Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Expected To Miss Start Of Season; Team Not Pressed To Make CB Addition
It appears as if Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs will indeed miss time in 2025. Diggs, who just finished the first year of the five-year, $97MM extension he landed in July 2023, began battling injuries shortly after signing the deal, and Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News confirms the Alabama product is not expected to be ready for the start of the upcoming season.
Diggs, 27 in September, earned First Team All-Pro acclaim in 2021 after leading the league with a whopping 11 interceptions. He put forth another Pro Bowl effort the following season, which triggered the big-money extension. Unfortunately, Diggs played just two games in 2023 due to a torn ACL, and he played through a calf injury for the first 10 games of the 2024 campaign before his knee flared up and forced him to miss all but one contest the rest of the way.
While the new injury was in the same knee in which he suffered the ACL tear, the two ailments are unrelated. Nonetheless, Diggs’ second knee problem necessitated surgery, and despite his hopes to be in the Week 1 lineup, we have been hearing for some time that his early-season availability is in doubt.
Diggs is one of a handful of players on Dallas’ CB depth chart dealing with health concerns. Third-round rookie Shavon Revel suffered a torn ACL of his own in his final year at East Carolina, and though he is presently expected to return in the middle of training camp, it is fair to wonder how effective he will be given the nature of his injury and the fact that he will not have had the benefit of a full offseason program in advance of his first professional season.
Second-year player Caelen Carson ended his rookie slate on IR and underwent shoulder surgery this offseason. Luckily, Hoyt indicates Carson will be a full-go for training camp, and the writer also says the Cowboys are comfortable with the current makeup of their secondary.
In other words, the club does not feel a pressing need to make an outside addition at this point, even with Diggs’ presumed absence. We have already heard that trade acquisition Kaiir Elam is penciled in as one starter, and DaRon Bland – who missed the first 10 games of the 2024 season due to a stress fracture – has another starting job secured. Although he has not seen much time in the slot in his career, Bland took plenty of reps in that role in spring practices as Dallas seeks a replacement for former slot defender Jourdan Lewis.
Elam has generally failed to live up to his status as a former first-round pick of the Bills, and uncertainty abounds throughout the rest of the position group, but it appears the Cowboys will take a wait-and-see approach with respect to a veteran signing. Hoyt still believes such a move is a distinct possibility, and he names former Cowboy Stephon Gilmore – who was seen at the team facility before the draft – as a potential target.
Gilmore, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year who has had a nomadic existence over the last few seasons, was a full-time starter for Dallas in 2023. He played reasonably well, limiting opposing passers to a QB rating of 82.7 and a 55.8% completion percentage, and he hopes to play in 2025.
Extension Candidate: Mike Evans
Despite missing three full games due to injury in 2024, Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans completed his mission of topping 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 11 seasons in the NFL. The six-time Pro Bowler and franchise icon is entering the final year of the two-year, $41MM contract he signed in March 2024, and he therefore profiles as an obvious extension candidate.
However, prior to putting pen to paper on his current pact, Evans appeared to be on track to hit the open market, and he considered the Chiefs and Texans to be viable destinations if he had become a free agent and left Tampa. So, while it is difficult to imagine Evans in anything other than a Bucs uniform, he has at least entertained the notion in recent history.
That reality, combined with his age (he will turn 32 next month) and the Bucs’ heavy investment in the WR position could lead Evans elsewhere in 2026. Indeed, Tampa Bay re-upped Chris Godwin on a three-year, $66MM deal before free agency opened this year, and the club surprised many by adding Ohio State standout Emeka Egbuka in the first round (No. 19 overall) of this year’s draft. Jalen McMillan was selected in the third round of the 2024 draft, and he flashed as a rookie, securing 37 catches for 461 yards and eight scores.
On the other hand, newly-extended GM Jason Licht has made a habit of retaining his own talent. And, with the Bucs firmly in the midst of a competitive window, there is certainly an argument to be made for retaining Evans, who has continued to be productive into his early 30s.
