HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

49ers Open To Trading WR Brandon Aiyuk

March 26th, 2025 at 10:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Recovering from an ACL injury and now attached to a lucrative four-year deal, Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t been nearly as popular on this website as he was last offseason. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s any less available than he was in 2024.

According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, the 49ers are open to trading their top wide receiver, and there has been “communication with several teams.” This follows a report from earlier this month that rival teams were sniffing around on Aiyuk’s trade availability.

With Aiyuk set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, the receiver appeared to be firmly on the trade block last offseason. He was connected to a number of teams, including a nixed trade to the Steelers, before ultimately inking a four-year, $120MM extension with the 49ers. Aiyuk tore his ACL in October, ending his season prematurely.

Aiyuk’s injury and extension would obviously change his trade market in 2025. Further, the 49ers’ receiving outlook looks a whole lot different than it did just one month ago. Deebo Samuel is now gone, leaving the organization with some question marks at the position.

Jauan Jennings had some standout performances while filling in for teammates in 2024 but has never topped 1,000 yards receiving, and Ricky Pearsall‘s tumultuous rookie season saw him finish with 31 receptions. The team added Demarcus Robinson to a grouping that also includes the likes of 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing, veteran Russell Gage, and free agent addition Isaiah Hodgins.

In other words, the team is expected to be especially reliant on Aiyuk moving forward, so it’d be a surprise if the team was suddenly willing to pivot when the player’s trade value is likely at its lowest. The timing of a trade could also complicate things. As Schultz notes, Aiyuk has a guaranteed option bonus of $23MM due next week, and a trade would likely have to be consummated before that date.

So, while both the 49ers and suitors may have interest in a potential deal, it seems unlikely that anything will come to fruition any time soon.

Browns “Leaning Towards” Abdul Carter At 2

March 26th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ben Levine

While plenty could change over the next month, it sounds like we’re starting to get some clarity atop the draft board. During an appearance on NFL Live today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Browns are “leaning towards” selecting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter with the second-overall pick (h/t ESPN Cleveland).

Schefter cautions that things could change, but he believes Carter is “tracking to being a Brown.” Schefter also notes that the draft’s real intrigue starts with the Giants at No. 3, an indication that the Titans are destined to select Cam Ward with the first-overall pick.

There’s been plenty of speculation about how the Browns would approach this year’s draft. Deshaun Watson is under contract for two more years, but the QB’s second Achilles tear has put his future with Cleveland in doubt. As a result, some pundits have assumed that the organization would jump at one of the draft’s top-two QB prospects, and with Ward trending towards the number-one pick, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders would seemingly be a natural selection.

On the flip side, neither Sanders nor Ward are considered blue-chip prospects, and the Browns would surely be fading more decorated prospects if they chose a QB at No. 2. Carter has always loomed as an option, as the pass rusher is considered one of the best non-QB prospects in the draft. The other contender for that unofficial title would be Colorado’s Travis Hunter. For what it’s worth, the Browns have met with all four of the aforementioned prospects.

Carter climbed to the top of draft boards following a standout 2024 campaign where he collected 12 sacks and a Division I-leading 24 tackles for loss. After entering the pre-draft process with a shoulder injury, Carter was reportedly dealing with a foot issue. Ultimately, it was determined the player didn’t have to go under the knife, and the injuries clearly haven’t done anything to hurt his draft stock.

If Cleveland does ultimately opt for Carter, they’d be forming one of the best pass-rush tandems in the NFL. The Browns committed big money to keep Myles Garrett in Cleveland, but that extension apparently hasn’t dissuaded the front office from pursuing the same position in the draft.

With Ward penciled in at No. 1 and Carter at No. 2, all eyes will turn to the Giants at No. 3. The team has also been mentioned as a landing spot for a QB prospect, even after they added Russell Wilson as their presumed 2025 starter. If the team decides against selecting Sanders, then Hunter would presumably be the team’s target at No. 3.

