HEADLINES

Month: July 2025

Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement

July 23rd, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Nikhil Mehta

July 23: The Saints will get some minor cap savings from Mathieu’s retirement, per NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett. He agreed to a revised contract earlier this offseason with a $2.47MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $1.53MM salary. The latter will come off this year’s cap, while the former will be taken off of Mathieu’s 2026 dead money from his last contract.

July 22: Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement on social media (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), ending the Honey Badger’s sterling 12-year career.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the team was informed of Mathieu’s decision in advance, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. It also leaves the team without a starting safety with six weeks left until Week 1. Mathieu started every Saints game for the last three years.

[RELATED: Saints To Sign S Julian Blackmon]

Loomis indicated that the Saints will explore adding a safety, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but they may already have Mathieu’s replacement on the roster. It won’t be veteran offseason signing Justin Reid, as he was already expected to start this year. Instead, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden jumps out as the most likely candidate.

Though he has only logged 11 career starts, Howden played just under 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps over the last two years, primarily as a free safety. That experience should put him in a strong position to start opposite Reid, though veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess will also be in the mix. A number of free agents safeties are also available, including former Saint Marcus Maye.

The Saints also drafted Virginia safety Jonas Sanker in the third round, a sign that they believe he can grow into an NFL starter. He will likely have a chance to compete for the starting job, but rookie safeties – even ones drafted on Day 2 – are rarely able to catch up to NFL speed and start right away.

Mathieu, meanwhile, will be enjoying retirement after 12 years, 180 appearances, 171 starts, and more than 11,000 snaps in the NFL. Despite an excellent college career at LSU, Mathieu fell to the third round in the 2013 draft due to size concerns. The Cardinals snagged him with the 69th overall pick, and he went on to finish fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Working regularly in the slot for the Cardinals in 2015, Mathieu earned a first-team All-Pro nod upon helping the team to a franchise-most 13 wins — and a run to the NFC championship game. The Cardinals gave Mathieu a five-year, $62.5MM extension in 2016; at the time, that deal made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The Cards cut bait on the deal two years in, as the safety market cratered in 2018. After a one-off in Houston, Mathieu made his way to Kansas City and sparked a midcareer turnaround.

Hours after Washington gave Landon Collins a $14MM-per-year deal to reignite the safety market, Kansas City matched it — as the team loaded up around Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie contract. Mathieu played an instrumental role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV-winning season, justifying the team’s big-ticket payment. In 2020, Mathieu intercepted a career-high six passes and delivered his second straight first-team All-Pro season.

Despite Mathieu remaining a quality starter in 2021, the Chiefs let him walk as a 2022 free agent. They brought in Justin Reid as a cheaper alternative, redirecting Mathieu to the Saints (on a three-year, $27MM pact). New Orleans adjusted Mathieu’s deal twice, the second such change bringing a pay cut. Reid joined the Saints this offseason, but rather than finally align as a Mathieu teammate, the former Texans draftee will end up replacing him for a third time.

The LSU standout finishes his career with 36 interceptions, 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles. His work with the Cardinals and Chiefs spearheaded an All-Decade honor for the 2010s. Mathieu retires just shy of $100MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap, though that may change depending on how the Saints financially handle his retirement.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson Begins Training Camp Holdout

July 22nd, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:38pm: The latest round of negotiations between Hendrickson and the Bengals has proven to be “very contentious,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He adds Monday’s talks did not yield progress, and it remains to be seen at this point when communication between the parties will open again. A lengthy holdout could very well be in store. He has since landed on the Bengals’ reserve/did not report list.

9:49am: Trey Hendrickson has long loomed as a candidate to skip the start of training camp. With the Bengals preparing to begin padded practices, the reigning sack leader is indeed absent.

Hendrickson informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that he has elected to hold out from training camp. As a result, he will begin accruing mandatory daily fines while extension talks continue. Owner Mike Brown struck an optimistic tone yesterday when speaking to the media about the Hendrickson situation. For at least the time being, however, this stalemate will continue.

A native of Orlando, Hendrickson posted on Instagram that he has returned to Florida in the absence of an agreement. The 30-year-old has maintained since the spring that he is prepared to not only hold out of training camp but into the regular season if no extension is worked out. Several weeks remain to see if that will end up taking place, but today’s expected update is another indication this situation is not in a good place. To date, the Bengals have yet to offer a deal in the $35MM-per-year range and the team’s preference is to add one year to Hendrickson’s current pact.

