Vote On Tush Push Ban Postponed
In the build-up to Tuesday’s vote on banning the so-called ‘tush push’ play, it was clear opinions were split on the matter. That opened the door to a vote being tabled for the future, which has indeed taken place. 
No vote will be held on banning the play today, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. That comes as little surprise considering where things stood entering the final day of the league meetings. Reports from Russini as well as Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz noted there were not enough votes present to approve a ban, leading to the expectation of a delay.
The Eagles and Bills have enjoyed considerable success with the tush push, but Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott was among the Competition Committee members in favor of banning the play. Debate on injury risk and the specific wording of the proposal sparked debate on both sides prior to the scheduled vote, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes. In all, a 16-16 split existed between the two sides, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Like with all other rule changes, at least 24 votes will be required to ban the play. In other words, those in favor of doing so will need to use the coming weeks to secure at least eight more votes and move forward with a ban. As Russini notes, today’s decision could allow for the wording of the rule regarding the play to be tweaked, something which could sway opinions one way or the other. The tush push could remain in place for 2025, but the door is open to the play being fundamentally altered depending on how the pending vote shakes out.
In May, owners will convene for the next round of meetings. Coaches and general managers will not be present (unlike now), though, and it will be interesting to see how many minds are changed between now and then about supporting or banning the tush push. Maintaining the status quo, eliminating the play or tweaking it remain options at this point.
NFL Approves Kickoff Tweaks; Vote On Onside Kick Adjustments Postponed
APRIL 1: As expected, owners approved the proposed amendment to tweak the kickoff setup (h/t Dianna Russini of The Athletic). Touchbacks will be moved up to the 35 starting next season as a result. No decision was made with respect to amending onside kicks, meanwhile; the vote on that front will take place in May.
MARCH 29: When the league meeting kicks off tomorrow, one of the topics of discussion will be related to the dynamic kickoff instituted on a trial basis for 2024. The expectation remains that the new setup will be made permanent, albeit with a few alterations. 
The competition committee has proposed moving forward with the dynamic kickoff alignment on a full-time basis, as detailed by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. That comes as little surprise, as indications from last month pointed to such a move. In response to dwindling kick return rates, the NFL adopted the XFL-style setup for one year; a spike in the frequency of returns took place, but not to the extent that many predicted.
[RELATED: Owners Likely To Discuss 18-Game Schedule]
32.8% of kickoffs produced a return in 2024, and the competition committee’s latest proposal aims at increasing the figure moving forward. The committee has officially proposed moving the point of touchbacks up from the 30-yard line to the 35, as first reported by Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The league projects a return rate between 60% and 70% as a result of that tweak, which the owners will discuss in the coming days.
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones wrote earlier this month the league could consider not only moving up the spot for touchbacks but also altering where kickoffs take place. Moving kickers back five yards could have helped achieve the goal of fewer touchbacks, but, per Jones, a view exists around the league that many would still be able to reach the end zone even with that tweak. While moving touchbacks will receive consideration, it does not appear the same will be true for pushing back the location of kickoffs.
In past years, teams have proposed alternatives to the increasingly-challenging onside kick. For 2025, however, no fourth-and-15 or fourth-and-20 ideas will be on the table (h/t Maske). Many have viewed an offensive alternative to onside kicks as being too gimmicky, and that likely remains the case at this point. As Jones notes, the NFL will contemplate tweaking the existing onside kick rule to allow all members of the team attempting an onside kick (rather than just the kicker) to line up on their 30-yard line. That one-yard difference could help the success rate of the play to a small extent.
As things stand, teams can only attempt an onside kick during the fourth quarter, but that too could soon change. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes the owners will vote on allowing teams to declare their intention at any point in a game, provided they are trailing at the time. He predicts that measure – along with the aim to formalize dynamic kickoffs and move up the touchback spot – will be ratified.
At least 24 of 32 owners will need to support any change for it to pass at the upcoming meeting. If all goes according to plan, multiple special teams plays will have slightly different rules in play for 2025 and beyond.
Colts To Begin QB Competition During Spring Practices
Daniel Jones elected to depart the Vikings in free agency by taking a deal with the Colts. The former Giants first-rounder did so because he felt the move gave him a better chance at operating as a starter. 
