Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf
The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel has indicated his club will be active in free agency (after all, New England does have nearly $130MM in cap space, the most in the league by a comfortable margin). To that end, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports the Pats will aggressively pursue Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should Stanley hit the open market.
Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England’s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus’ metrics with respect to pass protection and last in run blocking. Stanley had struggled with injuries in recent years, and even when he was on the field, he did not look like the same player that earned a First Team All-Pro nod in 2019. After being forced to accept a $7.5MM pay cut in advance of the 2024 season, Stanley turned in a terrific platform campaign, landing his second Pro Bowl bid and playing a full complement of games for the first time in his career.
Naturally, the Ravens want Stanley back and have prioritized a new contract for him. However, the franchise tag is not considered as an option because of how it would hinder a team that is just outside the bottom-10 in cap room and because the $23.4MM tag number for O-linemen would set the floor in negotiations above where Baltimore is willing to go. New England reportedly values Stanley’s leadership and experience in big games in addition to his raw ability, and if Stanley and the Ravens cannot come to terms before the onset of free agency, Vrabel & Co. appear ready to pounce.
If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers’ Dan Moore or the Vikings’ Cam Robinson – a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline – as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams’ Alaric Jackson before he re-upped with Los Angeles). And, even if they are able to acquire an established OT, the Pats will presumably not be done in their search for better protection for QB Drake Maye and their rushing attack
LSU OT Will Campbell is a real possibility for the Patriots’ No. 4 overall selection in April’s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders before New England is on the clock, though, the Pats will have the opportunity to take one of the top non-QBs in the 2025 class (Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter).
Of that duo, Hunter is viewed as the more likely to fall to No. 4. As opposed to Carter, Hunter would not address the Pats’ top goal of bolstering their trenches, but beyond OL and DL help, the Boston Herald sees cornerback, wide receiver, and linebacker as the next positions of priority. Regardless of whether New England sees Hunter as a CB or wideout, the two-way blue-chipper would be a major get.
With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly “covet” Jets LB Jamien Sherwood, particularly since he exhibits the speed and physicality that Vrabel is hoping to inject into his front seven. The 2021 fifth-rounder was mostly quiet through his first three professional seasons before bursting onto the scene in a big way in his walk year, starting 16 of New York’s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles – including a league-leading 98 solo stops – and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF’s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.
As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Those reports were published before it became clear Cincinnati was prepared to put the franchise tag on Higgins for a second time. While a tag presumably remains a possibility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the team has not told Higgins whether he will actually receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline.
Nonetheless, sources tell Callahan and Kyed that Higgins will not be available (either as an FA or as a trade candidate). Should the Bengals change their mind on that front, the Patriots would be back in the mix, despite some conflicting reports to the contrary.
It has been said that the Patriots would explore trades for a WR, though the Boston Herald believes the team would prefer to address their need for a proven pass-catcher through free agency to avoid surrendering premium draft capital. The Bucs’ Chris Godwin would be a top target if Tampa Bay allows him to test the free agent waters, and on the trade front, the Pats have reportedly “kicked the tires” on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.
Given New England’s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed – whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness – name Eagles DT Milton Williams and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward as several of New England’s other top FA targets.
Eagles Expected To Move On From CB Darius Slay, Re-Sign CB Isaiah Rodgers?
Eagles cornerback Darius Slay has indicated he wants to retire at the end of the upcoming season. He also said he would like to finish his playing career with Philadelphia, and his contract with the club does run through 2025.
However, there has been some question as to whether the Eagles will retain the six-time Pro Bowler, and according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com, the club is not expected to bring Slay back. Given the high quality of Slay’s performance even as he nears the end of his career – he limited opposing passers to an 81.9 QB rating in 2024 and finished with a strong 73.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus – one would think that such a decision would be largely motivated by salary cap considerations.
But releasing or trading Slay prior to June 1 would result in a dead money charge of $22.71MM and would actually decrease Philadelphia’s cap space. Even a post-June 1 maneuver would create only $4.32MM of space while still saddling the team with over $9MM of dead money.
That makes Shorr-Parks’ report even more intriguing, especially since fellow corner Isaiah Rodgers is an impending free agent. Shorr-Parks believes the Eagles could have bigger plans for Rodgers, who saw a modest 36% snap share in 2024 after serving a year-long suspension in 2023 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.
