Texans Looking Into RB Nick Chubb
The Texans have been “looking at [the] running back market” and could pursue former Browns RB Nick Chubb, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Chubb, a seven-year veteran, hit free agency this offseason for the first time in his career after playing just 10 games in the last two years due to injury. A torn ACL robbed him of most of the 2023 season; he worked his way back to the field for eight games in 2024 before going down once more with a broken foot. Chubb expressed a desire to stay in Cleveland, but the Browns declined to re-sign him and instead pursued younger options for their backfield.
Houston signed ex-Bengals running back Joe Mixon last offseason and could look to add another former AFC North ballcarrier in Chubb. Both Mixon and his backup, Dameon Pierce, missed at least three games last year with minimal production from Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale further down the depth chart.
Chubb’s 41.5 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry in 2024 were well below his career standards, but he was one of the most efficient running backs in the league before his 2023 injury. This late in the offseason, he will likely have to sign a one-year deal close to the veteran minimum to prove his health, which could offer significant upside for the Texans.
Fowler said on SportsCenter (via Bleacher Report’s Andrew Peters) that a return to Cleveland is “not totally off the table” but remains unlikely after the Browns selected two running back in April’s draft. That aligns with Fowler’s previous report on ESPN Cleveland that Chubb is not expected to re-sign with his longtime “barring some sort of surprise or injury.”
Fowler also mentioned the Commanders and the Bears as potential suitors at the end of May. The Commanders are returning their 2024 backfield, making Washington a less likely destination than Chicago. The Bears missed out on their preferred running backs in the draft and do not have a clear No. 2 behind D’Andre Swift.
Jalen Ramsey To Skip Dolphins’ Mandatory Minicamp
As Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins continue to prepare for a parting of the ways, the seven-time Pro Bowler will skip Miami’s three-day mandatory minicamp, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Minicamp begins on Tuesday, June 10.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said last week (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that “nothing has changed” regarding Ramsey. The team has insisted that the decision to seek a trade for the veteran cornerback is mutual, but Ramsey has been pushing for an exit, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. He likely lost his $100k workout bonus by skipping OTAs and will incur another $105k in fines for skipping minicamp.
The veteran cornerback has generated “more interest…than people realize,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Jackson), but his contract remains a sticking point. An acquiring team would have to pick up at least $2.02MM in 2025 (Ramsey’s salary and per game roster bonus) with $65.7MM of non-guaranteed money due over the following three years. However, the Dolphins already paid Ramsey’s $4MM roster bonus in March and would prefer to shed the remaining $20.235MM in guaranteed money on his deal, which includes an $18.98MM option bonus due on August 31, per OverTheCap.
If Ramsey’s new team doesn’t want to absorb all of Ramsey’s option bonus, the Dolphins could handle his contract in a manner similar to the Eagles-49ers Bryce Huff trade. Philadelphia declined Huff’s fully-guaranteed option bonus, which turned into a guaranteed salary for the same amount. The Eagles then restructured a portion of that salary into a signing bonus to absorb some of Huff’s remaining money and spread the dead cap charges across two years; the 49ers took on the rest of Huff’s 2025 salary.
A completed trade would leave $10.7MM in dead money on the Dolphins’ 2025 cap, along with any additional money they absorb in the deal. Another $18.4MM would hit the books in 2026, which could increase if Miami eats 2025 salary and converts it into a signing bonus as described above.
Despite interest from around the league, a trade is no guarantee. ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes that Ramsey is more likely to be released than traded. In that case, the Dolphins would likely exercise his option bonus early, resulting in $11.8MM in dead cap charges in 2025 and a whopping $40.4MM in 2026.
Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Steelers Deal
10:31pm: Rodgers passed his physical and officially signed his contract with the Steelers on Saturday, according to Rapoport. It’s a one-year deal with a base value of $13.65MM and $10MM in guaranteed money, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Playtime and team performance incentives could boost Rodgers’ earnings to a maximum of $19.5MM.
With the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed, Rodgers is now set to participate in Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp next week.
12:01pm: The Steelers’ monthslong pursuit of Aaron Rodgers is all but over. The four-time MVP just has to pass a physical before formally signing in Pittsburgh to take over as the team’s starting quarterback for the 2025 season.
Rodgers’ physical should happen in the coming days, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, likely by the time the Steelers’ minicamp starts on Tuesday. Rodgers will have three days to familiarize himself with his new teammates, coaches, and playbook before the team breaks for the summer until training camp kicks off in July. According to Rapoport, the Steelers and others familiar with the veteran quarterback’s thinking were expecting this timeline all along.
