Transactions News & Rumors

Vikings To Bring Back CB Byron Murphy

March 10th, 2025 at 8:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The youngest of the high-end cornerbacks who entered free agency seeking a third contract, Byron Murphy has fared the best of the bunch so far. The Vikings are bringing Murphy back on a monster raise.

It will take a three-year, $66MM deal for Minnesota to retain Murphy, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport report. Murphy had been a Viking for less than $9MM per year; he has now scored a $22MM AAV after a two-year stay.

After losing Camryn Bynum to a $15MM-per-year Colts deal, the Vikings faced a quandary. Two of their other five secondary regulars — Harrison Smith, Stephon Gilmore — are considering retirement. Losing four of those five, with Josh Metellus being the only returner, would have presented a challenge for a team that relied on players executing Brian Flores’ complex defense. Hours after the Bynum defection, however, the Vikings ensured at least two of their secondary quintet will be back.

PFR’s No. 11-ranked free agent this year, Murphy played a central role in the Vikings’ climb from their woeful Ed Donatell season. Pro Football Focus ranked Murphy as a top-25 corner in 2024, as he improved in yards per target (7.2) and passer rating allowed as the closest defender (76.7) compared to his first Minnesota season. Murphy also was a turnover producer during his first Vikings contract, intercepting nine passes — including six last season — during that term. The six-pick year booked Murphy a Pro Bowl nod. He added 27 passes defensed in that span.

The former four-year Cardinals starter also has extensive slot experience, giving Flores options. Murphy is also only going into his age-27 season. That undoubtedly made the Vikings more comfortable authorizing a $22MM-per-year deal. Murphy has not only outdone the other third-contract-seeking CBs on this market; he has secured a top-five payday at the position. Even after Jaycee Horn‘s new contract is factored in, Murphy becomes the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid corner.

As it turns out, Murphy was right to bet on himself via the two-year, $17.5MM deal. It provided a prelude to a substantial raise, and he was seeking $20MM-plus on this market. The Vikings will count on the 5-foot-11 defender working as their No. 1 corner for at least two more seasons.

Saints To Re-Sign DE Chase Young

March 10th, 2025 at 8:14pm CST by Rory Parks

Although the Saints could not bring back Paulson Adebo, the other key defender they wanted to re-sign is staying. Chase Young will remain in New Orleans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Young, who had signed a one-year contract in 2024, will stay a Saint on a multiyear deal. The Saints saw enough from Young to move out of the “prove-it deal” stage, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this is a three-year, $51MM agreement. The deal can climb to $57MM based on incentives.

The size of the pact is at least partially a reflection of the fact that proven pass rushers are generally not available on the free agent market given the importance of the position. As a result, even players several tiers below the upper crust of edge defenders can get paid quite handsomely. Young, who has seemingly settled in as a productive EDGE instead of the star he was once projected to be as the No. 2 overall pick of the 2020 draft, is proof of that.

Still, he did put together a solid 2024 season, the second year in a row in which he was able to play a full (or nearly full) slate of games after appearing in just 12 total contests across the 2021-22 campaigns due to a severe knee injury that significantly altered his career trajectory. Because of a subsequent neck injury that both impacted his value at the 2023 trade deadline and again in free agency last offseason, Young joined New Orleans via a one-year accord containing much of its value in per-game roster bonuses.

He maxed out those bonuses by playing in all 17 games. While he only registered 5.5 sacks, Young topped his career high with 21 QB hits, and his 34 pressures were tied for 13th-most in the league. Those underlying numbers suggest that the soon-to-be 26-year-old could still unlock his vast potential, especially since his health woes are now further in the rearview mirror. Even if he does not reach his ceiling, though, he should provide the Saints with quality work on the edge for the next several seasons.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Dolphins To Sign G James Daniels

March 10th, 2025 at 8:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hitting free agency after an early-season Achilles tear, James Daniels still found a decent market. Rather than accept a “prove it” deal, the three-year Steelers starter is heading to Miami on a multiyear pact.

The Dolphins are signing Daniels, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. It is a three-year, $24MM deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This comes in just south of Daniels’ Steelers contract, but the seven-year veteran is coming off a major injury.

Daniels, 27, is a seven-year starter and a former second-round pick. The Bears let Daniels walk after four seasons, but as the Iowa product entered the NFL at 21, he remained a viable commodity into a second free agency period. While Daniels could have potentially rivaled where Aaron Banks went with the Packers earlier today had he stayed healthy, the Achilles tear provided a setback.

The Steelers had effectively let Daniels know ahead of time no extension was coming, but the previously durable guard had started off his contract year well. Daniels exited the Steelers’ Week 4 loss as Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked guard. While plenty of season remained, Daniels had missed just two starts from 2021-23. Daniels finished ninth in pass block win rate in 2022 and was second only to Colts dynamo Quenton Nelson in run block win rate before going down last season. Pro Football Focus ranked Daniels 33rd among guard regulars in 2023.