Despite the somewhat limited action, Rodgers played well last season, finishing as PFF’s 24th-best corner out of 116 qualified players (just one spot below Slay, albeit in a considerably smaller sample size). One of the biggest reasons for Philadelphia’s turnaround from its one-and-done showing in the 2023 playoffs to a Super Bowl title in 2024 was the improvement of its pass defense, and Rodgers – along with rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean – was a key addition to the secondary.
Shorr-Parks suggests Rodgers – who is a popular and vocal player – could be retained on a fairly modest two-year contract worth around $10MM. He could also take over Slay’s role and play opposite Mitchell as a starting boundary corner, which would allow Super Bowl hero DeJean to remain in the slot. The team is still rostering 2023 fourth-rounder Kelee Ringo as well, and he could at least compete for the CB2 gig (though defensive coordinator Vic Fangio appears to prefer Rodgers to Ringo).
If the Eagles do move on from Slay, the longtime Lion has said he would like to return to Detroit. The Lions could certainly be in the market for CB help, particularly if Carlton Davis departs in free agency.
Browns Rumors: Bitonio, Cousins, Newsome
Towards the end of the Browns’ disappointing 2024 season, left guard Joel Bitonio said he had not yet decided whether to return for 2025 – the last year of his current contract – or retire. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported just yesterday, Bitonio is still working through his decision, though he plans to let the team know before free agency opens next month. The 33-year-old blocker confirmed retirement remains “within the realm of possibilities” (via Zac Jackson of The Athletic).
Like teammate Myles Garrett, Bitonio said he wanted to hear the Browns’ plans for a return to contention in 2025, including their quarterback strategy. However, he also made clear that his decision to keep playing or hang up his cleats would primarily be informed by health and family considerations.
Retaining a player as good as Bitonio on a $1.26MM base salary and $3MM roster bonus would doubtlessly be a welcome development for the Browns. Indeed, Cleveland has a major question mark at left tackle – regardless of whether Dawand Jones is medically cleared in time for training camp, as expected – and the team must also navigate Garrett’s trade request and meaningfully address the quarterback position despite having the second-worst cap situation in the league as of the time of this writing.
Previous reports indicated the Browns will sign a veteran QB in free agency even if they plan to select one in April’s draft, and Kirk Cousins was mentioned as one FA possibility. The fact that Browns HC Kevin Stefanski worked as Cousins’ quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator with the Vikings from 2018-19 is a driving force behind Cousins-Cleveland speculation, as is the fact that the cap-strapped Browns could likely sign the 36-year-old for the veteran minimum. Albert Breer of SI.com confirms Cousins’ contract with the Falcons includes offset language, meaning that if he is released as expected, the only way he will land a deal in excess of the minimum in 2025 is if another team believes he is worth more than the $27.5MM for which Atlanta is already on the hook (which is highly unlikely, and Cousins has no real incentive to seek a higher payout and reduce his number of potential suitors).
Breer appears to agree that the signs pointing to an accord between Cousins and the Browns are real. He also expects the team to draft a QB regardless of whether Cousins or a different free agent is added to the mix. Cleveland, which presently holds the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, is already assured of landing either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders – the top prospects in an admittedly maligned class of collegiate QBs – though GM Andrew Berry has said he believes the class includes starting-caliber passers outside of Ward and Sanders.
Many people around the league agree Cousins will be a Browns target, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline writes. Especially if Cleveland does not manage to land Ward in the draft, the veteran could rebuild his value with a familiar face in the form of Stefanski while providing the team with a much-needed affordable short-term option under center.
The Browns have understandably stated they do not want to trade Garrett, but if they reverse course and unload him, they could also have a decision to make on their top cornerback, Denzel Ward. Ward, who is under club control through 2027 but who has no guaranteed salary due to him beyond 2025, has said Garrett’s trade request has a “huge impact” on his own future (thereby suggesting he could be planning his own exit strategy if Garrett were to be dealt).
For what it’s worth, Ward’s fellow CB, Greg Newsome II, previously said he wants to remain with the Browns for the long haul, a desire that he recently reiterated (via Cabot). He said he would try to talk Garrett out of his trade request, as he believes the team is just a quarterback away from being a legitimate contender.
