Packers Re-Sign TE John FitzPatrick
The Packers are bringing back John FitzPatrick after all. The team announced tonight that they’ve re-signed the free agent tight end. Veteran reporter Howard Balzer was first with the news.
There was some uncertainty surrounding FitzPatrick’s future in Green Bay. The midseason acquisition was initially positioned to hit restricted free agency. However, the Packers never tendered him a contract, making the tight end an unrestricted free agent. Ultimately, the two sides will be looking to extend their partnership for at least another season.
A former sixth-round pick by the Falcons, FitzPatrick started last season on Atlanta’s practice squad. He was snagged by Green Bay in October as the Packers navigated Luke Musgrave‘s absence, and FitzPatrick proceeded to get into nine games (plus another playoff contest) for his new squad.
He finished his season with a single catch, with 53 of his 73 offensive snaps coming as a run blocker. The 25-year-old also got some looks on special teams. In total, FitzPatrick has appeared in 91 career offensive snaps and 133 ST snaps.
The Packers positional depth chart should look very similar next year. Tucker Kraft returns as the starting tight end following a breakout campaign, and Musgrave should also be fully healthy after returning late in the 2024 season. FitzPatrick could ultimately be competing for a roster spot with Ben Sims, who finished second at the position in 2024 with 224 snaps.
NFL Announces 17 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 17 draft prospects waiting in the green room to hear their name announced next week. The NFL announced the players who will attend the first round next Thursday night in Green Bay:
- G Tyler Booker, Alabama
- LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
- OT Will Campbell, LSU
- DE Abdul Carter, Penn State
- QB Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
- WR Matthew Golden, Texas
- DT Mason Graham, Michigan
- DB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
- RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- DB Will Johnson, Michigan
- WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
- OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
- DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
- DE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
- DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
When players commit to attending the first round of the draft, their respective camps have often been given some kind of assurance that they’ll be selected within the top-32 picks. Of course, that’s not a prerequisite, and as we’ve seen many times, there are some overly-confident prospects who subsequently endure the very-public waiting game.
Per usual, the most notable inclusions surround the QB position. Cam Ward is the favorite to go first-overall, and Shedeur Sanders (who is absent from this list) is also expected to be selected at some point in the first round. After that, the position is pretty uncertain, and that could lead to some awkward moments for the other QBs who decided to attend.
Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe have firmly established themselves in that next tier of QB prospects, and recent reports have indicated that they should be at least Day 2 picks. There haven’t been any definitive reports about their Day 1 candidacy, and while we shouldn’t read too much into the list of attendees, it is notable that both prospects believe they have a shot of going in the top-32 selections.
Saints’ Derek Carr Battling Shoulder Injury, Weighing Surgery
APRIL 14: With plenty of uncertainty looming over this situation, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Carr’s camp has informed the team the current issue stems from the fact his 2023 AC joint sprain never healed in full. Especially if that is the case, surgery will no doubt receive strong consideration. As the draft draws nearer, New Orleans’ 2025 outlook under center remains uncertain.
APRIL 11: As the Saints determine if they want to make a significant quarterback investment, they have another issue to deal with regarding their current starter. While coming to New Orleans as one of the NFL’s most durable players, Derek Carr has run into frequent health concerns.
His latest involves a shoulder malady, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This issue could affect Carr’s regular-season availability, Rapoport adds, as surgery is being considered. Carr missed seven games last season, seeing oblique and hand injuries lead to the low attendance number. The Saints restructured Carr’s contract recently, locking in the 11-year veteran for at least one more season and making a 2026 separation more costly.
Prior to coming to New Orleans, Carr had missed just three games due to injury in nine Oakland/Las Vegas seasons. One of those was a playoff game due to a broken leg suffered in Week 16 of the 2016 season. Carr returned in time for the 2017 campaign. With the Saints, however, the experienced starter continues to see hurdles appear. This latest comes at a rather significant time, as a Saints franchise that has not selected a quarterback in the first round since Archie Manning (1971) considers breaking that streak.
