NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/30/25
We saw another late-round draft pick signing today:
Los Angeles Rams
- RB Jarquez Hunter (fourth round, Auburn)
The Rams traded up 10 spots, giving up a sixth-round pick in the process, to take Hunter in the middle of the fourth round. Hunter joins a room that returns its three leading rushers from last year in Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and Ronnie Rivers.
That being said, Los Angeles essentially functioned with Williams as a bell-cow in 2024, seeing as how he accounted for nearly 75 percent of the team’s rushing yards and had nearly 1,100 yards more than the next rusher on the team. Hunter will likely compete with Corum in an attempt to give the team more of an impact in the RB2 role in 2025.
Rams Sign OT David Quessenberry
The Rams have signed veteran offensive tackle David Quessenberry to a one-year deal, per a team announcement.
Quessenberry played for the Vikings in 2024, his seventh NFL season. He appeared in every game as Minnesota’s swing tackle, but logged only 110 snaps during the regular season. He filled in for left tackle Christian Darrisaw after his injury in Week 8 and was expected to take over the starting job until the Vikings traded for Cam Robinson. Quessenberry played most of the game in Week 12 after Robinson left with an injury and added another 14 snaps in relief of right tackle Brian O’Neill in Week 15. He also closed out the Vikings’ wild card loss in January after O’Neill tore his Achilles during the game.
The 34-year-old Quessenberry will likely fill a similar role in Los Angeles backing up starting tackles Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein. His experience on the blind side will be crucial to the Rams after the departure of Joseph Noteboom this offseason. The team’s other backup OT, Warren McClendon, primarily played right tackle in college and his first two NFL seasons with just 52 snaps at left tackle last year.
Quessenberry has played a handful of snaps at guard in his career, though not since 2022. The Rams have more depth along the interior of their O-line, so he likely wouldn’t be needed there unless an emergency arises.
Originally a Texans sixth-round pick in 2013, Quessenberry spent his rookie year on injured reserve due to a foot injury. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma during the following offseason; his treatment sidelined him for three years. He finally made his NFL debut in 2017 with two appearances for the Texans. He didn’t play in 2018 and eventually landed with the Titans in 2019. Quessenberry took over Tennessee’s starting left tackle job halfway through the 2020 season and started all 17 games at right tackle in 2021. He then started three games for the Bills in 2022 before signing with one-year deals with the Vikings in 2023 and 2024.
Sean McVay: Rams Making Progress On Kyren Williams Extension
Regardless of what happens with with respect to a potential Jalen Ramsey reunion, Kyren Williams looms as a key offseason priority for the Rams. Progress is being made regarding an extension agreement in the latter’s case. 
When speaking to the media at the start of OTAs, head coach Sean McVay said “healthy” discussions have taken place with Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, about a long-term deal. Talks on that front have been held this spring, with Williams – who is in attendance for the voluntary practices – set to play out the final year of his rookie contract in 2025.
The 24-year-old is uncertain to land an extension before the coming season begins, but in any case he is confident he will remain with the Rams in 2026 and beyond. Williams has operated as the team’s lead running back for each of the past two seasons, totaling 544 carries during that time. He earned a Pro Bowl invite along with a second-team All-Pro nod in 2023 as a result of his league-leading 95.3 rushing yards per game average that year.
Williams saw his efficiency drop in 2024, but an increased workload allowed him to set a new career high in several categories. RB1 duties should again be in store for the Notre Dame product moving forward, and that will of course hold true if a long-term agreement can in fact be reached. McVay added “positive progress” has been made toward a deal coming together. Should that continue to be the case, Williams could have an extension in hand well before Week 1.
The Rams have made mid-round draft investments in the backfield over the past two years (Blake Corum in 2024, Jarquez Hunter in 2025). A depth role can be expected for one or both of them this season, but much of Los Angeles’ offensive success will again be determined by the play of Williams as the team’s top option. His age and production could help lead to an agreement near the top of the running back market (which currently includes seven players attached to eight figures in annual earnings) if the Rams are willing to meet his asking price. Indications are that will take place somewhat soon.
