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Dolphins, Rams Not Showing Jaire Alexander Interest; Latest On CB’s Free Agency

June 11th, 2025 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several teams have reached out to Jaire Alexander‘s camp since he became a free agent; the Bills negotiated with the Packers on a potential trade. But the former Pro Bowler remains unattached. A one-year deal should be considered likely.

Not high on a Packers pay-cut offer, Alexander elected to try his luck in what amounts to an audition season. That should be considered Alexander’s most likely play, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who predicts a one-year contract that will — should the veteran cornerback shake his injury issues — open the door to a bigger payday as a 2026 free agent.

[RELATED: Dolphins Excuse Jalen Ramsey From Minicamp]

While Schefter does not envision Alexander collecting as much as he would have made on a reduced Packers deal, an opportunity should come soon. Teams are understandably leery of Alexander’s injury past; the former first-round pick has missed 20 games over the past two years and 33 over the past four. Expecting much on a one-year accord is probably unrealistic for the seven-year veteran, but a starting opportunity to serve as a potential platform to a 2026 free agency bid should certainly be expected.

The Dolphins have a rather notable need at corner, as they are prepared for a Jalen Ramsey separation, but the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson indicates they did not touch base with the Packers on Alexander. Miami is also not believed to have contacted Alexander since his release. While the Dolphins have been connected to corners — Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr, James Bradberry — due to Ramsey’s eventual exit gutting them at that spot, they may not be ready to bet on another high-maintenance cover man. Their Ramsey trade did not work out, and it will lead to sizable dead money if/once he is traded. Alexander has been less dependable than Ramsey, though the seven-year Packer is the new top corner available as a free agent.

The Rams continue to come up as a Ramsey destination, but Sean McVay sounded considerably more hesitant on Alexander. Los Angeles has not made an outside CB addition this offseason, passing on additions in the draft and the UDFA ranks. Two 30-something CBs (Darious Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon) are already on the Rams’ roster, but it sure sounds like they are comfortable reacquiring Ramsey, who will play an age-31 season in 2025. Alexander turned 28 in February.

“There are so many layers to the Jalen conversation,” McVay said. “Obviously, with Jaire, a lot of respect for him as a player, haven’t talked about those types of things. This will really represent our last OTA day, so we’ve kind of just been focused on our group. Les [Snead] and I have had some dialogue and discussions as it relates to the Jalen thing, but there’s really no news to report on. And with Jaire, nothing but respect for the player but I don’t know if that’s a direction that we would go.”

Ex-McVay staffer Ejiro Evero is running a third Panthers defense, and while The Athletic’s Joe Person notes Carolina will do due diligence on Alexander, nothing appears imminent there. The Panthers extended Jaycee Horn and re-signed Michael Jackson this offseason.

The team did not draft a corner, but Jackson — a 2024 trade pickup who started 17 games (albeit for the league’s 32nd-ranked defense) last season — signed a two-year, $10.5MM deal to stay alongside Horn. Alexander is a Charlotte native who would be expected to usurp Jackson were the Panthers to pursue him.

Chiefs Wanted To Re-Sign DT Tershawn Wharton

June 8th, 2025 at 12:25pm CST by Rory Parks

After Milton Williams spurned the Panthers’ advances in March, Carolina pivoted to another notable defensive tackle in this year’s free agent class, Tershawn Wharton. The former undrafted find of the Chiefs may have been something of a consolation prize for the Panthers, but his original club wanted to keep him in the fold.

Per David Newton of ESPN.com, Kansas City simply could not match the contract that Carolina authorized for Wharton (three years and $45.1MM, including $30.25MM in full guarantees and an additional $9MM available in incentives). That stands to reason given that the defending AFC champions entered the offseason with little financial flexibility and made the surprising decision to use the franchise tag – worth a fully-guaranteed $23.4MM – on guard Trey Smith.