However, unlike his move to New York, Rodgers doesn’t have an established rapport with his new coaches and teammates. The Jets hired former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett and signed longtime Rodgers teammate Allen Lazard in anticipation of the veteran quarterback’s arrival in 2023, but Pittsburgh made no such moves this offseason. Rodgers did practice with D.K. Metcalf this offseason, but he has no playing history with Steelers OC Arthur Smith or any of the team’s offensive weapons.
Details of Rodgers’ deal with the Steelers remain unknown. The base salary is expected to be in the $10MM range floated by Rodgers back in April, per Rapoport, with incentives that could reach $20MM at most.
That would be the lowest APY of Rodgers’ career outside of his rookie contract. Rapoport suggested that Rodgers was willing to take an inexpensive deal to help the Steelers bolster their roster around him, but it’s unlikely he could have earned more elsewhere after receiving little interest from other teams this offseason.
The end to the Steelers-Rodgers saga also has implications for other teams, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post. The Vikings briefly flirted with signing Rodgers earlier in the offseason but appeared to close the door on the idea soon after. That door is now locked, solidifying J.J. McCarthy as Minnesota’s unquestioned starter this season. The Steelers were also the last potential trade destination for Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, likely keeping him in Atlanta for another year as Michael Penix‘s backup.
Ravens Gave Rashod Bateman Permission To Seek Trade; Packers, Patriots Showed Interest
When the Cowboys traded for George Pickens in May, it was revealed that they also looked into a deal for Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
Apparently, Dallas wasn’t Bateman’s only suitor this offseason; according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he drew interest from multiple teams before agreeing to terms earlier this week to stay in Baltimore through the 2029 season.
After a breakout 2024 with career-highs in yards (756) and touchdowns (nine) that both ranked second on the Ravens, Bateman wanted a raise on the inexpensive extension he signed last offseason. With two years and $10.25MM remaining on that deal, the Ravens had all the leverage and refused to meet Bateman’s initial asking price. But, as they have done in the past, the team allowed Bateman explore the trade market to assess his value.
In addition to the Cowboys, the Packers and the Patriots expressed interest, which likely helped to clarify Bateman’s market and bring the Ravens back to the negotiating table. Rather than pursue a trade, they opted to pay Bateman themselves, adding three years and $36.75MM to his current contract for an average of $9.5MM over the next five years.
Green Bay’s interest is certainly notable given the number of affordable regulars on its roster at the receiver position. The Packers later turned to the draft to address the position, using first- and third-round picks to load up. Aggressively searching for wideout help over the past two offseasons, the Patriots ended up with Stefon Diggs this year. Diggs, however, will turn 32 before season’s end. Bateman, 26 in November, would have provided a much younger weapon on the rise. Despite Bateman’s inconsistency — to the point his belated emergence brought a No. 2 wideout role — the former first-rounder clearly still has admirers around the league. The Cowboys later turned to Pickens, who has outproduced Bateman to this point in their respective careers.
At barely $12MM per year, it’s easy to see why the Ravens preferred to keep Bateman rather than move him for draft capital. Baltimore has struggled to draft and develop wide receivers in the Lamar Jackson era – something Bateman alluded to during a Thursday press conference – so it wouldn’t make sense to move on after finally finding some success at the position.
Bateman’s willingness to ask for a raise just one year into a new contract should signal to the Ravens that this situation could repeat itself in future offseasons if his production continues to trend upwards. However, he is now under contract for the next five seasons, which will make it hard to get back to the negotiating table anytime soon.
Xavier Worthy Could Take Over As Chiefs’ PR
2024 first-rounder Xavier Worthy established himself as a dynamic offensive playmaker as a rookie, and the Chiefs are hoping he can translate that into success on special teams this season.
“He’s the best punt returner nobody knows about right now in the league,” said special teams coordinator Dave Toub (via Ed Easton Jr. of Chiefs Wire).
Kansas City originally planned for Worthy to be their primary punt returner last season before Rashee Rice‘s injury pressed the rookie into a full-time role on offense. Worthy dazzled with 742 yards and nine touchdowns on 79 touches during the regular season before pacing the league in the playoffs with 19 receptions for 287 yards and three touchdowns. He finished the year without a single snap on special teams, though he had experience returning punts in college. The former Texas Longhorn led the SEC with 22 returns, 371 yards, and 16.9 yards per return in 2023.
