Raiders Contender To Trade Up For Cam Ward
While a recent report indicated that the Raiders were focused on Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado QB may not truly be the organization’s top choice at the position. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, there’s a general belief around the NFL that the Raiders are a prime contender to move up in the draft in pursuit of Miami QB Cam Ward.
[RELATED: Raiders May Be Homing In On QB Shedeur Sanders]
This year’s top tier of quarterback prospects only consists of Ward and Sanders. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Miami product has separated himself as QB1. In other words, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the QB-needy Raiders would pursue the top positional prospect.
It is noteworthy that they’d be willing to give up the prerequisite trade haul vs. just settling with Sanders. For what it’s worth, Pauline says there are plenty of league sources who believe the Raiders will just take Sanders at No. 6 if they can’t work out a trade for Ward. Still, it sounds like the front office has a preference, and it seems to match the general sentiment from around the NFL.
According to Pauline, some scouts are discouraged by Sanders’ lack of development in 2024, and the QB could require “a lot of coaching” to refine his throwing fundamentals. If push comes to shove, it sounds like the Raiders are at least willing to tolerate those growing pains, especially since Tom Brady has “a great amount of respect for Sanders’ focus on preparation, his ability to learn and adapt, his accuracy and determination in the pocket, and his toughness to take hits and still be resilient.”
The Raiders were positioned to land the first-overall pick in the draft before winning two of their final three games, dropping the organization to the sixth-overall selection. Despite the fact they won’t have their pick of the litter, it sounds like the Raiders can still walk away with one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects.
Browns Willing To Hear Offers For No. 2 Pick?
The Titans have made it clear that they’re willing to move back from the No. 1 pick, but there could be a better chance that the No. 2 pick is ultimately moved. According to Josina Anderson of Bovada, the Browns are “most willing to listen” to offers among teams in the top-six of the draft.
[RELATED: Titans GM Says Team Open To Trading No. 1 Pick]
Armed with the second-overall pick, the Browns are a clear suitor for a rookie quarterback. Unfortunately, this year’s draft doesn’t feature a blue-chip signal caller, and there’s a chance Cleveland could move back from No. 2 and still land one of the top positional prospects like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Of course, that would still require the Browns to hang around the top of the draft board, but the team may be tempted by a trade offer that pulls them out of that range.
Browns GM Andrew Berry may have already hinted that the organization was pivoting away from Ward or Sanders. Berry has opined that he can find a long-term starter in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the top duo. If the organization is committed to spending their top selection on a QB, they could pick up some extra assets along the way vs. just reaching for a prospect with the No. 2 pick. Of course, the organization could also select Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick and figure out QB later.
Even if the Browns are willing to trade their top pick, they’d still have to find a willing trade partner. While the No. 2 pick would still assure a team a blue-chip prospect in Carter or Hunter, there’s a belief that this year’s lackluster draft quality could impact trades atop the depth board. As ESPN’s Matt Miller writes, we may see fewer trades in the top-10 and more towards the end of the first round or beginning of the second round due to a “a lack of league-wide consensus regarding the top players.”
There is some elevated pressure for the Browns to get this pick right. The team sacrificed a good portion of their future in the regrettable Deshaun Watson trade. As a result, the organization is positioned to pick in the opening round for the first time since 2021. If the Browns have any hopes of returning to relevancy, it’ll likely start with how the team handles the second-overall selection.
Stephen Jones: Cowboys Will Be “Selectively Aggressive” This Offseason
The Cowboys are hoping to steal headlines this offseason, but the team is making it clear that they won’t force any moves. While speaking with reporters at the combine today, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters that his team will be “selectively aggressive” when it comes to transactions.
[RELATED: Cowboys Begin Negotiations With Osa Odighizuwa]
“Obviously, our goals historically have been to try to fill as many of our musts and needs before the draft so you can pick the best player on your board,” Stephen Jones said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “Didn’t get that totally accomplished last year, but certainly that’s always the goal. And every year is different in terms of what those musts and needs are, and then you also have to marry what’s in free agency vs. where the draft is heavy and where we can help ourselves in the draft.”
The Cowboys’ 2024 season ended in disappointment and change, as the team moved on from Mike McCarthy after failing to make the playoffs. Part of the team’s lack of success was due to Dak Prescott‘s season-ending hamstring injury, although the Cowboys were only 3-5 in their quarterback’s eight starts.
There’s clearly work to do if the Cowboys hope to return to the postseason. The team has holes on both sides of the ball, and while they’ll find a few options via the draft, they’ll be reliant on some newcomers to be productive. That could require the front office to pony up, and it seems like they could be willing…to an extent.
Further, similar to last year, the Cowboys will also be focused on extending their star players. After inking Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to new deals, the team’s now motivated to sign pass rusher Micah Parsons to a new pact. We’ve heard the Cowboys have also talked to defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa‘s camp about a new deal, and the team has a long list of additional players who are set to hit free agency.
