2024 success in a new environment as the Vikings aim to provide Jones with an effective complementary rusher.

Aaron Rodgers Mulling Vikings Or Retirement?

March 15th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

It seems impossible to avoid the drama that surrounds free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on what has become an annual basis. From the trade he forced Green Bay into that sent him to the Jets to his insistence on returning from a season-ending Achilles injury on a truncated schedule with unorthodox recovery methods to impacting reunions with most of his old Packers teammates in New York, Rodgers seems addicted to the spotlight.

That hasn’t changed to this day, as a team of Michael Silver, Dianna Russini, and Alec Lewis — all of The Athletic — reports that Rodgers has multiple teams holding out for his decision on where to play in 2025. One thing is a bit different in this situation, though: the decision appears to be out of Rodgers’ hands, at the moment. Per The Athletic, Rodgers has made it known that he is hoping to sign with the Vikings, but it’s head coach Kevin O’Connell who appears to hold sway over whether or not that will happen.

For a player that didn’t seem to want to live in the shadow of Brett Favre, Rodgers seems fairly eager to continue following in his exact footsteps. Rodgers’ desires are not exactly difficult to track here, though. At 41 years old, the veteran quarterback is hoping to land with a team that can contend for a Super Bowl. His move to New York was an attempt to bring a team in the gutter up to his usual championship-caliber, but that proved more difficult than anticipated.

Now, he’ll seek a contender who sat a game short of earning the NFC’s first-round bye in the playoffs with Sam Darnold at quarterback just last year. In fact, The Athletic reports that Darnold’s new salary in Seattle ($33.5MM per year) is around what Rodgers is looking for in a new contract. That being said, salary is not expected to be a sticking point for Rodgers on a new deal.

The real decision here comes from O’Connell, who has been granted key say in this situation by team owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. They know that, ultimately, the decision will weigh heaviest on O’Connell as head coach and that O’Connell has the most insight into the Vikings’ current situation at quarterback.

That situation has recently seen Minnesota affirming rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy as the heir apparent for the job moving forward, despite McCarthy missing the entirety of the 2024 NFL season following meniscus surgery. The 10th overall pick last year was not seen as a first-round option for much of the 2023 season, but his national championship-winning season with the Wolverines, combined with quite a few desperate teams looking for rookie passers, resulted in McCarthy hearing his name on Day 1.

While it was initially thought that McCarthy would need to sit and learn for a year, a lack of serious candidates for competition led McCarthy into a battle with Darnold to replace Kirk Cousins as the starter in Minnesota, a battle that Darnold was gifted following McCarthy’s surgery. Now, with Darnold having moved on and McCarthy having sat for the year, it’s presumed that McCarthy should now be ready to take hold of the starting role.

Enter: Rodgers. Obviously, Rodgers has the ability as an experienced veteran to come in and take hold of the starting job. O’Connell isn’t just looking for a starter, though. After a 14-3 season, O’Connell is looking to build off that momentum and take the team to a Super Bowl, even if it doesn’t happen this season.

This forces O’Connell to reconcile with what bringing Rodgers in would mean. First, the upside that Rodgers provides could help for a win-now mentality to take a talented Vikings team to a Super Bowl this season. But, given what we saw from Rodgers last season in New York, Minnesota may not get that upside. They could end up with what we’ve seen in Rodgers last two full seasons: a combined 13-21 record, sub-4,000 yards passing, and just over 25 touchdowns combined with double-digit interceptions, something we hadn’t seen from Rodgers since 2010.

O’Connell also has to reconcile with the social factor Rodgers brings to the team. We saw several instances of dissonance between Rodgers and leadership over his last years in Green Bay and his time with the Jets. Does O’Connell want to risk bringing in what some have deemed to be a toxic personality, especially if there’s no guarantee he returns to the excellence we saw just four years ago?

This could also impact McCarthy’s confidence, leading the young passer to feel as if the team doesn’t believe he’s ready for the job and further stunting his early growth. The alternative would see O’Connell lock in on McCarthy as the future of the position and start to get him as much time in that role as possible. Even if it doesn’t bring them the success of a Super Bowl in 2025, getting McCarthy reps as the leader of the offense would be crucial in the 22-year-old’s development.

It’s an unenviable position for O’Connell who has to weigh several factors in making a decision on whether to take the next uncertain steps with an inexperienced, unproven rookie or an accomplished veteran who could certainly be on the downslide that ends his career.

Regardless of what O’Connell decides, the Giants and Steelers are holding in position, waiting to make their own decisions as a result. Unfortunately for them, it sounds as if Rodgers may not be guaranteed to fall to them even if O’Connell decides not to sign him. According to The Athletic staff, it remains an option that, should the Vikings turn him down, Rodgers may spurn both Pittsburgh and New York in favor of retirement. There is certainly a slew of possibilities that will branch out from O’Connell’s upcoming decision.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/25

March 15th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

Jones’ Bears tenure ended midway through the 2024 campaign when he was waived. The former third-rounder saw time on the Jaguars’ practice squad before making a pair of appearances with the Panthers at the end of the year. Jones, entering his age-28 season, will look to compete for a roster spot in New Orleans.