Toub is expecting a “great battle” for the Chiefs’ punt returning job this summer. Other contenders include 2024 UDFA wide receiver Nikko Remigio, who took over the role after Mecole Hardman landed on injured reserve in December, and rookie running back Brashard Smith, who only returned five punts in college but has a strong history as a kick returner.
“Remigio continues to get better, and he will be a hard guy to beat out,” said Toub, who praised the second-year wideout’s “ball reads” and “catching ability.” Remigio returned 14 punts for 161 yards as a rookie across the Chiefs’ final eight games of the year (including the postseason).
Toub also mentioned Smith’s “top-end speed” as a reason for his candidacy. The 22-year old ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Combine after racked up 1,295 kick return yards in his four college seasons, including an ACC-high 579 yards and 29.0 YPR while at Miami in 2023.
WR Chris Conley Announces Retirement
After a decade in the NFL, wide receiver Chris Conley is retiring to pursue a post-playing career as a filmmaker, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“When I was a kid I wrote down a set of goals,” wrote Conley on Instagram (via KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson). “On that list was ‘Play 10 years in the NFL.’ Now that this goal has been accomplished it’s time to set sights on something new.”
Conley’s “something new” is film school at his alma mater, the University of Georgia, where he was a student filmmaker in addition to his pursuit of a journalism degree and his football career, per his LinkedIn profile. His YouTube page features multiple short films, including a “Star Wars” fan film entitled “Retribution.” Conley also worked as a stuntman during his time in the NFL, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The 32-year-old played for five different teams in his career, most recently the 49ers in 2023 and 2024. Originally a 2015 third-round pick out of Georgia, Conley started 34 games for the Chiefs on his rookie contract before signing with the Jaguars in 2019. He posted career-highs of 47 catches and 775 yards during his first year in Jacksonville, but took a clear step back in 2020.
Conley signed with the Texans in 2021 and posted 22 catches for 232 yards in 16 appearances (10 starts). In the three years since, he’s only made 13 catches for 191 yards across 32 games for the Texans, Titans, and 49ers. He retires with 226 receptions for 2,998 yards and 15 touchdowns across 132 games played and 65 starts. Conley’s career earnings fell just shy of $16MM across his 10 years as a pro.
“The past 10 years have been a dream,” continued Conley’s retirement announcement. “Getting the opportunity to play in the league was an honor and whether it was catching touchdowns or blocking for them I truly gave it my all.”
Chuck Pagano Not Eyeing Another HC Job
Longtime coach Chuck Pagano returned to the Ravens as a senior defensive assistant this year, but he has no ambition to take another head coaching job in the NFL.
Pagano’s success as a secondary coach and defensive coordinator during his first stint in Baltimore helped him line up a promotion to head coach with the Colts in 2012. He missed a large chunk of his first season in Indianapolis while undergoing treatment for leukemia, but the team still went 33-15 with three playoff berths across Pagano’s first three years in charge.
The 64-year-old said (via a team transcript) on Thursday that Colts owner Jim Irsay, who passed away last week, supported him through the health scare in 2012, but added that “nobody has any idea until you sit in that seat.”
Pagano could not maintain the Colts’ performance through repeated injuries to Andrew Luck and was fired in 2017 after missing the postseason for a third year in a row. He then replaced Vic Fangio as the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2019 and retired after the 2020 season.
Pagano needed a break after COVID (“probably like everybody else in the world”) and said that rejoining John Harbaugh‘s staff was “probably the only opportunity that would get me off the couch.” He cited the media obligations of a head coach and his desire to spend more time connecting with his players as reasons to stay in an assistant role.
Kenny Clark Underwent Offseason Foot Surgery
Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark is only participating in individual drills during OTAs as he recovers from surgery, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
Clark said he went under the knife in January to correct issues with his right toe, specifically a bunion and bone spurs that hampered him throughout the season. The 29-year-old’s foot got caught on the turf at Arena Corinthians in Brazil, where the Packers opened the regular season. He still started every game, but he was not the same disruptive force that earned two Pro Bowl nods in the preceding three seasons.
After Week 1, Clark blasted the field conditions in Brazil, per Demovsky, complaining about “holes in the ground” and calling it a “tough surface to play on.” He held back when asked about the same topic on Tuesday after receiving backlash for his September comments.
“I ain’t going to answer that question,” Clark said. “I got all the Brazilians on me.”
