Patriots To Re-Sign TE Austin Hooper
The Patriots have made a big-ticket outside addition in the form of edge rusher Harold Landry, but the team is also making an internal move ahead of free agency. Tight end Austin Hooper will remain in New England for 2025. 
Hooper has a one-year deal in place, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact has a base value of $5MM and can top out at $7MM. He will continue to operate in a tandem with Hunter Henry after doing so in 2024. Hooper will see $4MM guaranteed, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Falcons, Hooper bounced around the NFL. He saw time with the Browns (2020-21) followed by one-year stints in Tennessee and Vegas. That was followed by another one-year commitment in 2024, this time by the Pats. Hooper produced 45 catches, 476 yards and three touchdowns in his debut New England campaign.
That came on a $3MM deal which included $2.41MM in guarantees. Hooper has earned a raise on another-one-year pact based on his 2024 play. Henry remains in place as a result of the three-year, $27MM deal he inked last offseason, and after setting new career highs in catches and yards last season he will be counted on to remain a key member of New England’s passing game moving forward. Hooper, 30, represents an effective complement, though.
Adding at the receiver position remains an obvious priority for the Patriots this offseason, and the list of remaining free agents includes Chris Godwin, who has been linked to strong New England interest should he depart the Buccaneers. New England will still have plenty of cap space left once the Landry and Hooper deals are official, and it will be interesting to see if the team moves quickly in making another skill-position move in the coming days.
Patriots, Harold Landry Agree To Deal
Harold Landry was among the many veterans (including several edge rushers) released in recent cost-shedding moves. As a result, he was free to sign with an interested team at any time prior to the start of free agency. 
Landry has done just that. He and the Patriots have a three-year agreement in place, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The deal is worth $43.5MM and includes $26MM in guarantees. With a maximum value of $48MM, this pact is a clear indication of the Patriots’ willingness to spend big this offseason.
A second-round pick in 2018, Landry had spent his entire career with the Titans until his release. He played a total of six years with the team, having missed the 2022 campaign due to an ACL tear. Landry proved to still be highly effective upon returning from the injury, though, notching 10.5 sacks in 2023 and adding another nine this past season.
Given his time spent in Tennessee, Landry is of course a familiar face for new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. It comes as little surprise the Boston College product has elected to reunite with his former coach during his first foray into free agency. Expectations will be high for strong production on the part of the 28-year-old given the lucrative nature of this commitment.
The Patriots relied heavily on Matt Judon for three years before trading him last offseason. New England ranked last in the NFL in sacks in 2024 without him in the fold, so at least one notable splash in the EDGE market was expected. Landry will be tasked with replacing Judon’s production and experience with the Patriots as Vrabel and Co. aim to fortify the Pats’ offensive and defensive lines.
2023 second-rounder Keion White operated in a rotational capacity during his rookie season, but in 2024 he took a step forward with five sacks. A starting role should again await him next year, but Landry will in place as a fellow first-team option for 2025 and beyond. A draft investment along the edge would not come as a surprise, but if one is not made early in April a Landry-White tandem will be tasked with handling much of the load next season.
Seahawks To Re-Sign Ernest Jones
Another high-profile linebacker has avoided free agency. Ernest Jones has worked out a new Seahawks agreement in lieu of testing his market. 
This will be a three-year, $33MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. $15MM in guarantees is present, he adds. After being acquired via trade by the Seahawks, Jones will now remain a key member of their defense for the foreseeable future.
Jones was traded from the Rams to the Titans in August, setting him up to spend his walk year in Tennessee. Instead, the 2021 third-rounder wound up being dealt to Seattle ahead of the trade deadline. Jones racked up 94 tackles and an interception in 10 games upon returning to the NFC West, and talks on a long-term deal allowing him to remain in Seattle for 2025 and beyond took place.
Those discussions were temporarily paused, but it remained clear leading up to this point that a mutual interest still existed for a deal to be worked out. Now, in line with several other linebackers remaining in place before gauging their markets during the legal tampering period, an agreement has been reached. Defensive tackle Jarran Reed was re-signed earlier today, and he and Jones will remain impactful members of the front seven moving forward.
Jones underwent knee surgery following the regular season, something which may have hurt his market to an extent had he elected to speak with outside suitors. Instead, he will remain in place for a Seahawks team already aware of his health situation. Jones’ new pact will move into the top 10 in AAV for linebackers once it and the many other recent deals at the position becomes official.
The likes of Zack Baun (Eagles), Nick Bolton (Chiefs), Bobby Wagner (Commanders), Lavonte David (Buccaneers) and Jamien Sherwood (Jets) have all re-upped with their respective teams recently. Once the new league year begins later this week, few options of note will be available at the position in free agency. Jones could have used that as a means of landing a more lucrative deal, but he will continue his career in the Emerald City.
