Lions To Sign CB Rock Ya-Sin
The Lions are signing cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Ya-Sin spent the 2024 season with the 49ers, appearing in 13 games with a majority of his snaps on special teams. He was targeted three times on defense, allowing a three-yard touchdown and breaking up the other two passes. He will provide experience and depth to a Lions defense that already added D.J. Reed earlier this month.
Ya-Sin is a six-year veteran who began his career as a 2019 second-rounder selected by the Colts. He started 29 games over his first three seasons before being traded to the Raiders for Yannick Ngakoue in 2022.
Ya-Sin started nine games in silver and black before landing on injured reserve. He then signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Ravens in 2023 and played a rotational role on defense and special teams.
The veteran signings will round out a Detroit secondary that added cornerbacks with their first two picks in the 2024 draft. First-rounder Terrion Arnold started 15 games, while second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw mostly played special teams before an injury in November forced him onto the IR.
Joe Flacco ‘In Play’ For Steelers, Browns, Vikings
The NFL’s annual quarterback carousel is still spinning, and Aaron Rodgers seems to have his hands on the controls. Multiple teams are pursuing the four-time MVP, and his decision will have a cascading effect on the rest of the market.
Russell Wilson is ready to sign and will likely be the next domino to fall, leaving Joe Flacco as the top veteran option on the market.
Flacco is already receiving interest from multiple teams. He is “in play…for jobs with the Steelers, Browns, and Vikings,” per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. It’s easy to see Flacco end up in any of those destinations. He’s been a mercenary ever since he left Baltimore and spent the last three years with three different teams.
In Pittsburgh, Flacco would have a winnable battle with Mason Rudolph for a starting job after he re-signed with his old team last week. The Steelers may also look to add a quarterback through the draft, though their first-round pick (No. 21 overall) is likely too late for a top prospect. If Flacco wants a legitimate shot at starting, Pittsburgh may be his best bet.
The Browns are similarly bereft at the quarterback position. Deshaun Watson could miss the entire 2025 season after tearing his Achilles for a second time, which would leave Flacco to take on fellow former first-rounder Kenny Pickett for the starting gig. Flacco also spent the 2023 season in Cleveland, which was his best since leaving Baltimore. The Browns went 4-1 in his five starts, which featured 323.2 yards per game and 13 touchdowns. Flacco’s previous success in Cleveland and familiarity with Kevin Stefanski and much of his offensive line could motivate the 40-year-old to return to a previous team for the first time in his career.
Minnesota seems to offer the least upside. Flacco could start over J.J. McCarthy at the beginning of the season, but unless he truly thrives, it’s hard to imagine the Vikings sacrificing another year of development for the 2024 No. 6 overall pick. But if Flacco wants to win, Minnesota might be the place to do it. They retained pending free agents like Aaron Jones and Byron Murphy while making upgrades in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Jets Still Interested In Tyler Conklin?
The Jets are interested in re-signing Tyler Conklin, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, though the veteran tight end is still available after a week of free agency.
Cimini’s report was from the first day of the legal tampering period and also mentioned that Conklin was “one of the more coveted TEs on the market.” Since then, Juwan Johnson re-signed with the Saints, Zach Ertz re-signed with the Commanders, and Evan Engram signed with the Broncos. The Jets, meanwhile, have only added ex-Charger Stone Smartt and saw 2024 backup Kenny Yeboah sign with the Lions.
That leaves Conklin as the best veteran option for the Jets, who have no tight ends with significant experience behind 2022 third-rounder Jeremy Ruckert.
New York has plenty of cap space to accommodate another contract for Conklin, who earned $6.75MM per year on his last deal. The team could be planning to invest in a strong tight end draft class and may not want to make a long-term commitment with the 29-year-old Conklin.
Still, he has been a reliable contributor to an unstable Jets offense over the last three years, making 50 appearances with 43 starts and averaging 3.4 receptions and 32.4 receiving yards per game. He was less productive in the red zone, scoring only seven touchdowns while in New York, but he remains a solid blocker and veteran presence in the locker room.
Justin Reid Chose Saints Over Titans, Eagles, Chiefs
The Saints won a multi-team battle for Justin Reid last week, with the Eagles and the Titans falling short in their bid to sign the veteran safety, per Bleacher Report’s James Palmer.
