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AFC West Notes: OL, Chargers, Chiefs, Carroll, Broncos

May 18th, 2025 at 5:07pm CST by Ely Allen

Bradley Bozeman has been a starting center in the NFL for most of the past four seasons. He has never graded out as one of the NFL’s best centers, though, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so the Chargers are starting to experiment with lining former first-round pick Zion Johnson up at center in 2025, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic, bumping Bozeman out to left guard.

Starting as a backup center with the Ravens in 2018, Bozeman was bumped out to left guard so that he could be in the starting lineup in his sophomore season with the team. In the final year of his rookie contract, Baltimore moved Bozeman back to center. As a free agent he signed a one-year deal as a backup to Pat Elflein in Carolina, earning the starting gig when Elflein went out with a season-ending injury. After he stepped up, Carolina extended him to a three-year, $18MM extension but released him just a year later. He rebounded by signing with the Chargers, who, like the Panthers, gave him an extension after his first year with the team.

Johnson has yet to live up to his first-round status in Los Angeles; the Chargers declined his fifth-year option this month. He took over as a starter immediately as a rookie but has been only average at left guard. While it may not result in a permanent switch, it makes sense for the Chargers to at least try swapping Johnson and Bozeman. Neither has been outstanding at their initial positions, and working in a new spot may help one or both players be more comfortable moving forward. With Mekhi Becton improving the right guard spot as he joins a pretty great tackle pair in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, the Chargers will hope that the swap results in an upgrade to their two weaker offensive line positions.

Here are a few more offseason rumors from around the AFC West:

  • In a slightly similar situation, the Raiders will be cross-training rookie tackle Charles Grant in hopes that he can serve as the team’s swing tackle, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. Las Vegas used back-to-back picks on offensive tackles in the third round back in April, selecting Grant right after drafting Texas Tech’s Caleb Rogers. Rogers may end up getting more looks on the interior as a pro, while the Raiders plan on Grant being an option to play at both tackle spots. Grant spent all five years of his time at William & Mary as a left tackle, but with Kolton Miller entrenched in that starting spot, Grant’s best path to playing time is to compete with second-year right tackle DJ Glaze. It’s not easy to switch from side to side at tackle in the NFL, so Vegas will experiment with Grant at both spots to be safe. They’ll see how well he takes on the shift to the right side in order to determine if he can compete with Glaze, but if he can’t make the change, they’ll keep him working at left tackle, as well, as an option to backup Miller.
  • While Chiefs rookie offensive tackle Josh Simmons‘ slide to the last pick of the first round was credited in large part to medical red flags, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler informs us that “character concerns” were a bigger deterrent during the pre-draft process. Fowler asserts that most teams he consulted with were not overly concerned with the patellar tendon tear that ended Simmons’ 2024 campaign. Instead, concerns with his approach to practices and run blocking gave pause to teams with mid- to late-first-round picks.
  • In a recent Q&A, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal fielded a question about whether or not the eventual replacement for Raiders head coach Pete Carroll was already in the building. Carroll is currently on a three-year deal with a fourth-year team option, but if the 73-year-old skipper opted to hang up his headset after putting the team on the right track, Bonsignore does have an eye on a potential successor in the building. Carroll’s two sons are both currently on staff with him in Las Vegas; Brennan Carroll works as the team’s offensive line coach, while Nate Carroll serves as assistant quarterbacks coach. According to Bonsignore, the elder brother, Brennan, is an up-and-coming coach with experience as an offensive coordinator with two programs at the collegiate level. If the eldest Carroll boy is going to get an NFL head coaching opportunity, the cleanest path likely lies in Vegas.
  • As linebacker Alex Singleton continues striving to make his return from a midseason ACL tear, the Broncos have just been aiming to get him back in time for their 2025 season opener. In an update from Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post, it was reported that Singleton is on track to return in time for training camp. The former undrafted free agent has been increasingly impressive as he’s earned more and more responsibility during stints with the Eagles and Broncos. Even with the first major injury of his career, the 31-year-old continues to surpass expectations with a quick and smooth rehabilitation process.

Pete Carroll Addresses Seahawks Departure

May 17th, 2025 at 8:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Shortly after the 2023 season ended, Pete Carroll made it clear he intended to spend at least one more year as the Seahawks’ head coach. That did not prove to be the case, however, with the organization electing to move in a different direction.

