Steelers No Longer Considering Tyreek Hill Trade
It did not take long for Tyreek Hill trade rumors, which swirled throughout the early stages of the offseason, to resurface. Shortly after the Dolphins’ brutal 33-8 loss to the Colts in Week 1, a report indicated the Chiefs and Steelers were eyeing a potential trade for Miami’s talented but mercurial wideout.
Pittsburgh has removed itself from the Hill sweepstakes, at least for now. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the club is concerned that the latest round of domestic violence allegations against Hill – his estranged wife, Keeta Vaccaro, has accused Hill of eight separate violent acts against her, some of which took place while she was pregnant – could result in a suspension.
Those allegations came to light just one day after the Indianapolis loss, and Florio’s prior report on the matter implied the Steelers’ interest in Hill spawned prior to the accusations. It is therefore no surprise that the team will not entertain a move for the 31-year-old wideout until there is more clarity on this off-field situation.
That may well be the case for any club interested in acquiring Hill. However, the trade deadline is not until November 4. By that point, teams may feel comfortable that Hill will be able to avoid a suspension at least for the remainder of the 2025 season and will thus be amenable to swinging a deal.
After all, Hill profiles as an obvious trade candidate. Although he is under contract through 2026, he is due $36MM in total compensation and carries an untenable $51.9MM cap charge next year. Florio confirms Hill will likely be cut by March if he remains with the ‘Fins through the end of the current season, so if the Dolphins – who are currently 0-3 and looking like an obvious seller – are unable to engineer a dramatic turnaround, they will surely consider a trade.
Through the first three games of the season, Hill has recorded 15 catches for 198 yards and a score. The Steelers apparently have interest in pairing his talents with another trade acquisition, D.K. Metcalf, and just as Miami’s status as sellers or otherwise will be solidified by early November, so too will Pittsburgh’s status as legitimate playoff contender or possible also-ran.
Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Willing To Be Patient With HC Mike McDaniel; Latest On GM Chris Grier, Team’s Culture Changes
Earlier this month, a report came to light indicating that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel may not retain their jobs through the end of the current season. Prior to the club’s loss to the Bills on Thursday, Ian Rapoport and Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network said owner Stephen Ross was willing to be patient with McDaniel (the same may be true of Grier, though neither pundit substantively mentioned him in their reports).
Rapoport said Ross likes and believes in McDaniel and does not want to fire him (to say nothing of last year’s extension that tethered the HC to the organization through 2028). As such, a McDaniel dismissal is not imminent (video link).
Rapoport acknowledges that Ross’ stance could change in a hurry if fans stop showing up to games or if McDaniel’s players stop playing hard for him. Fan discontent was on full display before Miami’s Week 2 loss to the Patriots in the form of a banner reading “FIRE GRIER. FIRE MCDANIEL.” borne by a small aircraft flying above Hard Rock Stadium. However, according to Wolfe, Dolphins players were not panicked about their disappointing start to the campaign and had not quit on their coach (video link).
That said, the players did express frustration and concern to Wolfe, and losing the Buffalo contest to fall to 0-3 surely did not assuage those feelings. Again, the Rapoport and Wolfe reports preceded the game, and while Wolfe said even a loss to the Bills would not change Ross’ immediate plans with respect to McDaniel, it is fair to wonder how long the patience will last.
Underscoring all of this is the cultural change that Grier and McDaniel tried to implement this season. In a long-form piece on the matter that will be of particular interest to ‘Fins fans, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques says the club has attempted to improve the culture within the team facility since the 2024 campaign came to an end.
Part of those efforts included a focus on “player-driven accountability,” and McDaniel told his team after the 2024 season finale that anyone who took issue with that notion could simply say as much, and that the club would look to trade or release them. Indeed, multiple sources said tardiness for, and absences from, team meetings was a significant problem last year.
Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill, both team captains in 2024, were reportedly among the repeat offenders, and a current Dolphins player said the high-profile duo took advantage of their captaincy and used it as justification for their poor attendance record. Sources said Ramsey in particular was a “drain” on morale – he would show up late to team activities and even leave practice while it was ongoing – and Hill famously took himself out of Miami’s last game of the season.
Hill, who did not deny missing meetings or arriving late to meetings and practice, is still with the team despite trade rumblings early in the offseason, though Ramsey was traded to the Steelers in June. Grier’s recent comments on the Ramsey deal suggest there is at least some truth to the allegations concerning the player’s lack of accountability, and while Grier indicated back in April that the club and Ramsey mutually agreed to seek a trade partner, one source told Louis-Jacques that the move was actually driven by the team.
Interestingly, a former Dolphins player who worked under McDaniel said the lateness/absence issues were not new developments in 2024. Instead, they only became problematic when the losses began to pile up.
“Everyone was fine with cutting meetings, cutting practice when they’re winning, but once you’re losing, it’s like now you can’t get mad at that,” the player said. “You were just enjoying it when you were winning.”
Multiple sources said the disregard for timeliness and attendance reflected a lack of respect for McDaniel, who was reluctant to take action other than imposing fines (which McDaniel himself later conceded did not do much to change behavior). One source said McDaniel has been more willing to publicly admonish players this year, though the comments regarding lack of respect last season will not help the HC’s cause.
Only six teams have qualified for the postseason after an 0-3 start, and the last team to accomplish that feat was the 2018 Texans. A source familiar with Ross’ thinking said Grier’s and McDaniel’s job security will not depend exclusively on whether the Dolphins defy the odds and make the playoffs, and the team did put up competitive showings against the Patriots and Bills following a Week 1 blowout loss to the Colts.
Still, Louis-Jacques and Wolfe made reference to the comments Ross offered just hours after the 2024 season ended, when the owner said, “I believe in the value of stability. However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough.”
Even though a source told Louis-Jacques that Ross’ remarks with respect to the status quo pertained more to process than results, the ESPN scribe notes there is a limit to Ross’ patience with undesirable results. In other words, Grier and McDaniel may need their team to start winning immediately to preserve their futures in South Beach.
Rams DC Chris Shula “Prime Candidate” For HC Job In 2026
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley were recently named as legitimate head coaching candidates in the 2026 cycle. Rams DC Chris Shula is another defensive-minded coach who appears to have a real shot at leading his own club next year.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Shula has the attention of NFL front offices and is considered a “prime candidate” for an HC gig. The grandson of NFL coaching legend Don Shula has earned that status by working his way up the coaching ladder under Sean McVay.
Now 39, Chris Shula landed his first NFL position with the Chargers in 2015, when he served as a defensive quality control coach for the club. He joined McVay’s first Rams staff in 2017 as an assistant linebackers coach, and he remained a prominent voice in the LB room until 2022, when he was named pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach. He resumed working with LBs in 2023 and also worked as the team’s pass rush coordinator before getting his first crack at DC last season.
McVay needed to fill that post after Raheem Morris left to become the Falcons’ head coach, and candidates like Brandon Staley – who previously worked as McVay’s defensive coordinator in 2020 – and Ron Rivera were considered. But the Rams were reportedly blown away by Shula’s interview, and the team did not allow him to meet with the Dolphins to discuss Miami’s DC opening.
In Shula’s first year in charge of the Rams’ defense, the team finished in the middle of the pack in terms of points per game and in the bottom-10 with respect to yards per game. Still, Shula’s unit allowed nine points or fewer from Weeks 15 to 17, and Los Angeles also limited the Vikings to nine points in the wildcard round of the playoffs.
Through the first two weeks of the current season, the Rams have conceded just one touchdown and 14 points per game. Of course, those games came against the Texans and Titans, two clubs that look as if they could struggle to score in 2025. But sustained success this year will apparently make Shula a hot commodity in January.