49ers, Brock Purdy “Actively Negotiating” New Contract

March 26th, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have continually made it clear that they intend to keep Brock Purdy around for the foreseeable future. Well, after extension negotiations reportedly started last month, it sounds like the two sides have made some progress.

[RELATED: 49ers Begin Extension Talks With Brock Purdy]

According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Purdy and the 49ers are “actively negotiating” a new deal. The hope is to finalize a contract before the start of the 2025 season.

The source did caution that an extension isn’t imminent, although they left the door open to the contract being finalized before next month’s draft. Either way, there’s a clear expectation that the two sides will cross the finish line over the next few months.

By now, we’re all familiar with Purdy’s story. The former Mr. Irrelevant guided his team to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie and the Super Bowl as a sophomore. While the 49ers’ 2024 campaign didn’t go as planned, Purdy has still established himself as a franchise quarterback…while also setting himself up for a lucrative pay day.

By virtue of his No. 262 slot on the draft board, Purdy has provided the 49ers with a massive discount over the past three years, with the QB earning $2.6MM over that span. Thanks to performance escalators, Purdy will see a significant jump to $5.2MM in 2025, although that’s still an obvious discount when compared to the rest of the market.

While it seems inevitable that Purdy will ink an extension with the 49ers, there’s still a question of how much that contract will be worth. Per Schultz, Purdy will have a difficult time matching Dak Prescott‘s $60MM AAV, but several sources believe he’ll still clock in at around $50MM to $55MM. A rival GM also suggested that Purdy could take a slight discount to continue helping his organization, although that same executive still believes he’ll approach the top of the market.

The 49ers front office hasn’t had the easiest time navigating recent extensions to star players. As Schultz notes, extensions for Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk were completed right before the regular season, and deals for Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel also led to “drawn-out” processes. The organization will surely be looking to avoid the drama with their QB, and it sounds like there’s extra motivation to sign Purdy as soon as possible.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/26/25

March 26th, 2025 at 8:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Titans Sign QB Tim Boyle

March 26th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Titans continue to move closer to selecting a quarterback with the first-overall pick, the team has added some veteran help at the position. The Titans announced today that they’ve signed quarterback Tim Boyle.

A 2018 UDFA, Boyle has settled into a clear backup role at this point of his career. The veteran has appeared in 23 career games, spending time with the Packers, Lions, Bears, Jets, Texans, Dolphins, and Giants. He’s gone winless in his five career starts, tossing four touchdowns vs. nine interceptions in those outings.

The 30-year-old bounced around the league a bit in 2024. He was cut by the Texans at the end of the preseason before landing on Miami’s practice squad. He got into two games with the Dolphins but was ultimately cut in October. He landed with the Giants, where he’d finish the season. In total, Boyle got into three games last year, completing 27 of his 50 pass attempts for 276 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

The Titans already brought in another veteran QB this offseason in Brandon Allen, and the two acquisitions join holdover Will Levis on the depth chart. A 2023 second-round pick, Levis wasn’t drafted by the current Titans regime, and the addition of a second clear backup could signal that Levis will inevitably be shuttled off the roster. There’s also a chance the Titans skip the QB position or trade out of the No. 1 pick, although that’s seeming increasingly unlikely as the team prepares for a second meeting with Cam Ward.

OL Draft Notes: Campbell, Simmons, 49ers

March 26th, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Projected first-round pick Will Campbell measured in with 33-inch arms at LSU’s Pro Day, per ESPN’s Field Yates, an increase over his measurement at the NFL Combine.

His arm length was measured at 32.675 inches in Indianapolis, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, three-eighths of an inch below the league’s general standard of 33-inch arms for offensive tackles. Curiously, Campbell’s measured wingspan at the Combine (72.375 inches) was longer than his wingspan at his Pro Day (72.25 inches). Both figures are below-average figures for pro tackles.

Typically, college tackles with shorter arms are encouraged to move inside to guard or center to avoid constant matchups with long, powerful NFL edge rushers. The same concerns have been raised about Campbell in the pre-draft process, though he put together multiple years of elite tape at LSU while playing left tackle.

Campbell responded to concerns about his arm length at his pro day, refuting the idea that below-average arm length would limit him in the pros.