That is especially true in light of the fact that Godwin has operated primarily in the slot since becoming a full-time starter in 2019 (outside of Dave Canales’ one-and-done season as offensive coordinator in 2023). Egbuka likewise spent most of his college career working out of the slot, so even with multiple high-end contracts and premium draft picks populating the wide receiver depth chart, Evans’ skill set as a dangerous boundary target is hardly redundant.
Plus, the use of void years in Evans’ current deal will force the Bucs to eat over $13MM in dead money if he is not on the roster next year. When talking about possible Olympic participation in 2028, Evans said he would likely be retired by that point, which suggests he plans to keep playing for at least the 2026-27 campaigns. As such, a two-year add-on would make plenty of sense for both sides, and as the Bucs presently sit in the top half of the league in terms of cap space ($26.53MM), they seemingly have the flexibility to make it work (although quarterback Baker Mayfield may be eyeing a new contract and substantial raise next year).
Regardless of where his next contract comes from, Evans stands to add considerably to his ~$134MM in career earnings, which positions him in the top-15 among active non-quarterbacks. He also has an excellent chance to bolster his Hall of Fame candidacy over the next several years.
Although he is currently in 24th place on the all-time receiving yards list (12,684), Evans can quickly catapult up that index of luminaries if he can sustain what has become ordinary output for him. By the time the 2027 season is in the books, it would not be surprising to see him in the top-five in terms of receiving yards (Isaac Bruce presently sits at No. 5 with 15,208) and receiving touchdowns (Marvin Harrison Sr. and his 128 TDs are in fifth place in that regard, while Evans leads the way among all active players with 105 receiving TDs).
In addition to his tremendous 17-game average triple-slash of 85/1,284/11, Evans has never played in fewer than 13 games in a season. There have been no reports of extension talks yet, but one would imagine that Licht & Co. are at least giving it some thought.
Packers Plan To Use Nate Hobbs, Other Top CBs Interchangeably
Over the course of his four seasons in the NFL, new Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs has played more than twice as many snaps in the slot than on the boundaries. So, when the 2021 Raiders draftee left Las Vegas for Green Bay this offseason by way of a four-year, $48MM contract, our Sam Robinson noted that Hobbs had set a new high-water mark for slot defenders if the Packers indeed plan to deploy him in that capacity.
While Hobbs will surely see plenty of action in the slot in Wisconsin, the club has something of a hybrid role in mind for him, as detailed by Jason Wilde of Channel3000.com. Per Wilde, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley wants to compensate for the roster’s lack of a true shutdown corner by using Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Carrington Valentine interchangeably.
During OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Hobbs sometimes lined up across from Nixon on the boundary in base packages. In nickel looks, Valentine came onto the field and played outside the numbers while Nixon and Hobbs shared time in the slot and out wide.
“Nate can play outside and Nate can play inside. So we’re going to have him do both,” Hafley said. “When you’re getting ready for free agency and you’re evaluating tape, it’s one thing that you love about him. He’s had a lot of success inside, and I thought his tape outside was equally as good.”
The Packers had hoped that Jaire Alexander, who landed a then-CB-record four-year deal worth $84MM in May 2022, would serve as their No. 1 corner for the long haul. Unfortunately, Alexander’s injury problems contributed to his release last month, thus increasing the pressure on Green Bay’s current top trio.
Nixon, 28, has played nearly 2,000 defensive snaps over the past two seasons thanks in large part to Alexander’s lack of availability, and he has acquitted himself reasonably well. Last season, one year after spending most of his time in the slot, he led the Packers in snaps as a boundary corner and limited opposing passers to a 57.5% completion percentage and 78.9 QB rating as the nearest defender. He also earned First Team All-Pro acclaim for his work as a kick returner in the 2022-23 seasons.
Valentine, a 2023 seventh-rounder, has been pressed into starting duty in each of his two pro seasons, lining up almost exclusively outside the numbers. It sounds as if the club will give him a greater opportunity to show off his versatility this year, and 2024 second-rounder Javon Bullard remains an option to see extensive work as a nickel CB, just as he did as a rookie (although Bullard is not mentioned in Wilde’s piece).