Despite dealing with a toe injury all year, Clark led the Packers defensive line in snaps, though his 63% snap share was his lowest since his rookie year. So was his production; his 37 total tackles and one sack were career-lows outside of his 2016 rookie year.
Clark admitted that the injury hindered him last season – “you’re taking every step and your toe is busted,” he said (via USA Today’s Ryan Wood) – but expressed optimism about a return to form in 2025.
Steelers TE Donald Parham Out For Season After Torn Achilles
JUNE 5: Parham has officially been placed on injured reserve. As a result, his season is over. Parham will hit free agency next spring with his value having taken a notable hit.
JUNE 3: Steelers tight end Donald Parham will likely miss the entire 2025 season after suffering a torn Achilles in OTAs, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The former Charger signed with the Steelers in February on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. He was expected to slot in as tight end depth behind starter Pat Freiermuth, but will now spend the season on the sidelines, leaving Pittsburgh thin at the position.
The Steelers only have two other tight ends with any NFL experience: 2023 third-rounder Darnell Washington and 2022 sixth-rounder Connor Heyward. Both have primarily served as blockers in the NFL – Heyward as a hybrid TE/FB and Washington as a jumbo-sized inline blocker – though the latter showed up at OTAs 10 pounds lighter, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show. Pittsburgh’s undrafted rookie tight ends, DJ Thomas-Jones and J.J. Galbreath, will now have the opportunity to make a strong impression this summer and push for a roster spot.
Parham’s injury could also intensify the Steelers’ renewed pursuit of Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith. Pittsburgh was already looking to add an offensive playmaker before the season and now has an even stronger need at tight end.
In the event that Smith stays in Miami, the Steelers may have to pivot to a veteran free agent. MyCole Pruitt logged 271 snaps in Arthur Smith‘s offense last year, and 19-year veteran Marcedes Lewis recently revealed that he wants to sign with a new team for the 2025 season.
Parham, meanwhile, won’t see the field for a second consecutive season. After four years as a rotational option with the Chargers, he was released last August during final roster cuts. He landed on the Broncos’ practice squad, but was not elevated a single time during the regular season.
Steelers’ T.J. Watt Expected To Sign Extension Before Week 1
The Steelers are continuing extension talks with T.J. Watt, and according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the four-time All-Pro is expected to put pen to paper before the regular season begins in September.
Watt has yet to attend Pittsburgh’s OTAs as he awaits a new contract. The team reportedly submitted an offer earlier this week, but Watt seems to be pursuing a stronger deal after an explosion in edge rusher pay this offseason. Maxx Crosby got $35.5MM per year from the Raiders in March, and a few days later, Myles Garrett‘s extension with the Browns reset the market with a $40MM APY.
Watt’s current contract — one agreed to days before the 2021 season — is worth just over $28MM per year, so he should be in line for a significant raise after two consecutive top-five finishes in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He will turn 31 during the 2025 season, which could raise age concerns in Pittsburgh, but Garrett is only a year younger with 3.5 fewer sacks since 2023. Watt has also been durable despite a high snap share; he has started 44 straight regular-season games dating back to 2022, though an MCL sprain at the end of the 2023 season sidelined him for the playoffs.
The 2017 first-round pick has been one of the league’s best pass rushers for his entire career, including a 22.5-sack performance in 2021 that tied Michael Strahan‘s single-season record. Watt’s 31.5 sacks over the last two years trail only Trey Hendrickson, who is at an impasse in his own extension negotiations with the Bengals. Hendrickson is also entering his age-31 season but took longer to reach Watt’s level of elite production. If one of the two can agree to new terms with their team, it might clarify the market and lead to a resolution for the other.
Another consideration for Watt is D.K. Metcalf‘s four-year, $132MM contract, which surpassed the future Hall of Fame OLB’s current deal to set new franchise records in per-year and total money. The current edge rusher market should allow Watt to beat Metcalf’s $33MM APY, but setting a new high in total money will require a four-year deal though Watt’s age-35 season in 2029.
As Dulac notes, edge rusher production tends to drop after age 30, so guarantees will be a sticking point in negotiations. The Steelers typically shy away from post-Year 1 guarantees, but they made an exception for Watt on his current contract. Watt’s 2021 extension included a team-record $80MM in fully guaranteed money with guaranteed salaries in 2022 and 2023. That will set a precedent for similar terms on an extension that would guarantee Watt’s salary in 2026 and 2027. Ultimately, the two sides’ ability to reach an agreement will likely come down to the Steelers’ willingness to pay Watt as an elite edge rusher for the rest of his career.