Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
Las Vegas Raiders
New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans
While the Titans continue to move closer to selecting a quarterback with the first-overall pick, the team has added some veteran help at the position. The Titans announced today that they’ve signed quarterback Tim Boyle.
A 2018 UDFA, Boyle has settled into a clear backup role at this point of his career. The veteran has appeared in 23 career games, spending time with the Packers, Lions, Bears, Jets, Texans, Dolphins, and Giants. He’s gone winless in his five career starts, tossing four touchdowns vs. nine interceptions in those outings.
The 30-year-old bounced around the league a bit in 2024. He was cut by the Texans at the end of the preseason before landing on Miami’s practice squad. He got into two games with the Dolphins but was ultimately cut in October. He landed with the Giants, where he’d finish the season. In total, Boyle got into three games last year, completing 27 of his 50 pass attempts for 276 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The Titans already brought in another veteran QB this offseason in Brandon Allen, and the two acquisitions join holdover Will Levis on the depth chart. A 2023 second-round pick, Levis wasn’t drafted by the current Titans regime, and the addition of a second clear backup could signal that Levis will inevitably be shuttled off the roster. There’s also a chance the Titans skip the QB position or trade out of the No. 1 pick, although that’s seeming increasingly unlikely as the team prepares for a second meeting with Cam Ward.
Veteran offensive tackle Andrew Wylie agreed to a revised contract with the Commanders that reduces his 2025 compensation by $3.75MM, according to OverTheCap.
In return, the Commanders guaranteed $3.5MM of Wylie’s existing money, per ESPN’s John Keim, including a $1MM signing bonus and a fully-guaranteed $2.5MM base salary for the 2025 season. The seven-year veteran can earn $255k in per-game roster bonuses and and $250k in workout bonuses, $50k of which is new money.
Wylie will now count for $6.6MM against the Commanders’ salary cap, bringing the team to over $28MM in available cap space.
The renegotiated contract represents a growing trend around the NFL of teams asking veteran players to take a pay cut in the final year of their contract when little or none of their salary is guaranteed. Players often have little leverage in these situations, especially after the first wave of free agency has passed. Other teams have less money to spend with fewer needs to fill, meaning a smaller market if the player is released. Players also may not want to change teams after multiple years in the same city due to their familiarity with their coaches, teammates, and scheme, as well as personal and family considerations.
Wylie, however, had a legitimate argument to reject the pay cut and stay at his previous salary after starting 29 games for the Commanders over the last two years. He is not considered an elite tackle, but his $10.4MM cap hit still represented a solid value for a proven veteran at a premium position. The Commanders also have plenty of cap space remaining to sign their 2025 draft class and fill out their roster, even after trading for Deebo Samuel and making several signings in free agency.
Instead, Wylie opted to stay in Washington for additional guarantees, though the deal does not contain incentives that would allow him to make up the lost money. He is still slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season.
Michael Burton has a path to playing an 11th NFL season. The well-traveled fullback will stay put with the Broncos, who are bringing him back for what would be a third season with the team.
The team is re-signing Burton on a one-year deal, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans report. Burton is going into his age-33 season. While the Broncos will enter the draft with an eye on adding a starter-caliber running back, they will ensure fullback continuity for another season. Burton played last season for the veteran minimum.
Like a few others on Denver’s roster, Burton has a New Orleans past. Playing for Sean Payton with the 2020 Saints, the well-traveled blocking back reunited with the veteran HC in Denver two years ago. Burton also began his career with the Lions, who employed current Broncos OC Joe Lombardi when Burton arrived as a 2015 fifth-round pick. Burton has also made career stops in Chicago, Washington and Kansas City.
The Broncos used Burton on just 180 offensive snaps last season. That is not exactly out of step with the modern fullback workload (non-Kyle Juszczyk division), as the position has declined in importance for many years now. Pro Football Focus, however, ranked Burton first among FBs in 2024. PFF also ranked Burton first among fullbacks in 2023, and the Broncos will aim to deploy the niche player again in 2025. Burton has also played at least 62% of Denver’s special teams plays in each of his two seasons with the team.
Collecting a Super Bowl ring with the 2022 Chiefs, Burton is now the longest-tenured Broncos back — now that Javonte Williams joined the Cowboys in free agency. Denver still rosters Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin, the latter joining the team as a UDFA weeks after Burton in 2023, along with reserve Tyler Badie. Blake Watson, a 2024 UDFA, is on the roster as well. The team, however, will undoubtedly be looking to this deep draft class to replace Williams, who moved on after four seasons.
The Giants’ depth chart at quarterback is coming into focus. Despite adding Jameis Winston, the team will bring in Russell Wilson. After visiting the Giants in back-to-back years, Wilson is coming aboard, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Wilson has since confirmed the agreement.
