George Fant Considering Titans, Ravens
Veteran offensive tackle George Fant worked out for the Ravens on Monday and will also visit the Titans, per Joe Person and Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Fant was released by the Seahawks in early March after multiple stints on injured reserve limited him to just two appearances in 2024. He earned the Seahawks’ starting right tackle job out of training camp, but played just 13 snaps in Week 1 before exiting the game with a knee injury. Fant returned from IR to start in Week 9, but only lasted 17 snaps before going down once more, this time for the rest of the season.
Despite a strong market for offensive tackles this offseason, the 32-year-old received little interest in the first few waves in free agency. Now that teams have their starting tackles secured, Fant has been contacted by multiple teams as a veteran swing tackle with experience on both sides of the offensive line. The former Texans and Jets starter has honed in on the Ravens and the Titans as his best fits.
“There’s a couple other teams that I’ve been talking to,” said Fant (via Zrebiec). “But those two are really intriguing to me. Obviously, Baltimore being a contender and Nashville being where I live at. So I’m definitely interested.”
Fant was born and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which is an hour away from the Titans’ home in Nashville, Tennessee. He stayed in Bowling Green to play basketball at Western Kentucky University before switching to football in his fifth year and launching his NFL career.
The Titans signed Dan Moore to start at left tackle, which will allow 2024 first-rounder JC Latham to return to right tackle where he played throughout his college career at Alabama. The Titans have some young tackle depth, but Fant would bring some much-needed experience to the position who could back up both sides in 2025.
The Ravens are returning Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten as their starting tackles in 2025, but they badly need to add depth. Longtime swing tackle Patrick Mekari started at guard in 2024 before signing with the Jaguars in free agency, and the team converted another tackle, Daniel Faalele, to guard last year as well. Fant doesn’t have any direct connections with the Ravens’ coaching staff, but he did play under ex-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in Seattle.
Browns Host Several QB Prospects; Raiders To Meet With Jaxson Dart
Tuesday was a busy day in Cleveland, where the Browns hosted a number of quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to a few different sources, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Louisville’s Tyler Shough all were on site for visits in Cleveland today. 
Don’t be mistaken, despite recent buzz for Dart and Milroe as potential first-rounders, neither player is likely being considered a target at No. 2 overall. More likely, the Browns are exploring the possibility of utilizing their current first-round pick on one of either Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado athlete Travis Hunter then either taking a quarterback at the top of the second round or trading back into the first round for one.
Dart seems like the least likely to land in Cleveland. In order to draft Dart, it’s starting to look like the Browns would need to trade well into the first round. Dart has been noted as a player under consideration as the Saints (No. 9 overall pick) explore their options for a quarterback of the future. If Dart gets passed over in favor of a sliding Shedeur Sanders or some other prospect, the Steelers could move on the Ole Miss product to take over after Aaron Rodgers (or if Rodgers never signs). After visiting with the Browns today, Dart will visit next with the Raiders, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s also spent “considerable time” with the Giants and Rams.
If Dart does go to New Orleans or some other team early, the Steelers have also been linked to Milroe. Pittsburgh really likes Milroe due to his elite athleticism. The Alabama product has plenty of shortcomings as a quarterback prospect, but many believe that, if they can coach up some of those areas of concern, his athleticism will be too big of an asset to pass up. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Milroe had private workouts with both Cleveland and New Orleans that were described as “impressive.” Today’s top-30 visit with the Browns was reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot also reported Shough’s participation.
Shough has not really been the subject of many rumblings about the first round, but as a quarterback, he may just sneak in. Should Cam Ward, Sanders, Dart, and Milroe all come off the board after Pittsburgh is done selecting at No. 21 overall, the Browns may find it safe to trade up a pick or two into the first round to take Shough.
While it would be a safe bet that Shough could fall to them at the top of the second round, moving up slightly likely wouldn’t cost Cleveland too much draft capital. Also, trading into the first round for any of the above prospects would provide Cleveland the luxury of a fifth-year option, giving them more time to develop whatever young passer they may acquire.