Bengals To Re-Sign OL Cody Ford
Cody Ford has served in a number of capacities over the past two seasons with the Bengals. The veteran offensive lineman is set to continue doing the same. 
Ford has avoided free agency by re-signing with the Bengals, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. This will be a two-year deal, he adds. Ford logged 16 appearances and nine starts last season, and he will represent a familiar face for the team at multiple O-line positions moving forward.
The former second-rounder did not develop as planned during his time with the Bills, and he started only three games during his one-year run with the Cardinals. Ford took a one-year pact worth just over $1MM to join the Bengals in 2023, and despite playing only 79 snaps that year he was retained on another (slightly more lucrative) pact. The 28-year-old’s performance from 2024 has now earned him a multi-year commitment.
Ford’s 689 snaps from last season were the second-most of his career, trailing only his rookie pact. The Oklahoma product saw most of his time at left tackle, although he also worked at the other tackle spot as well as left guard. He will be able to compete for a first-time gig on the inside this offseason or operate as an experienced swing tackle depending on how the Bengals address their O-line this spring.
Cincinnati cut Alex Cappa after three years as a full-time starter. Cordell Volson is a pending 2026 free agent, meanwhile, so the team could look to make multiple guard additions between the open market and the draft. Even if new competition for starting gigs emerge in the coming months, Ford will remain in place as (presumably) a low-cost depth option capable of stepping into a larger role as needed. .
Vikings, Aaron Jones Agree To Deal
Aaron Jones will continue his Vikings stay. The veteran running back has agreed to a two-year, $20MM deal, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move is now official, per a team announcement. 
The pact includes $13MM in guarantees, nearly double what Jones took last offseason on his one-year Minnesota pact. Of that total, $11.5MM is fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap. The longtime Packers starter was a cap casualty in advance of the team’s decision to make a long-term commitment to Josh Jacobs. That resulted in Jones making the intra-divisional move, one which proved to be fruitful.
The 30-year-old handled a career-high 255 carries during his debut Vikings season; Jones also set a new personal mark with 1,138 rushing yards. Topping 1,500 scrimmage yards for the third time in his career, the veteran demonstrated he can still be effective in leading a backfield. He will be counted on to do so again with this new agreement in place.
Jones said in January he aims to finish his career in Minnesota, and today’s news is a step in that direction. A mutual interest existed from the team to work out a new agreement, with Jones’ void date being pushed back to March 11. That decision gave the parties additional time to hammer out a contract without any dead money charges from the 2024 one coming into play.
After Jones racked up 306 touches in the regular season, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team would look to reduce his workload in the event a new deal were to be worked out. As a result, Minnesota could be in play for a modest free agent investment in the backfield or the addition of a rookie sometime in April’s draft. The Vikings only have four picks as things stand, though, so other positions could be seen as a higher priority.
Minnesota will have Jones on the books as well as Ty Chandler in the backfield. Cam Akers is a pending free agent, and if he were to depart the team would need to add depth over the course of the offseason. Regardless of what plays out on that front, Jones will be in line to remain the Vikings’ lead back.
Seahawks Lower Asking Price On D.K. Metcalf Trade
The Seahawks are already on track to have a very different offense in 2025. A trade agreement involving quarterback Geno Smith has been worked out, while the team has moved forward with the expected transaction of releasing wideout Tyler Lockett. 
Further changes could be in store if D.K. Metcalf‘s trade request winds up being honored. The two-time Pro Bowler has one year left on his current pact, but he is seeking a new one averaging roughly $30MM per year. Teams will be hesitant to meet that asking price, especially if Seattle drives a hard bargain with respect to trade compensation. The team’s stance on that front appears to be softening, however.
The Seahawks were recently connected to a price of a first- and third-round pick in a Metcalf trade, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports they have lowered their ask. Seattle is now willing to entertain offers built around a second-round selection, she adds. That will only come into play, of course, if an interested team is prepared to authorize a major raise for the 27-year-old in addition to parting with notable draft capital.
Metcalf – who was discussed a trade chip between the Seahawks and Raiders before the Smith swap was agreed to – is known to be eyeing a warm weather climate and a stable quarterback situation. Scheme fit will also be a consideration for interested teams, Josina Anderson of The Exhibit notes. She adds that at least one suitor is not prepared to pay more than a third-round pick in addition to making Metcalf one of the league’s highest-paid receivers.
Compensation could serve as a counterbalance to Metcalf’s preference regarding his destination, per Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer. Teams which cannot offer a warm environment may need to offer more on an extension to swing a deal. Interestingly, Breer adds Metcalf was believed to be interested in joining the Texans before they swung an intra-divisional trade for Christian Kirk. That should keep Houston out of the market for an expensive addition as the new league year takes shape (especially if Stefon Diggs winds up being re-signed).
