Browns, S Rayshawn Jenkins Agree To Deal
The Browns are having a busy day in terms of veteran safety additions. Rayshawn Jenkins has a deal in place with the team, as first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. 
Jenkins joins Damontae Kazee as an experienced option at the position who has agreed to a Browns pact today. Kazee had not previously been linked to Cleveland, but that was the case for Jenkins. The latter conducted a free agent visit last month, so the news of this signing comes as little surprise.
After four years with the Chargers and three with the Jaguars, Jenkins spent the 2024 campaign in Seattle. The 31-year-old made 13 appearances and nine starts, handling a 65% snap share on defense. In spite of that workload, Jenkins was among the veterans cut by the Seahawks prior to the start of free agency. That move resulted in a lengthy free agent spell.
Jenkins’ deal will no doubt be a low-cost investment on the part of the Browns. Rodney McLeod gave the team a veteran presence in the secondary last year, but he remains unsigned and is a candidate to retire. Both Kazee and Jenkins will look to fill the role McLeod had in 2024.
The Browns – who still have Grant Delpit atop the depth chart along with Ronnie Hickman as a safety in line to see defensive snaps – fared better against the pass last season than they did in many other defensive categories. There is still room for improvement in that area, though, and one or both of Jenkins and Kazee could play a role in meeting that goal.
Colts’ Zaire Franklin Underwent Ankle Surgery; LB Could Return For Training Camp
Zaire Franklin will again be counted on as a key member of the Colts’ defense in 2025. The veteran linebacker’s availability for training camp is now uncertain, however. 
Franklin recently underwent a clean-up procedure on his ankle, head coach Shane Steichen announced. Steichen told reporters he is hopeful Franklin will be fully recovered in time for training camp. At a minimum, the latter will be sidelined through OTAs and minicamp.
A full-time starter over the past three years, Franklin played every defensive snap for the Colts in 2022 and repeated that feat last year. The former seventh-rounder led the NFL in tackles in 2024 (173) and set a new career high in sacks (3.5), interceptions (two) and forced fumbles (five). He therefore provided a strong return on investment for Indianapolis after he inked an extension last March.
That pact carries an annual average value of $10.42MM and runs through 2027. Needless to say, Franklin’s health will be critical once again next season, the first with Lou Anarumo in place as defensive coordinator. Indianapolis ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories last year, and Franklin remaining one of the most productive off-ball linebackers in the NFL will be key in the team’s efforts to rebound in 2025.
Fellow linebacker Jaylon Carlies is on the mend after he underwent offseason shoulder surgery. Carlies is expected to recover in time for training camp, and Franklin’s ability to do the same will be something to watch for over the coming weeks. In the meantime, the Colts will prepare for spring workouts with a shorthanded LB unit.
Texans Restructure K Ka’imi Fairbairn’s Deal
Ka’imi Fairbairn is still under contract to the Texans for the next two years, but his deal has been altered. The veteran kicker worked out a restructure, as detailed by Over the Cap. 
Fairbairn was originally owed a base salary of $4.73MM, but that figure has been reduced to $1.25MM. The remaining money has been converted into a signing bonus with three void years being added to the pact. As a result, his 2025 cap hit has been dropped from $6.73MM to $3.95MM.
In place as the Texans’ kicker over the past eight years, Fairbairn has long been among the league’s best at the position. The 31-year-old saw his overall accuracy dip slightly to 85.7% in 2024, but he showcased his range on several occasions along the way. Fairbairn made 13 field goals of 50 yards or more (on 16 attempts) last season. At one point, that represented an all-time record but Brandon Aubrey wound up making 14 such field goals for the Cowboys.
Fairbairn has signed two long-term deals during his time with Houston. The most recent of those came last spring, and his $5.3MM AAV places him in a tie for sixth amongst kickers. Expectations will remain high for the UCLA product moving forward as the Texans aim to improve on their middling offensive stats from last year. Fairbairn will give the team a reliable option at the position for 2025 and beyond.
Houston entered Monday near the bottom of the league in cap space. All but one member of the team’s draft class is already under contract, but this move will free up funds for other moves during the latter stages of the offseason.
Falcons Complete Rookie Draft Class Signings
On Friday, the Falcons agreed to terms with their three mid- to late-round picks and Jalon Walker. Today, the team has now done the same with its other edge rusher selected in the first round, completing its 2025 rookie draft class signings.
James Pearce has signed his rookie deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The four-year pact is worth $16.8MM fully guaranteed and includes an $8.8MM signing bonus. Like all other Day 1 picks, Pearce can be kept under team control through 2029 via the fifth-year option.