Despite the impressive AAV on his new contract, Hobbs received only $16MM in guaranteed money. So, while Green Bay would take on a $12MM dead money hit if it were to part ways following the 2025 slate, such a maneuver would not be prohibitive and would actually yield a modicum of cap savings. To preserve his future earning power, then, Hobbs will need to live up to his team’s hopes for his multifaceted skill set.
For right now, that does not appear to be a concern.
“He is competitive, he’s tough, he is physical, he plays the game fast,” Hafley said of Hobbs. “You can tell he loves it. It just jumps off the tape. That versatility, where you can move him around and again, I’m a big fan of that.”
Free Agent S Quandre Diggs Hopes To Continue Playing Career
Free agent safety Quandre Diggs saw his 2024 season cut short by a Lisfranc injury, which put a damper on what was already likely to be a tepid free agent market in 2025. As of the end of May, Diggs still had not received medical clearance to return to the field, as he revealed during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link).
The 32-year-old does not sound as if he is contemplating retirement at this point. There have been no reports of interest in him this offseason, which he attributes to his health situation and his resulting inability to work out for clubs. He did not say when he expects to be cleared, merely saying, “I’ll be ready to go when it’s that time to go.”
He added that he had been playing well prior to last year’s foot injury, although there is some disagreement on that point. In eight games as a member of the Titans, Diggs allowed a 73.7% completion percentage and a whopping 137.2 quarterback rating as the nearest defender, per Pro Football Reference. Both of those troubling metrics represented career-highs, albeit with the small sample size caveat.
On the other hand, Pro Football Focus’ assessment of Diggs more closely aligned with his self-evaluation. PFF considered him the 20th-best safety out of 98 players with enough snaps to qualify in 2024, with only his efforts in the pass rush department receiving a subpar grade.
Still, after being released by the Seahawks in a cost-cutting move in March 2024, Diggs did not find another opportunity until early August, when he caught on with Tennessee via a modest one-year, $3MM pact that featured a veteran minimum base salary of $1.21MM. His PFF marks notwithstanding, his performance in a half-season of play last year, combined with his age and recent Lisfranc injury, make him a candidate for another low-cost accord this season.
Unsurprisingly, the Texas product indicated he would like to join a contender, and he suggested his $54.2MM of career earnings render whatever money he makes on his next contract a secondary concern. And, given his career accomplishments, it would not be surprising to see a contending team consider him for at least a depth role at some point.
The former sixth-round pick of the Lions became a full-time starter by his third professional campaign in 2017, and he signed a three-year, $20.4MM extension prior to the final year of his rookie contract. After only six games under his new deal, though, Detroit traded Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick. Seattle then doubled down on the safety position by swinging a blockbuster trade for Jamal Adams the following summer.
While Adams largely struggled to stay on the field during his Emerald City tenure, Diggs proved to be more durable, and he earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2020-22 (he also registered at least three interceptions every year from 2017-22). In the midst of that stretch of productive play, the ‘Hawks rewarded him with a three-year, $40MM extension, ultimately cutting bait before what would have been the final year of that deal.
Diggs and Adams reunited in Nashville last season, although Adams saw action in just three Titans contests before being released again. Like his former running mate, Adams has not generated any reported interest this offseason.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow Says Throwing Wrist Still Not 100%
Much of the discussion surrounding the Bengals this offseason has been focused upon new deals for wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (the Hendrickson matter continues to drag on with no obvious end in sight). Star quarterback Joe Burrow, meanwhile, has taken advantage of his status with the franchise and in the league to advocate for extensions for Higgins – who once appeared unlikely to stay in Cincinnati given the investment the club knew it would be making in Chase – and Hendrickson.
During mandatory minicamp last month, Burrow also talked about his own performance and his hopes for the upcoming campaign. Interestingly, he said the torn ligament he suffered in his right (throwing) wrist in November of 2023, which ended that season prematurely, continued to impact him last year.
“I think I talked about it last year – I still wasn’t quite back to throwing it the way that I expect,” Burrow said (via SI.com’s Jay Morrison). “It’s improved this year, and it will continue to improve. As long as I keep making those reps, taking the extra time to get that rhythm back, it will continue to improve.”
