Russell Wilson “Really Wanted To Play” With Malik Nabers
Russell Wilson‘s free agency didn’t feature a long list of suitors, but the QB still had a handful of options during the early stages of the offseason. Ultimately, the veteran landed with the Giants, and he said the presence of their top receiver had a major influence on his decision.
During an appearance at Fanatics Fest last weekend, Wilson said Malik Nabers was the main reason he ultimately signed with the Giants.
“I came here because of him,” Wilson said (via Empire Sports Media’s Anthony Rivardo). “I really wanted to play with someone who is special like him.”
It’s easy to understand Wilson’s affection for the young receiver. Even as the Giants shuffled through three different quarterback starters, Nabers continued to put up big numbers.
He ended up setting the NFL rookie record for receptions (109), and he finished his first professional season with 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. With some consistency under center, there’s hope the former sixth-overall pick can take another leap in 2025.
Even as the Steelers continued to be linked to Aaron Rodgers, Wilson remained interested in returning for a second season in Pittsburgh. The Browns were also mentioned as a potential landing spot, as the quarterback ended up taking a visit to Cleveland. Ultimately, Wilson landed in New York, a move that seemed like a long time coming.
The Giants were a consideration for Wilson as he determined his post-Seahawks options, although Seattle ultimately sent their franchise quarterback to the Broncos. Then, when Wilson hit free agency last offseason, he briefly flirted with the Giants before eventually landing in Pittsburgh.
Wilson is finally in New York, and it sounds like he won’t face any competition for his starting spot to begin the 2025 campaign. According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, Wilson was spotted taking every first-team rep during OTAs. The QB1 competition would presumably come from first-round rookie Jaxson Dart, although it sounds like the organization intends to keep the Ole Miss product on the bench for the 2025 campaign. Jameis Winston was brought in as a high-quality QB2, and the Giants will also have to determine what they’re going to do with former part-time starter Tommy DeVito.
NFL Minor Transactions: 6/24/25
One minor move to pass along…
New England Patriots
- Signed: OT Yasir Durant
The Patriots added some offensive line depth today in Yasir Durant. The Missouri product has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted in 2020, including a previous stint with New England in 2021. In total, the 27-year-old has appeared in 19 regular season games, with 11 of those coming with the Chiefs in 2020. Durant hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since the 2022 campaign.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/24/25
One draft pick signing from today:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Bhayshul Tuten (fourth round, Virginia Tech)
The Jaguars got one step closer to completing their draft pick signings today, as the team finally inked fourth-round RB Bhayshul Tuten to his rookie deal. After spending two seasons at North Carolina A&T, Tuten spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Hokies, collecting 2,342 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns in 24 games. The rookie doesn’t have an instant path to playing time behind Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, but he should be solidly in the team’s future plans at the RB position.
With today’s signing, fourth-round linebacker Jack Kiser is Jacksonville’s only unsigned draft pick.
Shemar Stewart’s Agent Discusses Contract Standoff
There’s still no end in sight to the Bengals/Shemar Stewart standoff. While there’s been some recent speculation that the rookie will eventually have no choice but to report to his new squad, it sounds like the pass rusher’s camp continues to take a stance against the Bengals sudden contract machinations.
The Bengals are attempting to set a new precedent by turning a contract default in any given year into a void of all remaining guarantees. While this is a relatively common inclusion to rookie pacts with other organizations, this is the first time the Bengals are trying to pull off this specific contract language with a first-round selection. Recent Day 1 picks Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims had more traditional language that would only void the season in which the default occurred.
“Contracts are based on precedent,” agent Zac Hiller said during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “So, when Shemar has never asked for anything more or less protective than any of his teammates, it’s a simple fix. It’s just say, ‘Hey, this is the precedent. Let’s keep the precedent.’”
Hiller noted that Stewart is simply seeking a contract that would be “protective,” and he believes that the Bengals’ push for voided guarantees should have been accompanied by some kind of concession.
“If you want to make changes to your precedent, it should be a negotiation,” Hiller said. “It should be give and take. It shouldn’t just be, ‘Hey, we’re changing this and sign it or go scratch.’”
