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Minor NFL Transactions: 7/16/25

By | at July 16, 2025 7:16 pm

With rookies starting to report for training camp, we’ve got a good number of minor moves for the first time in a while today:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Smith, a former fourth-round pick out of Northern Iowa for the Giants, has decided to hang up his cleats, putting an end to an unfortunately injury-marred career at 26 years old. After opening up his rookie season on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury early in training camp, Smith played eight games as a rookie before suffering a neck injury that sent him back to IR. New York held out hope, activating him off of IR eight games into his sophomore campaign, but ultimately, Smith returned to IR after only five more games.

After the Giants waived him early in training camp in 2023, Smith found his way to the Jets’ practice squad in mid-October but was released at the turn of the month. Three weeks later he signed to the practice squad of the Raiders, with whom he would finish the season and sign a reserve/futures deal. Las Vegas, though, waived him with an injury designation before finalizing their 53-man roster for 2024. Smith rebounded once more with the Browns, and thanks to two gameday practice squad elevations, Smith played in two games last season — his first since 2022 — and signed a futures deal in Cleveland.

Injuries to his legs and neck early in his career derailed a career for Smith that was never really able to get going. Unfortunately, the former first-team FCS All-American’s playing time has come to an early end.

Ross reportedly asked for his release from the Chiefs, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The once promising Clemson star who totaled 1,000 yards with nine touchdowns as a freshman and 865 yards with eight touchdowns as a sophomore continues to struggle in his return to football stardom. After missing the 2020 season due to surgery addressing a congenital fusion condition of his neck and spine, Ross only amassed 524 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his final year with the Tigers before going undrafted in 2022.

Despite injuries leaving the Chiefs pretty thin at receiver at times in the past few years, Ross never was able to step up and take a spot on the offense. When his undrafted contract expired and he’d only seen action in 12 games and caught six passes totaling 53 yards, Ross signed the exclusive rights tender the team placed on him, as his only other option would’ve been to not play in 2025. Instead, he approached Kansas City with a request to be released, and the Chiefs acquiesced. The 25-year-old will go to the waiver wire, and if no teams claim him, he’ll be able to sign anywhere he wants.

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Chiefs, G Trey Smith Finalize Extension

By | at July 15, 2025 9:45 pm

9:45pm: Smith will see $46.75MM fully guaranteed, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. That sits second among guards, trailing only Lindstrom’s $48.2MM number. Smith’s guarantee also checks in lower than what two franchise tags would have brought, but Kansas City was still able to finalize a deal before today’s deadline.

As the Chiefs reward the former sixth-round pick, they will use their Patrick Mahomes guarantee model. Smith secured a rolling guarantee structure, per Breer, who reports the Pro Bowl right guard’s $23.25MM 2027 base salary will become fully guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Smith’s $23.25MM 2028 base salary is nonguaranteed, but the 2027 structure effectively ensures he will collect three years’ worth of cash on this lucrative contract.

12:45pm: The Chiefs are finalizing a four-year extension with franchise-tagged right guard Trey Smith, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

The deal is worth $94MM with $70MM in guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, keeping Smith as the highest-paid guard in league history. His $23.5MM APY is slightly more than his one-year franchise tag and resets the position’s market by $2.5MM after the Eagles gave left guard Landon Dickerson $21MM per year last offseason. Smith’s total guarantees of $70MM will also set a new record by $7MM, per OverTheCap, beating out Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom.

News of the agreement comes mere hours before a 3pm CT deadline for tagged players to sign a multiyear deal. With a strong desire to lower Smith’s 2025 cap hit and lock him down for the foreseeable future, the Chiefs finally accomplished their biggest goal of the offseason. This comes three years after Kansas City failed to beat the buzzer with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., but the team had eyed a Smith payday for a bit. The March Joe Thuney trade set this in motion, as the three-time reigning AFC champions swapped out one high guard salary for another.

Smith will be under contract through 2028, as will All-Pro center and fellow 2021 draftee Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year extension last August. Arguably the best guard-center duo on the league, Smith and Humphrey are both the highest-paid players at their position and will form the bedrock of the Kansas City’s offensive line for years to come.

While the Chiefs are coming off a humbling loss in Super Bowl LIX — a game that saw its O-line struggle — the team had done well to reconfigure its O-line following the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV onslaught. This came via the Brown trade, the Thuney contract (five years, $80MM) and adding Humphrey and Smith in the draft. It will be on Smith and Humphrey to lead the way back following the Eagles’ blowout win.