Those comments are surprising for several reasons. One, even though the timing and nature of the injury threatened Burrow’s availability for the Bengals’ offseason program in 2024, the two-time Pro Bowler was already throwing by early May of 2024. Additionally, Burrow was terrific last season, leading the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 passing touchdowns while throwing just nine interceptions in a full slate of games. He did that while maintaining a 70.6% completion percentage and finishing third in the NFL in both quarterback rating (108.5) and QBR (74.7).
That performance led to a fourth-place finish in MVP voting, which may have been impacted by the fact that Cincinnati did not qualify for the playoffs. Still, the team would surely sign up for a repeat of his 2024 showing, albeit with more success in the win-loss department.
The Bengals’ inability to return to the postseason over the past two years is partially attributable to their poor starts. The club lost its first two contests of the 2023 slate and its first three games in 2024 and eventually proved unable to make up that ground. Morrison suggests those slow starts, in turn, were a function of Burrow’s health.
The former Heisman Trophy winner suffered a calf strain in training camp in 2023 and did not post a QB rating over 85.6 until Week 5 of that season. Last year, of course, he was still dealing with wrist rehab, but his play was mostly elite from Week 2 onward, despite the nagging wrist issue.
While acknowledging his team’s need to avoid digging an early hole, Burrow noted his wrist continues to heal.
“We’re getting there,” he said. “I think I’m learning new things every single day and refining my motion, refining everything about what I’m doing out there. That’s exciting for me to feel that improvement.”
When asked how he would handle the layoff between the end of mandatory minicamp last month and training camp, which opens on July 23, Burrow added, “I’m feeling good right now. I’ll just take it as my body’s telling me. If I need a couple days off, I’m gonna take a couple days off. But I’m feeling good, and we’ll keep grinding and take it day by day.”
As the Hendrickson dilemma dominates Bengals-related headlines and invites increased scrutiny of the team’s negotiation practices, Cincinnati at least knows it has an enviable quarterback situation, one that theoretically could get even better as Burrow’s wrist gets better.
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins On Health Status; Latest On Trade Market
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, one of the most prominent names in this offseason’s news cycle, remains with Atlanta despite being an obvious trade/release candidate. After Aaron Rodgers signed with the Steelers, the last team that realistically would install Cousins as a QB1 took itself off the list of potential destinations, leaving the soon-to-be 37-year-old on track to be the most expensive backup signal-caller in NFL history.
While Cousins obviously would like to be traded or released so he can finish his career atop someone’s depth chart, he seems resigned to the fact that he may spend at least the 2025 campaign as second-year passer Michael Penix Jr.’s mentor and clipboard holder. Of course, if another club’s starter should get injured at some point before the trade deadline, Cousins could find himself on the move.
But given the way Cousins’ 2024 season ended, it is fair to wonder how even a QB-needy team will view him. In the span of five games from Week 10 to Week 15, he threw just one touchdown against nine interceptions and led the Falcons to a 1-4 record, which torpedoed the club’s playoff chances (Atlanta was 6-3 before that point). After that stretch, he was demoted in favor of Penix.
On the other hand, Cousins did sustain a hit to his right arm and shoulder in a Week 10 loss that appeared to have a real and significant impact on his performance. Prior to that game, he had a TD:INT ratio of 17:7, which makes the injury a clear demarcation point between a solid, starter-level showing and a disastrous few weeks that precipitated his benching.
Assuming he is recovered from the Week 10 injury, a team that suddenly has the need for a viable starting option could certainly convince itself that Cousins, despite his age, can be the player he was in the first half of the 2024 season and throughout much of his time in Minnesota. To that point, Cousins says he expects his health to be a non-issue.
“I think I’ve still got a little bit more to go but very encouraged by the progress I’ve made since January,” Cousins told reporters, including ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, at this month’s mandatory minicamp. “So, even jogging out here today, just very encouraged by what I felt compared to where I was even like six weeks ago out here throwing with the guys. And I believe there’s more progress up ahead, too.”
Cousins also addressed the Achilles tear that prematurely ended his 2023 season, his last as a member of the Vikings. Per Raimondi, Cousins says he was not as healthy as he believed he was going into 2024, which may or may not jibe with comments he made in an appearance on Good Morning Football: Overtime back in February.
