HEADLINES

Month: April 2025

Jets QB Jordan Travis To Retire

April 30th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jordan Travis will not end up continuing as a Jets reserve quarterback into a second season. He has informed the team of an intention to retire.

The former Florida State quarterback, who suffered a gruesome ankle injury in November 2023, will land on the Jets’ reserve/retired list. Chosen in last year’s fifth round, Travis said medical personnel have advised he leave the game.

“On November 18, 2023, my life took an unexpected turn,” Travis said in a statement. “I gave everything I had to the rehab process but despite all my efforts, my leg never responded the way we hoped. After much prayer and consultation with the doctors, medical experts and my agent, I’ve been medically advised to retire from the game I love so deeply.”

Multiple updates coming out of New York indicated Travis’ rehab route had not advanced as the team hoped. Then-interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said Travis had endured multiple setbacks during his rehab, and a pre-draft offering added that the team’s former coaching staff may have played a role in the effort not going smoothly. Travis’ agent said the pressure on last year’s coaching staff led to the team rushing the rookie, and the former high-end college passer’s ankle did not respond well.

Regardless of the timeline, it certainly appears Travis suffered a career-ending injury nearly 18 months ago. That injury kept Florida State out of the 2023 College Football Playoff field, which remained a four-team bracket that year, and hurt the QB’s draft stock. While Hendon Hooker rebounded to become the Lions’ backup QB last year, after a November 2022 ACL tear affected his draft stock, Travis will not be as fortunate. Travis sustained a fractured and dislocated ankle early in a game against Division I-FCS North Alabama, and extensive fallout emerged.

Travis, who transferred from Louisville to Florida State during a six-year college stay, spent last season on the Jets’ reserve/NFI list. He ended his Seminoles career No. 1 in school history in total offense (10,655 yards) and touchdowns (99), breaking former Heisman winner Chris Weinke‘s career records. Florida State had started 10-0 on the back of its veteran starter. When Travis went down, he was sitting on a 20-2 TD:INT ratio. The Jets believed he could have been a Day 2 pick had the injury not occurred, SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets.

The Jets have Tyrod Taylor positioned as Justin Fields‘ backup. While rumors persisted the team could use a Day 2 or Day 3 pick on a passer, no move materialized. One season remains on Taylor’s contract. Second-year UDFA Adrian Martinez is also on the team’s roster at quarterback.

Matthew Stafford’s Rams Reworking Includes Guarantee Bumps

April 30th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams and Matthew Stafford agreed on another reworked deal earlier this year, ending the trade storyline and ensuring the talented quarterback would return for a fifth season in Los Angeles. Some details on the QB’s contract adjustment have finally surfaced.

Stafford is still tied to a $40MM-per-year deal, but the Rams are boosting his guarantee total by a significant degree. Of the $80MM remaining on the contract, Stafford will see $56MM fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap. This updated package includes $20MM guaranteed this year and, more significantly regarding the QB’s future, $16MM guaranteed in 2026.

It would now cost the Rams $35.37MM in 2026 dead money were they to trade Stafford before June 1 next year. The team also dropped Stafford’s cap number to $40.97MM via the use of void years. While Stafford’s contract still runs through 2026, eight void years are now included in the deal. They will spread out Stafford’s option bonuses through 2027, per OverTheCap. The QB’s 2025 cap hit was to be $49.67MM before this adjustment.

It took some doing to reach this point. The Rams allowed Stafford to explore trades, and the Giants and Raiders (among others) expressed interest to the point they had high-guarantee packages ready. New York and Las Vegas stayed in this race until the end, when the 37-year-old QB opted not to venture into an uncertain situation. After all, Sean McVay has played a big part in elevating the former No. 1 pick’s profile due to the team success the Rams have achieved since the January 2021 trade. Stafford leaving his L.A. setup to be part of less talented Giants or Raiders teams did not make that much sense, but the QB has sought a better deal in each of the past two offseasons. This included a $50MM-per-year ask this offseason. Rather than go there, the Rams will instead lock in much of the QB’s money remaining on his current contract.

Stafford landed here because he gave the Rams a discount upon signing a four-year, $160MM extension in 2022. The Super Bowl LVI winner could have pushed for more, given his status and where the market was headed at that time, but he left money on the table to help the Rams build a better roster around him. This soon led to the team rewarding Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald. Stafford, however, likely grew to regret his decision — based on two years of angling for better arrangements.