Of course, guarantees are a key sticking point in negotiations. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Cincinnati is willing to authorize a multi-year pact which includes a “substantial raise” compared to the $16MM Hendrickson is currently owed for 2025 (video link). The issue, to no surprise, is the four-time Pro Bowler’s desire to secure guarantees for 2026 “and beyond” and thus match what a number of other edge rushers have received on that front this offseason with their new deals. T.J. Watt is the most recent pass rusher to reset the market, and his new Steelers pact includes $108MM fully guaranteed along with a record-breaking cashflow for non-quarterbacks.

It would come as a major surprise if Hendrickson were to match Watt in terms of base or locked in earnings on his next pact. Nevertheless, an increase in guarantees will likely be needed to get a deal done. During today’s episode of Good Morning Football, Manti Te’o said he has spoken with Hendrickson, who described the Bengals’ offers regarding guaranteed money as “atrociously, atrociously low” (h/t Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero).

The Bengals are certainly no stranger to contract drama leading up to the regular season. Tension with the likes of Joe Mixon, Jessie Bates, Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase over the past several years have created uncertainty about those players’ availability in time for Week 1. That will also be the case for Hendrickson unless a breakthrough can be made.

Micah Parsons Avoiding Hold-In, Not Practicing Due To Back Issue

July 22nd, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

While Micah Parsons is still seeking a new contract, the star pass rusher was in attendance for the start of Cowboys training camp. However, it sounds like the veteran won’t be hitting the practice field anytime soon.

[RELATED: DE Micah Parsons: Cowboys Ownership Has Made Negotiations “More Complicated” Than Necessary]

While speaking with reporters today, Parsons revealed that he’s nursing a back injury and doesn’t intend to practice until his body feels right. While Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News described the situation as a “hold-in,” Parsons said he’s not engaging in that negotiation tactic. The veteran also said he doesn’t plan on holding out (via Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports).

“Just being mindful,” Parsons said of his refusal to practice (via Jane Slater of NFL Network). “Obviously, just want to get the body going the right way and where I want it to. But, obviously, with D-Law gone, like I said, I just feel like it was my turn to lead and it’s hard to do that from the crib. So, I want to be here with the guys, show them that I care; I want to be here, win championships. So, that’s why I’m here.”

Parsons and the Cowboys appeared to be progressing towards a deal earlier this offseason, but there have been no developments on that front over the past few months. In the meantime, a handful of pass rushers have earned lucrative new deals, and Parsons admitted that those contracts have left him discouraged about his own contract situation.

“When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I seen T.J. [Watt] gotten taken care of. Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of. Myles [Garrett] got taken care of, [and] he’s got two years left on his deal,” Parsons said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “You see a lot of people around the league taken care of, and you wish you had that same type of energy.”

Parsons provided some more insight into his negotiations with the Cowboys…or lack thereof. The pass rusher said there’s “really not much movement” on the extension front (via Jon Machota of The Athletic), and the player said his agent, David Mulugheta, recently reached out to the organization but hasn’t heard back (via Watkins). Parsons even went as far as to acknowledge a potential divorce, noting that “if this is the end, this is the end…I understand the nature of the business” (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Yesterday, Jerry Jones didn’t convey the same urgency as Parsons, as the Cowboys owner indicated that he’s not in any rush to finalize a new deal. On the flip side, Jones also said the two sides effectively came to an agreement on a new contract earlier this offseason (via Hill), but it’s uncertain when negotiations went off the rails. ESPN’s Adam Schefter seemed to contradict Jones’ comments, noting that the two sides still haven’t engaged in formal contract talks.

While a long-term pact once seemed like a certainty, it sounds like Parsons is at least considering a potential exit out of Dallas. While a number of edge rusher standoffs (particularly between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals) have commanded headlines this offseason, this developing Parsons/Cowboys saga is suddenly center stage.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25

July 22nd, 2025 at 8:42pm CST by Ben Levine

With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DT Dante Barnett
  • Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: K Mark McNamee

Houston Texans

  • Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Waived: OT Savion Washington

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Waived: OT Obinna Eze

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Titans EDGE Lorenzo Carter Plans To Retire

July 22nd, 2025 at 8:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite joining the Titans earlier this offseason, Lorenzo Carter won’t be suiting up for his new squad. The veteran edge rusher informed the Titans that he plans to retire, according to Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. Carter will land on the reserve/retired list.