During that interview, Cousins said the Achilles healed well and that, although he was also trying to get his right ankle “back,” those issues did not impact his play too much, as evidenced by the 6-3 start and his overall body of work in the first half of last season. But in his comments several weeks ago, Cousins said that while he focused on strengthening his ankle after the Achilles tear, he did not work enough on his mobility, which affected him negatively.
In any case, it sounds as if he will be at full strength if Atlanta or some other team should call on him in 2025. Fortunately, Cousins did not require any offseason surgeries on his arm or shoulder, nor any follow-up procedures on his Achilles or ankle.
One of the obstacles to a trade is the fully-guaranteed $27.5MM salary that Cousins is due this year, as well as the $10MM roster bonus for 2026 that has already vested. Raimondi believes the Falcons would be willing to pull the trigger on a deal if the acquiring team takes on $10MM of Cousins’ 2025 pay (that team would be liable for the 2026 roster bonus as well).
Raimondi confirms recent reports indicating there is no trade market at the moment, though he also believes such a market could quickly form in the event of an injury to another team’s starting QB. Assuming the Falcons and a prospective suitor agree to trade terms, Cousins would surely waive his no-trade clause for the opportunity to start elsewhere.
Aaron Rodgers Cites D.K. Metcalf As A Reason For Joining Steelers; FA Tyler Boyd Would Welcome Pittsbugh Deal
Although he may not have had much by way of realistic landing spots in 2025, new Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers still had to think highly enough of the situation in Pittsburgh to join the team and put off retirement for one more year. Having previously cited head coach Mike Tomlin as a factor in his decision, Rodgers also pointed to another new Steeler, trade acquisition D.K. Metcalf.
[RELATED: Rodgers Expects To Retire After 2025 Season]
Rodgers, 41, said Metcalf is a “big part of the reason” he joined the Steelers (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). He went on to say Metcalf is “a really solid human being.”
The Steelers’ decision to trade former WR1 George Pickens after acquiring and extending Metcalf is in keeping with their modus operandi, as Pickens is entering his walk year, and Pittsburgh does not make a habit of rostering two wideouts on top-dollar deals. That said, the club was also wary of pairing Pickens and his history of maturity issues with the notoriously prickly Rodgers, a concern that may have helped grease the trade wheels.
By contrast, the throwing sessions that Rodgers and Metcalf had this offseason – before Rodgers officially joined the team – apparently helped sell the future Hall of Fame signal-caller on his new top target. Still, losing a talent like Pickens is a big blow to Pittsburgh’s offense, so the team is reportedly continuing to seek a veteran wideout despite having added Robert Woods in late April.
Pro Bowl stalwarts like Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper remain on the market and thus have been connected to Pittsburgh, at least speculatively. While finances are likely not a major factor in the Steelers’ calculus at this point since they have roughly $19MM in cap room, a less expensive option like Tyler Boyd may also make sense.
Boyd, 30, spent the first eight years of his career as a key part of the Bengals’ passing attack and topped 1,000 receiving yards in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Even in his last season in Cincinnati in 2023, Boyd saw 98 targets. However, the team’s decision to use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins and the specter of a record-setting extension for Ja’Marr Chase led Boyd out of the Queen City last offseason.
The Pittsburgh native and University of Pittsburgh product was interested in joining his hometown Steelers in 2024, and the interest was reportedly mutual. But the parties could not find common ground on contract terms, so Boyd ultimately inked a one-year deal with the Titans.
As Tennessee slogged through a forgettable year with second-year passer Will Levis and veteran Mason Rudolph (now back with Pittsburgh) at the controls, Boyd put up an underwhelming stat line. Excluding the 2017 campaign, in which he appeared in just 10 games, Boyd tied or set career lows with 57 targets, 39 catches, 390 receiving yards, and a 10.0 yards-per-catch rate. He also failed to find the endzone for the first time in his career.
Of course, he had done much better with different quarterback situations, and he represents an intriguing buy-low candidate for teams in need of receiving help. For the second year in a row, he is hoping to head home to western Pennsylvania.
At this youth camp on Saturday, Boyd was asked by Pittsburgh Sports Now if he would like to sign with the Steelers.
