Cardinals Re-Sign T Kelvin Beachum
Kelvin Beachum will enjoy a rare opportunity to play an age-36 season as an offensive lineman. The veteran blocker will stay in Arizona to do so.
The Cardinals are keeping their swing tackle around, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicating the parties have agreed on another contract. Returning to a role behind Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams, Beachum will enter his sixth season with the Cards and 14th in the NFL. This is a one-year contract.
Despite joining the Cardinals in 2020, Beachum has now agreed to four contracts with the team. He signed a one-year deal in July 2020 and completed two-year re-ups to keep him in place through 2024. Although most members of the 2012 draft class have retired, the former seventh-round selection will continue his career. This comes after the Cardinals needed Beachum extensively last season.
Williams’ Week 1 knee injury kept him off the field for most of last season, while Johnson also missed three games. Beachum, who had come to Arizona as a starter opposite D.J. Humphries before being demoted, made 12 starts in 2024, playing 519 snaps at right tackle and 213 at LT. Beachum has started 62 games with the Cardinals and 161 for his career. He will continue to provide the Cards with some insurance, as Williams has dealt with knee trouble in recent years. Pro Football Focus graded Johnson 51st among 81 tackle regulars last season.
The Johnson draft choice moved Beachum out of the starting lineup, and while the team cut its veteran LT last year, Beachum stayed on the backup level thanks to Williams’ two-year, $30MM deal. The ex-Bengals first-rounder will attempt to justify the contract this season. He and Johnson represent the big-ticket investments along Arizona’s O-line, as midlevel contracts are present at two other spots (Hjalte Froholdt, Evan Brown) up front.
Beachum began his career with the Steelers, moving his way into a regular role as the team’s LT starter, before signing with the Jaguars as a free agent in 2016. He then played three Jets seasons, leading to an initial Cardinals signing in 2020. Beachum has spent more time in Arizona than anywhere else during his pro career, and he is now the team’s fourth-longest-tenured player — behind LS Aaron Brewer, Budda Baker and Kyler Murray. Although the team made HC and GM changes in 2023, it has continued to prioritize Beachum, who has signed two contracts during Monti Ossenfort‘s tenure.
Arthur Blank Addresses Falcons GM Terry Fontenot’s Status
Terry Fontenot has been in place as the Falcons’ general manager since 2021. The team’s record has remained consistent during his four years at the helm, but Atlanta has yet to post a winning campaign or reach the postseason during that span. 
As a result, questions have been raised about a potential front office change. When speaking about the subject, owner Arthur Blank did not give Fontenot, 44, a public vote of confidence. However, he also declined to term 2025 as a make-or-break season with respect to his job security.
“Every year for everybody is a crucial year,” Blank said (via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi). “So, I don’t want to say the NFL is ‘Not For Long.’ I don’t believe in that, because I fundamentally do believe – and I’ll make this point really clear – the most successful teams in the National Football League, you go back to the last 10 years, 20 years, 100 years… are teams that have long-term sustainability between their coaches and their general managers.”
Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith were paired together in 2021, but their three-year run did not go according to plan. Atlanta went 7-10 every year during that stretch, and Smith’s firing led to a reunion with Raheem Morris. The latter took on head coaching duties in 2024, a season which saw the team post a 6-3 start. The Falcons ended the year on a 2-6 skid, again falling short of a postseason berth and replacing Kirk Cousins with Michael Penix Jr. at the quarterback depth chart along the way. A potential parting of ways with Cousins after only one year in Atlanta is now a central offseason storyline.
Blank cited stability under center as another pillar of long-term success. The Falcons obviously hope Penix, selected with the No. 8 pick last April, will given them a true Matt Ryan successor. Even if that proves to be the case, though, Fontenot will be tasked with building a strong roster during the remainder of his rookie contract. Atlanta has made several high-profile draft investments on offense recently, and making needed improvements on the other side of the ball will be critical moving forward.