Stewart has continued to state his desire to play with his new teammates, but with no resolution on the horizon, the first-round pick departed team facilities during the final day of Cincy’s minicamp. While the pass rusher could look to skip the 2025 campaign in an attempt to enter next year’s draft, the efforts may not be in Stewart’s best financial interest.
“All he wants to do is be a Cincinnati Bengal,” Hiller said. “This guy was so excited to get drafted by Cincinnati. All he wants to do is be a Bengal. All he wanted to do was be on the field and show the Cincinnati fans the incredible specimen, person, football player that this team was lucky to draft where they drafted. And he’s not been allowed to do that.”
Steelers Were Wary Of Aaron Rodgers/George Pickens Pairing
When George Pickens was dealt to the Cowboys last month, reporters cited a number of reasons for the move. Primarily, the trade was attributed to finances, as the Steelers neither had the budget nor the willingness to extend the receiver (especially following the acquisition of high-priced WR D.K. Metcalf). We also heard stories of Pickens’ lack of maturity, a common theme throughout the wideout’s career.
While the Steelers were still a month away from settling their QB situation, the team’s expected acquisition of Aaron Rodgers may have had an influence on the front office’s thinking. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes, the Steelers were wary that Pickens and the veteran QB “probably would not hit it off.”
While Rodgers has traditionally iced out younger receivers, he still clearly values high-impact targets. It’s also not completely unfounded that the future Hall of Famer may not mesh with a top WR. Even before Rodgers’ ouster in New York, there were rumblings of tension with Garrett Wilson, and the relationship didn’t get any better when Davante Adams started stealing targets.
While Pickens’ surely could have embraced some QB consistency, the Steelers clearly didn’t want to take any chances, especially since the WR clashed with past QBs. In fact, Pickens had made it known that he strongly preferred Russell Wilson remain in place as a starter, an option that clearly wasn’t prioritized by Pittsburgh’s decision makers. With Metcalf on the books and Robert Woods also joining the depth chart, the Steelers felt comfortable enough moving on from the former second-round pick.
Pickens’ anticipated/hypothetical issues with Rodgers is yet another public anecdote that puts a spotlight on the player’s maturity (or lack thereof). Even if the Steelers weren’t going after the veteran QB, it seemed like Pickens’ stint in Pittsburgh was likely coming to an end. We heard that multiple Steelers players became “fed up” with the WR over his three years in Pittsburgh, with several of these players believing it’d be “counterproductive” to keep him around.
Of course, there was also the financial aspect, as Pickens is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Metcalf is on a lucrative deal that could last through the 2029 season, and that Steelers/Seahawks trade all but ended Pickens’ chances of earning a Steelers extension. While Pittsburgh could have kept the WR around during a prove-it season, the team ultimately decided to bail early.
Most likely, it was a combination of all these factors that resulted in Pickens’ departure. Still, it’s interesting that the Steelers front office was considering the WR’s fit with Rodgers…even before the QB inked his deal.
NFL Minor Transactions: 6/23/25
One minor move to pass along:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- To sign: LS Tucker Addington
The Steelers are adding a veteran long snapper to their roster in Tucker Addington, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. This will represent the 27-year-old’s seventh NFL stop (not including multiple stints with one team), and he’s managed to get into 10 regular-season contests since 2022. This includes a 2024 campaign when he got into four total games with the Patriots and Dolphins.
Addington inked a reserve/futures deal with the Texans this offseason, but now he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot in Pittsburgh. The team still has Christian Kuntz atop the depth chart, but the team’s recent auditions at the position indicate they may be pursuing a preseason battle.
Raiders’ WR Dont’e Thornton Jr., OL Thayer Munford Pushing For Starting Gigs
A pair of recent late-round draft picks could work their way into the Raiders starting lineup. Tashan Reed of The Athletic predicts that fourth-round rookie wideout Dont’e Thornton Jr. will be a starter, and the writer recently noted that former seventh-round offensive lineman Thayer Munford could be an option at left guard for Las Vegas.
Thornton had a breakout campaign during his second and final season at Tennessee, finishing with 26 receptions for 661 yards and six scores. That performance helped make him the 108th-overall pick in this year’s draft, and there’s a good chance he’ll have an opportunity to immediately earn starting reps for his new squad.