The Steelers have retained Isaac Seumalo in his contract year and saw Mason McCormick impress in Daniels’ place last season. The Dolphins, however, saw both their starting guards from last season — Liam Eichenberg and Robert Jones — hit the market. Jones has since committed to the Cowboys on a one-year deal. Daniels will bring considerably more experience (84 career starts) and could be vital for a team expected to lose Terron Armstead to retirement.

49ers To Release FB Kyle Juszczyk

March 10th, 2025 at 8:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

A consistent part of Kyle Shanahan‘s offense throughout the HC’s 49ers tenure, Kyle Juszczyk is reportedly out in San Francisco. The 49ers informed the veteran fullback they are cutting him, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. This had been on the radar for a bit, as the 49ers will pass on paying him a $4.1MM base salary. Juszczyk has been with the team for eight years. The 49ers will save $2.93MM by releasing him.

After playing out his rookie contract in Baltimore, the Harvard product has been a mainstay in San Francisco. He’s also been a routinely top-tier fullback, making the Pro Bowl in each of the past nine seasons and earning first- and second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Juszczyk is set to join the rest of the league’s best fullbacks on the open market as Baltimore’s Patrick Ricard, Denver’s Michael Burton, and Buffalo’s Reggie Gilliam all see their contracts expire this year, as well. Burton and Gilliam don’t really match the usage of Juszczyk and Ricard in 2024. Juszczyk (537) and Ricard (495) both played around 500 snaps, while the next closest pair (Alec Ingold and Hunter Luepke) didn’t reach 340.

Of the two high-usage fullbacks, Juszczyk is the far more versatile of the two. Nearly 70 percent of Ricard’s snaps were in run blocking, while Juszczyk played 239 snaps run blocking and 256 as a receiver. No fullback matched Juszczyk’s production as a receiver this year, and it could be argued that it’s been that way ever since he came into the NFL.

It difficult to see what’s on the horizon for Juszczyk. Set to enter the 2025 NFL season at 34 years old, Juszczyk is the second-oldest fullback on the market — Nick Bellore will be 36. Finding another home for Juszczyk will require finding a team that knows how to utilize a versatile fullback and wants to take on that project at his age. At this point, a reunion with the Ravens seems as likely as retirement which seems as likely as pretty much every other scenario on the table.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Chargers Re-Sign C Bradley Bozeman, P J.K. Scott

March 10th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the second time, Bradley Bozeman has reached an agreement to re-sign with a team. After the Panthers reupped the veteran center in 2023, he is sticking with the Chargers.

The Bolts re-signed Bozeman and punter JK Scott on Monday. Bozeman, 30, played for just $1.13MM with the Chargers last season. The Panthers had given him a raise in 2023, but after playing for the veteran minimum last season, Bozeman may not match the $6MM-per-year deal he was previously on as a Panther.

Despite Bozeman’s low-end contract, he started 17 games for the Chargers. That marked the former Raven’s second straight season of perfect attendance. Pro Football Focus was not particularly complimentary of Bozeman’s initial Chargers year, ranking him 29th among center regulars. That came after the advanced metrics website placed him 21st in 2023.

Los Angeles may not be eyeing Bozeman as a starter once again. GM Joe Hortiz said recently (via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper) that former first-round pick Zion Johnson will be tried at center this offseason. The Bolts, who had previously relocated Trey Pipkins from tackle to guard, have used Johnson as a starting guard — both LG and RG — in each of his three seasons.

Hortiz expressed confidence Johnson could make the transition, despite not playing center at Boston College, either. While Pipkins remains on Los Angeles’ roster, he profiles as a cut candidate, Popper adds. The Chargers could save $6.75MM by releasing the converted tackle, who has been with the team since 2019.

A seven-year veteran, Scott has been the Chargers’ punter for the past three seasons. The 29-year-old specialist has averaged just north of 46 yards per punt in each of the past two seasons.

Bengals To Sign RB Samaje Perine, LB Oren Burks

March 10th, 2025 at 7:53pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals are reuniting with a familiar face. Per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Cincinnati has agreed to sign running back Samaje Perine, who spent part of the 2019 season and all of the 2020-22 campaigns with the team, to a two-year contract worth up to $3.8MM. The team is also making an addition to the defensive side of the ball, agreeing to sign linebacker Oren Burks to a two-year, $5MM deal (via Garafolo’s NFL Media colleague, Ian Rapoport).

Operating as a Joe Mixon understudy during his time in the Queen City, Perine proved to be a productive part of the Bengals’ offense, averaging roughly 4.4 yards per carry across the 2020-22 seasons. He eventually established himself as a trustworthy target in the passing game as well, catching 65 balls for 483 yards and five scores from 2021-22.