Newsome is due to play out the 2025 campaign on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which will pay him over $13MM. His hope to be a long-term member of the Browns notwithstanding, he indicated he is looking for a larger role in the defense.
In 2024, the former first-round pick played a career-low 70% of Cleveland’s defensive snaps, as Martin Emerson – who is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason – was Ward’s primary partner on the boundaries. That left Newsome to man the slot, and with opposing offenses favoring two-tight end sets, he did not see as much action as he would have liked.
“[T]here were games I was on the field 25% and 30% of the game, and as a football player, I feel like fans don’t understand, you can’t get in a rhythm for being on the field, out of 50 snaps, 15 snaps,” Newsome said. “That’s not how you play football. And that’s never what I’ve had to do in my career so far, so this was the first year of that and it was obviously a little frustrating, but I think we’ll figure this out.”
Newsome added that there have been no real extension talks between his camp and the Browns this offseason. Such conversations may not be at the top of Berry’s agenda at the moment, and if and when substantive talks do take place, Newsome’s recent trouble with his left hamstring – he had surgery on it prior to last summer’s training camp and then reinjured it in December – will be raised.
Nonetheless, Newsome said he is fully healthy and is ready to prove as much in what could be a platform year.
Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak: Geno Smith Was A “Huge Draw” For Seattle Job
Earlier this month, we heard that the Seahawks are expected to address the contract of quarterback Geno Smith in the near future (with an extension seemingly more logical than a restructure). That report came on the heels of head coach Mike Macdonald’s endorsement of a new deal for his starting signal-caller.
Even if Seattle GM John Schneider stays true to form and explores possible succession plans, we now have more indication that Smith may receive the renewed commitment he has been seeking.
During his introductory press conference, new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said Smith’s presence is one of the primary reasons he took the job.
“I have a lot of respect for Geno,” Kubiak said (via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic (subscription required)). “It was a huge draw to come here and be able to get to coach him … We have high expectations for him. [We’ll] push Geno and get the best out of him, and we’ll do that by pushing his teammates as well. It’s not just his show; it’s a team thing, and he’s got to be the head of that.”
The fact that Smith will apparently be retained for 2025, the final year of his current deal, does not necessarily mean the parties will come together on a new contract. Smith is, after all, about to enter his age-35 season, and while he regularly shows plus form, he ultimately finished the 2024 campaign with a traditional quarterback rating of 93.2 that was just above average and a QBR of 53.8 that slotted between Bryce Young and Joe Flacco (numbers that were pulled down by his 15 interceptions, the second-highest figure in the league).
On the other hand, Macdonald adamantly reiterated his belief that his club can win a championship with Smith under center.
“It’s pretty obvious this guy is a heck of a quarterback,” Macdonald said. “He’s our quarterback. We love him. Can’t wait to go work with him … He’s a great player, man. We can win a championship with Geno Smith. We really believe that.”
Plus, while the typical dearth of obvious QB upgrades on the free agent market and the perceived weakness of the 2025 collegiate class of signal-callers would make Smith a quality trade chip if the ‘Hawks chose to market him, those same factors would make it difficult for Seattle – a 10-win outfit in 2024 that clearly has designs on a postseason run in the upcoming season – to immediately replace 2022’s Comeback Player of the Year. As such, a short-term deal that rewards Smith with another influx of guaranteed cash while still keeping him on a relatively team-friendly rate could make sense for both sides.
The Seahawks’ O-line was the club’s weak link last year, and improving that group – a goal that Schneider expressly acknowledged – will naturally help Smith. Kubiak also intends to implement a run-first identity, which will also take some of the pressure off of the former Jets second-rounder.
Getting talented wideout D.K. Metcalf more involved in the offense will also be critical, both for Smith and for the offense as a whole. As Dugar writes, the Ryan Grubb-coordinated offense allowed Metcalf to simply serve as a decoy too often, and according to Macdonald, every OC candidate he interviewed to replace Grubb had plans for improved Metcalf usage at the top of their list of ideas.
Metcalf is entering the final year of his current contract, and Dugar writes in another subscribers-only piece that an extension could also be in play for the two-time Pro Bowler. That would help smooth out his massive $31.88MM cap charge for 2025 while keeping the talented wideout under club control for the foreseeable future.