The Chiefs also spent this offseason acquiring potential long-term left tackles to join Smith and Humphrey on the O-line, including veteran free agent signing Jaylon Moore and first-round rookie Josh Simmons. However, the team’s future at left guard and right tackle is less certain. 2023 UDFA Mike Caliendo is the most experienced guard on the roster with just three career starts, while right tackle Jawaan Taylor has struggled to live up to his $80MM contract and has no guaranteed money on his deal after this year.

Regardless of who he plays next to, Smith figures to be one of the best blockers in the league for the foreseeable future. He fell into the sixth round of the 2021 draft due to medical concerns about blood clots in his lungs, but earned the Chiefs’ starting right guard job as a rookie and never looked back.

The 25-year-old blocker has only missed one game due to injury in his four-year NFL career and was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2024 after giving up only one sack in 1,288 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF has rated Smith as a top-15 guard in each of his four seasons, and ESPN’s pass block win rate has slotted him sixth in run blocking in 2024 — after placing him fourth in pass protection in ’23.

Smith’s new contract is a final leap in a guard market that has exploded over the last few offseasons. Next up will be Cowboys Pro Bowler Tyler Smith, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He could approach Smith’s $23.5MM APY, but other guards up for new deals are either significantly older or significantly less-proven.

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Chiefs Pursuing Multi-Year Agreement With RG Trey Smith Before July 15 Deadline

By | at July 14, 2025 10:07 pm

The Chiefs are hoping to reach an agreement with franchise-tagged right guard Trey Smith ahead of a July 15 deadline for him to sign a multi-year deal.

The team has been in touch with Smith’s representation in recent days, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but negotiations are coming down to the wire. Smith already signed his non-exclusive franchise tag in March, locking in a fully guaranteed $23.4MM salary for the 2025 season if the two sides can’t come to multi-year terms before the deadline passes tomorrow.

An extension has obvious appeal for both sides. For Kansas City, it’s a chance to lock down one of their best players for the foreseeable future while reducing a 2025 cap hit that ranks third among all offensive lineman. (Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor ranks second, according to PFR’s Adam La Rose.)

For Smith, an extension would mean long-term financial security and a stronger up-front cash flow. He said last week that he is focused on football and leaves the contract talks to his agents at Creative Artists Agency.

The $23.4MM tag makes Smith the highest-paid guard in the league ahead of Landon Dickerson at $21MM per year and three others with an APY above $20MM. A multi-year agreement with the Chiefs would keep Smith in the top spot, per Rapoport, but the Chiefs may not want to reset the market by $2.4MM.

A second tag in 2026 would be unlikely with a price tag of $28.08MM, but it could establish a framework for a deal. Two straight tags for Smith would pay him $51.48MM in fully guaranteed money over the next two years, outpacing the previous high of $48.2MM set by Chris Lindstrom. The Chiefs could design a contract with a similar cash flow and guarantee structure in an attempt to convince Smith to take an overall APY below $23.4MM.

Such a deal would have to come together before tomorrow’s deadline. If not, Smith will play on the tag this year to set up another round of extension negotiations after the season.

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Players To Spend Season On Franchise Tag Since 2015

By | at July 13, 2025 10:07 pm

The Chiefs and Trey Smith have just less than 48 hours to agree on a long-term extension; otherwise, the Pro Bowl guard will play on the franchise tag and negotiations will be tabled until 2026. That is 2025’s only tag situation as the July 15 deadline approaches.

Over the previous 10 offseasons, 77 players received the franchise tag. Many of those signed extensions before the midsummer deadline. Here are the players who did not and ended up playing the season for the tag price:

2015

Pierre-Paul’s infamous fireworks accident led to Giants rescinding $14.8MM tag, setting up revised agreement 

2016

2017

2018

Bell did not collect any money on his 2018 tag, being the 21st century’s lone franchise-tagged player to skip season

2019

Texans applied $15.9MM linebacker tag on Clowney, trading him to Seahawks in August 2019; edge rusher agreed to salary reduction upon being dealt

2020

Ravens, Judon agreed on compromise between defensive end, linebacker tag prices. Ngakoue agreed to salary reduction to facilitate trade from Jaguars. Vikings traded edge rusher to Ravens before 2020 deadline. Prescott received exclusive franchise tag from Cowboys.