The NFC South has not excatly been among the league’s strongest divisions over Fontenot’s tenure, and again falling short of at least a wild-card berth in 2025 would no doubt lead to increased pressure with respect to a firing. For now, at least, Blank’s preference to keep him in place with Morris – and avoid a repeat of last season’s second-half fallout – has him safe for Year 5 at the helm.
Raiders To Extend QB Geno Smith
APRIL 4: Smith’s 2025 compensation will jump from $31MM to $40MM, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The 2026 season includes a $26.5MM base salary; $18.5MM of that figure is already locked in. The remainder will shift from an injury to a full guarantee of the third day of the ’26 league year.
None of Smith’s salary for 2027 ($39.5MM) is locked in, a sign of the short-term nature of this commitment. $3.5MM in annual incentives bring the maximum value of the pact to $116.5MM, but with an out after the 2026 season (and perhaps earlier) it is highly unlikely Smith will approach that figure.
APRIL 3: The Raiders have a deal done with Geno Smith. They are giving the trade acquisition a two-year extension, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This will keep the ex-Seahawks starter under contract through 2027.
It appears initial reports, like when Smith signed his 2023 Seahawks contract, featured a slight inflation. Smith’s Raiders deal will be worth $75MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Earlier reports indicated the deal checked in at $85.5MM, though Schefter indicates that represents the pact’s max value. Smith’s new contract will come with $66.5MM guaranteed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.
This represents a bridge deal for both parties, though Smith’s age may well make this his final starter-level contract. Set to turn 35 in October, Smith had angled for a deal north of $40MM per year. That aim prompted the Seahawks to trade their three-year starter rather than agree to his price. The Raiders, after being prepared to give Matthew Stafford a big guarantee in a trade, pounced and reunited him with Pete Carroll.
This marks Carroll’s second time signing off on a Smith starter-level contract, as he was in place as the Seahawks’ top decision-maker when they gave him a three-year, $75MM deal in 2023. That turned out to bring good value for the Seahawks, who held Smith to the deal even as he pushed for a new one in 2024. Although Smith could not quite reach that $40MM-per-year point during his Raiders talks, the reclamation project did secure a significant raise.
At $37.5MM per year, Smith again will come in with a lower-middle-class contract on a skyrocketing QB market. When Smith signed his $25MM-AAV deal in March 2023, the league had not seen the $50MM-per-year club form. It has now, with 10 passers comprising it. Smith only moves up a few spots on the QB salary list, and it is certainly no coincidence his new AAV matches Derek Carr‘s Saints number.
Though, it is notable the Raiders were only comfortable matching that — as Carr secured those terms when the cap resided at barely $224MM. It is now at $279.2MM, inviting questions about the Raiders’ commitment level. The Raiders were ready to give Stafford a deal that included at least $90MM guaranteed. The Rams standing down and retaining their starter forced the Raiders and Giants to look elsewhere, and both teams approved cheaper contracts to address their QB voids.
Rather than dive into the free agent QB market and enter a draft chock full of maligned passing prospects, the Raiders traded a third-round pick for Smith. They are catching the former second-rounder going into his 13th NFL season, but these terms align with Carroll’s stopgap coaching contract. The Raiders gave Carroll a three-year deal, one aimed at bringing stability to an organization that has lacked it for many years. We now have a timeline on the latest Carroll-Smith partnership, as this contract buys the AFC West club some time to find a true long-term option.
It also should not be viewed as a random occurrence that Smith’s deal surpasses Sam Darnold‘s new Seattle AAV, which is $33.5MM. The Seahawks have been out of the franchise-QB payment game since trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos, and rather than reunite with Wilson, Carroll chose Smith and now has him tied to the NFL’s 16th-highest QB contract. This should give the Raiders some flexibility, though it will be interesting to learn what the guarantee at signing is.