The Giants were prepared to give Stafford a deal that included at least $50MM in per-year salary, while the Raiders’ Tom Brady-powered push was also believed to be high on guarantees. Both teams were viewed as willing to guarantee Stafford at least $90MM over two years. The Rams have not done that, but the QB opted for comfort over uncertainty.

Those teams’ pursuits make this year’s Stafford reworking a more player-friendly adjustment compared to 2024, when the Rams agreed to move $5MM from future years into his ’24 package. This adjustment also included a $4MM roster bonus. The 2025 redo brings a much bigger commitment, which Stafford has been seeking from the Rams. It would seem likely the sides will be at it again in 2025, though the experienced passer is not assured of playing beyond this season. The updated guarantee numbers would provide a better reason to do so, however.

No strong retirement rumors have emerged just yet, however, and Stafford has bounced back from his injury-plagued 2022 to reestablish his value. The Rams also did not draft a quarterback this year, continuing to delay their search for an heir apparent. That decision and this contract reworking illustrates the team remains a Stafford-centric operation.

Ravens Exercise Kyle Hamilton’s Fifth-Year Option, Decline Tyler Linderbaum’s

April 30th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the safest fifth-year option bets this year, the Ravens are indeed exercising Kyle Hamilton‘s. This will push the All-Pro safety’s contract through 2026.

Baltimore’s other 2022 first-round standout, however, will not see his deal extended beyond 2025. The Ravens declined center Tyler Linderbaum‘s option. The Ravens are interested in extensions with both, but the option decision may make a Linderbaum payday a front-burner matter for the defending AFC North champions, as he is now in a contract year.

Teams have until 3pm CT Thursday to decide on options for 2022 first-round picks. Hamilton becomes the 19th player in this class to see his option exercised. This marks an increase from 2021, when 15 players saw their options picked up. Though, teams were quicker to extend some of their 2021 first-rounders by last year’s option deadline. Thus far, only the Texans (Derek Stingley Jr.) have done so for a 2022 first-round pick.

Hamilton, 24, will see an $18.6MM fifth-year option number due to being named to two Pro Bowls on the original ballot. Although no safeties were franchise-tagged this year, that amount doubles as the tag number at the position. Hamilton has become one of the NFL’s best safeties, and his extension floor undoubtedly will be a record-setting deal. Linderbaum joins Hamilton in being a two-time Pro Bowler. That worked against the Ravens with the option, as it would have cost them $20.99MM. That matches Trey Smith‘s franchise tag value this year.

The Ravens landed Hamilton with their own draft choice (No. 14) three years ago; they picked up Linderbaum through a savvy trade. Although Baltimore’s draft-night wide receiver trade became overshadowed by Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown swap, the AFC North team managed to land a first-rounder in a deal involving Marquise Brown. The Cardinals sent the Ravens No. 23 overall as the headline asset in the Brown trade package, and Baltimore then moved down two spots (as Buffalo moved up for Kaiir Elam) to snag its next starting center at 25.

Excelling in myriad capacities for the Ravens, Hamilton has been as advertised for a Ravens team that just used another first-round pick on a safety (Georgia’s Malaki Starks). He will pair with Hamilton, whose role changed a bit because the Ravens were unable to rely on big-ticket free agent signing Marcus Williams and lower-end addition Eddie Jackson. Both are out of the picture, leaving Hamilton and Starks as the team’s back-line anchors.

Hamilton intercepted four passes, posted 10 tackles for loss and notched three sacks in 2023. This rocketed Mike Macdonald‘s defense to No. 1 overall, as the Notre Dame product soared to first-team All-Pro honors. Hamilton still secured second-team All-Pro accolades last season, but his INT and TFL counts (one, four) did not approach his lofty 2023 performance. Hamilton did force two fumbles last season, and the Ravens will count on him once again.

Another strong season will put Hamilton in line to perhaps approach $25MM per year, as a gap between he and the field — which is currently headlined by Kerby Joseph‘s $21.25MM AAV — may become warranted.

The only center chosen in the 2022 first round, Linderbaum has become a stalwart for a Ravens line that has seen changes persist around him. Although Baltimore has retained Ronnie Stanley, the team has seen its left tackle run into steady injury trouble. The LG, RG and RT positions have also fluctuated in Maryland, amplifying Linderbaum’s importance. The Iowa alum has started 49 games, earning Pro Bowl honors (on the original ballot, which triggered the first-tier option price) in each of the past two seasons.

