Cardinals Tried To Trade For Calais Campbell In 2024; Team Eyeing Early-Round Defensive Help?
Calais Campbell will attempt to submit a Hall of Fame closing argument where his NFL career began, reuniting with the Cardinals last week. The decorated defensive lineman passed on Dolphins and Ravens offers to return to Arizona.
The Cardinals let Campbell walk in 2017, when he finished off the Jaguars’ “Sacksonville” D-line stable, but a new Arizona regime made an effort to bring him back into the fold last year. Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort attempted to reacquire Campbell via trade, the 38-year-old D-lineman said (via ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss). That moved the Cards back on Campbell’s radar, as he played out last season in Miami.
Baltimore also attempted to reacquire Campbell for the stretch run last season; Mike McDaniel played a lead role in nixing that. The Dolphins and Ravens extended offers, as the late-30-something defender has remained a healthy and productive player despite nearing retirement, but Campbell will help a new batch of Cards teammates attempt to continue an Ossenfort-Jonathan Gannon-era progression.
Only long snapper Aaron Brewer remains in place from Campbell’s previous Cardinals tenure, but he will join a new cast of front-seven pieces on a team that has made a stronger effort to fortify these areas this offseason. After no player topped six sacks following a 2023 offseason that featured the losses of J.J. Watt and Zach Allen, the Cardinals signed Josh Sweat and brought back 2024 trade acquisition Baron Browning. Sweat, Browning and BJ Ojulari join Zaven Collins on the edge. Campbell will team with 2024 first-rounder Darius Robinson up front, and more help may be coming early in the draft.
Multiple scouts informed ESPN.com’s Matt Miller a difference-maker on defense early in the draft is likely to be a priority. This strategy did not pay significant dividends in the recent past, with Haason Reddick (during most of his rookie deal), Isaiah Simmons and Collins not making big impacts upon being first-round Cardinal draftees. The Cards, however, took a major step forward under Gannon and Nick Rallis in Year 2 of this partnership, moving from 31st in points allowed in 2023 to 15th in ’24. This came without a reliable pass rush, something the team’s pre-draft visit schedule appears to be highlighting as an area the team is still interested in bolstering.
While the Cardinals could look to trade down due to having only six picks in this draft, the team should be expected to keep bolstering this unit. Although a wide receiver to complement Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride would make sense, the team is unlikely to stop at Sweat in terms of big-ticket defensive additions.
Elsewhere on the Cardinals’ cap sheet, the team’s latest Kelvin Beachum‘s one-year contract is worth $4MM, Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer notes. Heading into his sixth season with the club, the veteran swing tackle will receive $3.49MM guaranteed on his latest Cards agreement. Balzer adds Trey McBride‘s landmark extension features a key date in 2026. After two fully guaranteed base salaries, McBride will see $3MM of his $10.53MM 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’26 league year.
Saints Notes: Sanders, Radunz, Mathieu
Another Derek Carr restructure ties the Saints to the middling quarterback for the 2025 season and will make it costly to separate in 2026. As GM Mickey Loomis continues to delay a rebuild, New Orleans could have a potential opportunity to land a surefire Carr successor at No. 9 overall. Shedeur Sanders‘ stock has seemingly dipped during the pre-draft process, to the point the QB-needy Browns and Giants no longer seem likely to address their situations by taking the Colorado QB. If Sanders reaches No. 6, the Raiders, Jets and Saints await over the next four draft slots. Of that trio, SI.com’s Albert Breer pegs New Orleans as the most likely team to make the move.
Although this would be a historic development for a Saints team that has repeatedly used free agency and the trade market to address its QB position (last first-rounder: Archie Manning), NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill is skeptical the team would select Sanders at 9. The team has been closely tied to Texas’ Quinn Ewers, in a potential Round 2 move, and team brass dined with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. The latter, however, may well require a first-round pick. For trade-up purposes, the Saints hold the No. 40 overall pick as well. In late March, Sanders was mentioned as a player unlikely to fall out of the top 10. If the Saints pass, however, that scenario would seem likely.
Here is the latest out of New Orleans:
- Formerly in right tackle competitions in Tennessee, Dillon Radunz relocated to guard during the latter part of his rookie contract. The former second-round pick may be settling there with the Saints. Viewing guard as his top position, Radunz said (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) left guard “obviously” will bring competition in New Orleans. Regular 2024 LG Lucas Patrick joined the Bengals in free agency, clearing a spot opposite Cesar Ruiz. Radunz only played right guard for the Titans last season, but he logged 903 snaps there. Radunz’s one-year deal is worth $2.25MM, Terrell notes; it is fully guaranteed.