The Raiders gave Carr two franchise-QB-level extensions, the first (in 2017) setting an NFL record and the second (in 2022) being a clear bridge deal while the Josh McDaniels-led regime evaluated the fit. As the fit proved poor, the Raiders soon lost their QB stability by cutting Carr. They have moved on from their past two Week 1 starters — Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew — via post-June 1 cuts. Smith will enter 2025 — barring a surprise first-round QB draft choice — on steadier ground compared to his two veteran predecessors in Vegas, though this contract length does invite questions beyond 2025.
New Raiders GM John Spytek said recently the Raiders want Smith as their starter for “years to come.” Smith may well have the inside track to be the Silver and Black’s starter in 2026 as well, but the Raiders figure to do more QB homework ahead of next year’s draft; as of now, that crop looks better than what the 2025 draft presents. Smith, however, will have a chance to keep his post-30 momentum going.
Although Smith bettered his Comeback Player of the Year completion rate (69.8, a number that led the league in 2022) by connecting on 70.4% of his throws last season, he threw 15 interceptions. Smith’s yards-per-attempt number (7.5) matched his 2022 breakthrough, but he was also working with a skill-position group better than what he inherits in Las Vegas. Brock Bowers delivered a historic tight end rookie season, but questions about for the Raiders at the other spots. How Spytek, Carroll and Tom Brady address the receiver position will play a key role in how their QB trade asset fares.
Prior to acquiring Carr, the Raiders carried an extensive history of late-career QB projects — from Carson Palmer to Rich Gannon to Jeff George to Jeff Hostetler to Jim Plunkett. While the Garoppolo swing and miss highlighted an overmatched regime, Carroll’s familiarity with Smith should help the Raiders pick up the pieces after a rough period.
Bills Unlikely To Extend RB James Cook Before Draft
The Bills’ offseason has been defined in large part by their extension efforts with key in-house players. Quarterback Josh Allen‘s recent top-up has him near the top of the position’s pecking order, and a quartet of starters on their rookie contracts now have lucrative second deals in place. 
Receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard, edge rusher Gregory Rousseau and cornerback Christian Benford have all had their long-term futures assured early in the 2025 offseason. Other extension candidates loom on the roster, including running back James Cook. Nothing on that front should be expected over the coming weeks, however.
When speaking to the media at the league meetings, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said (via Ryan O’Halloran of the Buffalo News) nothing is imminent regarding a Cook extension. The team has turned its attention to the upcoming draft. As a result, a Cook deal may very well not be in place until after it is over.
Buffalo’s primary back for the past two seasons, Cook has earned a Pro Bowl nod each time in that span. The former second-rounder topped 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2023 and upped his end zone production considerably this past year. Cook tied for the league lead with 16 scores on the ground, something which helped inform his asking price. $15MM per season represents the target for a long-term deal, something Cook doubled down on shortly after letting it be known he aims to be one of the best-compensated backs in the NFL.
The top of the RB market sat at $19MM in AAV (Christian McCaffrey) at the start of the offseason, but it has since moved. In the wake of his historic debut Eagles campaign, Saquon Barkley inked an extension averaging $20.6MM per year; to no surprise, though, that investment was not followed by a series of lucrative free agent pacts at the position. If Cook, 25, were to hit his stated asking price on a long-term accord, he would rank third in the financial pecking order behind Barkley and McCaffrey and just ahead of Jonathan Taylor.
2024 fourth-rounder Ray Davis, veteran Ty Johnson and journeyman Darrynton Evans are also in place on the Bills’ backfield depth chart. Cook – who has handled 444 regular season carries across the past two years – is in line to remain the team’s lead option at the position, but as things stand he is entering the final year of his deal. Buffalo would avoid a potential departure on the open market next spring with an extension, but efforts to work out a deal on this front appear to be on pause until the draft is in the books.