Panthers, C Austin Corbett Push Back Void Date
The Panthers have bought themselves a bit more time to determine whether center Austin Corbett will continue his playing career in Charlotte. Per OverTheCap.com, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer, player and team have agreed to push the void date on Corbett’s contract to March 11, one day before the start of the 2025 league year.
Corbett, 29, just completed the final season of the three-year, $29.25MM deal he signed with the Panthers in March 2022. He suited up for a full complement of games in his debut Carolina campaign, and his play was mostly in line with his platform-year performance with the Rams in 2021, which is what convinced the Panthers to authorize a notable free agent contract in the first place.
Unfortunately, Corbett suffered an ACL tear during the 17th and final contest of the 2022 season, which led to missed time the following year. The former Browns draftee briefly returned to action in 2023, but an MCL injury limited him to only four games. Then, in Week 5 of the 2024 slate, Corbett sustained a season-ending biceps tear.
Having played just nine games due to significant injuries in each of the past two seasons, Corbett would not be hitting the open market with any kind of positive momentum if he were to leave the Panthers. And a new contract with Carolina would likely be a modest one, although his familiarity with the offense may be attractive to him as he seeks to rebuild his value.
From the club’s perspective, a new contract would allow the Panthers to reduce the nearly $8MM dead cap charge they would incur if Corbett’s current deal simply voids. It would also allow them to retain a player who has proven to be a capable blocker when healthy, a player to whom they entrusted the starting center job last spring in the critical second year of QB Bryce Young’s development (Corbett had operated exclusively at right guard in each of his four prior seasons and had never played the pivot at the professional level).
As Kaye notes, the delay of the void date does not guarantee that the two sides will strike a new agreement, though there is clearly at least some interest in a reunion. Even if Corbett does return, however, it would be fair to expect the Panthers to further bolster the center position in the draft and/or free agency.
Sources Expect Titans To Trade No. 1 Overall Pick; Latest On Browns’, Giants’ QB Plans
FEBRUARY 14: The Titans are still trending towards trading the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft.
Of a panel of eight executives, coaches, and scouts, five believe that Tennessee will trade down to add more draft capital, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, while three believe that they will stay at No. 1 and, most likely, pick a quarterback.
Their decision represents competing beliefs about how to utilize the top pick in the draft while rebuilding a franchise. Multiple members of the panel pointed out that the Titans’ roster needs go far beyond a quarterback. Trading back would allow them to build a better long-term situation for a future franchise signal-caller.
However, the first overall pick is a rare opportunity, and six of the last seven have been used on a quarterback.
“You have to make it count and get your quarterback,” said one assistant coach. “I think that’s what the Titans will do. Keep the top pick and draft Cam Ward.”
FEBRUARY 9: New Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi already indicated during his introductory press conference several weeks ago that his club is open to the possibility of trading the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Multiple sources tell ESPN’s Dan Graziano they believe Tennessee will do just that (subscription required).
The logic to a trade-down maneuver is clear. The Titans have plenty of holes to fill on their roster, and unless they become convinced one of the top signal-caller prospects in this year’s draft class (Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward) is their surefire QB of the future, moving down to collect additional draft capital makes plenty of sense.
Of course, Borgonzi & Co. are doing their due diligence on Sanders and Ward, and president of football operations Chad Brinker – who has final say over personnel matters, although Borgonzi will run the draft – indicated the team will not pass on a generational talent with the No. 1 pick. In other words, even if the Titans do not think highly enough of Sanders or Ward to make one of them the top overall pick in April, a non-QB blue-chipper like Travis Hunter could still convince Tennessee to retain its coveted position atop the draft board.
If the Titans do not select a QB with their first choice, regardless of where that selection might fall, Graziano notes that a free agent passer like Sam Darnold or Justin Fields could be in play. Or, Tennessee could simply elect to give 2023 second-rounder Will Levis one more shot to prove that he can be the solution under center.
The Browns (No. 2 overall), Giants (No. 3), Raiders (No. 6), and Jets (No. 7) all profile as potential trading partners for the Titans. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who confirms that Tennessee brass is keeping an open mind here, adds the Saints (No. 9) to the list of teams that could engage in trade talks.