- Tyrann Mathieu‘s latest Saints contract adjustment will lower his cap number from $11.3MM to $6.09MM, Terrell tweets. Achievable incentives are in the contract, which could allow the veteran safety to make money back after agreeing to a pay cut. The Saints will see Mathieu’s deal void on the final day of the 2025 league year, Terrell adds.
- Changing coaching staffs, the Saints recently announced they are retaining Jahri Evans. The former New Orleans All-Pro guard is staying on as assistant offensive line coach under Kellen Moore. Evans, 41, had been an offensive assistant over the past two seasons, which stands to make this move a slight promotion. Additionally, New Orleans hired Jay Rodgers to oversee its edge defenders. Rodgers will come over from Atlanta, where he worked under one-and-done DC Jimmy Lake. The Chargers fired Rodgers late in the 2023 season, but that move came shortly after Brandon Staley‘s ouster. Staley hired Rodgers, an NFL assistant since 2009, in 2022 and had worked with him in Chicago previously.
Broncos, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Packers Host WR Matthew Golden
Not viewed as one of this decade’s better wide receiver classes, the 2025 crop is still expected to see a few of its best options go off the board in Round 1. Matthew Golden is becoming a player to watch here.
The Texas prospect has assembled a busy pre-draft itinerary after an impressive Combine showing. While he could not quite match 2024 Longhorns WR prospect Xavier Worthy‘s 4.21-second Combine record in the 40-yard dash, Golden blazed to a 4.29 clocking in Indianapolis. Teams are lining up to spend time with the Longhorn one-and-done.
The Broncos, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers have brought the former Houston recruit in on “30” visits. Golden met with the Bucs on Monday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, and stopped through Denver on Wednesday, 9News’ Mike Klis adds. He met with the Cowboys on Thursday, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein reporting the 2024 SEC standout’s Packers meeting occurred before these summits.
A Houston native, Golden spent his college career in Texas and is coming up as a Cowboys fit. Dallas is looking into receivers, with Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline indicating the team is viewed as a prime landing spot (at No. 12 overall) for a player NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah slots as his top wideout in this class. The Cowboys are targeting a receiver pick early, per Pauline, with Stephen Jones confirming the team is interested in augmenting its WR situation. They have met with Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka as well. While they have shown interest in Travis Hunter, Golden is a more realistic target.
The Packers (No. 23) have met with Egbuka and one-year Golden teammate Isaiah Bond. The team has long resisted calls to draft a receiver in the first round; it has still been since 2002 (Javon Walker) since such a move transpired. Green Bay has four rookie-deal receivers of note on its roster, but Christian Watson is expected to miss significant time due to a January ACL tear. Romeo Doubs joins Watson in a contract year.
Denver (No. 20) looked into Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs, and while Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen are among the vets who remain available, the Broncos are doing work on complementing Courtland Sutton with another young player. The team drafted Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele over the past two years but has now hosted Golden and Missouri’s Luther Burden. Running back remains an area the Broncos are focusing on, but a receiver addition makes sense as well. Sutton is entering his age-30 season.
A Bucs receiver move early would be rather interesting, considering the resources the team has devoted to this position. Tampa Bay (No. 19) drafted Jalen McMillan in last year’s third round and gave Chris Godwin a three-year, $66MM deal a year after re-signing Mike Evans. The latter is back in a contract year, though Tampa Bay has obviously made it a high priority to keep its all-time receiving leader a one-team player.
Golden is viewed as one of this draft’s fastest-rising players, Pauline adds, and he made an impression in Quinn Ewers‘ final season in Austin. Averaging 17 yards per catch, Golden went 58-987-9 for the Longhorns in 2025. While he did not put together a season like that in Houston, The 5-foot-11 prospect did combine for 13 TDs with the Cougars. With Tetairoa McMillan‘s grip on the top WR slot slipping, Golden could be poised to swoop in.
Tyler Shough Visits Giants, To Meet With Raiders; Las Vegas-Quinn Ewers Buzz Persists
The Raiders’ Geno Smith trade and subsequent extension provides time for the team to determine a long-term solution at the game’s premier position. Smith and Pete Carroll‘s contractual timelines match up, and the Raiders have the luxury of steering clear of a maligned quarterback draft class.
