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Commanders Shopping RB Brian Robinson

August 18th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

AUGUST 18: A mutual decision between team and player has been made for Robinson not to suit up for tonight’s preseason contest, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. That represents a clear sign a trade is on tap with the Commanders looking to ensure an injury does not occur. This situation remains one to watch closely.

AUGUST 17: The Commanders are open to trading running back Brian Robinson, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Robinson, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was a consistent but unspectacular ballcarrier in his first three seasons, recording between 700 and 800 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons with 20 total touchdowns. In 2024, Robinson put up career-highs in 2024 as a rusher (799 yards, eight touchdowns), but veteran signing Austin Ekeler ate into his passing-down snap share.

Robinson is currently listed as the Commanders’ starting running back on the team’s unofficial depth chart, so their willingness to trade him suggests a few things. First, with Robinson entering a contract year, he may be seeking an extension without mutual interest from Washington’s front office. Two running backs from his draft class – James Cook and Kyren Williams – recently signed second contracts with the teams that drafted them. Cook, who statistically outpaces Robinson by a significant margin, received $11.5MM per year with $30MM in total guarantees.

Williams is more comparable and signed for $11MM per year with $23MM in total guarantees. As a result, Robinson could be seeking upwards of $10MM per year and $20MM in guaranteed money. The Commanders could have concerns about his pedestrian rushing efficiency (4.1 career yards per carry) and may want to recoup some value in a trade rather than meeting his demands.

Placing Robinson on the trade block also indicates that the Commanders are confident in the other running backs on their roster. Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols were all more efficient than Robinson last year, albeit on smaller sample sizes. Preseason hype has also been building around seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who could make the 53-man roster and compete for a role in the backfield.

However, a trade seems unlikely to come together this close to the regular season. The Commanders could re-bait the hook closer to the trade deadline, by which time injuries could increase teams’ need for backfield depth.

Steelers, Gabe Davis Schedule Second Visit

August 18th, 2025 at 1:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Gabe Davis has been on the Steelers’ radar for much of the offseason. No signing has come about yet, but that could change in the near future.

Davis is set to travel to Pittsburgh for a free agent visit tomorrow, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That will mark the second time in which team and player have met in person. The first occurred in June, following Davis’ Jaguars release. Interest from other suitors has emerged, but the veteran wideout has remained unsigned well into the summer.

Early last month, it became clear Davis was still under consideration by the Steelers. The team has since acquired tight end Jonnu Smith via trade, adding a veteran pass-catcher to the mix. The receiver position has remained a talking point through the summer, though, with questions lingering about the depth behind fellow newcomer D.K. Metcalf. Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson are in line to handle key roles as things stand.

Austin is a pending free agent, and no talks on an extension have taken place to date. The 26-year-old could help his market value considerably with a strong year while handling the No. 2 receiver role and continuing to operating as a deep threat. Austin averaged 15.8 yards per reception last season, and he will look to remain an effective vertical threat while (potentially) taking on an increased workload in 2025.

That could of course change if Davis were to enter the mix. The former Bill joined Jacksonville in free agency last year, but a meniscus tear limited him to 10 games and career lows in production. Like other members of the Jags’ skill-position group, Davis was cut by the team’s new regime in the spring. A much less lucrative pact than the $13MM-per-year accord he signed in 2024 will be in store.

Today’s development further suggests that next deal will come from the Steelers. Pittsburgh has over $19MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if Davis’ results in an offer.

Browns Name Joe Flacco Starting QB

August 18th, 2025 at 12:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

To little surprise, Joe Flacco will begin the 2025 season atop the depth chart. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced on Monday that the 41-year-old will handle starting duties in Week 1.

Flacco has long been seen as the top option for Cleveland. Injuries have been a problem for fellow veteran Kenny Pickett but also rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, leading to missed reps during training camp. Even if all four contenders had been fully available, it still would have been seen as something of an upset for anyone but Flacco to get the early nod.

Midway through the 2023 season, Flacco joined the Browns and quickly found himself handling QB1 duties. The former Super Bowl MVP helped lead the team to a 4-1 finish down the stretch and qualify for the playoffs. That track record of success and a familiarity with Stefanski’s scheme were factors weighing heavily in Flacco’s favor during training camp. After the 191-game starter received the majority of first-team reps in camp, signs pointed heavily to Stefanski’s expected announcement confirming this QB setup to begin the year.

