HEADLINES

Month: July 2025

Bills Sign Second-Round DT T.J. Sanders, Complete Draft Class Deals

July 18th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Like many other teams around the NFL, the Bills have their entire draft class on the books. Second-rounder T.J. Sanders has signed his rookie deal.

Sanders’ four-year pact is worth $10.65MM, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes $10.07MM of that figure is guaranteed. The No. 41 slot (where Sanders was selected in April) has seen guarantee rates of 77.9% and 79.5% over the past two years, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Sanders has not joined the three second-round picks who have received full guarantees on their rookie deals, but this is clearly a step forward in terms of locked in compensation deep into the pact.

Over the course of his career at South Carolina, Sanders emerged as a key figure on defense. Between his redshirt sophomore and junior campaigns, he totaled 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. That disruptiveness against the pass and run made Sanders one of several highly-regarded defensive tackle prospects in the 2025 class.

Buffalo expectedly targeted the secondary in the first round of the draft (taking cornerback Maxwell Hairston), but the team focused heavily on the defensive front through the middle portion of the event. The Sanders selection was followed by the addition of edge rusher Landon Jackson in the third round and fellow D-lineman Deone Walker in the fourth. The Bills’ defensive front could look noticeably different in the near future as a result, and Sanders in particular will be counted on to occupy at least a rotational role early in his career.

Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones served as full-time starters along the defensive interior last season, and they remain in place entering 2025. The Bills also have 2024 third-rounder DeWayne Carter in the fold, and after logging a 42% snap share as a rookie he figures to play a notable role this season. Sanders should nevertheless be able to contribute on a part-time basis in 2025 as he develops into a potential starter down the line.

With every member now under contract, here is a final look at Buffalo’s 2025 draft class:

Steelers, T.J. Watt Agree To Extension

July 17th, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The wait has ended for T.J. Watt and the Steelers to work out an extension. Team and player have agreed to terms on another monster pact.

Watt has landed a three-year, $123MM extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact includes $108MM in full guarantees. With an average annual value of $41MM, Watt has once again claimed the title of the league’s top earner for defensive players and all non-quarterbacks.

Myles Garrett reset the edge rush market when he signed a Browns pact averaging $40MM per year. Ja’Marr Chase did the same at the receiver position when his Bengals extension (carrying an AAV of $40.25MM) became official. To little surprise, Watt has surpassed both of those figures while helping to ensure he will finish his career in Pittsburgh. Progress has been made rather rapidly, as Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes no agreement was imminent as recently as six days ago.

Both parties in this case expressed a desire to work out a deal months ago, but Watt hinted at dissatisfaction with the early state of contract talks. Over time, this became one of many tense situations involving edge rushers around the league. A major domino has now fallen, though, and Watt is on the books through 2028. This agreement falls short of the length he was seeking, but the former Defensive Player of the Year has succeeded in moving the bar for pass rushers and securing multiple years of locked in money.

Watt has led the NFL in sacks on three occasions (2021-22 and 2024) and he has played in every game the past two seasons after a pec tear cost him notable time in 2023. However, a downturn in play late in the campaign and into the postseason last year was viewed as cause for concern on the Steelers’ part regarding a new deal. Watt already reset the market in 2021, but doing so as he enters his age-31 season obviously carries risk for the team. General manager Omar Khan and Co. are certainly banking on a major drop-off not taking place for several more years.

Watt has operated as the anchor of Pittsburgh’s EDGE group over the course of his All-Pro career, and he will remain in that role well beyond the coming season. Rumors about a potential trade circulated amidst his decision to skip minicamp, but a deal never seemed likely or imminent. A holdout (or at least hold-in) effort during training camp will now not be necessary to get this deal over the finish line, something which was the case last time for Watt.

Alex Highsmith has recorded at least six sacks in each of the past four years, and he remains on the books through 2027. He will remain a starter along the edge, with Nick Herbig and fourth-round rookie Jack Sawyer operating as rotational contributors. Watt (who has amassed 33 forced fumbles and 126 tackles for loss in his career) will be counted on to lead the way in terms of production once again this year and well beyond that point.

The seven-time Pro Bowler has yet to win a playoff game in his career, something Khan and the Steelers have aimed to change this offseason. Pittsburgh has aggressively pursued several new players through trade and free agency, breaking with standard practice in some regards. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver D.K. Metcalf, cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay as well as tight end Jonnu Smith are among the new faces which will be relied on to end the Steelers’ drought for playoff wins in 2025.