Wilson will receive $10.5MM guaranteed on a one-year deal, per Schefter, who adds the nine-time Pro Bowler can earn up to $21MM via incentives. Wilson had been waiting to sign for a bit, standing behind Aaron Rodgers in line among veteran quarterbacks.
This move effectively takes the Giants out of the Rodgers market. It had become fairly clear Rodgers did not view the Giants as a desirable destination, despite the team making what is believed to be his top offer this offseason. Nevertheless, the Vikings and Steelers have been more closely tied to the all-time QB talent compared to a team coming off a 3-14 season. And the Giants will move on. The Steelers had expected Rodgers to visit the Giants, via SI.com’s Albert Breer, but that no longer appears to be in play.
Wilson, 36, had viewed the Giants as a viable landing spot dating back to early February, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds. Back in 2021, he had also placed the Giants as a team he was interested in landing with via trade. He visited the team briefly in 2024, instead joining the Steelers while the Giants made a final attempt to make the Daniel Jones contract work. With Jones long gone, Wilson will be all but certain to start in Week 1 for the 2025 Giants.
Winston is now in place as a quality backup, and the team will undoubtedly still look into QB prospects. Though, a report earlier today indicated the Giants may be OK signing another vet and looking at passers available after No. 3 overall. Part one of that scenario is now complete.
For Wilson, this provides a landing spot after he had been forced by the Giants and his 2024 team to wait on Rodgers. The Steelers had aimed to re-sign Justin Fields, but they could not keep Wilson’s primary 2024 backup off the market. Fields joined the Jets, and Wilson will now follow his former teammate to the Big Apple. The Rodgers watch continues, but it will now be Steelers, Vikings or retirement for the 20-year veteran.
This agreement should qualify as a relief for Wilson, who was effectively deemed a replaceable option by the Steelers, who ranked Fields and Rodgers ahead of him. Wilson has not closely resembled his superstar Seattle version since departing in a 2022 blockbuster trade, though he has shown flashes. This includes a five-game win streak with the 2023 Broncos and having the Steelers — with an early assist from Fields — at 10-3 last season. But Pittsburgh sank to 10-8, losing a one-sided wild-card game in Baltimore. This prompted a reexamination from the Steelers, who have made it known they are willing to wait on Rodgers. With the Giants out of the way, that should probably embolden the Steelers, who clearly have some confidence Rodgers — his Vikings preference notwithstanding — remains in play.
The Browns joined the Giants in hosting Wilson, while Joe Flacco also visited New York about being a Giants bridge. A weekend report indicated the Giants would still pursue veterans even after Winston’s two-year, $8MM deal came to pass. This should offer protection in the event the draft board does not fall the Giants’ way.
It is not a lock Shedeur Sanders will be available at No. 3 overall, with the Colorado product linked closely to Cleveland as well. The Giants have shown interest in trading up to No. 1 overall, but Titans-Cam Ward ties are increasing. Ward may not be available, and while the Giants have been continually tied to Sanders, Wilson could offer some cover in the event an embattled Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll regime goes with a non-QB move in Round 1.
After a shocking decline marred Wilson’s 2022, he showed signs of life under Sean Payton in 2023. Wilson, who battled multiple injuries in 2022, did not miss any starts due to injury in ’23. He ranked eighth in passer rating, but QBR only slotted him 21st. While a slimmed-down Wilson showed an increased interest in running during his ill-fated season with Payton, the Broncos attempted to move his guarantee vesting date — to no avail — during a messy divorce that began midway through the ’23 season. Wilson remained the Broncos’ starter for 15 games, but the team benched him to protect an injury guarantee from vesting in Week 17. Denver then took on a record-smashing $83MM-plus in dead money to drop Wilson in March 2024.
QBR placed Wilson 22nd last season. Wilson had won the starting job over Fields to start the season, but the accomplished vet aggravated a training camp calf injury that led to six missed games. Select Steelers staffers and players voiced support to keep Fields in the starting lineup, but Mike Tomlin overruled them, installing Wilson. At first, the longtime Steeler HC’s choice proved correct. Wilson piloted Pittsburgh to six wins in his first seven starts. Rumblings about a Steelers re-signing emerged during that stretch, one that included a game-winning TD pass (to Mike Williams) to down the resurgent Commanders and a 414-yard outing against the Bengals. As the competition stiffened, however, the Steelers wilted. This led them to go another way, installing Wilson as a fallback option.
Having previously rostered another QB on the Hall of Fame fringe, in New York icon Eli Manning, the Giants now look to have another. Wilson may have done enough to secure Canton access in Seattle, but his Denver decline invited some doubt. As Wilson has declined athletically, his penchant for taking sacks has been under the microscope. Wilson’s 560 sacks taken are fourth all time, though Rodgers’ 571 top the list. A Giants O-line that has been unable to rely on All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas will now be tasked with protecting a historically sack-prone passer.