Pickett was seen as a contender to earn the nod ahead of camp, but a hamstring injury hindered his chances of genuinely pushing for the QB1 gig. The former Steelers first-rounder was traded to the Eagles last offseason and spent 2024 as Jalen Hurts‘ backup. The trade sending him to Cleveland was understandably followed by the decision to decline his fifth-year option. As a result, the 27-year-old enters this season as a pending free agent. Doing so as a backup (at best) is certainly an unwelcomed development from his perspective.

Gabriel and Sanders have flashed potential during the preseason, and their respective development will be a key storyline for Cleveland in 2025. Gabriel drew trade interest immediately after being drafted in the third round, but despite adding Sanders on Day 3 the Browns elected to retain him. Given the presence of Flacco and Pickett at that point, questions were raised about the possibility of all four signal-callers being kept on the active roster. General manager Andrew Berry has consistently maintained he is willing to take that route.

Indeed, the latest update on that front indicated Cleveland would carry each member of the Flacco-Pickett-Gabriel-Sanders quartet on the 53-man roster following cutdowns. Deshaun Watson is expected to miss the season while recovering from his second Achilles tear, while recent addition Tyler Huntley is a candidate to be released after filling in as a healthy option under center as needed. That will not bring an end to discussions about how the Browns should proceed under center, of course.

Struggles on the part of the team in general and Flacco in particular will no doubt lead to increased calls for a change under center. Turning to one (or both) of the rookies over the course of the season could lead to valuable evaluations concerning their long-term viability as potential starters. For now, though, Flacco is set to meet his goal of playing into his 40s. That will include at least a stretch in the starting spot to open his 18th NFL season.

Eliot Wolf: Patriots Open To Trade Acquisition

August 18th, 2025 at 11:03am CST by Adam La Rose

Sunday saw a pair of trades take place in the NFL, and more could be coming as teams sort out their rosters leading up to the cutdown deadline. In the meantime, a number of high-profile players are still without an extension at this point.

Trades for the likes of Terry McLaurin (Commanders), Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and Micah Parsons (Cowboys) have been speculated about given the lack of progress with respect to contract talks in each case. The Commanders have not shown a willingness to move McLaurin, whereas GMs around the league do not view a Parsons swap as being realistic. Interest will no doubt continue to be shown by suitors, though, and the Patriots will be worth watching on that front.

“We’re talking to all 31 other teams and trying to do what’s best for us,” de facto general manager Eliot Wolf said on Monday when asked about potentially swinging a notable trade (via MassLive’s Karen Guregian). “If something presents itself, I think those things are often a lot more complicated than the fans and some others like to make you believe, but if there’s something we think can help us, we’ll definitely be open to it.”

More importantly, Wolf later answered in the affirmative when specifically asked if he would be willing to part with a first- or second-round pick to facilitate a trade. In the case of Hendrickson in particular, that could prove to be significant. The Bengals are once again fielding trade calls for the reigning sack leader even though any return deep into August would presumably fall short of what would have been attainable during the spring.

Cincinnati is reportedly seeking a package involving at least one player in addition to draft capital in the event of a Hendrickson trade. Any acquiring team would then be required to also hammer out a long-term extension including a commitment beyond Year 1 in terms of guaranteed money (something which has proven to be a sticking point with the Bengals). The Patriots could represent a suitable trade partner keeping each factor in mind.

New England has the draft capital to pull off a notable trade for a veteran like Hendrickson, and the team leads the league with nearly $60MM in 2025 cap space (although future funds are more relevant to an extension, of course). Meanwhile, defenders like Anfernee Jennings and Kyle Dugger are on the Patriots’ roster bubble. Jennings has experience operating on the edge, and adding him could help compensate – to a slight extent, at least – for the loss of Hendrickson were a trade to be worked out.

Nothing is imminent regarding the Patriots at this point. Given Wolf’s comments and their financial situation, though, they will be a team to monitor until and unless the league’s top remaining contract standoffs find a resolution.

Falcons Sign QB Ben DiNucci

August 18th, 2025 at 10:15am CST by Adam La Rose

Ben DiNucci‘s next NFL opportunity has arrived. The journeyman quarterback announced on Monday that he has signed with the Falcons.

