HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

Raiders Lukewarm On Free Agent QBs, Still Looking Into Trades

March 7th, 2025 at 5:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

An aggressive Matthew Stafford push did not land the Raiders the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, putting them in a similar position to a handful of teams entering free agency. The Raiders need a 2025 starter, and they do not appear overly eager to pay one in free agency.

The Raiders were deep in talks with the Rams signal-caller about a deal that would have paid him at least $90MM guaranteed. Considering Stafford’s age, that pursuit both reflects the Raiders’ view of his talent and their lukewarm assessment of this year’s free agent class. Indeed, the Raiders are not believed to be high on Sam Darnold or the rest of the free agent QBs, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed report (subscription required).

Although the Raiders came up short on Stafford, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes they are still talking to teams about QBs via trade. There are not many starters who could conceivably be had, though two have ties to the Raiders. The Seahawks have started Geno Smith extension talks; the QB’s price will dictate how eager the team is to complete a deal. Smith, of course, played five seasons for Pete Carroll and started the final two. The Saints are planning to keep Derek Carr, but he did come up as a potential trade chip earlier this offseason.

A Carr trade back to Las Vegas would be shocking. Still, there are not many other names who would make sense as a trade chip. The Cardinals’ current regime has praised Kyler Murray consistently, even as it did not authorize his current contract, and Trevor Lawrence-Steelers buzz was roundly debunked. The Raiders, who hold the No. 6 pick and have been mentioned as a Cam Ward suitor (via trade-up), may well need to acquire their bridge in free agency.

Vegas has been tied to Darnold, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson thus far this offseason. Wilson created a Hall of Fame case while playing for Carroll, and while the former Pro Bowler reportedly tried to have Carroll fired from his post in 2022, the sides have mended fences. The gap between Stafford’s talent and this group is substantial, though, and an Aaron Rodgers partnership — rumored in the past — would occur when the QB is near the end.

As expected, Tom Brady is “heavily involved” in the Raiders’ offseason so far, Reed tweets. His ski meeting with Stafford certainly signaled the new Raiders part-owner was running point on this effort, as Mark Davis said he would. Brady was also in the building when Maxx Crosby signed his extension, Reed adds. Brady’s fingerprints figure to be on the Raiders’ free agency effort soon. That process may well send a QB to Vegas, but the draft will loom as an avenue the team will thoroughly explore (once again) as well.

One name to monitor for the Raiders is Jalen Milroe, as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore indicates the team remains intrigued with the Alabama product. Milroe is viewed as a player who could be available in the second round. Milroe’s 2024 season checked in worse than his 2023 output.

Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board does not include him, and ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks the two-year Crimson Tide starter 66th overall — as the No. 5 QB in this class. A bridge to Milroe would almost definitely be required, and it could be a full-season effort if the Raiders again fail to come out of a first round with a passer.

Raiders To Release C Andre James

March 7th, 2025 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Re-signed just before free agency last year, Andre James is heading back to the market. The Raiders intend to release their veteran center starter soon.

James will be cut March 12, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, pointing to a post-June 1 release designation. The Raiders have two of those to use, as Gardner Minshew is expected to occupy one of those slots. The Raiders would reduce James’ dead money total by designating him as a post-June 1 cut, and it appears after four seasons of James at center, the team will use another option in 2025.

Appearing on last year’s PFR Top 50 Free Agents list, James fetched a three-year, $24MM deal hours before the market opened. The Raiders’ Tom Telesco-led regime prioritized the Jon Gruden-era addition. James has started 60 games with the team, signing two starter-level deals. Only going into his age-28 season, James should garner interest elsewhere.

The Raiders did sign ex-Tom Brady teammate Alex Cappa earlier this week. This could point to an arrangement in which Cappa and Dylan Parham start at guard and Jackson Powers-Johnson returns to his college position. The Raiders slid the Oregon center, the 2023 Rimington Award winner, to guard as a rookie. Powers-Johnson already saw extensive time at center last season, as James missed four games, playing 421 snaps there and 506 at left guard. At center, Powers-Johnson posted the sixth-best pressure rate in pass protection, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed tweets.

