Myles Garrett ‘Not Open’ To Extension With Browns
Myles Garrett is “not open” to a contract extension with the Browns, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
Garrett’s trade request has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason. The Browns have insisted that they will not move Garrett and are reportedly willing to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league to keep him in Cleveland. That contract could come in as high as $40MM per year, the highest APY of a non-quarterback in NFL history.
But this situation isn’t centered around money. Garrett knows he can get a top-of-the-market contract from most teams in the NFL, but he’s looking for something without a price tag: a Super Bowl. Based on his assessment of the Browns’ immediate future, they won’t be competing for a Lombardi trophy in the immediate future.
Garrett is entering his age-30 season but remains at the height of his powers, which is one of the motivations behind his trade request. He doesn’t want to chase a championship in the twilight of his career; he wants to lead a defense to the Super Bowl during his prime. Crucially, he doesn’t want to waste any time participating in a rebuild in Cleveland.
The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is coming off of his fourth straight season of at least 14.0 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He set a career-high in the latter category with 22 in 2024 on his way to his sixth Pro Bowl and four first-team All-Pro selection. He would immediately be the best player on most defenses in the NFL and would likely fetch one of the biggest trade hauls in league history.
While the Browns would receive plenty of draft capital to rebuild their roster, the cap implications of trading Garrett make it a difficult move to swallow. If both sides maintain their current position, they’ll continue their standoff into the summer. Garrett will likely skip offseason workouts and refuse to participate in training camp. From there, he could even hold out into the regular season.
Prolonged hold-outs have rarely worked out in the players’ favor, but Garrett has a few factors working for him. First, if he genuinely doesn’t care about the money, he won’t mind forfeiting his game checks to get the trade he wants. He’s the type of player that can transform a defense overnight, and he would carry a low 2025 cap hit in a trade which would allow almost any team to acquire him.
Even if they get a massive trade offer, the Browns could still play hardball and ensure that Garrett plays for no one but them. However, how the team treats their former No. 1 overall pick will impact their reputation with other players around the league. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin once said that teams want “volunteers, not hostages.” Players feel the same way and could avoid Cleveland in the future if they think the team won’t honor a request to leave.
There’s no easy answer for the Browns, so their impasse with Garrett is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Once the team has more clarity on their roster after free agency and the draft, they may revisit the trade request as a way to kickstart their rebuild.
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Will Play In 2025
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is planning to play in 2025, as first reported by ESPN’s Pat McAfee and confirmed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Kelce’s comments on his podcast after the Super Bowl indicated that he was considering retirement after 12 seasons and 200 games between the regular season and the playoffs. With a $12.5MM roster bonus due on March 15, the Chiefs reportedly set a March 14 deadline for his decision. When asked about Kelce at the Combine, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach both said that they expect him to play this year. (Veach also shot down the idea of a hard deadline for Kelce’s decision.)
McAfee then reached out directly to Kelce, who responded via text that he is “coming back for sure.” The four-time All-Pro promised to get in the best shape of his career in order to “get back to the mountaintop.”
“[I] got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle,” Kelce continued. “I can’t go out like that!!!!”
Indeed, Kelce was one of many Chiefs to struggle in the Super Bowl, finishing with just four receptions for 39 yards. The offense was shut out in the first half and only managed six points in the third quarter. They added two more touchdowns in the fourth, but the game was all but over by that point.
With Kelce set to return this year, the Chiefs will likely explore a contract extension to lower his $19.8MM cap hit, especially with Trey Smith now on the franchise tag. Such an agreement wouldn’t ensure that Kelce will play beyond the 2025 season; rather, it would allow the Chiefs to prorate more of his cap burden into the future.