“Absolutely,” he said (via Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports; h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “You know, all my family is here. I’d be able to have the majority of them be able to support me.”
Like many players, Boyd has a fondness for Tomlin.
“I’m real cool with Tomlin,” he added. “He’s always been a good person. … When I was at Pitt, we had a good relationship. After practice, I’d walk over there, talk to [Antonio Brown] and those guys, talk to Tomlin, and he’d just pick at different things, where I could get better and get some guidance. I think we had a great friendship.”
There have been no public reports of interest in Boyd’s services in 2025. It remains to be seen if the Steelers will reciprocate his interest this time around.
Cardinals’ Isaiah Adams In “Pole Position” For Starting RG Job; RB Trey Benson Hopes To Earn More Carries
Isaiah Adams, one of four third-round picks the Cardinals made in 2024, started at right guard over the last five games of his rookie season after seeing sporadic playing time prior to that point. Per Darren Urban of the team’s official website, Adams is in “pole position” to earn the starting RG gig in 2025.
In the estimation of Pro Football Focus, Adams did not play particularly well in his limited action last year. PFF assigned him a middling grade of 58.4, which placed him as the 52nd-best guard out of 77 qualified players. His 50.3 pass-blocking grade was the main culprit for that mark, which was mitigated by his above-average performance in the run game.
Regardless of whether the club’s view of Adams’ work aligns with PFF’s evaluation, the Cardinals clearly saw enough to pencil him in as a first-team blocker. One of his primary needs this offseason was to improve his strength, which he acknowledged was on the top of his agenda.
Urban leaves open the possibility of a veteran addition once training camp gets underway next month. However, given Adams’ draft status, the longtime Cardinals beat believes the club wants Adams to win the job.
Arizona did add Royce Newman in free agency this offseason. Newman served as the Packers’ primary right guard in 2021, but his playing time has gone down in each subsequent season. Green Bay waived him last August, and though the Bucs claimed him on waivers, he appeared in a grand total of three snaps for Tampa Bay in 2024. It therefore appears the RG job is Adams’ to lose.
One of Adams’ fellow 2024 third-rounders, running back Trey Benson, still finds himself behind RB1 James Conner on the Cardinals’ depth chart. Conner played in a career-high 16 games last season, which allowed him to set a personal high-water mark of 1,508 scrimmage yards while maintaining a healthy 4.6 yards-per-carry rate. He also added nine total TDs, and his efforts earned him an extension that will keep him in place through 2026.
Because of Conner’s performance and availability, Benson was limited to 63 totes in 2024. Like Conner, Benson managed 4.6 yards per carry, and he added bulk this offseason while simultaneously improving his speed, power, and explosiveness in an effort to earn more carries (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic).
Conner, 30, dealt with a lingering right knee injury last season, and though he was mostly able to play through it, the Cardinals shut him down for the 2024 finale (along with Benson). We have not heard anything troublesome about Conner’s health, but it would not be surprising for Arizona to lighten the veteran’s workload a bit in 2025 to see what one of its recent draftees can do.
For his part, Conner believes Benson is up to the task.
“He’s worked unbelievably this offseason,” Conner said of Benson. “Showed up every single day, working out together and yeah, he wants it. He wants it bad. That’s because he knows the type of player he can be. We all know that. … He was already a freak athlete before, but now … He’s a grown man out there.”
Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks Joins Athletes First
Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks will be eligible for an extension after the 2025 slate, which will mark his third season in the league. In anticipation of that, perhaps, Wicks has signed with powerhouse NFL agency Athletes First, as the agency itself recently announced.
Wicks, a fifth-round draft choice in 2023, led Green Bay in targets last year with 76, one more than 2023 second-rounder Jayden Reed. However, he was not terribly efficient with those looks, as he caught just 39 balls (a 51.3% catch rate) and recorded just 10.6 yards per reception.
In an effort to provide a jolt to their WR room, particularly since top deep threat Christian Watson could miss regular season time in the upcoming campaign, the Packers selected a first-round receiver for the first time since 2002, turning in the card for Texas pass catcher Matthew Golden. Green Bay also added Savion Williams in the third round, continuing the club’s recent trend of drafting and developing receivers rather than acquiring them on the free agency or trade markets.