“He notified us yesterday that he will be retiring,” Titans GM Mike Borgonzi told reporters (via Wyatt), “so we wish him well.”

The former third-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Giants. He dealt with injuries throughout his stint in New York, but he still managed to collect 14.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in 49 games (33 starts). He caught on with the Falcons ahead of the 2022 season and generally stayed healthy in three seasons with the organization. He finished his time in Atlanta with seven sacks in 47 games, although he got shutout in that statistical category during the 2024 season.

Carter will finish his career having tallied 278 tackles, 21.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He got into 96 games across seven NFL seasons.

The 29-year-old joined the Titans earlier this offseason and was expected to provide some veteran experience on the edge for the rebuilding squad. The team lost Harold Landry in free agency this offseason but will still return the likes of Arden Key and Jaylen Harrell. The Titans also brought in Dre’Mont Jones via free agency while selecting Oluwafemi Oladejo in the second round of the draft.

Kyle Shanahan: Jauan Jennings Hasn’t Formally Requested Trade

July 22nd, 2025 at 7:44pm CST by Ben Levine

A report last week indicated that 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings either wanted a new contract or a trade. The veteran is still expected to report to training camp tomorrow, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that his wideout hasn’t formally requested out of San Francisco (per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner).

[RELATED: 49ers WR Jauan Jennings Seeking Extension Or Trade]

Jennings signed a two-year deal last spring that replaced his second-round RFA tender. He proceeded to have a career season as the 49ers navigated a number of injuries. Jennings finished the 2024 campaign with 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns. Set to earn $3.28MM in salary guarantees in 2025 (plus an option bonus of $1.12MM on September 1), the impending free agent is now seeking some long-term security.

With Deebo Samuel no longer on the team and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, the 49ers are set to be even more dependent on Jennings in 2025. The 49ers front office has dealt with plenty of contract drama at the position in recent years, but Jennings’ lack of track record makes this situation a bit more unique. It remains to be seen if Jennings will carry through with his trade-request threat, and for the time being, it appears both sides will proceed as planned.

If Jennings does suddenly pivot to a holdout or trade request, the 49ers will have to dig even deeper into their depth chart. 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall would likely lead the group, although he’s currently nursing a hamstring issue that landed him on PUP. The team brought in some reinforcement at the position this offseason, signing veterans Demarcus Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins while drafting Jordan Watkins (fourth round) and Junior Bergen (seventh round). The team is also rostering 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing.

The 49ers could also count on an eventual return for Aiyuk, although it sounds like the star receiver’s comeback is still a ways off. GM John Lynch told reporters today that Aiyuk is still “not anywhere close to having a concrete timeline” (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). Aiyuk suffered his knee injury in late-October, and it seems like he’s destined to miss at least the first four games of the upcoming campaign.

TE Jimmy Graham Announces Retirement

July 22nd, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Jimmy Graham is calling it a career. The veteran tight end confirmed a report from John DeShazier of the Saints website that he’s indeed hanging up his cleats.

After sitting out the 2022 campaign, Graham returned to New Orleans for the 2023 season. After hauling in four touchdowns that season, the veteran wouldn’t commit to the 2024 campaign and ultimately didn’t end up joining a team. Still, the tight end avoided an official retirement announcement until today.

Graham was one of the most productive receiving tight ends during his early days with the Saints. Between the 2011 and 2013 seasons, the former third-round pick averaged 90 catches for 1,169 yards and 12 touchdowns per season. His numbers slowly declined as he approached his age-30 campaign, although he remained productive in stops with the Seahawks and Packers. Following a two-year stop in Chicago, Graham sat out the 2022 season before reuniting with the Saints for the 2023 campaign.

Graham will finish his career having hauled in 719 receptions for 8,545 yards and 89 touchdowns. He also amassed over $82MM in career earnings.