2021

2022

2023

Raiders provided raise to Jacobs to bring him into training camp

2024

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Chiefs’ Trey Smith Addresses Extension Talks

By | at July 10, 2025 9:26 pm

Time is ticking for the Chiefs and Trey Smith to agree to a multiyear extension. While both sides would benefit from some long-term security, it sounds like the offensive guard isn’t overly concerned about his current lame-duck status.

“I leave it to the hands of my agents,” Smith said during a recent appearance on Up and Adams (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “Obviously, the front office staff of the Chiefs are elite, and you know, at the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player and being prepared for training camp because St. Joe’s is around the corner.”

The former sixth-round pick finished his rookie contract in 2024 and was subsequently slapped with the franchise tag. That means the offensive guard is temporarily attached to a $23.4MM salary for the upcoming season, an AAV that would easily make him the highest-paid player at his position. That probably explains why Smith isn’t sweating his lack of an extension, and assuming he can stay healthy next season, he may be happy to face a similar situation next year. The two sides have until July 15th to agree to an extension. Otherwise, Smith will play the upcoming season on the tag.

Still, it seems pretty clear that Smith is destined to ink a long-term deal with Kansas City. The Chiefs moved on from fellow guard Joe Thuney this offseason, opening a potential hole on one side of the offensive line. That competition will likely come down to Mike Caliendo and Kingsley Suamataia, who have combined for five career NFL starts.

Alongside center Creed Humphrey, Smith provides some stability on the interior. Smith has only missed a single regular season game since entering the NFL, and he’s consistently finished in the top-20 in Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings. With a Pro Bowl nod and two Super Bowl rings on his resume, Smith is surely eyeing a lucrative pay day, and the Chiefs have plenty of reasons to hand him that next pact.

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33 Unsigned 2025 Draft Picks Remain

By | at July 9, 2025 9:19 pm

The NFL has hit a logjam and is collectively lagging far behind where it normally is at this point in the offseason. Two years ago, the league hit its last 30 unsigned players before July. Last year, teams were signing rookies as quickly as they were drafting them, and only 10 players remained unsigned by June 17. A couple intriguing situations have caused pens to go quiet in 2025, and as a result, here are the 33 remaining unsigned rookies of the 2025 NFL Draft:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 4:

  • No. 107 (Jaguars): Jack Kiser (LB, Notre Dame)

In recent years, a trend has seen second-rounders lasting the longest, but what we’re seeing this year is unheard of. As rookies have been getting a bit of flexibility in negotiating structures of guarantees, getting deals done has become a waiting game of seeing what surrounding picks are getting for comparison. Last year, teams breezed through the issue, but 2025 has seen significantly increased troubles.

Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins set the tone by signing a fully guaranteed rookie contract, the first ever for a second-round selection. The next day, the Browns were essentially forced to do the same for Carson Schwesinger, picked one slot before Higgins. Shough, the Saints rookie quarterback, is seeking the same deal, hoping that his elevated status as a passer will help convince New Orleans to continue making history. Shough’s efforts have caused every pick between him and Higgins to stand pat, waiting to see if they get to ask for full guarantees from their teams, as well. This would be a drastic development, as last year’s 40th overall pick, Cooper DeJean, received only two fully guaranteed years with only partial guarantees in Year 3.

The biggest story outside of the second round is that of the standoff between Stewart and the Bengals. Stewart has issues with what he perceives as a lack of protection in Cincinnati’s offer that causes a contract default in any year to void any guarantees in all the following years. It’s a new precedent the team is trying to set, and Stewart seems intent on preventing them from doing so.

It will be interesting to see which standoff gets settled first: Stewart’s or Shough’s. The latter standoff ending would likely set off a domino reaction of second-round deals that would help a large number of teams close out their rookie classes. To this point, only four NFL teams have done so.

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Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Not Planning To Finish Career Elsewhere

By | at July 8, 2025 9:56 pm

Three weeks ago, veteran Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was undecided on his future once his contract expires at the end of the coming season. He claimed that he couldn’t see himself “ever playing anywhere else,” but with things up in the air still, he resolved to “deal with that down the road.” In an appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast a week ago, Kelce set the record straight.

When asked by former NFL linebacker Will Compton if he could see himself in another uniform, Kelce told the crew, “At this point, no. Maybe if you would’ve asked me that maybe like a contract or two ago, I’d have been like, you know, I’d keep it open.” 

