Buccaneers, WR Chris Godwin Agree To Delayed Void Date
As we’ve seen Minnesota do in recent days with players heading to free agency like running back Aaron Jones and cornerback Byron Murphy, the Buccaneers have come to an agreement with wide receiver Chris Godwin to move his contract void date, per Greg Auman of FOX Sports. With what’s becoming a popular negotiation strategy, Tampa Bay is following the Vikings early lead this offseason. 
The Vikings have utilized this strategy to give themselves a bit more time in negotiating with veterans with expiring contracts. When those veterans have void years on the end of their expiring deals, the amount from those years officially hits the future cap as dead money at a deadline that was designated to occur this week.
Delaying the deadline provides benefits for parties. First, it grants the team more time to communicate and work towards an extension with their pending free agents. Second, it decreases the likelihood that a player will receive a franchise tag, since the deadline to announce the franchised players falls before the void deadline.
With Godwin, his impending void deadline was set to trigger $18MM in dead money against the team’s 2025 salary cap. Instead, the veteran wideout and team will have until the final day of the league year to figure out a new extension and avoid that dead money hit.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/18/25
Tuesday’s free agent tender decisions:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- 49ers: DT Evan Anderson, DE Alex Barrett, LB Jalen Graham, DE Sam Okuayinonu, T Austen Pleasants, TE Jake Tonges, TE Brayden Willis
The 49ers made the decision today to tender all of their exclusive rights free agents today. The move restricts the seven players from negotiating with other teams. The players will have the choice to accept the offer and play for the 49ers or not play football in 2025.
San Francisco also has two restricted free agents: linebacker Curtis Robinson and running back Jordan Mason. It is yet to be seen what the team will do with those players who, if tendered, would be allowed to negotiate with other teams but would have to give the 49ers the chance to match any offer.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/18/25
We had a number of minor moves today in the NFL:
Cleveland Browns
- Released: RB Nyheim Hines
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Kyle Philips
- Waived: CB Keenan Isaac
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released: C Nick Gates
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Rams, QB Matthew Stafford Likely To Restructure Deal Again
FEBRUARY 17: Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms Stafford’s intention is seen as being to remain with the Rams, although speculation to the contrary will likely continue until a restructure is worked out. How quickly team and player can reach an agreement will be key in shaping Los Angeles’ offseason plans.
FEBRUARY 9: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been contemplating his future in the NFL, especially considering that one of his top targets, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, is now on the trading block. While initially Stafford was reluctant to confirm that he intended to play in 2025, he announced at the end of January that he wanted to come back for another season. In order to do that, though, the Rams are likely going to need to restructure the 37-year-old’s contract. 
Los Angeles did just that a year ago, accelerating future money to increase Stafford’s pay in 2024. It became known during last year’s draft that Stafford was seeking guarantees beyond 2024. He had delivered a healthy and productive season in 2023, putting to rest thoughts of a trade sending him out of Los Angeles or speculation about retirement for the time being. Once again, though, trade speculation has emerged; Stafford has dispelled the rumors of retirement quickly this time around.
Stafford never did get the future security he was seeking. After reaching an agreement on his restructured deal last year, it was reported that the Rams viewed Stafford as a year-to-year proposition. While the team has him under contract for another two years, injuries in 2022 and a decrease in production in the years since have Los Angeles examining its options every offseason.
With the year-to-year approach in place, a quicker resolution to the situation is likely. Stafford is set to carry a cap hit of nearly $50MM next season, and an extension or new reworking of his pact could help lower that figure. He’s set to only make about $27MM in cash in 2025, so a restructure could assist in that regard, as well. Because of this Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report that it’s likely a reworked deal will get done. It will be interesting to see if negotiations can progress on a quicker timeline compared to last year.
