Commanders Sign Round 1 T Josh Conerly
The Commanders have agreed to terms with No. 29 pick Josh Conerly Jr. on a four-year, $15.68MM rookie deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
As is customary for first-round picks, Conerly’s first NFL contract will be fully-guaranteed with a fifth-year option for the 2029 season. It also includes a $8.044MM signing bonus, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
It’s unclear what Conerly’s role will be in Washington this season. He almost exclusively played left tackle at Oregon, but the Commanders are set on the blind side after trading for Laremy Tunsil this offseason. A switch to right tackle would require Conerly to beat out incumbent starter Andrew Wylie, who started 29 games over the last two years but accepted a pay cut this offseason entering the last year of his contract. Further complicating the picture is 2024 third-rounder Brandon Coleman, who started 12 games at LT as a rookie and could also look to compete at RT after the Tunsil trade, though he also lacks experience on the right side and is more likely to factor in at guard, according to ESPN’s John Keim.
The Commanders are returning two of last year’s interior O-line starters in left guard Nick Allegretti and center Tyler Biadasz, but Samuel Cosmi‘s ACL tear will sideline him for most, if not all of the 2025 season. That opens up the starting RG job, but Conerly’s lack of experience at guard (or even on the right side of the line) is a clear obstacle to winning the gig.
Barring a positional switch as a rookie, Conerly will likely serve as a backup in 2025 as the Commanders figure out their long-term plan at tackle. Washington will likely move on from Wylie in 2026, at which point Conerly may be ready to start at RT. He could also be a long-term replacement for Tunsil, who only has two years remaining on his contract. A move to guard feels less likely, but could offer Conerly a starting job right away with the proper coaching and development.
Browns Not Planning QB Trade; Kenny Pickett Frontrunner For Starting Gig?
MAY 23: During an appearance on ESPN Cleveland radio, head coach Kevin Stefanski said there will not be an even distribution of quarterback reps this offseason. That comes as little surprise, but the door is obviously still open to all four passers earning the starting gig depending on how training camp shakes out.
MAY 19: Since the Browns used a selection during the second and third days of the draft on a quarterback, questions have lingered about how they will sort out the position in 2025. Plenty of time remains for things to change on that front, but a few early indications have emerged. 
Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are joined by trade acquisition Kenny Pickett and veteran Joe Flacco, re-acquired in free agency this spring. That quartet could shrink in size during roster cutdowns, but for the time being it can be expected to remain intact. Even in the wake of the Saints losing Derek Carr to retirement, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes no QB trade is being planned at this point.
If such a move were to be made, Cabot recently named Flacco as the passer likeliest to find himself on the move. For now, though, he is in position to compete for a spot on the depth chart upon returning to Cleveland. The 40-year-old helped guide the Browns to the postseason upon joining them midway through the 2023 campaign, and he represented a logical target to return this year. With Deshaun Watson unlikely to play in 2025 while rehabbing his second Achilles tear, Flacco could at least open the year as the starter with the rookies developing.
As Cabot adds, however, it is Pickett who appears to be the frontrunner heading into upcoming OTAs and June’s mandatory minicamp. The former Steelers first-rounder saw his Pittsburgh tenure end in short order after a disappointing spell atop the depth chart. His trade to the Eagles resulted in a one-year backup stint behind Jalen Hurts and a single start in Week 18. To no surprise, Cleveland declined Pickett’s fifth-year option for 2026, meaning he enters the year as a pending free agent.
In a separate piece, Cabot writes there will be a split of two QB pairings to divvy up reps during offseason work, which is a reasonable approach given the uncertainty surrounding the position. Pickett is slated to operate as the No. 1 (at least, to begin the process) and Cabot predicts he will be partnered with Gabriel. That would leave Flacco and Sanders alternating third-string reps, albeit with the potential to move up the pecking order depending on their performances.