“For two years, nobody had any measurements on me and nobody said anything about my play,” said Campbell (via Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football). “So now all of a sudden, an arm length decides if I’m a good player or not?”

Campbell has consistently been ranked as a top-10 overall prospect and is expected to be the first offensive lineman drafted in April, though his exact landing spot may depend on which teams see him as an offensive tackle.

  • Some NFL teams see Campbell as a guard, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. All of his elite traits – particularly his athleticism and technique – will translate to guard, but teams are less likely to use a top-10 pick on a less-valued position. (The last guard taken in the first 10 picks was Quenton Nelson in 2018.) Teams that project Campbell to stay at tackle will value him higher. In short, if Campbell is drafted in the top 10 as expected, it will likely come with the expectation that he will play tackle in the pros.
  • Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn patellar tendon suffered in October, according to Ian Rapoport and Stacey Dales of NFL Network. The injury was originally expected to threaten Simmons’ availability for the 2025 season, but he is now expected to be at 100% before the draft. Simmons’ reparative surgery included a “double graft” to make his patellar tendon “extra strong,” per Dales, and he has impressed doctors with his progress in rehab. He did a brief workout at Ohio State’s pro day, including 33 reps on the bench press, which would have tied him for the most of any player at this year’s Combine. Simmons’ injury could have knocked him out of first-round consideration, but his speedy recovery should shore up his stock and give him a strong chance to be selected on Day 1 of April’s draft as a solid blocker with experience at both tackle spots.
  • The 49ers are among the teams who are expected to target offensive linemen early in the draft, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Trent Williams missed the team’s last seven games of the season due to a lower leg injury, and future absences remain a risk for the 37-year-old left tackle. 49ers general manager John Lynch indicated at the Combine that the team was looking closely at the 2025 OL draft class, but he hasn’t spent a first-round pick on an offensive lineman since Mike McGlinchey, the ninth overall pick in 2018. This year, several of the draft’s top offensive linemen should be available to the 49ers at the 11th overall pick.

Commanders’ Andrew Wylie Accepts Pay Cut

March 26th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran offensive tackle Andrew Wylie agreed to a revised contract with the Commanders that reduces his 2025 compensation by $3.75MM, according to OverTheCap.

In return, the Commanders guaranteed $3.5MM of Wylie’s existing money, per ESPN’s John Keim, including a $1MM signing bonus and a fully-guaranteed $2.5MM base salary for the 2025 season. The seven-year veteran can earn $255k in per-game roster bonuses and and $250k in workout bonuses, $50k of which is new money.

Wylie will now count for $6.6MM against the Commanders’ salary cap, bringing the team to over $28MM in available cap space.

The renegotiated contract represents a growing trend around the NFL of teams asking veteran players to take a pay cut in the final year of their contract when little or none of their salary is guaranteed. Players often have little leverage in these situations, especially after the first wave of free agency has passed. Other teams have less money to spend with fewer needs to fill, meaning a smaller market if the player is released. Players also may not want to change teams after multiple years in the same city due to their familiarity with their coaches, teammates, and scheme, as well as personal and family considerations.

Wylie, however, had a legitimate argument to reject the pay cut and stay at his previous salary after starting 29 games for the Commanders over the last two years. He is not considered an elite tackle, but his $10.4MM cap hit still represented a solid value for a proven veteran at a premium position. The Commanders also have plenty of cap space remaining to sign their 2025 draft class and fill out their roster, even after trading for Deebo Samuel and making several signings in free agency.

Instead, Wylie opted to stay in Washington for additional guarantees, though the deal does not contain incentives that would allow him to make up the lost money. He is still slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season.

Broncos To Re-Sign FB Michael Burton

March 26th, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michael Burton has a path to playing an 11th NFL season. The well-traveled fullback will stay put with the Broncos, who are bringing him back for what would be a third season with the team.

The team is re-signing Burton on a one-year deal, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans report. Burton is going into his age-33 season. While the Broncos will enter the draft with an eye on adding a starter-caliber running back, they will ensure fullback continuity for another season. Burton played last season for the veteran minimum.