He went on, waxing poetic about his affinity for Kansas City. Highlighting the connections he’s developed within the community, his relationship with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whom he referred to as “family,” head coach Andy Reid‘s role as a mentor in his life, Kelce told the crew how he’ll always have a home in Kansas City.

The three-time Super Bowl champion is not ignorant of what the future holds, though. Heading into a contract year during which he will turn 36 years old, Kelce seems fully aware that, at some point, a business decision will be made by the Chiefs. While Kelce still has the ability to contribute to the Kansas City offense, putting up career lows in yardage and touchdowns in 2024 — not including his single-snap rookie season — continued a trend of decreasing production from his 2023 campaign.

Regardless of his contributions in the upcoming season, the Chiefs are going to have to start thinking long-term and investing young at the position. The team recently extended Noah Gray, who picked up a good amount of slack last year, while fourth-round rookie Jared Wiley saw one target in seven games before sitting out the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

With the writing beginning to appear on the wall, Kelce’s certainly made himself no stranger to life after football. With his own New Heights podcast that he hosts with his retired brother, Jason Kelce, an appearance on Saturday Night Live, acting credits in television shows like Moonbase 8 and Grotesquerie, and a soon-to-be-seen role in the long-awaited Happy Gilmore sequel, it’s hard to imagine Kelce disappearing from the spotlight any time soon. Whatever his future holds, it seems it won’t include him sporting a helmet with anything but an arrowhead on it.

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Extension Candidate: Trey Smith

By | at July 7, 2025 10:00 pm

July 15 looms as the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign a long-term deal. In the case of 2025, that is only applicable to the Chiefs and right guard Trey Smith.

A trip to free agency appeared to be in store given the cumbersome nature of using the tag on offensive lineman. Tackles, guards and centers are grouped together for the purposes of tag calculations, which often serves as a deterrent when teams consider using it on interior blockers. The Chiefs nevertheless prevented Smith from testing the market by applying the $23.4MM one-year tender in February.

A long-term pact has represented a logical goal for both parties since well before the decision to use the tag. Smith has operated as a full-time starter during each of his four seasons in Kansas City, missing only one game to date. Given his availability concerns coming into the league, remaining healthy has been key for the 26-year-old in establishing his value.

Smith has consistently been amongst the league’s top guards during his Chiefs tenure. The Pro Bowler has ranked between 10th and 15th each season in terms of PFF grade, and he will be expected to remain a strong contributor up front for years to come if a multi-year Kansas City pact can be worked out. The team traded away All-Pro guard Joe Thuney this offseason in a move which freed up money but also signaled an investment in Smith (who is six years younger) would be coming.

Indeed, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in April a long-term deal on this front was among his top post-draft priorities. In the months since then, few updates have emerged suggesting the sides are close to an agreement. As the deadline approaches, though, that could of course change in short order.

At the moment, the value of Smith’s fully guaranteed tag is set to match his 2025 cap hit. That figure is the highest for interior O-linemen, but it would be reduced with a long-term pact. The guard market currently includes four players attached to an AAV over $20MM on a multi-year accord, with Landon Dickerson leading the way at $21MM. Smith could certainly look to join that group given his performances, age and the jump in the salary cap since the other deals were signed.

Kansas City already has center Creed Humphrey on the books at an average of $18MM per season (the most at that position). Right tackle Jawaan Taylor also has a notable cap number for the year, although he is not assured of a starting spot this season. The left side of the team’s line, meanwhile, will be the subject of considerable scrutiny as the prospect of first-round rookie Josh Simmons handling blindside duties right away is considered.

Regardless of how that shakes out, Smith will be counted on to remain an anchor up front. Improvement in terms of both run blocking and pass protection will be a key goal for Kansas City in 2025 irrespective of Smith’s contract status. Well before Week 1, however, it will be known if he has a contract beyond the coming campaign.

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The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

By | at July 5, 2025 10:57 pm

The NFL’s 2025 HC carousel brought five new sideline leaders; this year’s GM market eventually featured four new hires. Two teams made quick-trigger decisions involving front office bosses this offseason.

