HEADLINES

Month: June 2025

Iowa Hires Scott Pioli As Consultant

June 15th, 2025 at 1:08pm CST by Rory Parks

Scott Pioli, thrice recognized as a PFWA Executive of the Year for his NFL work, is now part of a growing trend that has seen college programs hire former NFLers. Per Scott Dochterman of The Athletic (subscription required), Iowa is hiring Pioli to serve as a consultant.

Pioli, 60, began his executive career as a pro personnel assistant with the iteration of the Browns that eventually moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. In 2000 – the year that Tom Brady was drafted and Bill Belichick was hired – Pioli joined the Patriots as New England’s assistant director of player personnel. Of course, the eventual Belichick/Brady dynasty created a rising tide that lifted the boats of many execs and coaches, and Pioli was no exception.

From 2002-08, Pioli served as the Pats’ vice president of player personnel, a stretch in which the club advanced to four Super Bowls and won three of them. That success earned him two of the above-referenced Executive of the Year awards and a job as the Chiefs’ general manager in 2009.

Pioli’s tenure atop Kansas City’s front office did not go particularly well. Shortly after he was hired, he swung a trade for former Brady backup Matt Cassel, who had played well in relief of Brady in 2008 (the trade also sent former Patriots linebacker and current New England head coach Mike Vrabel to Missouri). Pioli then authorized a lucrative extension for Cassel before he ever played a snap for KC, but the USC product was mostly unable to replicate his Foxborough success as a member of the Chiefs.

Kansas City posted losing records in three of Pioli’s four seasons at the helm (with the one exception being a 10-6 2010 campaign in which Cassel posted a career-high 93.0 QB rating and led the team to a playoff berth). After a disastrous 2012 slate that culminated in a 2-14 record, Pioli was fired.

He did not have to wait long for his next opportunity, landing a job as the Falcons’ assistant GM in 2014. He held that role through the 2019 NFL draft and resigned in May 2019. 

Atlanta advanced to Super Bowl LI during Pioli’s time with the club, famously losing that matchup with the Patriots despite leading 28-3 at one point. The Falcons made it back to the playoffs the following year before stumbling to a 7-9 record in 2018, leading to reports that owner Arthur Blank had become frustrated with the direction of his franchise. Pioli described his 2019 resignation as a voluntary one, though Blank’s reported concerns and the fact that Pioli did not have another opportunity lined up following his resignation created plenty of skepticism in that regard.

Pioli was floated as a GM candidate for several openings in the years following his Falcons departure and even interviewed for the Lions’ post that ultimately went to Brad Holmes in 2021. He has not been on the interview circuit since then, however.

With his professional opportunities seemingly exhausted, it stands to reason that Pioli would turn his attention to the college ranks. And, given the landmark House v. NCAA settlement that has completely transformed the collegiate landscape, it is likewise logical for college programs to seek executives who are familiar with a finance-driven approach to roster construction.

The House settlement allows colleges up to $20.5MM to pay their student athletes across all sports. Football will command the bulk of such payments, and according to Dochterman, Iowa plans to use its full $20.5MM “cap,” roughly 75% of which will go to football players.

Pioli has a close relationship with Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz that dates back to the duo’s time together in Cleveland/Baltimore from 1992-96. He joins former NFL mainstays like Andrew Luck, Ron Rivera, Michael Lombardi, Pat Stewart, and Nick Polk, who have all transitioned to the college level.

Chiefs’ Rookie Josh Simmons To Start At LT If Healthy?

June 15th, 2025 at 12:36pm CST by Ely Allen

JUNE 15: Apparently, Simmons is the Chiefs’ preferred left tackle for 2025, provided he can return to full health. ESPN’s Adam Teicher says if the rookie is a full participant in this week’s minicamp, that will bode well for his chances of opening the season as Patrick Mahomes‘ Week 1 blindside blocker. Teicher says Moore will only step in at LT if Simmons is unable to play.