It is unclear how or when Carr sustained this injury. While “what they knew and when they knew it” questions are natural here, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds the possibility of shoulder surgery has not surprised the Saints. With the Saints’ massive dead money numbers tied to Carr’s contract stemming from signing bonus proration and void years, an offsite injury affecting guarantees would not matter significantly with regards to an earlier-than-expected separation. But Carr’s offseason outlook certainly looks cloudy in light of this news, with Russini noting there is curiosity around the league about there being more to this story. The 2023 signee remains signed through 2026.
Carr sustained an oblique tear in Week 5 last season; the issue sidelined him for three games. A fracture on his nonthrowing hand, sustained in Week 14, moved Carr out of the picture to close the season. While some uncertainty cropped up between the Saints’ Kellen Moore HC hire and the team’s decision to go through with another restructure, Carr had been penciled in to continue as the team’s starter for a while. As it stands, the Saints are not prepared to be without their first-stringer.
The team has resisted calls for a rebuild, with Carr the main impediment at this point. A surgery that could sideline the starter for part of the 2025 season would stand to impact the team’s thinking in the draft, though a priority of finding a long-term successor will naturally be more important during the late-April event.
The Saints have been closely tied to Quinn Ewers as a potential Day 2 option, while a recent report did not peg them as surefire Shedeur Sanders suitors. As presently constructed, the Saints would not present Sanders or another rookie with a great opportunity to hit the ground running. They are coming off a 5-12 season and did add much of note to their roster on offense. The perennially cap-strapped team is again out of those woods, but the options for adding a short-term stopgap are minimal right now. Ex-Day 3 picks Spencer Rattler, the team’s primary Carr replacement in 2024, and Jake Haener remain rostered.
Joe Flacco joined the Browns today, and the Seahawks completed a QB reunion of their own — with Drew Lock. That takes two clear options off the table, leaving Carson Wentz and a potential Ryan Tannehill unretirement as unexciting solutions. Aaron Rodgers technically remains a free agent, but he has been hesitant on any non-Vikings-based chance to continue his career.
Rodgers showing much interest in the Saints would surprise, and it is still too early to speculate on full-fledged solutions due to the lack of information about Carr’s injury. But this is obviously a concern that will need to be closely monitored. The Saints begin their offseason program Monday.
Jakobi Meyers Open To Raiders Extension
Jakobi Meyers has operated as a central contributor to the Raiders’ passing attack during his two years with the team. The veteran wideout has received 235 targets since the start of last season, and he should again handle a heavy workload in 2025. 
The upcoming campaign represents the final one of Meyers’ current contract, however. The 2023 free agent signing is owed $11MM in 2025, including a $10.5MM base salary. None of that is guaranteed, however, meaning Meyers could be among the next Raiders in line to receive an extension from the new Pete Carroll-John Spytek regime.
On that note, ESPN’s Ryan McFadden reports Meyers is open to a new deal based on his desire to remain in Vegas for the long term. The 28-year-old is set to carry a cap charge of $14.99MM next year, and it could be lowered by an extension. Meyers joined the Raiders on an $11MM-per-year deal, and he has delivered strong value with an average of 11.6 yards per reception and 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons. The former UDFA set a new career high with 1,027 yards last year, and he will be expected to have another productive campaign with the recently-extended Geno Smith at quarterback.
The Raiders added to their skill position group last year with tight end Brock Bowers. His stellar rookie season has led to high expectations for 2025 and beyond, but Vegas could be in the market for multiple moves at the receiver spot. Signing a veteran in free agency in addition to selecting a rookie next week is on the table. Against that backdrop, Spytek’s comments on in-house extensions with members of his new team leave the door open to a new Meyers commitment.
“You see it every year. Guys get to the end of their deal and it gets more expensive,” Spytek said. “Guys that you want to do a deal [with], and it makes sense, then you do it… I’m big into knowing the person before throwing out huge contracts. It will take some time, but I’m looking forward to getting to know all the guys on the roster and figure out the right way to build it.”
The Raiders – a team which has not made a free agent WR addition yet – traded away Davante Adams before the deadline in 2024, but as Meyers interest picked up they preferred to keep him in place. The latter could be retained beyond the coming season if his view on an extension is reciprocated, and it will be interesting to see if that proves to be the case.
RBs Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson To Visit Bears
The Bears were recently reported to be among the teams which view Ashton Jeanty in high regard. The Heisman runner-up is thus a prospect to watch in the event he slides to No. 10 in the first-round order, but Chicago is also showing interest in other running backs. 
