HEADLINES

Month: June 2025

Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs Aiming For Week 1 Return

June 19th, 2025 at 8:24pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs is aiming to return to the field by the start of the regular season, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.

Diggs has struggled with injuries in the past two years. He tore his ACL during a September 2023 practice and missed the rest of the year. The five-year veteran recovered in time for the regular season next fall and started the Cowboys’ first 10 games despite a lingering calf injury. However, Diggs was unable to play through another issue with his knee, which ultimately required surgery in January.

Diggs was present at the team’s mandatory minicamp last week, though he did not participate in any on-field work. He is not expected to be ready for the start of training camp, either. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in April that Diggs could even start the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would sideline him for the team’s first four games. That would give Diggs more time to get ready for the season, especially if he does not have a full ramp-up period during training camp.

However, the 26-year-old has plenty of reason to push for a Week 1 debut. Even if he stays healthy this year, Diggs could find himself a free agent next offseason, per The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf. He led the league with 11 interceptions in 2021 but has struggled to replicate that form since, though he has given up significantly fewer yards in coverage.

Diggs’ contract has no guaranteed money after 2025, per OverTheCap, and he’s due $57MM from 2026 to 2028. With escalating cap hits for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb – not to mention Micah Parsons‘ pending mega-deal – the Cowboys may elect to move on from Diggs to help balance the books.

All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland is also entering the final year of his rookie contract and could command upwards of $20MM per year on an extension. Releasing Diggs with a post-June 1 designation would save $15.5MM against the 2026 salary cap with just $2.94MM in dead money in 2025 and 2026. This future adds a key ingredient to Diggs’ latest rehab odyssey.

Josh Simmons Expected To Fully Participate In Training Camp

June 19th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chiefs are expecting first-round pick Josh Simmons to be a full participant in training camp, according to ESPN’s Adam Teicher.

Simmons, the No. 32 selection in April’s draft, ruptured his patellar tendon last October, prematurely ending his final year at Ohio State and sidelining him throughout the pre-draft process. That led to uncertainty regarding his availability for the start of the 2025 season.

The Chiefs believe that Simmons can be their Week 1 starter at left tackle, provided he’s healthy. They have reason to be encouraged after he participated in OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Spring practices are less physically demanding than training camp, allowing Simmons to get integrated into the Chiefs offense without threatening his ongoing rehab. Once pads and contact are introduced in July, Kansas City will have a stronger idea of Simmons’ ability to take the field in Week 1.

“He’s done a nice job, he’s worked well, and we’ll just see what training camp does,” head coach Andy Reid said of Simmons. “It’s different when things are flying fast up there and you’ve got full contact and pads on.”

Third-year wide receiver Rashee Rice, who also suffered a season-ending leg injury last fall, also participated in the team’s offseason practices and is still on track to fully participate in training camp. Barring any setback, Rice should be ready for Week 1, though his availability could be threatened by a potential suspension stemming from a hit-and-run accident — one that brought eight felony charges — last March.

NFC Staff Changes: 49ers, Buccaneers, Eagles, Falcons, Giants, Vikings

June 19th, 2025 at 4:47pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The 49ers announced a flurry of staff changes this week, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, including the promotions of RJ Gillen and Brian Hampton to assistant general managers.

Gillien has been with the 49ers’ scouting department since 2015. He spent the last two years as the director of player personnel and will continue leading the team’s pro scouting operations.

Hampton started as a football operations intern in 2003 and rose through the ranks to become the director of football administration and analytics in 2010. He held that position for a decade before a promotion to vice president of football administration in 2020. Hampton is primarily focused on the 49ers’ roster construction and contract negotiations, particularly relating to the salary cap.

The 49ers also made three promotions in their scouting department – Jordan Fox to player personnel scout, Jason Kwon to pro scout, and Ryan Schutta to area scout – as well as two changes in football research and development. Shravan Ramamurthy was promoted to manager, while Benjamin Klein was hired as a performance analyst. The team also promoted Corry Rush to executive vice president of player personnel.