JUNE 8: After falling just short of a Super Bowl three-peat, the Chiefs were forced to reckon with how much the team that did win the Super Bowl dominated them in the trenches. As a result, Kansas City’s first three picks in the draft and its biggest free agent signing all addressed the offensive and defensive lines. Their top overall draft pick, though, is likely not expected to be a main contributor to start the 2025 season, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

The Chiefs traded back a spot and utilized the final pick of the first round on Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons. Simmons started his collegiate career at San Diego State, starting every game of his redshirt freshman season at right tackle before transferring to Columbus. He immediately stepped in as the Buckeyes starting left tackle in 2023, and even though he missed 10 games last year, he still earned All-Big Ten honorable mention.

Part of the reason Simmons is not expected to start in Week 1 is because of what caused him to miss 10 games last year. Projected to be in contention for the honor of top lineman in the draft, Simmons draft stock took a hit when he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon only six games into the season. Apart from how challenging it can be for a rookie to adjust to the NFL game, Breer notes that that kind of knee injury can be harder for big men to come back from than a torn ACL.

Add in the fact that the Chief’s biggest free agent signing this offseason was former 49ers backup offensive tackle Jaylon Moore, and the team’s plans start to become clear. Moore came to Kansas City on a two-year, $30MM deal after four years in San Francisco, where he served as a swing tackle who started games in place of Trent Williams and others. Over the course of his rookie contract, Moore played in 55 games but started only 12 of them.

The beauty of signing Moore to a two-year deal is that it will likely serve two purposes. In 2025, Moore is expected to man the starting left tackle spot across from Jawaan Taylor. This will allow Simmons to take his time to recover to full health and catch up to the speed of the NFL game with no pressure. The second purpose was hinted at over a month ago, when head coach Andy Reid expressed the team’s view that Moore could play multiple positions on the offensive line. Considering he’s never played at snap at guard in the NFL, the presumption, then, is that Reid means he can play both left and right tackle.

After the 2025 season, Taylor’s contract contains a potential out that reduces his dead cap money from $34.78MM if cut in 2025 to $7.39MM if cut in the next league year. One could imagine, Breer posits, that Kansas City would be able to free up $20MM of cap space, move Moore from left to right tackle, and let Simmons take over at left tackle in 2026.

So, sure, Simmons isn’t expected to start Week 1 in 2025, but that also doesn’t exactly mean that he’ll be redshirting his rookie year. Once he’s fully healthy, the Chiefs will likely try to work Simmons into the line somehow. Maybe they’ll start him out on the interior, or they could shift Moore inside, if Reid really meant what he said about multiple positions, and allow Simmons to get accustomed to the starting spot on the blind side. Either way, the plan for Simmons is likely focused much further out than Week 1 of the upcoming season.

49ers Notes: Farrell, Pinnock, Huff, Lenoir

June 15th, 2025 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

While the 49ers managed to work out new deals for QB Brock Purdy, LB Fred Warner, and TE George Kittle well in advance of training camp, the club was forced to part with a number of other talented players over the past several months due to its cap constraints (exacerbated by the impending extension for Purdy). Similarly, San Francisco was unable to make any major splashes in free agency, and its biggest offseason commitment to external talent is the three-year, $15.75MM deal it authorized for blocking tight end Luke Farrell.

Farrell, a 2021 fifth-rounder who just played out his rookie contract with the Jaguars, has never recorded more than 155 receiving yards in a season. Still, Niners HC Kyle Shanahan’s offense asks its tight ends to do a great deal of blocking, so it is not terribly surprising that the team ponied up a notable pact for a player like Farrell.

Farrell suggests the Niners were easily the most generous of his prospective suitors. 

“The Niners wanted to work fast,” Farrell said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “And they were far and away the best opportunity as far as what they were offering. So it was, at the end of the day, kind of a no-brainer.”