Reed notes that the receiver handled the majority of the first-team reps on the outside during OTAs, while Levi Edwards of the team’s website notes that the rookie has already become a top target of Geno Smith. Following the departure of Davante Adams last season, the Raiders struggled to find a third receiving option next to Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. The new front office notably invested plenty of draft assets into the position, but interestingly, it’s not their highest WR selection who’s been stealing headlines.
The Raiders selected TCU’s Jack Bech in the second round (58th overall), and they later used a sixth-round selection on Montana State’s Tommy Mellott. The team was clearly counting on one of their draft picks to step up in 2025, and for the time being, that appears to be Thornton.
“I think Dont’e is unique in terms of he’s just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3. There’s not a lot of humans on this planet that do that,” said new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly (via Edwards). “And I think if you had a draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that’s got length, someone that’s got a huge catch radius, but also has speed. Sometimes you can get a big guy like that, but he can’t really run, so they can stay with him. So, you add that speed element to him, his ability to sink his hips, his ability to get in and out of cuts.”
Elsewhere on offense, Munford has been getting some run with the first-team offense. With Alex Cappa inking a free agent deal to play right guard, there will likely be an open competition for LG snaps. While ESPN’s Ryan McFadden believes this competition will ultimately come down to Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith, it sounds like Munford is firmly in the mix.
The 2022 seventh-round pick has seen an inconsistent role in three seasons in Las Vegas, starting 18 of his 46 games while primarily playing offensive tackle. When Parham didn’t practice during some of the team’s OTA sessions, it was Munford who spent time as the starting left guard (per Reed). This may have simply been to get a longer look at an OL combination, but it’s still notable that Munford was operating ahead of Meredith, who got eight starts for the Raiders in 2025.
With a new regime running the show, Munford should have a fresh opportunity to show what he’s got. Considering his versatility, the fourth-year player can at least rest easy knowing he’s currently in the driver’s seat for a roster spot.
Vikings, Josh Metellus Discussing Extension
JUNE 20: While a mutual interest exists for an extension agreement in this case, no timeline is in place. Alec Lewis of The Athletic notes it is unclear at this point whether or not Metellus will have a new deal in hand by the start of training camp (subscription required). The Vikings have been busy on a number of other fronts so far this offseason regarding extensions, and it will be interesting to see if this winds up being the next pact taken care of.
JUNE 10: After the Vikings agreed to an extension with tight end Josh Oliver earlier today, it would appear that safety Josh Metellus is next in line for a long-term pact. The impending free agent eschewed a minicamp hold-in as he awaits a resolution on his contract, although he’s been sitting out the faster-pace seven-on-seven drills, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
[RELATED: Vikings, TE Josh Oliver Agree To Extension]
Metellus all but said that he hopes to stick in Minnesota for the long haul, and he acknowledged that his camp has discussed a new contract with the Vikings front office. The defensive captain was also quick to disregard his limited workload during OTAs and minicamp.
“That’s part of the process right now,” Metellus said (via Seifert). “I mean, the coaches in front office, everybody understand, you know, situation I’m here. I’m building that chemistry my new teammates and the old teammates, and I’m here being the same guy I am all the time. So you guys know me. It ain’t nothing change.”
It’s still a promising development that the two sides have apparently engaged in extension talks. We heard back in February that the front office could consider an extension for the veteran safety, but we haven’t heard anything definitive until now.
A former sixth-round pick, Metellus has evolved into one of the Vikings’ most dependable defenders. He had a breakout campaign when he started 17 games in 2023, and while he had a bit less responsibility in 2024, he still put up big numbers. The 27-year-old finished the campaign with 103 tackles, five passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. The Michigan product surely wouldn’t warrant a contract that sniffs the top of the positional market, but the two sides could find common ground when it comes to contract term.
With Camryn Bynum no longer in the picture, the Vikings aren’t as deep at safety as they once were. Harrison Smith will continue to lead the unit, but Metellus’ “limited” status would mean more reps for the likes of Jay Ward and Theo Jackson.
