2025 June - Pro Football Rumors

Donovan Jackson Leading Vikings’ LG Battle

June 26th, 2025 at 10:09pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Vikings first-round pick Donovan Jackson “has the inside track to emerge from training camp” as the team’s starting left guard, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

Jackson, the No. 24 selection in April’s draft, made his first 31 college starts at left guard before moving to left tackle to replace injured then-Ohio State teammate Josh Simmons. Jackson performed admirably on the blind side, leading to some pre-draft chatter about his potential as a guard/tackle hybrid.

But with Christian Darrisaw firmly entrenched as the Vikings’ long-term left tackle, Jackson will play left guard in Minnesota. He took the majority of first-team reps during spring practices, per Seifert, though that is partially because starting right guard Will Fries is still sidelined by last season’s broken leg. Blake Brandel, who played every snap at left guard for the Vikings last year, has been working in Fries’ spot, but he will likely still compete with Jackson in training camp once Fries is back on the field.

Brendel struggled in 2024 with 46 quarterback pressures allowed, the second-most among starting guards, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That gives Jackson a clear opening to seize the starting job by demonstrating better pass protection during the preseason.

The Vikings turned over their offensive line depth this offseason, so there are no other obvious candidates to push Jackson and Brendel for the starting left guard job.

Seahawks Holding Starting C, RG Battles; Grey Zabel A ‘Sure Thing’ At LG

June 26th, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Injuries forced the Seahawks to rotate through several different offensive line groupings in 2024. By the end of the season, they had surrendered the third-most sacks in the NFL while generating the fifth-fewest rushing yards.

Seattle will be hoping for a healthier, more consistent season from the unit in 2025, starting with stability at offensive tackle. Charles Cross is entering his fourth season as the team’s starting left tackle while Abraham Lucas seems to have put his knee issues behind him on the right side.

First-round pick Grey Zabel “appears a sure thing” at left guard, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. He took all the first-team reps next to Cross during spring practices, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Selecting the North Dakota State standout with the 18th overall selection in April’s draft was a clear sign that the Seahawks envisioned him starting as a rookie. The only question was where after Zabel primarily lined up at offensive tackle in college with some time at guard and Senior Bowl reps at center. He has landed at left guard in Seattle with minimal competition for the starting gig, as 2024 sixth-rounder Sataoa Laumea has been working with the second-team.

The Seahawks’ starters at center and right guard remain up in the air. In spring practices, Olusegun Oluwatimi split first-team center reps with Jake Sundell, though the former should have a leg up on the latter. In 2024, Oluwatimi started Seattle’s last eight games at center, while Sundell only played 57 offensive snaps all year as an undrafted rookie.

New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called the right guard battle “wide open” (via team reporter John Boyle). First-team action in the spring was split between last year’s Week 1 starter Anthony Bradford and 2024 third-rounder Christian Haynes. However, head coach Mike Macdonald indicated that Sundell and Laumea could factor into the right guard competition depending on how other spots shake out.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a two-man race right now,” said Macdonald (via Condotta). “It’s more open.”

As always, OTAs and mandatory minicamp offer a strong idea of what a team is planning for the season, but as Macdonald noted, the real test will be when pads come on during training camp. That will give the several players competing for the center and right guard jobs a chance to separate themselves as starters heading into the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/26/25

June 26th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league:

Cleveland Browns

Signed: K Andre Szmyt

New England Patriots

Released: DT Wilfried Pene

Szmyt signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie in 2023, but did not make the 53-man roster. In 2024, he played for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks, converting 19 of his 21 field goal attempts with a long of 61 yards. Szmyt then joined the Browns’ practice squad at the end of the 2024 season and signed a reserve/futures contracts for 2025. He was waived in early June to make room for wide receiver Jaelen Gill and now finds himself back on the roster after the team’s release of Ogbo Okoronkwo.

NFL No Longer Distributing Non-Player Salary Data To Teams

June 26th, 2025 at 7:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFL will no longer share non-player salary data with teams, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

In past years, the league shared the high, low, median, and average salary for “every job in every NFL team,” per Florio. The decision to end that practice comes on the heels of the collusion arbitration ruling regarding guaranteed money in player contracts and appears to be an effort by the league to avoid future collusion accusations by non-players.