The Eagles “weren’t close” to the $10.5M APY that Reid received from the Saints, per Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, suggesting that he was willing to take less money to join the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Reid confirmed those teams’ interest in his introductory press conference, adding that the Chiefs explored a reunion with their longtime safety as well. He added that there is “no animosity” between him and the Chiefs, but signing with the Saints “made too much sense” for the Louisiana native.
He went to college across the country at Stanford, but falling to the Texans in the 2018 draft allowed Reid to stay somewhat close to home in Houston. His three years in Kansas City pulled him farther away from Louisiana, but he will now get to play for his childhood team.
“Every kid in Louisiana dreams about playing for the Saints,” said Reid. He will reunite with fellow Louisiana native Tyrann Mathieu in New Orleans. Reid played with Mathieu in Houston in 2018 and later replaced him in Kansas City in 2022.
His new contract in New Orleans is worth $31.5MM over three years, the same as his last deal with the Chiefs. He is receiving $2MM more in guaranteed money, though his APY has not increased with salary cap inflation.
Patriots Pursued C Drew Dalman In FA
The Patriots attempted to sign Drew Dalman in free agency, per Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal, but the 26-year-old center opted for a three-year, $42MM deal with the Bears.
The Patriots entered free agency with the most cap space in the NFL and still have over $100MM of room in 2025, so they certainly had the budget to afford Dalman. He was the top center on the market, but only played 23 games over the last two seasons due to injury. His per-year earnings of $14MM are the second-highest at the position, but still fall well short of Creed Humphrey‘s $18MM APY with the Chiefs.
Now, New England will need to find another center for the 2025 season after starting three different players at the position last year. 10-year veteran David Andrews started the first four games before an injury to his shoulder required season-ending surgery. He was released last week after a failed physical.
Nick Leverett – who is now a Cardinal – took over for Andrews in Weeks 4 and 5 before the Patriots signed Ben Brown off the Raiders’ practice squad. Brown started the next 10 games at center for the Patriots, followed by Cole Strange for the last two games of the season.
Brown re-signed in New England as an exclusive rights free agent in 2025, and Strange is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The two young linemen will likely enter training camp battling for the starting center job, though Strange could also be in play at guard.
Of course, the Patriots could still add another center in the coming months. Andre James is the best veteran available after being released by the Raiders, and the draft offers several young options as well.
Sam Darnold’s Contract Details Reveal Year-To-Year Structure
The Seahawks used a year-to-year structure on Geno Smith‘s last contract, and they appear to have done the same with Sam Darnold.
Darnold’s new deal with Seattle contains $37.5MM in fully-guaranteed money, which will comprise his 2025 compensation, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. He will then be owed $27.5MM for 2026 and $35.5MM in 2027.
$17.5MM of Darnold’s 2026 salary is guaranteed for injury at signing and can vest to a full guarantee after Super Bowl LX. None of his 2027 money is tied to any guarantees, so the Seahawks could release him immediately after the 2025 season having paid just $37.5MM for one season.
A February release to avoid a vesting guarantee is not common practice in the NFL, but the Raiders did it with Derek Carr in 2023, per Florio. Such a move may draw criticism for being player-unfriendly, but Darnold and his representation must have recognized a one-year out as a possibility before signing the deal. He would still have to perform in 2026, as his 2027 salary is not guaranteed, offering the Seahawks another exit ramp after two years.
Darnold’s contract also includes $5MM per year in incentives, split between “individual performance” ($2MM), “postseason performance” ($2.5MM), and “team performance” ($500k).
Teams typically design their incentives as ‘Not Likely To Be Earned’ (NLTBE), meaning that the player did not meet the milestone in the previous season. After an impressive statistical showing in the 2024 regular season led to a Pro Bowl selection, Darnold’s incentives will likely be tied to things he didn’t do last year. That could include an All-Pro selection, winning a major award, winning the division, or advancing in the playoffs.
The structure of Darnold’s deal offers a wide range of outcomes in Seattle. If he fails to replicate last year’s success, the Seahawks could part ways with him after one year. However, a fruitful partnership could upgrade his APY from $33.5MM to $38.5MM per year and set him up for another big-money extension. In short, despite proving himself as a viable starter in 2024, Darnold still has plenty on the line in 2025 with his new team.
Jaguars Release CB Ronald Darby
The Jaguars released veteran cornerback Ronald Darby, per a team annoucement.