Ravens Notes: Free Agency, Humphrey, Simpson, Washington
To little surprise, the Ravens have not been busy so far in free agency. Modest outside additions (DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Rush, Chidobe Awuzie) have set the team up for adding further depth in the draft, but Baltimore has also shown interest in other moves recently. 
The Ravens were “in on a lot of” interior offensive lineman in free agency, a league executive informed The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required). Patrick Mekari – whose six-year Baltimore career included time at every O-line position – operated as the team’s starting left guard for much of 2024. The former UDFA landed a three-year Jaguars pact including $22.5MM in guarantees on the open market, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup.
Andrew Vorhees represents an in-house candidate to take on a first-team role at left guard. The opposite spot is occupied by converted tackle Daniel Faalele, who struggled early in the 2024 season in particular and finished with a PFF grade of just 60.5. While the center position is set for now (and quite possibly the long-term future) with Tyler Linderbaum, guard will be a spot to watch at the draft with respect to the Ravens.
The cornerback position is also one which saw Baltimore lose a starter in free agency. Brandon Stephens took a deal with the Jets, creating the need for a boundary replacement. Marlon Humphrey has seen time on the outside but also in the slot during his career, and it appears he is on track to stay inside for 2025. Head coach John Harbaugh said (via Sando’s colleague Jeff Zrebiec) he prefers Humphrey playing in the slot. If the four-time Pro Bowler is primarily used on the inside next season, that will leave 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins in place for first-team duties on the perimeter. Awuzie is a candidate for the other starting gig, although Baltimore could look to add a rookie as competition.
Baltimore’s inside linebackers group features the highest-paid player at the position in Roquan Smith but a question regarding who will start alongside him. Trenton Simpson opened the year in that capacity, but the 23-year-old struggled and did not handle a snap share above 44% from Week 12 onward. Harbaugh expects Simpson to again handle a starting role at least on early downs in 2025 (h/t Zrebiec), but to no surprise he added Baltimore will make at least one more addition at the linebacker spot.
The Ravens saw Patrick Queen depart for Pittsburgh on the open market last offseason, and the Steelers similarly signed Malik Harrison in free agency this March. Baltimore also saw special teamer Chris Board depart, although his third phase contributions will be replaced by free agent signing Jake Hummel. Just like guard and cornerback, though, linebacker will be an area to watch as the Ravens weigh their remaining options in free agency as well as the draft.
The team’s defensive turnaround midway through the 2024 campaign was driven in part by the decision to insert safety Ar’Darius Washington into the starting lineup. The former UDFA made a case to remain a first-team option moving forward, and he was kept under team control when Baltimore placed the right of first refusal RFA tender on him. That will leave Washington in line for $3.26MM in 2025 compensation if he signs the tender, something he has until April 18 to do. Zrebiec writes no offer sheet signs have emerged to date regarding the 25-year-old, but he suggests the Ravens would prefer to retain Washington at a lower price than the tender value (subscription required).
Veteran Marcus Williams was benched midway through the season, and as expected he was released last month. Baltimore had already let go of Eddie Jackson by that point, so it would come as no surprise if safety was seen as a position of need early in the draft. Kyle Hamilton is among the Ravens’ most important players and will occupy one first-team spot moving forward, but it remains to be seen if Washington will do the same in 2025.
Patriots Trading Joe Milton To Cowboys
The Patriots are trading quarterback Joe Milton to the Cowboys, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
Dallas will send one of its fifth-round compensatory picks in April’s draft to New England in exchange for Milton and a seventh-rounder, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The Patriots received the 171st overall pick and the Cowboys now have the 217th overall pick, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Milton was a sixth-round pick in 2024 who spent his rookie year as the Patriots’ QB3 behind No. 3 pick Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton brings a rare set of physical tools, including an especially powerful arm. He impressed in his lone appearance last season, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 241 yards, one touchdown, and a 111.4 passer rating in Week 18 against the Bills.