More Accusations Emerge Against Ravens’ Justin Tucker
2025 continues to be a rough year for Ravens veteran Justin Tucker. After underwhelming at points in the kicking game the past two seasons, Tucker opened the new year disappointing off the field, as well. Near the end of January, Tucker was accused of sexual misconduct from six massage therapists; three days later, three more therapists came out with more allegations. This morning Julie Scharper, Brenna Smith, and Justin Fenton of The Baltimore Banner released a report detailing the accounts of seven more massage therapists with similar allegations. 
The initial report in January, also from the Banner, alleged that inappropriate conduct took place at four high-end Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers. Tucker was accused of “exposing his genitals,” touching two of the therapists with his erect penis, and leaving “what they believed to be ejaculate” on massages tables after three of the sessions. Two spas reportedly banned the seven-time Pro Bowler, while several of the therapists either ended sessions early or refused to work with him again.
The second report in early February came from three women who worked at the same Baltimore men’s spa. One woman from that group produced an internal report regarding her interactions with Tucker from 2015. The new report includes accusers from two luxurious spas from the Baltimore area, The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel and the Baltimore Spa & Salon at the Ritz-Carlton Residences. The allegations are similar, including reports that Tucker had an erection for most of a massage, intentionally exposed his genitals, brushed some therapists’ thighs with his fingers, and left what appeared to be ejaculate on the table.
Now totaling 16 accusers, all women reportedly claim that the 2010’s All-Decade Team member’s actions date back to 2012, when the veteran kicker first arrived from Austin as a rookie. The claims see his actions continue until 2016.
As his representatives did after the first allegations, Tucker’s attorneys have denied any wrongdoing and the claim of his being banned. According to the Banner, his legal team even “provided a sworn declaration from the owner of Baltimore Spa & Salon,” which has since closed and been replaced by a new spa, that she never received any complaints about Tucker. As the report adds, though, the therapists in question did not alert their supervisors of Tucker’s actions for fear of losing their jobs.
An NFL investigation into this situation looms, while the Ravens continue to monitor the situation. Three years (but no guaranteed base salaries) remain on Tucker’s pact, and a post-June 1 release would yield $4.2MM in cap savings and create $2.87MM in dead money for 2025 while bringing about an end to the 35-year-old’s Baltimore tenure. Any further developments on this front will continue to shape how the situation is handled.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Saints Interviewing Two DC Candidates, Doug Nussmeier Today
4:18pm: Nussmeier’s interview will also take place today, Rapoport notes. As the Saints continue to move through their coordinator search process, a hire on both fronts could be made sometime in the coming days depending on how wide of a net the team casts.
12:20pm: The Saints and new head coach Kellen Moore continue to search for his first coordinators in New Orleans. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tells us that the team will interview 49ers assistant head coach Brandon Staley and Eagles passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Christian Parker for the defensive coordinator position today. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier will interview for the offensive coordinator role this week. 
Staley and Nussmeier have both already been mentioned as potential candidates for the two respective jobs. Staley was Moore’s boss in 2023 when the former served as the Chargers’ head coach. Staley was fired by the Chargers following two-plus seasons with the organization. He finished his head coaching stint with a 24-24 record, including a single one-and-done playoff appearance. Prior to his stint with the Chargers, Staley served as the defensive coordinator with the Rams in 2020. He also previously served as linebackers coach for the Broncos and Bears. Though Staley didn’t interview for any other defensive coordinator jobs this offseason, he was mentioned as a candidate for the role with his current team.
Nussmeier and Moore coached together in Dallas from 2018-22, with the former moving from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach during that span. Moore brought Nussmeier with him to Los Angeles when he took over as Chargers offensive coordinator under Staley in 2023. That stint did not go especially well, but the Eagles allowed Moore to bring Nussmeier alongside him to Philadelphia, where Jalen Hurts led the team to a Super Bowl title. Before their time together in Dallas, Nussmeier served as an offensive coordinator for five college programs — including Alabama, Michigan, and Florida — from 2008-17.
Aside from his connections to Moore, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out that Nussmeier also has a familial connection to Louisiana. Nussmeier’s son, Garrett Nussmeier, is set to enter his second year as the starting quarterback at LSU in relatively nearby Baton Rouge. After finishing fifth in the nation in passing yards per game for the Tigers in 2024, Garrett is considered a top prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. There is one more connection, as well, as the elder Nussmeier’s only two years as an NFL quarterback saw him play in New Orleans.