DiNucci’s deal should set him up to see playing time in the Falcons’ preseason finale. Neither starter Michael Penix Jr. nor backup Kirk Cousins will suit up for the game, and head coach Raheem Morris confirmed (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Emory Jones is in concussion protocol.

That will presumably allow for DiNucci, 28, to receive a look during practices over the next few days in addition to Friday’s contest in Dallas. Taking part in the game would allow him to compete against his former team. DiNucci entered the NFL in 2020 as a Cowboys draftee. The former seventh-rounder made three appearances, including one start, during his rookie campaign.

Since then, DiNucci has not seen any regular season game action in the NFL. The Pitt and James Madison product spent time with the Broncos and Bills before signing a futures contract with the Saints this offseason. Once New Orleans took the expected route of adding another signal-caller via the draft, though, the team moved on from DiNucci. This Falcons pact will provide him with the opportunity to compete for third-string spot alongside Easton Stick.

In the wake of Jones’ concussion, he has been waived with an injury designation. Provided the former UDFA clears waivers, he will revert to injured reserve. The Falcons also announced that wideout DJ Chark – signed late last month – has been released. He will now aim to catch onto a roster elsewhere with the deadline for final cuts approaching.

Colts Sign CB Xavien Howard

August 18th, 2025 at 9:30am CST by Adam La Rose

After spending the 2024 season out of the NFL, Xavien Howard has a deal in place. The former All-Pro corner has signed with the Colts, per an announcement from his agent. This will be a one-year pact worth up to $5MM, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero adds.

Howard spent each of his first eight seasons with the Dolphins, becoming one of the league’s top ballhawks over that span. His 29 interceptions the 2017 campaign – his second in the league – lead the NFL, and Indianapolis would welcome a return of that production this year. For now, of course, Howard will turn his attention to carving out a role in the team’s secondary.

The 32-year-old was limited to 13 games during his final Dolphins campaign due to injury. A release took place, and it eventually became clear a new arrangement at a reduced rate would not be worked out. Howard intended to play in 2024, and the Houston native expressed interest in a Texans deal. That did not take place, though, and no 2024 pact was worked out. Howard did take an in-season visit with the Bengals, something which helps explain today’s move.

Howard spent time with Lou Anarumo during his first two Dolphins campaigns; at that point, the latter was Miami’s defensive backs coach. Anarumo was Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator last year, and after his dismissal following the campaign he took over as the Colts’ DC. With that in mind, Indianapolis represents a logical landing spot in Howard’s case.

The former second-rounder was named in a lawsuit last July, but no criminal charges came about in the case. No updates on the legal front have come about for Howard since then, clearing him to play in 2025. He will join a Colts secondary which made a notable free agent splash in the form of Charvarius Ward. Indianapolis also has the likes of Kenny Moore, Jaylon Jones, Julius Brents and rookie Justin Walley on the roster at the CB position. As Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Starts notes, however, injuries are currently a concern amongst that group (including the ACL tear Walley suffered during the team’s preseason opener).

Howard will look to provide healthy depth in time for the start of the season. A notable workload in 2025 would help him not only reach the maximum value of his current pact but set him up for a stronger free agent market next spring.

Dolphins To Host OLB Matt Judon

August 18th, 2025 at 8:54am CST by Adam La Rose

Matt Judon remains one of the top free agents available around the NFL deep into training camp. That could soon change, however.

Judon is set to visit the Dolphins today, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Wilson adds a signing is expected in this case, with NFL insider Jordan Schultz confirming a mutual interest is believed to exist between team and player. Judon has remained on the market since his deal with the Falcons expired in March.

The four-time Pro Bowler was traded from New England to Atlanta last offseason after an extension agreement could not be reached with the Pats. Judon was willing to play out his walk year without a new deal in hand, and he managed a full season after being limited to four games the previous cmapaign. With 5.5 sacks, however, 2024 represented a step back from his previous production when healthy.

That helps explain why Judon is unsigned at this point, although is was reported in May that multiple teams checked in on him. The Dolphins were not linked to a pursuit in this case prior to today; that, coupled with their existing depth along the edge, makes this news somewhat surprising. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are expected to be healthy for the start of the campaign, something which will be key for Miami’s defense given their missed time in recent years.