Gruden installed James as his starting center in 2021, doing so despite the blocker being a UDFA with little experience going into his third season. The Raiders moved on from Rodney Hudson that year, and James began a run of four seasons as the team’s starter. He started for four HCs in that time. Pro Football Focus rated James poorly in 2024, slotting him 33rd among center regulars, and the UCLA alum missed four games. Pass block win rate viewed James’ season differently, however, ranking him eighth among all interior O-linemen. PFF graded him as a top-10 center in 2023.

The Raiders will save $3.15MM by making James a post-June 1 cut; they will take on just more than $5MM in dead money. This move will bump the Raiders past $83MM in cap space, but they cannot use any funds created by post-June 1 designations until after that date. James will join Drew Dalman, Ryan Kelly and Josh Myers among veteran centers available in free agency. Though, James will need to wait two days before he can agree on terms with a team; the other three snappers can have deals in place beginning at 11am CT Monday.

Eagles To Extend Saquon Barkley

March 7th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 7: On his second Eagles contract, Barkley will see a whopping $36MM fully guaranteed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds. The full guarantees cover Barkley’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries and two loftier option bonuses. Barkley’s 2025 option bonus checks in at $15.08MM, his ’26 bonus at $15.45MM. Of Barkley’s 2027 option bonus ($14.41MM), $2.5MM is fully guaranteed. A $1MM roster bonus will be due on Day 3 of the 2028 league year. Barkley will not have a cap number above $10MM until 2027, but the Eagles would not see any cap savings from a release until 2028 because of this contract structure, which also includes four void years.

As the Eagles’ recent contract structure is present here, so are additional incentives. Surpassing 1,500 scrimmage yards will land Barkley $250K, with that number increasing to $500K if he reaches 2,000, Florio notes. The same structure is in place for first- and second-team All-Pro honors, with a first-team appearance bumping him to $500K. A 1,000-yard rushing season and an Eagles NFC championship earns Barkley $250K, with a 1,000-yard rushing year plus another Super Bowl title increasing that number to $500K.

MARCH 4: Saquon Barkley enjoyed one of the most productive running back seasons in NFL history during his debut campaign with the Eagles. That has resulted in a new contract and accompanying raise.

Barkley has agreed to a two-year extension worth $41.2MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Two years remained on the Offensive Player of the Year’s original pact prior to this news, but it will substantially increase his earnings. Barkley is now not only the league’s highest-paid running back in terms of annual compensation, but he is the first to sign a deal with an AAV above $20MM.

As part of the financial resurgence of the running back market last offseason, Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75MM deal. The $12.58MM average of that pact moved the former Giant into third in the position’s pecking order and its $26MM in guarantees represented a major investment on the part of the Eagles. Barkley proved to be a worthwhile signing, though, and an even larger commitment has been made. Schefter notes this latest deal includes $36MM locked in at signing, along with an additional $15MM in incentives and escalators.

It will be interesting to see the structure of this new contract. Barkley was set to carry a cap hit of just $7.36MM in 2025, a figure which could raise depending on how his new compensation is paid out. If much of his guaranteed money comes in the form of a signing bonus, though, the added cap charges could be spread out over time (especially if void years are used, which was the case when he signed last spring). Just like the 49ers did last summer with Christian McCaffrey, the Eagles will move forward with a renewed and lucrative investment in a veteran back after seeing him operate as the focal point of the their offense.

Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024 despite being rested for the Eagles’ regular season finale. That figure was sufficient to break the franchise’s single-season rushing record, and his 2,283 scrimmage yards for the regular season ranked 13th in NFL history. When taking into account the 28-year-old’s output in the playoffs, his 2,504 total yards on the ground represent an all-time record for combined regular and postseason production.