Gabriel and Sanders will remain under team control through 2028 on the rookie deals, so the Browns can be expected to retain them well past this summer’s training camp. With Flacco and Pickett’s respective futures much less clear, though, it will be interesting to see how they fare during practice. The latter could help his market value to a great extent with a sustained QB1 run in Cleveland, and his audition period for the gig will begin soon.
Buccaneers RB Rachaad White Addresses Pending 2026 Free Agency
Rachaad White‘s playing time has fluctuated during his time with the Buccaneers. The fourth-year running back is not expected to return to a full-time starter’s role in 2025, something which will of course affect his free agent value for next spring. 
White made eight starts as a rookie, setting him up to serve as Tampa Bay’s lead back the following year. 2023 produced a number of new career highs, including 1,539 scrimmage yards and a strong 64-549-3 receiving statline. After the former third-rounder averaged only 3.6 yards per carry, though, questions were raised about his ability to efficiently handle lead back duties.
Last season, White started 15 of his 16 appearances but his playing time fell over the course of the campaign. The emergence of rookie Bucky Irving cut heavily into White’s workload, as the latter totaled just nine carries across the final three games of the regular season. Irving has three years remaining on his rookie deal, but White’s will expire after the coming campaign. In the absence of extension talks, the possibility of a free agent departure looms, something he is acutely aware of.
“I’m ready to see what the year holds,” White said during an interview with RG.org’s DJ Siddiqi. “I’m coming into the last year of my deal, I’m ready to prove what I got and what I got going on. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. You have to go out there and prove it every day… I’m just going out with my mindset, just attack every day, show them who I am, and let the chips fall where they may.”
White averaged 4.3 yards per carry last year, by far the best mark of his career in that department. His drop in usage came about as Irving showcased his potential, however, and a further uptick in playing time for the Oregon product would leave White in place to operate as a backup. Such a scenario would hinder the 26-year-old’s value on a new Bucs pact or one sending him to a new team, so it will be interesting to see how he fares this year.
Under offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Tampa Bay experienced a strong resurgence on the ground in 2024 after years of struggling in that regard. Coen departed to take over head coaching duties with the Jaguars, leaving Josh Grizzard as the Buccaneers’ new OC. How his first season in that role plays out will be key in determining White’s future beyond 2025.
Roger Goodell Expected To Receive Contract Extension
Roger Goodell‘s current contract runs through 2027, but his tenure as NFL commissioner could continue beyond that point. An extension is expected to receive approval from owners, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. 
The matter of another new contract was expected to be discussed yesterday during the owners meeting, but that did not prove to be the case. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) no conversations were held about another Goodell pact. The most recent extension in that respect took place in October 2023.
Goodell is currently 66, and finishing his current deal would take him past 20 years at the helm of the league (thus marking the second-longest run for an NFL commissioner). Another extension – which would be the fifth of his tenure – would obviously be a sign that retirement is not under consideration, though. Paul Tagliabue‘s successor has overseen the league through two CBAs and one media rights deal, with another agreement on the latter front likely coming soon.
Under Goodell, the NFL’s value and that of its franchises has soared. The recent sales of the Broncos and Commanders – for a combined price of $10.7 billion – illustrates that point. Revenues are expected to continue growing with a new, more lucrative broadcast deal and continued expansion of the NFL’s schedule at home and abroad. Earlier this year, it became clear an 18-game regular season with a total of 16 international games played per year is a target for the league.
Since taking over in 2006, Goodell has of course been the subject of criticism on a number of fronts. Matters such as the handling of suspensions as well as health and safety concerns (including concussions and playing surfaces) have been talking points for years, and that will likely continue into the future. It has long been clear, however, that the league’s owners are comfortable with the status quo when it comes to the NFL’s top executive position.
With discussions on this front being tabled, no timeline is in place for a new Goodell pact to be worked out. Plenty of time remains on his current deal, but a stint ranging beyond 2027 could very well be on the horizon.
WR Garrett Wilson Hoping For Jets Extension
While there were rumblings of a potential trade request towards the end of the 2024 season, Garrett Wilson is now making it clear he wants to stick in New York. The extension-eligible receiver told reporters today that he doesn’t only want to sign a new deal with the Jets…he hopes to spend the rest of his career with the organization.