Jones will collect a base value of $14MM on his one-year Indianapolis contract, a sign of his opportunity to handle QB1 duties. If that is to take place, he will need to outperform incumbent Anthony Richardson. The latter has not developed as hoped during his two seasons in the NFL, creating the need for veteran competition. Head coach Shane Steichen confirmed on Monday the evaluation of both Jones and Richardson will begin during upcoming offseason workouts.
“It’ll start in the spring,” Steichen said of the competition (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star). “They’re going to split the [first-team] reps through practice and going into training camp, and really, it’s going to come down to who’s the most consistent, who’s the most productive, will be the starter.”
Selected fourth overall in 2023, Richardson faced questions upon arrival in the NFL based on his lack of starts in college and issues related injuries and accuracy. He won the starting position right away as a rookie, but a shoulder injury limited him to only four contests. The 22-year-old made 11 starts last season, one in which he found himself benched in favor of Joe Flacco at one point.
Steichen added the decision to bring in a veteran capable of earning the starting gig was made immediately after the season ended. Consistency will be a requirement in Richardson’s case if he is to operate atop the depth chart in 2025 and beyond. The Florida product completed only 47.7% of his pass attempts last season, and matching improved accuracy with his high rushing upside, will be necessary this offseason.
Jones’ Giants tenure ended when he was waived midway through the 2024 campaign. He did not see any game action with the Vikings, but he will have the opportunity to change that situation with the Colts starting in the near future.
John Harbaugh: Ravens Expect To Retain TE Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews‘ Ravens future has been a talking point this offseason. The All-Pro tight end has one year remaining on his current deal, and a $4MM roster bonus was recently paid out. 
Baltimore is not looking to trade Andrews, although the possibility looms at this point. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Ravens, developing a strong rapport with fellow 2018 draftee Lamar Jackson. That tenure could come to an end, but the latest update on the matter points to Andrews remaining in place for 2025.
“Mark’s in a good place. He’s working really hard,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday (via the team’s website). “I do fully expect him to be playing for us next year. He’s just too good a player.”
[RELATED: Ravens Interested In Extensions For Jackson, Derrick Henry]
Andrews has missed considerable time only once during his career, and he has consistently operated as an effective red zone target. The former third-rounder has amassed 51 touchdowns, the most in franchise history. His $14MM-per-year extension was welcomed when it was signed in 2021, but it remains to be seen if another financial commitment will be made on the team’s part. As things stand, Andrews is due to carry a cap charge of $16.91MM next year.
Duplicating that figure (more or less) on a new deal could prove to be challenging as the Ravens plan for second contacts at a number of positions. The team’s list of extension-eligible players includes fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, who has shown strong signs of development over the course of his young career. One year remains on Likely’s rookie deal, and the same is true of tight end/special teamer Charlie Kolar.
Andrews’ postseason struggles – which include but are not limited to his fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ divisional round loss – have been cited as a reason a trade could be in store. Based on Harbaugh’s remarks, though, he remains on track to again handle a key role on offense in 2025.
Lions Likely To Exercise WR Jameson Williams’ Fifth-Year Option
Jameson Williams‘ time with the Lions has seen a number of ups and downs to date. A decision will need to made regarding his 2026 fifth-year option this spring, and the team is leaning toward picking it up. 
“Look, it’s heading that way that we are most likely gonna be doing that,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said Monday at the league meetings (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard). “He was a tremendous player for us last year.”
Indeed, Williams set new career highs across the board in 2024. The 24-year-old posted seven touchdowns on 58 receptions, averaging a strong 17.3 yards per catch average. He will be counted on to remain one of the league’s top vertical threats for the next two seasons provided his option is picked up.
Williams was limited to six games during his rookie season as he rehabbed an ACL tear. The Alabama product was then suspended for the beginning of the 2023 campaign, and he made only 12 appearances that year. Given his lack of playing time, Williams thus qualifies for the basic (that is, least lucrative) tier with respect to option compensation. He will be in line for $15.49MM in 2026 presuming the Lions choose to keep him in place for that season.
Detroit traded up in the first round of the 2022 draft to select Williams, and as such he entered the league with high expectations. He delivered to a large extent this past campaign, but his gambling and PED suspensions have represented off-the-field obstacles. The same looked to be true at one point regarding the October gun incident Williams was involved in, but he will not faces charges or a suspension as a result of it.
Detroit already has Amon-Ra St. Brown attached to a deal averaging just over $30MM per season, and the two-time All-Pro is set to remain the focal point of the team’s passing attack moving forward. The Lions’ future extension plans will include the likes of edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and safety Kerby Joseph, Holmes noted. For that reason, a push for a long-term Williams commitment would come as a surprise at this point. For at least the 2026 campaign, though, he will likely be in the fold.
