2025 March - Pro Football Rumors

Chargers To Re-Sign LB Denzel Perryman

March 12th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Denzel Perryman served as a full-time starter in 2024, his return season with the Chargers. The veteran linebacker will remain in place for 2025.

Perryman plans to re-sign on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will be a $3.65MM pact. The former Pro Bowler was limited to 11 games last season, but he operated as a key figure on defense during that time while also chipping in on special teams.

Perryman began his career with the Chargers as a second-round pick out of Miami while the team was still in San Diego. Injuries were a limiting factor for Perryman back then, as well, as he only played in 69 of a possible 96 games in his six seasons with the team.

Perryman departed Los Angeles in 2021 as a free agent, signing with the Panthers, but he was traded to Las Vegas before the season even started. With the Raiders that season, Perryman had the healthiest season of his career, starting in all 15 game appearances.

Finally able to put together a full season, Perryman showed what he could do when healthy, earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection with 154 total tackles (6th in the league that season). Despite only appearing in 12 games the next year, Perryman put forth another strong performance, with 83 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. He signed a one-year deal to join the Texans in 2023, starting 11 of 12 game appearances for the second straight year.

Last season, he made his return to Southern California. In his age-32 season, Perryman’s contributions were average as he served more importantly as a veteran leader for young linebackers like Troy Dye and Daiyan Henley. Dye joins Perryman as a re-signed linebacker, while Nick Niemann departed for Houston in free agency and Shaquille Quarterman, another depth/special teams piece is a free agent, as well. Henley and Perryman should continue to work as starters with Dye spelling Perryman in obvious pass situations.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Panthers, Christian Rozeboom Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Christian Rozeboom enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, and he has landed a new contract early in free agency. The veteran linebacker has agreed to a one-year deal with the Panthers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rozeboom, 28, signed with the Rams as a UDFA in 2020. He was waived during final cutdowns that year and ultimately spent the entire season on Los Angeles’ practice squad, though the club saw enough potential to keep him in the fold via a reserve/futures deal once the 2020 campaign ended. A similar fate awaited him in 2021, as he was waived before the start of the regular season and joined the Chiefs’ taxi squad shortly thereafter.

The South Dakota State product would go on to appear in one game for Kansas City in 2021 before the Rams poached him back by signing him to their active roster. He saw action in nine games for LA that year, with all of his snaps coming on special teams. He continued operating almost exclusively in the third phase in 2022 before getting his first real chance on defense in 2023.

That season, Rozeboom appeared in 17 games (five starts), and he enjoyed a 49% snap share. In 2024, he appeared in 17 games (11 starts), converting a 74% snap share into 135 total tackles — a top-20 figure — five tackles for loss, an interception, and a sack. Despite the high tackle totals, the advanced metrics were not high on his work, as Pro Football Focus considered him the 72nd-best LB out of 84 qualifiers and assigned him a roughly average grade against the run with subpar marks in the passing game.

There is some familiarity here, as Panthers DC Ejiro Evero was on the Rams’ defensive staff during Rozeboom’s first two years in the league. He will presumably compete for reps at the middle linebacker spot with incumbents Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace, and he represents another part of the club’s plan to fortify its defense in free agency.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Steelers, CB Darius Slay Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darius Slay‘s Steelers agreement is now final. After being rumored to be close to landing the veteran cornerback, Pittsburgh will indeed bring in the two-time Super Bowl starter.

The team is adding Slay on a one-year, $10MM pact, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. The deal comes fully guaranteed for Slay, who turned 34 shortly before the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. Slay will join running back Kenneth Gainwell in changing Pennsylvania addresses this week. Slay will also rejoin ex-Lions DC Teryl Austin in Pittsburgh.

This deal comes minutes after the 2025 league year starting greenlit Slay’s official Philadelphia exit. The Eagles had planned to cut Slay for a bit, but teams cannot designate players as post-June 1 releases until 3pm CT today. The Steelers waited a bit, but they have added a boundary starter opposite Joey Porter Jr. The player who primarily worked in that role last season, Donte Jackson, joined the Chargers this week.

While this transaction will officially end the biannual Darius Slay-Darius Slayton divisional matchup, Slay did well to secure an opportunity quickly at an age when most corners are long retired. The batch of corners that topped this year’s free agent market were in their late 20s, scoring nice third contracts after smartly inking two- or three-year deals previously.

This is Slay’s fourth contract, illustrating the talent the ex-Eagles and Lions defender has displayed. He played two seasons on a three-year, $39MM Eagles accord, but after Philly drafted first- and second-round CBs last year, they bid farewell to Super Bowl LVII starters Slay and James Bradberry.

Bradberry missed all of last season, but Slay was in place as the veteran corner giving the Eagles experience while Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean acclimated. Slay started all 14 games he played last season and logged an 81% snap rate. That was slightly down from his previous seasons, though given Slay’s age and the Eagles’ deep CB depth chart last season, it makes sense. Slay, however, played at least 85% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in each of their four playoff games — including an 88% Super Bowl LIX rate.