A number of other NFC teams also made staff changes in recent weeks:

  • The Buccaneers hired Ty Shiflet and Griffin Moore as scouting assistants, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. Shiflet was formerly a personnel assistant at LSU, while Moore was a college tight end at Illinois and Texas State.
  • The Eagles are planning to hire LSU director of player personnel Preston Tiffany, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. He previously held the same position at Ole Miss.
  • The Falcons hired Ari Glazier as a junior football data analyst, per Inside The League’s Neil Stratton. Glazier worked with the Syracuse football team for the 2024 season while pursuing degrees in sports analytics and economics.
  • The Giants promoted Justin Markus to from BLESTO scout to Midwest area scout, according to Stratton. Before joining the Giants, Markus was a video intern with the Jets and a recruiting analyst at Rice University.
  • The Vikings promoted Michelle Mankoff from college and pro scouting analyst to college scout, per Stratton. She previously interned with the Bills and the XFL.

Steelers Still Exploring WR Addition

June 19th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

JUNE 19: While also noting a trade is being looked into, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic writes the Steelers could very well wait until training camp to pursue a noteworthy receiver addition (subscription required). Austin and Wilson should have plenty of opportunities to earn a starter’s role; should they struggle to do so or face injury issues, though, Pittsburgh will remain a team to watch on this front.

JUNE 12: Four trades including receivers have taken place this offseason, and the Steelers have been involved in two of them. Pittsburgh’s depth chart will be led by D.K. Metcalf in 2025 and beyond, but questions linger about who will operate as the team’s No. 2 option.

Incumbents Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson are each set to have an increased role in the passing game as things stand. The Steelers have added a veteran in the form of Robert Woods, but acquiring another experienced option closer to their prime remains a goal. Pittsburgh is still “actively making calls” regarding a receiver trade while also looking into the remaining free agent options, per Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show.

[RELATED: Steelers Were Among Chris Godwin’s Suitors]

Last month, it was reported the Steelers were content to evaluate their in-house wideouts before strongly pursuing an outside addition. With OTAs and minicamp now in the books, they have been able to do so. The likes of Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper – who have a combined 11 Pro Bowls to their names – are among the veterans still in need of a deal at this point of the offseason. Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers contract is now on the books, but even taking into account that one-year pact Pittsburgh still has nearly $19MM in cap space.

Finances will therefore not be an issue on the free agent front. With respect to trades, general manager Omar Khan has shown a willingness to pursue a high-profile move more than once. Prior to this year’s Metcalf swap, the Steelers reached agreement on a Brandon Aiyuk trade. He eventually landed a 49ers extension, though, something which fueled efforts to acquire a rental at the 2024 trade deadline. Mike Williams did not perform as hoped upon arrival, and he has since retuned to the Chargers.

No wideouts have a standing trade request (at least in public) at this point. Pittsburgh could nevertheless look to bring in a starting-caliber option before training camp. In the meantime, Austin in particular will continue preparing for a notable offensive role. The 26-year-old was sidelined for his entire rookie season and handled a part-time workload the following campaign. In 2024, though, Austin averaged 15.2 yards per catch while recording four touchdowns and chipping in as a punt returner as well.

2025 represents a key season in Austin’s case. Kaboly notes the Steelers have not approached the former fourth-rounder about an extension, but Austin could certainly boost his market value with a career-high in production. That, in turn, will of course depend on what moves (if any) Pittsburgh makes at the receiver spot this summer.

CB Jaire Alexander Preferred To Remain With Packers?

June 19th, 2025 at 12:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaire Alexander sweepstakes came to an end on Wednesday when he agreed to a deal with the Ravens. 2025 will mark the first season of his career played outside of Green Bay.

Alexander’s future was a talking point for much of the offseason, with the Packers holding trade talks on multiple occasions during the spring. Those efforts did not yield an agreement, as suitors were understandably leery of taking on the remaining two years of his contract. In the end, the two-time Pro Bowler got his wish in terms of being released (and thus choosing his next team via free agency) as opposed to a trade.

Before the Packers elected to move on, though, a push was made to work out a pay cut agreement. A restructure – in particular, one which would have made Alexander a free agent next offseason – was offered. It would appear the proposed short-term pact did not feature guaranteed compensation, a key factor a determining the end to this situation. Alexander’s father Landis spoke about the split with the Packers during an appearance on ESPN Wisconsin radio (video link).

“[Head coach] Matt LaFleur had reached out to him on his birthday, things like that,” Alexander said about discussions which took place with his son. “He wasn’t upset or angry with anybody. He wanted to come back. I thought that he was going to be there.”

