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Bills Obtain No. 41 From Bears In Six-Pick Swap

April 25th, 2025 at 6:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

Buffalo will use one of its two second-round picks to move up the board. The Bills are acquiring No. 41 from the Bears in a six-pick trade.

The Bills will add Nos. 41, 72 and 240, while the Bears are picking up Nos. 56, 62 and 109. Chicago came into the draft with two second-rounders as well, holding an extra pick from the 2023 Bryce Young swap. Buffalo selected South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders.

Defensive tackle was seen as a roster need entering the draft for Buffalo. As a result, many pointed to the opening round as a time when adding along the D-line could be targeted. Instead, the Bills made a notable secondary addition by drafting cornerback Maxwell Hairston. Now, Sanders has been selected as a contender to see plenty of playing time right away.

Yet to turn 22, Sanders demonstrated plenty of potential over the course of his final two campaigns with the Gamecocks. He totaled 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks during that span. While concerns have been raised about his run defense, Sanders will be counted on to provide a pass-rush presence early and often in Buffalo. The team compiled 37 sacks last season, 21st in the NFL.

Ed Oliver remains attached to a $17MM-per-year contract, and he will be tasked with reprising his starting gig in 2025. Veteran DaQuan Jones and free agent addition Larry Ogunjobi are also in the fold, as is 2024 third-rounder DeWayne Carter. Plenty of snaps will be devoted to that group, but the Bills’ decision to trade up for Sanders indicates he should be involved as a rookie as well. If he develops as hoped, he will provide Buffalo with another long-term option along the defensive interior.

Dolphins Acquire No. 37 From Raiders

April 25th, 2025 at 6:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins are jumping up to No. 37, acquiring the pick from the Raiders. Miami will send Las Vegas Nos. 48, 98 and 135 for Nos. 37 and 143, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.

Jonah Savaiinaea is heading to South Beach with the newly acquired pick. The Arizona O-lineman will help a Dolphins team that was linked to blockers in Round 1. Miami, however, went with Michigan DT Kenneth Grant. But it is circling back to an interior O-line need.

Losing Robert Hunt in free agency last year, the Dolphins are attacking their guard need this offseason by adding James Daniels (after his three-year Steelers stint) and now bringing in a second-round reinforcement. Savaiinaea profiles as a guard for the Dolphins, who had lost 2024 starter Robert Jones to the Cowboys in free agency. While Miami re-signed Liam Eichenberg, the former second-rounder profiles as more stopgap at this point. He is on a one-year deal.

A three-year Arizona starter, Savaiinaea only earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors last season — as the conference expanded significantly — and honorable mention All-Pac-12 acclaim in 2023. But he ranked highly during the pre-draft process. The powerful blocker checked in at 324 pounds and rated as the fourth-ranked guard in this class, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Savaiinaea also saw extensive time at right tackle with the Wildcats, teaming with 2024 Packers first-rounder Jordan Morgan.

Miami has Austin Jackson signed for two more years at right tackle, and the former first-rounder has strung together two mostly healthy seasons. Savaiinaea, however, should have a clear path to start opposite Daniels at Miami’s other guard spot, as Aaron Brewer remains in place at center on a line that will feature 2024 second-rounder Patrick Paul stepping in for Terron Armstead at LT.

Lions To Exercise Fifth-Year Options On Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams

April 25th, 2025 at 9:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Extension-eligible this offseason, Aidan Hutchinson is poised to land a monster payday despite missing most of last season due to injury. As the standout edge rusher is readying to return from the broken leg he sustained in October, the Lions will construct a bridge toward a potential market-setting payday.

They will make the easy decision to exercise Hutchinson’s fifth-year option Friday, ESPN.com’s Field Yates reports. Detroit had been expected to make the same move for Jameson Williams, and Yates adds that will take place as well. This will move both 2022 first-rounders’ contracts through 2026.

The Lions hit big when they chose Hutchinson second overall in 2022, benefiting from the Jaguars’ potential-over-production selection of Travon Walker at No. 1. While Walker has certainly not been a bust, Hutchinson has moved into a higher tier among pass rushers thus far during his career. The Michigan alum led the NFL in pressures in 2023 and had launched a Defensive Player of the Year campaign by producing 7.5 sacks in fewer than five full games. Going into his age-25 season, Hutchinson has already established himself as one of the NFL’s best pass rushers.

Although Hutchinson fell short of the 50% snap threshold last season, his 2023 original-ballot Pro Bowl nod makes him eligible for the second tier among defensive end options. If the Lions classify Hutchinson as a D-end — which would be the cheaper move, a la the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons 2024 designation — he would be tied to a $19.87MM 2026 salary. That doubles as the transition tag number. The linebacker number is $20.86MM.

