Eagles, Panthers On ‘Shortlist’ For Justin Simmons
Interest in free agent safety Justin Simmons has started to build as teams wrap up mandatory minicamp and plan their summer roster moves.
The Eagles and the Panthers are on a “shortlist” to land the nine-year veteran, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Sports Illustrated’s Patrick McAvoy). Both teams could use the safety depth after moving on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Xavier Woods this offseason, respectively.
Simmons is coming off somewhat of a down year in Atlanta after earning Pro Bowl or second-team All-Pro honors in four of his previous five seasons in Denver. That period included three years under then-Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, who is now the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. Simmons has played some of his best football in Fangio’s two-high defenses and could look to reunite with his former coach this year.
Simmons is familiar with Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, as well. He held the same position in Denver in 2022, when Simmons recorded a career-high six interceptions. Evero also spent the 2021 season in Los Angeles under Raheem Morris, who coached Simmons in Atlanta last year.
The Panthers have reached out to Simmons’ representation, per Joe Person of The Athletic, though no deal is imminent. He earned $7.5MM from the Falcons last year and is likely looking for similar compensation for the 2025 season.
Commanders WR Noah Brown Carted Off Field At Minicamp
Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown was carted off the field during the team’s mandatory minicamp last Wednesday, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
Head coach Dan Quinn had little to say about Brown’s injury the next day, only confirming that the seven-year veteran was getting an MRI to assess an unspecified body part, according to Jhabvala. At this juncture of the offseason, teams are not required to report injuries, so Brown’s exact status will likely remain unknown until the Commanders’ training camp kicks off in July.
Brown arrived in Washington on a veteran-minimum deal last year and quickly took over a starting role in Kliff Kingsbury‘s new offense. He commanded a 63% snap share in the team’s first 11 games with 35 catches for 453 yards before a kidney injury prematurely ended his season in December. Brown re-signed with the Commanders on a one-year, $3.25MM deal this offseason.
The Commanders added several other receivers this offseason, giving them the depth to withstand Brown’s potential absence from training camp. The acquisition of Deebo Samuel should give Kingsbury a WR2 to replace Brown’s snaps, but he will need to find a tertiary target for reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. Washington has multiple veterans (Chris Moore, Michael Gallup, K.J. Osborn) as well as a few recent draft picks (Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane) who can compete for WR3 snaps if Brown is sidelined into the regular season.
While Brown’s injury is unlikely to get the Commanders to give into Terry McLaurin‘s contract demands, it could create some urgency to get him back on the field for training camp and ready for the regular season.
Panthers Injury Updates: Brown, Tremble, Barno, Wallace
After missing virtually all of the 2024 season, Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown is aiming for a full return to the field during training camp later this summer, per Joseph Person of The Athletic.
Brown tore his meniscus in Week 1 and underwent season-ending surgery that has kept him limited through spring practices, though he did participate in “walk-throughs and light side work” during mandatory minicamp, according to Person. Brown originally stated a desire to be ready for the 2025 regular season, but his timeline appears to have moved up.
Brown’s injury was particularly disappointing after a career-best 2023 season. He led all defensive linemen with 103 total tackles and was named to his first Pro Bowl, earning him a four-year, $96MM extension from the Panthers in April 2024. While he has never been a prolific pass rusher, Brown’s size and power has consistently commanded double-teams and created opportunities for his teammates. His impact was evident last season, as Carolina’s run defense ranked dead-last in his absence.
The Panthers spent significant resources this offseason on defensive line depth, which should allow them to manage Brown’s usage more carefully coming off a major injury. He played a whopping 940 defensive snaps in 2023 (89% of the team’s total) and was on the field for almost every play before his injury last year. With new teammates Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown III, and Cam Jackson ready to share the load, Derrick Brown can take a lower snap share to stay fresh and healthy for the entire season.
Here are a few updates on other Panthers returning from injuries:
- Tight end Tommy Tremble missed five games last season due to a lingering back injury that led to offseason surgery in May. He is expected to start training camp on the active/PUP list, according to Person. Youngsters Ja’Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans will have a chance to carve out a role in the Panthers’ offense during Tremble’s absence.