Shedeur Sanders To Visit Steelers
The Steelers are hosting Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders on a top-30 visit, another indication that the team is considering using a first-round pick on a quarterback in April’s draft.
Sanders will visit Pittsburgh on Thursday, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick, which is considered the floor for Sanders’ draft spot. They have also been linked with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who was invited to attend the first night of the draft in person, indicating that the league believes he will be a first-round pick.
The Steelers’ quarterback room currently consists of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, who were both acquired this offseason. Mike Tomlin has said he is comfortable entering the 2025 season with Rudolph as the team’s starter, though he doesn’t profile as a long-term franchise quarterback. Pittsburgh has been looking for such a player since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger in 2022.
Sanders could fit the bill. He is widely thought to be the second-best quarterback in his draft class behind Miami’s Cam Ward, who is expected to be drafted by the Titans with the No. 1 pick. However, Sanders could be taken in the first five picks after being frequently linked with the Browns and the Giants, so the Steelers may have to trade up if they want to bring him to Pittsburgh.
Teams also use top-30 visit to scout players they expect to face in the NFL. If the Browns take Sanders, the Steelers will have to play him twice a year for the foreseeable future, so their coaching staff will want as much information about his playing style and tendencies as possible.
Packers Host Emeka Egbuka; WR Visited Cowboys
The top of the 2025 receiver class is not held in the same regard as previous drafts. Nevertheless, teams in need of pass-catching help are doing homework on the best options in this month’s event. 
One of those is Emeka Egbuka. The Ohio State product met with the Cowboys recently, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. He adds a visit with the Packers also began yesterday and will continue today. Both teams have been mentioned as potential suitors for an early draft addition, so this news comes as no surprise.
Dallas saw Brandin Cooks depart in free agency, creating a vacancy at the WR2 spot. The Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb atop the depth chart for years to come, but a complementary group featuring Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert and returner KaVontae Turpin could stand to see an addition. Stephen Jones recently confirmed the Cowboys are in the market for a receiver addition, which could consist of a veteran signing or using an early draft pick at the position.
The Packers have deployed a young array of players at receiver and tight end in recent years. Many observers have called for the arrival of a true No. 1 wideout to allow for Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Bo Melton and Christian Watson to serve in more of a complementary role. The latter’s January ACL tear will lead to missed time in 2025, so a rookie selected early in April could have a path to immediate playing time. Green Bay has not taken a receiver on Day 1 of the draft since 2002.
It remains to be seen if Egbuka will hear his name called in the first round, but he is among the top options at the WR spot in 2025. The senior spent his entire four-year career at Ohio State, setting the school’s all-time record for receptions with 205 and playing a central role in the team’s national title in 2024. The No. 17 prospect on NFL Network Daniel Jeremiah’s board, Egbuka profiles best as a slot receiver at the NFL level. He is joined by Colorado’s Travis Hunter (he if plays on offense upon being drafted), Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Texas’ Matthew Golden as a receiver firmly on the first-round radar.
Both the Cowboys (set to select 12th overall) and Packers (23rd) fell short of the top 10 in passing yards last season. Improving in that department could include using a high draft pick on a receiver, and Egbuka will be a name to watch for those teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/8/25
Tuesday’s minor NFL transactions:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB Nahshon Wright
Cleveland Browns
- Signed ERFA tender: LB Winston Reid
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Sam Franklin
Wright didn’t last long as a free agent. He signs with the Bears after being released by Minnesota yesterday.
Franklin had nine starts in his first four years of his career with the Panthers, but after being relegated to the practice squad in 2024, Franklin didn’t appear until the eighth game of the season and played primarily on special teams, only seeing four defensive snaps on the year. He’ll now bring his secondary and special teams experience to Denver.
Latest On James Cook, Bills
The Bills have placed extension negotiations with James Cook on hold until after the draft with the star running back seeking $15MM per year on his next deal.