Therefore, when Jones says his team will be “selectively aggressive,” it could come in many forms. While fans would naturally like to see a big splash via free agency or trade, the team’s notable moves may be more in-house. Still, Jones wasn’t shy about exploring every possible route to improve the Cowboys.
“We’re going to look at everything we can,” Jones said (via Archer). “You have a certain amount of resources they allow you to have. But we’re going to try to improve our football team. Not try. We’re going to improve our football team and we expect to have success [this] year.”
49ers Re-Sign OL Ben Bartch
The 49ers aren’t letting Ben Bartch hit free agency. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the offensive lineman. It’s a one-year deal for Bartch.
A former fourth-round pick by the Jaguars, Bartch got into 41 games across three-plus seasons in Jacksonville. He landed with the 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign and has spent the past-year plus with the organization.
After getting into five games down the stretch with the 49ers in 2023 (plus another three playoff appearances), Bartch was limited to only three games (two starts) in 2024. He fared well in his brief look last year, allowing only one pressure in 65 offensive snaps. He likely would have been in line for more playing time during the final month of the season, but the lineman was sidelined thanks to a high ankle sprain.
With Aaron Banks also set to hit free agency, Bartch does provide the 49ers with some continuity at left guard. Depending on how the offseason plays out, the veteran could actually be penciled in atop the depth chart heading into the 2025 season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/24/25
One minor move to pass along:
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed off waivers (from Seahawks): CB Ryan Cooper Jr.
After getting waived by the Seahawks last week, “Bump” Cooper has already found a new home in Miami. The cornerback bounced around a bit during his rookie season. The UDFA earned a spot on the Ravens practice squad and even got into a game with the big-league club before getting waived. He spent the rest of the 2024 campaign on Seattle’s practice squad, and he was retained via a reserve/futures contract before getting cut.
Rams Add Alex Van Pelt To Coaching Staff
The Rams formally announced their coaching staff this afternoon, and a previously unreported name was notably listed as a senior offensive assistant. Per the team, Alex Van Pelt is one of the six new additions to the staff for the 2025 campaign.
A long-time NFL coach, this is likely a temporary stop for the 54-year-old. Van Pelt has served in a variety of roles throughout his career. He mostly made a name for himself as a QBs coach, including a stint as Aaron Rodgers‘ coach in Green Bay between 2014 and 2017.
The veteran coach had a four-year gig as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator, and his stint ended in somewhat surprising fashion following the 2023 campaign despite the Browns’ top-10 finish in points scored. He quickly landed on his feet as the Patriots OC in 2024 but wasn’t retained as part of Mike Vrabel‘s new staff. Van Pelt’s New England stint saw plenty of ups and downs, with the coach earning credit for Drake Maye‘s development while drawing criticism for his play-calling and lack of creativity.
Now, he’ll have an opportunity to rehabilitate his image while working under one the NFL’s most lauded offensive minds in Sean McVay. At 54 years old, Van Pelt could look to reenter the coordinator carousel next offseason. At the very least, he should be able to garner a promotion from his new Rams gig.
The rest of the Rams’ new staff members includes tight ends coach Scott Huff, pass rush coordinator Drew Wilkins, senior defensive assistant Jimmy Lake, assistant special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, and game management coordinator Dan Shamash.
NFL Considering Expanded Replay Assist, Changes To Kickoff Rule
FEBRUARY 23: Competition committee chairman Rich McKay confirmed on Sunday (via Mark Maske of the Washington Post) consideration has been given to moving back the kickoff point five yards to produce further increases in returns. The committee will also look into tweaking where teams take over after a touchback by moving the ball from the 30 up to the 35.
McKay added (via Maske) the committee could contemplate the fourth-and-15 or fourth-and-20 alternative to the onside kick which has been floated in recent years and which the UFL uses. Tweaks to the onside kick which would keep it in play – while making returns more viable – will also be discussed.
FEBRUARY 19: There will be a pair of notable votes during this year’s owners meetings. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, the league is considering expanding replay assist and formalizing the “dynamic” kickoff. 
The NFL expanded their replay assist process last offseason. Previously, replay officials only had the authority to weigh in on “administrative matters or during formal reviews” (per Anthony DiBona of ProFootballNetwork.com). The league took it a step forward in 2024, allowing these replay officials to assist their on-field counterparts with real-time corrections (assuming there’s “clear and indisputable video evidence”).
In addition to standard corrections like ball placement, the NFL also allowed these replay officials to correct on-field officials on penalties like roughing the passer, late hits out of bounds, and intentional grounding. Volin expects the league to take it a step further for 2025, with the writer believing replay assist will also include “calls such as facemasks and QB slides.”
The league’s new dynamic kickoff rule was only approved for the 2024 season, but there’s an expectation that it will be officially entered into the rule book for the 2025 campaign. As Volin notes, the NFL’s 33-percent return rate was an improvement on previous years but still not high enough. The league could make some adjustments to increase that number, like pushing back the kickoff line from the 35 yard line to the 30 yard line.
The league’s competition committee will meet at the Combine at the end of this month to discuss these potential rule changes (among others). The vote will then be brought to the owners, who are gathering for their annual meetings in March.