The rookie additions obviously will create additional competition for targets for holdovers like Wicks, Reed, and Romeo Doubs, even with Watson’s health status up in the air. Reed’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has already expressed concern about the team’s plans for his client, though it sounds as if Reed – who has led the Packers in receiving yards in each of his first two professional seasons and who has scored 14 TDs during that time – will continue to operate as one of QB Jordan Love’s top weapons.
It is unclear if the same will be true for Wicks, who struggled with drops in 2024. It should be noted that a number of his targets from Love were uncatchable, and Reed dropped his fair share of balls as well. But if Wicks is to put himself in consideration for a new deal next offseason, he will need to clean up his drop issues while fending off his incumbent teammates and the incoming first-year talent. That is especially true given the fact that Reed is also extension-eligible for the first time in 2026 and since Watson and Doubs are entering walk years.
While Rosenhaus is the most recognizable NFL agent for most fans, Athletes First and star agent David Mulugheta have done quite well for themselves. The agency noted on Instagram that Mulugheta was the first agent in history to close contracts totaling $1 billion in a single year, a feat he accomplished in 2024. Athletes First’s website boasts its representation of 115 first-round picks and 102 Pro Bowlers, among other accomplishments.
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley: “I Don’t Plan On Retiring Anytime Soon”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, fresh off a magical debut season in Philadelphia that culminated in First Team All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year honors for him and a Super Bowl championship for the club, created something of a panic during a recent appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast.
“I’ll probably be one of those guys that it’ll be out of nowhere [when I retire],” Barkley said. “I’ll probably just wake up one day, whether it’s next year or two years or four years, and just be like, ‘Yeah it’s over.’ I don’t think I will ever lose that passion. I’m just a competitor…” (h/t Patrick McAvoy of SI.com).
Barkley went on to reference Barry Sanders, the legendary Lions RB who abruptly and unexpectedly retired before training camp of his age-31 season in 1999 (and on the heels of a campaign in which he tallied 1,491 rushing yards and earned his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl bid).
“One of my favorite players of all time, probably my favorite player of all time, is Barry Sanders, so probably similar to that,” Barkley added. “Maybe one day it will be out of nowhere. I’ll probably be balling and just be like, yeah, and call it quits.”
Of course, Sanders later revealed that his own decision to hang up his cleats was spurred by frustration with the Lions’ front office and the overall direction of the franchise. Detroit advanced to the NFC Championship Game in 1991, Sanders’ third season in the pros, but the team would not win another playoff contest until 2023. In the year immediately preceding his retirement, the Lions finished 5-11 and in fourth place out of five teams in the old NFC Central.
Barkley, meanwhile, is entering his age-28 season, and in light of the personal and team success he enjoyed with the Eagles in 2024, Philadelphia brass authorized a two-year, $41.2MM extension just one year after signing him to a three-year, $37.75MM accord in free agency. Behind a stout offensive front and in an offense with ample skill-position talent, Barkley led the league with 2,005 rushing yards in the 2024 regular season (in 16 games) and added 278 yards and 15 total touchdowns for good measure. He was equally impressive in the playoffs, recording a league-best 499 rushing yards and five TDs during Philly’s four-game postseason run.
Thanks to the recent extension, he is now under club control through 2028, which would be his age-31 slate. And while Sanders retired with multiple years remaining on what was then a record-setting contract, Barkley later clarified that he has no intentions of emulating his role model’s exit strategy in the near future.
“I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon,” Barkley told reporters, including PHLY’s Zach Berman. “I feel like I’m entering my prime.”
Had Barkley announced his retirement this year, it would have been even more shocking than Sanders’ announcement. And it sounds as if the former No. 2 overall pick of the Giants has designs on at least finishing out his current deal, which is surely good news for Eagles fans.
Barkley did struggle with injuries during his time with New York, and he indicated his eventual departure from the game will be largely dictated by his health.
“I don’t have a set date or how many years I want to play,” he said (via Nick Faria of Athlon Sports). “I would love to play this game as long as God lets me and my body lets me, so that’s really it.”