Hutchinson’s broken leg gutted the Lions’ pass rush, as they still saw their ace EDGE lead the team (by a significant margin) in sacks. Detroit also lost top Hutchinson sidekick Marcus Davenport to a season-ending injury. Although Davenport is back at a reduced rate, the team still has a need at the position. The two-time defending NFC North champs have not re-signed Za’Darius Smith, and nothing is in the works just yet. Hutchinson finishing the 2023 season with 11.5 sacks and being on pace for a much better season last year is more impressive considering the Lions’ lack of a complementary rusher. Tonight represents an avenue for the team to add an important piece there, as that player would be tied to a rookie-level deal through 2028.

The extensions given to Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett likely moved Hutchinson’s asking price past $40MM per year, and the Parsons, T.J. Watt and Trey Hendrickson markets stand to influence the price point as well. The Lions are certainly budgeting for a long-term Hutchinson extension, and while they have some time thanks to this option, the price could rise significantly as the offseason continues. The Lions were early on Penei Sewell‘s payday last year, giving the 2021 first-rounder a record-setting extension before the draft. Will they act early on Hutchinson to beat the Parsons- and Watt-generated market bump?

Brad Holmes shot down Williams trade rumors after the draft, and while that scenario could conceivably be in play thanks to Williams’ rocky Detroit run and the Lions’ escalating roster costs, the team saw the former No. 12 overall pick reward its patience via a 1,000-yard 2024 season. Williams showed electric ability, and his deep-threat skillset complements Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s work well.

Williams will be tied to a $15.49MM salary in 2026 via this option call, and that decision will buy the Lions time regarding a potential long-term fit. Considering Williams’ two suspensions (under the gambling and PED policies) and 2024 gun-related incident — which did not ultimately produce an arrest and will not bring an NFL ban — it would surprise if the Lions signed off on a extension without seeing more.

Giants To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux’s Fifth-Year Option

April 25th, 2025 at 8:09am CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 25: Carter indeed became the Giants’ pick at No. 3, but Schoen confirmed (via The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson) the Giants will exercise Thibodeaux’s 2026 option. The Giants will now have their formidable three-EDGE group signed beyond 2025. Burns’ deal runs through 2028, while Carter’s rookie-scale contract — which will include a fifth-year option — can go through 2029.

APRIL 24: While their attention remains focused on the opening round of tonight’s draft, the Giants will soon have a decision to make with respect to Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s short-term future. May 1 looms as the deadline to exercise or decline his fifth-year option.

In February, it was reported New York could be expected to pick up the option for 2026. Doing so would put Thibodeaux in line to collect $14.75MM that season, a figure well short of the top of the current edge rush market. The former fifth overall pick has battled inconsistency during his first three years in the league, however, something which has made the looming option decision a talking point.

On that note, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports the Giants are still “likely” to exercise Thibodeaux’s option. The 24-year-old has plenty of time to develop further, and a repeat of his 11.5-sack 2023 campaign would certainly make a short-term investment worthwhile. With 2024 trade acquisition Brian Burns already attached to a lucrative deal, though, moving on from Thibodeaux and replacing him with a rookie like Abdul Carter tonight has been mentioned as a possible maneuver for general manager Joe Schoen and Co.

As Schwartz writes, however, the Giants’ plans on the Thibodeaux front are unlikely to change even if Carter (seen by many as the favorite for the No. 3 pick) is selected. The Penn State product has experience as an inside linebacker, something which could help New York find ways to keep him along with Thibodeaux and Burns on the field together. Especially if the Giants elect to keep Thibodeaux in the fold for at least the next two years, the matter of a long-term arrangement will become something to watch.

The Oregon product has expressed a desire to remain in the Big Apple, although he does not expect negotiations on a multi-year accord to take place this offseason. Thibodeaux’s production in terms of sacks and pressures took a notable step back in 2024 compared to the previous campaign. That can partially be attributed to the fact he was limited to 12 games last year, but questions remain about the potential for a long-term stretch of production matching the talent he showed in college.

The Giants currently sit mid-pack in the NFL in projected 2026 cap space, and absorbing a spike in pay with respect to Thibodeaux that year would not be a challenge. By this time next week, it will be known if he will remain in place beyond the coming campaign.

Giants Acquire No. 25, Select QB Jaxson Dart

April 24th, 2025 at 11:22pm CST by Ben Levine

There was some speculation about the Giants jumping back into the first round as they pursued a QB, and the front office has made that a reality. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports that the team has acquired pick No. 25 from the Texans. The Giants will use their new pick to select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.

Full trade details:

Giants acquire:

  • 2025 first-round pick (No. 25)

Texans acquire:

  • 2025 second-round pick (No. 34)
  • 2025 third-round pick (No. 99)
  • 2026 third-round pick

With the Titans committed to Cam Ward at No. 1, holding there despite multiple Giants offers (one of which including the team’s 2026 first-round pick), Big Blue pivoted to the draft’s second wave of QBs. The team did extensive homework on some of the draft’s other top passing prospects. That included Dart, but it also included Shedeur Sanders, who was generally considered the second-best player at his position.