Not long after the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce, they booted Tom Telesco — brought in to give the inexperienced HC a seasoned GM — after just one season. New minority owner Tom Brady, who certainly appears to have downplayed his Raiders role in a recent interview, wanted a fresh start. That meant firing Telesco despite the GM’s Brock Bowers draft choice last year. John Spytek, an ex-Brady Michigan teammate who was with the Buccaneers when the team signed the QB icon, replaced him. Formerly the Chargers’ front office boss, Telesco had entered every season in a GM chair since 2013.

Ran Carthon received two years in charge in Tennessee, but owner Amy Adams Strunk — a year after the surprise Mike Vrabel firing — moved on and arranged an interesting power structure this offseason. The Titans installed Chad Brinker, who had been one of Carthon’s two assistant GMs, as president of football operations. The ex-Carthon lieutenant holds final say over new hire Mike Borgonzi, who did run the Titans’ draft this year. Borgonzi, who interviewed for the Jets’ GM job as well, comes over after a lengthy Chiefs tenure.

The in-season Joe Douglas firing brought a Jets GM change for the first time in six years. As Woody Johnson overreach became a regular talking point in New York, the Jets started over with Darren Mougey. Johnson changed up his workflow upon hiring Mougey, however. Rather than the GM directly reporting to the owner (as Douglas had), both Mougey and Aaron Glenn will do so. Mougey, though, does control the roster.

Telesco’s January firing left Trent Baalke as the NFL’s lone second-chance GM. The Jaguars had kept Baalke despite firing Doug Pederson, but as the team’s coaching search brought significant concerns from candidates about the presence of the resilient GM, Shad Khan eventually made a change. This move came after top HC candidate Liam Coen initially turned down a second interview, doing so after Ben Johnson concerns about the situation circulated. Gladstone is now in place as the NFL’s youngest GM, at 34, coming over from the Rams.

This offseason also brought three GM extensions — for Jason Licht, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Omar Khan. Licht is heading into his 12th season at the helm. Adofo-Mensah joined Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell in being extended this offseason. Also a 2022 GM hire/promotion, Khan signed a Steelers extension this week.

Although Jerry Jones and Mike Brown have been in place longer, the Cowboys and Bengals’ owners hold de facto GM titles. Mickey Loomis is not only the longest-tenured pure GM in the NFL; the Saints boss trails only Hall of Famer Tex Schramm as the longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history. Hired four years before Sean Payton in New Orleans, Loomis heads into his 24th season at the controls. Loomis hired his third HC as a GM (Kellen Moore) in February.

Here is how long every GM has been in place across the NFL:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  4. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  5. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010[3]; signed extension in 2022
  6. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  7. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2025
  8. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  9. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  10. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  11. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  12. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2024
  13. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  14. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  15. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020; signed extension in 2024
  16. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  17. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  18. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021; agreed to extension in 2024
  19. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  20. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  21. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  22. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  23. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022; signed extension in 2025
  24. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  25. Adam Peters (Washington Commanders): January 12, 2024
  26. Dan Morgan (Carolina Panthers): January 22, 2024
  27. Joe Hortiz (Los Angeles Chargers): January 29, 2024
  28. Eliot Wolf (New England Patriots): May 11, 2024
  29. Mike Borgonzi (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2025
  30. John Spytek (Las Vegas Raiders): January 22, 2025
  31. Darren Mougey (New York Jets): January 24, 2025
  32. James Gladstone (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 21, 2025

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. The Eagles bumped Roseman from the top decision-making post in 2015, giving Chip Kelly personnel power. Roseman was reinstated upon Kelly’s December 2015 firing.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018
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Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Defense

By | at July 4, 2025 9:00 pm

The 2025 offseason has been defined in no small part by extensions amongst the league’s top edge rushers. A number of high-profile situations on that front remain unresolved at this point, which will make for interesting storylines over the coming weeks. Still, pass rushers once again account for some of the top cap charges around the NFL.