Metcalf has averaged over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns per season during his career, and he has played at least 15 games every year since entering the league in 2019. The Ole Miss product could find himself on the move soon amidst high expectations with a new extension in hand, especially if the Seahawks stick to their desire of working out a trade before April’s draft.
Lions To Release Za’Darius Smith
Marcus Davenport will remain in place with the Lions for next season, but the same will not be true for Za’Darius Smith. The latter will be released, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
Smith began the 2024 season with the Browns, having served as a full-time starter with the team the year before. Once Aidan Hutchinson suffered a broken leg, however, adding an edge rusher became a top priority with the Lions. Smith was quickly named as the top target in Detroit’s pursuit of a stopgap, and a deal was worked out in November.
The three-time Pro Bowler was a key figure upon for the Lions upon arrival, logging a 60% snap share and recording four sacks. Hutchinson will be back for the start of next season, however, and Davenport took a one-year pact to stay in the Motor City. This move will free up $5.73MM in cap space for the Lions while not generating any dead money charges. Smith, 32, was due a $510K option bonus in September, but that will no longer be the case.
After playing out his rookie contract with the Ravens, Smith spent a total of four seasons with the Packers and Vikings. His Browns tenure was followed by a return to the NFC North, and after registering nine total sacks last season it will be interesting to see how strong of a market he has. Several veteran edge rushers have been let go recently, on the other hand, and the likes of Joey Bosa and Harold Landry are also in need of a new team this spring.
Once this move is processed, the Lions will have nearly $57MM in cap space. That will leave plenty of funds available for outside additions or moves aimed at retaining more members of a team which posted the NFC’s best regular season record in 2024. Smith played a role in that success last year, but that will not be the case in 2025.
Chiefs To Re-Sign LB Nick Bolton
The top remaining linebacker in the 2025 free agent class will not reach the market. Nick Bolton has a new Chiefs agreement in place. 
This will be a three-year, $45MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal includes $30MM guaranteed and ensures Bolton will remain a focal point on Kansas City’s defense for the foreseeable future. One major piece of offseason business has been taken care of before the start of the new league year.
Bolton checked in at No. 10 on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent List, finding himself as the top linebacker even when Zack Baun was on track to test the market. The latter re-signed with the Eagles after his stellar Philadelphia debut, and Bolton has now landed a lucrative new contract which will keep him in place. One day before his 25th birthday, he has secured a deal which ranks fourth at the position in average annual value.
A second-round pick in 2021, Bolton has started all but four games in his career. The Missouri product entrenched himself as a productive figure right away, notching 112 tackles as a rookie. Bolton has reached triple digits twice more since then, with his 2023 campaign being limited to eight games. With six pass deflections this past campaign, he demonstrated a playmaking ability against the pass as well as his run-stopping production.
As a result, it appeared as though a departure would be necessary for Bolton to secure a notable payday. Willie Gay left in free agency last offseason (albeit on a one-year deal), and losing Bolton this spring would have dealt another blow to the second level of Kansas City’s defense. Even with Trey Smith being retained via the franchise tag, though, the Chiefs have managed to keep the two-time Super Bowl winner in the fold.
Today’s news further limits the number of inside linebackers who will be available once free agency begins. Baun and Bolton are off the market, while Bobby Wagner (Commanders) and Lavonte David (Buccaneers) have re-upped with their respective teams on one-year deals. That could help the asking price for the remaining members of what is generally viewed as an underwhelming free agent class as the rest of the LB market takes shape.
The Chiefs were among the teams which entered Sunday above the salary cap, and with Joe Thuney set to be traded at the start of the new league year multiple questions loom along the offensive line. Kansas City’s attention will no doubt increasingly turn in that direction now that Bolton’s future has been worked out.
Seahawks, DT Jarran Reed Agree To Deal
Jarran Reed was set to reach free agency in the coming days, but that will no longer be the case. The veteran defensive tackle has a new deal in place with the Seahawks. 
Team and player have agreed to a three-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact has a maximum value of $25MM. Reed has been with Seattle (the second time around) for the past two seasons, and his tenure there will continue as a result of this deal. Providing further details, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network adds Reed will collect $8MM in 2025, noting the base value of the deal is $22MM.
The 32-year-old began his career with the Seahawks, playing there from 2016-20. His Seattle release paved the way for a pair of one-year tenures with the Chiefs and Packers before a reunion took place. Reed took a two-year, $9MM pact to return to the Emerald City in 2023, and his performances during his second tenure with the franchise has earned him an even larger commitment.