2024 first-rounder Chop Robinson is also in the fold, and late in his rookie campaign in particular he flashed considerable potential. A notable workload awaits him in 2025 as a result. Provided Judon signs with Miami, he will be tasked with occupying a rotational role alongside the Phillips-Chubb-Robinson trio. The 33-year-old could help his value by taking a one-year pact and delivering a rebound in terms of sack production upon returning to the AFC East.

The Dolphins entered Monday with $11.7MM in cap space. As such, affording a short-term Judon pact should not be challenging. Depending on how today’s visit goes, it will be interesting to see if the mutual desire for a signing remains in place and a pact does indeed get worked out.

Browns Sign WR Isaiah Bond

August 18th, 2025 at 8:28am CST by Rory Parks

AUGUST 18: The Bond deal is now official, and Cabot reports the pact is worth a fully guaranteed $3.02MM. Bond is expected to take part in practice Tuesday as he looks to carve out a role in Cleveland’s receiver room in time for the regular season.

AUGUST 17: Former Alabama and Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond arrived in Cleveland on Saturday and is set to sign a three-year contract with the Browns, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Bond played under current Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in 2023, when Rees was working as the Crimson Tide’s OC and quarterbacks coach.

Bond, 21, was viewed as a Day 2 prospect in this year’s draft and arranged a number of visits with interested clubs. In early April, however, he was arrested on sexual assault charges, and he went undrafted as a result.

Bond, who played in Tuscaloosa for two seasons before transferring to Austin for the 2024 slate, steadfastly denied the allegations and even filed a defamation suit against his accuser, which was recently dismissed (via ESPN). On Thursday, as detailed in an ESPN report, the Collin County (Texas) District Attorney’s office announced that a grand jury had returned a “no-bill,” meaning there will be no indictment or further criminal proceedings.

Shortly after the DA’s announcement, Bond took to social media to declare he was going to sign with the Browns. While ESPN’s Adam Schefter cautioned no deal had been finalized, Cabot previously reported Bond would be flying to Cleveland on Saturday and was expected to sign a contract.

Assuming he does put pen to paper, Bond will join a Browns WR corps that could use a jolt. The unit is fronted by Jerry Jeudy, who earned his first Pro Bowl bid last year after Cleveland acquired him in a March 2024 trade with the Broncos. Behind Jeudy and presumptive WR2 Cedric Tillman sit the likes of Jamari Thrash – a 2024 fifth-rounder who caught just three passes last year – journeyman and return specialist DeAndre Carter, and Diontae Johnson (who only attracted interest from the Browns this offseason after a tumultuous 2024 campaign). David Bell is presently on the NFI list.

Of course, even if Bond had been selected in the second or third round of the draft and was able to participate in all of the Browns’ spring work and training camp, he may not have been ready to handle a starter’s workload in the early stages of the regular season. As it stands, he is well behind the learning curve and will have a considerable amount of catching up to do.

And, while he will not face criminal charges, he is still subject to league discipline. League spokesman Brian McCarthy told Cabot the NFL is reviewing the matter, though it is unclear when a decision in that regard will be made.

When the dust settles, the Browns have reason to be optimistic. Bond’s college production does not jump off the page – he caught 99 balls for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns across 41 games between Alabama and Texas – but his speed (4.39 40-yard dash time), hands, and route-running are certainly intriguing and caught the attention of scouts around the league.

Bengals Listening To Trade Offers On DE Trey Hendrickson; Contract Talks Have Stalled

August 17th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Parks

10:00pm: Cincinnati has been fielding calls on Hendrickson for weeks, Dehner and colleague Dianna Russini report. If the Bengals were to trade Hendrickson now, they likely would not land as valuable of a trade package as they would have if they had traded him before the draft. Clearly, no team has put forth an attractive enough offer as of yet.

12:20pm: Contract talks between the Bengals and defensive end Trey Hendrickson are at an impasse, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. As such, the club is again listening to trade offers for its star pass rusher.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz says the Panthers, Browns, and Colts are among the clubs that have expressed interest. Of course, an intra-division trade to Cleveland for a player of Hendrickson’s magnitude is unlikely, and Cincinnati is still setting a high asking price in trade talks. Per Schultz, the Bengals are seeking an impact player or two as well as a draft pick. A mutual interest still exists for this team-player relationship to continue, Schultz adds, but the same issues (namely guaranteed money) continue to represent a sticking point in negotiations.