- Edge rusher Amare Barno may not be ready by training camp after a “clean-out procedure on his knee,” writes Person. Barno started the 2024 season on the PUP list and only appeared in five games before another injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.
- Linebacker Trevin Wallace returned from offseason shoulder surgery to participate in the Panthers’ spring practices, per Jeff Hawkins of The Charlotte Post. The 2024 third-rounder emerged as a starter as a rookie before landing on injured reserve in December. With Shaq Thompson departing for the Bills in free agency, Wallace is expected to start alongside veteran Josey Jewell in 2025.
Latest On Bengals’ Standoffs With Trey Hendrickson, Shemar Stewart
JUNE 15: The Bengals have reopened contract talks with Hendrickson, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. While that is no guarantee that a deal will get done, Hendrickson has criticized the team for the lack of communication in the past, so this would appear to be a positive step in negotiations.
JUNE 14: There is no end in sight to the Bengals’ dual contract standoffs. First-round pick Shemar Stewart left Cincinnati on the last day of mandatory minicamp, while All-Pro Trey Hendrickson remains away from the team as he fights for a new deal.
Hendrickson is “very much dug in on his position” and will not sign a one-year extension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via the Rich Eisen Show). The veteran edge rusher is not seeking to eclipse Myles Garrett‘s $40MM APY, but wants something just above $35MM per year in the range of Maxx Crosby and Danielle Hunter. Hendrickson is also looking for a stronger commitment from the Bengals in terms of length and guaranteed money.
Stewart, meanwhile, remains steadfast in his opposition to a specific clause that would void the remaining guarantees in his contract if he were to default in one year. That language is different than the contracts offered to the Bengals’ last two first-round picks, but it is the same as the majority of first-round picks around the league, including the players drafted right before and after Stewart, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. At least one person inside the organization believes that the language used with Amarius Mims and Myles Murphy would have the desired voiding effect in case of a default, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
The Bengals have options to end both disputes. They could obviously change the terms of Stewart’s deal to match those of Mims and Murphy, or they could offer him something elsewhere in the contract. Given that first-round picks all have fully-guaranteed deals with preset slot values, Cincinnati’s options in that regard are slightly limited. They could give Stewart more of his money up front via an accelerated payment schedule for his signing bonus or bigger training camp roster bonuses.
For Hendrickson, the Bengals will have to meet his demands in some form or fashion. He is currently set to earn $16MM in non-guaranteed money this year, which will not be enough to get him on the field. A two-year extension worth $71.5MM would slightly outpace Crosby and Hunter, and guaranteeing his 2025 and 2026 compensation should get him upwards of $50MM in guaranteed money.
It’s unclear if that would get a deal done, but Pelissero said that the Bengals have “talked about a variety of options over the past several weeks.” He still expects the two sides to reach an agreement on multi-year extension, but there’s no timeline to getting a deal done.
Bucs’ Jacob Parrish Could Start At Nickel
Buccaneers cornerback Jacob Parrish took first-team reps in the slot during spring practices, per FOX Sports’ Greg Auman, giving the third-round pick a chance at a starting role as a rookie.
Parrish played the vast majority of his college snaps at Kansas State on the boundary, but his 5-foot-10 height led some draft experts to predict a move to the slot in the pros. Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles pushed back on those projections during rookie minicamp, saying (via Auman) that Parrish is “an outside corner first and then a nickel second.”
But as the team’s secondary has taken shape this spring, Parrish has emerged as a potential starting nickelback. Tampa Bay largely used safeties in the slot last season, led by 2024 third-rounder Tykee Smith with 2023 UDFA Christian Izien and veteran Jordan Whitehead in rotational roles. Smith is expected to play a more traditional safety role this season, and the Buccaneers allowed Whitehead to hit free agency in March.
