Courtland Sutton: Progress Being Made On Broncos Extension Talks
Courtland Sutton‘s contract status was a talking point for the Broncos last offseason until a 2024 top-up was agreed to. As a result, this year represents the window for an extension to be worked out as Denver looks to negotiate several new deals. 
No Sutton agreement is in place yet, meaning he remains on track for free agency in 2026. The former Pro Bowl wideout skipped voluntary OTAs last spring, but he will be in attendance this time around. That is an encouaraging sign regarding the chances of an extension coming to bear, and Sutton added to the positive sentiment when speaking on the subject Saturday.
“My team has had a really good conversation with the guys up there in the front office, and I think it’s working in the right direction,” the 29-year-old told Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. “Ultimately, you just want to know you’re working in the right direction. I think they see and have seen what I’ve brought to the team. I’m open and optimistic about the fact that I’ll be able to be here for the rest of my career.”
Sutton finishing his NFL tenure in the Mile High City has looked like far from a certainty for some time now. Regularly included in trade talk, the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver delivered the second 1,000-yard campaign of his career in 2024 and now profiles as a priority for the team to continue building on offense around quarterback Bo Nix. Sutton is currently owed $14MM for 2025 with a scheduled cap hit of $20.2MM.
A multi-year deal will no doubt require a raise based on the surges in the receiver market, although without the same resume as many of his younger counterparts Sutton should not approach the most lucrative contracts at the position. Still, a new Broncos commitment would ensure his place as a major contributor on offense for years to come, particularly as a red zone target with 18 touchdowns over the past two years. With Nix on his rookie deal, Denver could afford to keep Sutton in the fold at a higher rate while bolstering a skill-position group which saw the arrival of tight end Evan Engram in free agency.
The upcoming draft looms as another opportunity for the Broncos to bring in new weapons on offense. No extension will be in place with Sutton or any other player in line for a new deal until after it takes place, but signs continue to point to an agreement being worked out on that front before the 2025 season kicks off.
Browns Bring Back QB Joe Flacco
10:50pm: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the Flacco deal will pay out $6MM if he operates as the Browns’ starter and the team does not reach the playoffs. A starting gig which does produce a postseason berth, meanwhile, will see him earn $8MM. Flacco would need to earn first-team All-Pro honors to achieve the maximum $13MM, an entirely unrealistic scenario for the zero-time Pro Bowler. If he can duplicate the success of his first Cleveland stint, though, Flacco can notably add to his career earnings.
8:02am: Joe Flacco will return to Cleveland for 2025. The 40-year-old quarterback has an agreement in place with the Browns, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move is now official.
This will be a one-year deal with a base value of $4MM, per Flacco’s agency. The pact can be worth up to $13MM thanks to incentives. After taking over starting duties late in the 2023 campaign, the former Super Bowl MVP will now return to the Browns as they continue to sort out their quarterback situation. 
Deshaun Watson‘s second Achilles tear threatens to keep him sidelined for the entire 2025 campaign. As a result, the Browns have been active in pursuing veteran help under center, trading for former Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett earlier this offseason. More moves were expected, although signs pointed against the No. 2 pick in this month’s draft being devoted to a signal-caller. This deal represents another indication that will be the case.
Flacco’s time atop the depth chart with the Ravens ended with a knee injury midway through the 2018 campaign. Then-rookie Lamar Jackson replaced him in the lineup and has remained the starter ever since. After the season, Flacco was dealt to the Broncos, although his one-and-done Denver campaign did not go according to plan. The former first-rounder then saw time with the Jets and Eagles, making nine starts between 2020-22.
Uncertainty loomed over Flacco’s NFL future, but the Browns represented an opportunity to continue his career once Watson went down in 2023. The Delaware product was initially brought in as veteran insurance, but he quickly locked down the QB1 gig and helped lead Cleveland to the playoffs. Flacco averaged 323 yards per game and threw 13 touchdown passes in five regular season games, but interceptions proved to be a problem then and in the team’s wild-card loss to the Texans.