Kansas City’s decision on Smith precipitated the trade of its other starting guard, Joe Thuney. With a glaring left tackle need, the club’s biggest FA outlay was earmarked for former 49ers swing tackle Jaylon Moore, who landed a two-year, $30MM contract (the Chiefs doubled down on the position by selecting Ohio State OT Josh Simmons in the first round of April’s draft).

The Chiefs’ salary cap picture prevented them from spending big on a Wharton replacement, but second-round draftee Omarr Norman-Lott will have the opportunity to fill Wharton’s shoes. KC did add Jerry Tillery to the defensive front while re-signing Charles Omenihu and Mike Pennel.

Newton seems to suggest that Wharton – a Missouri native who became the first player from Division II Missouri University of Science and Technology to make a modern-era NFL roster – preferred to remain with his hometown team. The ESPN scribe writes, “[i]n a perfect world, Wharton would have remained in Kansas City, where he won two Super Bowls and went to four.”

That said, the soon-to-be 27-year-old also believes there are new opportunities in Charlotte to go along with his new salary. As Jeff Hawkins of the Charlotte Post notes, Wharton believes he was miscast when Kansas City deployed him as a pass-rushing nose tackle in its 4-3 alignment, and he expects to build on his breakout 2024 showing as a member of Panthers DC Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 scheme.

“This guy has a purpose in everything that he does,” Evero said of Wharton. “And it’s really, really impressive to watch. … So it’s great to add guys like that who can bring that experience, that mentality and that work ethic.”

Wharton played 20 games (12 starts) in 2024, including playoffs. He tallied 37 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a forced fumble as an integral member of Steve Spagnuolo’s stout unit that finished in the top-10 in total defense and in the top-five in scoring defense.

Rams Made Offer For Panthers’ No. 8 Pick; Carolina Eyed Jalon Walker As Backup Plan

June 4th, 2025 at 10:32am CST by Sam Robinson

Despite having made a Cooper Kupp-for-Davante Adams offseason switch, the Rams were connected to wide receivers in the draft. Buzz about Los Angeles and Emeka Egbuka emerged, but prior to that, the team was believed to be interested in a trade-up for Tetairoa McMillan.

Rams-McMillan rumors came up shortly after the Panthers made their pick at No. 8, but a recent offering from the NFC South team reveals Los Angeles did make an offer. The Panthers discussed terms with the Rams well into their time on the clock, and the Dan Morgan–Brandt Tilis duo debated (YouTube link) accepting Les Snead‘s offer.

The NFC teams discussed trade terms before the draft, per Tilis, but the Rams look to have come in with a different offer during the first round. Morgan assumed L.A. was eyeing McMillan at No. 8, leading him to ask for a monster proposal. The Panthers and Rams had made a key swap during last year’s second round, a move that gave the Rams Braden Fiske (after a move from No. 52 to No. 39) and the Panthers a 2025 second-rounder.

“It’s like if they want this, they’re going to have to go above and beyond, kind of like what they did to us last year when they gave us the two,” Morgan said, via Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. “That’s because I was convicted on our guy. I really don’t want to lose this player. But if we are going to lose the player, and it’s something that could potentially set us up for the future, if we get a load of picks out of them, then let’s explore it.

“But I didn’t really want to. I was kind of hoping that they would say no. So when they said no at the end, I was fine with it. I was actually like, ‘Sweet.'”

It is not known what the Rams proposed, but a 2026 first-rounder and much more would have been required for the Panthers to move back to No. 26. After the Rams did not swing a deal for McMillan or Egbuka, they acquired a 2026 first-round pick — potential ammo for a QB-based trade-up next year — from the Falcons, who traded back into Round 1 for James Pearce Jr. The Falcons had chosen Jalon Walker at No. 15. The Panthers were closely connected to the hybrid Georgia linebacker, and The Athletic’s Joe Person notes the team would have been comfortable taking him at No. 8 — in the event McMillan was off the board.