Pittsburgh had given Patrick Peterson a chance to play an age-33 season in 2023; the Steelers will bet on Slay having one more good year in the tank. Slay has planned for 2025 to be his finale. If so, he will work in a familiar system, as the six-time Pro Bowler began his ascent under Austin in Detroit. Austin coached the Lions’ defense from 2014-17; Slay’s issues with the Lions came after Matt Patricia‘s 2018 arrival. Patricia played a central role in the Eagles’ defensive descent in 2023, but Slay had signed off on a reunion. After the Eagles moved back on track with Vic Fangio, Slay reestablished momentum to gain a shot at a rare age-34 CB season.

Falcons To Re-Sign WR KhaDarel Hodge

March 12th, 2025 at 3:38pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Falcons are re-signing wide receiver and special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Hodge was named to the Pro Bowl as a special teamer in 2024, the first of his career. He cashed in with a two-year, $6MM deal in Atlanta, a solid raise over his $1.3MM contract last year.

The 30-year-old originally signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster, but appeared in 14 games as a rookie by demonstrating the special teams prowess that would come to define his career.

Hodge was waived by the Rams during final roster cuts in 2019 and was claimed by the Browns. He played 16 games in Cleveland and was re-signed for another year as an exclusive rights free agent. In 2020, Hodge carved out a larger role on offense, but only appeared in nine games due to injuries. The Browns placed an RFA tag on him after the season, but moved on during final roster cuts before the 2021 season. Hodge spent the season with the Lions, playing 16 games with most of his involvement coming on special teams.

Hodge then found a long-term home in Atlanta, signing a one-year deal in 2022 and re-upping in each of the last two offseasons. Now, he’s set to continue playing for the Falcons through the 2026 season.

Cardinals To Sign LB Mykal Walker

March 12th, 2025 at 3:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are signing veteran linebacker Mykal Walker, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Walker appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 with more than 80% of his playing time coming on special teams. In Arizona, he will likely compete for a role on defense while serving as a core special teams contributor.

Walker was originally a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2020 out of Fresno State. He started eight games across his first two seasons before carving out a full-time role in 2022 with 12 starts.

His 107 tackles ranked third on Atlanta’s defense, but the team waived him during training camp the following summer. Walker then spent time with the Bears and the Raiders before receiving his next playing opportunity with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh signed Walker to their practice squad in October 2023 and earned a promotion to the active roster in November. He appeared in the Steelers’ last eight games of the regular season with five starts and even started their wild card loss to the Bills.

Despite earning a starting job, Walker was not retained by the Steelers and instead hit free agency last spring. The Commanders signed him to a one-year deal, but also chose not to re-sign him this offseason.

Lions To Re-Sign DT Levi Onwuzurike

March 12th, 2025 at 3:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Levi Onwuzurike will not be heading elsewhere as a free agent. An agreement has been reached which will keep him with the Lions.

Onwuzurike has a one-year deal in place with Detroit, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The pact is worth $5.5MM, he adds. After a career-year in 2024, the former second-round defensive tackle will earn a notable raise compared to his rookie contract.

Playing through a back issue during his rookie campaign, Onwuzurike managed to make 16 appearances but only managed one sack. He sat out the following season due to the issue, and as a result questions were raised about his NFL future. The Washington product has played in 26 games across this past two years, though.

That span includes 2024, in which Onwuzurike logged 10 starts a 61% snap share, by far the largest workload of his career. The 27-year-old posted only one sack but added 22 pressures, demonstrating his disruptive presence when healthy. The Lions will be counting on another campaign with that kind of performance as they prepare for at least one more season with both Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill in place.

The latter is attached to a four-year, $97MM extension and he will remain in place for the foreseeable future as a result. The Lions will increasingly depend on cost-effective players elsewhere on their defense, though, so Onwuzurike is in line to continue playing an important role for at least one more season. If he manages to duplicate or improve upon his output from 2024, it would come as no surprise if a long-term Detroit commitment (or one from an outside team) came to bear next spring.

Browns To Sign DT Maliek Collins

March 12th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maliek Collins was let go by the 49ers earlier this week. The veteran defensive tackle did not need to wait long to find a new home, however.

Collins has agreed to a two-year deal with the Browns, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The contract is worth $20MM and includes $13MM fully guaranteed, he adds. Collins will now join a Browns D-line which no longer features Dalvin Tomlinson.

Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the deal is still being worked on. Presuming it is finalized, though, Collins will be expected to handle a starting role on his fifth career team. The 29-year-old has operated as a first-team presence throughout his career, which has included time with the Cowboys, Raiders, Texans and 49ers.

San Francisco traded for Collins last offseason, and he started all 17 games with the team. The former third-rounder recorded five sacks along the way, but that production was not enough to keep him in place. The 49ers elected to cut Collins as part of their efforts to reset along the defensive interior. The same remained the case for Javon Hargrave, who was designated as a post-June 1 release.