ESPN’s pass block win rate metric slotted Linderbaum fourth among all O-linemen last season, while Pro Football Focus rated him third at the position. PFF highlighted Linderbaum’s run blocking, as Derrick Henry motored to a 1,900-yard season despite having turned 30. Linderbaum being instrumental in that effort stands to make him a candidate to eclipse Creed Humphrey‘s center-record $18MM-per-year extension.

The fourth-year Raven’s rising value likely made this a somewhat difficult call for Baltimore, which will need to work out a deal by next March. No center has been franchise-tagged in the past 15 years. The team has some breathing room with Hamilton, as a Linderbaum pact will be required earlier to keep him out of free agency. Barring a significant change, Hamilton has no realistic path to the market.

Bills To Sign WR Elijah Moore

April 30th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Elijah Moore‘s Buffalo visit will produce a deal. The Bills are bringing in the former Jets and Browns wide receiver, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

The veteran slot receiver can earn up to $5MM on a one-year deal. Moore, who visited the Bills on Monday, will follow former Chargers starter Josh Palmer as Bills WR additions this offseason. While the Browns applied a UFA tender to Moore before Monday’s deadline (regarding the 2026 compensatory formula), he has a deal in place more than two months before that tender would have given Cleveland exclusive negotiating rights.

As Cleveland aims for a potential comp pick for Moore’s Buffalo defection, the Bills have added an intriguing piece to Josh Allen‘s weaponry cadre. Palmer has regularly played in the slot, though he has shown ability on the perimeter as well, while the team still employs ex-Carolina and Washington inside receiver Curtis Samuel. Moore joins a suddenly crowded position group, one headlined by recently extended slot anchor Khalil Shakir and 2024 second-rounder Keon Coleman.

A post-draft Brandon Beane radio interview (via ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg) involved the Bills’ GM taking exception to hosts’ questioning of his receiver strategy. (The team waited until Round 7 to draft a wideout this year.) While no one among Buffalo’s receiving corps has proven to be on Stefon Diggs‘ level, Shakir has overachieved based on his fifth-round pedigree. Shakir has become Allen’s top target, while the Bills will be expecting Coleman to take a leap as an outside receiver this season. Though, Shakir, Palmer, Samuel and now Moore does create a bit of a logjam in the slot.

The Bills did not draft a receiver this year, helping explain this post-draft signing, and they have not re-signed Amari Cooper. While that was mentioned as a possibility months ago, the Palmer and Moore moves effectively point to Cooper being a 2024 rental. Cooper did not move the needle much in Buffalo, which will try younger options as Shakir complementary pieces.

Moore, 25, showed promise as a Jets rookie, despite playing in an offense featuring an erratic rookie-year Zach Wilson, but did not see eye-to-eye with OC Mike LaFleur by his second season. That brought a trade request. As the Jets moved toward their Aaron Rodgers-fronted roster, they traded Moore to the Browns in a pick-swap deal headlined by a second-rounder changing hands. Moore ran into more QB trouble in Cleveland, which saw its Deshaun Watson trade fail spectacularly. Last season later brought Jameis Winston‘s usual high-variance shtick and an overmatched Dorian Thompson-Robinson post-Watson. Moore finished his Browns tenure with 640- and 538-yard seasons. He totaled 538 with a career-high five TDs in 11 games as a rookie in New York.

There is reason to view Moore as having untapped potential, as he will not turn 26 until next year and has never played with an above-average quarterback (excepting perhaps Joe Flacco‘s Cleveland cameo). The Bills will hope so, and they have him at a low rate (compared to Palmer’s three-year, $30MM pact). Samuel’s three-year, $24MM deal a fully guaranteed $6.91MM 2025 salary, making it likely he is back. It will be interesting to see how this receiver situation shakes out this offseason, as Hollins played a regular role for the Bills despite Cooper’s addition.

Colts Notes: Warren, Leonard, Carlies, Wohler

April 30th, 2025 at 10:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Colts general manager Chris Ballard has established an affinity for trading back in the draft, particularly in the second round.

He moved back in the second round in the last three drafts, adding extra picks to select Bernhard Raimann and Andrew Ogletree in 2022, Adetomiwa Adebawore in 2023, and Anthony Gould in 2024.