Cleveland would not have to move too far up the board to assure itself of its top choice of quarterback prospects, and as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (video link) reiterates, the Browns are expected to draft a passer and would have done so even if Deshaun Watson had not suffered a second Achilles tear that puts his 2025 season in jeopardy. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (subscription required), Browns GM Andrew Berry believes a long-term starter can be found in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the Sanders/Ward tier (although Berry naturally would not suggest otherwise at this point).
Pelissero adds that, no matter when Berry plans to pull the trigger on a college quarterback, Cleveland is also expected to add a veteran at the position. He names Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as players to watch in that scenario.
In the same video link cited above, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the Giants – whose only QB under contract at the moment is Tommy DeVito – will likewise be active in the veteran signal-caller market in advance of the draft. Garafolo confirms Darnold will be an option for Big Blue, and the team could again be on Russell Wilson’s radar (a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (see Graziano link above)).
Giants owner John Mara said last month he is open to resolving his club’s QB concerns with a veteran and/or a draft pick, though he appeared to suggest a prospect was the preferred route. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post believes Mara’s team will try to move up to either the No. 1 or No. 2 slot to select a quarterback, and Dan Duggan of The Athletic thinks there is a good chance the Titans and Giants will strike a No. 1-for-No. 3 swap.
Saints Expected To Name Kellen Moore As HC
FEBRUARY 11: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms the Moore hire should be finalized shortly (video link). He adds that Nussmeier is indeed the top name to watch regarding New Orleans’ offensive coordinator spot, while Staley is firmly in contention to handle defensive coordinator duties. In the wake of winning their second Super Bowl in franchise history, the Eagles will soon need to find a new OC.
FEBRUARY 9: Once Mike McCarthy withdrew his name from consideration for the Saints’ head coaching job – the only such vacancy that remains in this year’s cycle – Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore became the clear favorite for the post. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, Moore is indeed expected to be named as New Orleans’ next HC.
Of course, Moore will first try to win a championship ring today as Philadelphia seeks to prevent a Chiefs three-peat and avenge its narrow loss to Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII. In Moore’s first (and likely only) year with the club, the Eagles finished seventh in points scored and eighth in total offense, a performance that bolstered his already strong head coaching stock.
In three of his four seasons as Cowboys offensive coordinator from 2019-22, Dallas ranked sixth or better in scoring, and Moore became a popular name on the head coaching circuit as a result. While he did not end up landing an HC gig, he never fell below the coordinator ranks, taking a job as the Chargers’ OC in 2023 before moving on to the Eagles in 2024. He was even rumored to be the frontrunner for the Dallas HC post that McCarthy (his former boss) just vacated, before Jerry Jones surprisingly pivoted to Brian Schottenheimer.
Given the Saints’ middling roster, uncertain quarterback situation, and familiar salary cap woes, the New Orleans opening is not considered an especially attractive one, so landing a sought-after candidate with strong credentials can reasonably be classified as a coup for GM Mickey Loomis & Co. One of Moore’s first tasks as the Saints’ sideline general will be to shape the club’s direction at quarterback, including how to proceed with incumbent Derek Carr .
Another clear indicator that Moore will remain in New Orleans after today’s Super Bowl in the Superdome is the fact that the 36-year-old was making calls to potential staffers prior to Super Bowl week (via FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz). ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (subscription required) names 49ers assistant coach Brandon Staley and Buccaneers outside linebackers coach George Edwards as potential defensive coordinator candidates.
Staley was Moore’s boss in 2023 when the former served as the Chargers’ head coach, though neither he nor Edwards received a defensive coordinator interview this year. Just as the Eagles’ playoff success delayed Moore’s eligibility to join another club and may have forced the Cowboys to go in a different direction at head coach, that delay also could have prevented Moore from landing some of his preferred assistants.
Klayton Adams and Matt Eberflus, who recently accepted Dallas’ offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator jobs, respectively, were also seen as strong candidates for Moore’s first staff, according to Fowler. Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, who has worked with Moore in Dallas, Los Angeles, and now Philadelphia, is seen as a potential OC option for the Saints if they move forward with the Moore hire.