The Eagles will be counting on Barkley being able to replicate that level of success when attempting to defend their Super Bowl title. The team already has a offense featuring a quarterback (Jalen Hurts), two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) and a tight end (Dallas Goedert) each near the top of their respective markets on their current deals. Philadelphia also, course, has a number of notable commitments along the offensive line. The team’s financial planning will now take into account a major Barkley raise over the coming years.

The running back market has long lagged well behind that of other positions. 2024 saw a rebound to an extent, and McCaffrey’s pact (averaging $19MM per year) has now been surpassed in value. Whether or not this Barkley deal represents a turning point from a financial perspective will be an interesting league storyline to follow.

FA Notes: Bucs, Mack, Dolphins, Holland, Panthers, Titans, Giants, Bills, Falcons

March 7th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers did not see their Joe Tryon-Shoyinka first-round pick pay off, and the 2021 draftee is close to hitting free agency. As the Bucs prepares a pass-rushing plan for 2025, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler connects Khalil Mack to the team. Also mentioning the Bears (a previously noted Mack suitor), Fowler notes the Bucs are looking for pass-rushing help. The team has YaYa Diaby under contract for two more seasons, but it has struggled to find a complementary piece since Shaquil Barrett began to decline post-Achilles surgery. Anthony Nelson, who posted four sacks last season, is nearing free agency as well.

While the Bucs have D-line regulars Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, they will need to look for a second OLB starter. Mack rebounded from an injury-marred 2021 season by starting all but one game in three Chargers years. He soared to 17.5 sacks in 2023 but saw his usage rate drop and his sack total along with it (to six) in 2024. Mack, however, has been a durable player and one of this era’s best edge rushers. Although he considered retirement this offseason, the Chargers want him back. The 34-year-old’s market will be interesting.

Here is the latest from the free agent market:

  • A player who will command more in total than Mack, Jevon Holland is likely this year’s top safety available. PFR’s No. 6 free agent, Holland escaped the franchise tag deadline and may be poised to follow Robert Hunt and Christian Wilkins out of Miami. The Panthers and Titans are expected to show interest in the four-year Dolphins starter, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes. Holland’s market is likely to stretch past $15MM per year and could reach $20MM AAV, Wolfe adds. Antoine Winfield Jr. is the highest-paid safety, at $21MM per annum; no one else has reached $20MM. The Dolphins are still interested, but the former second-rounder will carry a robust market. If Holland leaves, the Dolphins would need two new safety starters; Jordan Poyer is not expected back, per Wolfe.
  • The Giants are bracing to lose Azeez Ojulari in free agency, the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy writes. Considering their investments in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, it has looked for months like Ojulari would depart. Despite an extensive injury history, Ojulari has been productive when available. He registered 22 sacks on his rookie deal, including six last season as he filled in for an injured Thibodeaux. After holding onto Ojulari at the deadline, the Giants would only recoup a compensatory pick — depending on the team’s FA activity — once he leaves.
  • The Falcons finished 31st in sacks last season, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter notes they are doing heavy research on defense in the draft. This comes after Atlanta’s effort to trade back into Round 1 for a defender, after the surprising Michael Penix Jr. pick, failed. As the team changes DCs for a third straight year, Fowler adds it is expected to also pursue defensive upgrades in free agency. The Falcons are expected to let Matt Judon hit the market, and Ledbetter adds fellow OLB Lorenzo Carter is also likely to hit free agency. A pass-rushing overhaul, as Grady Jarrett may be on the trade block, may be afoot in Atlanta.
  • Count the Panthers as a team also readying to bolster its defense in free agency, Fowler adds. Carolina fell from fourth in total defense to 32nd last season, and while they are again retaining DC Ejiro Evero, the DC should have more to work with in 2025. After Carolina traded Burns and did not do much to replace him, it is safe to expect a pass-rushing pursuit to commence. Safety Xavier Woods will be among the Panthers who will test the market next week, The Athletic’s Joe Person tweets. He will join kicker Eddy Pineiro in doing so.
  • Preston Smith has lingered in free agency for a bit, after his Steelers release, but Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes the Bills are believed to have interest. Although Smith (4.5 sacks last season) signed two healthy Packers contracts, it will not take too much to land the 32-year-old EDGE after he disappointed as a Steelers deadline addition.