Parker, 33, interviewed for the Patriots and Packers’ DC jobs last offseason, but likely due to the Eagles’ deep playoff run, he didn’t attend any interviews in this cycle. Before heading to Philadelphia last year, he was a valued staffer in Denver, working in the same defensive backs coaching role under Vic Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett, and Sean Payton. In Denver, Parker oversaw the likes of Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain. In Philadelphia, Parker mentored a defense that allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL last year due in part to rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who finished second and fourth, respectively, in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Here is how the offensive coordinator search is shaping up so far:
- Kevin Koger, tight ends coach (Falcons): Rejected interview request
- Doug Nussmeier, quarterbacks coach (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate; To interview 2/16
- Kevin Patullo, pass-game coordinator (Eagles): Mentioned as candidate
- Robert Prince, receivers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 2/15
And here’s a look at the defensive coordinator search:
- George Edwards, outside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Mentioned as candidate
- Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): To interview 1/15
- Christian Parker, passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach (Eagles): Interviewed 2/16
- Brandon Staley, assistant head coach (49ers): Lead candidate?; Interviewed 2/16
Cowboys Finalize 2025 Coaching Staff
The Cowboys replaced former head coach Mike McCarthy with in-house candidate Brian Schottenheimer. Despite the consistency of Schottenheimer remaining from last year, the handling of the coaching contracts by owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones caused many staffers to explore opportunities elsewhere in the NFL, forcing Schottenheimer to build a mostly new coaching staff. The Cowboys announced their finalized staff on Friday, and though many of the hires Schottenheimer has made we’ve already reported on, we’ll list every hire in this post. 
On offense, we were already made aware of the hires of offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, pass game specialist Ken Dorsey, running backs coach Derrick Foster, offensive line coach Conor Riley, and assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood. We were also aware that former offensive assistant Steve Shimko had been promoted to quarterbacks coach. and that tight ends coach Lunda Wells had been retained to the same role.
We had heard rumors that the team had been working to retain assistant quarterbacks/game management coach Ryan Feder and assistant offensive line/quality control coach Ramon Chinyoung, but Friday’s announcement confirmed that both will remain in slightly different roles. Feder will serve in 2025 as solely game management coordinator and Chingyoung as solely assistant offensive line coach.
The new offensive hire news from the announcement is the additions of Junior Adams as wide receivers coach and Dele Harding in a quarterbacks fellowship. Adams is making his NFL coaching debut after spending the last 17 years coaching at the collegiate level, most recently as (co-)offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky, Washington, and Oregon. Harding, a former linebacker at Illinois, began his coaching career after he finished playing at his alma mater. He spent a year as a defensive assistant for the Texans in 2022. He’s also been a fellow in the past for the Colts and Browns.
On defense, we were already made aware of the hirings of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, and assistant defensive line coach Bryan Bing. We’ve also posted on the hirings of Andre Curtis, David Overstreet, and JJ Clark, but clarifications have been made about their roles. We initially reported that Curtis would serve as defensive pass game coordinator, which is true, but he will add safeties coach to his title, as well. Similarly, we reported Clark in a quality control role, but he will also have the title of defensive assistant. Overstreet was initially reported as assistant defensive backs coach, while the Cowboys’ announcement lists him as secondary/cornerbacks coach.
Overstreet will work alongside Darian Thompson, a quality control/assistant linebackers coach for the team last year who was retained as the new secondary/nickels coach. Lastly, former Rams and Jets defensive tackle Tanzel Smart has been hired as a defensive assistant/quality control coach, like Clark. Smart last appeared in a game in 2023 and was cut from the Jets at the roster cut deadline in August.
Both special teams roles, coordinator Nick Sorensen and assistant coach Carlos Polk were already reported.