Farrell’s role may not be as extensive as it appeared when he signed his deal, as the 49ers reunited with fullback Kyle Juszczyk shortly after bringing Farrell aboard. Nonetheless, the former Jaguar should see considerable playing time, and the hope is that his presence will allow Kittle to spend less time blocking and more time running routes.

On the defensive side of the ball, rising second-year safety Malik Mustapha is unlikely to be on the field for the beginning of the 2025 campaign since he suffered a torn ACL in the Niner’s regular season finale in 2024. As such, free agent addition Jason Pinnock is a frontrunner to start at safety (perhaps alongside Ji’Ayir Brown), per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required). 

Barrows describes Pinnock as the most physically impressive safety San Francisco has rostered in some time, and the former Jets draftee is familiar with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s system since Saleh was New York’s head coach when Pinnock entered the league in 2021. Pinnock was waived in advance of the 2022 season, but Saleh said that was not a reflection of the player’s abilities. Pinnock — who was claimed by the Giants after being waived and then spent the next three seasons with Big Blue — had just converted to safety from corner, and he was simply unable to beat out the Jets’ other safeties at the time.

“But I’ve always been a fan of his athleticism, his length, his football IQ,” Saleh said. “He’s a really good football player, and just being with him over the course of the first couple of months, he’s grown significantly from a maturity standpoint, and he’s attacked the heck out of it. He’s going for it.”

Another former Jet, Bryce Huff, recently came to the Bay Area by way of a trade with the Eagles. Though Huff did not live up to expectations after signing a lucrative contract with Philadelphia last March, the Niners will not be taking him out of his comfort zone.

While Eagles DC Vic Fangio’s scheme requires a fair amount of versatility from its edge defenders, Huff thrived as a rotational pass rusher as part of Saleh’s Jets defense in 2023. Despite appearing in just 42% of the team’s snaps that year, Huff posted 10 sacks and 21 quarterback hits, which helped create his robust free agent market last offseason. According to Barrows, San Francisco will deploy Huff as a dedicated third-down pass rush specialist, which is how the team utilized Dee Ford in his first season with the 49ers in 2019.

That usage will mean less snaps for rookie Mykel Williams. However, Barrows believes Williams can make up for that loss of reps with more looks as an interior pass rusher.

Like Purdy, Warner, and Kittle, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is a recent recipient of a healthy new contract, having landed a five-year, $92MM extension in November. The 2021 fifth-rounder (taken 27 picks after Farrell) has split time between boundary corner and nickel corner over the past two seasons, but he could be permitted to focus his efforts on the boundaries in 2025.

As Jerry McDonald of the Santa Cruz Sentinel writes, Lenoir primarily lined up outside the numbers during the practice reps that were open to the media this spring. If third-round rookie Upton Stout proves capable of manning the slot, Lenoir could continue to operate as an outside corner opposite 2024 second-rounder Renardo Green.

Broncos, RB J.K. Dobbins Were In Contact Since March

June 15th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Rory Parks

The Broncos recently signed running back J.K. Dobbins to a one-year contract worth $2.75MM, with an additional $2.5MM incentive package. Although the two sides just came to terms several days ago, there was mutual interest since free agency opened in March.

Per Luca Evans of the Denver Post, the Broncos made contact with Dobbins’ camp at the outset of free agency and stayed in touch over the next several months. Similarly, Dobbins – who played against defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit as a member of the Chargers last year and who lauded his new club’s O-line and quarterback Bo Nix – said joining Denver was a “no-brainer.” 

Though he is only 26, Dobbins is now far and away the most seasoned player in Denver’s RB room, which also features second-round rookie R.J. Harvey, 2024 fifth-rounder Audric Estime, and 2023 UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin. The overall underperformance of the club’s running backs in 2024, along with the free agency departure of Javonte Williams, led many to believe the Broncos would target the position on Day 1 of April’s draft.