Omarion Hampton is set to visit Chicago today, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. In addition, a pre-draft visit has been lined up with Kaleb Johnson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Hampton is considered by many to be a first-round prospect, as Schultz confirms, while Johnson is one of several Day 2 candidates at the position.
2024 marked the first season with D’Andre Swift handling lead back duties for Chicago. He notched a new career high in scrimmage yards (1,345) while logging a full campaign for the first time in his career. Two seasons remain on the 26-year-old’s contract, and his base salary for 2025 ($7.39MM) is guaranteed in full. Swift will be counted on to handle RB1 duties for at least one more year as a result, but a rookie could be joining him in the backfield soon.
Hampton has already met with the Cowboys, Steelers and Giants – teams which are spread across the first-round order. While Jeanty is expected to hear his name called early on the draft’s opening night (perhaps by the Raiders at No. 6), a longer wait could be in store for Hampton. The North Carolina product’s stock is still high, but it remains to be seen if he will wind up being a top-20 pick. The Bears would represent a more suitable landing spot in the event of a trade down the order.
Johnson starred during his three-year run at Iowa, earning several accolades along the way. The junior was the Big Ten’s top running back in 2024, and he was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award (given to the best RB in the country). He could very well be the third running back in this year’s draft as a result. The No. 45 prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s big board, Johnson could be an option for Chicago in the second round. The team owns the 39th and 41st selections as things stand.
Adding along both sides of the line of scrimmage has been a priority this offseason for the Bears, and defensive tackle is viewed as a key remaining need in the lead-in to the draft. Chicago will have plenty of options to choose from at that position throughout the draft, but the team’s work at the top of the running back board makes a move at that spot something to watch for.
Eagles Host S Malaki Starks; Team Interested In Walter Nolen, James Pearce?
The Eagles’ draft plans will depend in large part on how the first-round board shakes out before they are on the clock. A trio of names have emerged regarding Day 1 defenders the team thinks highly of, though. 
Philadelphia has hosted safety Malaki Starks on a top-30 visit, Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP reports. The Georgia product has long been touted as one of the two first-round prospects at the position. Shorr-Parks adds the Eagles have “a ton of interest” in Starks, which comes as no surprise given general manager Howie Roseman‘s history of drafting Georgia defenders.
The junior operated as full-time starter during each of his three seasons with the Bulldogs. Starks earned first-team All-SEC and All-American honors in 2023, a year in which he totaled three interceptions and seven pass deflections. This past campaign included a step back in terms of statistical output, which could hurt his draft stock. Nevertheless, selecting Starks could require moving up the order given the Eagles’ No. 32 draft slot.
The Super Bowl champions traded away C.J. Gardner-Johnson this offseason, creating a need in the secondary. Adding Starks would give the Eagles an immediate replacement candidate on the back end, but it remains to be see if he will wind up in their range. The Dolphins – set to draft 13th overall – were recently reported to be high on him, and several teams in position to select shortly after Miami are no doubt in a similar situation.
If the Roseman and the Eagles elect to trade up, other defenders could be the target. ESPN’s Jordan Reid names defensive tackle Walter Nolen and edge rusher James Pearce as prospects to watch in that respect. Nolen is among the many D-lineman in contention to hear their names called on Day 1, although his draft range is believed to be wider than many other first-round candidates. Adding the junior (who transferred from Texas A&M to Ole Miss in 2024) would help compensate for the loss of Milton Williams in free agency.
Philadelphia likewise has a spot to fill along the edge since Josh Sweat departed on the open market. Pearce, who earned first-team All-SEC acclaim for each of the past two years, is among the top speed rushers in the 2025 class. The Tennessee product has taken a number of visits recently, although – like in Nolen’s case – none of his known meetings have included time with the Eagles. Regardless of if that changes in the near future, they will be among the prospects to monitor closely regarding Philadelphia’s Day 1 approach.
CB Patrick Peterson Retires
APRIL 14: Peterson’s retirement ceremony has indeed taken place Monday, as scheduled. During his speech, he said a meeting after the Super Bowl with owner Michael Bidwill paved the way for today’s announcement occurring at the team’s facility. Peterson noted (via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss) he feels he could still play in the NFL but prefers to turn his attention to his post-playing days.