For now, though, Kelce (and Smith) will be playing for the Chiefs in 2025 as they vie for their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
Marshall’s Mike Green Won’t Work Out At Combine, Denies Sexual Assault Allegations
Marshall edge rusher and projected first-round pick Mike Green will not work out at the NFL Combine due to hamstring tightness, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
Green has flown up draft boards since a standout performance at the Senior Bowl. He entered the Combine as the 17th-ranked prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board and was expected to have an impressive athletic testing session in Indianapolis. Instead, he will have to wait until Marshall’s pro day (date TBD), where he will run and do positional drills, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Green also spent much of his podium session on Wednesday addressing two allegations of sexual assault against him, one from high school and one from his time at the University of Virginia. He was suspended by the Cavaliers before leaving the program in September 2022, per The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain and Joseph Person. Green then transferred to Marshall, where he led college football with 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 2024.
Green answered a series of questions about the allegations and insisted that he’s “done nothing wrong.” He also claimed that he could have remained at Virginia if he had chosen, but preferred to get a “fresh start” and “lay down a foundation” at Marshall.
The accusations will likely be an area of concern for teams interested in drafting Green. In addition to the public scrutiny he is facing, he will also have to answer directly to coaches and executives over the next two months. Teams will also talk to coaches, teammates, and anyone else who can shed light on Green’s history and how it could affect his future.
Top Michigan Prospects Won’t Work Out At Combine
Two top prospects from Michigan – cornerback Will Johnson and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant – will not work out at the Combine, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Fellow Wolverine Mason Graham will only participate in the bench press, according to Rapoport.
Graham opted out of his workout, while Grant was diagnosed with a hamstring strain during Combine medical evaluations. Johnson missed the second half of the season with turf toe and is waiting until Michigan’s pro day to return to the field. He will be joined by Graham and Grant, and all three are expected to go in the first-round of April’s draft.
Johnson, Graham, and Grant join a growing list of players who are not working out at the Combine. Some, including Michigan teammate Colston Loveland, cannot participate due to medical reasons. Other top prospects like Travis Hunter are simply opting out.
Graham is the fourth-ranked prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s pre-combine big board after three excellent seasons at Michigan. He is projected to be the first defensive tackle taken in the draft, with Grant battling for DT2 with a few other players. Johnson is among the top cornerbacks in the draft, but will need to prove that he’s healthy after last year’s absence.
The three Wolverines were major contributors to Michigan’s top-ranked defense in 2023 en route to a national championship. The team took a step back in 2024, but all three players still showed that they’re ready for the NFL.
Travis Hunter Will Not Work Out At Combine
Travis Hunter was listed with the wide receivers and the defensive backs on the NFL’s Combine invite list, but he won’t be participating in drills for either position this week, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
His decision continues a trend of Combine opt-outs in recent years, a list that includes Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers in 2024. Players that are already projected to go in the top 10 have less to gain and more to lose by working out alongside their peers. A slow 40-yard dash or even worse, an injury, could tank their stock and cost them millions of dollars. Instead, Hunter will wait until Colorado’s pro day (date TBD) to showcase his athletic skills and technique on both sides of the ball.
Teams are split on Hunter’s position in the NFL. Some see him primarily as a receiver, while others see him as a cornerback who can play in certain packages on offense. Hunter has met with teams in both camps, per CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala, but he does not have a preference for either position. He wants to continue playing both ways full-time as he did in college, something he reiterated at his podium session.
Positional drills and athletic testing for receivers and defensive backs take place on back-to-back days at the Combine. They’re not physically taxing compared to a live game, but the visual of Hunter participating in both sets of workouts could emphasize his potential as a two-way player, especially to front offices who are not yet sold on the concept.
However, flipping from receiver to cornerback within the span of a few hours at Colorado’s pro day could have an even more pronounced effect. Hunter will also be able to catch passes from longtime teammate Shedur Sanders as opposed to a rotation of quarterbacks throwing at the Combine.
Tom Brady Ramps Up Raiders’ Pursuit Of Matthew Stafford
The Matthew Stafford saga is growing more complicated by the hour, with multiple (and conflicting) reports of Tom Brady meeting with Stafford on a recent ski trip in Montana.
It was originally reported that Brady had reached out to Stafford about joining the Raiders, but subsequent reporting has provided more clarity on the situation.