UNC back Omarion Hampton was frequently mocked to Denver and its No. 20 overall pick. Instead, the Broncos chose a defensive player in Texas corner Jahdae Barron, and while they reportedly would have targeted Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson in a trade-down maneuver from the No. 20 spot, they clearly did not receive an offer tempting enough to relinquish the opportunity to select Barron.

In theory, the club could have moved up from its No. 51 slot to nab Henderson – who eventually went to the Patriots with the No. 38 pick – but Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes the Broncos eschewed that route largely because they knew they had Dobbins “in their back pocket.” Ultimately, Denver traded down twice from their No. 51 position to land Harvey at No. 60 overall.

Dobbins appears to have wanted to sign with Denver all along, and he was merely waiting for them (or, presumably, a different team with a clear RB opening) to hit his price point. Nick Chubb’s one-year, $2.5MM deal with the Texans helped crystallize Dobbins’ market, and he put pen to paper on his Broncos deal shortly after Chubb officially joined his new team. 

Dobbins admitted there was some urgency to the deal as a result of the Chargers’ decision to hit him with the UFA tender. If Dobbins had not signed a contract with a different club by July 22, the Bolts would have regained exclusive negotiating rights with him, and he theoretically could have been forced to play out the 2025 campaign on the $1.1MM tender (though Los Angeles did make him what was described as a “pretty decent” offer before he elected to join the Broncos). 

While the Chargers added Najee Harris in free agency and selected Hampton in the first round of the 2025 draft (just two picks after Barron came off the board), keeping Dobbins in the fold would not have broken the bank and would have given the team a deep and intriguing collection of RB talent. But from Dobbins’ perspective, Denver clearly presents a better opportunity.

Renck believes Dobbins will be ticketed for a starting role from the jump, as he says Harvey will “ideally” begin sharing early-down snaps with his new teammate by the middle of October. That said, Harvey was not a consensus second-round talent, so if Dobbins can stay healthy – which has been difficult for him since he suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game in 2021, his second year in the league – he could see the lion’s share of carries throughout the 2025 season.

Dobbins missed four games due to a MCL strain in 2024, his first and only season with the Chargers. Still, he tallied 905 yards and nine TDs on a strong 4.6 yards-per-carry average, and his 27 runs of 10+ yards was the 11th-highest total in the league. After playing in just one game the year prior, Dobbins finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2024 (behind Bengals QB Joe Burrow).

Jets CB Sauce Gardner Encouraged By Extension Talks; Team Has Made Offer To Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson

June 15th, 2025 at 9:19am CST by Adam La Rose

JUNE 15: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms that the Jets have made offers to both Gardner and Wilson (video link). The players have likewise presented numbers to the club, so both sides now know exactly how much of a gap there is to bridge.

Gang Green now has the fourth-most salary cap space in the league ($38MM) after its post-June 1 cuts took effect, as well as the NFL’s lowest cash payroll ($228MM). As such, Cimini believes at least one of the Gardner/Wilson duo will have a new contract in hand by the time the regular season gets underway.

JUNE 12: Negotiations on a long-term extension with Garrett Wilson have begun. The Jets have another monster deal looming with respect to Sauce Gardner, and talks on that front have apparently been positive so far.

Both 2022 first-rounders are now eligible for an extension at any time. As expected, the Jets’ new regime picked up Wilson and Gardner’s fifth-year options, tying them to the team through 2026 by doing so. Of course, it would come as no surprise if one or both were to have a long-term pact in hand well before their rookie deals expire.

Gardner attended this week’s minicamp against the backdrop of extension talks taking place, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. That is in line with most players around the league, of course, but like every year 2025 has seen some angling for a new deal remain away from their teams. Gardner being present is of course a positive sign regarding the nature of contract negotiations.

“I just wanted to show my teammates, my coaches how much I want to win,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said when speaking to the media on Thursday (via Russini’s colleague Zack Rosenblatt). “I want to be part of change in the organization.”