Bears Sign DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, DB Tre Flowers

July 22nd, 2025 at 4:34pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bears are making some veteran additions to their defense before training camp starts on Wednesday by signing defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and defensive back Tre Flowers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

To make room on the roster, the team waived defensive back Alex Cook and defensive end Jereme Robinson, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Kpassagnon is entering his ninth season in the NFL with 104 appearances and 34 starts under his belt for the Chiefs and the Saints, though he has only produced 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He has multiple connections to Chicago: general manager Ryan Poles was the director of college scouting in Kansas City when they drafted Kpassagnon in 2017, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coached Kpassagnon in New Orleans for the last four years. Kpassagnon’s time as a Saint ended with a torn Achilles suffered three games into the 2024 season, but signing with a new team indicates that he is fully recovered, or close to it.

However, making the roster in Chicago is no certainty. The Bears have three edge defenders who are roster locks – Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Austin Booker – and Daniel Hardy‘s role on special teams will likely keep him around, as well. That will likely leave Kpassagnon to compete with 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson for a roster spot.

Flowers is a seven-year veteran with 95 appearances and 44 starts for five different teams. He barely played last year, playing just 39 total snaps across four appearances with the Jaguars and one with the Colts. More than 80% of his career snaps have come as an outside cornerback, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so he will likely remain in that role in Chicago. Flowers will be the team’s oldest and most experienced cornerback, which may help him beat out his younger competition for a roster spot. He also played 579 special teams snaps in 2022 and 2023; a return to that level of contribution would certainly help him as well.

Panthers To Release LB Josey Jewell

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers are releasing Josey Jewell, per team writer Darin Gantt, clearing a roster spot as the veteran linebacker continues his recovery from a concussion suffered last December.

The two sides did try to find common ground on a revised contract, per Joe Person of The Athletic, but a release was determined as the best path forward. A team spokesman said (via Gantt) that Jewell is focusing on his health and consented to the release so that the team did not have to waste a roster spot on a player with an uncertain return timeline. However, the Panthers are leaving the door open for a reunion if Jewell manages to complete his recovery.

In the meantime, Carolina will need to decide on their starting inside linebackers moving forward. Veteran signing Christian Rozeboom and 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace are the most likely duo. Rozeboom started 11 games for the Rams in 2024, while Wallace impressed with 13 appearances and eight starts as a 21-year-old rookie. Claudin Cherelus and Jon Rhattigan will provide depth, but neither profiles as a likely Week 1 starter. The Panthers could look at the remaining free agent linebackers, but getting Wallace more experience would seem to be a better use of the team’s available snaps.

Jewell’s release will save $3.375MM against the Panthers’ 2025 cap, per OverTheCap, with $4.3MM in dead money this year and $2.3MM in 2026. The former fourth-round pick is unlikely to receive any interest until he is fully recovered from last year’s concussion, but he has been a steady contributor over the last three years with 333 total tackles and 9.0 sacks.

Raiders, S Jamal Adams Agree To Deal

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jamal Adams has his next NFL opportunity lined up. The veteran safety is signing with the Raiders, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

Moments before news of the signing broke, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted Adams was present for a free agent visit. Things have clearly gone according to plan on this front. By taking a Raiders deal, Adams will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll.

The two worked together in Seattle for four years. Adams came to the Emerald City amidst major expectations based on the price paid to acquire him from the Jets via trade. The former top-1o pick exceled with 9.5 sacks during his debut Seahawks campaign, but things did not go according to plan from that point on. A decline in play (especially in coverage) along with multiple significant injuries ultimately led to a release last March.

As a free agent, Adams joined the Titans but wound up logging only 20 defensive snaps. The team granted his request to be released, and a Lions deal soon followed. The three-time Pro Bowler made just a pair of appearances, though, and to no surprise he remained on the open market deep into the summer this year. Adams expressed interest in a Jets reunion this spring, but with nothing taking place in that regard he will prepare for another season working with Carroll.

Seattle’s $17.5MM-per-year pact proved to be a problematic investment for Adams, and to no surprise he has not managed to land a deal near that value since his release. That will no doubt be the case as well with this Raiders agreement. The 29-year-old will join a safety room featuring free agent addition Jeremy Chinn and returnee Isaiah Pola-Mao in position to operate as starters. Adams could offer experienced depth and, with 83 starts to his name, step into a defensive role if needed.

In other Raiders news, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports cornerback JT Woods is being signed. The former third-rounder has made a total of 13 appearances in the regular season, each coming with the Chargers between 202-23. After a season without logging any game time, he will join Adams in looking to secure a roster spot in the secondary.

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