Darby signed a two-year, $8.5MM deal with the Jaguars last offseason after an excellent 2023 season in Baltimore. He held opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage of 44.2% and a 63.3 passer rating when targeted, but could not replicate those results in Jacksonville. In fact, he surrendered the highest completion percentage and passer rating when targeted of his career, leading the Jaguars to move on from the 31-year-old cornerback this week.
The move saves $2.4MM against the Jaguars’ 2025 salary cap with $2.75MM in dead money. Darby will look for a new team, though his struggles in 2024 may force him to accept a contract close to the veteran minimum.
Before this season, Darby was a solid corner when he could stay healthy. He’s averaged just 11 games per season across his 10-year career, which including starting stints with the Bills, Eagles, Commanders, and Broncos before he arrived in Baltimore. He played slightly more on special teams in the last two years, which could further his chances of earning another opportunity in 2025.
The Jaguars already signed Jourdan Lewis to replace Darby as a starting cornerback alongside Tyson Campbell and Montaric Brown, but the team’s lack of high-end talent in the secondary could leave to heavy investment in the draft.
Dolphins To Sign TE Pharaoh Brown
The Dolphins are signing veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The seven-year veteran will add some depth to a thin tight end room behind 2024 breakout Jonnu Smith. The Dolphins moved on from Durham Smythe last month, leaving Julian Hill as the only other tight end on the roster with any NFL experience.
After playing for five different teams in his career, Brown will bring plenty of experience to Miami. He has appeared in 87 games with 54 starts, though he has primarily served as a blocker with a career average of 8.6 receiving yards per game.
Brown began his career as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon and signed with the Raiders after the 2017 draft. He didn’t make the 53-man roster, but still appeared in two games as a rookie. He didn’t play at all in 2018, partially due to a shoulder injury, then carved out a rotational role as a blocker in 2019 with the Browns.
Brown then joined the Texans in 2020 and started 21 games over the next two years. He was then released three games into the 2022 seasons and returned to Cleveland for the rest of the year.
The 30-year-old signed with the Patriots in 2023, where he caught 13 of 15 targets for a career-high 208 receiving yards and his first touchdown since 2020. He also carved out a role on special teams, which helped him earn a one-year, $3.2MM contract with the Seahawks in 2024. Brown picked up a similar role as a blocking tight end and special teams contributor in Seattle, something he will likely continue in Miami.
Giants To Sign LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
The Giants have signed veteran linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Flannigan-Fowles has spent five years in the NFL, all with the 49ers as a depth linebacker and core special teams contributor. He has appeared in 73 games in his career with seven starts on defense and 1,284 snaps on special teams.
The 28-year-old is the second special teams ace signed by the Giants this offseason. The team also added ex-Raven Chris Board on a two-year, $6MM deal.
Both veterans will likely be competing for rotational snaps behind 2024 starters Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. Flannigan-Fowles and Board have played solid defense when called upon in their careers, but neither has ever been able to lock down a starting job. They will certainly see plenty of time on special teams in New York.
The Giants also got some good news from one of their biggest free agent additions.
Paulson Adebo, who signed a three-year, $54MM deal on Monday, said that he hopes to be ready for OTAs after a broken leg ended his 2024 season after just seven games (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). He was excellent before his injury, recording three interceptions, 10 passes defended, and a 71.9 passer rating allowed when targeted.
Chiefs To Sign QB Bailey Zappe
The Chiefs are signing quarterback Bailey Zappe to a one-year deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Adding Zappe is Kansas City’s second move at quarterback this week; they also signed Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal. That likely means that Carson Wentz will be looking for a new gig in 2025 after backing up Patrick Mahomes in 2024.
Zappe’s signing is technically a reunion, as he spent the first few months of the season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. He didn’t appear in any games in red and gold before he was signed by the Browns after Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending Achilles injury.
Zappe became the QB3 in Cleveland behind Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He only appeared one game: a rough Week 18 start against the Ravens. That loss secured the No. 2 overall pick for the Browns in April’s draft.
Zappe will likely take up a similar role in Kansas City behind Mahomes and Minshew. Though he holds the distinction of being Bill Belichick‘s last quarterback in the NFL, it seems Zappe’s starting days are behind him. Joining the Chiefs will give him a shot at a Super Bowl, though, and potentially help him develop and earn a QB2 job in the future.