Indeed, as Florio reports, “the official position is that the information is no longer being provided for legal reasons.” Non-player employees could argue that it limits their ability to push for higher salaries at their current or other teams contrary to existing antitrust law.

Florio claims that the practice is “per se coordination/collusion,” arguing that the NFL is implicitly encouraging teams to adhere to league-wide standards instead of offering higher salaries to attract talent in a competitive labor market. Eliminating the information-sharing can protect the league from future legal action by non-player employees, though the same policy in past years may still leave them exposed.

Non-player salaries are not officially released by teams, and even finding reliable data on more prominent staff like general managers, head coaches, and coordinators can be difficult.

Cole Strange Leading Patriots’ LG Battle

June 26th, 2025 at 5:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Patriots’ 2025 offensive line is largely set with Will Campbell at left tackle, Garrett Bradbury at center, Michael Onwenu at right guard, and Morgan Moses at right tackle.

The only spot without a clear starter is left guard, where Cole Strange “appears to be the front-runner” coming out of spring practices, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. The 2022 first-rounder started every game at left guard as a rookie and 10 of the team’s first 15 games in 2023 before tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee. The injury sidelined him until December 2024, when he was able to start at center for the Patriots’ last two games of the season.

With Bradbury arriving this offseason on a two-year, $9.5MM contract, Strange is returning to his original position where he faces plenty of competition. Sidy Sow, Layden Robinson, and Tyrese Robinson all took first-team reps this spring, per Volin, suggesting that the battle for the starting job will continue well into training camp.

Sow, a 2023 fourth-round pick, started 13 games at right guard as a rookie and profiles as the biggest threat to Strange. Sow was set to start at left guard in 2024 before a preseason ankle injury sidelined him for the first three games. He played every snap at left guard in Week 4, but did not start another game for the rest of the season.

Layden Robinson was drafted in the fourth round last year and closed out his rookie season with five starts at left guard. He bears no relation to Tyrese Robinson, a 2022 undrafted free agent who made his NFL debut in 2024 with Week 18 action for the Patriots at right guard.

Patriots third-round rookie Jared Wilson was described as a “wild card” by Volin, but he rarely lined up at guard in college and missed spring practices with an injury. That will severely lessen the former Bulldog’s chances of winning a starting job as a rookie; overall, Wilson seems more likely to take over from Bradbury at center in 2026 or 2027.

Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin Not Close To Extension Agreement

June 26th, 2025 at 3:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like every year, 2025 has seen a number of notable veteran contract situations linger into the period between offseason programs concluding and training camps beginning. Terry McLaurin is among the players who skipped minicamp as a sign of dissatisfaction with the status of negotiations.

An extension has long been known as a goal for team and player in this case. Given McLaurin’s importance to the Commanders’ offense during his six years with the franchise, many observers presumed talks on a third contract would be relatively smooth. It has become increasingly clear, however, that player and team are not close to an agreement. The Commanders themselves have been surprised by the extent to which progress has not yet been made regarding a McLaurin extension.

On that point, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms there is still plenty of work to be done between Washington and the two-time Pro Bowler. Plenty of time remains before training camp opens, and Breer predicts efforts will pick up again in July. Still, the possibility of a McLaurin holdout (or hold-in, depending on the approach he takes) is no doubt unwanted on the part of general manager Adam Peters as Washington looks to build off last year’s success.

McLaurin has reeled off five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons while serving as the Commanders’ clear-cut No. 1 receiver. His touchdown total jumped to 13 in 2024 as quarterback Jayden Daniels enjoyed a stellar rookie season. Washington has since acquired Deebo Samuel via trade, but even with the former 49ers All-Pro in the fold another strong season from McLaurin will be needed if the team is to repeat last year’s run to the NFC title game.

Samuel is a pending free agent, and the same is currently true of McLaurin. At the age of 30, making a long-term investment in the latter could bring about challenges for Washington, but a raise compared to his $15.5MM non-guaranteed salary (especially taking the receiver market into account) would be a feasible move. A new deal would no doubt lower McLaurin’s cap charge, which is currently set to check in at $25.5MM.

