Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/25
Saturday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: LS Reid Ferguson
New York Giants
- Re-signed: TE Chris Manhertz
Ferguson’s new pact is four years in length, per a team announcement. The eight-year veteran has spent his entire career with the Bills, and his Buffalo tenure will continue for the foreseeable future. Ferguson, 30, has only missed one game to date. His most recent pacts have averaged between $1.08MM and $1.33MM per year, and that will no doubt be the range for this latest one.
Darren Waller‘s retirement created an opening at the tight end spot for the Giants. Manhertz did not operate as a key pass-catcher, but the veteran served as a blocker as he has at other spots during his career. After playing in a rotational capacity on offense and chipping in on special teams, the 32-year-old will be counted on to handle a similar workload in 2025.
Commanders To Re-Sign TE Zach Ertz
Another 2024 Commanders addition is staying put ahead of free agency. Tight end Zach Ertz has a new deal in place. 
This will be a one-year agreement, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The pact has a base value of $6.25MM with upside of $9MM thanks to incentives. After a strong debut campaign in Washington, Ertz will remain a key contributor on offense.
The veteran had a strong run with the Eagles but he faced questions about his remaining productivity upon being traded to the Cardinals in 2021. Ertz nevertheless remained a full-time starter upon arrival in Arizona while playing under Kliff Kingsbury. The latter’s decision to return to the NFL coaching ranks as Washington’s offensive coordinator was followed by Ertz taking a one-year Commanders pact.
Both of those moves proved to be fruitful. Led by Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, Washington advanced to the NFC title game, notably raising expectations for 2025 in the process. Ertz put up a 66-654-7 statline during his debut Commanders season, and last month he made it clear he had no intentions of hanging up his cleats. Now, prior to free agency, the 34-year-old’s immediate future has been assured.
Ertz’s pact last year was worth $3MM and included just $1.96MM in guarantees. Especially if the three-time Pro Bowler reaches his incentives, he will fare much better in 2025 from a financial perspective. The Commanders could look to add a tight end successor in the draft this spring, but Ertz will be counted on to remain a productive member of the team’s skill-position group for at least one more year.
Adding a proven receiver to complement Terry McLaurin was seen as a clear priority for this offseason, and the Commanders addressed it with the Deebo Samuel trade. Bringing back Ertz will ensure continuity elsewhere on offense as the team looks to duplicate its success while Daniels remains attached to his rookie contract. Washington’s efforts to keep free agent pickups from last year in place include the recent re-signing of linebacker Bobby Wagner.
He and Ertz will look to again provide value to a Commanders organization which has been substantially reshaped under owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. Washington entered Saturday with nearly $80MM in cap space, so even once this pact becomes official the team will have plenty of spending power in free agency to add to its existing corps.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/8/25
Here are Saturday’s tender decisions around the league:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Bears: DT Chris Williams
- Jaguars: OL Cole Van Lanen
- Dolphins: CB Kader Kohou
Williams and Kohou have received the right of first refusal tender from their respective teams. That will set them up for $3.26MM in 2025, but if they depart via an offer sheet Chicago and Miami will not receive any compensation. Van Lanen has received the original round tender (which is valued at $3.41MM), as noted by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. As a result, Jacksonville would receive a sixth-round pick as compensation in the event he signed an offer sheet from an interested team which the Jags declined to match.
Panthers Re-Sign C Austin Corbett, TE Tommy Tremble
The Panthers will have plenty of continuity up front in 2025. One day after tendering restricted free agent Cade Mays, the team has ensured Austin Corbett will be in place as well. 
The latter agreed to terms on a new contract, the team announced Saturday. Joe Person of The Athletic notes it is a one-year pact. All five starters from Carolina’s 2024 offensive line are now on the books as a result of today’s move, one which comes not longer after it was learned the Panthers were in talks with both of their centers from last year.
Corbett inked a three-year, $26.25MM deal in free agency after emerging as a capable starter during his time with the Rams. The 29-year-old was limited to only five games in 2024, though, and the short-term nature of his latest pact is a reflection of the leverage he lost. Nevertheless, Corbett will be counted on to reprise his starting center gig next season as he looks to rebuild his value.
Pass protection was a major issue during quarterback Bryce Young‘s rookie campaign. The Panthers responded by signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis to big-ticket free agent deals. Those two remain on the books, as do tackle starters Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton. As Young looks to build off the promise he showed late in 2024, he will have the same unit in front of him next year.
The Panthers also announced they have reached agreement on a two-year deal with tight end Tommy Tremble. The 2021 third-rounder was on track for free agency with his rookie contract expiring, but he will remain in place. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports the pact includes $8MM guaranteed and has a maximum value of $16MM. Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer adds this deal’s base value is $10.5MM.