That leaves Izien as the primary candidate to compete with Parrish to start in the slot, a job he won out of training camp as an undrafted rookie in 2023. Izien played a more versatile role last year, but struggled in his 205 snaps at nickel, allowing 1.75 yards per coverage snap, the fourth-highest among all defenders with at least 100 snaps in the slot, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
The Buccaneers are returning both of their starting outside cornerbacks from last season, so Parrish will not be needed on the boundary (barring an injury). With the slot open, Tampa Bay could get him on the field as a rookie and keep Izien as a multi-positional backup at safety and nickel.
Colts LB Jaylon Carlies Expected To Start
The Colts are expecting second-year linebacker Jaylon Carlies to take over a starting role under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
The team let veteran E.J. Speed walk this offseason and could not find a replacement in free agency or the draft, according to Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.
Instead, Colts general manager Chris Ballard said (via Erickson) that Carlies “can really ascend” in 2025 after completing a transition from college safety to NFL linebacker as a rookie. The 2024 fifth-round pick started six games and appeared in four more, playing a total of 353 snaps across defense and special teams. Carlies did not stuff the stat sheet, but he was reliable in the open field with just two missed tackles all year.
The 23-year-old’s health will be a key factor in his push for a starting job. Carlies missed seven games last year with a leg injury, and shoulder surgery earlier this offseason sidelined him for spring practices, delaying his acclimation to the team’s new defensive scheme. However, as Erickson notes, Carlies’ history as a defensive back at Missouri could make him an excellent fit for Anarumo’s matchup-driven system.
“If the offense puts out a certain personnel group, you want to be able to match it with what they’re doing. Especially on third down,” explained Anarumo (via Erickson), adding, “putting linebackers on tight ends is not ideal for the defense.”
Anarumo’s philosophy could lead to a three-down role for Carlies in 2025. He may be listed as a linebacker, but he has the length and speed of a safety, which could help him cover NFL tight ends. More than 60% of his rookie snaps on defense came against the run, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though he earned a team-high 83.1 grade on his 86 coverage snaps, indicating he has more to contribute to the Colts’ pass defense.
Carlies is expected to be ready for training camp, where he will likely take first-team reps alongside Zaire Franklin with minimal competition from a thin Colts linebacker room.
Browns Open To Keeping All Four QBs
There is plenty of time before final roster cuts in August, but the Browns are already considering holding onto all four of their quarterbacks.
General manager Andrew Berry said (via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports) that Cleveland could “absolutely” carry four quarterbacks into the regular season, provided, of course, that “they all play well enough.” According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, all four “answered the bell” this spring.
The Browns value Joe Flacco‘s familiarity with Kevin Stefanski‘s offensive scheme; those traits are also the reason that Flacco took limited reps during OTAs and minicamp, typically with the first team, per Epstein. That has allowed Stefanski and new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to sort through the team’s younger options: ex-Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett and rookie draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Pickett and Gabriel also played with the first team in the spring, but Sanders did not, per Epstein. He has “come on strong over the last two weeks,” according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, and could still be a part of the starting competition in training camp.
If the Browns go with three quarterbacks, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal believes that either Flacco or Pickett will be the odd man out. Flacco’s experience is his biggest plus, but Cleveland was more aggressive in its pursuit of Pickett this offseason. The Browns traded for him on the first day of the new league year, while Flacco did not sign until April.
Obviously, the Browns are unlikely to cut Gabriel after drafting him in the third round. They could try to sneak Sanders through waivers after every other team passed on him multiple times in the draft, but he could be claimed if another squad’s backup gets injured during training camp.
Packers Trying Bo Melton At Cornerback
The Packers are trying wide receiver Bo Melton out at cornerback this spring, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
Melton will be the first to say that he’s no Travis Hunter, but his coaches think that his special teams prowess can translate to defense. He plays on the outside for both punt coverage and returns, giving him experience with open-field tackling and backpedaling to stymie opposing gunners.
“We just thought that if there is somebody that can potentially do both, he would be that guy,” said head coach Matt LaFleur, who previously asked Melton about playing cornerback when he first arrived in Green Bay in 2022, per Schneidman.
Melton downplayed his time at cornerback during spring practices, calling it “just something that came up.”