Just two days after Carroll publicly stated his goal of coaching a 15th season in Seattle, it was learned that would not be the case. In the end, Mike Macdonald was brought in as head coach with John Schneider remaining in place as general manager. The latter assumed final say on roster moves as a result of the transition, something Carroll recently confirmed as a key factor in his departure.

“It came to me that there was a time that we probably were about to face one of the bigger changes, shifts, in the time of the program, and I had really been dedicated, as John had been dedicated too… to doing this thing in great fashion together,” Carroll said during an appearance on Seattle Sports radio (video link). “We had done that, I thought, and it was really John’s turn, it was his turn to take over.”

As Carroll noted, owner Jody Allen‘s preference was for Schneider to become Seattle’s top decision-maker during the 2024 offseason. The 53-year-old joined the Seahawks in 2010 along with Carroll under the GM title, but this past campaign marked his first in his new capacity. Carroll, meanwhile, said last August he was content to stay out of coaching in the wake of his Seattle tenure coming to an end.

That stance changed over the course of this year’s hiring cycle, though. The 73-year-old became the NFL’s oldest head coaching hire when he joined the Raiders. That decision was influenced in no small part by the presence of minority owner Tom Brady, and that duo along with general manager John Spytek is now in place to oversee a roster transition. The exact power structure in Vegas is unclear, but the Spytek-Carroll tandem is expected to jointly oversee day-to-day operations.

In the case of the Seahawks, Schneider and Macdonald will look to build off last year’s 10-7 campaign and reach the postseason. Most of Schneider’s work for this offseason is done by now, but he has several more on the horizon as the leading figure in the organization.

Raiders Add Brandon Hunt To Front Office

May 15th, 2025 at 1:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Brandon Hunt‘s time with the Eagles has come to an end. He is the latest addition to the Raiders’ front office, as first reported by ESPN’s Ryan McFadden. The team has since announced the news.

Hunt will head to Vegas with the title of VP of player personnel. He had previously spent time as a key figure in the Eagles’ scouting department, serving as senior director of scouting in 2024. During the previous two years, Hunt held the title of scouting director.

Prior to his stint in Philadelphia, Hunt had a lengthy spell in Pittsburgh. That run from 2010-21 saw him operate as the Steelers’ pro scouting coordinator. As a result, Hunt represents a highly experienced addition to the Raiders’ new-look front office. Of course, this does not mark the first time an Eagles staffer has made the move to Vegas since the draft concluded.

Anthony Patch was hired last week to serve as the Raiders’ new senior personnel executive. That move ended his lengthy run with the Eagles, and the Super Bowl champions will now have even more work to do in terms of replacing high-level front office contributors. The new Raiders regime led by general manager John Spytek, head coach Pete Carroll and minority owner Tom Brady has made a number of notable changes recently, including the hiring of Brian Stark as assistant GM.

This latest move comes in the wake of recent departures in the Raiders’ front office. Per Neil Stratton of Inside the League, Curtis Knox will not be back with the franchise after working as Vegas’ personnel coordinator; likewise, Shaun Herock is no longer in place as the team’s senior personnel advisor. That department will have a number of new faces moving forward, with Hunt taking on a key role with his latest team.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/25

May 13th, 2025 at 8:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

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

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/25

May 12th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: CB Jeremiah Walker
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Tory Taylor

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Jordan Turner, WR Kyrese White, LS Zach Triner, TE Cole Fotheringham
  • Waived: CB Kendall Bohler, LB K.J. Cloyd, NT Christian Dowell, TE Thomas Yassmin
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Jeremy Crawshaw

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: QB Taylor Elgersma
  • Released: OL Marquis Hayes

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mose Vavao
  • Waived: DT Joe Evans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Dalevon Campbell, LB Kana’i Mauga
  • Waived: OL Bucky Williams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DT Isaiah Iton, G Mehki Butler, DT Wilfried Pene
  • Waived: OT Cole Birdow

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: CB T.J. Moore
  • Waived: DB R.J. Delancey, DB Tommy McCormick

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: TE Drake Dabney,WR TJ Sheffield
  • Waived: CB Virgil Lemons, S Jerrin Thompson

Hoyland converted 79.3% of his field goal attempts for the Wyoming Cowboys across the last five years. He was ultra-consistent on extra points with 147 makes on 148 tries. Hoyland will compete with sixth-round pick Tyler Loop for the Ravens’ kicking job after the team released Justin Tucker.