Tremble’s snap share hovered around 50% for each of his first three seasons, but it jumped to 69% in 2024. The 24-year-old missed five games (after previously being absent for only one the rest of his career), but he still managed to match his personal mark with 23 catches and set a new career high with 234 yards. If he can continue to provide Carolina with complementary production, Tremble will prove to be a worthwhile short-term investment for the team.
The Panthers entered Saturday with just over $27MM in cap space. These moves will eat into that figure to an extent, but the funds for outside additions – particularly on defense – will be available when the new league starts next week.
Cowboys, Osa Odighizuwa Agree To Deal
MARCH 7: Odihizuwa will receive $52MM guaranteed in total, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. The blossoming DT’s first two base salaries are guaranteed at signing, with Archer adding $13MM of his 2027 base salary ($20MM) shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the ’27 league year.
In terms of fully guaranteed money, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio sets that number at $39MM. Odihizuwa’s total guarantee number sits 11th among D-tackles; his full guarantee places 14th.
MARCH 3: The franchise tag will not be needed in the case of Osa Odighizuwa. The fourth-year defensive tackle has reached agreement on a pact which will keep him in place with the Cowboys well beyond 2025.
Team and player have agreed to terms on a four-year, $80MM contract, per Odighizuwa’s agent. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds the deal contains $58MM in guarantees including a $20MM signing bonus. He will be on the books through 2028. The team has since announced the deal, one which Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes will include $22.25MM in compensation this year.
Contract talks were known to be ongoing in this situation, and Odighizuwa represented a logical priority for the Cowboys with respect to in-house players being retained. A long-term deal was a target for both parties, but this afternoon’s franchise tag deadline loomed as a key checkpoint. Dallas was prepared to use the tag to prevent Odighizuwa from hitting the market, but that will no longer be necessary.
Applying the tag would have come at a cost of $25.12MM, and the Cowboys would have been required to carry that figure on their cap sheet had no mult-year agreement been worked out. Odighizuwa had been connected to an asking price around $20MM, though, and today’s pact will allow for Dallas to meet it while also having the flexibility brought about by a long-term deal. At the age of 26, expectations will be high for continued production moving forward.
Odighizuwa handled a steady workload across his first three seasons, and his output remained consistent during that span. In 2024, the former third-rounder saw his playing time jump to 78% and he responded with new personal highs in a number of categories. Odighizuwa racked up 4.5 sacks, 33 pressures and 23 quarterback hits, a sign that further development as a disruptive interior presence could be coming in 2025 and beyond.
Between his age and his upside, the UCLA product was on course to be among the free agents on the market this spring. Odighizuwa was arguably the top defensive tackle option, a title which will likely now fall to the Eagles’ Milton Williams. The latter’s market will be increasingly interesting to monitor once the negotiating window opens next week now that Odighizuwa is no longer available.
The Cowboys’ front seven was a sore spot in 2024. The team ranked 29th against the run, so changes along the defensive interior and/or at the linebacker positions will be required for improvement to be seen. The scheme used by new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus relies heavily on having a disruptive three-technique, however, and with Odighizuwa’s future now assured the Cowboys will continue having that up front.
Dallas has former first-rounder Mazi Smith attached to his rookie contract, but the rest of the team’s DT depth chart could see changes this offseason. Veterans Carlos Watkins and Linval Joseph are pending free agents, and their departures would create the need for inexpensive replacements in free agency or the arrival of rookies during the draft. Given this investment, a lucrative deal elsewhere along the defensive front (where DeMarcus Lawrence and other edge rushers could soon depart) would come as a surprise.
The defensive tackle market has surged in recent years. 14 players at the position are attached to a contract averaging at least $21MM per season; Odighizuwa has not quite reached that mark but this deal represents a massive raise compared to his rookie pact. After taking less (in terms of annual earnings) than what one or two franchise tags would have paid out, his future for several years is now secure.
Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam Declines Meeting With Myles Garrett
Myles Garrett‘s trade request came about in the wake of discussions over the Browns’ future. A renewed attempt to speak about the situation has led to the All-Pro meeting a roadblock. 
Garrett recently requested to meet in person with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who declined to do so, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Haslam instead deferred to general manager Andrew Berry, with whom Garrett has spoken on several occasions. To no surprise, Pelissero’s report confirms both parties remain firm in their respective stances.
Garrett remains intent on engineering a change of scenery, as he is not interested in signing a Browns extension (something the team is prepared to authorize). Cleveland’s perspective, meanwhile, has not changed in the time since Garrett went public with his desire to be moved. Haslam, Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski have remained consistent in their bid to present a united front in not giving thought to a trade. That is clearly still the case given Haslam’s decision, although Pelissero notes Garrett is – at this point, at least – willing to miss games if it helps bring about a swap.