The potential for the team to make its big move down the line has not deterred research into this year’s class. On that note, the team’s pre-draft process will include a “30” visit with Louisville prospect Tyler Shough, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Shough has already met with the Browns, and a Seahawks meeting is on tap. The Giants also met with the well-traveled passer this week, Schefter adds.
An Oregon recruit (well after Chip Kelly‘s Eugene exit), Shough migrated to Texas Tech and then Louisville during a seven-year college career made possible by relaxed transfer and eligibility rules. Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix‘s strong rookie-year showings highlighted the importance of college experience at quarterback while minimizing age concerns. Shough came into college earlier than both Nix and Daniels, debuting in 2018. A seven-year career probably does bring concerns for some teams, but clubs are still taking the time to find out information about one of this year’s better QB prospects.
Beyond Shough, Raiders Quinn Ewers research has continued to produce connections. We heard Las Vegas tied to the Texas starter in early March, and Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline confirms those persist between Ewers and the AFC West club. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranks Shough fourth and Ewers sixth among this draft’s QBs. The Saints have also been closely tied to Ewers, who profiles as a likely Day 2 pick.
Although Giants-Shedeur Sanders buzz has emerged, it has died down in recent days. The two-year Colorado starter no longer looks like a safe bet to land in the top five, where some QB-needy teams await. The Giants have made some insurance moves by signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and the Browns brought back Joe Flacco earlier Friday. Assuming the Titans take Cam Ward to open the draft, the Giants will have either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter on the board. This would represent a best-case scenario for Big Blue, though it would still leave a glaring hole at a position that has largely sunk the team post-Eli Manning.
Circling back to a player like Shough would be a dice roll for a Giants regime on the hot seat, but Wilson does provide some cover for 2025. New York holds one second-round pick and two third-rounders in this draft, providing a potential opportunity for the team to bring in a developmental QB.
Browns To Host S Rayshawn Jenkins
Rayshawn Jenkins has been a free agent since his Seahawks release last month. The veteran safety has now lined up his first known visit since being let go, however. 
Jenkins will meet with the Browns today, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The 31-year-old was one of several veterans cut in a cost-shedding move by Seattle, leaving him available to join a new team prior to the start of free agency. That did not take place, and with the draft looming little movement is expected at any position at this point of the offseason.
A fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2017, Jenkins played out his rookie contract in Los Angeles. During the final two seasons of that stretch, he operated as a full-time starter and helped his free agent stock in the process. The Miami product took a four-year, $35MM pact with the Jaguars when he reached the market for the first time. Jenkins was a mainstay in the secondary during his time in Duval County, recording five interceptions and twice eclipsing 100 tackles.
Jacksonville’s decision to move on with one season remaining on his pact led to Jenkins’ 2024 Seahawks stint. During his only Seattle campaign, he made nine starts and 13 appearances, collecting 53 tackles, a pair of sacks and a 102-yard fumble recovery. Jenkins allowed a career-worst passer rating (113.6) in coverage, however, something which played a role in his latest release. He would give the Browns a veteran presence in the secondary in the event today’s visit produced a deal, though.
Cleveland lost D’Anthony Bell in free agency, and to no surprise Rodney McLeod – who stated an intention of retiring after the 2024 campaign – has not been re-signed. The Browns have Grant Delpit attached to the $12MM-per-year extension he signed in 2023, along with low-cost options in the form of Ronnie Hickman, Trey Dean and Chris Edmonds. Jenkins should not be in position to command a lucrative deal at this point in his career, so he could be an affordable starting-caliber option for the team. The Browns entered Friday with roughly $19.5MM in cap space, more than enough to work out an agreement if one is pursued.
Colts Re-Sign TE Mo Alie-Cox
Mo Alie-Cox has spent his entire career with the Colts, and that relationship will continue in 2025. The veteran tight end re-signed on Friday, per a team announcement. 
It is a one-year agreement worth $2.2MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. This comes after the ex-basketball player played out a three-year, $17.55MM contract. And the latest Alie-Cox Indianapolis agreement comes as the team is being linked to this draft’s top two tight end prospects.
Alie-Cox entered the league as an undrafted free agent, but he has managed to carve out a notable NFL tenure. He has amassed 108 appearances and 47 starts with Indianapolis, and the both figures could continue to rise in 2025. Tight end is seen as a key Colts need entering the draft, leading many to believe one of the position’s top prospects will be selected their first-round pick.