Sheffield brings some much-needed experience to the Dolphins’ cornerback room, though he hasn’t started since 2020. He could provide crucial veteran depth in Miami, especially if Jalen Ramsey is traded.

Elgersma was the starting quarterback at Wilfried Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, for the last three years. In 2024, he won the Hec Crighton Trophy – the Canadian equivalent to the Heisman – and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, the first-ever for a Canadian QB. Elgersma was drafted in the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft by the Winnepeg Blue Bombers, but a successful tryout with the Packers will give him a chance at making an NFL roster.

Raiders Sign LB Jaylon Smith

May 11th, 2025 at 7:44pm CST by Ely Allen

The Raiders’ rookie minicamp concluded today. In addition to the drafted rookies and undrafted free agent rookies who were in attendance, Las Vegas also hosted players to participate in rookie minicamp tryouts. Two non-rookies ended up walking away from the minicamp with new contracts.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one of those players was veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith. Projected to be a top five pick late in his junior season at Notre Dame, Smith’s NFL career hit its first speed bump before it even started when he suffered tears to his ACL and LCL in the Fighting Irish’s bowl game in 2016. The injury dropped him into the second round, as he was sure to miss his entire rookie season. The Cowboys were the ones who took him, in part because their team physician was the one who performed Smith’s knee surgery and was confident in his ability to recover.

Dallas wanted to be cautious in bringing him back from injury, but an injury to starter Anthony Hitchens forced him into the starting lineup to start his sophomore campaign. After Hitchens returned from injury, Smith was coming off the bench for the remainder of the year. He opened up the following season as the full-time starter, having fully recovered, and delivered 417 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and eight sacks in the next three seasons. These efforts resulted in a Pro Bowl selection and a five-year, $64MM contract extension.

Following his extension, Smith received several criticisms in 2020 about his impact on a defense that allowed the 23rd-most total yards and the 28th-most points. After offseason wrist surgery in 2021, Smith was released by the Cowboys when he declined to waive his 2022 injury guarantee contract clause. The emergence of a rookie Micah Parsons and the transition of Keanu Neal into a linebacker made the release easier to sustain.

Smith almost immediately signed with the Packers but was released a month later after only appearing in only two games and playing only 27 snaps. Near the end of the regular season, Smith signed with the Giants’ practice squad. He stayed in New York in 2022, starting 11 games for Big Blue, but found himself to be a free agent again following the season. In 2023, he spent time on the practice squads of the Saints, Raiders, and Steelers. The only game he appeared in that year was in Las Vegas.

He’ll now return to the Raiders after not signing anywhere during the 2024 NFL season. Las Vegas improved their linebacking corps this offseason in free agency, adding Devin White and Elandon Roberts. Smith will add some veteran depth to the group at the very least.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the other non-rookie who signed after a successful minicamp tryout was safety Jonathan Sutherland. An undrafted free agent two years ago out of Penn State, Sutherland signed with the Seahawks to enter the league. He spent his rookie season on Seattle’s practice squad but was waived before the start of last year. He signed to the Giants in the preseason but was ultimately waived with an injury designation. He’ll get his chance with his third team in as many years this offseason.

Raiders Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents

May 11th, 2025 at 5:19pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Raiders have signed 15 undrafted free agents, bringing their rookie class to 26 players. Here are Las Vegas’ UDFA signings:

Dotson was a four-year starter at Kansas opposite fellow undrafted Jayhawks corner Cobee Bryant. Dotson isn’t an elite athlete but has a natural feel for shadowing receivers and excellent ball skills. He recorded 27 passes defended and nine interceptions in the last two years, including four pick-sixes that showcased his playmaking instincts on and with the ball.

Joyner recorded 12 sacks and 13 tackles for loss for Minnesota in the last two years, though 2024 was his only season as a starter. He has an enticing frame (6-foot-4, 262 pounds) with 34-inch arms that he uses in a variety of ways, most effectively as a run defender setting the edge. He’s a solid but unspectacular athlete who will need to refine his pass-rushing plan and accelerate his processing to NFL speed to earn a roster spot.

The Raiders signed him to a deal that includes $150K guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Similarly, Wilson tells us that the team wanted to make sure they landed Clements’ signature and offered him $75K in guarantees to make it happen.