Flacco preferred to remain with the Browns for 2024, but he wound up taking a one-year Colts deal after Indianapolis was priced out of Gardner Minshew‘s market. Anthony Richardson began the season atop the depth chart, but the former No. 4 pick was benched at one point and again missed time due to injury. That allowed Flacco to made six starts, bringing his career total to 191. That figure could rise even further in 2025.
Pickett is now joined by Flacco as a healthy Browns quarterback option. Cleveland has been linked to a pursuit of Kirk Cousins, who is seeking a fresh start after being demoted to backup by the Falcons. A trade after the draft is still possible at this point since Atlanta is open to entertaining it, but especially if the Browns add a developmental passer sometime during the draft the market for Cousins will be quite limited. In any case, Flacco – who posted a 90.5 passer rating in 2024 – will be a familiar option for head coach Kevin Stefanski and Co.
Interestingly, Schefter adds Flacco also spoke with the Steelers and Vikings prior to making his Cleveland return. Pittsburgh is of course still linked to Aaron Rodgers as the team seeks a short-term starter; Rodgers’ preferred destination, meanwhile is Minnesota. The Vikings (barring a Rodgers deal) are set to hand the reins over to J.J. McCarthy in 2025, but they are clearly on the lookout for a veteran. Flacco could have fulfilled that role, but instead he will compete for playing time in Cleveland.
Browns To Host S Rayshawn Jenkins
Rayshawn Jenkins has been a free agent since his Seahawks release last month. The veteran safety has now lined up his first known visit since being let go, however. 
Jenkins will meet with the Browns today, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. The 31-year-old was one of several veterans cut in a cost-shedding move by Seattle, leaving him available to join a new team prior to the start of free agency. That did not take place, and with the draft looming little movement is expected at any position at this point of the offseason.
A fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2017, Jenkins played out his rookie contract in Los Angeles. During the final two seasons of that stretch, he operated as a full-time starter and helped his free agent stock in the process. The Miami product took a four-year, $35MM pact with the Jaguars when he reached the market for the first time. Jenkins was a mainstay in the secondary during his time in Duval County, recording five interceptions and twice eclipsing 100 tackles.
Jacksonville’s decision to move on with one season remaining on his pact led to Jenkins’ 2024 Seahawks stint. During his only Seattle campaign, he made nine starts and 13 appearances, collecting 53 tackles, a pair of sacks and a 102-yard fumble recovery. Jenkins allowed a career-worst passer rating (113.6) in coverage, however, something which played a role in his latest release. He would give the Browns a veteran presence in the secondary in the event today’s visit produced a deal, though.
Cleveland lost D’Anthony Bell in free agency, and to no surprise Rodney McLeod – who stated an intention of retiring after the 2024 campaign – has not been re-signed. The Browns have Grant Delpit attached to the $12MM-per-year extension he signed in 2023, along with low-cost options in the form of Ronnie Hickman, Trey Dean and Chris Edmonds. Jenkins should not be in position to command a lucrative deal at this point in his career, so he could be an affordable starting-caliber option for the team. The Browns entered Friday with roughly $19.5MM in cap space, more than enough to work out an agreement if one is pursued.
Colts Re-Sign TE Mo Alie-Cox
Mo Alie-Cox has spent his entire career with the Colts, and that relationship will continue in 2025. The veteran tight end re-signed on Friday, per a team announcement. 
It is a one-year agreement worth $2.2MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. This comes after the ex-basketball player played out a three-year, $17.55MM contract. And the latest Alie-Cox Indianapolis agreement comes as the team is being linked to this draft’s top two tight end prospects.
Alie-Cox entered the league as an undrafted free agent, but he has managed to carve out a notable NFL tenure. He has amassed 108 appearances and 47 starts with Indianapolis, and the both figures could continue to rise in 2025. Tight end is seen as a key Colts need entering the draft, leading many to believe one of the position’s top prospects will be selected their first-round pick.