“I’m hopeful I’m a Jet for life and that we get this thing rolling and that all of our best days are ahead of us,” Wilson said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
After spending the start of his career dealing with subpar QB play, frustrations mounted after the Jets failed to meet expectations during the 2024 campaign. Wilson’s issues were attributed to perceived tension with Aaron Rodgers and competition for targets from midseason acquisition Davante Adams, and there was speculation that the organizational friction could lead to a trade request.
Instead, Rodgers and Adams are both out of town, and it sounds like the Jets made a pair of offseason moves that have Wilson excited for the future. According to Cimini, the addition of Aaron Glenn has “infused the organization with hope,” and the new head coach has made it clear to the wideout that he’ll be a focal point of the offense. Wilson was also quick to laud new QB Justin Fields, with the receiver pointing to the duo’s “trust” and “communication.”
With the organization having appeared to mend fences with their star wideout, they can now look towards negotiations. While Wilson has managed to top 1,000 yards receiving in each of his three NFL seasons, sources believed the Ohio State product wouldn’t top the market at his position, with some pointing to an AAV around $25MM to $30MM.
Wilson would likely push for that $30MM threshold that’s recently been surpassed by a number of extended wideouts. A $30MM AAV would rank seventh at the position with Brandon Aiyuk and Tyreek Hill. Of course, there’s no rush for contract talks, as Wilson still has two years remaining on his rookie pact after having his fifth-year option exercised. When the time comes to get serious about negotiations, the receiver is hopeful he’ll give the front office no choice but to hand him a new deal.
“When the time does come and those conversations are being had,” Wilson said (via Cimini). “I’m going to try and do my part to make sure that it’s undeniable.”
NFL Minor Transactions: 5/22/25
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DT Ben Stille
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Brett Gabbert
- Waived: LB William Bradley-King
In addition to placing Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list today, the Cardinals moved on from Ben Stille. Despite only spending three seasons in the NFL, Stille has true journeyman status, with the defensive lineman spending time with the Dolphins, Browns, Cardinals (twice), and Buccaneers. The 27-year-old got into six total games last season, compiling four tackles and one sack.
William Bradley-King joined the Dolphins practice squad last August and spent the entire year there. He was retained via a reserve/futures contract back in January. A former seventh-round pick, Bradley-King has collected seven tackles and 0.5 sacks in four career games. He’ll be replaced on the roster by QB Brett Gabbert, the younger brother of Blaine Gabbert. Brett was invited to rookie minicamp last month after going undrafted in this year’s draft. The QB got into 53 games during his time at Miami (OH), tossing 80 touchdowns vs. 30 interceptions.
49ers, Fred Warner Agree To Extension
THURSDAY, 7:45pm: The 49ers have officially announced the extension.
“Fred’s leadership is exemplary and his approach to his craft is contagious,” said GM John Lynch. “Fred sets the tone for our entire team with the consistency, speed and physicality with which he plays. Off the field, his passion, energy, and professionalism are second to none and truly embody what it means to be a Niner. We are extremely proud to get this extension done and lock Fred in for the future.”
MONDAY, 4:00pm: Talks with Fred Warner have indeed resulted in an extension agreement. The 49ers have come to terms with the All-Pro linebacker on another lucrative deal. 
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports team and player have agreed to a three-year extension. The pact is worth $63MM in total and includes $56MM in guarantees. For the second time in his career, Warner holds the title of the NFL’s highest-paid middle linebacker.
The top of the LB market stood at $20MM annually entering Monday, with Warner ranking second behind only Roquan Smith in terms of AAV. This latest San Francisco commitment will move Warner up to $21MM per season, which represents a slight raise on that front while no doubt lowering his scheduled cap hits for the next two years. The four-time Pro Bowler is now under contract through 2029.
Joel Corry of CBS Sports notes Warner will still earn $18.25MM in 2025, but this pact includes $5MM in additional compensation through 2026 compared to the previous one. $39.5MM of full guarantees are in place. Between now and the end of the 2028 season, $42MM in new money will be paid out.
