Bucs To Re-Sign DT Greg Gaines
The Buccaneers are re-signing defensive tackle Greg Gaines for another season, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
2025 will be Gaines’ third year in Tampa Bay. He is expected to sign a one-year, $3.5MM contract, the same length and APY as his last two deals with the Buccaneers.
Gaines began his career as a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2019. He carved out a rotational role in his first two years before moving into a starting job in 2021 and 2022. He started 25 games with more than 1,500 snaps in that span, which featured 9.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
The former Washington Husky was not retained by the Rams after his rookie contract expired and crisscrossed the country to sign with the Buccaneers in 2023. He played well enough in his debut season in Tampa Bay to earn another one-year deal for 2024. Across both seasons, he played in 32 games (five starts) with a snap share around 40%. He wasn’t as productive as he was in Los Angeles, though, totaling just four combined sacks and tackles for loss.
The 312-pound lineman will return to his rotational role in Tampa Bay in 2025 backing up Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. Gaines will need to improve on his recent production to earn a significant raise in the NFL, but the Buccaneers were clearly satisfied with his value over the last two years.
Bengals To Re-Sign CB Marco Wilson
The Bengals are re-signing cornerback Marco Wilson on a one-year, $1.52MM deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Wilson appeared in 10 games for the Patriots in 2024 before being claimed by the Bengals off waivers in November. He played six games in Cincinnati with 36 snaps on defense and 48 on special teams.
Originally a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals in 2021, Wilson started 37 games in Arizona across the first three years of his career. He carved out a starting role as a rookie and made significant improvements in 2022, allowing a 57.5% completion rate and 77.1 passer rating when targeted.
Wilson regressed significantly in 2023 and lost his starting job by November. He was waived by the Cardinals a few weeks later. The Patriots claimed him off waivers, but only played him for 10 snaps in the last game of the season.
The former Florida Gator found a rotational role in New England’s defense in 2024, but was again deemed surplus to requirements and waived in November. He impressed the Bengals enough to earn another year in Cincinnati, where he will compete for a role in their secondary.
The Bengals have a number of young players who will likely block Wilson on the depth chart, but he will be one of the team’s most experienced cornerbacks, especially if they do not re-sign Mike Hilton.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/25
Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Re-signed: FB Reggie Gilliam
- Signed: RB Darrynton Evans
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: LS Scott Daly
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: P Bryan Anger
Detroit Lions
- Re-signed: DT Myles Adams
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: S M.J. Stewart
- Signed: LB Nick Niemann
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: C Wesley French
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Robert Tonyan, LB Cole Christiansen
Los Angeles Rams
- Suspended: WR Drake Stoops
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: LB Quinton Bell
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: WR/KR Dante Pettis
Tennessee Titans
- Re-signed: S Mike Brown
Washington Commanders
- Re-signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
Anger is a 13-year veteran who has spent the last four years in Dallas, which included Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 and 2023. He will stay with the Cowboys on a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Tonyan had a few strong seasons in Green Bay earlier in his career, but he has struggled to produce over the last two years. He spent 2024 in Minnesota, but only played 15 snaps on offense with zero targets. He will add tight end depth in Kansas City.
Stoops received a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. He will be eligible to participate in training camp and preseason games, but will be sidelined for the first two games of the regular season.
McNichols is staying in Washington on a one-year deal, according to Pelissero. The seven-year veteran appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 and rushed for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 55 attempts. McNichols will likely continue as Washington’s RB3 behind Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler.
49ers To Sign DB Jason Pinnock
The 49ers are signing former Giants defensive back Jason Pinnock to a one-year, fully-guaranteed deal, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
The 25-year-old started 32 games at safety over the last two years in New York, but the Giants’ signing of Jevon Holland made it clear that the team was moving in another direction, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Pinnock will have an opportunity to earn a starting job in San Francisco after Talanoa Hufanga signed with the Broncos.
Pinnock was excellent in coverage in 2023 with a 74.8 passer rating when targeted, but that figure was above 135.0 in his other three seasons. He can play in the box and offers upside as a pass-rusher with 6.5 sacks across the last three seasons.
The 49ers also re-signed defensive tackle Kevin Givens. The 2019 undrafted free agent will head into his seventh season in the NFL, all in San Francisco. He flashed as a pass-rusher in 2024 with a career-high 3.5 sacks in just eight games before a pectoral tear ended his season. Givens will likely take on a bigger role in 2025 after the team moved on from Javon Hargrave.