This year, however, the Colts declined multiple opportunities to trade back in the first two days of the draft, per Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.

“We were really convicted about who was on the board at the time,” said Ballard, explaining that the team felt they’d be risking a significant drop in talent by moving back. The Colts were enamored with their targets across the first three rounds, selecting Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at No. 14, Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimuoloau at No. 45, and Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley at No. 80.

Indianapolis later traded their fourth-round pick, moving back 10 slots to pick up an extra sixth-rounder that was used on Alabama defensive tackle Tim Smith.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/30/25

April 30th, 2025 at 9:08pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: DE Mapalo Mwansa

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Released: LB Thomas Rush

Giants Notes: Manning, Carter, Nubin, Neal

April 30th, 2025 at 8:23pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Giants announced that they were looking to sell a “minority, non-controlling” ownership stake in the team in February. Now, a franchise legend is interested buying into his former team.

Eli Manning is putting together a bid for the available shares in the Giants, according to Gillian Tan and Randall Williams of Bloomberg, looking to become the next former NFL player to become part-owner of a franchise. Tom Brady, who famously lost Super Bowls to Manning’s Giants in 2008 and 2012, became a minority owner of the Raiders last year.

Previous reports have indicated that the Giants would sell as much as a 10% stake. Forbes valued the franchise at $7.3 billion last August, suggesting that a new investment group would need to raise at least $730MM.

Manning has $232.5MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap, plus millions more from endorsements and business ventures, but he will still need deeper pockets to afford that price tag. He has spoken to other NFL players, per Bloomberg, and could also look for interest at Brand Velocity Group, a private equity firm in which he is a partner.

  • New Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter is “ready to go” for rookie mini-camp and OTAs, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. The No. 3 pick was rehabbing injuries to his foot and shoulder during the pre-draft process, but will be able to participate in team activities this spring.
  • The Giants are planning to move 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal to guard, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. This confirms a previous report from Raanan that the 24-year-old was “destined” to slide inside. New York declined to pick up his fifth-year option last week and are hoping the position switch will salvage the last year of his rookie contract. Neal last played guard as a true freshman at Alabama in 2019 and has since played exclusively tackle. His struggles blocking out in space in the NFL may be covered up on the interior, where his natural size and strength can play a bigger factor.
  • 2024 second-rounder Tyler Nubin underwent ankle surgery this offseason after an injury sidelined him for the last few games of the 2024 regular season, per Schwartz. His 98 tackles as a rookie ranked second on the Giants despite appearing in just 13 games.

Saints’ Derek Carr Provides Update On Shoulder Injury

April 30th, 2025 at 7:04pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Saints quarterback Derek Carr confirmed that he was dealing with a shoulder injury during a guest sermon at Church LV in Las Vegas last weekend, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

“I have an MRI report to prove it,” said Carr. “The team knows about it, we’ve been in constant communication.” 

He also criticized media speculation about his injury and his absence in New Orleans as the Saints began offseason workouts, revealing that his wife was dealing with a serious health issue that delayed their return to the Big Easy. Carr did not provide any more details regarding the specific nature of his injury or his timeline to return.

Carr’s brother, former NFL quarterback David Carr, offered some more clarity in an appearance on NFL Network. He explained that the injury is believed to have occurred during the Saints’ Week 14 matchup with the Giants last December. Derek Carr also broke his wrist and suffered a concussion in that game, his last of the season. After his wrist healed, he realized his shoulder was still hurt and began to evaluate his options for the future.

Surgery is a possibility, which could threaten Carr’s availability for the 2025 season. He would prefer to focus on rehab with the goal of playing as soon as possible. The 34-year-old quarterback is seeking more opinions and consulting with the team on how best to move forward.

The Saints’ decision to draft Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough last weekend looms larger in the light of Carr’s injury update, especially with the information that the team is fully aware of his shoulder injury. New Orleans believes that Shough was the most pro-ready QB in the draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, which may have been an especially strong motivator with the potential for Carr to miss time this year.

General manager Mickey Loomis said that there would be a “competition” when asked about Shough’s role, but indicated that Carr would remain the starter when healthy. If he’s still out to start the year, Shough could take over as starter and make it hard for the Saints to go back to Carr once he’s ready to return. That might be why Carr would prefer to rehab his shoulder and attempt to play as soon as possible; if not, he could find himself out of a job.