The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year played through a number of ailments this past season, appearing in all 17 games and recording 14 sacks. Garrett has earned a first-team All-Pro nod in four of the past five seasons, securing second-team honors in 2022. His decorated career has included a total of only three playoff games across two different years, however, and a path to immediate contention does not appear to be in place. Questions at the quarterback position in particular linger for the Browns.
As expected, the team has worked out another restructure of Deshaun Watson‘s contract. The controversial trade which brought him to Cleveland has not panned out, and the fully guaranteed nature of his pact has created financial issues for the Browns. A low-cost veteran addition could be in store soon as a result, and the No. 2 pick in April’s draft could bring about a new franchise signal-caller. In spite of the opportunities at the position, Garrett is eyeing a fresh start as prepares for his age-30 season.
Teams are reportedly prepared to offer packages including at least one first-round pick, and the Lions have been interested dating back to the 2024 trade deadline. In the event the Browns do begin contemplating a deal, the Eagles will be a team to watch closely. Cleveland did not speak with Garrett or his camp during the Combine, so it remains to be seen when any movement in this situation will take place. Given this latest development, both parties could continue waiting for a lengthy period as the EDGE market takes shape around them.
Eagles To Extend Saquon Barkley
MARCH 7: On his second Eagles contract, Barkley will see a whopping $36MM fully guaranteed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds. The full guarantees cover Barkley’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries and two loftier option bonuses. Barkley’s 2025 option bonus checks in at $15.08MM, his ’26 bonus at $15.45MM. Of Barkley’s 2027 option bonus ($14.41MM), $2.5MM is fully guaranteed. A $1MM roster bonus will be due on Day 3 of the 2028 league year. Barkley will not have a cap number above $10MM until 2027, but the Eagles would not see any cap savings from a release until 2028 because of this contract structure, which also includes four void years.
As the Eagles’ recent contract structure is present here, so are additional incentives. Surpassing 1,500 scrimmage yards will land Barkley $250K, with that number increasing to $500K if he reaches 2,000, Florio notes. The same structure is in place for first- and second-team All-Pro honors, with a first-team appearance bumping him to $500K. A 1,000-yard rushing season and an Eagles NFC championship earns Barkley $250K, with a 1,000-yard rushing year plus another Super Bowl title increasing that number to $500K.
MARCH 4: Saquon Barkley enjoyed one of the most productive running back seasons in NFL history during his debut campaign with the Eagles. That has resulted in a new contract and accompanying raise.
Barkley has agreed to a two-year extension worth $41.2MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Two years remained on the Offensive Player of the Year’s original pact prior to this news, but it will substantially increase his earnings. Barkley is now not only the league’s highest-paid running back in terms of annual compensation, but he is the first to sign a deal with an AAV above $20MM.
As part of the financial resurgence of the running back market last offseason, Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75MM deal. The $12.58MM average of that pact moved the former Giant into third in the position’s pecking order and its $26MM in guarantees represented a major investment on the part of the Eagles. Barkley proved to be a worthwhile signing, though, and an even larger commitment has been made. Schefter notes this latest deal includes $36MM locked in at signing, along with an additional $15MM in incentives and escalators.
It will be interesting to see the structure of this new contract. Barkley was set to carry a cap hit of just $7.36MM in 2025, a figure which could raise depending on how his new compensation is paid out. If much of his guaranteed money comes in the form of a signing bonus, though, the added cap charges could be spread out over time (especially if void years are used, which was the case when he signed last spring). Just like the 49ers did last summer with Christian McCaffrey, the Eagles will move forward with a renewed and lucrative investment in a veteran back after seeing him operate as the focal point of the their offense.
Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024 despite being rested for the Eagles’ regular season finale. That figure was sufficient to break the franchise’s single-season rushing record, and his 2,283 scrimmage yards for the regular season ranked 13th in NFL history. When taking into account the 28-year-old’s output in the playoffs, his 2,504 total yards on the ground represent an all-time record for combined regular and postseason production.
The Eagles will be counting on Barkley being able to replicate that level of success when attempting to defend their Super Bowl title. The team already has a offense featuring a quarterback (Jalen Hurts), two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) and a tight end (Dallas Goedert) each near the top of their respective markets on their current deals. Philadelphia also, course, has a number of notable commitments along the offensive line. The team’s financial planning will now take into account a major Barkley raise over the coming years.
The running back market has long lagged well behind that of other positions. 2024 saw a rebound to an extent, and McCaffrey’s pact (averaging $19MM per year) has now been surpassed in value. Whether or not this Barkley deal represents a turning point from a financial perspective will be an interesting league storyline to follow.
Travis Kelce On Decision To Play In 2025
Travis Kelce‘s future was a talking point leading up to Super Bowl LIX, and that remained the case after the game. It was learned during last week’s Combine, however, that the future Hall of Famer will remain with the Chiefs for at least one more season. 