Jean-Charles is signing a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. The 26-year-old has made 37 appearances across his time with the Packers, 49ers and Saints so far in his career. He has primarily worked on special team to date, and that will likely continue to be the case in Seattle.

Cowboys, WR Parris Campbell Agree To Deal

March 15th, 2025 at 7:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

Parris Campbell is set to play for a third career NFC East team. The veteran wideout has agreed to a one-year Cowboys deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Campbell struggled with injuries while playing out his rookie contract with the Colts. His final year with Indianapolis was a healthy one, however, and as a result the former second-rounder posted career highs across the board. That paved the way for a one-year Giants deal, but Campbell found himself being benched midway through the campaign.

To little surprise, a departure took place last offseason. Campbell landed an agreement with the Eagles, but he was among the team’s final roster cuts. The 27-year-old originally had no intention of signing to Philadelphia’s practice squad, but he wound up reversing course and did just that. In all, Campbell made five regular season appearances and played in three of the Eagles’ playoff games; he made a very small impact in the passing game, though.

As a result, expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Dallas. The Cowboys have been known to be in the market for a complementary receiver addition, particularly if free agent Brandin Cooks departs. Dallas was named as one of the teams interested in Cooper Kupp, but by the time he agreed to a Seahawks deal on Friday it was clear the Cowboys were not in the running to acquire him. This Campbell pact will of course check in at a much lower price tag than what Kupp landed in Seattle (three years, $45MM).

In 2021, Campbell showcased his potential as a deep threat, averaging 16.2 yards per reception. The Ohio State product has not managed to replicate that production since, and it will be interesting to see how large of an opportunity he receives with the Cowboys. CeeDee Lamb will lead the way at the WR position for years to come, but questions remain about the potential of the likes of Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert and recent re-signing KaVontae Turpin (who will primarily remain a returner moving forward, but could see his offensive usage continue to increase).

The Eagles still have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith atop their receiver depth chart, along with 2024 trade acquisition Jahan Dotson. Campbell is the latest member of the Super Bowl champions to head elsewhere, and managing to carve out a regular role on offense with the Cowboys would help his free agent prospects for 2026.

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster Re-Signs With Chiefs

March 15th, 2025 at 3:24pm CST by Ely Allen

With some potential question marks in the receiving corps for 2025, the Chiefs seem to have opted to keep some familiar faces in the room for Patrick Mahomes to throw to. To that end, Kansas City will re-sign veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster for the 2025 season, per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports.

Since having a resurgent, Super Bowl-winning season in 2022 with the Chiefs, Smith-Schuster has struggled to make an impact in the past two seasons. Smith-Schuster’s rebound season came after he only played five games in his final year with Pittsburgh and saw him record his second-highest career receiving yards total (933), though he only registered three touchdowns.

Following his big year with Mahomes, Smith-Schuster cashed in, signing a three-year, $33MM deal with the Patriots. Unfortunately, Smith-Schuster’s rebounded success didn’t carry over in New England, as he only accumulated 260 receiving yards and one touchdown in 11 games. The team released him after only one season.

It didn’t take too long for the Chiefs to pick up their old receiver for a second stint with the team, joining free agent addition Marquise Brown and rookie first-round pick Xavier Worthy as new additions in the wake of some Rashee Rice uncertainty. Despite injuries to both Brown and Rice, Smith-Schuster was unable to take advantage of more playing time, only logging 231 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

More opportunities for targets could certainly be on the way for Smith-Schuster in 2025, though. The Chiefs have already seen DeAndre Hopkins depart for Baltimore, and Mecole Hardman‘s contract with the team expired, as well. With those two gone, Smith-Schuster presumably slots in as WR4 behind Rice, Worthy, and Brown.

The aforementioned Rice uncertainty could open up even more opportunities for Smith-Schuster. While Rice is recovering from a season-ending injury, the uncertainty actually comes from two separate legal incidents from the last offseason that could see suspensions levied on Rice. First, Rice was involved in a major accident that he was allegedly responsible for before leaving the scene, and second, Rice was under investigation for an alleged assault incident. The team was reportedly bracing for a suspension for Rice before it was made known that, if a suspension was coming, it wouldn’t occur in 2024. That could mean that a suspension is still imminent for the 2025 season, though.

The team also received a second scare when Worthy was arrested on a charge of assault against a family or household member by impeding their breathing or circulation. Luckily for Kansas City, Worthy was not charged after the case was declined following discussions with multiple witnesses and Worthy’s attorneys. The case was closed, and Worthy has seemingly avoided any punishment for the time being.

Still, amidst the legal troubles of their two top wide receivers, the Chiefs opted to re-sign Brown, giving him another chance to make an impact in Kansas City after missing all but two games recovering from shoulder surgery in 2024. Smith-Schuster, too, will return for the Chiefs in 2025 as the team pursues its third Super Bowl victory in four years and its fourth appearance in as many years in the big game.

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