DL John Cominsky Retires
John Cominsky was unavailable due to injury throughout the 2024 campaign, and he will not be back on the field in the future. The veteran defensive lineman announced his retirement on Monday. 
“After six years in the NFL, I am officially medically retiring,” Cominsky’s announcement reads in part. “I am proud of the career I had, but have accumulated a combination of injuries that are overwhelming my desire to continue playing…. I walk away with my family in mind and therefore, have found peace in this difficult decision.”
The 29-year-old began his career with the Falcons, playing with them from 2019-21. Cominsky made 27 appearances over that span, but he only registered one start and was never able to manage a full campaign. Despite having one season left on his rookie deal, the former fourth-rounder was waived in the spring of 2022.
Considerable interest was shown on the waiver wire, and the Lions wound up acquiring him. Cominsky took on a much larger workload during his debut campaign in the Motor City, logging eight starts and a 60% snap share. Having established himself as a first-team contributor, the Charleston product re-signed with the Lions on a two-year, $8.5MM pact that offseason. Cominsky made a career-high 16 appearances in 2023, notching a new personal high with 36 tackles and adding a pair of sacks (after recording four the previous season).
Expectations were high as a result ahead of this past campaign. A summer MCL tear kept Cominsky sidelined, however, and by December it was clear he was one of many Lions defenders who were not seen as a candidate to return later in the campaign. Now, Detroit will move forward knowing Cominsky will not be a 2025 contributor along the D-line.
A veteran of 60 combined regular and postseason games, Cominsky will turn his attention to his post-playing days. He exists the NFL with just over $10MM in career earnings.
Bills To Sign P Brad Robbins
Brad Robbins did not have a long tenure as the Bengals’ punter, but he has landed a new opportunity. A deal is in place with the Bills, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. 
Robbins was drafted in 2023, and during his rookie season he played all 17 games for Cincinnati. The sixth-rounder averaged 44.3 gross yards per punt, along with an average of only 40.1 net yards per attempt. The Bengals brought in Ryan Rehkow as competition last offseason, and he won the job.
In spite of that development, Robbins was retained through roster cutdowns and activated from injured reserve in September this season. The move could have set the stage for an in-season contest for punting duties, but instead he was waived one day later. Rehkow continued as the Bengals’ punter through the rest of his rookie campaign, and he will be expected to do so again in 2025.
The Bills used Sam Martin as their punter from 2022-24, and he missed only one game during that span. Martin took a deal with the Panthers in free agency, however, leaving Buffalo in the market for a replacement. The team already had Jake Camarda attached to a futures deal prior to today’s move.
He and Robbins, 26, will now be set up for an offseason competition in Buffalo. Both punters will look to secure a gig for the 2025 campaign, but teams often only carry one option on their active roster during the season. As a result, the runner-up of the upcoming contest could very well be on the move again this summer.
Packers Aim To Resolve Jaire Alexander Situation Before Draft
Indications from earlier this offseason pointed to Jaire Alexander‘s time with the Packers coming to an end in 2025. The high-priced cornerback remains on Green Bay’s roster for now, but a soft deadline has emerged for a resolution. 
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at Monday’s league meetings he hopes this situation will come to an end before the draft (h/t Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). He noted keeping Alexander in place is a possibility at this point, although the team’s decision to shop him in advance of free agency obviously indicates a willingness to move on. If a trade agreement is to be worked out, finding appropriate value in a return will be a key challenge.
“We invested a lot in Jaire and want to make sure, if he’s not gonna be on our football team helping us win games, that we get something back for that investment,” Gutekunst said (via Schneidman). “So we’ll see where it goes.”
Alexander established himself as one of the league’s top cover men during the early portion of his career. The Louisville product found himself the highest-paid corner in the NFL at the time that he inked his extension in 2022, but things have not gone according to plan since then. Alexander has only played seven games in each of the past two years, and that lack of availability has outweighed performances roughly in line with those of past campaigns.
Green Bay’s list of initial free agent moves included a deal for Nate Hobbs. The former Raider inked a four-year, $48MM deal, and as a result he will be counted on to operate as a key figure in the Packers’ secondary. The Hobbs move could make a parting of ways easier on the Alexander front, especially if the team uses a high draft pick on another corner next month.