APRIL 11: A week after Julio Jones‘ retirement, the player chosen one spot ahead of him in a loaded 2011 draft is walking away as well. Like Jones, Patrick Peterson did not play in 2024. And the decorated cornerback is planning to retire with the Cardinals on Monday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
The former No. 5 overall pick did his best work in Arizona, which selected him in a first round that included Jones, J.J. Watt, Von Miller, Tyron Smith, Cameron Heyward, Cameron Jordan and several other standouts. Several Hall of Famers will come from that first round, and Peterson is likely among them.
Twice a first-team All-Pro as a cornerback and once as a return man, Peterson started his career with eight straight Pro Bowls. The first of those came for return-game work, but among DBs in NFL history, only a handful (Ronnie Lott, Champ Bailey, Steve Atwater, Jalen Ramsey) of post-merger cover men join Peterson as being named to seven Pro Bowls over eight seasons to start a career. Although a 2019 PED suspension brought a step back for Peterson, he did well to rebound upon leaving Arizona for Minnesota in 2021.
A lockdown boundary corner who would follow receivers more than his top peers of the period did, Peterson also displayed durability with the Cardinals. He did not miss a game due to injury in Arizona, going until his first Vikings season — which featured four absences — before seeing a health issue keep him off the field. Peterson helped the Cardinals to two playoff brackets, including a run to the 2015 NFC championship game, and was part of a 2010s defensive crew that featured fellow Pro Bowlers Calais Campbell, Tyrann Mathieu and Chandler Jones. That group splintered near the decade’s end, leaving Peterson as one of the stalwarts on a retooling team.
No second-team All-Pro honors are on Peterson’s resume, which is a bit unusual for a player with his reputation. He earned first-team All-Pro acclaim as a corner in 2013 and 2015. The first of those seasons helped Peterson score a monster extension (five years, $70.1MM) during the 2014 offseason, . The second came as Arizona journeyed to the NFC title game in a season that brought the most wins (13) in a season in the franchise’s 105-year history. Peterson joined Richard Sherman, Chris Harris and Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis on the 2010s’ All-Decade team at corner.
The Cardinals opted not to hand Peterson a second extension, having drafted Byron Murphy 33rd overall in 2019. This came during an early-2020s period that featured a host of quality defenders (Peterson, Jones, Watt, Murphy, Zach Allen) depart. The Vikings gave the LSU alum a one-year, $8MM deal. The 6-foot-1 corner stayed in Minnesota, despite the team changing HCs and GMs in 2022, but did so on a one-year, $4MM pact. Agreeing to a 50% pay cut, Peterson still intercepted five passes in 2022 — including a game-sealing theft of Josh Allen in a shootout win in Buffalo — and helped the team to a 13-4 season. Minnesota did not retain Peterson for his age-33 season, leading to a Pittsburgh one-off. The Steelers, who experimented with Peterson at safety in 2023, released him in 2024.
Peterson aimed to play a 14th season, but corners approaching their mid-30s have trouble landing deals. Peterson may well have received offers, but they clearly did not move the needle financially. He did quite well for himself there, amassing a career-earnings ledger of nearly $114MM. A lucrative rookie contract — the first in the rookie-scale era — and playing out that $70.1MM extension represented the lead drivers of Peterson’s earnings sheet.
The Cardinals cooled Peterson’s punt-return usage after the 2015 season, but he delivered one of this era’s premier seasons by returning four punts for TDs as a rookie. The former shutdown corner will retire with 36 career interceptions — including seven during a breakout 2012 season — and two pick-sixes. Peterson added a postseason INT but only wound up playing in five career playoff tilts. Nevertheless, the former top prospect will retire as one of his era’s top defensive contributors.
Browns Sign DE Julian Okwara
Julian Okwara will play for a third career team in 2025. The veteran edge rusher signed with the Browns on Monday, per a team announcement. 
[RELATED: Browns Leaning Toward Travis Hunter Over Abdul Carter?]
Okwara spent his first four years with the Lions. The former third-round pick made 38 appearances with Detroit, but only four of those were starts. His highest workload came in 2021 with a 40% snap share; Okwara notched five sacks that season, which remains his personal best.