At issue in this case, as Landis Alexander noted, was the fact the Packers’ pay cut offer did not feature any locked in money up front. None of the base salary originally owed ($16.5MM) was guaranteed, but a compromise was sought on Alexander’s side in which a reduction in overall pay was accompanied by a guarantee figure. Without any salary locked in or a signing bonus present in the offer – per the elder Alexander’s account of the negotiating process – the parties elected to move on.

Immediate interest was show once Alexander hit the open market, although the Ravens were not initially reported to be a suitor. Still, it comes as little surprise the Louisville product chose to reunite with college teammate Lamar Jackson for 2025. Alexander will collect $4MM in base pay with another $2MM available through incentives. That compensation falls well short of the $21MM annual average value of his previous deal, but the fact guaranteed money is present marks a contrast to the Packers’ stance.

It was reported yesterday the Ravens’ offer was not the most lucrative one Alexander fielded, something corroborated by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Now, the 28-year-old will join a secondary including other first-rounders at cornerback (Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins) and safety (Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks) as Baltimore looks to avoid the pass defense struggles which were prevalent for much of last season. The Packers, meanwhile, will proceed with a secondary no longer featuring its highest-paid member for 2025 and beyond.

Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Undecided On Post-2025 Future

June 19th, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Retirement questions surrounded Travis Kelce leading up to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl loss. In short order, though, the future Hall of Famer made it clear he will suit up for 2025.

Kelce was away from the Chiefs during voluntary work this spring, but he is in attendance for this week’s mandatory minicamp. The 35-year-old spoke to the media following practice, and while doing so he confirmed a decision was made not long after the Chiefs’ bid for a third straight championship fell short. 2025 will mark his 13th NFL season, all of them with Kansas City.

From 2016-22, Kelce topped 1,000 yards and was a mainstay on the league’s All-Pro teams. The 10-time Pro Bowler saw his production dip in 2023, however, and last year his yardage (823) and touchdown (three) totals were his lowest since his one-game rookie campaign. Kelce refuted Tuesday’s report that he has shed 25 pounds this offseason, but he has targeted a return to his previous form in terms of speed and mobility for what could be the final year of his career.

“I got one year on this contract — I know that,” Kelce said, via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer (subscription required). “The Chiefs organization knows how much I love them. I can’t see myself ever playing anywhere else. So we’ll deal with that down the road.”

Kelce and the Chiefs worked out a pay bump last spring, as new guarantees came into play without term being added to his pact. The three-time Super Bowl winner is owed $17.25MM this season with a cap hit of just over $19.8MM. Those figures will of course bring about high expectations regarding production, but the matter of Kelce’s playing future beyond 2025 will remain a talking point in the absence of an extension.

Kansas City already has a number of notable contracts on the books (with a big-ticket commitment to guard Trey Smith looming), and the team is among those currently projected to be over the cap next year. Keeping Kelce in the fold for 2026 would represent a financial challenge as a result, although the team would of course show interest in doing so he if were to continue his career further. For now, Kelce’s attention is focused on the coming campaign with another decision on his playing future several months away.

Ravens Sign CB Jaire Alexander

June 18th, 2025 at 10:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Regular participants in the summer free agent market, the Ravens will make another play for a veteran. They are bringing in Jaire Alexander, per a team announcement. Alexander was in Baltimore to sign his deal Wednesday.

Baltimore had not been closely linked to the high-profile cornerback since his Green Bay release, but the team appeared to have a need. Alexander will join Marlon Humphrey and 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins to give the Ravens a potentially formidable corner trio. Alexander has seen his stock dip in recent years due to unavailability, but his past two full seasons have brought second-team All-Pro honors. And a few teams were willing to bet on a return to form.

The sides agreed on a one-year deal worth $6MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That represents the max value, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, who indicates the contract covers $4MM in base and includes an additional $2MM in incentives. These benchmarks are not exactly unrealistic, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds they are tied to playing time. Alexander can earn $500K by playing just 35% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps. The other thresholds here — all covering $500K — check in at 40%, 45% and 50%.

This will provide a potential platform for Alexander to reestablish his value ahead of a 2026 free agency bid. A report last week indicated a one-year pact with an eye on a 2026 market trip was the most likely outcome, and it is rather interesting Alexander will fetch a deal at this rate given his considerable injury struggles. But the 2018 first-round pick has shown a high ceiling when healthy. The Ravens, who had already done some CB work this offseason, will bite as they attempt to book an elusive Lamar Jackson-era Super Bowl berth.