In recent years, San Francisco has seen negotiations for its top players drag deep into the summer. That has not proven to be the case in 2025, however. Tight end George Kittle landed a new pact recently, and that was followed in short order by Brock Purdy becoming the league’s latest big-money quarterback. Warner loomed as the next logical target for such a commitment on the part of the 49ers, although as of April it seemed as though there was still plenty of work to be done on the negotiating front.
More recently, though, it became clear progress was being made. The latest update on the matter noted an agreement was close, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Warner will remain a focal point of San Francisco’s LB unit in particular and the team’s defense in general for years to come, something of increased importance given the departures seen on that side of the ball this spring. Dre Greenlaw was among the starters who left in free agency, with the pending Purdy extension playing a role in the 49ers’ spending plans. Obviously a new Warner pact was also in the team’s budget.
The former third-rounder has handled full-time starting duties during each of his seven years in the league; he has missed only one game during that span. Warner’s consistency as a run defender (at least 118 tackles each season) and play against the pass (seven interceptions, 28 pass deflections) has helped his case for being the league’s best linebacker, and his financial situation once again reflects that. The 28-year-old will remain in the Bay Area through the remainder of his prime.
Improved play on both sides of the ball will be required if the 49ers are to return to the postseason in 2025. Better health on offense will be a key factor, but the while the team’s defense integrates a number of new starters Warner will continue in his pivotal role with his long-term future secured.
Roger Goodell Discusses International Games, Private Equity Firms
After the NFL participated in five international games in 2024, the league is set to host seven contests outside of the United States in 2025. If Roger Goodell‘s vision comes to fruition, the NFL will eventually play nearly a season’s worth of overseas games in a single year.
During a recent appearance at the CNBC CEO Council Summit, Goodell revealed that he’s hoping to host 16 international games in a single season.
“I do see 16 regular season games, and I do think that will happen in the very near future,” Goodell told CNBC’s Scott Wapner (via Jessica Golden of CNBC.com). “Within 5 years probably.”
The “NFL International Series” started back in 2007 with a regular-season game between the Dolphins and Giants at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The NFL expanded to Mexico in 2016, and they’ve since held games in Germany and Brazil. The league is set to take it a step further in 2025, with games scheduled for Spain and Ireland, and there’s a game in Australia set for 2026.
Goodell previously hinted at a 16-game international slate, although his five-year target is new. While a foreign franchise doesn’t appear to be on the immediate horizon, the commissioner made it clear that overseas games are a clear priority for the league.
“International is an open market for us,” said Goodell. “We are excited about our potential.”
Goodell touched on a number of additional subjects during the summit, including the recent uptick in private equity firms taking stakes in NFL franchises. We heard recently that the Chargers requested approval to sell an eight-percent stake in their franchise to a private investment firm, following the footsteps of other organization’s that have recently sold off small stakes.
As Golden notes, there’s only a small grouping of firms that are approved to purchase small parts of NFL teams: Ares Management, Sixth Street Partners, Arctos Partners, and a consortium consisting of Dynasty Equity, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, CVC Capital Partners, and Ludis. Goodell hinted that another undisclosed firm could soon be joining this list.
“There’s enough demand for it that we think it’s the right step,” Goodell said.
Steelers Unlikely To Add WR In Near Future
MAY 22: Free agency is a likelier route for the Steelers to take than another trade acquisition at the receiver spot, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes. Unless one of the options still on the board (such as Amari Cooper or Keenan Allen) ends up being added, Kaboly predicts Pittsburgh will wait until roster cutdowns at the end of training camp to supplement the Metcalf-Austin-Wilson-Woods group.
MAY 14: With the Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers courtship still on, the team made George Pickens its latest contract-year wide receiver traded. Rather than pairing the talented wideout with D.K. Metcalf, Pittsburgh passed and is resetting around its high-priced trade acquisition.