Perine, 29, spent the last two seasons in the AFC West. After a 2023 slate that saw the Broncos deploy him in a familiar complementary capacity (53 carries and a career-high 50 catches), the Chiefs did not give him as much action as a runner in 2024 (just 20 carries, his lowest total since 2019). He was efficient with those carries, though, averaging 4.6 yards per tote. He also caught 28 balls for 322 yards, and he should slip seamlessly back into an RB room that features Chase Brown and (for now, at least) Zack Moss.

Burks, who will turn 30 later this month, has also spent the entirety of his career as a reserve player, never starting more than five games in a season or seeing a snap share above 34%. Nonethless, Rapoport says the former Packers draftee will get the chance to start for Cincy.

Filling in for an injured Nakobe Dean during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run earlier this year, Burks tallied 25 tackles (three TFL), a sack, two QB hits, and one pass defensed across four postseason games. That showing was perhaps enough to convince the Bengals — who must be cost-conscious given the percentage of the salary cap they are devoting (or will soon devote) to Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins — to give Burks a shot at a starting gig.

This development perhaps signals that Germaine Pratt, who requested a trade last month, will be on the move.

Bills To Sign LB Michael Hoecht

March 10th, 2025 at 7:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bills have agreed to sign free agent linebacker Michael Hoecht, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Hoecht, who had spent his entire career with the Rams after signing with the club as a UDFA in 2020, will move across the country to continue his career.

He is also getting a nice payday, especially considering his undrafted status. According to Pelissero, Buffalo has authorized a three-year deal for the Ivy Leaguer, a deal that can max out at $24MM.

Now 27, Hoecht spent the entirety of his rookie campaign on the Rams’ taxi squad, finally getting his first taste of regular season action in 2021. By 2022, he had established himself as a regular part of Los Angeles’ defensive rotation, and he was also shifted from defensive tackle to outside linebacker to take advantage of his unique athleticism. The 6-4, 267-pound defender has frequently been asked to drop into coverage and has even lined up at slot corner from time to time.

In 2023, Hoecht became a full-time starter, starting all 17 of the Rams’ regular season games and their lone playoff contest, racking up an 85% snap share and a career-high six sacks. Pro Football Focus did not think highly of his work that season, however, grading him as the 90th-best edge defender out of 112 qualifiers. Perhaps realizing that the Brown product was better suited to a complementary role, the Rams cut his snap share to 57% in 2024 (although he did appear in all 17 games again).

The Bills, who have been busy extending their own players (including several core defenders), did release Von Miller yesterday and could use additional depth on the edge. Hoecht will provide that while also offering some schematic versatility (as detailed by The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue back in November (subscription required)).

Eagles To Trade Kenny Pickett To Browns

March 10th, 2025 at 7:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:09pm: This is not expected to be the only veteran move the Browns make at quarterback. The team is likely still in the market for a vet to join Pickett, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets. This could drop Pickett to the third-string level quickly, depending on how the Browns proceed in the draft.

4:37pm: Kenny Pickett is headed back to the AFC North. The former Steelers first-rounder spent one season with the Eagles, but he is being traded once again.

Pickett is being dealt to the Browns, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The Eagles will receive fellow quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson as well as a 2025 fifth-round pick from Cleveland.

The Browns are in historically unprecedented shape at quarterback, having Deshaun Watson‘s guarantees still on the books through 2026. Watson has bombed spectacularly in Cleveland, and the Browns just completed another restructure — one that creates 2025 cap space but balloons his 2026 cap number to $81MM and his dead money number (in the event of a release) to $135.4MM. Cost conservation is more necessary for the Browns at QB.

This, of course, will be Pickett’s second time in two offseasons being dealt. The Browns are quite familiar with the 2022 first-round pick, as he was the Steelers’ primary starter for two seasons. The Steelers bailed on Pickett shortly between their Russell Wilson and Justin Fields pickups last year. Pittsburgh’s Pickett trade haul did include a third-round pick coming back, in a deal sending other selections back to Philly, but the Eagles are moving on ahead of the Pitt alum’s contract year.

Pickett, 27 in June, played in five Eagles games last season and started one. A rib issue sidelined the ex-Steeler, giving way to Tanner McKee, who appears set to have a shot to back up Jalen Hurts in 2025. Pickett was 14 of 24 for 143 yards in a loss to the Commanders, throwing a costly interception but also leading two fourth-quarter scoring drives. Starting for Hurts the following week, Pickett saw a previous rib issue become too much of a hindrance. He did not play again until mop-up time in the NFC championship and Super Bowl LIX.