There we have it: the Cowboys 2025 coaching staff. Schottenheimer doesn’t get the benefit of familiar faces on staff after Jones’ handling of the contracts, so a mostly new staff has been built. We’ll see what the new staff can do in 2025 after a down, injured year last season.
AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Texans, Colts
As the Jaguars continue to search for a new general manager to pair with first-year head coach Liam Coen, Coen continues to build his first coaching staff around himself in Jacksonville. Most recently, two offensive names have been brought up for minor roles on the offensive staff. While Coen, in his extensive experience coaching quarterbacks, will likely take on a lot of responsibility with molding Trevor Lawrence, as head coach, Coen has other responsibilities, as well, so, he’ll need assistance.
Firstly, the team is hiring Fred Walker as an offensive assistant, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Walker spent the last three years on staff in Las Vegas — two of those years as an offensive assistant before working 2024 as assistant quarterbacks coach. That may not inspire much confidence, considering the state of the position for the Raiders last year, but he did work with Derek Carr in the passer’s last Pro Bowl season in 2022.
Another name the team is looking at to work with Lawrence is James Madison offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dean Kennedy. Kennedy is a young, fast-rising name in the coaching world. He has experience as a graduate assistant with two SEC schools (Mississippi State and Florida) as well as two years as the Gators assistant quarterbacks coach back in 2020-21, when Kyle Trask and Anthony Richardson were in the room.
Following that, Kennedy accepted a role as quarterbacks coach at Holy Cross that turned into his first offensive coordinator role a year later. Last season was his only year with the Dukes, but he led an offense that was 26th in the nation in scoring and beat the North Carolina Tar Heels, 70-50. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Jaguars are interviewing him for an as of yet unreported role.
Here are a couple other coaching updates coming out of the AFC South:
- The Texans are expected to add a new defensive staffer in Toledo defensive line coach Frank Okam, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Okam will serve as the team’s new assistant defensive line coach behind current defensive line coach Rod Wright, whom he played with in college at the University of Texas. Okam also played with head coach DeMeco Ryans when the two were players for the Texans from 2008-10. After defensive line coaching jobs at Rice and Baylor following his playing career, Okam held defensive line coaching jobs for the Panthers and Raiders before returning to the college ranks for the past two years.
- Finally, the Colts are reportedly targeting veteran defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson for a role on their staff, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Indianapolis just recently hired Chris Hewitt away from Baltimore as their new pass game coordinator & secondary coach, so it will be interesting to see what role they’d like to carve out for Henderson. Henderson has served as defensive backs coach for the Jets (2008), Browns (2009-11), Cowboys (2012-15), and Giants (2020-24) with additional years as a defensive passing game coordinator for the Falcons (2016-19) and the Giants last year.
Jaguars To Conduct Second GM Interviews
The Jaguars reportedly wrapped up their first round of general manager interviews yesterday, and according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team will start their second round of interviews in the coming days. Per Pelissero, that will begin with Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham. Pelissero adds that Jaguars assistant (and interim) general manager Ethan Waugh will also interview this week after not being included initially in the first round of interviews.
Jacksonville conducted their first round of interviews in the last four days, concluding with meetings with Sullivan and Cunningham yesterday. Planning second interviews with each personnel executive the next day bodes well for their standing in the race for the job.
[RELATED: James Gladstone, Josh Williams Also Among Finalists]
Sullivan has spent the entirety of his 22-year career in the NFL in Green Bay, starting as a training camp intern in 2003. He rose up the ranks of the scouting department, eventually serving as director of college scouting from 2016-17. Sullivan had a penchant for hitting on Day 3 picks with the Packers, demonstrated by the drafting of impact players like Blake Martinez, Dean Lowry, Aaron Jones, and Jamaal Williams.
Sullivan’s next role was as co-director of player personnel from 2018-21 before being promoted to his current title in 2022. Sullivan’s success has drawn him plenty of general manager interest around the league. He has been considered for every general manager opening in this year’s hiring cycle, interviewing with the Titans, the Raiders, and the Jets.