On the surface, it would appear the Pickens trade leaves the Steelers in need of a replacement. After all, they spent much of 2024 searching for a player to pair with Pickens. This included an aggressive Brandon Aiyuk pursuit and later looks into Christian Kirk and even Metcalf before the 2024 deadline. Mike Williams ended up being Pittsburgh’s play, but production did not follow the former top-10 pick (who has since returned to the Chargers).
[RELATED: Small Market Formed For Pickens]
This year, Omar Khan and Co. may be content to wait. The Steelers are more likely to see how their young batch of potential Metcalf complementary pieces looks before pursuing a Pickens replacement, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Pittsburgh does roster multiple intriguing rookie-contract cogs, and the team’s only known commodity behind Metcalf — Robert Woods — is on his fifth squad and entering his 13th season.
Calvin Austin, in particular, is a player the Steelers are higher on than most realize, Breer adds. The slot target has made progress since going off the 2022 draft board in Round 4, moving from a full-season absence to 180 yards in 2023 to 548 in ’24. Austin’s size (5-foot-9, 162 pounds), however, effectively brings a low ceiling on his capabilities alongside Metcalf. That said, the contract-year performer will almost definitely play another central role in the Steelers’ passing attack.
Roman Wilson may be the more interesting piece here, as the Steelers have an established track record of identifying wideout talent on Day 2 0f a draft. Wilson, however, basically redshirted as a rookie. Ankle and hamstring injuries kept Wilson off the field for just about his entire rookie season. He played just five offensive snaps in 2024. Expecting the Michigan product to go from such sparse usage to potential No. 2 wide receiver is probably unrealistic, even considering the Steelers’ history of development here. But the team still views Wilson as a key piece, even as rumors of the Steelers — as the Rodgers wait continues — pursuing Allen Lazard (or potentially another of the QB’s former Packer targets) have circulated.
The Steelers gave Woods a one-year, $2MM deal ($745K guaranteed) but added him after a 203-yard 2024 season. Years removed from his Rams apex, the 33-year-old target also does not profile as a player capable of making a difference in a starting role. However, Woods would bring some insurance in case Wilson is again not ready. That scenario would almost definitely, however, lead the Steelers to reignite their WR pursuit before the post-Week 9 deadline. For now, it appears Metcalf — who played with Tyler Lockett throughout his Seahawks career and with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the past two seasons — will have less around him going into training camp.
Giants Restructure Brian Burns’ Contract
The Giants entered Thursday at the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space. On the day Abdul Carter signed his rookie deal, fellow edge rusher Brian Burns had his pact restructured to create financial breathing room. 
$16MM of Burns’ base salary has been converted into a signing bonus, ESPN’s Field Yates reports. The move has freed up $12MM in cap space for 2025 after the two-time Pro Bowler was scheduled to carry a cap charge of $29.75MM. Burns remains under contract through 2028.
Over the course of his tenure with the Panthers, the former first-rounder established himself as a consistent producer along the edge. Carolina repeatedly turned aside trade interest, but an inability between team and player to agree to terms on an extension led to last year’s swap which sent him to New York. Upon arrival, Burns inked a five-year, $141MM deal.
Expectations were obviously high given the nature of that investment, and the Florida State product managed 8.5 sacks (second on the team to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence) during his debut Giants season. Burns is joined by Kayvon Thibodeaux as a returnee along the edge, and those two will be joined by Carter for at least the next two years. Thibodeaux’s 2026 option was picked up this spring, putting to rest questions about his immediate future in New York.
The Oregon product has flashed potential at times, but consistency has also proven to be an issue. Thibodeaux does not expect to discuss an extension this summer, so plenty will depend on his ability to produce in 2025 in determining his outlook with the team. With Carter in place as a potential successor in that case, Burns will be tasked with remaining a consist contributor in the sack department.
Three members of the Giants’ rookie class are yet to be signed. Finalizing those pacts will use up a portion of the team’s newly-created funds, but the team could also look into some low-cost moves with Burns’ cap figure having been reduced.