Ja’Marr Chase moved to the top of the pecking order for average annual compensation amongst wideouts ($40.25MM) when he signed his Bengals extension this offseason. McLaurin is not in position to challenge that figure, but seven other receivers are attached to an AAV of $30MM or more at the position. It will be interesting to see if a pact around that value winds up being agreed to in the coming weeks or if the threat of missed time during training camp increases as the result of an ongoing stalemate.

Cowboys Could Target CB Addition

June 26th, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Little movement on the free agent front is expected during the break between minicamps wrapping up and training camps beginning around the NFL. When moves are made next month, though, the Cowboys are among the teams which could afford a notable addition.

If a free agent is to be pursued this summer, Jon Machota of The Athletic writes cornerback will be a position to watch closely (subscription required). Dallas is set to rely on returnee Trevon Diggs and third-round rookie Shavon Revel Jr. once both are fully healthy. It remains to be seen when that will take place, however, and Diggs is a candidate to begin the season with an IR-designated for return status or on the team’s PUP list as he rehabs from knee surgery.

In either of those cases, Diggs would miss at least the first four weeks of the campaign. With Revel working his way back from the ACL tear which ended his college career, the Cowboys could make a one-year addition ahead of training camp to give them a veteran depth option in the secondary. Of course, roster cutdowns following the preseason represents another opportunity for moves to be made.

Dallas also has the likes of DaRon Bland, C.J. Goodwin, Caelen Carson and trade acquisition Kaiir Elam on the CB depth chart as things stand. The latter did not live up to expectations as a first-round pick during his time with the Bills, and as expected his fifth-year option was declined this spring. 2025 thus represents a critical year for Elam, and his playing time could obviously be impacted by a late-summer acquisition.

Stephon Gilmore is among the veteran cover men still on the market, and he played for the Cowboys in 2023. The 34-year-old is unsure if he will continue his career this season, though. Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas, Mike Hilton and Kendall Fuller are also unsigned at this point and could be available for short-term deals this summer. The Cowboys currently have over $32MM in cap space, but All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. reports the team plans to set aside roughly $20MM of that figure.

Even taking that into account, Dallas could afford to take a flier on one of the corners still available this summer. As the recovery process continues for Diggs and Revel, it will be interesting to see if the team pursues a CB move prior to Week 1.

Bengals Reach Stadium Lease Agreement

June 26th, 2025 at 10:52am CST by Adam La Rose

11:38am: A 2-0 vote (with one abstention) has taken place to approve the framework of the new lease agreement, ESPN’s Ben Baby notes. As a result, the Bengals are indeed on track to remain in in place through at least 2036.

10:52am: As expected, the Bengals are set to remain in Cincinnati well beyond 2025. A new lease agreement has been reached between the team and Hamilton County, as first reported by Jason Williams of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Final approval will not be voted on today, per an announcement from administrator Jeff Aluotto. Nonetheless, unanimous approval from the county’s commissioners is expected. If/when the new lease is in place, speculation about a potential relocation – which picked up in April amidst a lack of progress in negotiations between the parties – will come to an end. June 30 loomed as the deadline for a deal to be struck, and while nothing is official yet it is clear major progress toward a long-term arrangement has been made.

Providing details on the new proposal, Williams’ colleagues Erin Glynn and Quinlan Bentley note the lease in question will be 10 years in length (the existing one runs through 2025). The option also exists for as many as five two-year extensions to be exercised, meaning the Bengals will remain at Paycor Stadium well into the 2030s provided final approval is received. While $830MM in stadium renovations were initially planned, that figure now sits at $470MM.

To no surprise, the split between private and public funding was a point of contention during negotiations. Per the Enquirer report, $350MM in stadium funds will come from the county with the remaining $120MM being contributed by the Bengals. That 75-25 split comes after the previous agreement saw Hamilton County take on an 88% share of costs to the stadium project.