That performance helped to generate some trade buzz surrounding Milton, which picked up after the Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs. Dobbs arrived in New England to take over Brissett’s role, keeping Milton third on the depth chart with little potential for playing time. Milton was not seen as “an ideal backup” for Maye, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The team even told Dobbs that they were looking to trade Milton in order to build their quarterback room around Maye and prioritize his development, per Breer.
Milton also wanted out of New England, seeing himself as a future starter and knowing he would have a better chance at seeing the field elsewhere, both in the short- and long-term. The Patriots granted permission for Milton to seek a trade, per Schultz, and the Cowboys “showed the most interest from the start.” The two teams had been negotiating for a few weeks before talks accelerated at league meetings in Florida, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
A number of other teams expressed interest in trading for Milton, according to Schultz, including the Raiders, Eagles, Giants, and Steelers. The Patriots had at least one better offer on the table, but worked with Milton to send him to his preferred landing spot in Dallas.
“My family grew up a Cowboys fan,” said Milton (via Schultz). “My mom always had a Cowboys shirt on. She always talked about them. Living in Texas has been a longtime dream of mine. And now I’m with them. I’m ready to work.”
Milton will arrive in Dallas as the presumptive backup to Dak Prescott. The Cowboys explored an extension with 2024 backup Trey Lance after Prescott went down last season, per Archer, but the former No. 3 pick remains a free agent. Dallas also had interest in Brissett and Drew Lock in free agency, according to Archer.
Milton has three years and $3.2MM remaining on his contract, per OverTheCap, while Brissett’s shorter, two-year deal with the Cardinals is worth three times as much. With Prescott still commanding the highest salary in the NFL, the Cowboys opted to trade for a young, cost-controlled with developmental upside over the next three years.
Aaron Rodgers Contacted Kevin O’Connell On Vikings Interest
Although the Steelers continue to express confidence Aaron Rodgers will eventually become their next starting quarterback, the four-time MVP is moving toward a fourth week as a free agent. Rodgers threw passes to D.K. Metcalf recently, which would represent a good sign for Pittsburgh’s prospects to close this market. But uncertainty remains.
A report late last month indicated Rodgers communicated to the Vikings they were his preferred landing spot, and some in the organization backed a deal. The team’s plan remains to deploy J.J. McCarthy as the starter, and ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert notes this aim influenced both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones‘ decisions to leave Minnesota. It has not deterred Rodgers just yet.
Kevin O’Connell confirmed Rodgers reached out to him during his free agency, and Seifert indicates the two spoke multiple times this offseason. Relaying those discussions up the chain with the Vikings, O’Connell is still preparing to develop McCarthy into a Week 1 starter this year. Though, the party line in Minnesota has not locked in this status for last year’s No. 10 overall pick.
“Aaron and I have had a relationship for a long time,” O’Connell said this week. “He initially reached out and we were able to have some conversations. We were on the hunt to always improve our football team and put our football team in the best possible chance to win. … He happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to.”
Rodgers, 41, and O’Connell, 39, did not play together during the latter’s time touring the league attempting to catch on as a backup. O’Connell enjoyed stints with the Patriots, Lions, Jets, Dolphins and Chargers from 2008-12. O’Connell also never coached in Green Bay, so citing a relationship is certainly interesting — especially pertaining to a potential alliance in Minnesota. It might take a while, however, before the Vikings consider circling back.
Minnesota’s minicamp will run from June 10-12. Teams regularly reevaluate rosters between minicamp and training camp, though quarterback additions — especially starter-caliber QBs — are obviously rare. The Vikings do have a history of late-arriving starters, having traded for Sam Bradford — after Teddy Bridgewater‘s severe 2016 knee injury — and signed Brett Favre during training camp. The Steelers, who have met with Rodgers and confirmed their offer (made early in free agency) is still on the table, should not be expected to wait that long for an answer. It will be interesting if Rodgers does not inform the AFC North team of his plans by the draft.