Just like on offense, here is a breakdown of the top 25 defensive cap hits in 2025:

  1. Maxx Crosby, DE (Raiders): $38.15MM
  2. T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $30.42MM
  3. DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $26.6MM
  4. Daron Payne, DT (Commanders): $26.17MM
  5. Rashan Gary, OLB (Packers): $25.77MM
  6. Montez Sweat, DE (Bears): $25.09MM
  7. Denzel Ward, CB (Browns): $24.56MM
  8. Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys): $24.01MM
  9. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $23.86MM
  10. Roquan Smith, LB (Ravens): $23.72MM
  11. Dexter Lawrence, DT (Giants): $23.64MM
  12. Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $23.6MM
  13. Jeffery Simmons, DT (Titans): $22.7MM
  14. L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): $22.58MM
  15. Vita Vea, DT (Buccaneers): $22.47MM
  16. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Dolphins): $22.36MM
  17. Jonathan Greenard, DE (Vikings): $22.3MM
  18. Jessie Bates, S (Falcons): $22.25MM
  19. Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $21.92MM)
  20. Quinnen Williams, DT (Jets): $21.59MM
  21. Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears): $21MM
  22. Nick Bosa, DE (49ers): $20.43MM
  23. Kenny Clark, DT (Packers): $20.37MM
  24. Danielle Hunter, DE (Texans): $20.2MM
  25. Zach Allen, DE (Broncos): $19.8MM

Crosby briefly held the title of the league’s highest-paid pass rusher when his latest Raiders extension was signed. That $35.5MM-per-year pact was quickly overtaken in value, but it put to rest speculation about a potential trade. Now fully healthy, Crosby’s level of play in 2025 will be critical in determining Vegas’ success.

Garrett currently leads the way in terms of AAV for edge rushers (and, in turn, all defensive players). He landed $40MM in annual compensation from the Browns in a deal which ended his long-running trade request. The four-time All-Pro sought a change of scenery to a Super Bowl contender but then altered his stance following communication with Cleveland’s front office. Garrett is now on the books through 2030.

Other notable pass rushers face an uncertain future beyond the coming campaign, by contrast. That includes Watt, who is not close to reaching an agreement on a third Steelers contract. The former Defensive Player of the Year is reported to be eyeing a pact which will again move him to the top of the pecking order for pass rushers. He thus finds himself in a similar situation to fellow 30-year-old All-Pro Trey Hendrickson with the Bengals.

While Hendrickson is believed to be aiming for a new deal similar in average annual value to those like Bosa and Hunter’s, Parsons could leapfrog Watt atop the pecking order by the time the season begins. Little (if any) progress has been made since Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reached a handshake agreement on the framework of a deal. Time remains for a pact to be finalized before training camp; failing that, the possibility of a hold-in will increase.

Recent years have seen a major spike in the valuation of interior defensive linemen capable of producing against the pass. It comes as no surprise, then, to see a multitude of D-tackles on the list. Buckner and Chris Jones are among the veterans with the longest track record of success in terms of sacks and pressures (along with disruptive play against the run, of course). Payne, Lawrence, Simmons and Williams were among the players who helped moved the position’s market upward with similar second contracts during the 2023 offseason.

Gary, Sweat and Greenard will again be counted on to lead the way in terms of pass rush production for their respective NFC North teams. Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota each have upside elsewhere on the depth chart, but expectations will remain high for those three based on their lucrative deals. The highly competitive division will no doubt come down to head-to-head games, and they will be influenced in large part by the performances of each defense.

The cornerback market reached $30MM per year this offseason thanks to Derek Stingley Jr.‘s Texans extension. Given the term remaining on his rookie pact, though, his cap charge for this season checks in at a much lower rate than that of teammates like Hunter or other top CBs. Ward and Jaylon Jones are on the books through 2027, and the same is true of Sneed. The high-priced Tennessee trade acquisition did not enjoy a healthy debut season with his new team in 2024, but he appears to be set for full participation in training camp.

Safety and linebacker are among the positions which have witnessed slower growth than others recently. Still, a few top performers are attached to deals landing them on this list. Smith has been a first-team All-Pro performer during his tenure with the Ravens; he will be expected to remain one in 2025 and beyond. James and Bates will likewise be counted on as key playmakers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Fitzpatrick will, interestingly, return to his original team after being part of the blockbuster Steelers-Dolphins trade from earlier this week.

Vea helped the Buccaneers rank fourth against the run last season while Clark and the Packers finished seventh in that regard. Both veterans have multiple years remaining on their deals, although in both cases the final season does not include guaranteed money. Vea and/or Clark could thus find themselves discussing an extension next offseason.

Allen is among the players listed who could have a new deal in hand before Week 1. The former Cardinal is coming off a career-best 8.5 sacks from the 2024 season. To no surprise, then, Allen is high on Denver’s list of extension priorities, and it will be interesting to see if the pending 2026 free agent works out a new pact prior to the start of the campaign.

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