Packers Not Expected To Extend Matt LaFleur, Brian Gutekunst In 2025
It’s unlikely that extensions are coming for Packers leadership. Incoming Packers president/CEO Ed Policy said he won’t be signing head coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst to extensions in 2025, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
Both LaFleur and Gutekunst still have two years remaining on their contracts, and since they’re not in lame-duck status, Policy refuses to give the duo new deals. The same goes for executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball, and Demovsky notes that all three decision makers will report directly to their new team president.
“All three of them [are] under multi-year contracts,” Policy said (via Demovsky). “None of them are up at the end of this year. We won’t be doing anything going into this season.”
With Mark Murphy retiring, Policy will officially take over as the franchise’s boss in the middle of July. The timing of the move has nothing to do with the president’s refusal to hand out extensions; in fact, Policy has worked with the Packers for more than a decade and was involved in the interviews with both LaFleur and Gutekunst. Rather, Policy’s decision appears to come down to personal preference.
However, the executive did admit that he doesn’t like having head coaches or GMs operating as impending free agents.
“I’m generally opposed — I’d never say never — [but] I’m generally opposed to a coach or GM going into the last year of their contract,” Policy said. “That creates a lot of issues. I think normally you have a pretty good idea of where that relationship is going when you have two years left — not always, but normally.
“So I think generally speaking I would avoid lame-duck status. It’s oftentimes difficult on everybody involved. But there are certain situations that probably call for it, so I would not say never.”
As Demovsky notes, that sentiment would make the 2025 campaign especially important for the head coach/GM duo. The Packers would seemingly have to be a major disappointment next season for the team to not extend LaFleur and Gutekunst. The head coach won 13 games in each of his first three seasons at the helm (Gutekunst was hired as GM a year before LaFleur caught on), and the Packers have made the playoffs in five of the past six seasons.
While speaking with the media, Policy revealed a handful of ways he may operate differently than his predecessor. The executive noted that he’ll “increase the amount and the time of formal meetings with football leadership” in an attempt to remove any silos between his top decision makers. However, Policy was quick to clarify that he’ll let his top leaders do their jobs.
“I’d stay out of their business,” Policy said. “I would not meddle in what they do. I would communicate very frequently and openly and directly with them on all things, but certainly no team needs two head coaches or two GMs. Not a lot of change in the way Mark had done that.”
Cordarrelle Patterson Unlikely To Make Steelers’ Roster?
The first season of Cordarrelle Patterson‘s two-year deal with the Steelers didn’t necessarily go as planned. The veteran offensive weapon still remains on Pittsburgh’s roster, but it’s seeming increasingly likely that he won’t be sticking around for Week 1.
Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly writes that there’s “no place where [Patterson] can slot in” into the roster, and the reporter expresses skepticism that the veteran will be on the roster for the start of the 2025 season. Kaboly also wonders if the team may be holding out for a potential trade suitor.
Kaboly notes that Patterson barely had a role during OTAs. The former All-Pro was spotted “mingling in the locker room,” but that ultimately proved to be “the extent of his participation.”
With Najee Harris no longer around, the Steelers would appear to have some leftover reps at the RB position. Jaylen Warren is preparing for a starter’s workload, but Patterson could compete for backup reps with rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson and veteran acquisitions like Kenneth Gainwell, Trey Sermon, and Evan Hull. Considering Patterson’s versatility, the Steelers could also look to keep him around for WR reps and special teams contributions, although it sounds like the team may just prefer to roll with a younger option in those spots.
Patterson’s Swiss Army Knife profile will always make him an alluring option for teams, but it’s uncertain how many more chances the 34-year-old will get. He finished last season with only 215 yards from scrimmage, which was his worst showing since the 2015 campaign. He also pitched in a team-leading 11 kickoff returns, although it only resulted in 240 yards.
Patterson has managed to contribute in a variety of roles throughout his career. He earned All-Pro nods for his special teams ability, and he’s the NFL’s all-time leader in kickoff return touchdowns (nine). While he mostly served as a backup offensive option for the first nine seasons of his career, he showed his ability while with the Falcons in 2021, finishing with 1,166 yards from scrimmage and 11 scores. He had another 800-plus yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, but he’s been limited to only 434 yards across the past two years.