Patriots To Decline G Cole Strange’s Fifth-Year Option

April 30th, 2025 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots’ Cole Strange pick generated scrutiny at the time for being a reach, and the young guard has yet to justify his first-round selection. New England will now shift Strange into a contract year.

As expected, Strange will not see his fifth-year option exercised, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. That would have brought a $16.69MM fully guaranteed 2026 salary, making it essentially a non-starter for the Pats.

Teams have less than 24 hours to make their fifth-year option calls, which has brought a flurry of updates on this front Wednesday. But Strange’s never appeared in doubt. He missed seven games in 2023 and 14 last season. A patellar tendon tear ended Strange’s sophomore season, and he did not return until December 2024. The Pats activated Strange from the reserve/PUP list in early December but did not give him an offensive snap until Week 17 more than two weeks later.

New England did, however, reinstall Strange as a starter — at center — to close last season. The pre-draft plan had been for the Chattanooga product to enter the offseason as a starter (back at left guard) as well. While that may still be a go, New England drafted Georgia interior O-lineman Jared Wilson in Round 3. Wilson is listed as a center, but a quicker path to the starting lineup may be at guard, where Strange has proven unreliable. The Pats signed Garrett Bradbury shortly after his Vikings release.

The Pats traded down from No. 22 (via the Chiefs, who climbed up for Trent McDuffie) in 2022, landing on Strange at 30 in Bill Belichick‘s penultimate draft running the team. Strange was not mocked as a first-rounder that year, but he started 17 games at left guard for the ’22 Pats. With the Morgan Moses signing set to entrench Michael Onwenu at right guard, the team will carry a left guard question into training camp.

For now, however, Strange will aim to prove he can hold down the gig. Doing so would put him on a path to free agency, though the Patriots will retain exclusive negotiating rights with the soon-to-be 27-year-old blocker until the 2026 legal tampering period. Strange has plenty to prove between now and then, but with the guard market taking off in free agency, he could secure a nice payday by staying healthy in 2025.

Raiders To Hire Broncos’ Brian Stark As Assistant GM

April 30th, 2025 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Spytek came to Las Vegas from Tampa, but the former Tom Brady college teammate also has a past in Denver. Some of his hires reflect that.

The Raiders hired Broncos exec Mark Thewes to be their senior VP of football operations early this offseason, and they have since made a bigger addition from Denver’s staff. Brian Stark will join the Raiders as assistant general manager, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports.

Spytek and Stark worked together in Denver during the first half of the 2010s, serving under then-GM John Elway. Stark climbed to the Broncos’ director of college scouting post late in Elway’s tenure and stayed on under successor George Paton. The latter also lost his own assistant GM, Darren Mougey, this offseason. Mougey is now the Jets’ GM.

The Broncos interviewed Stark for their GM job in 2021, but Paton kept him around despite that. Stark had been viewed as a rising exec at the time, and this climb could potentially put him on the GM radar moving forward. Stark has not interviewed for a GM job since that Broncos meeting four years ago. He was likely to see a promotion in Denver this offseason, considering the turnover on the Broncos’ staff, Insidetheleague.com’s Neil Stratton adds.

Although it took a while for the Broncos to recover from Peyton Manning‘s retirement, they rebuilt around a new core that helped Bo Nix pilot the 2024 roster to the playoffs. The Broncos also gave up three first-round picks in trades for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton, limiting their draft capital this decade. The team has, however, found impact players in Patrick Surtain, Quinn Meinerz and Nik Bonitto this decade. Jonathon Cooper also recently earned an extension, after rising from seventh-round pick to starter. Marvin Mims, a 2023 second-round pick, has also earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors.

It is not known who holds the roster-control hammer in Las Vegas just yet, as a collaborative approach (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) took place in the draft last week. This marked a change from recent drafts, per Tafur. Brady, Spytek and Pete Carroll each have significant input. That stands to limit the influence of an assistant GM, but Spytek is bringing aboard one of his former coworkers to help the cause.

In addition to Stark, the Raiders are hiring former Jets staffer Johnathon Stigall as their assistant director of college scouting, Stratton tweets. Stigall had been with the Jets since 2014, moving into the role of national scout last year. With the Jets restructuring under Mougey, he will head to Vegas to help out under Spytek. Stigall has been in the NFL since 1999, having worked previously with the Browns, Eagles, Dolphins and Bears.

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