A meeting between McMillan and WRs coach Rob Moore convinced the Panthers, who have now made first- or second-round receiver investments in the past three drafts (following Xavier Legette and the since-traded Jonathan Mingo). Carolina tabled its pass rush need to Day 2, viewing this draft’s EDGE class as bringing superior options compared to what the second round presented at wideout. As Walker will be expected to help solve the Falcons’ years-long edge-rushing issue, McMillan will be a central component of the Panthers’ renewed Bryce Young development effort.

The Panthers would have also been comfortable taking Mason Graham, Person adds, but the Browns closed that path by choosing him at No. 5. It is unclear how the Panthers would have proceeded between Graham and McMillan had the Michigan DT slid to 8. Had Carolina enjoyed access to Graham, Dallas awaited a potential McMillan grab at No. 12. Though, the 49ers and Packers were interested in trading up for the Arizona pass catcher as well.

The Rams did not choose a receiver until Round 7, and while they re-signed Tutu Atwell, it is fairly clear it wanted another weapon to pair with Adams — who will turn 33 before season’s end — and Puka Nacua. The Rams can also separate from Adams with a modest dead money charge in 2026. Not landing an early-round talent at the position, a year after a Brock Bowers-based trade-up move failed, would stand to affect Adams’ chances of playing out his two-year, $46MM L.A. accord.

2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 4th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Sam Robinson

This week started with a point on the NFL calendar that has been important for decades. Although teams have not needed to wait until June to make their most expensive cuts in many years, they do not see the funds from post-June 1 designations until that point.

With June 1 coming and going, a fourth of the league has seen the savings from post-June 1 releases arrive. That has affected the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy. Here is how every team stands (via OverTheCap) following June 2 changes:

  1. New England Patriots: $67.34MM
  2. San Francisco 49ers: $53.49MM
  3. Detroit Lions: $40.12MM
  4. New York Jets: $39.8MM
  5. Las Vegas Raiders: $36.16MM
  6. Arizona Cardinals: $32.11MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $32.11MM
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $31.88MM
  9. Seattle Seahawks: $31.21MM
  10. Tennessee Titans: $30.16MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $28.94MM
  12. Cincinnati Bengals: $27.08MM
  13. Los Angeles Chargers: $26.83MM
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $26.63MM
  15. Jacksonville Jaguars: $26.54MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $25.79MM
  17. New Orleans Saints: $22.62MM
  18. Washington Commanders: $21.13MM
  19. Indianapolis Colts: $20.09MM
  20. Los Angeles Rams: $19.44MM
  21. Baltimore Ravens: $18.95MM
  22. Carolina Panthers: $18.69MM
  23. Minnesota Vikings: $18.49MM
  24. Cleveland Browns: $18.2MM
  25. Houston Texans: $16.3MM
  26. Denver Broncos: $16.23MM
  27. Chicago Bears: $14.76MM
  28. Miami Dolphins: $13.81MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $10.75MM
  30. Atlanta Falcons: $5.02MM
  31. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  32. Buffalo Bills: $1.69MM

The Jets saw their situation change the most from post-June 1 designations, as $13.5MM became available to the team after its Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosley cuts. Teams have up to two post-June 1 designations at their disposals. Five clubs — the Jets, Browns, Ravens, Eagles and 49ers — used both slots. Only three other teams made a post-June 1 cut before that seminal date. The eight that made these moves will have dead money split between 2025 and 2026.

Baltimore used the cost-defraying option to release Marcus Williams and Justin Tucker, while Cleveland — in Year 4 of the regrettable Deshaun Watson partnership — used it to move on from Juan Thornhill and Dalvin Tomlinson. As the Eagles’ option bonus-heavy payroll included two hefty bonus numbers for Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the reigning Super Bowl champions released both 30-something cornerbacks. Together, Slay and Bradberry will count more than $20MM on Philadelphia’s 2026 cap sheet. As for this year, though, the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and 49ers respectively saved $9.85MM, $9.4MM, $6.3MM, $6.4MM and $5.6MM, according to Spotrac.