Like a few others on Denver’s roster, Burton has a New Orleans past. Playing for Sean Payton with the 2020 Saints, the well-traveled blocking back reunited with the veteran HC in Denver two years ago. Burton also began his career with the Lions, who employed current Broncos OC Joe Lombardi when Burton arrived as a 2015 fifth-round pick. Burton has also made career stops in Chicago, Washington and Kansas City.

The Broncos used Burton on just 180 offensive snaps last season. That is not exactly out of step with the modern fullback workload (non-Kyle Juszczyk division), as the position has declined in importance for many years now. Pro Football Focus, however, ranked Burton first among FBs in 2024. PFF also ranked Burton first among fullbacks in 2023, and the Broncos will aim to deploy the niche player again in 2025. Burton has also played at least 62% of Denver’s special teams plays in each of his two seasons with the team.

Collecting a Super Bowl ring with the 2022 Chiefs, Burton is now the longest-tenured Broncos back — now that Javonte Williams joined the Cowboys in free agency. Denver still rosters Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin, the latter joining the team as a UDFA weeks after Burton in 2023, along with reserve Tyler Badie. Blake Watson, a 2024 UDFA, is on the roster as well. The team, however, will undoubtedly be looking to this deep draft class to replace Williams, who moved on after four seasons.

AFC South Rumors: Autry, Titans, Jags, Colts

March 26th, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Denico Autry‘s first Texans season did not go according to plan, with the AFC South nomad incurring a six-game PED suspension. Several months later, Autry looks to have taken a bit of a pay cut. Having signed a two-year, $20MM deal in 2024, Autry is now tied to a one-year contract worth $7.5MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. This is down from $9MM in 2025 base value. Autry will see his base salary reduced from $8.5MM to $3.5MM, and while $3MM of that has gone into a signing bonus for restructure purposes, the rest shifts to incentives. Overall, Autry’s 2025 cap hit will drop from $10.3MM to $6.6MM. Autry, who will turn 35 this summer, totaled three sacks in a mostly rotational role last season. He is one of four 30-somethings on the Texans’ D-line, joining Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins and Mario Edwards.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • The Titans would appear to have some work to do at wide receiver. Although they added auxiliary pass catcher Van Jefferson as a roster hopeful, the team is bringing in Terrace Marshall for a Wednesday visit, Wilson tweets. Marshall played three seasons with the Panthers and one with the Raiders, moving from Carolina trade candidate to a player eventually cut. The former second-round pick has not lived up to expectations but, after auditioning for the Steelers, has drawn the Titans’ attention. As for Jefferson, Wilson adds his contract is worth just $1.79MM and carries $1.17MM guaranteed.
  • Mike McCoy will change AFC South addresses in 2025. The former Chargers HC will shift from a Jacksonville assistant to a Tennessee staffer. The Titans hired McCoy as a senior offensive assistant, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky noted earlier this month. McCoy, 52, spent the past three seasons as the Jaguars’ QBs coach under Doug Pederson. McCoy was in place as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator when Brian Callahan broke into the NFL; the two overlapped in Denver from 2009-12.
  • Tank Dell went through a key step during his latest rehab process, undergoing surgery to repair a December ACL tear, per Wilson. The Texans receiver was set to undergo multiple surgeries after suffering immense damage while scoring a touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 16. He had already undergone a previous operation to address his latest significant injury. Dell tore an ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus on the play, requiring ambulance transportation from Arrowhead Stadium. The 2023 third-round pick, who sustained a broken leg as a rookie, faces an uphill battle to play at any point in 2025. Dell is under contract through the 2026 season.
  • Circling back to some Titans contract matters, the team has one of the most decorated special-teamers in the fold for nearly the veteran minimum. Johnny Hekker, a four-time first-team All-Pro punter, signed a one-year deal worth just $1.42MM ($1.19MM guaranteed), Wilson tweets. A 13-year veteran, Hekker played out a three-year, $7.62MM Panthers pact. Tennessee’s Sebastian Joseph-Day contract checks in at $6.5MM in base value, per Wilson, who adds the Titans’ Brandon Allen accord is worth $1.42MM. This is slightly down from Allen’s 2024 49ers pay ($2MM).
  • The Jaguars‘ Chuma Edoga contract is worth $7MM over two years, Wilson adds. The veteran swingman will see $3.2MM guaranteed at signing. Nothing is guaranteed beyond Year 1 for the former Jets, Falcons and Cowboys blocker, who will take his place behind Walker Little and Anton Harrison on Jacksonville’s depth chart. Additionally, the Jags’ two-year, $5MM Hunter Long deal will come with $3MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson adds. That includes a $1MM guarantee in 2026.
  • Wrapping up this contract roundup, Ashton Dulin secured similar Colts terms from his 2023 deal. After playing out a two-year contract worth $7.2MM, the backup wideout recommitted to Indianapolis on a two-year, $6.5MM deal, Wilson tweets. Dulin, who bounced back from a 2023 ACL tear last year, will see $2.94MM guaranteed at signing.