Initial contract talks with Cook “didn’t go great,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but the Bills want to sign him to a long-term deal.
“He’ll play for the Bills next year,” said Rapoport, indicating that Cook is not planning to demand a trade or hold out for an extension.
Cook recently caused a stir by putting his Buffalo house on the market and removing the team from his social media, a signal that he is dissatisfied with the lack of progress in contract negotiations.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but players know it gets reported,” explained Rapoport. “That’s a pretty big statement.”
Rapoport also indicated that the two sides would need to improve their relationship before agreeing on an extension, saying that Cook’s public contract demands were not “the most welcome thing in the organization.”
A $15MM APY would make Cook the third-highest paid running back in the NFL. He ranks ninth in rushing yards in the last two years and tied for the league-lead with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024.
The Bills are not expected to agree on terms with Cook anytime soon, per Rapoport. His asking price may become more palatable heading into 2026 after another jump in the salary cap, though he could certainly increase his demands accordingly. The two sides will need to bridge what appears to be a significant gap in negotiations, which could take on another shape depending on Cook’s performance next season.
Rams Continuing Year-To-Year Approach With Matthew Stafford
The Rams are continuing a year-to-year approach with Matthew Stafford after signing him to a restructured deal that will keep him in Los Angeles for the 2025 season.
The team is expecting to revisit his contract every year as he considers retiring or returning to the field as one of the league’s longest-tenured players, per Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic.
Rams vice president of football and business administration Tony Pastoors said that Stafford’s annual contract review is a “good problem to have.”
“If you’ve got a quarterback, you’ve got a chance,” said Pastoors (via Rodrigue). “And we’ve got a really good one.”
General manager Les Snead said that retaining Stafford will push the Rams towards a “win-now” approach in April’s draft, making it less likely that the team will use a premium pick on a quarterback.
“Always open to drafting a quarterback,” Snead said, but he added that teams with a more immediate need under center tend to take quarterbacks higher than the Rams value them. He also acknowledged the possibility that another team could trade up to Los Angeles’ first-round pick (No. 26 overall) to draft a quarterback.
Head coach Sean McVay said that drafting a quarterback was “unlikely,” per Sports Illustrated’s Brock Vierra.
“I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t done a whole lot of work on the quarterbacks,” continued McVay. “I feel really good about where our quarterback room is.”
The Rams’ quarterback room currently consists of Stafford, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett. Garoppolo is on a one-year deal, while Bennett has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Since Stafford has stated a desire to play beyond 2025, the team doesn’t seem to be in any rush to find his successor.
S Justin Simmons Does Not Expect To Re-Sign With Falcons
In advance of free agency, Justin Simmons said he wanted to remain with the Falcons. The decorated safety could still work out a new deal after his Atlanta debut in 2024, but he is not expecting that to take place. 
“It was a one-year thing,” Simmons said during an appearance on Up & Adams (video link). “They like kind of their younger guys, too. Sometimes things just don’t work out and you go in different directions. I don’t know if the door’s necessarily closed. But we’ll see.”
Atlanta already has Jessie Bates on the books for the next two years. Simmons joined him late last offseason, and he operated as a full-time starter. The latter recorded a pair of interceptions and seven pass deflections, but overall he was unable to match his success seen during much of his eight-year Broncos tenure. Simmons remains on the open market, and at this point it would come as no surprise if his next contract were to be in place after this month’s draft.
Simmons did not sign with the Falcons until last August, missing part of training camp as a result. If the 31-year-old had his way, a repeat of that timeline would not take place this time around. Considering the fact Atlanta allowed him to test free agency and has not made a known effort to re-sign him, a contract with a third career team will be likely. The two-time Pro Bowler could again provide a veteran presence to a Falcons safety group which also features Richie Grant and DeMarcco Hellams, but one of those two could replace him in the starting lineup next season.
As could be expected, Simmons is also interested in joining a contender at this point of his career. A veteran of 134 games, he has yet to appear in a postseason contest. Competing for a first-team gig may not be feasible depending on where he lands, but the former interceptions leader will aim to land a deal with a team eyeing a deep playoff run in 2025.