The 27-year-old landed a futures deal with the Eagles last winter, but he was ultimately among the team’s final roster cuts. Okwara quickly found a new home with the Cardinals, though, signing to their practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster in September and remained there the rest of the way. In all, Okwara made 13 appearances with Arizona in 2024, playing one third of the team’s defensive snaps.
That usage rate translated to just one sack and four quarterback pressures, which helps explain why Okwara remained on the open market this deep into free agency. The Notre Dame product will turn his attention to landing a roster spot during the summer as the Browns aim to add depth behind Myles Garrett along the edge. Za’Darius Smith was traded away midway through the 2024 campaign, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Former Bucs first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka signed a one-year deal in free agency, and the Browns still have the likes of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Alex Wright in the fold.
Okwara will now join that group as he looks to carve out a role for himself. The Browns entered Monday with roughly $19.5MM in cap space, and this deal will no doubt check in near (or at) the veteran minimum. Cleveland could still look to make further moves before the draft as a result.
Isaiah Simmons To Visit Packers
After two seasons with the Giants, Isaiah Simmons could soon be on the move. The veteran defender is visiting the Packers today, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. 
Simmons entered the league with the Cardinals, but during his three seasons in Arizona he struggled to carve out an effective full-time role at safety or linebacker. The former No. 8 pick was traded to the Giants in August of 2023 for a seventh-round pick, a sign of how far his stock had fallen during the early portion of his career. Simmons handled a part-time defensive role during his debut season in New York, making a mark in several statistical categories along the way.
That allowed the Clemson product to land another Giants pact, although the decision to replace defensive coordinator Don Martindale with Shane Bowen led to Simmons competing for the starting slot role in training camp. In the end, he saw sparse usage there and at other spots en route to a snap share of only 17%. While Simmons also chipped in on special teams, his inability to lock down a regular role anywhere on defense has helped inform his lengthy stay on the open market.
The 26-year-old had not been linked to any potential free agent landing spots prior to today’s report. Simmons will of course not be an expensive target for the Packers should today’s visit produce an offer. Green Bay has over $31MM in cap space, so a contract being worked out before the upcoming draft would not significantly affect the team’s plans for the remainder of the offseason.
The Packers used a second-round pick to select Edgerrin Cooper last year, adding him to a linebacking corps which also includes Quay Walker (who is the subject of a pending fifth-year option decision) and Isaiah McDuffie (who was re-signed on a two-year deal last month). Simmons could look to join that group in the event he were to sign with Green Bay, although an agreement could also pave the way for work at safety or in a special teams-centered role.
Jets To Host DT Mason Graham
The Jets’ pre-draft work will include a top-30 visit with one of the most highly touted defenders in the 2025 class. D-tackle Mason Graham will head to New York tomorrow, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
Graham has long been regarded as the top defensive lineman available in this month’s draft, and to no surprise he has generated plenty of attention. The Michigan product has already met with the Patriots and Saints, and, more recently, the Browns and Raiders. Each of those teams are set to select in the top 10; the Jets currently own pick No. 7.
New York has done extensive work on Graham, Rapoport notes. The team formally met with the first-team All-American at the Combine, then had dinner with him the night before Michigan’s Pro Day. Coupled with this upcoming visit, that will give first-time general manager Darren Mougey and Co. plenty of information to work with when weighing their options in the first round. It remains to be seen if Graham will be available when the Jets are on the clock, given the connections made between him and teams like the Jaguars (set to pick fifth overall) and those which have previously hosted him.
Several options could be on the table for New York, a team which is known to be high on Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Offensive tackle Armand Membou is also firmly on the team’s radar, and the Jets could look to trade down if the Missouri product is unavailable. Whether or not Graham is still on the board by that point will of course influence Mougey’s decision to move down the order or which prospect he selects if New York stays put at No. 7.
The Jets’ defensive interior will again be anchored by Quinnen Williams in 2025. The former third overall pick is attached to a $24MM-per-year deal, and he will remain atop a D-line depth chart which has seen plenty of turnover this offseason. Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas and Leki Fotu each departed in free agency, while New York has added Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele on the open market. As the 2024 Outland Trophy winner, Graham would be expected to take on a key role right away within that group in the event he were to be selected by the Jets.