A few teams had established themselves as apparent non-suitors, as the Rams and Dolphins were believed to be out on the former Pro Bowler. The Panthers also appeared unlikely to make a push, but the Bills had discussed trade terms with the Packers earlier this offseason. Buffalo, though, used a first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston (as Rasul Douglas remains unsigned). And a handful of teams did reach out to Alexander’s camp following his recent release. On that note, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports the Ravens did not submit the best offer. They will land him anyway.

This deal also comes a day after Jackson offered an endorsement, telling GM Eric DeCosta to “go get” his former college teammate. Jackson informed media at minicamp (including PFR’s Nikhil Mehta) he backed a reunion. Jackson and Alexander each entered the NFL in the 2018 first round out of Louisville, the latter going to the Packers 14 picks earlier (No. 18). Baltimore now has exclusive negotiating rights with Alexander until the 2026 legal tampering period, but this also stands to be an audition season after the talented cover man missed 20 games over the past two years.

The Packers offered Alexander a pay cut to stay, circling back to the injury-prone CB after dangling him in trades during free agency and the draft. Alexander, 28, balked a pay slash and ended up generating a market. He missed time with groin, back, shoulder and knee injuries from 2023-24 — a period that also included a one-game team-imposed suspension for a strange coin-toss incident against the Panthers in 2023. While the Packers gave the 5-foot-10 corner another chance in 2024, he burned them again with unavailability. Green Bay, which had given Alexander a then-CB-record four-year deal worth $84MM in May 2022, added Nate Hobbs in free agency.

Alexander’s $21MM-AAV contract came despite him missing most of Green Bay’s 2021 season — one in which the team booked the NFC’s No. 1 seed — due to a shoulder injury. Alexander did make it back for the Packers’ divisional-round game — a loss to the 49ers — but that season began a trend of unreliability. Though, Alexander has impressed when on the field.

Pro Football Focus graded Alexander as a top-10 corner upon his return in 2022, and the advanced metrics site viewed him as a plus defender during each of the past two injury-marred years. PFF slotted Alexander 22nd among CB regulars in 2023 and 19th last season. This will help a Ravens that improved during Zach Orr‘s first season in charge. The Ravens have gone to the summer free agent well largely to add edge rushers in recent years, bringing in the likes of Jadeveon Clowney, Kyle Van Noy, Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Houston. This addition will shake up a CB group that already included an injury reclamation project.

Baltimore added Chidobe Awuzie — on a one-year, $1.26MM deal — following his Titans release in March. Awuzie now represents the lower-profile of the Ravens’ two CB rebound bids, standing to work as the team’s top off-the-bench option. Our Adam La Rose broke down an Awuzie-T.J. Tampa battle for a starting spot Tuesday, but these performers now supply depth.

Awuzie, whom the Titans released after he missed much of last season (on a big-ticket contract) with another injury, could certainly be needed for extensive work based on Alexander’s medical sheet. But the Ravens will hope their Humphrey-Wiggins-Alexander trio holds up as they attempt to topple the Chiefs for the AFC title.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.

Browns Rumors: Sanders, Tillman, Fannin

June 18th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Ely Allen

The Browns received unfortunate news in the early hour of this morning when rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders was pulled over for allegedly driving 101 mph in a 60-mph zone. Sanders was issued a citation, which he can fight in court or pay for with a fine, according to the breaking report from Emily Smith and Peggy and Ed Gallek of the Fox 8 I-Team.

Aside from the potential danger of driving at such speeds, what’s so unfortunate about all of this for Cleveland is that it comes on the heels of Sanders falling in an historic way in the 2025 NFL Draft from a projected top-10 pick to Day 3. One of the main reasons cited by the teams that passed on him time and time again was character concerns. There were concerns about his maturity having only ever been coached by his father, and several teams were reportedly turned off by his behavior in pre-draft interviews.