San Francisco isn’t placing an RFA tender on linebacker Curtis Robinson, but they will retain him on a one-year deal, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. Robinson was the 49ers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee last season, but played in only three games before suffering a torn ACL. He has played three games for the 49ers in each of the last four years, with all but three of his snaps coming on special teams.
In 2025, Robinson will be joined by former Titans and Cowboys special teams ace Luke Gifford. The 29-year-old linebacker is signing a one-year deal with the 49ers, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Gifford played a career-high 203 snaps on defense in 2024 along with a core special teams role in Tennessee. Robinson and Gifford will continue their special teams prowess next season, but they may also have to play a bigger role on defense after the departure of Dre Greenlaw in free agency.
Panthers Re-Sign OL Brady Christensen, Add P Sam Martin
The Panthers have re-signed offensive lineman Brady Christensen and agreed to terms with veteran punter Sam Martin, according to a pair of team announcements.
Christensen will receive a one-year, $2.8MM contract that is fully-guaranteed, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Carolina first acquired him with a third-round pick (No. 70 overall) in 2021 after a stellar career at BYU.
The Panthers tried to keep him at tackle as a rookie, but he moved inside in 2022 and started all 17 games at left guard. A biceps tear ended Christensen’s 2023 season after just one game, and he didn’t earn a starting job in 2024. Injuries pressed him into action anyway, and he finished the season with four starts at center and two at left tackle. The 28-year-old will compete for a starting role along the interior of the offensive line in 2025.
Martin’s deal is worth up to $3MM over one year, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He was released by the Bills last week after spending the last three years in Buffalo. The 35-year-old previously punted for the Broncos (2020-2021) after starting his career with the Lions (2013-2019).
Statistically, Martin was a below-average punter in 2024. He has been consistent throughout his career, but has never profiled as one of the league’s best at his position. A $3M APY would move Martin into a tie with several other players as the third-highest-paid punter in the NFL, but the language of Rapoport’s report indicates that the deal’s base value is lower.
Titans To Sign P Johnny Hekker
The Titans are signing veteran punter Johnny Hekker to a one-year, fully-guaranteed deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
In Tennessee, Hekker will reunite with his first NFL coach, special teams coordinator John Fassel. Fassell held the same position with the Rams when Hekker signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
The former Oregon State Beaver emerged as one of the league’s top punters in his second year, limiting opponents to just 79 punt return yards on his way to Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2014 before ripping off three straight years as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro. Hekker led the league in punts, punt yardage, and yards per punt in 2015 with similar production in 2016. Improvements to the Rams offense under Sean McVay in 2017 reduced Hekker’s volume, but he remained effective at pinning opponents deep in their own territory.
Hekker was consistently paid as a top-five punter after his first contract expired and remained in Los Angeles until 2021. He then signed a three-year deal with the Panthers, but has not been able to recreate the early-career success that landed him on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Still, at 35 years old, Hekker remains an effective, consistent punter who will likely have plenty of work in Tennessee. He is also the NFL’s active leader in total punts and punt yardage who may have a shot at the Hall of Fame after he retires.
Ravens Plan To Release Arthur Maulet
The Ravens are planning to release veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
The move will save $2.25MM against the 2025 salary cap with $250k of dead money, per OverTheCap. The Ravens will save an additional $2.1MM by releasing Marcus Williams with a post-June 1 designation, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. That move has been expected since the team revised his contract in January following a rough season from the veteran safety, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Williams’ release will leave $6.7MM in dead money in 2025 and 2026.
Both Maulet and Williams played significant roles in the Ravens’ league-leading defense in 2023, but injuries to the former and regression by the latter limited their contributions in 2024. Multiple stints on injured reserve sidelined Maulet for most of the season with just three appearances and 72 defensive snaps. Williams started 10 of the team’s first 11 games, but played just two snaps for the rest of the year.
The Ravens also dealt with struggles from veteran safety Eddie Jackson, forcing an overhaul to the secondary for the second half of the season. Marlon Humphrey took up a full-time role in the slot, and Kyle Hamilton moved away from the line of scrimmage to play a more traditional safety role alongside Ar’Darius Washington.
Baltimore had high hopes for Williams when they signed him to a five-year, $70MM contract in 2022, but injuries in his first two years gave way to clear regression in his third. He was productive when healthy in 2022 and 2023, but inexplicably struggled in 2024. The Ravens had a new defensive coordinator in Zach Orr, but his scheme largely mirrored that of Mike MacDonald, under whom Williams excelled in the previous two years. He will now hit free agency looking for an opportunity to rebuild his value and earn another multi-year deal before he reaches 30 years of age.