Even if that takes place, though, Alie-Cox will represent a familiar option for the team. The 31-year-old has remained durable throughout his career, chipping in as a complementary pass-catching option and contributing as a run blocker. Over the course of his Colts tenure, Alie-Cox has seen his snap share range from 33% to 55%, although he has found himself playing less than half of the team’s offensive snaps in each of the past two campaigns. If Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland arrive as a rookie this offseason, that playing time rate could drop even further.
Tight end has been a sore spot for years in Indianapolis, and the team has taken a number of routes to try and address the position. Jelani Woods flashed potential as a rookie in 2022, but he has not seen any regular season game action since then. Woods is a pending 2026 free agent, but his roster spot has been a question mark this offseason. It will be interesting to see if the Virginia product stays in Indianapolis if the team makes a notable draft investment as expected.
Veteran Albert Okwuegbunam was among the players who signed a futures deal with the Colts in January. The team’s tight end depth chart also includes Will Mallory, Andrew Ogletree and Sean McKeon. Alie-Cox will once again be in the mix in that group as he prepares for an eighth campaign in Indianapolis.
Commanders To Sign QB Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson will be back in the nation’s capital in 2025. The journeyman quarterback has agreed to a one-year Commanders deal, ESPN’s John Keim reports. 
Johnson’s career has included time with a record 14 NFL teams (in addition to his games played in the first edition of the UFL along with the AAF and the second iteration of the XFL). That lengthy resume includes a stint in Washington dating back to the 2018 campaign. Johnson started three games in four appearances that year.
One of the (many) stops he made after that was a pair of games with the 49ers in 2022. Johnson is therefore a familiar face to Commanders general manager Adam Peters, who ensured stability on the quarterback depth chart earlier this offseason. Marcus Mariota agreed to another one-year Washington pact last month, meaning he is in position to once again serve as backup to reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.
That leaves Johnson, who turns 39 next month, in place to handle third-string duties and compete for a roster spot during training camp. In total, the former fifth-rounder has made 45 appearances and nine starts during his NFL tenure. Johnson has most recently spent the past two seasons taking part in his third stint with the Ravens. Baltimore added veteran Cooper Rush as a new backup in free agency, though, so it comes as no surprise Johnson finds himself on the move this spring.
The Commanders made a surprise run to the NFC title game in 2024, and they will look to repeat that success next season. Daniels will of course play a huge role in determining Washington’s ability to meet that goal, and if he is forced to miss time Mariota will represent an experienced fill-in option. Johnson could take on QB2 duties if needed, but his attention will turn to surviving roster cuts at the end of training camp.
Texans, Jalen Pitre Agree To Extension
The Texans made a major commitment in the secondary when they worked out a record-breaking extension for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The team now has another multi-year deal in place with a different member of the secondary from the 2022 draft class. 
Jalen Pitre has agreed to a three-year extension worth $39MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former second-rounder was set to play on the final season of his rookie deal, meaning he is now on the books through 2028. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds the contract includes $29.16MM in guarantees. This accord contains a $10MM signing bonus, $18MM in new compensation for 2025 and can top out at $42.6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.
Pitre was drafted as a safety, and for the most part he occupied that role during his first two seasons in Houston. The 25-year-old handled full-time starting duties during that span, which included a five-interception rookie campaign. Pitre’s ball production took a step back in 2023, but he remained a mainstay in the secondary. Last offseason, the Texans committed to playing him at slot corner, a role he primarily handled in 2024.
While he was limited to 12 games last year, Pitre found success at his new position. The Baylor product earned a PFF grade of 73.9, easily the highest of his career. He handled a defensive snap share of 87%, and a heavy workload can obviously be expected moving forward. Houston has Stingley on the books long term, and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter represents another young player set to be a key member of the team’s secondary for years to come.