Cunningham was one of the initial names to be connected to the Jaguars’ job, along with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson and Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg. Cunningham started his front office career with the Ravens back in 2008 before joining the Eagles as their director of college scouting in 2017. He climbed the ranks to director of player personnel before taking an assistant general manager job with the Bears in 2022. He’s spent the past three seasons in Chicago, though he’s flirted with promotions over the past two years. He was a finalist for the Commanders job last year, and he was interviewed for jobs with the Chargers last offseason and the Titans this cycle.
Though Waugh wasn’t included in the first round of interviews, he was mentioned as a strong candidate for the position on Thursday. Waugh had a lengthy tenure in the 49ers’ front office alongside the man these candidates are all striving to replace, former Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke. The pair worked together from 2005-16, and Waugh worked his way up to vice president of player personnel for the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. He joined Baalke in Jacksonville in May of 2022, taking on his current title. Despite the issues that led to Baalke’s dismissal, Waugh is nevertheless in contention for the job and will interview this week.
NFL Draft Rumors: Dart, QBs, Hunter
As far back as November, we have been consistently reporting that only two quarterbacks are being viewed as first-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. At the same time, we’ve been allowing for the potential that the usual, annual desperation from NFL teams at the quarterback position could lead to Day 2 or 3 passers being pushed into the first round with Ward and Sanders. 
We saw this happen last year. Early on in the pre-draft process in 2024, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were viewed as the only first-round options, though Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels quickly forced his way into that conversation. Even after the conclusion of the College Football Playoff championship game, the two quarterbacks in that game, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix, were not generally being viewed as first-round prospects. Eventually, we ended up with six quarterbacks being selected in the first round — all in the first 12 picks — with Bo Nix joining the party, as well.
It’s not an uncommon occurrence, and this year, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post has pegged Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as the man to break into the first round with Ward and Sanders. “Book at least three quarterbacks to be taken in the first round of the draft,” La Canfora writes, citing that “too much demand” will overcome “not enough supply.” After watching the 21-year-old’s performance in the Senior Bowl, La Canfora quoted one general manager guaranteeing that Dart will hear his name on the first night of the draft. Another executive La Canfora talked to claimed that, while he himself wouldn’t select Dart that high, he believes Dart’s going Day 1.
Aside from his Senior Bowl performance, Dart had an impressive senior season for the Rebels, racking up the third-highest passing yards per game behind Ward (second) but ahead of Sanders (fourth). While Dart’s 29 passing touchdowns didn’t approach Ward (39) or Sanders (34), his six interceptions were fewer than both of his competitors.
Here are a couple other rumors surrounding common early conversations we’ve seen in the runup to the draft:
- Yesterday, ESPN’s NFL Nation released the results of some polling their reporters — Turron Davenport, Jeff Legwold, Daniel Oyefusi, and Katherine Terrell — conducted with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts at the Senior and Shrine Bowls. One interesting vote showed that of nine people asked if the top draft pick will be a quarterback, three said yes, four said no, and two were undecided. A big deciding factor for this will be what the Titans decide to do with their No. 1 overall pick; another factor will be if the team decides to address the quarterback position through the free agent or trade market before the draft.
- Another question NFL Nation posed was who the top quarterback in the draft is: Ward or Sanders? Of seven people asked, four sided with Ward while the remaining three went with Sanders. Oyefusi notes that the general consensus has Sanders as “a more refined pocket passer,” while “Ward’s arm talent and mobility give him the upper hand as a long-term prospect.” This goes along with most analyses we’ve seen that place Sanders just behind Ward with Dart as a distant third, if that.
- We’ve addressed plenty of speculation already on where Colorado athlete and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter may find himself playing at the NFL-level. Agreeing with early reports that Hunter is being viewed more as an elite cornerback prospect with the potential to contribute in certain packages as a wide receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Hunter is being listed as a defensive back at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds that, while Hunter is planning on working out with the defensive backs at the combine, the two-way athlete will run some drills with the wide receivers, as well.