A seven-sack season in 2023 showcased Reed’s continued ability to make an impact against the pass, although his production and playing time saw a drop this past season. The former second-rounder handled a 72% snap share upon returning to Seattle, but that figure fell to 60% in 2024. Reed still managed 4.5 sacks, 20 pressures and 45 tackles, though, and he will be counted on to remain a key contributor along the defensive front moving forward.
Seattle used a first-round pick on Byron Murphy during last year’s draft, and The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes the team hopes to increase his workload in 2025 (subscription required). Murphy logged a 49% snap share as a rookie, and it would come as no surprise if he were to see a jump in playing time in Year 2. Reed – whom Dugar wrote the Seahawks were interested in retaining – will nevertheless remain a starting presence with his second Seattle tenure being extended.
Seattle entered Sunday with roughly $62.5MM in cap space. This Reed deal will eat into that figure, as will a Sam Darnold contract if the team’s preferred quarterback option can be added. In any case, the Seahawks will still have funds available for other free agent additions this week.
NFC Notes: Carr, Horn, Kupp, Cowboys, Okereke
Derek Carr‘s contract will be restructured for the second straight offseason, ensuring he remains with the Saints for at least one more year. The veteran quarterback’s future had been in question until the news of his pact being reworked.
General Mickey Loomis said keeping Carr in place was the team’s plan, so it comes as no surprise he will play a third season in New Orleans. The four-time Pro Bowler apparently would have welcomed a change of scenery, though. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Carr was believed to be willing to head elsewhere this offseason by joining a QB-needy team. The Saints, however, never showed a desire to move forward with a trade or release.
Carr made it clear before a final decision on his future was made that he would not welcome a pay cut. His $40MM in 2025 compensation will (to a large extent) now be paid out as a signing bonus, but it was already guaranteed under the pact’s previous setup. Trading or cutting their QB1 would therefore have not been feasible for the Saints, but it is still noteworthy Carr would have been on board with a fresh start after two years with the team.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Extension talks are ongoing between the Panthers and Jaycee Horn. When healthy, the former No. 8 pick has proven to be an effective cornerback but injuries in 2021 and ’23 threaten to hurt his leverage. In spite of his missed time, Joe Person of The Athletic writes Horn is believed to be seeking a deal near the top of the position’s market (subscription required). Five corners are attached to an AAV of $20.1MM or more, and Jalen Ramsey leads the way at $24.1MM per year. That figure could very well be overtaken once Sauce Gardner (Jets) and Derek Stingley (Texans) have extensions in place, but Horn, 25, may not slot in very far behind them.
- Cooper Kupp is known to be on the trade market, with the Rams making clear their intention of moving on from the eight-year veteran. The team is prepared to retain salary to swing a deal, and general manager Les Snead hopes to have one in place by next week (when the 31-year-old’s roster bonus is due). In his first interview since learning of the team’s choice to move on, Kupp said (via Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times) head coach Sean McVay informed him of the move during a face-to-face meting in his office. McVay has left the door (slightly) open to a return with his recent comments, but Kupp has moved forward knowing he will be playing elsewhere in 2025.
- Brandin Cooks is one of many veteran receivers set to hit the market next week. The 31-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Cowboys, and in an interview with The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson he said he is open to re-signing. Cooks – who missed seven games in 2024 – added he is fully healthy, and Anderson writes there could be interest from multiple teams. While a return to Dallas is firmly in play, Cooks said he feels he has not been utilized correctly during his time there so far. The 11-year veteran played out a two-year, $20MM deal with the Cowboys.
- Bobby Okereke‘s second season with the Giants was limited to 12 games due to a herniated disc in his back. The veteran linebacker is expected to be healthy in time for OTAs, but he could find himself on a new team by then. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News writes there have been rumblings this offseason about the Giants not viewing Okereke’s value in the same light as they did previously. A 2023 free agent signing for general manager Joe Schoen, the former Colt delivered 149 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his debut New York season. His production dropped this past campaign, though, and with two years left on his pact a trade or release could be under consideration. Moving on immediately would not yield notable savings, but a post-June 1 release would free up $9MM later in the offseason. Okereke, 28, is due a $3MM roster bonus March 17.
- With regard to other Cowboys updates, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News notes veteran defensive ends Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston could be on the way out. DeMarcus Lawrence hopes to re-sign, but he is also open to exploring his market. The Cowboys currently have Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland on their rookie deals and a pending mega-extension to work out with leading edge rusher Micah Parsons. Inexpensive depth will increasingly be a priority if any or all of Lawrence, Lawson and Golston sign elsewhere. Watkins adds that punter Bryan Anger and long snapper Trent Sieg are among the players Dallas aims to re-sign, something which has already been taken care of in the case of Osa Odighizuwa.