The Tennessee product racked up 17.5 sacks across his sophomore and junior years, cementing his status as one of the best speed rushers in the 2025 class. The Falcons – long in need of help in the pass-rush department – entered the opening round of the draft planning on selecting Pearce if he was still available at pick No. 15. Atlanta wound up taking Walker after he surprisingly fell that far down the order.
In spite of that addition along the edge, the Falcons remained intent on acquiring Pearce as well. To that end, they traded back into the first round by sending the Rams a package highlighted by Atlanta’s Day 1 pick in 2026. With Walker and Pearce now in the fold, the Falcons have a pair investments aimed at providing them with a solution in terms of production along the edge for years to come.
In the latter’s case, though, red flags (including his desire to play football) emerged for certain NFL suitors. Multiple teams took Pearce off their draft boards, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports (subscription required). The Falcons were obviously not among them, and general manager Terry Fontenot spoke about his confidence in the first-team All-SEC standout’s ability to enjoy a strong pro career.
“There’s always things that are reported and there’s a perception on the outside and then there is a whole different level based off the information we know,” Fontenot said (via Kendall). “We have a really thorough process that we go through, and I believe our scouts… but then we again go through a security process and we gather a lot of information on these players and so we have a lot of confidence in our process.”
The Falcons signed Leonard Floyd in free agency, adding him to an edge rush group which includes recent draftees Arnold Ebiketie and Bralen Trice. Walker and Pearce will be counted on to contribute early and often for Atlanta, and both are now on the books.
Here’s a final look at the Falcons’ 2025 rookie draft class:
- Round 1, No. 15: Jalon Walker (LB, Georgia) (signed)
- Round 1, No. 26 (from Rams): James Pearce (DE, Tennessee) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 96 (from Eagles): Xavier Watts (S, Notre Dame) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 118: Billy Bowman Jr. (S, Oklahoma) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 218 (from Browns through Chargers): Jack Nelson (T, Wisconsin) (signed)
Browns To Sign S Damontae Kazee
Damontae Kazee will remain in the AFC North despite joining a new team. The veteran safety has agreed to a deal with the Browns, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. 
Kazee spent the past three years with the Steelers, operating as a key defender during the 2023 season in particular. Last year, though, his playing time dropped considerably. It thus came as little surprise the 31-year-old remained on the free agent market well after the draft.
A veteran of 112 combined regular and postseason games, Kazee has also seen time with the Falcons (2017-20) and Cowboys (2021) during his career. He will provide plenty of experience for the Browns, a team which had Rodney McLeod in place last season. McLeod has not officially retired yet, but he said one year ago that he planned on 2024 being his final campaign in the league. This move certainly points to McLeod hanging up his cleats or at least playing elsewhere in 2025.
Cleveland has Grant Delpit attached to a $12MM-per-year deal at the safety spot, and the team also has former UDFA Ronnie Hickman – who has made nine starts during his two NFL seasons – in the fold. Kazee led the NFL with seven interceptions in 2018, but he has not surpassed two in a campaign since then. The San Diego State product will aim to earn a rotational role on defense but he could contribute on special teams as well.
The Browns entered Monday with just under $19MM in cap space. That figure will not be affected to a large extent by this Kazee pact, one which will likely check in at or near the veteran minimum. The deal will nevertheless give Cleveland a new veteran presence in the secondary.
Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Expects To Be Available For Training Camp
Tyreek Hill played through a wrist injury during the 2024 campaign, by far the least productive of his three years in Miami. The All-Pro wideout underwent surgery shortly after the season ended, and another update on his heath status has emerged. 
Hill had pins placed in his wrist during his first operation, but agent Drew Rosenhaus said during his weekly Fox-7 appearance yesterday they were removed in a scheduled follow-up procedure (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). According to Rosenhaus, Hill is rehabbing well. As a result, the 31-year-old expects to be available to the Dolphins for training camp.
Hill played in all 17 games in 2024, but after topping 1,700 yards during each of his first two Miami campaigns he recorded just 959 last year. The eight-time Pro Bowler removed himself from the Dolphins’ season finale once it became clear they would not reach the playoffs, and his post-game remarks strongly indicated he would welcome a trade. Head coach Mike McDaniel made it clear the team intends to carry on with Hill in the fold, and general manager Chris Grier later confirmed a deal sending him elsewhere was not in Miami’s plans ahead of the draft.
That would have represented a logical time for a swap involving Hill to take place, but no such agreement was made. As such, the former Chief remains on track to lead Miami’s receiver room once more. Two years are left on his pact, and Hill is owed $27.75MM this year along with $36MM in 2026. No base salary guarantees are in place for next year, however, meaning trade rumors could continue to swirl in this case.