Jaguars Release TE Evan Engram, WR Devin Duvernay

March 7th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 7: The Jags have announced the Engram and Reynolds releases. This will mean Engram cannot be designated a post-June 1 cut. While the eight-year veteran is free to sign with any team now, the Jags will take on more dead money as a result of making him a standard release.

MARCH 6: A Jacksonville skill-position purge will continue with two more veterans. Following the team’s intra-division Christian Kirk trade, Evan Engram and Devin Duvernay are also out.

The Jags are releasing the veteran tight end and All-Pro return man, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero respectively report. One season remained on Engram’s extension, which was signed after the Jags franchise-tagged him in 2023.

Count Josh Reynolds among the skill-player cap casualties as well, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. The Jags had claimed Reynolds off waivers from the Broncos late last season. This release will save the Jags $4.26MM, as they had taken Reynolds’ two-year, $9MM contract from the Broncos.

If the Jaguars are moving on from Engram via a standard release, they would take on $13.5MM in dead money. If they wait to officially cut the former first-rounder on March 12 and give him a post-June 1 release designation, the team would be tagged with just $4MM in 2025 dead cap and would save $15.5MM in cap room. Engram, 30, was due to count $19.49MM on Jacksonville’s 2025 cap — the second-highest total on the team’s payroll.

The Duvernay release will save the Jags $2.7MM this year. Jacksonville added Duvernay last March, doing so as it signed Gabe Davis as well. Davis did not live up to his $13MM-per-year contract in his first season, but he is the only veteran skill player left standing after this week’s moves. While the team is prepared to build around Brian Thomas Jr., it will need to fill out some spots alongside the blossoming first-rounder.

Given the tag over Jawaan Taylor in 2023, Engram signed a three-year, $41.25MM extension. That deal called for a $14.75MM 2025 base salary. Three void years tacked onto the end of it will bring the dead money, which would stretch to 2026 if the Jags make Engram a post-June cut. This could certainly make Engram the top tight end on the market, one that includes the likes of Mike Gesicki, Juwan Johnson and Tyler Conklin.

A 2017 Giants first-round pick, Engram has a Pro Bowl (2020) on his resume but became more consistent with the Jags. He twice set the franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end, accumulating 766 in 2022 and then 963 in ’23. Engram was not a strong red zone option for Trevor Lawrence, but the now-well-paid QB peppered him with targets. Engram caught 114 passes in 2023; only Jimmy Smith‘s 1999 featured more receptions (116) by a Jaguar.

Even as Engram scored only nine touchdowns in three seasons and is heading into his age-31 season, he should be in line for a starting job elsewhere soon. The Jags have given him a few days to beat the market. This release does come after Engram closed last season on IR with a labrum tear; he totaled 365 receiving yards in nine games.

Duvernay, 27, arrived during an offseason that saw the departures of Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones. The Jags had attempted to re-sign Ridley, being outbid by the Titans, before releasing Jones. In 2023, the team had deployed four veteran skill-player contracts around Lawrence’s rookie deal. They are now down to one (Davis’), and the ex-Bills WR2 totaled just 239 receiving yards last season.

Known more for his return-game skills than at receiver, Duvernay caught 11 passes for 79 yards in 2024. The two-time Ravens Pro Bowler served as the Jags’ kickoff and punt returner, leaving more jobs open amid this transition. Reynolds, 29, caught just one pass in four games as a Jaguar. He does have two 600-plus-yard seasons on his resume — including the 2023 season in Detroit — but has now been cut twice since December.