Watt will of course also be a central figure in that effort. Regardless of if things go according to plan this year, though, he will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Lloyd Howell Resigns As NFLPA Executive Director

July 17th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The turmoil to engulf Lloyd Howell early in his term as NFLPA executive director will end up producing a sea change. Howell is resigning his post, via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

This comes not long after the NFLPA issued a statement backing Howell amid a conflict-of-interest controversy and the recent fallout from the collusion grievance report. Howell had become an increasingly divisive figure in light of these developments, and Jones adds the union board plans to meet as soon as possible to determine a path forward.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”

While a forced resignation certainly would make sense as a logical conclusion to this swiftly developing story, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Howell made the choice to move on rather than the union forcing him out. On Sunday, the executive committee released a statement that denied reports of unrest regarding Howell’s place as executive director. That now appears an ominous offering, as Howell is out four days later.

The NFLPA appealed an independent arbiter’s ruling that no definitive collusion occurred but did so only after the findings became public. The initial ruling was handed down in January, and a Pablo Torre June report — which unearthed Christopher Droney’s grievance ruling — in June indicated the NFLPA joined the NFL in wanting the findings to remain private. This appeared odd, seeing as Droney ruled the owners likely made a collective effort to limit guaranteed money in big-ticket quarterback contracts. Rather than launch an all-out crusade against the league, the Howell-led union stood down for months. The union’s appeal will be in new hands moving forward.

Torre reported the NFLPA wanted to keep ex-union president-turned-chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter‘s remarks about Russell Wilson‘s failed crusade to land a fully guaranteed Broncos contract concealed. Howell appointed Tretter as the chief strategy officer shortly after his term as president wrapped; linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin is the current NFLPA president. The latter will play a lead role in the union’s effort to determine Howell’s replacement.

More significantly in the Howell drama, a subsequent report revealed he had done consulting work for a firm approved to purchase a minority stake in a franchise. Howell earned $3.4MM consulting for The Carlyle Group in 2024. While Carlyle released a statement that attempted to distance Howell from the firm’s workings regarding a potential franchise stake purchase, Howell continuing to do work outside of his NFLPA role brought red flags by itself. Previous union heads were not believed to have worked outside jobs, let alone serving in roles posing clear conflicts of interest.

The NFLPA named Howell as DeMaurice Smith‘s successor in June 2023. At the time, this brought surprise due to Howell’s candidacy unfolding in secret. When the ESPN.com report regarding Howell’s involvement with Carlyle surfaced, it was not set to bring his tenure to a quick close. The two stories persisting became too much to overcome for Howell, who had taken the perch after 34 years at the Booz Allen Hamilton consulting firm. He concluded that tenure as the firm’s CFO.

Howell’s time at Booz Allen included a lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation. Earlier today, a report from ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta and Kalyn Kahler indicated two executive committee members were unaware of the lawsuit when they voted Howell into the executive director post. Two other executive committee members, though, said (via Van Natta and Kahler) the board did know of the suit before the vote. (The 2011 lawsuit was ultimately settled.)

This marks a remarkably short tenure in the executive director position. Smith served 14 years in the position, steering the NFLPA through CBA talks in 2011 and 2020. Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw was in the position for 25 years. Ed Garvey was in place in this role from 1971-83. As the union prepares to navigate the NFL’s push for an 18-game schedule, it will look for a leader equipped to remain in the role for a lengthy term. Considering the secrecy that accompanied Howell’s election, it would surprise if the executive committee’s next search was not a much more transparent process.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Sentenced To 30 Days In Jail, Five Years Probation

July 17th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The legal situation surrounding Rashee Rice has reached a conclusion. The Chiefs receiver was sentenced on Thursday to five years probation and 30 days in jail, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The prison sentence can be served at any time within that five-year period. Schefter adds Rice also received deferred adjudication, meaning that if he completes the probation process his case will be dismissed. This development paves the way for the NFL to move forward with its own investigation and potential discipline against Rice.

“We have been closely monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review,” an NFL spokesman said in a statement (via Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports). The Chiefs declined to comment (h/t Jones).

Rice was one of two people driving when a Lamborghini SUV and a Corvette lost control the night of March 30, 2024. He and all five other total occupants of the two vehicles fled the scene after the accident, which came about while Rice and former college teammate Theodore Knox were believed to be street racing. Rice became the subject of an arrest warrant days later and turned himself in to police. The 25-year-old faced a total of eight felony charges stemming from the incident.