Chargers Expected To Move On From Joey Bosa?
Joey Bosa‘s nearly decade-long stint with the Chargers may be coming to an end. Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post believes the organization will look to move on from their defensive star, while multiple sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano that they expect the Chargers to cut the pass rusher.
While the front office would surely rather keep Bosa or get something in return for the five-time Pro Bowler, the untenable financial commitment makes the player a prime cut candidate. Bosa is attached to a massive $36.47MM cap hit next season, the highest at his position. The team could save $25.36MM by either cutting or trading the veteran, an option that may be too enticing to deny (even with the Chargers armed with the sixth-most effective cap space in the NFL).
That $25.36MM savings also represents Bosa’s true earnings for the upcoming 2025 campaign, although none of that is guaranteed. As Graziano notes, the pass rusher is due a $12.36MM roster bonus in March, so the Chargers will surely look to make a decision on Bosa’s future before the bonus is due.
Bosa has continued to be productive when he’s on the field. Unfortunately, he’s rarely made it through a season unscathed. After being limited to 14 games before the 2022 and 2023 campaign, Bosa did manage to get into 14 games this past season, finishing with five sacks and 13 QB hits. Still, with only two fully healthy seasons on his resume, any suitors would have to account for Bosa missing at least a handful of contests in 2025.
While the two sides could go back to the negotiating table, Bosa already gave up some money last offseason. Still attached to the five-year, $135MM contract he inked in 2020, Bosa reworked his deal in 2024, saving the Chargers more than $10MM on his projected $32MM cap hit. The front office could once again try to convert some of his salary into bonuses, but they’d still be committed to a healthy cap charge either way.
On the flip side, Graziano notes that the Chargers may have no choice but to hang on to Bosa for at least one more season. That’s because Khalil Mack is hitting free agency, and the organization is prohibited from slapping the star edge rusher with the franchise tag. If Mack is destined to leave Los Angeles, the front office may want to retain some semblance of continuity on the edge.
Giants Targeting Veterans, Rookie At QB
Last month, Giants owner John Mara acknowledged the team’s need for a quarterback and said the front office could target the position either via free agency or the draft. With more time to reflect, it sounds like the organization is considering adding players from both of those buckets.
[RELATED: Giants Open To Resolving QB Issue With Draft Pick, Veteran]
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects the Giants to sign a veteran quarterback and select a rookie at that position in the draft. Fowler notes there’s urgency for coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen to get this right, as the duo’s job status could be tied to their handling of the QBs room in 2025.
It’s obviously not a profound concept to pair a bridge QB with a young signal caller, but it sounds like the Giants have their eye on someone more significant than a one-year veteran stopgap. Fowler believes that free agent Russell Wilson and trade option Matthew Stafford could be targets for the Giants, and there are plenty of additional options that will or could be available (including Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, and Kirk Cousins).
None of those options will truly change the long-term trajectory of the franchise, but they should still command a pretty penny. Fortunately for the Giants, they have some financial wiggle room to compete in a bidding war. The team is projected to have more than $44MM in cap space, and they could easily carve out additional breathing room by releasing players or restructuring contracts.
Armed with the third-overall pick, the Giants should also be in prime position to take one of the draft’s top QB prospects. While neither Shedeur Sanders nor Cam Ward are considered blue-chip prospects, the Giants wouldn’t have to be entirely reliant on their rookie if they add a veteran atop the depth chart.
Interestingly, the Giants are turning to one of their offensive stars for opinions on draft options. Wideout Malik Nabers told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post that the Giants have reached out to him about his thoughts on the quarterback prospects.
“I’m paying attention to it with the eyes of a hawk,” Nabers said. “[The Giants] have been keeping me in the loop, whether it’s who I like. They always ask me questions like that. When I watch [Sanders and Ward], I pick the things I like about both of them and go back and tell them.”
Browns OT Dawand Jones Underwent Knee Surgery
Dawand Jones recently went under the knife. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Browns left tackle underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
The procedure was intended to clean up a knee injury that lingered during the 2024 campaign. Fowler says the hope is that Jones will begin running soon and will be at full health for the start of training camp, but his recovery will obviously be worth watching.
Jones has struggled with injuries during his brief career. The former fourth-round pick got into 11 games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending MCL injury. He played through his knee issue in 10 games last year before going down with a broken fibula.
In total, the lineman has appeared in 21 games (17 starts) in his two seasons in the NFL. His knee troubles may have contributed to his poor showing in 2024, as Pro Football Focus ranked the lineman 77th among 81 qualifying OTs. Jones had a much better showing in 2023, finishing 48th among 81 qualifiers in those same rankings.
Despite the injuries and inconsistent play, the Browns are still hoping the 23-year-old can be their answer at left tackle. Jones will be penciled into the starting lineup opposite Jack Conklin to open the offseason, although that’s mostly because the rest of the team’s tackle depth (including James Hudson, Jedrick Wills, and Germain Ifedi) is set to hit free agency.