Bengals Did Not Seek Trade For QB Following Joe Burrow Injury
On Tuesday, the Bengals signed free agents Sean Clifford and Mike White to supplement their QB depth chart in the wake of Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury, which will keep the star signal-caller sidelined until sometime in December. But as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports, Cincinnati did not make any trade inquiries into veteran passers on other teams.
The implication is that the Bengals believe Browning gives them at least as good of a chance to win as any trade candidate. And there is some justification for that belief. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter observes, Browning’s 70.4% completion percentage during the seven games he played in relief of an injured Burrow in 2023 led the NFL. That percentage was not simply a function of short, safe passes, because his 267 passing yards-per-game average was the sixth-highest mark in the league during his stint as a starter (which yielded a 4-3 record).
After Burrow exited last week’s game against the Jaguars, Browning completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also rushing for the game-winning score in the waning moments of the contest. However, he did throw three interceptions, so ball security was surely a point of emphasis in practice this week.
Despite close calls against the Browns and Jags to open the current campaign, the Bengals are 2-0. They will hope that Browning can keep them in the running for a playoff berth come December, when Burrow will have a chance to return. Rapoport says that remains a possibility and that Cincinnati could have the two-time Pro Bowler back on the field for the last few games of the regular season if the team’s record warrants it, though Burrow’s rehab will also have to go “perfectly.”
For the 29-year-old Browning, the next several months represent a prime opportunity to cash in. As Rapoport points out, the 2019 UDFA did not stick on an active roster until 2023. Therefore, he will only hit three years of service time at the end of this season, which will make him a restricted free agent in 2026.
The Bengals will have the option of tendering Browning at the original-round level (a tender that was worth $3.4MM this year), second-round level ($5.33MM), or first-round level ($7.5MM). Given Burrow’s history of health concerns, a first-round tender is not out of the question, especially since annual salaries for qualified backup QBs are around the $6MM-$8MM range (with the obvious exception of Kirk Cousins, who was not signed to be a backup).
Rapoport also leaves open the possibility that the Bengals and Browning could agree to an extension, as the Bears and Tyson Bagent did in August. Or, if Browning plays well enough to convince another team he can be a full-time starter, such a team could sign the Washington product to an offer sheet that Cincy cannot match.
Of course, a great deal has to go right for that to be a realistic possibility. For now, Browning & Co. will try to navigate a schedule that includes matchups with playoff hopefuls like the Broncos, Lions, Packers, and Steelers.
Attorneys In Brian Flores Suit Renew Attempt To Remove Claims Against Dolphins, Cardinals, And Titans From Arbitration
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is going back on the offensive in his class-action suit against the NFL and six of its teams. Per Daniel Kaplan of Front Office Sports, Flores and other members of the class allege that Peter Harvey, the arbitrator whom commissioner Roger Goodell appointed on September 17, 2024, is merely “sitting on his hands” in an effort to delay the proceedings.
Flores argues that Harvey has done nothing in the year since his appointment, including responding to requests regarding his own potential conflicts of interest. For instance, as Kaplan points out, Harvey has ties to the league thanks to his seat on the NFL diversity committee, which was formed in the wake of Flores’ suit. Harvey has also served as an arbitrator in other NFL matters, and Flores claims those appointments likely resulted in substantial compensation. In a December 2024 letter to Flores’ lawyers, NFL outside counsel Loretta Lynch said those types of conflict disclosures are not required by law.
In a recent motion that was filed in an effort to remove all of the Plaintiffs’ claims from arbitration and put them in court, Flores’ attorneys write, “[i]ncredibly, as of the filing of this motion for the court, Mr. Harvey has not issued any decision on the motion for arbitral disclosures, nor communicated with parties in any manner whatsoever regarding the proceedings. As such, the entire arbitration has been at a complete standstill and effectively stayed. Mr. Harvey effectively gave the NFL its desired stay through his inexplicable inaction.”