As noted by the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero), Rice entered into a plea agreement on two third-degree felonies (collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury). Prior to the agreement, Rice had already paid for the victims’ medical costs, totaling roughly $115K.

“Last March, I was involved in a high-speed accident in Dallas,” a statement from Rice (delivered through his attorney) reads. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole. I urge everyone to mind the speed limit, drive safe and drive smart.

“Last and certainly not least, I am profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property. I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families.”

Without a legal resolution in place by the start of the 2024 regular season, the NFL declined to place Rice on the commissioner’s exempt list. That allowed him to play and led to the expectation a suspension would not be handed down until 2025. In Week 4, the SMU product suffered a knee injury which was initially feared to be an ACL tear; further testing revealed that was not the case.

Nevertheless, Rice’s knee surgery ended his season and left the Chiefs shorthanded at the receiver spot. Two years remain on the former second-rounder’s rookie contract, and he is slated to be healthy in time for training camp. Of course, it now remains to be seen if he will be with the team at the onset of camp or if he will use the period between now and the start of the campaign to serve his jail time. In any case, today’s update should open to door to a decision regarding a suspension being made in the near future.

Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Eagles

July 17th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quickly revealing the Chiefs’ tightrope walk toward a threepeat would not go the distance in Super Bowl LIX, last year’s Eagles edition cemented itself among the great modern-era NFL teams. In terms of roster strength, the 2024 Eagles proved they belonged in the conversation with the century’s best squads.

After entering last season with questions stemming from a 2023 collapse, the Eagles used a savvy offseason blueprint to assemble a force that submitted one of the great peaks in NFL history. The defending champions passed on paying some starters from last year’s outfit while using this offseason to lock down some crucial cogs as well. A similar Philly roster will attempt to run it back, and the team will enter the season as the clear frontrunner to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX.

Extensions and restructures:

As the RB market reached rough waters exiting 2023, Roseman saw an opportunity. The Eagles landed an elite back at a reasonable price, and Roseman received deserved credit for acquiring an ultra-talented RB at a second-tier price. The six-year Giant proceeded to deliver one of the best seasons in the position’s history, going from an injury-prone player who did not have a realistic Hall of Fame case to one that has at least approached the conversation.

Barkley was on track to break Eric Dickerson‘s hallowed rushing record, before being rested in Week 18, but he did eclipse Terrell Davis‘ mark for most rush yards in a season (counting playoffs). The 1998 MVP had totaled 2,476 yards between the regular season and the Broncos’ three playoff games that year; Barkley followed his 2,005-yard regular season with 499 more in the playoffs to eclipse Davis’ mark.

It did come in one more game, as the Eagles were sent to the wild-card round as the No. 2 seed, but the upgrade from D’Andre Swift to Barkley played a lead role in Philly’s championship surge. Barkley’s 205 yards against the Rams were certainly needed to eliminate them.

The Eagles had Barkley signed through 2026 via their three-year, $37.75MM ($26MM guaranteed) contract, but the team rewarded its most talented player with a market-resetting payday. Barkley became the first running back to cross the $20MM-per-year barrier.

This second payday in two years brings a stark contrast to Barkley’s New York exit, as the Giants did not make an offer to retain him. Barkley’s success did not bode well for HBO’s chances of seeing a second Hard Knocks: Offseason effort come to pass, and he managed to score a monster payday at 28 despite missing chunks of four seasons previously.

Although this looks great for one of the RB position’s top earners, the Eagles are taking a risk based on Barkley’s past. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year has missed 26 games due to injury as a pro. His 2026 pay transformed from nonguaranteed to a $16.75MM full guarantee while the option bonus-laden (as this is the Eagles) contract includes a $2.5MM guarantee in 2027. It would cost the Eagles $16.6MM in dead money to move on in 2027. The Eagles have not shown much fear of dead money in recent years, and they will bet on the three-time Pro Bowler after his otherworldly contributions to last season’s cause.

Johnson is pushing Mike Tomlin for extension volume at this point. This is the decorated right tackle’s fifth Eagles contract. Roseman has made a habit of early extensions for his O-linemen, and Johnson has regularly been paid with multiple years left on a previous contract. The Eagles rewarded their stalwart right tackle after he collected a fifth All-Pro accolade; he joined Jurgens and Landon Dickerson as Pro Bowlers on one of the best NFL position groups this century.