Even if that takes place, though, Alie-Cox will represent a familiar option for the team. The 31-year-old has remained durable throughout his career, chipping in as a complementary pass-catching option and contributing as a run blocker. Over the course of his Colts tenure, Alie-Cox has seen his snap share range from 33% to 55%, although he has found himself playing less than half of the team’s offensive snaps in each of the past two campaigns. If Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland arrive as a rookie this offseason, that playing time rate could drop even further.
Tight end has been a sore spot for years in Indianapolis, and the team has taken a number of routes to try and address the position. Jelani Woods flashed potential as a rookie in 2022, but he has not seen any regular season game action since then. Woods is a pending 2026 free agent, but his roster spot has been a question mark this offseason. It will be interesting to see if the Virginia product stays in Indianapolis if the team makes a notable draft investment as expected.
Veteran Albert Okwuegbunam was among the players who signed a futures deal with the Colts in January. The team’s tight end depth chart also includes Will Mallory, Andrew Ogletree and Sean McKeon. Alie-Cox will once again be in the mix in that group as he prepares for an eighth campaign in Indianapolis.
Commanders To Sign QB Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson will be back in the nation’s capital in 2025. The journeyman quarterback has agreed to a one-year Commanders deal, ESPN’s John Keim reports. 
Johnson’s career has included time with a record 14 NFL teams (in addition to his games played in the first edition of the UFL along with the AAF and the second iteration of the XFL). That lengthy resume includes a stint in Washington dating back to the 2018 campaign. Johnson started three games in four appearances that year.
One of the (many) stops he made after that was a pair of games with the 49ers in 2022. Johnson is therefore a familiar face to Commanders general manager Adam Peters, who ensured stability on the quarterback depth chart earlier this offseason. Marcus Mariota agreed to another one-year Washington pact last month, meaning he is in position to once again serve as backup to reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.
That leaves Johnson, who turns 39 next month, in place to handle third-string duties and compete for a roster spot during training camp. In total, the former fifth-rounder has made 45 appearances and nine starts during his NFL tenure. Johnson has most recently spent the past two seasons taking part in his third stint with the Ravens. Baltimore added veteran Cooper Rush as a new backup in free agency, though, so it comes as no surprise Johnson finds himself on the move this spring.
The Commanders made a surprise run to the NFC title game in 2024, and they will look to repeat that success next season. Daniels will of course play a huge role in determining Washington’s ability to meet that goal, and if he is forced to miss time Mariota will represent an experienced fill-in option. Johnson could take on QB2 duties if needed, but his attention will turn to surviving roster cuts at the end of training camp.
Texans, Jalen Pitre Agree To Extension
The Texans made a major commitment in the secondary when they worked out a record-breaking extension for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The team now has another multi-year deal in place with a different member of the secondary from the 2022 draft class. 
Jalen Pitre has agreed to a three-year extension worth $39MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former second-rounder was set to play on the final season of his rookie deal, meaning he is now on the books through 2028. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds the contract includes $29.16MM in guarantees. This accord contains a $10MM signing bonus, $18MM in new compensation for 2025 and can top out at $42.6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.
Pitre was drafted as a safety, and for the most part he occupied that role during his first two seasons in Houston. The 25-year-old handled full-time starting duties during that span, which included a five-interception rookie campaign. Pitre’s ball production took a step back in 2023, but he remained a mainstay in the secondary. Last offseason, the Texans committed to playing him at slot corner, a role he primarily handled in 2024.
While he was limited to 12 games last year, Pitre found success at his new position. The Baylor product earned a PFF grade of 73.9, easily the highest of his career. He handled a defensive snap share of 87%, and a heavy workload can obviously be expected moving forward. Houston has Stingley on the books long term, and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter represents another young player set to be a key member of the team’s secondary for years to come.
Since $39MM represents the base value of the contract, Pitre’s AAV of $13MM represents a new high mark for slot corners. That position has not seen much in the way of upward movement relative to boundary CBs, but the Texans have once again made a notable commitment to an in-house defender. Veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter is also among the players who have received a lucrative extension this offseason as Houston looks to capitalize on the window of opportunity brought about by C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract.
The Texans ranked sixth against the pass last season, and expectations will be high for their secondary again in 2025. With Stingley and now Pitre attached to long-term pacts, it will be interesting to see which position group is targeted next with respect to internal commitments.