Maulet joined the Ravens in 2023 after being cut by the rival Steelers. He appeared in 14 games as a slot corner and earned a two-year, $4MM extension after a solid debut season. A strong training camp in 2024 was negated by multiple lower-body injuries, which will force Maulet to sign a ‘prove-it’ deal this offseason.
Dolphins To Sign WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
The Dolphins are signing veteran wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, per Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Westbrook-Ikhine’s 497 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 were both career-highs, earning him a two-year, $6.5MM deal with $3.2MM guaranteed in Miami. His $3.25MM APY is a significant raise on the $2MM he earned last season and a solid payday for the former undrafted free agent.
He first signed with the Titans in 2020 and split his time evenly between offense and special teams. He carved out a larger role in the passing game in 2021 and finished his time in Tennessee with 78 appearances and 39 starts.
The 6-foot-2, 211-pound wideout will bring some size and depth to a Dolphins receiver room that currently lacks both. Westbrook-Ikhine has recorded at least 25 catches, 370 yards, and three touchdowns in each of the last four seasons, giving Miami a consistent WR3 behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. He lined up on the outside and in the slot in Tennessee; that versatility will fit well in the Dolphins’ motion-heavy offense.
Westbrook-Ikhine’s signing is currently expected to qualify for a compensatory pick, per OverTheCap, though the Titans’ other signings will cancel it out.
Cardinals To Sign QB Jacoby Brissett
Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett is planning to sign with the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 32-year-old will serve as Kyler Murray‘s backup in Arizona in 2025.
Brissett has 53 career starts under his belt, per Fowler, including 11 in Cleveland in 2022 when Drew Petzing was the Browns’ quarterbacks coach. Petzing took over as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator in 2022 and will now reunite with Brissett as his QB2.
Brissett’s contract in Arizona will be two years in length, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Cardinals are his sixth team since 2020, with his most recent stint coming in New England as Drake Maye‘s backup in 2024. Brissett appeared in eight games with five starts last year, completing 95 of his 161 passing attempts for 826 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
He was originally a Patriots third-round pick in 2016, but was traded to the Colts after his rookie year in exchange for Phillip Dorsett. Brissett then started in place of an injured Andrew Luck in 2017 but returned to a backup role upon Luck’s return in 2018. The former No. 1 pick’s surprise retirement during the 2019 preseason put Brissett back as the starter with one year remaining on his rookie contract. The Colts signed him to a one-year, $28MM extension in September 2019, but moved onto Philip Rivers in 2020 after a disappointing year from Brissett.
Brissett then signed with the Dolphins in 2021, kicking off the second half of his career as one of the league’s top backup/bridge quarterback. He played the same role for the Browns in 2022 and the Commanders in 2023 before reuniting with the Patriots in 2024. Brissett sought more security on his latest contract, opting for a two-year deal rather than the single-season contracts he played on over the last four years.
Cowboys To Sign DE Payton Turner
The Cowboys are signing former Saints first-rounder Payton Turner to a one-year contract, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
The deal is worth $3MM with $2MM guaranteed, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, reflecting Turner’s need to prove himself after battling injuries to start his career. He played in just 15 games across his first three seasons before staying healthy for 16 games in 2024. In Dallas, Turner will serve as a backup edge rusher behind Micah Parsons, Sam Williams, and Marshawn Kneeland.
Turner was a surprising first-round pick in 2021 after entering the draft with a Day 2 projection. The Saints used the 28th overall pick on him anyway, but Turner played in just five games as a rookie before landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. He was healthier in 2022, but his inconsistent production left him sidelined for several games as a healthy scratch. A case of turf toe that required surgery sidelined Turner for most of 2023, and the Saints declined to pick up his fifth-year option during the following offseason.
The former Houston Cougar managed to stay healthy in 2024, appearing in 16 games with a career-high 335 snaps on defense. He also saw increased time on special teams with 231 snaps. The increased opportunity did not yield commensurate improvements in Turner’s production. He finished the season with nine pressures, two sacks and three tackles for loss, similar statistics to his first two seasons that featured significantly less playing time.
At 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds, Turner has the requisite frame to be an impact edge rusher in the NFL, but he has struggled to reach his potential in the NFL. The Cowboys have a decent history of developing pass rushers, and opposing offensive lines will be more concerned with Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa, so Turner has a chance to improve in Dallas and earn a stronger contract next year.