Kirk and Engram both had signed with the Jags in 2022, with each helping Lawrence after a woeful rookie season. Kirk is Houston-bound, while Engram — who has five seasons of at least 575 yards on his resume — should find a new home soon. The Jags have moved past $40MM in cap space with these moves and will be on the lookout for new Thomas supporting-casters soon.

Patriots Expected To Pursue Chris Godwin

March 7th, 2025 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although many big-name receivers are available in free agency, Chris Godwin is probably the top prize — now that Tee Higgins is again out of play. PFR’s No. 7 free agent in this year’s class, Godwin is indeed expected to draw major interest.

Leading the way in cap space, the Patriots are expected to be a lead the way in driving Godwin’s market, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. Considering the work the Pats did at wide receiver last year, it is unsurprising they are readying for a major pursuit to help Drake Maye on a rookie contract.

Maye’s rookie deal plays into one of the strongest hands in free agency history. The Patriots lead the way in cap space, by a wide margin, with more than $125MM. They chased Calvin Ridley last year, seeing the Titans outbid them, and explored the trade market. New England is believed to have submitted the top AAV to Brandon Aiyuk, at around $32MM, but the late-summer trade chip opted to stay with the 49ers on an extension. With Pats target Higgins again franchise-tagged (and again being kept out of trades), the team may need to focus on Godwin.

The longtime Mike Evans sidekick’s price will be high, as the cap has climbed another $24MM. The Godwin derby could go beyond $25MM per year, Giardi adds, even though he is coming off a dislocated ankle. Godwin, who played out a three-year deal worth $60MM, also suffered ACL and MCL tears in 2021 but responded with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Although Godwin was second in the NFL in receiving yards when he went down last year, as he had looked like his pre-ACL-tear version, a second major injury could induce some pause.

Godwin is going into an age-29 season and has four 1,000-yard years on his resume. The Super Bowl-winning wideout will have options. One of them appears to be a return to the Buccaneers, with Jason Licht expressing a desire to retain him once again. Franchise-tagged twice, Godwin has never hit free agency previously. The Bucs were able to keep Evans and Baker Mayfield off last year’s market, but time is running out here. Godwin can begin talking to other teams at 11am CT Monday. While the Bucs were able to convince Shaquil Barrett, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean to re-sign after they had hit the market earlier this decade, Godwin’s price may be too high for a team still paying Evans and one that handed out market-setting deals at left tackle (Tristan Wirfs) and safety (Antoine Winfield Jr.) last year.

The Giants figure to need a Malik Nabers complementary piece, and the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy notes they were interested in Godwin as a trade target back in 2023. Though, Dunleavy expects the Giants to be priced out here. New York is still on the hook for more than $20MM in Daniel Jones dead money, and its cap-space figure ($45MM-plus) is dwarfed by the Patriots’ number.

Cardinals To Meet With Roy Robertson-Harris, Want To Re-Sign Baron Browning

March 7th, 2025 at 1:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of several Seahawks contributors cut this week, Roy Robertson-Harris is generating some interest within the NFC West. The Cardinals will see about a fit.

The veteran interior defensive lineman is heading to Arizona for a free agency visit Friday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Robertson-Harris is an eight-year vet who has played with three teams. The Cardinals are still seeking answers along their front seven, with free agency likely to be a key avenue for them to retool there.

The Seahawks cut Robertson-Harris months after acquiring him from the Jaguars via trade. The former Bears UDFA did not see a big role in Seattle, seeing his snap share drop from 50% as a Jaguar to 25% as a Seahawk. Robertson-Harris, 31, tallied two sacks (both with the Jags) last season. Pro Football Focus graded him 81st among interior D-linemen in 2024. For his career, the career-long 3-4 defensive end has 19 to go with 27 tackles for loss and 67 QB hits.