2025 NFL Draft Visits: Williams, Simmons, Texans
The 2025 NFL Draft class is fairly deep at the defensive tackle position. One player contributing to that depth is Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. Williams has gotten a ton of attention lately. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Williams visited the Texans today after recent visits with the Eagles, Bills, and Packers.
Part of this year’s championship-winning Buckeyes crew, Williams has been a full-time starter in Columbus for the last two seasons. He broke out with his performances in those two years, totaling 18 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks over that time.
Because Williams is not expected to be a top 10 pick, his interest is coming from all over the NFL, both from teams who could select him in the late-first or early-second round. Per Wilson, he has upcoming visits with the 49ers, Ravens, and Lions on his schedule.
Here are a few other reported visits from around the NFL:
- A teammate of Williams’ on the other side of the ball, offensive tackle Josh Simmons is also a fringe first-round prospect. After starting all 13 games for the Aztecs of San Diego State as a true freshman, Simmons transferred to Ohio State where he immediately became a full-time starter at right tackle. In 2023, he switched over to the blindside, where he started every game until missing half his senior season with a torn patellar tendon. The injury hasn’t stopped teams from being interested, though. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Simmons visited with the Packers on Monday and the Ravens on Tuesday. Schefter adds that he met with the Colts today and will see the Chiefs tomorrow.
- One team that could see Simmons in the future is the Texans, who have been doing plenty of research on offensive linemen after seeing some changes to their starting lineup for 2025. The team hosted North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel today, per Wilson. Zabel had experience playing for the Bison at all four tackle and guard spots but is widely seen as one of the top center prospects in the class, a position at which Houston would welcome an upgrade with open arms. The team also hosted fringe first-round prospect Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota. Playing left tackle for the Golden Gophers, Ersery could be a potential tackle of the future to step in after Cam Robinson or Trent Brown.
AFC North Draft Rumors: Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens
Recently, we saw the Browns host a few probable Day 2 quarterback prospects, and it made us think that Cleveland is less likely to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and more likely to take his teammate Travis Hunter or Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter then pick a quarterback at the top of the second round. During an interview on ESPN’s The Daily Grossi, Tony Grossi seemed to support this notion.
Grossi seemed to confirm that the Browns like Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe “a lot” and that they could easily select him near the second round after addressing another position at No. 2 overall. I say “near the second round” because it’s likely that Cleveland could trade up a short distance back into the first round to secure a fifth-round option for a young passer.
This fits well with Milroe’s projected draft range, which Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports puts anywhere from pick No. 20 overall to pick No. 50. Cleveland holds the first pick of the second round (No. 33 overall).
Here are a few other draft rumors coming out of the AFC North division:
- After spending most of their offseason so far (and a huge portion of their salary cap) on the wide receiver position, the Bengals are expected to use most of their six draft picks on defense, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. With the team so far failing to reach a new agreement with defensive end Trey Hendrickson and potentially even including him in a Draft Day trade deal, defensive end could be an obvious target in the first round. Tony Pauline of sportskeeda predicts that if Cincinatti does go pass rusher, assuming Carter and Georgia’s Mykel Williams are already off the table, it could trigger a run of pass rushers instead of allowing them to continue to slide later and later into the first round.
- While the Steelers are expected to spend one of their two picks in the first three rounds of the draft on a quarterback, Reid claims that they could use the other on a defensive tackle or wide receiver. The team has done plenty of research on both positions, notably checking out defensive tackles Joshua Farmer from Florida State and JJ Pegues from Ole Miss and wide receivers Matthew Golden from Texas and Savion Williams from TCU.
- Lastly, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley predicts that the most likely first-round scenario sees the Ravens bolstering their defensive line. Kyle Van Noy returns after giving the team 21.5 sacks in the last two years, and Odafe Oweh finally broke out with a 10.0-sack performance in 2024, but David Ojabo and Adisa Isaac — both drafted in the top three rounds of their respective drafts — have yet to make an impact. With Michael Pierce retiring and Travis Jones entering a contract year, defensive tackle could make a lot of sense. The first round is extremely deep at the position with players like Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams all projected to be selected somewhere around Baltimore’s 27th overall pick. More likely, though, the Ravens tend to let the draft fall to them and select the best player available regardless of position. With few true holes on the roster, this should give them a bevy of options.