Brady hosted Stafford in Montana as part of his ongoing efforts to recruit the veteran quarterback to Las Vegas, who are expected to be “the most aggressive suitor,” per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz. That report was disputed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who said that Brady and Stafford “ran into each other” in an unplanned meeting. Schultz followed up on his original report, adding that “Brady has been leading the charge to get him to the Raiders if the Rams decide to trade him.”
Since Stafford has been given permission to speak with other teams, it’s unlikely that Brady’s actions would run afoul of the NFL’s anti-tampering rules. If Brady’s contact came before the Rams granted that permission, though, the Raiders could face an investigation and potential discipline for the infraction. The Falcons forfeited a fifth-round pick and paid a $250K fine for tampering with multiple free agents last year. Chief among them was another veteran quarterback: Kirk Cousins.
Stafford’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, has also been meeting with interested teams at the Combine this week, including the Giants, according to Schultz and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. The Giants have been repeatedly linked to Stafford, even dating back to the 2024 trade deadline. While they may not be willing to deal the No. 3 overall pick to acquire the veteran quarterback, general manager Joe Schoen has made it clear that finding a new quarterback is his priority this offseason.
The Stafford situation remains fluid. Sean McVay expressed his desire to retain his Super Bowl-winning quarterback, but other teams are clearly circling. After assessing his market, Stafford will likely give the Rams a chance to meet his financial demands. If they refuse, he seems poised to force his way out of Los Angeles, with Las Vegas and New York leading the list of potential destinations.
49ers Begin Extension Talks With Brock Purdy, George Kittle
49ers general manager John Lynch said that the team has started negotiating a long-term extension with Brock Purdy, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.
“We want Brock to be our quarterback as long as we’re here,” said Lynch at the Combine.
Purdy is entering the final year of his contract as one of the best stories in the NFL in recent history. He was the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft and shocked the league by taking over the 49ers’ starting quarterback job in as a rookie.
[RELATED: 49ers To Honor Deebo Samuel Trade Request]
San Francisco won his first seven starts – five in the regular season and two in the playoffs – before losing in the NFC championship game, and Purdy finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. In 2023, Purdy led the league with a 113.0 passer rating on his way to a Pro Bowl selection and a fourth-place finish in MVP voting. His play took a step back in 2024, though most of his supporting cast dealt with injuries throughout the season.
Purdy has done all of that on one of the cheapest contracts in the NFL, earning just $2.6MM over the last three seasons, per OverTheCap. Player performance escalators will allow him to double that in 2024 with a $5.2MM base salary, which is still far below the market rate for a starting quarterback. He could be looking for upwards of $50MM per year on an extension to join the upper echelon of quarterback contracts.
The 49ers have repeatedly stated their intention to secure Purdy as their long-term signal-caller, though previous reports indicate that they may not be willing to reset the market for the former Mr. Irrelevant.
“He’s played really well. We know that,” continued Lynch (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “We have every intention of making him our guy.”
Lynch also said that the team has discussed an extension with tight end George Kittle, per Wagoner. Kittle is entering the final season of his contract with a $22MM cap hit. The 49ers have plenty of cap space, so extending Kittle to free up money isn’t an immediate priority, but the team would like to keep him past 2025 — his age-32 season.
Kittle is putting together a Hall of Fame resume, becoming one of the best all-around tight ends in modern NFL history. His five-year, $75MM extension set the market in 2020, and the position has not moved far past that by 2025. T.J. Hockenson had the bar only at $16.5MM per year exiting the 2023 season, and the Chiefs’ raise for Travis Kelce (up to $17.13MM AAV) illustrates how little growth the TE market has made — especially when compared to the booming WR landscape. Kittle has stayed mostly healthy over his second contract as well, putting himself in good position to cash in on a big-ticket third contract as well.
Patriots Grant DT Davon Godchaux Permission To Seek Trade
The Patriots have given veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux permission to seek a trade, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Godchaux was mentioned as a trade candidate before the 2024 trade deadline, but he indicated a preference to stay in New England after signing a two-year extension in July. That seems to have changed in recent weeks, possibly because new head coach Mike Vrabel is expected to install his own defensive scheme. That could lead to a reduced role for Godchaux, who has played in all 68 games since signing with the Patriots in 2021.