Since $39MM represents the base value of the contract, Pitre’s AAV of $13MM represents a new high mark for slot corners. That position has not seen much in the way of upward movement relative to boundary CBs, but the Texans have once again made a notable commitment to an in-house defender. Veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter is also among the players who have received a lucrative extension this offseason as Houston looks to capitalize on the window of opportunity brought about by C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract.
The Texans ranked sixth against the pass last season, and expectations will be high for their secondary again in 2025. With Stingley and now Pitre attached to long-term pacts, it will be interesting to see which position group is targeted next with respect to internal commitments.
Rams Re-Sign LB Troy Reeder
Troy Reeder will remain with the Rams for another season. The veteran linebacker was re-signed on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Reeder has spent five of his six seasons with the Rams; the lone exception came in 2022 when he played for the Chargers. The 30-year-old has played on one-year-deals since 2022. To no surprise, that will be the case once again this time around.
The former UDFA played a notable role as a rookie, logging eight starts across his 16 appearances. He remained a regular on defense over the next two seasons, reaching a career high in tackles (91) during his final campaign before joining Los Angeles’ other franchise. During his one-and-done Chargers stint, though, Reeder primarily worked on special teams. That largely remained the case during his first campaign back with the Rams.
Things changed in 2024, with the Delaware product starting all six of his appearances and logging by far the highest defensive snap share of his career (94%). A hamstring injury cost him the remainder of the campaign, however, something which also hurt his market value. Reeder’s previous Rams pact was worth $1.13MM, and given his missed time this latest one will likely check in at a similar value.
The Rams – who entered Thursday with $17.7MM in cap space – still have plenty of room to make any further moves at the linebacker spot before the upcoming draft. Reeder will re-join a group which also includes low-cost returnees Omar Speights, Tony Fields and Eli Neal in addition to free agent signing Nathan Landman. Even if a rookie is added in the near future, Reeder will be in position to compete for a starting gig during training camp.
Giants To Host RB Omarion Hampton; Latest On Team’s First-Round Plans
Adding a rookie quarterback is certainly on the table for the Giants; with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the books, though, the team has increasingly been seen as situated to avoid a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Signs continue to point in that direction. 
Provided the Titans follow through with selecting Cam Ward first overall, the Browns will be left with their choice of top prospects Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Whichever member of that pair remains available when New York is on the clock will no doubt receive strong consideration, especially if general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll do not view Shedeur Sanders as being worth a top-three pick.
The Browns have previously been linked to heavy Carter interest, but more recently Hunter has emerged as the favorite to go second overall. Part of determining the Heisman winner’s NFL landing spot will of course be the evaluation of his position at the pro level, and the Giants – who may have shifted their view on that front – are firmly in play to draft him. A move up the board to accomplish that may be on the table.
Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer writes either Hunter or Carter are likely headed to the Giants later this month, with the team positioned to take a best player available approach at the top of the board. Selecting the latter would add to an edge rush group already featuring Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, making for what could be a less immediate path to playing time for the Penn State standout. By contrast, Hunter could fill a void at receiver and/or cornerback.
New York’s WR group is headlined by Malik Nabers and includes veteran re-signee Darius Slayton, but room exists for a complementary option. Hunter could meet that requirement on offense, or if deployed on defense he could join a CB depth chart featuring free agent addition Paulson Adebo. 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks has not developed as hoped, and Hunter could compete for a starting spot right away opposite Adebo on the perimeter. Depending on how the Browns’ evaluations shake out, Breer adds a trade up to the second slot could be in play which would ensure the Giants’ ability to add Hunter.
In other draft news concerning the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Omarion Hampton is visiting today. The North Carolina product is widely seen as the second best member of a very strong running back class and is firmly on the first-round radar. New York’s post-Saquon Barkley era saw veteran Devin Singletary and fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy split time in the backfield. Both of them are under contract for next year, but adding further at the RB position could be under consideration.
Barring a move well down the Day 1 order, though, Hampton is unlikely to be in New York’s range. The second-team All-American can likely be projected to hear his name called sometime in the 20s, Breer predicts (video link). A Hampton selection prior to that could be in the cards, although it would still represent a surprise if the Giants were to find themselves as a serious suitor.