49ers Give WR Deebo Samuel Permission To Seek Trade; Parting Appears Likely
8:55pm: Samuel has been given permission to seek a trade, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Schefter’s ESPN colleague, Nick Wagoner, does not expect much of a return given that the club would be selling low.
Samuel said today (via Schefter), “it was a hard conversation to have with [Shanahan] because of the relationship that we have. But I have to do what’s best. I’m more than thankful for the Niners giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, but now I think it’s best that we find another team.”
8:19am: Just like last offseason, 49ers WR Deebo Samuel may be the subject of trade rumors in the weeks and months ahead. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, San Francisco is expected to explore a trade involving the 2021 First Team All-Pro.
Samuel enjoyed a stunning breakout in that 2021 campaign, his third season in the NFL. He piled up 1,405 receiving yards on a league-best 18.2 yards-per-reception rate to go along with six receiving touchdowns, and he added 59 rushes for 365 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and eight more TDs. That performance earned him a three-year, $71.55MM extension in July 2022.
Since signing the contract, Samuel has remained a key cog in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, though he has not come close to reaching the heights of his 2021 effort. And, in 2024, he set or tied career-lows in targets (81), catches (51), yards per carry (3.2), and rushing scores (one) (excluding the 2020 season, in which he played just seven games).
Last year, the 49ers engaged in lengthy extension talks with fellow WR Brandon Aiyuk – a period that included trade discussions with clubs interested in Aiyuk – and Samuel’s name also came up in trade conversations during the 2024 draft. The Bills, Patriots, and Steelers – all of whom are still in the WR market – showed interest at the time.
After San Francisco selected wideout Ricky Pearsall in last year’s first round and finally agreed to an extension with Aiyuk, it became clear that Samuel’s days with the club could be numbered. However, there were no substantive trade talks centered around Samuel in the run-up to last year’s deadline, perhaps because Aiyuk was lost for the season due to an ACL tear before such conversations would have taken place. And, just last month, GM John Lynch and Samuel indicated the 29-year-old playmaker would see out the 2025 season – the last year of his current deal – with the Niners.
Of course, even if Lynch does speak to clubs interested in Samuel, there is no guarantee he will make a move. If a trade is consummated, though – and Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle describes a parting as “likely” – Rapoport says both player and team will be at peace with it.
Despite 2024’s downturn in production, Rapoport expects plenty of teams to be interested in acquiring Samuel’s services. The South Carolina product said in December that he was “a little frustrated for sure” by his reduced role in the 49ers’ offense, and in a since-deleted post on X that he made around the same time, he said he was not struggling, he just was not getting the ball. Perhaps rival clubs share that sentiment and believe they can help Samuel return to his All-Pro form.
From a cap perspective, a trade could be complicated by Samuel’s September restructure. Trading him prior to June 1 would create a negative cap charge of over $15MM, whereas a post-June 1 transaction would allow the team to at least spread out the dead money and save about $5MM against the 2025 cap. Every little bit will help as the Niners gear up for a lucrative Brock Purdy extension.
Cowboys Have Had Internal Discussions About Micah Parsons Trade
Cowboys star edge rusher Micah Parsons, who is entering the fifth-year option season of his rookie deal, has said he is hoping to hammer out an extension with Dallas at some point prior to training camp, but that was before the club elected not to retain head coach Mike McCarthy. As Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com write, Parsons called that decision “devastating,” and the normally candid defender has been quiet since the team promoted Brian Schottenheimer to the HC post.
One would not expect the McCarthy decision to be an insurmountable obstacle to a Parsons-Cowboys re-up, a deal that has been discussed for some time. However, like fellow standout EDGE Myles Garrett, who has requested a trade from the Browns, Parsons may see the Cowboys as a club that could be in something of a transition phase.
In addition, Dallas has both QB Dak Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb on deals at or near the top of the market for their respective positions, and Parsons is on track to top the highly-lucrative pass rusher market (currently paced by Nick Bosa’s $34.2MM AAV). And, depending on when he signs his deal relative to positional peers like Garrett, T.J. Watt, Maxx Crosby, and Trey Hendrickson – all of whom are older than Parsons and arguably not as talented – Parsons could leave Bosa’s number in the dust.
Cowboys COO Stephen Jones recently said team brass will evaluate the wisdom of having so much money tied up in so few players, though he also indicated he did not envision Parsons playing for any team other than Dallas. However, Pelissero and Rapoport hear that the team has at least had some internal discussions about whether to trade the Penn State product.