That said, Wilson being the first QB in NFL history to pair 40,000 passing yards with 5,000 rushing yards will help his eventual Canton case. A two-time Super Bowl starter who powered the Seahawks to eight playoff berths in his 10-season Seattle stay, Wilson also remains fourth in NFL history for rushing yards by a quarterback (5,462). The former third-round pick’s best rushing days are certainly far behind him.
Armed with another chance to submit quality work, the 14th-year passer will now play with Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton in New York. The Giants are likely on the hunt for more tight end help, but they re-signed Slayton and chose Nabers over J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix last year. Wilson is now the Giants’ bridge while Schoen and Co. assess the 2025 draft class.
Warming the seat for Sanders would represent new territory for Wilson, who has never needed to fend off a rookie for his job. The Steelers gave Wilson assurances upon signing he would be their Week 1 starter; only injury prevented that. How the Giants proceed in the draft will determine how long of a leash Wilson likely has, but despite a down Steelers ending, he has secured a chance to add to his 199-start total.
Tuesday’s minor transactions:
Las Vegas Raiders
New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thomas’ seven-year stay in Carolina has come to an end. After not missing a game for the first five years of his career, Thomas has missed half the games over the past two seasons. Despite making 54 starts in 99 games over that time, Thomas has never excelled as a receiving tight end, totaling just 1,062 yards in his career and not scoring a touchdown since 2020. He has made his name, mostly, as a strong pass blocker and will likely continue in that role in Vegas with the Raiders already rostering one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL.
Stinnie, a six-year veteran, has started 15 games in his career. Most of those came in 2023 with the Buccaneers, but he did make three starts for New York near the end of the season while appearing in 16 games.
Sims has journeyed throughout the NFL in his six-year career, playing for four teams over that time. While he made moderate receiving contributions during his early years in the league, Sims has mostly functioned as an option in the return game for the teams he’s played with.
Over the course of his rookie contract, Opeta started 10 of 38 game appearances for the Eagles, including six starts in 2023. He signed with the Buccaneers for his second NFL contract last year, but a torn ACL kept him out of the 2024 season.
MARCH 25: The Raiders designed a two-year, $13.5MM offer sheet, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With the Patriots matching it, the proposal now doubles as a significant New England raise for the young linebacker.
MARCH 24: Christian Elliss signed an offer sheet with the Raiders last week, leaving the Patriots in position to either match it or allow him to depart without any compensation coming back. New England has taken the former route. 
The Patriots will match the Elliss offer sheet, as first reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The move locks in the two-year deal which would have otherwise sent him to Vegas. Elliss will carry a cap charge of $4.84MM this season, one in which he was originally slated to earn $3.26MM on his RFA tender.
Elliss began his career with the Eagles, operating as a key special teams presence during his time with them. He was waived late in the 2023 campaign, though, and the Patriots’ decision to claim him set him up for a New England stint. The 26-year-old made five starts across his 16 appearances last season, and while he remained a core special teams contributor he took on a defensive workload as well. Elliss logged 513 defensive snaps in 2024, by far the most of his career.
The Idaho product received the original-round tender to prevent him from reaching unrestricted free agency. That move set Elliss up for a cost-effective 2025 deal, but it opened the door to an offer sheet since no compensation would have been included for the former undrafted free agent (which would have been the case had New England applied the more expensive second-round tender). The Raiders lost Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo in free agency, and Elliss would have been able to handle a notable defensive role aimed at helping to replace them at the second level of the team’s defense.
Instead, Vegas will look elsewhere on the free agent market and the draft to address the linebacker position. Elliss, meanwhile, will remain in place on a Patriots team which added Spillane on a three-year deal and reunited head coach Mike Vrabel with former Titan Jack Gibbens. Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jahlani Tavai are in place as holdovers from last season, and Elliss will look to carve out a role among the mix of new additions and returnees.
He will do so with financial security for the next two years, though, and it will be interesting to see how he is used moving forward. The Patriots entered Monday with more than $80MM in remaining cap space, so they will easily be able to afford the added cost of keeping Elliss in place.
Chidobe Awuzie‘s Titans stay lasted one season, as the team took on some dead money to move on from a player given a healthy guarantee in 2024. Awuzie has found a new home.
Set to return to the AFC North, the former Bengals cornerback signed with the Ravens on Tuesday. The team announced Awuzie, an eight-year veteran, is Baltimore-bound. It is a one-year deal.