Colts Release K Matt Gay
Matt Gay‘s time with the Colts has come to an end. The veteran kicker was released on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
After a successful three-year stint with the Rams, Gay joined the Colts in free agency in March 2023. That four-year, $22.5MM pact came with high expectations and seemed to end Indianapolis’ efforts to find a long-term Adam Vinatieri successor. After only two years with the team, however, another change at the position has been made. This release creates $2.5MM in savings while incurring a dead money charge of $4MM.
Gay connected on 33 of 41 field goal attempts during his debut Colts season, good for an accuracy rate of 80.5%. That figure was well short of his success with the Rams, but – after undergoing hernia surgery – a rebound of sorts took place last year. The 31-year-old went 31-for-37 on field goals in 2024, including a 100% success rate on kicks under 50 yards. From long range, though, Gay only made three of nine attempts.
The former fifth-rounder only missed one extra point attempt during his two-year Indianapolis tenure, something which (coupled with his short- and medium-range accuracy) should help him land a new gig in relatively short order. With the draft approaching, however, the Colts could now find themselves in the market for a rookie kicker. As of now, only Spencer Shrader is on the team’s roster.
A 2024 UDFA, Shrader spent time with three different teams last season, making a total of four appearances. The 25-year-old played one game with the Colts and returned to the team in free agency last month. Schrader now finds himself atop the depth chart, but Indianapolis can be expected to bring in competition in the form of a veteran or a rookie in the near future.
Raiders Arrange Visits With Shedeur Sanders, Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Carson Schwesinger
Set to select sixth overall, the Raiders find themselves in an interesting position as the countdown to the draft continues. The team could go in several different directions, and a number of first-round options are being examined through pre-draft visits. 
Vegas lined up a large number of top-30 visits yesterday, and Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the group included LSU tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham. Both prospects are viewed in the tier below presumed No. 1 pick Cam Ward and the highly-regarded duo of Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Depending on how the Patriots and Jaguars operate with the fourth and fifth selections, though, neither Campbell nor Graham may be available once Vegas is on the clock.
The Raiders’ work also included their previously-reported visit with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman runner-up has frequently been mentioned as a logical fit for Vegas given the team’s struggles on the ground last season and resultant need to find a long-term Josh Jacobs successor. Selecting Campbell or Graham instead would leave a vacancy in the backfield (at least until later in the draft), but it would help shore up the line of scrimmage for a team looking to rebound from a 4-13 season.
A large part of that effort has been the acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith. The trade sending him to the Raiders was recently followed by a two-year extension putting him on the books through 2027, but the team is still interested in exploring rookie signal-callers. Among those with a visit planned is Shedeur Sanders, per Breer. The Colorado passer’s Vegas meeting will take place on Monday, he adds.
Vegas has previously been connected to Sanders, whose stock remains a key talking point in advance of the draft. A fall out of the first round is not expected, but the strength of prospects at other positions for teams not immediately in need of a signal-caller could lead them in another direction. Still, the Browns and Giants have been linked to Sanders interest, and his visit with the Steelers (set to select 21st overall) today illustrates the extent of his list of suitors.
Sanders is not the only QB prospect being looked into. As Breer notes, Texas’ Quinn Ewers and Ohio State’s Will Howard were present yesterday, along with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. Those three passers face a wide range of draft outcomes, but Dart has gained steam for first-round consideration. Ewers and Howard are more logical targets if Vegas – now led by head coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek and (to a notable extent) minority owner Tom Brady – plans to wait until after Day 1 to add a quarterback .
Also present for Wednesday’s prospect summit was Carson Schwesinger, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The UCLA product is seen as one of the top linebackers in the 2025 class, and he is slated to hear his name called sometime in the second round. Vegas owns pick No. 37, which could be used on Schwesinger based in part on how yesterday’s visit went. With respect to the team’s top selection, though, several options are on the table and are receiving consideration.