Walker spent three years at James Madison before transferring to Indiana in 2024. Despite facing better competition, he posted career-highs in tackles (82), tackles for loss (10), sacks (2.0), and passes defended (10). He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at his pro day but weighs just 219 pounds. Walker explodes downhill against the run and as a blitzer and could push for a roster spot in Las Vegas as a special teams contributor.

Saints Announce Derek Carr’s Retirement

May 10th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints have announced the sudden retirement of veteran quarterback Derek Carr due to a shoulder injury.

Reports of Carr’s injury emerged in early April, though its exact nature and impact on the 2025 season were initially unclear. Scans later revealed that Carr suffered a torn labrum with “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff,” according to the team’s statement. The 34-year-old quarterback tried an injection and rehab, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but opted against surgery that would likely sideline him for the 2025 season with no guarantee of a full recovery.

All eyes will now turn to the Saints’ quarterback situation under first-year head coach Kellen Moore. The team was already preparing for the possibility of Carr missing most or all of this season by using a second-round pick on Louisville QB Tyler Shough in last month’s draft. Shough was considered to be one of the most pro-ready passers in this year’s class and will have a chance to start as a rookie in New Orleans. His primary competition will be 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener and 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler, both of whom stepped in for Carr during his absence last season.

[RELATED: Saints Planning Open QB Competition]

Carr’s retirement also comes with a complicated financial compromise. The 2025 compensation in his original contract included a $10MM roster bonus and a base salary of $30MM guaranteed for injury, per OverTheCap. The roster bonus became fully guaranteed for the offseason and triggered this past March, when his salary was also set to upgrade into a full guarantee. The Saints restructured his contract in March instead, converting the roster bonus and salary into a signing bonus to reduce his 2025 cap hit.

Now, that restructure seems to be reversed. Carr will keep the roster bonus, but the Saints will not be responsible for his salary in cash or cap space, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team will also process his retirement after June 1 to spread the remaining dead money across two years. Essentially, Carr is forgoing $30MM that he would otherwise be owed whether he retired or underwent surgery and spent the season on the sidelines.

Carr was just two seasons into a four-year, $150MM contract signed in 2023. He went 9-8 in his debut season in New Orleans, but missed seven games in 2024 and finished with a 5-5 record as a starter. His financial agreement with the Saints will result in $70MM paid out for two years and 27 starts.

The Saints’ announcement also included a statement from Carr:

“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with [his wife] Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”

Carr is retiring after 11 years in the NFL. The first nine years of that stretch were spent with the Raiders, and the former second-rounder will be best remembered for his tenure with them. Carr earned four Pro Bowl nods as a Raider, including three straight from 2015-17. With only one playoff start to his name, though, a lack of postseason appearances and success will be a key aspect of his legacy.

The Fresno State product was reunited with former college teammate Davante Adams in 2022, but that tandem remained in place for only one year. Things did not go according to plan during brief period of the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime, and Carr’s release brought about an end to his tenure in Vegas. His previous comments about retiring rather than playing for another franchise were replaced by his Saints pact, one which did not provide the desired results.

In all, Carr made 170 starts during his career, and his passing totals rank just outside the top 20 for quarterbacks in most categories. He amassed over $195MM in earnings over the course of his NFL tenure, one which has come to a rather abrupt end.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post. 

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/25

May 9th, 2025 at 6:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the minor NFL transactions to close out the week:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Received roster exemption (international player): OL Valentin Senn

Atlanta Falcons

  • Received roster exemption (international player): K Lenny Krieg
  • Waived: DT Junior Aho

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Received roster exemption (international player): S Dante Barnett

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Waived (with failed physical designation): WR Jeff Foreman

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

  • Received roster exemption (international player): P Oscar Chapman

New York Jets

  • Received roster exemption (international player): G Leander Wiegand

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Dyson was cut from the team after news that running back Jonathon Brooks‘ placement on the physically unable to perform list would, in fact, still count him against the 90-man roster limit. They initially were told by the league that he would not count, but the updated guidance today necessitated that they lose a man.

Jackson joins Seattle’s undrafted free agent rookie class after they announced their 17 signees almost a week ago. A successful rookie minicamp tryout led to him securing a contract.

Similarly, Bentley, for whatever reason was also announced separately from the Colts’ UDFA class, even though the class was announced only a few hours before his signing. The 24-year-old hasn’t been a lead back since his 2020 season at SMU, but in three years apiece at SMU and Ole Miss, Bentley never averaged below five yards per carry in a season.

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