The Jaguars made a mid-offseason decision to release Gabe Davis, doing so not long after trading up to draft Travis Hunter — with the plan to primarily play him at wide receiver — at No. 2 overall. Off-field issues, coupled with a down 2024 season, made Tucker expendable — after the Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in Round 6. The Vikings moved off Garrett Bradbury‘s contract and will replace him with free agency addition Ryan Kelly, while Mason lasted two seasons paired with C.J. Stroud‘s rookie deal. The 49ers made it known early they were moving on from Javon Hargrave, while 2024 trade addition Maliek Collins also exited the team’s D-tackle room.

Derek Carr‘s retirement being processed Tuesday also changed the Saints’ funding. The team will spread the dead money ($50.13MM) across two years. Even with the number being reduced this year, the Saints will be hit with the second-highest single-player dead money hit (behind only the Broncos’ Russell Wilson separation) in NFL history as a result of the Carr exit. The Saints will only be responsible for $19.21MM of that total in 2025. As they did with Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox‘s retirements last year, the Eagles will also process Brandon Graham‘s hit this way.

Eight of this year’s post-June 1 releases remain in free agency. The Patriots added Bradbury to replace the now-retired David Andrews, while the Vikings scooped up Hargrave. As the Steelers await Rodgers’ decision, they added two other post-June 1 releases in Slay and Thornhill. Tomlinson joined the Cardinals not long after his Browns release.

Panthers TE Tommy Tremble Underwent Back Surgery

May 27th, 2025 at 6:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers will be without one of their top tight ends for at least the rest of OTAs and minicamp. Head coach Dave Canales revealed today that tight end Tommy Tremble recently underwent back surgery that could keep him sidelined at least until the start of training camp.

“Tommy did have surgery on his back last week, a successful surgery,” Canales said today (via the team’s website). “We were kind of thinking about it, talking about it, looking at timelines and all that, and just felt like for him to give him the (time). He’s 25 years old. You know, let’s get this thing while he’s young and strong and be able to just get back on the right track.”

Tremble missed a handful of games last season thanks to lingering back issues, and it sounds like the tight end is trying to avoid a similar situation in 2025. Canales said Tremble will miss at least the rest of OTAs and minicamp, and he’ll likely be rehabbing for the start of training camp (per Joe Person of The Athletic). The 24-year-old will be destined for the PUP list until that time.

Person notes that the surgery is “not expected to be season-ending,” although that hints that Tremble’s rehab could extend into the regular season. If the tight end remains on PUP following the first iteration of the Panthers’ 53-man roster, he’d be forced to miss the first four games of the upcoming campaign.

A former third-round pick, Tremble saw a relatively modest role playing alongside the likes of Ian Thomas and Hayden Hurst. He had his best showing in 2024, finishing with 23 receptions for a career-high 234 yards. Following that performance, he inked a new two-year, $16MM deal ($8MM guaranteed) with the organization this offseason.

While the Panthers would surely prefer Tremble in the lineup, the team should be fine without their most experienced tight end. Ja’Tavion Sanders actually led the position grouping in offensive production in 2024, finishing with 33 catches for 342 yards. The Panthers also recently used a fifth-round pick on Mitchell Evans, and they’re rostering the likes of Dominique Dafney, James Mitchell, and Bryce Pierre at the bottom of the depth chart.

Panthers Aimed To Avoid Jadeveon Clowney Blocking Younger OLBs’ Paths

May 27th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers did not offer a strong response at outside linebacker after trading Brian Burns. Although other issues led to Carolina’s defense sinking to last place across the board, the team struggled to replace the pass rusher it traded after endless extension talks.

Jadeveon Clowney became the top Panthers solution here, having signed his first multiyear deal (two years, $20MM) since his Texans rookie pact back in 2014. But the Panthers made the South Carolina alum’s homecoming short-lived, cutting Clowney after engaging in trade talks earlier this offseason. Carolina’s draft plan played into Clowney’s fourth NFL one-and-done, as the selections of second- and third-round edge rushers (Nic Scourton, Princely Umanmielen) directly influenced the team’s approach with its veterans.