With the Steelers, Pickett drew immediate scrutiny as an underwhelming Ben Roethlisberger successor. He managed only seven touchdown passes in 13 games as a rookie and threw just six in 12 sophomore-season contests. While Matt Canada’s offense drew criticism (ahead of an ultra-rare in-season Steelers coach dismissal), Pickett did not inspire confidence after some late-game success down the stretch as a rookie. The Steelers benched him for Mason Rudolph late in the 2023 season and were not exactly pleased with how he handled it. Pickett preferred a scenery change after the Wilson arrival, and the Steelers granted it early during the 2024 offseason.

The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick and have been linked to quarterbacks, along with Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter (whom Cleveland deems a wide receiver). Pickett would not generate much optimism as the Browns’ bridge, making the prospect of another veteran addition logical before the draft decision. Thompson-Robinson holds a ghastly 1-10 TD-INT ratio, having struggled in five starts. The Browns gave the former UCLA starter a few chances but ultimately did not see much production. The Eagles will take a flier, likely as a third-string option, nonetheless.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Cowboys To Sign RB Javonte Williams

March 10th, 2025 at 6:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:58pm: As it turns out, this signing does look like it will send Dowdle elsewhere. The Williams move is expected to ensure the Cowboys move on from their primary 2024 starter, the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore tweets. Dowdle has spent the past five years with the Cowboys.

6:22pm: The Cowboys took plenty of heat for running back apathy last year. They will attempt to change course early this offseason, as a young starter is coming in on Day 1 of free agency.

Javonte Williams is relocating from Denver to Dallas, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reporting the former second-round pick will do so on a one-year deal worth $3MM. The contract can max out at $3.5MM.

Although Williams expressed interest in staying with the Broncos, they were not expected to bring him back. After a promising rookie season, Williams suffered ACL and LCL tears during an October 2022 game in Las Vegas. While the North Carolina alum made it back by Week 1 of the ’23 season, he did not quite resemble his previous version. With Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime signed, the Broncos will part ways with a player they traded up for in 2021.

Williams’ rookie season brought 1,219 scrimmage yards, even as he had to share time with Melvin Gordon. That season included Angry Runs recognition for a carry against the Cowboys, a game in which the Broncos upset the favored hosts. Williams’ 111-yard day in Dallas notwithstanding, he saw his role reduced in Denver during Sean Payton’s second season. The bruising runner averaged 3.6 and 3.7 yards per carry, respectively, over the past two seasons. He did reach 1,002 scrimmage yards in 2023 and 859 in ’24, but there is a reason the Cowboys have him locked into this modest rate.

Dallas received a decent season from Rico Dowdle, who quickly usurped the re-signed Ezekiel Elliott as the team’s primary rusher. Dowdle is unsigned, and this Williams deal would not seem to impede a reunion. The two would bring complementary skillsets. The Cowboys have shown interest in keeping Dowdle, but it will be interesting to see if a player who can blend a quality season with low mileage can fetch notable offers elsewhere.

Browns To Release DT Dalvin Tomlinson

March 10th, 2025 at 6:57pm CST by Ely Allen

After making Myles Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL earlier this week, the Browns are making some concessions elsewhere along the defensive line. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Browns have informed veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson that they will be releasing him at the start of the new league year.

Schefter specifies that Tomlinson will be designated as a post-June 1 release by the team for cap purposes. If they didn’t choose to designate him that way, Tomlinson would account for $17.15MM in dead cap for Cleveland, who wouldn’t accumulate any cap savings from the transaction. Instead, as a post-June 1 designated release, Tomlinson will only take up $5.04MM in dead cap, and the Browns will save $6.41MM in cap space by clearing him from the payroll.

Tomlinson has been a full-time starter in the NFL ever since the Vikings drafted him in the second round out of Alabama in 2017. While he doesn’t stuff the stat sheet with sacks (only 19.0 in his career), he’s been plenty disruptive throughout his career, racking up tackles for loss (36) and quarterback hits (67) aplenty. Tomlinson really hangs his hat on being one of the more well-rounded defensive tackles in the league, often seeing his run defense grades as high as his pass rush grades on Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Tomlinson had a decent year in 2024, grading out as the 32nd-best interior defender of 118 players graded by PFF. While that was certainly a strong bounce back from 2023, when he graded 57th (the worst of his career), it still hasn’t been up to par with every other season he’s played with the Giants and Vikings, when he would routinely rank in the top 20. Still, Tomlinson enters free agency as one of the top defensive tackle options available, especially with Milton Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, D.J. Jones, Poona Ford, Jarran Reed, and Tershawn Wharton coming off the board already.

As for the Browns, they’ll likely be looking to fill out their interior defensive line this offseason. Tomlinson will join Maurice Hurst on the free agent market, leaving Shelby Harris as the only returning starter. The team could see last year’s second-round rookie, Michael Hall, step into a bigger role in 2025, but after he only played eight games last season, nothing is certain.

Load More Posts