There was some speculation that a team could make a move up the draft board to select the Colorado product early in the first round, and there was some belief that the Giants could even ignore the draft’s blue chip prospects and simply use No. 3 on Sanders. Instead, Sanders — after a report the Giants were split on the two-year Colorado starter — ended up falling all the way to No. 25, and the Giants made the move…to select Dart.

It’s a pretty stunning development, but it may not be as much of an indictment on Sanders as it is a vote of confidence for Dart. The Ole Miss product recently came up as a player Brian Daboll liked, and the prospect quickly evolved from a potential Day 2 pick into a potential Day 1 pick throughout the pre-draft process. Daboll-Dart connections had developed for a bit leading up to the draft, and the fourth-year HC may well be staking his job on the SEC prospect — after Dave Gettleman-era draftee Daniel Jones defined the first three years of Daboll and GM Joe Schoen‘s tenure.

Dart had three strong seasons at Ole Miss, but he took it to another level in 2024. The prospect finished the campaign having completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Dart also continued to show some ability on the ground, compiling 495 rushing yards on 124 carries. Thanks to an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl, Dart separated himself from the likes of Quinn Ewers and Jalen Milroe…and he apparently did enough to jump Sanders on the draft board.

Dart, 22 in May, will now join a Giants squad that was clearly hunting for a future signal caller. The Giants obviously believe in Dart’s ability considering the investment, but with Daboll and Schoen on the hot seat, leadership may not be inclined to immediately toss the rookie into the starting lineup.

The Jones era came to an end last season, and Tommy DeVito is the only holdover from the former QB grouping. Since free agency started, the team added a pair of notable veterans in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and both of those players will surely sit above their new rookie teammate on the depth chart. Wilson notably only inked a one-year contract with New York, and while Winston’s deal is for two seasons, Dart could have a pathway to a starting gig in 2026. Whether the current regime is around to see it remains to be seen.

Jaguars Acquire No. 2 Pick, Select WR/CB Travis Hunter

April 24th, 2025 at 11:20pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars are making major moves up the draft board. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Jacksonville has acquired the No. 2 pick from the Browns. The Jaguars are using that second overall selection on Colorado’s Travis Hunter.

Full details of the trade:

Jaguars acquire:

  • 2025 first-round pick (No. 2)
  • 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 104)
  • 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 200)

Browns acquire:

  • 2025 first-round pick (No. 5)
  • 2025 second-round pick (No. 36)
  • 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 126)
  • Browns 2026 first-round pick

It’s a stunning development, although not completely unfounded. We heard earlier today that the Jaguars were sniffing around at a trade up the draft board, with their sights set on Hunter. There were occasional rumblings that the Browns would consider moving back, but it was assumed they’d stay put and select one of the draft’s few blue chip prospects.

Cleveland was a popular potential landing spot for Hunter, but instead the two-way threat will suddenly land in Jacksonville. The Heisman winner has remained insistent that he aims to continue playing at both receiver and cornerback as a pro. Hunter also indicated that teams were receptive to that idea, stating that the concept of playing on offense and defense in the NFL has not been an issue for the teams he has spoken with.

The Jaguars are coming off a disappointing season that led to sweeping changes in leadership. Liam Coen has been brought in as head coach, with ex-Rams exec James Gladstone guiding the front office. That duo is making an immediate swing that they’re hoping will turn around the fortunes of the organization.

On offense, Hunter would provide Trevor Lawrence with another dynamic option. 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas was a hit, as the wideout finished his rookie campaign with 1,330 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. Hunter and Thomas will form perhaps the best young receiver duo in the NFL, and there’s a belief the 2025 second-overall pick will ultimately settle into an offensive role.

The team may not feel as much urgency to use the rookie on the defensive side of the ball, although Hunter is also considered an elite prospect at cornerback. He split snaps nearly evenly during his Heisman-winning 2024 season. The team returns their top three CBs from 2024 (Tyson Campbell, Jarrian Jones, Montaric Brown) and they added Jourdan Lewis in free agency. That could allow Hunter to serve in a rotational role as he juggles playing both sides of the ball as a professional.

Hunter was considered one of the draft’s elite prospects following his headline-grabbing 2024 campaign. The Colorado star finished the season with 1,263 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns, and he added another 36 tackles and four interceptions on defense. He beat out Ashton Jeanty narrowly for the Heisman and had been earmarked for the No. 2 draft slot for weeks.