The Browns used Tomlinson as a full-time starter for each of the past two seasons. The former Giant and Viking posted three sacks in each of his Cleveland campaigns, and halfway through his contract the Browns elected to move on. Tomlinson’s pact averaged $14.25MM per season; this Collins one checks in at a lower figure but it will still carry notable expectations on a Browns defensive front which will still include Myles Garrett in 2025.

The All-Pro’s saga saw a trade request replaced by a record-breaking extension on Sunday. Garrett will be counted on to remain an elite producer along the edge moving forward as a result. Collins will look to serve as a complementary pass-rushing presence along the interior.

Steelers, CB Brandin Echols Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

After four years with the Jets, Brandin Echols is set to be on the move this offseason. The veteran corner has a deal in place with the Steelers, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

Echols joined the Jets as a sixth-rounder in 2021. Over the course of his rookie contract, he racked up 19 starts (including 14 during his rookie campaign). Since that point, he has operated as a rotational defender while handling a notable special teams workload. That will likely remain the case with his newest team.

The Steelers will be working with a new-look cornerbacks group in 2025. They saw Donte Jackson leave for a deal with the Chargers, and Cameron Sutton, C.J. Henderson, and James Pierre all saw their contracts expire, as well. Joey Porter Jr. and Beanie Bishop return as impact players from last year, while Cory Trice returns in support.

The team also signed veteran Darius Slay today, and Slay will likely take over the starting job across from Porter, while Bishop should continue to take the majority of the reps in the slot. Echols spent most of his defensive snaps on the outside, so he’ll likely continue to contribute there behind Porter and Slay.

The Jets have seen Echols joined by D.J. Reed as free agent departures, but they were able to re-sign slot specialist Isaiah Oliver. They have signed former Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens, who should step into a starting role for New York.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Bills To Trade CB Kaiir Elam To Cowboys

March 12th, 2025 at 2:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

After three seasons with the Bills, Kaiir Elam is on the move. Buffalo has agreed to trade the former first-round corner to the Cowboys, as first reported by The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Dallas will send Buffalo a fifth-round pick in 2025 along with a future seventh-rounder in exchange for Elam and a sixth-round selection, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. This will give Elam a fresh start after struggling to carve out a starting role on the Bills’ defense. Presuming the Cowboys intend to decline his fifth-year option this spring, 2025 will represent his walk year. Confirming the deal, the Bills announced the seventh-round pick will be in 2026.

Elam had a strong three-year college career at Florida, and expectations were high upon arrival in Buffalo as the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft. He made six starts and 13 appearances as a rookie, collecting a pair of interceptions. That showcased his potential to an extent, but since then Elam has not developed as hoped.

The 23-year-old tore an ankle ligament prior to the start of his second Bills season, and after attempting to play through the injury he was on injured reserve for an extended stretch. Elam appeared in only three games that year, finding himself passed on the depth chart by Christian Benford (who has set himself up well to be one of the next Bills to secure a lucrative extension). Even without Tre’Davious White in the fold in 2024, Elam only handled a 35% snap share on defense, something which further fueled trade speculation.

The latter’s departure will clear up $2.57MM in cap space for the Bills. That figure represents Elam’s 2025 salary as he looks to build his value during the final year of his rookie contract. Earning at least a rotational role in a secondary which is set to lose longtime slot starter Jourdan Lewis would give the Cowboys a cost-effective option at the cornerback spot. Dallas still has Trevon Diggs on the books through 2028 (as his knee rehab continues), while fellow perimeter cover man DaRon Bland is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Last August, the Cowboys made a similar move in trading for cornerback Andrew Booth. The former Vikings second-rounder had a modest role on defense with Dallas in 2024, and he too is set to see his rookie deal expire after the coming campaign. It will be interesting to see if the buy-low approach with Elam pans out and leads to a long-term commitment from his new team.

Giants Sign OT Stone Forsythe

March 12th, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Giants are signing offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, according to his agency and confirmed by a team announcement.

The Seahawks traded up in the 2021 draft to select Forsythe in the sixth round. He only played 14 offensive snaps as a rookie, but emerged as a key swing tackle over the next three years as Seattle weathered injuries to Abraham Lucas and Charles Cross.

Forsythe appeared in 34 games with nine starts and 623 offensive snaps across the next two years, lining up at both left and right tackle. He opened the 2024 season as the Seahawks’ starting right tackle with Lucas rehabbing from an injury suffered in 2023.

Forsythe then landed on injured reserve in October and remained sidelined until Week 16. By that time, Lucas was back at right tackle in Seattle and Forsythe finished the season on the bench. He left Seattle with 53 total appearances and 14 starts, 13 of which came in 2023 and 2024.

Forsythe could compete for a starting job in New York. Andrew Thomas is locked in as the Giants’ left tackle, but 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal has struggled with injuries and consistency on the right side. If he can’t win a starting gig, he will likely return to his role as a swing tackle that can step in at left or right tackle in case of injury.