Robertson-Harris (62 career starts) signed two Jags contracts, the second a three-year deal worth $23.4MM. The Cardinals do not have much allocated to their D-linemen, contract-wise, but they did draft Darius Robinson in last year’s first round. L.J. Collier and nose tackle Roy Lopez are due for free agency.

Also carrying questions at outside linebacker, Arizona sent a sixth-round pick to Denver for Baron Browning at the 2024 deadline. The former Broncos third-rounder totaled two sacks in eight Cardinals games last season, and USA Today’s Howard Balzer indicates the Cards do want him back. Browning, 26, will be free to speak with other teams beginning Monday.

Showing intermittent promise in Denver, Browning moved from ILB starter to OLB rotational presence during his Broncos run. While he did end up starting 28 games in Denver — 19 of those at OLB from 2022-24 — injuries played a regular role in limiting the Ohio State alum. Browning missed three games in 2022, seven in 2023 and four in ’24. An offseason knee injury sidelined Browning into the ’23 season, and a foot issue led him to short-term IR last year. The Broncos had just paid Jonathon Cooper, and with Nik Bonitto midway through a breakout year, the team did not plan to re-sign Browning.

Titans To Release OLB Harold Landry

March 7th, 2025 at 12:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans’ top edge rusher for nearly his entire career, Harold Landry is now available in free agency. After giving Landry permission to seek a trade during Combine week, the Titans are cutting him, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.

Landry joins Joey Bosa and Jonathan Allen as standout pass rushers cut this week. A year younger than both, Landry stands to generate considerable interest ahead of his age-29 season. Landry made it back from the ACL tear that wiped out his 2022 season, having played in all 34 Titans games since coming back.

As the Titans repeatedly tried to find outside help to complement Landry — from Vic Beasley to Cameron Wake to Jadeveon Clowney to Bud Dupree — the team could not find a solid complementary rusher. Arden Key remains in Tennessee, and he has been the best of this bunch, totaling 12.5 sacks over the past two seasons. But the Titans now have work to do at OLB, with Landry anchoring this group since becoming a 2018 second-round pick. This release comes as the Titans are set to meet with Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, who is in play to go No. 1 overall.

The Landry cut, assuming no post-June 1 designation is on tap, will save the Titans $10.95MM while leaving $13.1MM in dead money. No guaranteed salary remained on Landry’s five-year, $87.5MM deal, but two years of signing bonus proration will leave the dead cap. This move will bump the Titans beyond $60MM in cap space.

Cutting Landry with two years left on his deal signals big-picture changes for a team coming off a 3-14 season. The Titans are now two GMs removed from the one (Jon Robinson) who authorized Landry’s extension, with the team hiring Mike Borgonzi to work with Chad Brinker (after Ran Carthon‘s ouster) this offseason.

Chosen 41st overall out of Boston College, Landry teamed with 2019 first-rounder Jeffery Simmons to form a quality inside-outside tandem. The Titans paid both, but Simmons is all that remains from the pass rush that sacked Joe Burrow nine times during a narrow Tennessee divisional-round loss three seasons ago. Landry posted a career-high 12 sacks that year, leading the Titans to pay him just before he hit free agency. While the ACL tear sapped his momentum, Landry had inked his extension months before going down.

Landry posted 10.5 sacks in 2023, also posting his second-most QB hits (21) that season. He tallied nine sacks, including a safety, in 2024. That production did not exactly matter much for the Titans, who obtained the No. 1 pick after their downward spiral continued. Although Landry has only forced three career fumbles, the productive OLB has 50.5 career sacks despite missing all of 2022. Landry will join Bosa, Josh Sweat and Khalil Mack as productive veteran OLBs seeking third contracts in free agency.

Players given permission to shop at the Combine are starting to be released or traded. The 49ers found a taker for Deebo Samuel, while the Rams reunited Jonah Jackson with his former OC (new Bears HC Ben Johnson). Others in this position have been released (Allen, Landry, Rayshawn Jenkins) so far. More such resolutions are coming, with the 2025 league year starting Wednesday.