There are a few teams interested in Godchaux, per Rapoport, though he’s unlikely to fetch significant draft capital on the trade market. The 330-pound nose tackle is a proven run-stopper but offers little pass-rushing upside with just 5.5 career sacks in 120 total appearances.
Godchaux’s contract should not be an obstacle to finding a trade partner. The Patriots have enough cap room to absorb the remaining $6.7MM in signing bonus prorations as dead money and could even eat some of Godchaux’s $4MM fully-guaranteed base salary to facilitate a deal. An acquiring team would pick up the remainder of his 2025 salary as well as $850k in per-game roster bonuses and a $150k workout bonus, per OverTheCap. Godchaux is also due a $6.5MM salary in 2026 with $1.75MM in per-game roster bonuses and a $250k workout bonus, though none of that money is guaranteed.
However, no defensive tackle has netted more than a Day 3 pick in a trade since 2020. Veteran Maliek Collins was traded from the Texans to the 49ers for a seventh-round pick last year, and he brought considerably more pass-rushing prowess than Godchaux. Other teams may look to a deep defensive line class in free agency and the 2025 draft before making a move for Godchaux. Unless the Patriots are especially motivated to deal him – or another team is especially motivated to acquire him – a trade could take a while to come together.
Nick Chubb Expected To Reach Free Agency
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said that the team is not planning to re-sign running back Nick Chubb ahead of next month’s free agency.
“I would say at this point that we do expect Nick to hit the market,” said Berry at the Combine (via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Obviously his contract is up this year. We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that, but it’s something that obviously we need to work through over the next couple weeks.”
Chubb was one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs for the first five seasons of his career before a brutal injury ended his 2023 season after just two games. A lengthy rehab process sidelined him until Week 7 of the 2024 season, and a broken foot in Week 14 put him back on the shelf for the last three games of the year.
A report right before Chubb’s second injury indicated that the Browns were interested in retaining Chubb, but based on Berry’s comments, their stance has clearly changed. Cleveland’s reluctance to re-sign the veteran running back is understandable given their cap situation and his injury history, but they will have to address the position this offseason. They have just two running backs under contract and neither is signed beyond the 2025 season. Expect the Browns to add to their backfield via the draft in April.
Chubb recently expressed a desire to stay in Cleveland, but he will first have to test a free agency market that has several younger starting options. If Chubb doesn’t receive much interest, he may be motivated to return to the Browns on an inexpensive one-year deal to rebuild his value next season.
Eagles Want To Re-Sign Zack Baun
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said that the team will make a “concerted effort” to re-sign linebacker Zack Baun, per PHLY’s Zach Berman.
Baun broke out in Philadelphia last season after four inconsistent years in New Orleans to start his career. The 2020 third-rounder struggled to find a role in the Saints defense, but he was a perfect fit in Vic Fangio‘s scheme in 2024. Baun led the Eagles with 153 total tackles (sixth-most league-wide) and earned a 90.1 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) that led all linebackers.
Baun far outplayed his one-year, $3.5MM contract last year. After proving himself with first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors – not to mention a fifth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting – the former Wisconsin Badger will be looking to cash in on his next contract. However, he is 28 years old with just one elite season under his belt, which could limit his value, especially in terms of guaranteed money.
Baun has expressed a desire to stay with the Eagles, who are no stranger to paying premium talent at top-of-the-market rates. Their contract structures would easily allow them to re-sign Baun, who could command more $15MM per year on a new deal.
The Eagles do have a few other starters slated to hit free agency, including Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams. The team has been proactive with extensions in recent years, but didn’t reach any long-term agreements during the 2024 season. With several players putting up strong seasons on the way to Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory, it will be difficult to retain them all.
“We didn’t do any deals during the season, which probably could have prevented some of these problems, but we just didn’t feel like the timing was right,” said Roseman.
It’s not easy to find elite middle linebacker play in the NFL. Given Baun’s ascension in Philadelphia, both sides should be properly motivated to continue their partnership into 2025 and beyond.