“I love playing,” Kelce said during an episode of his New Heights podcast (via NFL.com). “I still feel like I can play [football] at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past.
“I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended last year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me… I just feel like there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything that I’ve got, and that’s what I’m going to do, man.”
One year remains on Kelce’s contract, and in the absence of an extension being worked out he will no doubt continue to face questions about his playing future. The 35-year-old remained a focal point of the Chiefs’ passing attack in 2024, drawing 133 targets in 16 games. Kelce saw his yards per reception average drop to 8.5, however, by far the lowest mark of his career (aside from his one-game rookie campaign).
Kansas City will likely look to make at least one notable receiver addition to complement Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy this offseason, something which could lead to a decrease in Kelce’s role on offense. The 10-time Pro Bowler is nevertheless set to remain atop a tight end depth chart which also features Noah Gray, who inked a three-year extension this past September. Kelce has already won three Super Bowls, but to no surprise he noted the manner in which the Chiefs lost to the Eagles in this year’s title contest played a role in his decision to come back.
The 2010s All-Decade Team member already has one of the most decorated resumes at the tight end position, and Kelce will continue to add to it in 2025. As the Chiefs aim for another Super Bowl berth, one of the most impactful players in franchise history will look to return to his previous form on at least a short-term basis.
Texans To Cut G Shaq Mason
Movement is coming at the guard position for the Texans. Part of the team’s plans at the position will involve cutting Shaq Mason. 
The veteran has been informed he will be released, as first reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Two years remained on Mason’s contract, with just over $1MM in guaranteed salary in place for 2025. If it does not include a post-June 1 designation, this move will create $2.12MM in cap space but generate $12.48MM in dead money.
Mason was dealt from the Patriots to the Buccaneers in 2022, and he occupied a starting role with Tampa Bay that year. He once again found himself on the move the following offseason, though, with a swap sending him to the Texans. The 31-year-old started each of Houston appearances, missing only two contests along the way.
Since his rookie campaign, Mason has exclusively worked at right guard. The interior of Houston’s offensive line was a major sore spot during the year, and to no surprise Wilson notes renovating at that spot is a clear goal for the team. As free agency approaches, making at least one notable addition at guard is something to watch for in the Texans’ case. The team entered Friday with roughly $5MM in cap space.
PFF gave Mason a string of highly impressive evaluations for much of his Patriots tenures. The Georgia Tech product has seen his overall grades decline recently, however, and it checked in at 62.3 in 2024 after allowing eight sacks and 34 pressures. Pass protection was a clear issue for Houston this past season, and finding an upgrade from Mason will go a long way in improving in that regard.
Trey Smith was set to be the best option available at the guard position (or any others along the O-line) in free agency, but the Chiefs kept him off the market by applying the franchise tag. As a result, the free agent group does not include a long list of attractive blockers, particularly along the interior. That could help Mason’s bid to land a new deal in the near future, but his Texans performances could steer suitors elsewhere.
Commanders To Release Jonathan Allen
Efforts to trade Jonathan Allen came up short. As a result, the veteran defensive tackle is now set to become a free agent. 
The Commanders have informed Allen he will be released, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This move will give him a small window of opportunity to test his market before the start of the new league year next week. After eight years in Washington, a change of scenery will now take place.
Allen recently emerged as a cut candidate given the fact one year remained on his contract. None of his base salary ($15.5MM) was guaranteed, and the two-time Pro Bowler was set to carry a cap hit of $22.47MM. This release will free up $16.47MM for the Commanders while generating a dead money charge of $6MM. Washington will have roughly $80MM in available funds once the move is processed.
The Commanders granted Allen permission to seek a trade during last week’s Combine, a clear indication that a parting of ways would be coming in the near future. The 30-year-old was discussed in the negotiations between Washington and San Francisco on the Deebo Samuel trade, but he was ultimately not included. Now, Allen will get a head start on free agency while Washington moves forward with a DT group which still features Daron Payne on one of the position’s most lucrative contracts.
Washington supplemented the Payne-Allen tandem by drafting Johnny Newton in the second round last year. The Illinois product wound up making 11 starts during his rookie season (thanks to the pectoral tear which sidelined Allen for a notable stretch), registering 44 tackles and a pair of sacks. Newton will be counted on to handle a first-team role moving forward now that Allen is out of the picture.
Selected in the first round in 2017, Allen has started all but one of his 113 career games. The Alabama product has reached 5.5 sacks or more on five occasions, with his personal best in that regard coming in 2021 with nine. Expectations on his next team will not include a repeat of that feat, but he can still be counted on to provide starting-caliber play during the next phase of his career. It will be interesting to see how strong of a market Allen can generate before free agency officially opens.