The two SEC products will have direct routes to playing time, and the team wanted to ensure that by cutting Clowney. The Panthers were not exactly facing a lofty payment for the former No. 1 overall pick, and while they saved $7.75MM with the release, ESPN.com’s David Newton notes the goal of seeing younger talents enjoy extended auditions provided just as much reason for Clowney’s exit as finances did.

“When you watch the 2024 film, [Clowney] was a guy that gave us everything that he had on the field,” Dave Canales said, via Newton. “[But] we’re developmentally minded, and we understand bringing in outside linebackers and [drafting] two edge rushers — all those reps are valuable.”

In addition to Scourton and Umanmielen, the Panthers return D.J. Wonnum and signed Patrick Jones after four seasons as a Vikings rotational cog. Wonnum’s former Minnesota teammate will have the first crack at replacing Clowney in Carolina’s lineup, Newton adds. While Jones’ contract (two years, $15MM) suggested a starter chance, it does not provide open-and-shut first-stringer money. And the Panthers soon using two second-day picks on OLBs changed the position’s outlook from when Jones signed.

Jones started only five games during a four-year Minnesota run but generated free agency interest on the heels of a seven-sack season. Contributing to a Vikings pass rush housing Pro Bowlers Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard (along with first-rounder Dallas Turner), Jones saw his Twin Cities path blocked. He will have a chance to prove himself as a starter, though the presences of Wonnum (31 Vikings starts from 2020-23) and the two rookies could may this a short-term partnership.

Jones, 26, will have a chance to up his value while in Charlotte, as another crack at free agency in his 20s would loom. Wonnum is coming off a season shortened by the quad injury he suffered in his Vikings finale, and Canales said Tuesday a back flareup emerged. That will be something to monitor for the Panthers, who did not have much committed to the sixth-year veteran ahead of his contract’s second and final year. Clowney, 32, remains a free agent but intends to play in 2025. He led the Panthers with 5.5 sacks last season and was the team’s only player to post more than eight QB hits (11).

Panthers Part Ways With DPP Cole Spencer, Scout Robert Haines

May 24th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Ely Allen

One of several teams making front office changes in the wake of the NFL draft, the Panthers have reportedly parted ways with director of player personnel Cole Spencer and long-time college scout Robert Haines, per Joe Person of The Athletic.

Starting his football career in football operations and coaching at Eastern Illinois, Spencer entered the NFL as a scouting intern for Washington in 2010. A year later, he was promoted to a regional scouting role, and he spent the next eight years scouting the northeast, midwest, and southeast regions. He spent his last two years in Washington as a national scout. Spencer left the Football Team to join the Panthers in 2021 as director of college scouting. Carolina promoted him to director of player personnel in 2023.

A local product, Haines has been with the Panthers for all 22 seasons of his career. He first started in Carolina with the team’s video department. In 2005, he moved into the personnel department as a college scouting assistant, getting promoted to pro scouting assistant in 2007, combine scout in 2008, and regional scout in 2010. For 11 seasons, Haines covered the northeast area (the source of Boston College product Luke Kuechly) before moving to the southeast area in 2021. In the final three seasons of his career, Haines served as a national scout.

While no announcements have been made as of yet, Person adds that the Panthers intend to “absorb” these positions internally with no immediate plans to replace Spencer or Haines. This means their responsibilities could end up just falling to existing personnel like director of college scouting Jared Kirksey and assistant director of college scouting David Whittington.

The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History

May 21st, 2025 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.

The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.

Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees

Carolina Panthers

Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)

Los Angeles Chargers

Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal

Los Angeles Rams

Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)

Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)

NFL Minor Transactions: 5/20/25

May 20th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

  • Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/13/25

May 13th, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The following 2025 draft picks signed their rookie contracts today:

Carolina Panthers

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks

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