Rodgers has not seen the Steelers increase their offer, though it stands to reason the team might if he holds out longer, and the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora indicates the future first-ballot Hall of Famer may have a hard time adjusting to his new market. The Giants were believed to have offered Rodgers the most money; they eventually pivoted to Russell Wilson on a one-year, $10.5MM deal. Rodgers should not be expected to come close to his Packers or Jets salaries, and while the 20-year veteran is prioritizing fit, it would stand to reason money is a factor here.
The Vikings may also not know if McCarthy is truly ready — after two meniscus surgeries — until he begins to face competition during 11-on-11 settings, at the very least. That would not happen until training camp. That timeline obviously affects the Steelers, even if they have effectively pushed the Giants out of this race. It is worth wondering how big the gap between Rodgers’ views of the Vikings and Steelers are. The bigger the difference in the QB’s opinion of these teams, the longer it would make sense for him to wait.
The Steelers continue to express patience, but if Rodgers does not sign, they will need to either seriously consider Mason Rudolph as a bridge or look into another veteran. Mike Tomlin said his 2023 playoff starter could still serve as a starter, but that is certainly not the organization’s goal. Joe Flacco remains in free agency, and Kirk Cousins is a trade candidate. Pittsburgh continues to do homework on draft prospects, but holding the No. 21 overall pick in a draft not flooded with high-level QB prospects, this reminds of the Kenny Pickett year.
Cowboys Eyeing Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Brandon Aubrey Extensions
Progress has been made regarding a Micah Parsons extension, although the Cowboys still have work to do on that front. Other candidates for new deals are on the team’s radar, and they could have agreements in place this offseason. 
When speaking to the media at the league meetings, EVP Stephen Jones listed a quartet of extension candidates for the Cowboys (courtesy of The Athletic’s Jon Machota). Left guard Tyler Smith, cornerback DaRon Bland, tight end Jake Ferguson and kicker Brandon Aubrey are all targets for new deals. The first three players are members of Dallas’ 2022 draft class, while Aubrey has been in Dallas for the past two years.
“There are scenarios where we sit down, have a visit with them,” Jones said. “You got to have two sides to get a negotiation done. We are certainly look at that with those guys.”
Smith was drafted with the intention of starting at guard and then moving to the blindside to replace Tyron Smith. The latter’s hamstring tear during training camp led to a change of plans, though. Tyler Smith played primarily at left tackle out of necessity during his rookie season before moving back inside the following year. Dallas kept the former first-rounder at guard for the most part in 2024, left tackle Tyler Guyton‘s rookie campaign. If Guyton develops as hoped, Smith could remain in place along the interior for years to come.
The guard market has seen surges in recent years, and five players are now attached to an AAV of $20MM or more. Smith ranked 11th in PFF grade amongst guards in 2023, and slotted in at No. 15 at the position last year. A new deal at the top of the pecking order may not be in store for the 24-year-old, but he represents a logical candidate for a long-term investment. Presuming Dallas picks up Smith’s fifth-year option for 2026, he will be scheduled to receive $21.27MM.
Bland outperformed his draft stock during his first two seasons in particular. The former fifth-rounder racked up five interceptions as a rookie, then added nine (including an NFL-record five returned for touchdowns) to his total in 2023. Bland was limited to just seven games this past campaign, failing to record a pick along the way. That could hurt his value on a new pact, one which would give the Cowboys a pair of corners (Trevon Diggs being the other) on second contracts.
Ferguson assumed TE1 duties when Dalton Schultz departed in free agency in 2023. He quickly became a key figure on offense, registering 761 yards and five touchdowns on 71 catches. Ferguson, 26, faced high expectations entering this past season as a result. Across 14 games, however, he only managed 494 scoreless yards while the Cowboys dealt with many injuries on offense. A rebound in 2025 would help the Wisconsin product’s free agent value if he elected to test the market. Failing that, he could ink a deal keeping him atop the depth chart.