Gardner added he feels “pretty good” about the current state of extension talks (h/t Rosenblatt). As things stand, the two-time All-Pro is due $20.19MM in 2026. The top of the corner market now sits at $30MM annually, though, and that represents a logical benchmark for negotiations in this case. Gardner, 24, racked up 31 pass deflections across his first two seasons in the league. He experienced a drop in production last year, but given his age and pedigree it would come as no surprise if he found himself as the league’s top-paid corner in the relatively near future.

Wilson is a clear priority for general manager Darren Mougey, head coach Aaron Glenn and Co. The same is not necessarily true of running back Breece Hall, although he has been assured of remaining in New York for 2025. Gardner will again play a key role in the team’s performance this year and beyond, and the Jets’ cap outlook will of course be greatly affected by any long-term agreement which is reached. Based on his comments, progress has been made on that front.

Browns Open To Keeping All Four QBs

June 14th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

There is plenty of time before final roster cuts in August, but the Browns are already considering holding onto all four of their quarterbacks.

General manager Andrew Berry said (via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports) that Cleveland could “absolutely” carry four quarterbacks into the regular season, provided, of course, that “they all play well enough.” According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, all four “answered the bell” this spring.

The Browns value Joe Flacco‘s familiarity with Kevin Stefanski‘s offensive scheme; those traits are also the reason that Flacco took limited reps during OTAs and minicamp, typically with the first team, per Epstein. That has allowed Stefanski and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to sort through the team’s younger options: ex-Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett and rookie draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

Pickett and Gabriel also played with the first team in the spring, but Sanders did not, per Epstein. He has “come on strong over the last two weeks,” according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, and could still be a part of the starting competition in training camp.

If the Browns go with three quarterbacks, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal believes that either Flacco or Pickett will be the odd man out. Flacco’s experience is his biggest plus, but Cleveland was more aggressive in its pursuit of Pickett this offseason. The Browns traded for him on the first day of the new league year, while Flacco did not sign until April.

Obviously, the Browns are unlikely to cut Gabriel after drafting him in the third round. They could try to sneak Sanders through waivers after every other team passed on him multiple times in the draft, but he could be claimed if another squad’s backup gets injured during training camp.

Commanders Surprised By Difficulties In Terry McLaurin Extension Talks

June 14th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Terry McLaurin enjoyed a highly productive campaign in 2024, continuing his run as the focal point of the Commanders’ passing attack and forming a strong connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels. Early this offseason, general manager Adam Peters made it clear an extension was high on the team’s to-do list.

In spite of those two factors, it has become increasingly team and player have not made much in the way of progress at the negotiating table. McLaurin is aiming for a third Washington contract, but his absence from spring practices was the first of multiple illustrations of his frustrations. The Pro Bowl wideout was also among the extension-eligible players who skipped mandatory minicamp this week.

Plenty of time remains for an agreement to be reached before a potential training camp holdout, but work will need to be done to take care of one of the team’s top remaining pieces of offseason business. One year remains on McLaurin’s pact, and he is owed $15.5MM in non-guaranteed salary for 2025. With a scheduled cap charge $25.5MM, an extension would benefit both parties in this case. As of last week, though, nothing was imminent regarding a deal coming together.

Some eyebrows have been raised by outside observers at the extent to which the McLaurin talks have run into trouble, and they are not alone in that regard. A team source informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler of the surprise at how the situation has arrived at this point (video link). The source confirmed Washington’s desire to keep McLaurin, 29, in the organization for the remainder of his career. To more of an extent than the Commanders expected, however, attaining that goal has proven to be challenging.

A second-team All-Pro performer last season, McLaurin topped 1,000 yards for the fifth straight campaign while setting a new career high with 13 touchdowns. The Ohio State product has managed to produce despite a Washington tenure marked by quarterback instability prior to Daniels’ arrival and a lack of consistent No. 2 receiver options. The Commanders were known to be in the market for a WR addition this offseason, and the trade for Deebo Samuel will give them a new starter at the position. Samuel is a pending 2026 free agent, meaning he joins McLaurin in having an uncertain future past the coming campaign.