The Bengals’ offense was excellent in 2024, with quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase both submitting MVP-caliber performances. Chase and running mate Tee Higgins were re-signed this offseason, and the team also returns promising running back Chase Brown, so points should not be terribly difficult to come by.

However, the team’s woeful defense undermined the efforts of Burrow & Co., and Cincinnati ultimately failed to qualify for the postseason. That is despite the presence of Hendrickson, who recorded 17.5 sacks for the second year in a row and who earned First Team All-Pro acclaim. Given that continued elite production and the upward movement of the EDGE market, any new Bengals accord will include a substantial raise if one can indeed be worked out before Week 1.

The Bengals did add a potential impact pass rusher, Shemar Stewart, in the first round of April’s draft, and Stewart is now in the fold after unusual contract talks of his own became a basis for criticism directed at the organization. Still, it is unclear whether Cincinnati did enough this offseason to significantly improve its defense, and subtracting Hendrickson from the equation would seem to make matters more difficult for new defensive coordinator Al Golden.

As such, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer is skeptical that the Bengals are serious about moving Hendrickson, and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic does not believe the situation has changed. He does not think the club, through today’s reports, is trying to drum up trade interest, and he continues to believe it is unlikely a rival team will meet Cincinnati’s asking price and pony up a massive extension for Hendrickson.

As things stand, the 30-year-old is owed $16MM in 2025, the final year of his pact. Hendrickson has stated a willingness to sit out regular season games in the absence of an extension. Time remains for an agreement to be reached, but before authorizing any major raise, the Bengals will once again field trade offers.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Texans To Trade WR John Metchie To Eagles For TE Harrison Bryant

August 17th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

After spending last summer as a trade candidate, John Metchie remained in place with the Texans. That will not be the case in 2025, however.

Houston has agreed to trade the fourth-year receiver to the Eagles, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. One season remains on Metchie’s rookie contract. The 25-year-old Canadian was sidelined for the 2022 season while recovering from Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Since then, he has struggled to carve out a role in the Texans’ passing game. Adding further details on the swap, Schefter’s colleague DJ Bien-Aime notes tight end Harrison Bryant is headed the other way.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the teams will swap future Day 3 picks they previously exchanged. The Texans will get back their sixth-rounder in 2026, while the Eagles will once again have their own fifth-round selection in that year.

Metchie handled a 29% snap share in 2023, and that figure rose to 45% last season. While looking to earn a role amongst Houston’s more established wideouts, the Alabama product recorded 254 yards and one touchdown on 24 catches. Entering a contract year, an uptick in production will be sought out in Philadelphia (although the team’s WR depth will of course make that challenging).

The Super Bowl champions will once again have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith atop the depth chart in 2025. Philadelphia also has Jahan Dotson – acquired via trade almost exactly one year ago – in the fold. Metchie will look to earn a role behind that trio and alongside Terrace Marshall Jr. as well as 2024 draftees Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports the 49ers also made an offer for Metchie, but the Eagles’ proposal was better.

Houston’s receiver room still includes Nico Collins, but the Pro Bowler will have a much different supporting cast around him compared to 2024. Stefon Diggs departed in free agency, while Tank Dell is not expected to play this season as he recovers from a major knee injury. The Texans swung an intra-divisional trade for Christian Kirk in the spring before adding Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel during the draft. Both Iowa State rookies figure to play a role on offense early and often in their careers.

Bryant played out his rookie contract with the Browns before spending 2024 in Vegas. The 27-year-old signed with the Eagles in March. Before seeing any regular season game action with his new team, however, Bryant finds himself on the move. Like Metchie, he is a pending 2026 free agent. Bryant will now join a Texans TE room which lost Brevin Jordan for the season recently. He will look to step in as a backup to Dalton Schultz.

The Texans and Eagles worked out a trade earlier this offseason, with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and guard Kenyon Green being swapped. The teams have repeated a player-for-player trade shortly before the deadline for roster cuts. Now, both Metchie and Bryant will spend the coming weeks acclimating to their new teams while looking to help their market values for next spring.

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