The Dolphins also have Jaylen Waddle on the books for four more years. The former first-rounder’s pact carries an average annual value of $28.25MM, giving Miami one of the league’s most expensive receiver tandems. The team added Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a two-year pact in free agency, and he should be able to provide consistent depth production at the position. To a large extent, though, the Dolphins’ passing attack will of course depend on Hill’s ability to bounce back from last year’s performance. Being at full strength well before the start of the campaign would be an encouraging first step in that regard.
Travis Hunter To Split Offensive, Defensive Reps During Jaguars’ OTAs
The draft provided clarity on where Travis Hunter will begin his NFL career, with the Jaguars executing a move up the board to the No. 2 pick. That agreement with the Browns had been worked out well in advance, but it came as a surprise to many at the time and invited questions about how Jacksonville’s positional approach would play out with him. 
Rookie general manager James Gladstone said last month the Jags would begin with Hunter working primarily at receiver. That news came as little surprise, but the 2024 Heisman winner made it clear during the pre-draft process he intended to continue playing both ways upon arrival in the NFL. After only taking reps at wideout during rookie minicamp, Liam Coen said Hunter will also see time at cornerback during Jacksonville’s upcoming OTAs.
“We just kind of ended up making a decision that from yesterday to today, we wanted to be able to clean up some of the things that we may have been able to miss yesterday [and] get extra reps on the offensive side of the ball and next week he’ll start to roll on defense,” the first-year head coach said following the end of rookie minicamp (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco).
During his final season at Colorado, Hunter averaged 114 total snaps per game. That allowed him to put up noteworthy production on offense (1,258 yards, 15 touchdowns on 96 receptions) and defense (four interceptions, 11 pass deflections) en route to a slew of accolades. Gladstone has certainly not downplayed Hunter’s potential when speaking publicly about him, so a notable workload on both sides of the ball as a rookie could very well be in store. Coen noted the two-time All-American has spent time learning both playbooks, and mastering each in time for training camp would be key.
The Jags’ receiving corps will be led by 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Brian Thomas Jr. once again in 2025, especially with Christian Kirk being traded away and Gabe Davis being released. Hunter could see notable playing time early and often as a pass-catching presence with the team looking to find a long-term answer at the receiver spot. Both members of a Thomas-Hunter tandem would be under team control for several years on their rookie deals with quarterback Trevor Lawrence attached to a $55MM-per-year pact.
Jacksonville still has Tyson Campbell on the books for one boundary corner role, and the team signed Jourdan Lewis in free agency. The latter will operate in the slot on his new team, but Hunter could earn playing time on the outside depending on how well he acclimates on defense this offseason. That process will begin to ramp up later this month at OTAs, and it will be interesting to see how Hunter develops in each capacity.
Poll: How Will Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson’s Situation Play Out?
One of the main dominoes yet to fall amongst edge rushers this offseason is Trey Hendrickson. The 2024 sack leader remains on track for free agency next spring while the Bengals aim to keep him in the fold for years to come. 
Efforts on Hendrickson’s part to land a long-term pact and a fresh round of guarantees did not produce traction toward a new deal last offseason. A trade request was issued just before the draft as a result, but Cincinnati made it clear to him no consideration on that front would be made by the team. In the end, no holdout took place during training camp and Hendrickson played on his existing pact.
Doing so certainly upped his leverage in contract talks, as the 30-year-old posted 17.5 sacks for the second straight season. Hendrickson could aim to land a new pact near the top of the EDGE market (which has already risen on two occasions this offseason and now sits at $40MM annually). The Bengals’ offseason intentions were clear with respect to keeping him in the fold along with wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The latter two are indeed on the books, but their deals are worth a combined average of $61MM per year. Once Chase and Higgins inked their extensions, questions were again raised about the possibility of keeping Hendrickson in the fold beyond 2025. The four-time Pro Bowler will no doubt secure more than the $16MM he is owed for the coming campaign on his next pact, and making a lucrative commitment – having already made two at the WR spot to go along with quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract – would be challenging from a cap perspective in the Bengals’ case.
Unlike last offseason, the Bengals have been open to discussing a Hendrickson trade in recent months. Multiple offers have been rejected, a sign an extension could be within reach at some point this offseason. The negotiating process has not always gone smoothly, however, with public remarks from both team and player illustrating that point. At this point of the spring, plenty of time still remains for an agreement to be worked out.
Failing that, a trade will loom as an option for Cincinnati to consider before the 2025 deadline. A free agent departure would no doubt yield a compensatory pick, but dealing the All-Pro to an interested team ahead of the postseason could bring about a slightly better (or at least more immediate) return. Of course, if the Bengals are to return to the postseason in 2025, another year of strong play from Hendrickson – and an improved showing on defense under new DC Al Golden – will be critical. The team’s pass rush faces plenty of uncertainty elsewhere on the depth chart.