After making a pre-draft trade with Houston involving Day 3 picks — including a fifth-rounder this year — Cleveland will now land the fifth overall pick, plus an early second and a future first. The Browns were often connected to Hunter or Abdul Carter, and it was expected that they’d resist trade inquiries and opt for the blue chip prospect. Instead, the Browns will turn to the second tier of draft options.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/24/25

April 24th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Raiders front office is surely focusing much of their efforts on tonight’s draft, that didn’t stop the organization from making a move today:

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: TE Qadir Ismail

The son of former WR Qadry Ismail, Qadir had an interesting college career, transitioning from quarterback to wide receiver. He went undrafted out of Samford in 2024 and caught on with the Ravens, where he was listed as a tight end. He spent the entirety of his rookie campaign on Baltimore’s taxi squad. He’ll be joining a Raiders TEs group that includes Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas, and Justin Shorter.

Browns, Texans Complete Pre-Draft Trade

April 24th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

While we are still two hours away from a pick becoming official, the Browns and Texans are making a change to their draft hauls. The AFC teams have agreed on a swap involving Day 3 picks.

Cleveland will pick up a fifth-rounder in this draft and a fifth in 2027 in exchange for three later-round choices this year, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Here are the full terms of the swap:

Browns receive:

  • 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 166)
  • 2027 fifth-rounder

Texans receive:

  • 2025 sixth-round pick (No. 179)
  • No. 216
  • No. 255

This trade does not check in on the level of Houston’s pre-draft exchange with Minnesota last year, as that involved a first-round pick going to the Vikings. But the Browns are still capitalizing on their 10-pick arsenal to move up on Day 3. Cleveland’s 2025 selection count will drop from 10 to eight via this trade, and while sixth- and seventh-round picks may not move the needle much, teams are high on this draft’s depth.

The No. 166 choice came from the Bills in last year’s Stefon Diggs trade, while each of the picks the Browns are sending the Texans’ way are their own selections. Houston will see its 2025 selection count jump from seven to nine, providing more opportunities for late-round fliers (or more trades). The Texans now have five picks between Rounds 6 and 7 this year.

Cleveland has been tied to using the No. 2 overall pick as a way to stockpile more draft ammo, with the storyline persisting over the past two days. It still looks more likely than not the Browns end up with Travis Hunter at 2, but the team subtracted some late-round capital for two 5s. GM Andrew Berry has also been connected to using the No. 34 overall pick as a vehicle to trade back into Round 1, giving the Browns a chance to draft Hunter and circle back to a quarterback hours later. A fifth-rounder this year would be an asset to use in that event. It will now be worth monitoring if higher-profile moves are on tap.

Lions Sign S Kerby Joseph To Record-Setting Extension

April 23rd, 2025 at 11:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Just before last year’s draft, the Lions secured their future by signing both offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to long-term extensions. This year, they’ve decided to do the same, rewarding a first-team All-Pro season by making Kerby Joseph the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Joseph and Detroit have agreed to a four-year, $86MM extension.

We don’t have any guaranteed numbers on the deal yet to stack against the current top deals in the league, but Joseph’s $86MM in total value is more that Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s $84.1MM. Winfield also held the highest average annual value at $21.03MM per year, which will be eclipsed by Joseph’s $21.5MM per annum.

We knew all the way back when the Lions got eliminated from the playoffs that they would be exploring an extension for their All-Pro safety this offseason. They reiterated those intentions earlier this month, as well, adding that star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson‘s expected extension was also on the docket.

The reason Joseph’s extension likely took priority over Hutchinson’s is because, unlike Hutchinson, Joseph was not a first-round pick. As a first-round selection, Hutchinson’s rookie contract includes a fifth-year option that the team can exercise to extend his obligations to the team for a year longer than the standard four-year rookie deal. Because of this, Hutchinson and the Lions will likely have plenty more time to work out an extension. Joesph, on the other hand, was headed into the final year of his rookie contract.

In just three years of play, Joseph has already established himself as one of the league’s best at the position. Not only did he lead the NFL with nine interceptions in 2024, but he also leads the league in interceptions since he entered the NFL in 2022 with 17. Add in 31 passes defensed and 247 tackles and Joseph has proven that he deserved to be awarded with an All-Pro selection and a record-setting extension this year.

The Lions will hope that securing Joseph will give them the league’s top defensive backfield duo in the NFL for years to come. Today’s extension ensures that Joseph will return alongside Brian Branch next year. Branch, a Pro Bowler last year with seven interceptions and 29 passes defensed in his first two seasons, was drafted in the second round a year after Joseph. Both safeties were ranked as top-five safeties per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) with Joseph notching the position’s highest overall and coverage grades and Branch notching the positions best run defense grade. Branch will likely be a target for extension himself in the next offseason.

For now, though, the Lions will rejoice in their securing of Joseph and the elimination of safety as a position of need in the draft. It was never considered a position that needed improvement, but with Joseph on a long-term deal, there’s no danger of needing to draft a safety to eventually take over for a free agent departure.

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