The 28-year-old is due a base salary of $16.15MM in 2025 and $18.15MM the following year. Those figures represent understandable causes for concern on the part of potential suitors and help explain the expectation a release – rather than a trade – will take place. Whatever the outcome in Alexander’s case, it may take place in the relatively near future.
Broncos, QB Sam Ehlinger Agree To Deal
Sam Ehlinger spent his rookie contract on the Colts, but he will be on the move for the first time in his career this offseason. The former sixth-round quarterback is signing with the Broncos, as first reported by Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. 
This one-year pact will allow Ehlinger to round out Denver’s quarterback depth chart for 2025. Zach Wilson took a deal with the Dolphins in free agency, ending his single season spent with the Broncos. Bo Nix will again lead the way under center for Denver in 2025, but Ehlinger will now be in position to compete with Jarrett Stidham for QB2 duties.
Schultz notes Ehlinger had other offers, but he has elected to join Sean Payton and the Broncos. The 26-year-old made a total of eight appearances during his tenure in Indianapolis, the most recent of which came during the 2023 campaign. One season prior, as the Colts cycled through numerous combinations on the depth chart, Ehlinger made the only three starts of his career. The team lost all three of those contests, and he threw as many touchdown passes (three) as interceptions.
Ehlinger’s deal will no doubt check in at the league minimum as a result, and he can be expected to enter training camp third in the QB pecking order. The Texas product could find himself on the roster bubble at the end of the offseason if Stidham outperforms him, meaning a practice squad deal could be necessary (unless Denver elects to carry three signal-callers on the active roster).
Nix flashed considerable potential during the latter stages of his rookie season in particular, and he will be expected to remain a key member of Denver’s offense in 2025. As the team aims to once again qualify for the postseason next year, Ehlinger could find himself in the mix.
Commanders Eyeing Terry McLaurin Extension; No Laremy Tunsil Talks Yet
Terry McLaurin enjoyed a productive season during Jayden Daniels‘ rookie campaign, and he faces high expectations heading into 2025. That represents McLaurin’s walk year at this point, but a new Commanders deal could be in place this offseason. 
General manager Adam Peters said on Monday (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington) “positive” discussions have taken place regarding McLaurin’s future. Peters added his desire for the two-time Pro Bowler to remain in Washington for “a long time.” As a result, a strong push to work out a third contract in the near future would not come as a surprise.
One of many impact wideouts from the 2019 draft class, McLaurin inked a three-year pact averaging $23.2MM per season. The receiver market has surged on more than one occasion since that deal was signed in 2022, and Ja’Marr Chase now leads the way at $40.25MM in annual average value. McLaurin will not approach that figure on his next pact, but having reeled off five straight 1,000-yard seasons (and after scoring a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024), the 29-year-old has a strong case for a raise.
Washington entered the offseason in need of another veteran receiver, and that vacancy was filled by the Deebo Samuel trade. The 49ers’ 2024 offseason was dominated by the possibility of a Brandon Aiyuk swap, and he was known to be interested in a deal sending him to the Commanders (and thus reuniting him with Daniels, his former college teammate). Had such an agreement been reached, McLaurin would have been a San Francisco target regarding compensation.
Instead, the Ohio State product remains on the Commanders’ books at a scheduled 2025 cap hit of $25.5MM. That figure could be lowered with an extension tying McLaurin to the team for the foreseeable future, and it will be interesting to see if he matches the team’s desire to work out a new agreement. Elsewhere on the team’s offense, though, it is unclear if Washington’s new left tackle will be in place for years to come.
Laremy Tunsil was acquired this offseason as part of the Texans’ multi-faceted efforts to rebuild up front. The five-time Pro Bowler’s departure was driven in no small part by Houston’s preference to commit funds elsewhere on the roster, leading to questions about how willing the Commanders would be to extend him. On that note, Peters said no contract talks have taken place yet (h/t Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post).
Two years remain on Tunsil’s pact, and he is attached to a cap charge of $21.35MM for both campaigns. No guaranteed salary exists for the final season of the 30-year-old’s deal, so working out an extension before that point would be feasible from the team’s perspective. Other financial priorities appear to be in place as things stand, though.
Daniels’ rookie contract provides the Commanders with a window of opportunity to build off their surprise run to the NFC title game last season. Both McLaurin and Tunsil will play key roles in that effort for at least the 2025 campaign, but they could be on separate paths with respect to their respective futures in the organization.