The latter remains a priority regarding an extension agreement, but it will be interesting to see how close to the top of the receiver market Washington is willing to go. McLaurin would be subject to fines if he were to skip time during training camp next month, although a breakthrough in negotiations would of course make that a moot point.

5 Key Stories: 6/8/25 – 6/14/25

June 14th, 2025 at 9:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Most teams around the league have completed their minicamps, ending their offseason programs. Plenty of unanswered questions remain with respect to extensions and the fate of two high-profile corners at this point on the calendar, though. In case you missed any of the top developments from this week, here is a quick recap:

  • Packers Release Alexander: After an offseason filled with uncertainty over his Packers future, Jaire Alexander has been let go. The two-time Pro Bowler was the subject of trade discussions multiple times this spring, but the two lucrative years remaining on his contract proved too cumbersome for suitors. Green Bay attempted to work out a restructure agreement, but with that falling short the team proceeded with a release. Alexander, 28, will count just over $17MM against the cap this season and then come off the books in 2026. The oft-injured corner has drawn immediate free agent interest and it will be interesting to see where he lands. A one-year deal should be in store but Alexander could prove to be an impactful summer addition on his next team.
  • Cousins Preparing For Second Falcons Season: Once the Aaron Rodgers domino fell, no obvious suitors remained for a quarterback addition. As a result, Kirk Cousins appears set to handle backup duties with the Falcons despite his long-running efforts to find a new opportunity. Michael Penix Jr. enters 2025 as Atlanta’s starter, but the team is set to move forward with Cousins as an expensive backup. The Falcons have made clear their willingness to keep the 36-year-old in the fold, turning aside trade offers and declining to retain any notable portion of the guaranteed money he is owed to facilitate a deal. Cousins said during minicamp his attention has turned to managing his situation, one which will see him spend a second season in Atlanta barring an unforeseen development.
  • Parsons Aims To Become Highest-Paid Non-QB: The top of the EDGE market currently sits at $40MM per year, but the likes of Trey Hendrickson and especially T.J. Watt could move the benchmark even higher. If/when that takes place, Micah Parsons is positioned to move to the top of the pecking order on his Cowboys extension. With little to no traction being gained since an informal agreement was reached with owner Jerry Jones, Parsons is intent to become the league’s top earner among non-quarterbacks. That would involve an AAV above $40.25MM at this point, but the two-time All-Pro anticipates his asking price rising in relation to Watt’s in particular. Jones has developed a reputation for waiting too long during high-profile negotiations, and this situation could be another illustration of that point. Parsons, 26, will attend training camp but does not plan on participating without a deal in hand.
  • Texans Add Chubb: As expected, Nick Chubb will not be back with the Browns in 2025. With his productive Cleveland tenure in the rearview, the Pro Bowl back endured a lengthy free agent spell before agreeing to join the Texans. Chubb will play in Houston on a one-year, $2.5MM pact with the potential to double his earnings via incentives. Uncertainty lingers over how well the 29-year-old will be able to return to his previous form, given the underwhelming nature of his play when healthy last season. Joe Mixon is positioned to once again lead Houston’s backfield, but Chubb could earn himself a strong payday next spring with an effective showing as part of a tandem.
  • Ramsey Still Awaiting Dolphins Departure: It has long been understood Jalen Ramsey will not play for the Dolphins again, but he is still in the organization. The seven-time Pro Bowler was an excused absence from Miami’s minicamp while a trade continues to be sought out. Ramsey’s relationship with head coach Mike McDaniel has been a talking point, and members of Miami’s staff have confirmed the parting of ways is not based on performance. At the age of 30, continuing to perform at an All-Pro level may not be expected by an acquiring team, although expectations will be high given the term and money (including $24.24MM in guaranteed salary) left on his deal.