“It’s not perfect, but as often is the case in in tough negotiations, no one leaves the table thinking they got the perfect deal,” Aluotto said when speaking about the proposal agreement (h/t Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). “And I think as you’ll hear, it’s a better deal, a smarter deal than what was done under the previous lease. I’m hoping the team would concur with that.”

The two-year extensions are again the Bengals’ prerogative, Morrison notes. Interestingly, though, he adds the first one will become mandatory if the team reaches the top 24 in terms of revenue amongst the NFL’s 32 clubs. In any event, the team’s future for at least the next 11 years will be assured once the proposed deal receives final approval.

Broncos Eyeing Nik Bonitto Extension?

June 26th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

JUNE 26: While a Bonitto deal could be worked out prior to Week 1, Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes a repeat of the Jonathon Cooper situation could be in store. The latter’s four-year, $60MM extension came about in November, a sign of Denver being willing to work out lucrative deals in season. It will be interesting to see how urgently both sides approach an extension in Bonitto’s case.

JUNE 23: The Broncos could be looking to lock up one of their top pass rushers as soon as possible. Nick Kosmider of The Athletic says “it’s fair to assume talks will heat up” between the Broncos and Nik Bonitto as training camp approaches.

Kosmider points directly to last offseason, when the team signed offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz and cornerback Patrick Surtain II just before the start of the regular season. The front office may be following a similar timeline with Bonitto, and Kosmider believes it isn’t in the team’s best interest to drag negotiations into the regular season.

Specifically, the writer is wary of Bonitto quickly compiling some early-season sacks that “could further drive up his asking price.” The former second-round pick is already eyeing an average annual value of at least $20MM, with Kosmider citing Greg Rousseau‘s four-year, $80MM deal and even Brian Burns‘ five-year, $141MM extension.

Bonitto doesn’t have the same starting track record as those two pass rushers, but he is one of the ascending players at his position. After collecting eight sacks in a part-time role in 2024, the linebacker collected 13.5 sacks in his first full season as a starter. That performance earned him second-team All-Pro honors, and Bonitto’s camp will surely be pushing for him to be among the highest-paid players at his position.

Bonitto may also be inclined to see where extensions land for the likes of T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, and Trey Hendrickson come in, which could slightly delay negotiations between the two sides. Either way, it sounds like the 25-year-old will eventually be signing a lucrative contract, and the Broncos are hoping he’ll put pen to paper as soon as possible.

Browns Release DE Ogbo Okoronkwo

June 26th, 2025 at 9:18am CST by Adam La Rose

Ogbo Okoronkwo recently emerged as a cut candidate, and he is indeed on the open market. The veteran edge rusher was released by the Browns on Thursday, per a team announcement.

Okoronkwo had been in Cleveland since signing as a free agent in 2022. The former Texan operated as a part-time defender during his first three seasons in the league, but during his walk year he made eight starts and recorded five sacks. That uptick in usage and production resulted in a three-year, $19MM Browns pact being worked out.

While Okoronkwo, 30, managed to remain mostly healthy during his Cleveland tenure, he did not emerge as a starter capable of complementing Myles Garrett‘s production. Only after Za’Darius Smith was traded away midway through the 2024 season did Okoronkwo receive starts along the edge. In all, he managed just 7.5 sacks across 30 games with the Browns.

None of Okoronkwo’s base salary for this season ($2.24MM) was guaranteed. The former fifth-rounder was due a $1.5MM option bonus on August 30, so it comes as no surprise he has been let go before that date. Today’s move will generate $3.67MM in cap savings for Cleveland while incurring a dead money charge of $1.95MM.

Cleveland still has Garrett in the fold thanks to his $40MM-per-year extension signed this offseason. The team will move forward with Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire as inexpensive rotational contributors in the pass rush department. Okoronkwo, meanwhile, will now hit the market as part of a free agent EDGE group including Smith and the likes of Matt Judon, Von Miller and Jadeveon Clowney.

It would come as little surprise if some or all members of that contingent waited until the start of training camps around the league to sign with their next team. As a result, Okoronkwo’s next opportunity may not be in place for several weeks. Given the nature of his Browns stint, he can be expected to take a low-cost deal covering 2025 in a bid to help his market value for next spring.