Johnson, 35, has likely done enough to be enshrined in Canton. He has won two Super Bowls, helped RBs to rushing titles 11 years apart and is the last active member of Philly’s “Core Four.” This contract will be difficult to escape until at least 2027 — due to six void years being included — and then would bring a $25.53MM dead money hit. These consequences have not mattered much for the Eagles, who are ahead of the curve here. Now the NFL’s second-highest-paid RT, Johnson (just four injury-driven absences since 2022) is also aiming to play until his contract expires in 2027.

Philly’s development strategy up front is second to none, and the team now has four of its five starters on extensions worth between $17MM and $25MM per year. Jurgens impressed at guard in 2023 and in replacing Jason Kelce last season, earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2024. This deal came after the Eagles paid Dickerson months into his first offseason of extension eligibility and gave Jordan Mailata a second extension when two years remained on his first.

Despite Jurgens’ resume not rivaling Creed Humphrey‘s, the Eagles closed the gap between the Chiefs center and the field with this accord. ESPN’s pass block win rate placed Jurgens 10th among interior O-linemen last season, though Pro Football Focus only slotted him as the game’s 14th-best center. The former second-round pick anchored the Eagles’ signature play, one that received a reprieve thanks to a hotly contested offseason vote, and the Eagles were comfortable with a top-market deal. It is difficult to doubt their O-line vision at this point, given the success in the Jeff Stoutland era.

A $14MM 2025 option bonus affected Goedert’s contract-year trade value — to the point the Eagles considered accepting 2026 draft capital in a swap. This situation differed from the Zach Ertz ending, as no Goedert-level presence lurked as an heir apparent. A steep drop-off would have come had the Eagles not found a way to retain the eight-year tight end.

Goedert, 30, has been entrenched as Philly’s No. 3 pass-game option for years and remains one of the league’s best all-around TEs. The team has seen him run into annual availability trouble, missing 20 games due to injury this decade. This led to the pay-cut ask succeeding.

The Division I-FCS product did not seek a relocation, even as his 2025 pay drops from $14.25MM to $10MM. Trade offers did emerge during this process, however, and the Eagles — thanks to their void years M.O. — will face a $20.49MM dead money hit if they do not extend Goedert by the 2026 league year.

Trades:

The Eagles also capped Gardner-Johnson’s second stint at one season, making a curious trade of a proven safety for a future Day 3 pick and a guard teetering on bust status. Gardner-Johnson said the Eagles informed him on the first night of free agency they would trade or cut him. The Eagles benefited from Gardner-Johnson’s 2024 return, after an injury-plagued Lions season, and had him on an affordable deal (three years, $27MM). That certainly made it interesting the team once again moved on early.

Despite learning another new system — his fourth defense in four years — the cover man/known agitator nabbed six INTs in 2024. That matched his 2022 Philly total and helped Vic Fangio‘s defense lead the league in yardage and finish second in points allowed. Gardner-Johnson did not carry significant guaranteed money beyond 2024 and is only going into an age-27 season. He will be positioned to boost the Texans’ secondary, while the Eagles — who used this as a cost-cutting space as Barkley, Johnson, Jurgens and Zack Baun received raises — have safety uncertainty again.

The team’s issues at the position, among other problems, in 2023 prompted the CJGJ re-signing. Philly’s 2025 approach also spotlighted the decision to move on early, as the team made an offer to Justin Reid. The Saints won out for the three-year Chiefs starter (on a three-year, $31.5MM deal). Philly, however, has also been connected to a Fangio-Justin Simmons reunion. This will be a 2026 need as well, as Reed Blankenship is on an expiring contract.

Adding to the 2024 Eagles’ achievement: their highest-paid edge rusher was a Super Bowl healthy scratch. Huff did not work out in Philly, failing to make the transition from Robert Saleh‘s scheme to Fangio’s. The former Jets situational rusher posted 10 sacks in his 2023 contract year and drew a wave of free agency attention; the Eagles won out with a three-year, $51MM deal that included $34MM at signing. By November, Huff was barely playing 20% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. After a wrist injury led him to IR, the former UDFA find made just two more appearances and did not record a statistic in his two playoff cameos.

The Eagles found an interesting taker, as Huff will reunite with Saleh in San Francisco. They managed this trade return despite it being clear, even after Josh Sweat‘s departure, Huff would not receive a second chance. While Fangio cited Huff’s hand injury as a key reason for the struggles, the player confirmed the bad fit upon being dealt. The Eagles are taking on more than $20MM in dead money — $4.94MM in 2026, $16.6MM in ’26 — based on this quick divorce.