“We’ll see,” Simmons added. “I want to go to the best situation, and I want to go to a team that’s going to win. So, we’ll see what that looks like.”
Jalon Walker To Visit Browns
With Cam Ward essentially viewed as a lock to be selected first overall by the Titans, the Browns are a team worth watching closely as the countdown to the draft continues. A short list of prospects in range for the second overall pick is well known, but Cleveland is looking at other options as well. 
Jalon Walker is set to visit the Browns today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Georgia product is among the top defensive prospects in the 2025 class, regardless of if he is categorized as a middle linebacker or an edge rusher. He has recently lined up a top-30 visit with the Cardinals, and other such meetings will no doubt continue over the coming days.
While Walker is widely seen as a top-10 talent, it would come as a surprise if he were to hear his name called second overall. Cleveland has a quarterback vacancy, something which leaves the door open to taking Shedeur Sanders at that spot. Both of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are set to be available (provided the Titans do not trade out of the No. 1 slot or make a surprising move), though, and they are considered the top two overall prospects in the class. Turning down the chance to add either of them – for a reason other than adding a signal-caller – would certainly raise several eyebrows.
Cleveland has been linked to Carter, although more recently reports have pointed in a different direction. Hunter is currently perceived as the favorite to go second overall, and the Browns have done plenty of work on the Heisman winner. Carter would give the team a strong edge rush tandem opposite Myles Garrett, while Hunter would be in position to make an impact on offense (if used as a receiver) or defense (if his career began with work as a cornerback).
Walker spent each of his three seasons with the Bulldogs, showing considerable potential as a pass rusher along the way. In 2024, he remained disruptive with 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. The 6-1, 243-pounder also exceled while lining up at the second level of the team’s defense, however. Walker won the Dick Butkus Award as the country’s top linebacker in addition to receiving third-team All-American honors.
As a result, he should not need to wait long to hear his name called on the draft’s opening night. The Browns would represent a more logical suitor if they were to trade down, but they will nevertheless have additional information on Walker in the near future.
49ers To Host Mykel Williams, Walter Nolen
The 49ers own the No. 11 pick in April’s draft, and they are set to host a pair of defenders who could be selected in that range. Edge rusher Mykel Williams and defensive tackle Walter Nolen will visit the team, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports. 
Williams spent each of his three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and ’24. The former five-star recruit faced high expectations during his time with the Bulldogs, but his production did not meet them. Williams totaled only 14.5 sacks in his career, with an ankle injury hindering his play this past campaign. In spite of that, his size, length and athleticism has him squarely on the first-round radar.
The 6-5, 260-pounder has already lined up visits with the Saints and Cardinals during the pre-draft process. Williams is also among the players who have been closely linked to the Panthers, who will pick eighth overall. Depending on how the board shakes out – especially with respect to the other top edge rushers in the class – the 49ers may not have the option of selecting him.
Nolan was one of several prospects who took part in “Dallas Day,” showcasing some of the top players from the area in April’s draft. He too has a number of pre-draft visits on the books. The No. 1 player in his recruiting class, Nolan spent his first two seasons at Texas A&M. He managed five sacks over that span, but it was a transfer to Ole Miss which led to a notable breakout campaign.
Racking up 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss, the junior earned first-team All-SEC and All-American honors during his lone Rebels season. Nolan was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the country’s top offensive or defensive lineman. The 6-4, 296-pounder’s potential is certainly high as he prepares to transition to the pro game, but opinions vary to large extent as it pertains to his draft stock.
Aside from Nick Bosa, the 49ers have undergone plenty of changes along the defensive front in recent years. The releases of Javon Hargrave and Leonard Floyd from earlier this spring have led to a starting vacancy on the interior and also along the edge. Either Williams or Nolan could therefore step into a notable role as a rookie, and it will be interesting to see if one or both are on the board when San Francisco’s first selection is made.