Aubrey’s arrival in Dallas paved the way for what has been a remarkable run of success so far. A former draftee of Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, he won out the kicking role in 2023 and connected on 36 of 38 field goal tries. Aubrey saw his FG accuracy rate fall to 85.1% this past campaign, but he recorded a 65-yard field goal (one yard shy of matching the all-time record). At the age of 30, he would be counted on remain one of the league’s top kickers – a position which now features three $6MM-per-year players – in the event he inked a long-term deal. Aubrey could alternatively be retained next offseason via a restricted free agent tender.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, receiver CeeDee Lamb and (presuming an agreement is eventually reached) Parsons will account for major Cowboys cap commitments in 2025 and beyond. The quartet Jones named as important players to retain will also be in line for raises in the event some or all of them ink new pacts in the near future, though.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/3/25
Thursday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- WR Miles Boykin
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DE T.J. Maguranyanga
Maguranyanga is the latest rugby player to join an NFL team as part of a bid to play football professionally. The 22-year-old is Zimbabwean and joins Washington via the International Player Pathway program. At 6-4 and 222 pounds, Maguranyanga will look to develop into a depth option along the edge, an area of need for the Commanders as the draft approaches.
Latest On Falcons, Kirk Cousins; QB Still Prefers To Be Released
Kirk Cousins is known to be on the trade block, with the Falcons confirming this week their willingness to work out a deal under the right circumstances. Of course, finances will play a major role in determining if an acceptable agreement can be reached. 
Cousins has already seen his $10MM roster bonus vest for the 2026 season, but at issue in ongoing trade discussions is his scheduled $27.5MM base salary for next year. An acquiring team would take on a portion of that compensation as the Falcons aim to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. atop the depth chart. Atlanta has set the bar rather high with respect to the financial responsibility of Cousins’ next team, though.
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports the Falcons are “insisting” on the acquiring team in a Cousins swap taking on between $20MM and $25MM of what he is owed for 2025. To little surprise, he adds that demand has stalled talks on a deal to date. Owner Arthur Blank is seen as the driving force behind the team’s stance on this front, and with the draft approaching and the list of teams in need of a veteran QB addition thinned out it will be interesting to see if it changes in the near future.
Cousins appeared to be set up for at least a two-year stint as Atlanta’s starter when he signed in free agency last spring. The Falcons’ decision to the draft Penix eighth overall immediately led to speculation about a parting of ways for Cousins, and that has emerged as a possibility this offseason. The 36-year-old has let the team know his desire to be released, but even doing so with a post-June 1 designation would result in a $50MM dead cap charge. A trade thus represents a more suitable path, but Cousins does not want to waive his no-trade clause until after the draft to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation.
A third-round pick has been mentioned as compensation in a potential Cousins trade, but teams will of course not be willing to part with notable capital in addition to taking on the majority of his base pay for next year. The possibility remains that the four-time Pro Bowler will stay in place and operate as a highly expensive backup behind Penix. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed at the league meetings (via NFL.com) Atlanta remains on board with such a scenario in the event a trade cannot be worked out.
Of the few realistic suitors for the four-time Pro Bowler, the Browns have often been mentioned as the top one to watch. Kenny Pickett was acquired via trade last month, and at the moment he is in position to lead a QB depth chart which features an injured Deshaun Watson. Cleveland aims to move forward from the ill-fated Watson acquisition, something which could include a draft investment as early as the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft or a short-term move such as reuniting Cousins with former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski.
As noted by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan, the Browns are not in a position to trade for Cousins and take on some (perhaps most) of his remaining contract. In the unlikely event a release were to take place (something Ledbetter confirms is still his preference), Cleveland would presumably show interest in a low-cost deal given the offset language in Cousins’ contract. Considering Atlanta’s apparent asking price in a swap, though, it would come as a surprise if serious traction toward an agreement with the Browns or any other suitor were to be gained in the near future.