“I want to give it a shot,” said Melton (via Schneidman), before clarifying, “I’m still a wide receiver, so I’m not really transitioning to no cornerback, but if it works, it works.”
The Packers are careful to note that Melton’s time at cornerback is more of an experiment to develop versatility rather than a full bore position change.
“It’s just something we’re going to take a loot at and see if that’s a possibility,” said general manager Brian Gutekunst (via TMJ4’s Ashley Washburn). The Packers are especially thin at cornerback after parting ways with Jaire Alexander, but Melton would still face an uphill battle to contribute on defense this year. However, if he can become comfortable enough at cornerback to serve as an emergency option, it could help him hold onto a roster spot in a crowded wide receiver room.
“If he’s able to add to his arsenal, that makes him really valuable for us,” Guteknust said.
LaFleur echoed that message, saying, “I think versatility is critical and it creates added value for that player. I just love everything about the guy, how he shows up every day ready to compete and give his best effort.”
Return Targets Set For Dolphins’ Austin Jackson, James Daniels
The Dolphins are hoping that offensive linemen Austin Jackson and James Daniels will be ready by the team’s regular-season opener in Indianapolis.
Jackson started just eight games last season before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He is expecting to be ready by training camp, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, where he is expected to retake his role as the Dolphins’ starting right tackle.
After the offseason departure of Kendall Lamm, who started seven games in Jackson’s stead in 2024, Miami has limited options at right tackle should Jackson suffer a setback. Jackson Carman started one game last season, while free agency addition Larry Borom has 1,045 career snaps at right tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though only 33 have come in the last two seasons.
Daniels, who signed a three-year, $24MM contract with the Dolphins in March, is coming off a torn Achilles suffered at the end of September. His representation has said that he will be ready for Week 1, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but the team will want to prepare its other guards in case Daniels’ timeline does not work out. Liam Eichenberg started 14 games at right guard last year, so he will likely be the team’s primary stopgap option if Daniels isn’t ready for the regular season.
Second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is expecting to push for the Dolphins’ starting left guard job, with Aaron Brewer retaining his job at center and Patrick Paul replacing Terron Armstead at left tackle.
Kirk Cousins Gives Update On Situation In Atlanta
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins seemed to confirm reports that he sought an exit out of Atlanta this offseason, but said that he’s focused on “moving forward” as the season approaches, per Rick Farlow of the Associated Press.
“Obviously you’d love to play,” admitted Cousins (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall), “but I’m not going to dwell on things that aren’t reality. That’s not the situation I am in, so it’s better to be focused on the situation I’m in and control what you can control. I think that’s the right mindset to have.”
Indeed, Cousins is set to spend most, if not all, of the 2025 season on the bench behind Michael Penix. The 2024 No. 8 pick took over under center after Cousins threw a league-high 16 interceptions through 14 starts last year. Penix wasn’t brilliant in his three starts, throwing three interceptions of his own on his way to a 78.9 passer rating, but the Falcons believe he has a better long-term outlook than the 36-year-old Cousins.
Understandably, Cousins does not want to spend the twilight of his career as a backup. There is no question that he struggled in Atlanta last year – his 88.6 passer rating was his lowest as a full-time starter – but he earned three Pro Bowl nods from 2019 to 2022 and was on his way to another before his Achilles tear in 2023. He was linked with a number of teams during the offseason, but interest gradually waned as they honed in on other quarterbacks in free agency and the draft. When Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Steelers last week, Cousins’ last path out of Atlanta seemed to be gone.
However, Cousins could quickly find himself in demand another team’s starter get injured in training camp. His contract might be tough to move this close to the season, but the Falcons might be willing to eat a majority of his 2025 salary for the right trade compensation.
Of course, if Penix were to miss any time, Cousins would step in as the Falcons’ starting quarterback. If he bounces back from last year’s showing, the team’s desire to compete in the NFC South could even help him stay on the field. It’s hard to imagine Cousins playing well enough to finishing out his contract in Atlanta, which runs through 2027, but a strong 2025 could convince another team to acquire him next offseason as a starter.
For now, though, Cousins seems resigned to staying put and watching the action from the sidelines.