Bengals DB Dax Hill Aiming For Training Camp Return

June 14th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

An ACL tear ended Dax Hill‘s season in 2024. The fourth-year defensive back has made progress in his rehab, though, and a clear target is in place for a return to the field.

Hill was sidelined through OTAs and this week’s minicamp while continuing to recover. If all goes according to plan, however, he will receive clearance in time for training camp. The Bengals’ camp will begin on July 23, and being available for at least some of it will be key as he prepares to return to action.

“I’m hopeful in the next couple of weeks,” Hill said when asked about the point at which he hopes to be receive the green light (via Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). “This break is five weeks, so probably right before, hopefully. I’ve been preparing myself to be cleared and trying to show them that I can actually be cleared.”

Hill played sparsely on defense as a rookie before logging a 100% snap share the following season. The Michigan product did so as a safety in 2023, but last offseason he transitioned to outside cornerback. That move came to an abrupt end in October when Hill become one of several members of Cincinnati’s secondary to go down through injury. Improvements against the pass will be key in 2025, and Hill should have a notable role in that effort.

When speaking to the media, the 24-year-old added he is unsure at this point where he will line up when healthy. Hill was classified as a corner when his fifth-year option was picked up, an indication he may retain CB duties upon being cleared. Cincinnati re-signed Marco Wilson this spring while retaining Geno Stone on a restructured deal. Mike Hilton and Vonn Bell are unsigned, though, meaning vacancies at the cornerback and safety spots exist compared to last season.

The Bengals did not use any of their six draft picks on defensive backs this year, so Hill should handle a notable workload at one position or another in 2025. After recording 110 tackles and 11 pass breakups during his campaign spent as a safety starter, returning to that role under new defensive coordinator Al Golden could give the Bengals a productive defender. On the other hand, a long-term spell at corner could be deemed more valuable to the team. Hill will remain in place for at least the next two seasons, so plenty of time remains for a permanent position to be established in this case.

A immediate return to full team drills would come as a surprise, as Hill acknowledged in his remarks. Still, a ramp-up process during training camp would mark a welcomed development for team and player and a return to action in line with his timeline.

Players Interested In Olympic Flag Football

June 14th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Since the announcement that the NFL’s ownership group would allow active NFL players to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics’ flag football event, there’s been plenty of speculation on which players might find themselves representing the US of A. While Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made it known that he had no intentions of playing, and Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill claimed he’d rather do track, there have been some players who have expressed interest.

If Team USA is looking for a quarterback, it needn’t look past last year’s MVP. According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, Bills quarterback Josh Allen is prepared to throw his hat in the ring. In a quote to the media, Allen made sure not to disrespect the current quarterbacks of the flag football community but claimed that he “would absolutely love to” play if the opportunity presented itself.

While we haven’t seen any other offensive weapons volunteer themselves to potentially play with Allen, Team USA has a few offers on defense. If they play their cards right, the country’s national flag football team could land the two cornerbacks that topped Pro Football Focus’s positional rankings in 2022.

The Jets released a video this week of star cornerback Sauce Gardner expressing his interest in playing. Gardner told reporters that he “definitely would be interested in…being able to play for (his) country.” The third-year cornerback had a relatively down year after two first-team All-Pro seasons to open his career, but I imagine Team USA would at least do their homework to see how he’d fit on the team.

If the Olympic team really wants to create a shutdown cornerback tandem, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain has also offered his services. According to Luca Evans of The Denver Post, Surtain spoke at an event for his foundation earlier this month and told the media he has “definitely high interest” in playing, calling the possibility a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Ultimately, it’ll be a couple years before we truly know who all could be participating. Each team will be able to send one player to the flag football tryouts whenever they take place. At the moment, it sounds like Allen, Gardner, and Surtain are making bids to be the representatives from Buffalo, New York, and Denver.

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