One of the teams to show interest in Joe Milton, the Eagles are handing the QB2 reins to Tanner McKee. The 2023 sixth-round pick played well against Giants starters, as the Eagles were sitting most of their lineup in Week 18, by finishing with 268 passing yards and two TD throws. Pickett’s downward trend continues, even as he has a chance to earn the Browns’ starting job. The former No. 20 overall Steelers selection has been traded twice, with the second swap generating a lesser return compared to the Eagles’ package — which included a third-round pick — from 2024.

Re-signings:

Like at running back, the Eagles had kept costs low at linebacker for years. The team moved on from Mychal Kendricks and Nigel Bradham by the late 2010s, finding UDFAs (Alex Singleton, T.J. Edwards) as fill-ins. Singleton and Edwards collected their money elsewhere (Broncos, Bears), while the Eagles cycled through more low-cost options. The team did not re-sign Super Bowl LVII starter Kyzir White, either. Although Philly’s 2023 linebacker setup contributed to the team’s late-season unraveling, no major investments came at the position in 2024. In fact, Baun received less money ($3.5MM) than Devin White ($4MM). Baun’s showing changed the team’s calculus.

The first Eagle linebacker to be named first-team All-Pro since Jeremiah Trotter in 2000, Baun dominated in his first extended look on defense. Formerly used as a backup Saints edge rusher, Baun researched special teams contracts as free agency comps. Fangio had initially looked at Baun as an edge piece, but with White not seizing the job alongside Nakobe Dean, the former third-round Saints draftee capitalized.

By season’s end, Baun had posted 151 tackles, 3.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. His diving interception of Patrick Mahomes, giving the Eagles a knockout opportunity before halftime, punctuated one of the best LB seasons in recent memory. The Shaquille Leonard-like (healthy version) stat line raised Baun’s value to the point the Eagles kept him out of free agency with a top-five ILB contract.

The off-ball linebacker market had sustained hits in recent years. Leonard saw injuries move him off his monster Colts contract, while the Jets (C.J. Mosley) and Jaguars (Foye Oluokun) gave their top tacklers pay cuts. It had become more affordable to roster top-tier ILBs, but Baun (28) helped reset the second tier of this market. His $17MM-per-year deal topped all free agent LBs, as Nick Bolton and Jamien Sherwood came in at $15MM AAV. Still, only six players at this position earn more than $14MM per year. This allowed Roseman to capitalize on another depressed market.

Read more

Chargers WR Mike Williams To Retire

July 17th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Williams will not, in fact, see the field during his second stint with the Chargers. The veteran wideout is instead ending his career.

Williams’ agent informed the Chargers last night that his client is retiring, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. As a result, Williams will depart the NFL at the age of 30. He spent eight years in the league, the first seven of which came as a member of the Bolts.

Five players opened training camp on the active/PUP list for Los Angeles. Williams was among them, but players can be activated from that list at any time before final roster cuts are made and those situations often include relatively minor ailments. Even in the event Williams would have been forced to remain on the PUP list through the first month of the campaign, returning to action at some point would have represented much less of a surprise than today’s news.

Selected seventh overall by the Chargers in 2017, Williams made a minimal impact as a rookie. From Year 2 onward, though, he established himself as one of the league’s top deep threats. Williams averaged an NFL-best 20.4 yards per reception in 2019 while reaching 1,000 yards. He managed a career-best 1,146 yards two years later while thriving as a complementary wideout to Keenan Allen.

Just like Allen, Williams found himself playing elsewhere in 2024. One of general manager Joe Hortiz‘s decisions during his first offseason in charge was to move on from the pair and thus reset financially at the WR position. Williams was released in a cost-shedding move, one which was quickly followed by a one-year Jets agreement. Things did not go according to plan in New York, with the Clemson product only logging a 53% snap share and making 12 scoreless catches.

A trade took place ahead of the deadline to send Williams to the Steelers. Pittsburgh was known to be in the market for a receiver addition, and he made 10 combined regular and postseason appearances with his new team. Aside from catching a touchdown during his Steelers debut, however Williams was largely a non-factor with the team. As a result, a lucrative free agent market did not exist this spring.