Browns Conduct Cam Ward Workout

March 26th, 2025 at 10:53am CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 26: This second meeting is a private workout, according to CanesInSight. Jimmy Haslam joined GM Andrew Berry in being on-hand for the Ward workout Wednesday morning in Coral Gables, Fla., cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot confirms. Kevin Stefanski was also at the Ward workout, Cabot adds.

The Titans have the inside track on Ward and have been increasingly connected to the Miami prospect, having scheduled their own private workout with the potential No. 1 overall pick. Tennessee passing would obviously open the door for Cleveland here, but if the Titans do pass on Ward, they likely will be interested in collecting assets to move down. The Browns are doing their due diligence in the event they do have access to this draft’s highest-rated QB.

MARCH 25: Pro Days are in full swing, and Miami’s took place on Monday. That allowed NFL evaluators to see Cam Ward throw after he elected not to do so at the Combine.

As expected, multiple teams sent a contingent to watch and speak with the consensus top quarterback in the 2025 draft class. That included the Titans, the team which owns the No. 1 pick and is increasingly seen as being likely to retain the selection and use it on Ward. In the event a trade-down move were to take place, though, the Browns and Giants could find themselves in the mix to draft the first-team All-American.

Cleveland sent assistant general manager Glenn Cook to the Hurricanes’ Pro Day, but several other members of the organization are set to speak with Ward shortly. An in-person meeting has been scheduled between the ACC Player of the Year and multiple members of the Browns’ organization later this week in Miami, Zac Jackson and Jeff Howe of The Athletic report (subscription required). The parties have already met once, with Cleveland speaking to the top two quarterback prospects along with Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter prior to free agency.

[RELATED: Browns Line Up Top-30 Visit With Tyler Shough]

Set to select second overall, the Browns are among the teams in the market for a long-term quarterback investment this spring. Deshaun Watson is under contract for two more years, although his second Achilles tear leaves his 2025 availability in doubt and his level of play when on the field for Cleveland has required the addition of competition under center anyway. The team has swung a trade for ex-Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett, but further moves could be coming in free agency and/or the draft.

Cleveland has been linked to Kirk Cousins based on his history with head coach Kevin Stefanski, but his preference would be for a trade from the Falcons to his next team to take place after April’s draft. Cousins aims to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation where Atlanta drafted his successor shortly after signing him in free agency, so he will look to join a team which does not wind up selecting a passer on Day 1 of the draft. In terms of free agents, the likes of Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson are options still on the market for Cleveland.

The Browns have been previously connected to entertaining offers allowing them to move down the board, but it remains to be seen how willing teams will be to trade up in 2025. This year’s class is not seen as having many bluechip prospects, especially at the QB position. That could entice the Titans to stay in place (although they could be open to trading down in a way which still ensured their ability to draft Ward) and likewise keep Cleveland in the No. 2 slot. Much of the Browns’ planning will depend on their evaluation of Ward, a process which will continue in a notable way shortly.

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