Ultimately, this is just one mistake, but it’s one that will hit Sanders’ pockets a bit harder after he failed to secure first-round money. Though there are many who believe he could be a starter for the team this year, we continue to see reports that he and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel are working behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for backup roles. If Sanders has any intentions of leading the Browns offense on Sundays, he’ll need to avoid mistakes such as these that only seem to validate his fall in the draft.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of The Land:

  • In an online Q&A this past weekend, ESPN’s Tony Grossi claimed there was a high likelihood that Cleveland adds another wide receiver to the team before the start of the year. Zac Jackson of The Athletic agreed with this sentiment, saying how in offseason workouts so far, Jerry Jeudy has been leaps and bounds above the rest of a group that doesn’t seem to be inspiring much confidence. Of course, this group does not include Cedric Tillman or Michael Woods II at the moment as both are sidelined with minor injuries. While Grossi suggested both players should feel pressure to get back on the field soon, Jackson called Tillman a “locked-in starter” if healthy. Regardless, barring a breakout training camp performance by one of the current crew, the Browns will likely still be interested in adding a receiver in the weeks leading up to the regular season.
  • In a later breakdown of the team’s pass catchers, Jackson noted that, despite the impressive start he’s shown thus far, rookie third-round tight end Harold Fannin is seen as more of a long-term project than an immediate plug-and-play. The NCAA’s leader in receptions and receiving yards last year, Fannin holds versatile potential to play in an H-back role, in the slot, or in-line, but Njoku is still going to be the go-to receiving tight end in 2025. Increased two-tight end sets would give Fannin more opportunities on the field, but in order to be the second tight end in those sets, he’ll need to earn the coaches’ trust as a blocker, an area in which he has plenty of room for improvement.
  • Following charges of simple assault and harassment levied at linebacker Devin Bush in May, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal gave us an update on the proceedings. Bush appeared in front of a judge earlier this month and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Now, he’ll have a formal arraignment on the morning of July 18 at which point he’ll enter a plea on the charges against him.

Traded Draft Picks For 2026

June 18th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Many months remain before teams know where they are picking in the 2026 draft, but many clubs have made moves to acquire 2026 draft capital. Headlined by the Browns and Rams’ efforts, here are the 2026 picks to have changed hands thus far. When more deals involving picks are made (or conditions on moves already completed become known), that information will be added.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Giants Sign RB Cam Skattebo, Complete Rookie Class

June 18th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

As the Giants wrapped up their minicamp today, they finished business on another front, as well. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo posted early in the afternoon that New York and fourth-round rookie running back Cam Skattebo had agreed to terms on his first NFL contract. The team confirmed this a few hours later, when Skattebo officially put pen to paper and wrapped up the Giants’ rookie signings.

Coming out of Rio Linda, just outside of Sacramento, Skattebo was an unranked recruit in high school. Determined to continue playing football, he committed to the only Division I program to offer him a scholarship: nearby Sacramento State. After COVID-19 cancelled his first season, Skattebo played a complimentary role for the Hornets before exploding the next year as the starter with 1,382 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, not to mention a passing and onside kick return touchdown, as well.

Having been named an FCS first-team All-American as a sophomore, Skattebo hit the transfer portal and landed at Arizona State. On a team that went 3-9, his first campaign with the Sun Devils was a bit of a struggle, but once again, he would explode in Year 2. While it was always going to be damn near impossible to keep pace with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, Skattebo was part of an elite group of four other backs who all averaged more than 130 rushing yards per game, and of those four, he was the only one to reach the end zone over 20 times. Finishing second in the nation in rushing yards (1,711) and sixth in rushing touchdowns (21), Skattebo led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship and, consequently, a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Despite these statistical achievements and a fifth-place finish in the Heisman race, Skattebo was considered a fringe-Day 2 pick. Essentially, scouts seemed to recognize his tenacity, effort, and feel for the game but noted that he lacked any elite traits and feared that he may be exposed for that in the NFL. Still, Skattebo brings added value to New York thanks to the receiving production that helped make him such a versatile prospect.

Coming to New York, Skattebo joins a team that finished 23rd in rushing in 2024 after losing Saquon Barkley to their division-rival. He currently projects as RB3 behind last year’s top rushers, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. Tracy, last year’s fifth-round pick, is a converted wide receiver who has never rushed for 1,000 yards in college or his rookie campaign, but his 839 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns led Big Blue in 2024. Singletary began last year as the starter before getting demoted to RB2 following a Week 4 groin injury. Skattebo will work to compete with Singletary for opportunities behind Tracy, but he comes into his rookie season with much more acclaim than Tracy did.

Here’s a final look at the Giants’ 2025 rookie class, now complete:

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