We heard last month that Flores’ claims against the league and three teams – the Broncos, the Giants, and the Texans – were allowed to proceed to court rather than remain in arbitration. In affirming that decision and ruling against the NFL, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reasoned that Flores never signed contracts with mandatory arbitration language with those clubs (the basis for his claims against those three teams is that they allegedly conducted sham head coaching interviews to comply with the Rooney Rule). On the other hand, because Flores and co-Plaintiffs Steve Wilks and Ray Horton had signed contracts with the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans, respectively, and because those deals included a mandatory arbitration provision, the claims against that trio of teams remain in Harvey’s purview for the time being.
That has set up a new battlefront of sorts: while the NFL is appealing the Second Circuit’s three-judge decision to the court’s full 13-judge panel, Flores’ camp argues in its above-referenced motion to the trial court that the Second Circuit’s ruling with respect to the Broncos, Giants, and Texans – in which the appeals court held that it would be unconscionable for Goodell or one of his designees to act as an arbitrator in a case against the NFL and its teams – should also apply to the claims against the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Titans (contract language notwithstanding).
Of course, the league prefers the more sheltered arbitration setting, whereas Flores & Co. are seeking the more objective arena of an open courtroom. That venue dispute has dragged on since the suit was filed three-and-a-half years ago, and it apparently will continue for at least a while longer.
In underscoring the amount of time that has passed with little by way of substantive movement in the litigation, Flores’ lawyers wrote, “[g]iven Mr. Harvey’s inaction and lack of communication, the litigations before him have not even moved to the very initial discovery stage. Mr. Harvey has completely abdicated and disregarded his responsibilities…and he has let the entire arbitration before him languish without any communication.”
The NFL has opposed the Plaintiffs’ motion but has declined public comment on it.
NFL Could Suspend Eagles DT Jalen Carter
SEPTEMBER 8: No decision has been made yet regarding supplemental discipline for Carter at this point, Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes. He adds the league’s evaluation process is expected to conclude early this week, so clarity in the case case should emerge shortly.
SEPTEMBER 7: Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter did not play a single snap during his club’s win over the Cowboys in the NFL’s regular season opener on Thursday. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Carter may also miss at least Philadelphia’s Week 2 matchup with the Chiefs, as the league could suspend the 2024 Pro Bowler.
Following an injury to Philadelphia fullback Ben VanSumeren on the opening kickoff, Carter spit on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott while the two teams were waiting on the field during the ensuing injury delay (it later became clear that Prescott spit in the direction of Carter and the Eagles’ defense before Carter’s retaliation). Carter was promptly ejected, and a decision from the NFL as to whether the Georgia product will miss any additional games is expected on Monday.
He will at least receive a substantial fine, per Schefter, who says a speech given by NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent during the spring owner’s meetings could be instructive in this matter. In his speech, Vincent said sportsmanship posed one of the biggest threats to the NFL’s brand, and that there would be “zero tolerance for acts that demean the game.”
The Eagles survived the Cowboys contest and hung on for a 24-20 victory, but Carter’s absence was noticeable, particularly in the early stages of the game. The team would obviously love to have him on the field for the upcoming Super Bowl rematch.
Carter, the ninth overall pick of the 2023 draft, finished second to Texans defensive end Will Anderson in Defensive Player of the Year voting in his rookie season and earned Second Team All-Pro acclaim last year, in addition to his first Pro Bowl nod. He has compiled 10.5 sacks, 25 quarterback hits, and 20 tackles for loss over his first two years in the league.
“It was a mistake that happened on my side, and it just won’t happen again,” Carter said after the game. “I feel bad for my teammates and the fans out there. … It won’t happen again. I can make that promise.”
Technically, a suspension of any length would automatically void the remaining guarantees on Carter’s rookie contract, as Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports confirms. However, Jones says the club would not try to claw back any money, so the ascending player will likely earn every dollar due to him under his deal. He will be extension-eligible after the 2025 season.
Head coach Nick Sirianni did not indicate whether Carter would receive any internal discipline.
Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy Suffers Dislocated Shoulder, Expected To Miss Time
The Chiefs, already short-handed at the wide receiver position due to Rashee Rice’s six-game suspension, are now expected to be without Xavier Worthy for an undetermined amount of time, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link). Worthy collided with teammate Travis Kelce during Kansas City’s Week 1 loss to the Chargers on Friday, and he sustained a dislocated shoulder as a result.
Worthy will obtain a second opinion on the matter, and Rapoport says the most likely scenario is that the second-year pro will be able to return this season and play with a brace. That said, surgery is still an option as of the time of this writing.
The 28th overall pick of the 2024 draft, Worthy set a scouting combine record for the fastest 40-yard dash in the history of the event, though that speed did not translate to massive yards-per-reception numbers in his first NFL regular season. Worthy was targeted 98 times last year, and he hauled in 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns.
He did, however, add 20 carries for 104 yards and three more scores, and he elevated his game in the postseason. In three playoff games, Worthy caught 19 of his 21 targets, tallying 287 yards and three TDs. That led to heightened expectations for the 2025 slate, especially in the wake of Rice’s early-season ban.
Unfortunately, those expectations will be put on hold for the time being. The Chiefs still have Hollywood Brown as a big-play threat, and Brown and fellow veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster combined to catch 15 passes for 154 yards in the Los Angeles game.
Meanwhile, fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals missed the regular season opener due to a knee injury, so the Chiefs are certainly feeling the pinch when it comes to their WR depth chart. Although Rapoport does not say so, it is fair to wonder if the team will look to fortify the group with a free agent signing.
At present, Tyler Boyd and Nelson Agholor represent two of the most accomplished names on the list of FA wideouts.
49ers Want To Retain RT Colton McKivitz, Have Initiated Extension Talks
49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz signed a one-year extension last March, so he is entering a platform campaign. As opposed to many impending free agents who publicly downplay the appeal of a massive payday, McKivitz is a bit more upfront.
“It is a big deal. You see what guys are getting (paid) now so it’s hard to not be thinking about it, right?” McKivitz said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “It is a lot of money. You’re in the NFL for, obviously, winning and being good. But money is a hard thing to not think about.”
McKivitz, 29, was selected by the Niners in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. He played sparingly over his first three years in the league but was anointed the starting RT in 2023 after Mike McGlinchey defected to the Broncos in free agency.
Just before McGlinchey signed with Denver in March 2023, McKivitz inked a two-year, $4.65MM re-up, and he then agreed to the aforementioned one-year add-on in March 2024.
As such, he has earned “just” $10.27MM in his career to date, and he is due to make $3.19MM in base salary this year. So it stands to reason that he is hungrily eyeing the booming OT market.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the club would like to retain McKivitz, and Branch indicates San Francisco thinks more highly of him than former starting guard Aaron Banks, who was allowed to depart via free agency this offseason. McKivitz, who presently ranks 25th among the league’s right tackles in terms of average annual salary, said the Niners have contacted his agent to discuss an extension, but “nothing crazy is going on at the moment.”
Branch believes the team is likely offering McKivitz far less than what he would stand to earn on the open market. And after accepting several modest deals, McKivitz may have a bigger goal in mind.
In terms of Pro Football Focus’ evaluations, McKivitz improved across the board from 2023 to 2024. His uptick in play was particularly noticeable in his pass-blocking efforts, as he surrendered nine sacks and 59 pressures in 17 games in 2023 but just two sacks and 36 pressures in the same number of games last year. His 72.2 overall PFF grade placed him 37th among 140 offensive tackles.
Further improvement, or even a reprisal of his 2024 performance, should allow McKivitiz to rocket up the RT pay scale.
NFC North Rumors: Hafley, Thielen, Ratledge
In 2024, Jeff Hafley’s first year as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, Green Bay ranked fifth and sixth in total and scoring defense, respectively, while also finishing third in interceptions and seventh in sacks. That performance garnered Hafley a head coaching interview with the Jets this offseason, and more such interviews could be on the horizon.