A Chargers reunion was worked out in March; Williams returned on a one-year pact worth a guaranteed $3MM (including a $1.5MM signing bonus). As the team contemplates attempting to get that money back, it will proceed without an experienced pass-catching option. Second-round rookie Tre Harris is among those holding out for full guarantees in his rookie deal, so for the time being the Chargers are notably shorthanded at the receiver spot. With over $27MM in cap space, Hortiz can target an addition from within the free agent pool (which still includes Allen) in time for the start of the year.

In all, Williams made 109 combined regular and postseason appearances during his career. He amassed over $86MM in earnings during his time in the NFL, something which has now come to a close.

Cowboys Agree To Terms With Second-Round DE Donovan Ezeiruaku

July 17th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Another second-round pick has been signed. The Cowboys have agreed to terms with second-round defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

As second-round picks around the NFL have pushed for guaranteed deals, Ezeiruaku got part of the way there. Per Garafolo, the rookie got 38 percent of the fourth year of his rookie pact guaranteed. Based on recent deals, we can assume a large portion of the first three seasons of the player’s contract were also guaranteed.

Ezeiruaku is coming off a standout career at Boston College, although he took his play to another level in 2024. The pass rusher finished this past year with 80 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 16.5 sacks. That performance earned him a number of accolades, including the Ted Hendricks Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top defensive end.

The pass rusher didn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called, as the Cowboys used the 44th-overall pick on the edge rusher. The rookie will be joining a deep DEs grouping that’s already led by Micah Parsons and Dante Fowler, although Ezeiruaku could eventually carve out playing time ahead of Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland.

With the signing, the Cowboys have now inked their entire draft class to rookie contracts:

Seahawks, Second-Round S Nick Emmanwori Agree To Fully Guaranteed Deal

July 17th, 2025 at 9:30pm CST by Ben Levine

While many of the second-round picks who signed their rookie contracts today had to settle for partially guaranteed deals, Nick Emmanwori has reportedly gotten his way. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the rookie safety and the Seahawks have agreed to terms on a fully guaranteed rookie deal. The deal is worth $11.6MM.

Per Schefter, this is the first time in history that the 35th-overall pick has received a fully guaranteed rookie contract. The 35th pick in 2024, Falcons defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro, got 88.1-percent of his deal guaranteed. That was an increase from the 35th pick in the 2023 draft, Raiders tight end Michael Mayer, who got 82.7 percent of his contract guaranteed.

Emmanwori had three standout years at South Carolina, but he took his play to another level in 2024. He finished this past season with 88 tackles and four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. For his efforts, he earned first-team All-SEC and All-American honors.

The Seahawks traded up to select the safety early in the second round of the draft, and they’ll be counting on the rookie to contribute in 2025. Coby Bryant emerged as a starter next to Julian Love, and the duo is expected to lead the depth chart next season. However, with Rayshawn Jenkins no longer in the picture, Emmanwori should have plenty of opportunities for playing time, especially if Bryant struggles to maintain his play from 2024.

From a financial standpoint, the guaranteed deal certainly sets a new precedent for the draft slot, and it could influence unsigned second-round picks who were selected around Emmanwori. Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Texans wideout Jayden Higgins, the two second-round picks selected ahead of the safety, have already signed their deals.

The Seahawks now have one unsigned second-round pick to deal with in Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo.

Raiders Agree To Terms With Second-Round WR Jack Bech

July 17th, 2025 at 8:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Following the lead of many other teams around the league, the Raiders have finally agreed to a deal with their second-round pick. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, the Raiders agreed to terms with wideout Jack Bech.

While sixth-overall pick Ashton Jeanty has garnered much of the focus in Las Vegas, Bech also brings plenty of upside to the offense. The receiver burst onto the scene in 2024, his second season at TCU. Bech finished last season with 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns, and he earned the Senior Bowl MVP after hauling in the game-winning touchdown.

Thanks to that breakout performance, Bech was a Day 2 pick by the Raiders, with the organization using the 58th-overall pick on the receiver. In Las Vegas, he should have an immediate chance to contribute on an uncertain offense, although there’s no guarantee that he’s even the top rookie receiver on his squad.

Last month, we heard that rookie fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton Jr. was pushing hard for a starting spot next to Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. That would leave Bech competing for any leftover reps with the likes of free agent acquisition Collin Johnson and rookie sixth-round pick (and former QB) Tommy Mellott.

With the signing, the Raiders have completed their draft pick signings:

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/17/25

July 17th, 2025 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: OT Ryan Nelson

Seattle Seahawks

Load More Posts