The Bengals used their top pick in this year’s draft on Shemar Stewart, banking on the Texas A&M product being able to translate his athleticism into NFL production (after he totaled just 4.5 sacks in college). Even if that proves to be the case, keeping Hendrickson in place will be crucial to Cincinnati’s efforts at finding a long-term tandem along the edge. Former first-rounder Myles Murphy – who was held without a sack in 13 games last year – is attached to his rookie contract through 2026 while Joseph Ossai re-signed on a one-year deal this spring.
Hendrickson remains a priority for the Bengals with the draft (a logical point at which a trade could have taken place) now in the books. It is still unclear, however, if a raise will be authorized by the team, one projected to have nearly $73MM in 2026 cap space (albeit with only 35 players currently under contract for next season). While there is still considerable runway for a resolution to emerge in this case, the threat of a training camp holdout looms.
How do you see this situation unfolding? Will Hendrickson play out a fifth season in Cincinnati and find himself elsewhere after that point (if not sooner)? Or will an arrangement past 2025 put an end to the questions surrounding his future? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.
Steelers, RB Trey Sermon Agree To Deal
The Steelers have lined up a backfield addition deep into free agency. Pittsburgh has agreed to a one-year deal with Trey Sermon, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. 
A third-round pick of the 49ers in 2021, Sermon only lasted one season in San Francisco. He did not survive roster cuts in advance of his second NFL campaign, with the 49ers placing him on waivers. The Eagles claimed him, although that did not yield a workload of note. Sermon handled a total of just 12 snaps in Philadelphia, and he found himself on the move the following year.
Shortly after being released in the summer of 2023, Sermon inked a practice squad deal with the Colts. His debut Indianapolis campaign resulted in 160 scoreless rushing yards, but the free agent departure of Zack Moss opened the door for an increased workload. At one point, Sermon seemed to be in position to handle RB2 duties behind Jonathan Taylor. In the end, though, the Ohio State product only saw a marginal uptick in carries (56 compared to 35).
As a result, this Steelers pact will no doubt be a small commitment on Pittsburgh’s part. The Steelers leaned heavily on former first-rounder Najee Harris over the past four seasons. As many expected, Harris departed in free agency this spring, leaving Jaylen Warren atop the depth chart. The latter is attached to a second-round RFA tender for 2025, and he will look to play his way into a long-term pact with Pittsburgh or another team next offseason.
The Steelers used a third-round pick (their second selection of the draft) on running back Kaleb Johnson. The Iowa product enjoyed a highly successful college career and he is in line to compete for a notable role alongside Warren and free agent signing Kenneth Gainwell as a rookie. Sermon, 26, could earn a place as the team’s No. 3 or 4 option in the backfield, although he does not have considerable experience on special teams (something which would likely be necessary for someone in that role to earn a roster spot).
The Steelers entered Sunday with more than $34MM in cap space, so today’s deal will not alter their other roster-building plans. Sermon will turn his attention to competing for a depth gig on his latest team during the summer.
Lions Add 10 UDFAs
The Lions added seven rookies to their roster via the draft. That group has been joined by the following 10 undrafted free agent signings:
- Leif Fautanu, C (Arizona State)
- Gavin Holmes, CB (Texas)
- Zach Horton, TE (Indiana)
- Jakobie Keeney-James, WR (UMass)
- Ian Kennelly, S (Grand Valley State)
- Jackson Meeks, WR (Syracuse)
- Mason Miller, G (North Dakota State)
- Caden Prieskorn, TE (Ole Miss)
- Kye Robichaux, RB (Boston College)
- Anthony Tyus III, RB (Ohio)
Meeks’ pact contains $200K in total guarantees, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. That figure includes a $20K signing bonus. After spending his first three seasons at Georgia in a depth capacity, Meeks transferred to Syracuse last offseason. That paved the way for a breakthrough campaign (78-1,021-7 statline), one which has landed him the chance to compete for a roster spot this summer.
Tyus followed a similar career path by seeing sparse usage during his three-year tenure at Northwestern. Upon transferring out of the Big Ten and into the MAC, he took on a much larger role for Ohio. The 6-1, 220-pounder rushed for nine touchdowns in 2024 (after scoring two in his first three seasons) and racked up 1,352 scrimmage yards. Tyus will look to earn a spot on special teams to avoid cutdowns at the end of training camp.
While many of the league’s most lucrative UDFA deals were coming together in the aftermath of the draft, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported Keith Cooper Jr. had agreed to a contract including a $20K signing bonus and $125K in salary guarantees. However, the Houston edge rusher is listed as as a tryout player for the Lions’ rookie minicamp. As a result, he has not yet signed a deal.