Per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required), Hafley is viewed as a legitimate HC candidate in some league circles, and he has a chance to elevate his stock even further given the Packers’ addition of star edge defender Micah Parsons. Howe already expects teams in search of a defensive-minded head coach in next year’s cycle to do their homework on Hafley, and another strong showing from his unit will solidify his place on the HC radar.
Now for more from the NFC North:
- A trade at the end of August brought WR Adam Thielen back to the Vikings after a two-year stint with the Panthers. In a comprehensive look behind the scenes of the swap, Joseph Person of The Athletic (subscription required) says Carolina was not actively looking to deal Thielen, who became an important veteran leader. Given that, and given the Panthers’ leverage – Minnesota’s need for a veteran wideout was well-documented – Carolina originally asked the Vikes for a third-round pick in exchange for Thielen and a fifth-rounder. The Panthers wanted to get the equivalent of fourth-round value in a Thielen trade, and they eventually got there while shaving off $7MM in cap space they can roll over to next year. The Vikes, meanwhile, did not have to give up a third.
- Rookie Tate Ratledge was initially penciled in as the Lions’ starting center in the wake of Frank Ragnow’s retirement, but that experiment lasted all of three training camp practices before Detroit shifted Ratledge to right guard and veteran Graham Glasgow to the pivot. However, that had less to do with Ratledge’s performance than Glasgow’s existing rapport with QB Jared Goff, and as Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network writes, GM Brad Holmes still sees Ratledge as the long-term center, where he may have an even higher ceiling (despite his success at guard in college).
- The Lions waived sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein with an injury settlement during final roster cutdowns at the end of August, but Holmes still expects the defensive end to suit up for the team this year (via Jeremy Reisman of PrideofDetroit.com). Holmes said there is a handshake deal in place for Hassanein, who has cleared waivers, to return to Detroit once the length of the injury settlement term (plus an additional three weeks) is complete. That term is presently unknown.
- Former Lions long snapper Don Muhlbach will serve in a game management role for the club this year, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Muhlbach, a two-time Pro Bowler and the second-longest-tenured player in franchise history, joined the team in an administrative role shortly after his 2021 release. He will now assist HC Dan Campbell with replay reviews, rules interpretations, and “other gameday trends.”
Jaxson Dart Will Be Giants’ QB2; Team Has Designed Package Of Plays For Dart
One month ago, it was reported that the Giants were willing to let rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart sit out the entirety of the 2025 campaign. However, after an impressive training camp and preseason, Dart could see the field as soon as Week 1.
As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post observed earlier this week, the Giants listed Dart as the No. 2 QB on their unofficial depth chart, behind starter Russell Wilson but ahead of Wilson’s fellow veteran passer, Jameis Winston. And, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, the team has designed a package of plays for Dart, whose status as the QB2 will allow him to enter and exit the game at will (as opposed to the third, emergency quarterback, which is the role Winston will occupy, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan).
Of course, there is no guarantee the package of plays will be utilized, as that will be dictated by situational strategy. It is nonetheless noteworthy that the Giants’ coaching staff would take this route.
As Dan Duggan of The Athletic points out, Dart is more athletic than Wilson at this stage of the two players’ careers, but he is not a Taysom Hill-esque threat as a runner. So if he is simply going to enter the game and run a series of “traditional” plays, the team risks getting Wilson out of rhythm while also relying on a rookie to effectively run the offense without the opportunity to develop a rhythm of his own. And, if Wilson struggles but Dart shows promise (however limited his cameo might be), the coaching staff could be facing a full-blown QB controversy this week.
Rapoport and Garafolo also acknowledge the fact that Dart does not pose the type of athletic threat that players like Hill and Jalen Milroe do. Instead, they believe the goal of the “Dart package” is simply to get the young signal-caller on the field and get his feet wet in regular season action.
In three preseason games, Dart connected on 32 of 47 passes (68% completion rate) for three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception, and he added six carries for 52 yards and a score.