Although the market for third CB contracts reset thanks to the deals handed out to Charvarius Ward, Carlton Davis, D.J. Reed and Byron Murphy earlier this month, that group had seen three previous vets — Awuzie, Darius Slay, James Bradberry — jettisoned. Awuzie’s came after he had signed a three-year, $36MM deal that came with $19MM guaranteed at signing. The Titans (again) changed GMs this offseason and shed that contract from their payroll, incurring a $12.51MM dead money hit in the process.
The Ravens let 2024 starter Brandon Stephens walk in free agency, where he received a somewhat surprising three-year, $36MM Jets contract — one that came with $22.98MM guaranteed at signing. Never viewed as likely to pay Stephens in that range, the Ravens are adding a proven veteran on the cheap. As the Titans will be paying most of Awuzie’s salary, minus what will likely be a veteran-minimum Ravens pact that will subtract from Tennessee’s dead money total (via offset language), Baltimore will bet on Awuzie bouncing back from another season-altering injury.
A groin injury sustained in Week 3 kept Awuzie out nine games. The Titans had paired the former second-round pick with high-end trade acquisition L’Jarius Sneed, but the duo barely played together. Sneed also missed most of his first Titans season. While Tennessee will hope Sneed bounces back, Awuzie will aim to do so in Baltimore. Awuzie, who also has an ACL tear on his medical sheet, will turn 30 in May.
Awuzie will enter the 2025 season having made 81 career starts. The Cowboys let the 6-foot boundary corner walk in 2021, leading to a Bengals commitment (three years, $21.75MM). The Colorado alum suffered an ACL tear on Halloween 2022, after having started for Cincinnati’s Super Bowl LVI-bound team, and did not solidify his job upon returning in 2023. Awuzie, however, recaptured a Bengals starting post down the stretch in 2023; that led to the Titans’ lucrative investment in a player PFR ranked as the No. 39 free agent last year.
Pro Football Focus ranked Awuzie as a top-15 corner in 2021 and had him near that level before his 2022 injury. After an inconsistent 2023 season, PFF slotted Awuzie 61st during his injury-interrupted Titans campaign. As far as coverage numbers, Awuzie was viewed (via Pro-Football-Reference) as improving on his 2023 numbers. He allowed a 57.7% completion rate as the closest defender and 7.2 yards per target, working out to an 89.7 passer rating in coverage. The Ravens will give Awuzie a shot to start alongside Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, with 2024 draftee T.J. Tampa looming in a potential competition.
Tony Jefferson is sticking in Los Angeles. The veteran safety is re-signing with the Chargers, according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. It’s a one-year deal for Jefferson.
Jefferson announced his retirement following the 2022 season and quickly caught on with the Ravens scouting department. He spent a year in that role before reversing course and attempting a comeback. This signing will reunite Jefferson with Chargers GM Joe Hortiz, a former Ravens exec. Jefferson both played for the Ravens and spent a year on their scouting staff.
He ended up catching on with the Chargers, although he was stashed on the practice squad after not making the initial 53-man roster. He got into eight games (four starts), compiling 27 tackles. He also came up big in the playoffs, collecting three tackles, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the Wild Card Round. For his efforts, Jefferson garnered a pair of Comeback Player of the Year votes.
After cutting his teeth in Arizona, Jefferson made a name for himself in Baltimore, where he started all 30 of his appearances between 2017 and 2018. A torn ACL ended his 2019 campaign early, and since sitting out the 2020 season, Jefferson has settled into more of a backup role with the 49ers, Ravens (second stint), and Giants.
Jefferson saw most of his work last season when Alohi Gilman was on IR, and the veteran stuck in the lineup when Elijah Molden went down with a season-ending injury. That duo (along with top safety Derwin James Jr.) will be back in 2025, so Jefferson will likely be competing for a back-of-the-depth-chart job come training camp.
The Raiders have added some veteran depth to their defensive line. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders have signed defensive tackle Leki Fotu.
2024 was mostly a lost campaign for Fotu. After signing with the Jets last offseason, the defensive lineman started the season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He was activated in October and got into two games (one start) for his new squad, but he quickly landed back on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Prior to his one-year stop in New York, Fotu was a reliable option on the Cardinals defensive line. A former fourth-round pick, the defensive lineman spent four seasons in Arizona, starting 21 of his 56 appearances. He started 18 of those games between 2022 and 2023, and he finished that latter campaign with career highs in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (five).
Fotu will be joining a relatively deep DL in Las Vegas. After inking a $110MM deal with the Raiders last offseason, Christian Wilkins was limited to only five games in 2024. He’ll be penciled in atop the depth chart, joining Jonah Laulu, who earned the majority of the snaps at the position down the stretch. The Raiders will also return Adam Butler, who led the position grouping in snaps in 2024.
John Jenkins remains unsigned, so there could be a spot for Fotu towards the back of the depth chart. Most likely, the 26-year-old will compete with the likes of Matthew Butler, Zach Carter, and Tyler Manoa for playing time.