If the Cowboys do entertain a trade, the return could be staggering (some league execs and coaches believe Garrett, who is three years Parsons’ senior, could fetch a haul including two Day 1 picks). Parsons, who is entering his age-26 season, has strung together four remarkable years that have him on a surefire Hall of Fame trajectory. Strong against the run and dominant when rushing the passer, Parsons is 4-for-4 in Pro Bowl nods and has two First Team All-Pro bids as well (to go along with several near misses in Defensive Player of the Year voting and even some down-ballot MVP consideration in 2022). Despite missing some time due to injury in 2024, Parsons tallied 12 sacks, bringing his career total to 52.5 (an average of over 13 per year).
It would be easy to see a team ponying up the draft capital and the contract necessary to get a deal done, but it would still be surprising if the Cowboys moved on from a talent like Parsons (especially since the team presumably does not see itself in a transitional posture). Indeed, Clarence Hill Jr. of ALL CITY DLLS unequivocally states that such a trade will not happen, and Joel Corry of CBS Sports expects Dallas and Parsons to come to terms on a new contract over the next few months.
Nonetheless, the possibility creates one more intriguing storyline in a 2025 pass rusher market that is rife with them.
Bills See RB James Cook As Core Player; Team Plans To Bolster CB Group In Offseason
The Bills see running back James Cook as a “big part” of their future, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported last month (video link). That is hardly surprising, as Cook has posted a robust 4.9 yards-per-carry average over his first three years in the NFL and led the league in rushing touchdowns (16) in 2024.
Because Cook, a 2022 draftee, is now eligible for an extension, it would be fair to expect Buffalo to engage in contract discussions with the two-time Pro Bowler’s camp this offseason (especially since he is a former second-round pick and does not have a fifth-year option included in his rookie deal). The problem, as Rapoport observes, is that Cook is just one of a number of talented young players whose contract situations may need to be addressed in short order.
Like Cook, linebacker Terrel Bernard, center Connor McGovern, cornerback Christian Benford, and edge defender Gregory Rousseau are all entering platform years, and Rapoport identifies that quintet as a group that could be in line for a new deal. GM Brandon Beane could deploy the franchise tag on one of those players next offseason if need be, but he will still have plenty of work to do to keep a championship-caliber core intact.
Indeed, despite the Bills’ inability to get over a Kansas City-sized hump in the AFC playoff field, Beane understandably is not going to overhaul his roster. In his end-of-season presser following another difficult playoff defeat at the hands of the Chiefs several weeks ago, Beane said he and his staff will “reset” and “recalibrate” as the Bills seek to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 campaign (via Alex White and Maddy Glab of the team’s official website, who also name WR Khalil Shakir as a rising fourth-year pro who might be the target of extension talks).
Part of Beane’s offseason plan will almost certainly include negotiations with at least some members of Buffalo’s 2026 free agent class, but Beane naturally indicated he will first attend to the players who are due to hit the open market next month. That list includes players like midseason trade acquisition Amari Cooper – whose disappointing Buffalo stint did not foreclose the possibility of a new contract keeping the high-profile wideout in western New York – and cornerback Rasul Douglas.
Beane said he will not bloat the Bills’ salary cap picture with expensive contracts in an effort to slay their playoff demons, which is perhaps an indication that Buffalo will once again avoid the deep end of the free agent pool. However, he did concede that he will need to address the team’s outside cornerback position in some way.
The Bills’ lack of depth in that regard was on full display when Benford was injured in the first quarter of this year’s AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs and was lost for the remainder of the contest. That depth will become even more of a concern if the team does not re-sign Douglas.
“Whether it’s extending guys, signing a free agent, or draft allocation, [boundary corner] is one of the areas we would look at,” Beane said.
Underlying all of this is the fact that the Bills could look to give quarterback and newly-minted MVP Josh Allen a pay bump. If such a raise comes as part of an extension or restructure, it could allow the team to reduce Allen’s $43MM cap charge for 2025 and improve their salary cap situation (at present, OverTheCap.com estimates that Buffalo is roughly $14MM over the 2025 cap, the third-worst situation in the league).