49ers Interested In Jonathan Allen; Vikings In Play For DT?

March 7th, 2025 at 12:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonathan Allen came up during the 49ers’ talks with the Commanders on Deebo Samuel. While the All-Pro wide receiver was eventually traded to Washington, the sides could not agree on an Allen inclusion. Now free from his second-tier defensive tackle contract, Allen will be available to the 49ers.

As they are with Joey Bosa, the 49ers are expected to show interest, per the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch. Allen, 30, will likely hear from a few teams. The Vikings may be ready to explore an addition as well, NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay adds.

The Commanders had given Allen permission to seek a trade, during a Combine week in which many teams did the same. These moves regularly lead to releases, and Allen is now off his four-year, $72MM contract. He was set to earn a $17MM base salary next season, which impacted a minimal trade market. The proven interior pass rusher was entering a contract year; he can now explore the market after multiple waves of DT deals dropped his Washington extension in the pecking order.

San Francisco’s Allen interest also comes as the team is releasing Javon Hargrave. The 2023 free agency addition — given a $21MM-per-year deal — will be a post-June 1 cut. Teams cannot officially move on from post-June 1 players until Wednesday, but Hargrave is no longer in the team’s plans. With Hargrave set to follow Arik Armstead out the door, the 49ers have some work to do at D-tackle. The 49ers also have Kevin Givens set for free agency.

Jordan Elliott and fellow 2024 acquisition Maliek Collins remain on the 49ers’ roster at DT, but Allen is much more accomplished. The eight-year Washington cog has 42 career sacks, having teams with Alabama teammate Daron Payne for seven seasons in the nation’s capital. Payne is all that remains from Washington’s four-first-rounder D-line stable, as the team traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young in 2023. Allen has more Pro Bowls than any of those players, having made two (in 2021 and ’22). After posting 19 QB hits in 2023, Allen suffered a partially torn pec and missed nine games last season.

The Vikings still have Harrison Phillips up front, but starters Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery are on track for free agency. Minnesota, which has most of its starting secondary uncertain to return in 2025, saved some money by not franchise-tagging Sam Darnold. Although the team is interested in retaining the QB at a lower rate, it has work to do on defense.

Travis Kelce On Decision To Play In 2025

March 7th, 2025 at 11:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Travis Kelce‘s future was a talking point leading up to Super Bowl LIX, and that remained the case after the game. It was learned during last week’s Combine, however, that the future Hall of Famer will remain with the Chiefs for at least one more season.

“I love playing,” Kelce said during an episode of his New Heights podcast (via NFL.com). “I still feel like I can play [football] at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past.

“I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended last year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me… I just feel like there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything that I’ve got, and that’s what I’m going to do, man.”

One year remains on Kelce’s contract, and in the absence of an extension being worked out he will no doubt continue to face questions about his playing future. The 35-year-old remained a focal point of the Chiefs’ passing attack in 2024, drawing 133 targets in 16 games. Kelce saw his yards per reception average drop to 8.5, however, by far the lowest mark of his career (aside from his one-game rookie campaign).

Kansas City will likely look to make at least one notable receiver addition to complement Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy this offseason, something which could lead to a decrease in Kelce’s role on offense. The 10-time Pro Bowler is nevertheless set to remain atop a tight end depth chart which also features Noah Gray, who inked a three-year extension this past September. Kelce has already won three Super Bowls, but to no surprise he noted the manner in which the Chiefs lost to the Eagles in this year’s title contest played a role in his decision to come back.

The 2010s All-Decade Team member already has one of the most decorated resumes at the tight end position, and Kelce will continue to add to it in 2025. As the Chiefs aim for another Super Bowl berth, one of the most impactful players in franchise history will look to return to his previous form on at least a short-term basis.

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