Latest On Dolphins, CB Jalen Ramsey
It’s only been two days since we talked about the Dolphins–Jalen Ramsey trade situation, but what a two days it has been. We insinuated in our most recent post that a trade could be on hold until after June 1 for cap reasons, and a lot of signs appear to be pointing in that direction. 
The reasoning for this is fairly clear. Were the Dolphins to trade their star cornerback before June 1, the team would eat $25.21MM in dead money with Ramsey still taking up $8.55MM of cap space. If the team makes the trade after June 1, that dead money figure reduces to $6.75MM with the team also getting $9.92MM of salary cap relief.
As if to mark June 1 as a finish line, Ramsey simply posted, “5…” on his X account yesterday, likely indicating the number of days until Miami will be willing to trade him. In a string of posts today, Ramsey reiterated that targeted date, telling his followers to “finish the week strong.” He also indicated that things have “ended” and that “a new chapter awaits.”
Head coaches of two teams offered quotes today on the situation, as well. Miami’s Mike McDaniel made it clear today that his focus is on the players who are at the team’s facilities — Ramsey doesn’t appear to have any intentions of attending any offseason activities with the Dolphins. McDaniel said that he’s “very excited to coach a team” and that he’s “just worried about the players on the field today,” per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The Rams have been heavily linked as a team that could reunite with Ramsey, and head coach Sean McVay was the other coach to comment on the situation today. According to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, McVay told reporters that “there hasn’t been any meaningful, tangible dialogue as of late…but that can always change pretty quickly.” “Quickly” could end up being as soon as June 1.
In a mailbag Q&A, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated addressed what a realistic return could look like in a Ramsey trade. Miami has plenty of incentive to get Ramsey’s salary off their books, but that probably doesn’t mean they’ll be willing to discount him too much. While teams acquiring the veteran defender will theoretically be getting three years of control, those years come with cash payouts of $21MM in 2026, $21.7MM in 2027, and $24MM in 2028.
In those final three years, Ramsey will be playing at 32, 33, and 34 years old. Breer points out that, should Ramsey’s age finally catch up to him and affect his abilities to play cornerback, there are people who believe he can transition into a top-tier safety. Even the highest-paid safeties, though, aren’t averaging $21.7MM and $24MM per year today, and the highest-paid safety over 30 years old is only averaging $6.5MM per season.
Breer speculates that this could mean that we’ll see whichever team acquires him cut the veteran after his first season with the team in order to get out of his current contract and potentially work towards a newer, cheaper one. It’s looking likely that we’ll get to find out exactly which team will have that opportunity in 5…4…
The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History
The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job. Although some contracts handed out recently created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.
Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jordan Hicks; March 12, 2019: Four years, $34MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Atlanta Falcons
- Deion Jones; July 17, 2019: Four years, $54MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Roquan Smith; January 10, 2023: Five years, $100MM ($60MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- Matt Milano; March 12, 2023: Two years, $28.33MM ($27.15MM guaranteed)
Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly; September 10, 2015: Five years, $61.8MM ($33.36MM guaranteed)
Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees
Chicago Bears
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 13, 2023: Four years, $72MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Logan Wilson; August 4, 2023: Four years, $36MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Cleveland Browns
- Jamie Collins; January 23, 2017: Four years, $50MM ($26.4MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Jaylon Smith; August 20, 2019: Five years, $63.75MM ($35.41MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Brandon Marshall; June 14, 2016: Four years, $32MM ($20.1MM guaranteed)
Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee
Detroit Lions
- Jack Campbell; May 21, 2026: Four years, $81MM ($51.5MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Azeez Al-Shaair; April 30, 2026: Three years, $54MM ($45MM guaranteed)
Indianapolis Colts
- Shaquille Leonard; August 8, 2021: Five years, $98.5MM ($52.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Foye Oluokun; March 14, 2022: Three years, $45MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Nick Bolton; March 9, 2025: Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Quay Walker; March 9, 2026: Three years, $40.5MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Donald Butler; February 28, 2014: Seven years, $51.8MM ($11.15MM guaranteed)
Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal
Los Angeles Rams
- James Laurinaitis; September 8, 2012: Five years, $41.5MM ($23.62MM guaranteed)
Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee
Miami Dolphins
- Jerome Baker; June 13, 2021: Three years, $37.5MM ($28.41MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr; March 12, 2019: Five years, $67.5MM ($33MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)
Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money
New Orleans Saints
- Kaden Elliss; March 10, 2026: Three years, $33MM ($23MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 9, 2026: Three years, $36MM ($23.7MM guaranteed)
New York Jets
- C.J. Mosley; March 12, 2019: Five years, $85MM ($51MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Zack Baun; March 5, 2025: Three years, $51MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Patrick Queen; March 12, 2024: Three years, $41MM ($20.51MM guaranteed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Fred Warner; May 19, 2025: Three years, $63MM ($56MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wagner; July 26, 2019: Three years, $54MM ($40.25MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Lavonte David; August 9, 2015: Five years, $50.25MM ($25.56MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Cody Barton; March 10, 2025: Three years, $21MM ($13.33MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- Leo Chenal; March 10, 2026: Three years, $24.75MM ($12.4MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)
RB Kyren Williams Expects To Remain With Rams Beyond 2025
One year remains on Kyren Williams‘ rookie contract, but an extension could be worked out to ensure he does not reach the market next spring. Talks have already taken place between the Rams and their lead running back’s camp, and he appears to be confident a long-term pact will be in hand even if the season starts without one being worked out. 
Williams played sparingly as a rookie, but over the past two seasons he has been a focal point on offense for the Rams. The 24-year-old received 228 carries in 2023, and that number rose to 316 last year. A heavy workload can be expected again in 2025 regardless of if a second contract is worked out over the coming months. Williams would prefer an extension, of course, but in any case he is confident he will remain in Los Angeles beyond the coming campaign.
“I know with time it’s going to happen,” Williams said of a new contract (via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times). “I would love for it to get done so I can take care of my family and the loved ones that helped me get here… Whether it happens now or I play out the season, I know it’s going to happen eventually.”
Williams led the NFL in rushing yards per game in 2023 with 95.3. That figure dropped considerably last year, though, as his efficiency fell from 5.0 yards per carry to 4.1. The former fifth-round pick nevertheless set a new career high in a number of categories, including scrimmage yards (1,481) and touchdowns (16). He will be in store for a raise compared to his rookie deal – which calls for a $5.35MM salary in 2025 – once his next contract is in place. As of April, a gap existed between the 2023 Pro Bowler’s asking price and the Rams’ valuation of him, so progress will need to be made at the negotiating table.
General manager Les Snead aims to “engineer a long-term partnership” in the Notre Dame product’s case, but it remains to be seen if the Rams will be willing to make a commitment near the top of the running back market. Seven players at the position are attached to an AAV of at least $10MM, and Williams’ age will no doubt help his case to join that group. On the other hand, Los Angeles invested a third-round pick in 2024 in Blake Corum and added another running back (Jarquez Hunter) during the fourth round of this year’s draft.
Those two will remain under team control well beyond the 2025 season. It remains to be seen if that will hold true for Williams, but his latest remarks point to a free agent departure still being unlikely.
First Round Fallout: Giants, Dart, Sanders, Steelers, Broncos, Alexander
The Giants, heavily connected to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders throughout the pre-draft process, used the No. 3 overall in last month’s draft – a pick once seemingly ticketed for Sanders – on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The club ultimately got the player it hopes will become its franchise passer when it struck an agreement with the Texans to trade up from No. 34 to No. 25 and select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.
A recent episode of Giants Life, which is worth a watch for any NFL fan and for Giants fans in particular, offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the trade-up with Houston materialized (video link). As New York GM Joe Schoen confirms, rival teams knew that Big Blue, after having used its first selection on a non-quarterback, was still in the market for a QB. As such, when the draft proceeded to the No. 18 pick (at which point the Seahawks were on the clock), Schoen began getting calls from other GMs looking to trade down to No. 34.
When the draft moved into the 20s, Schoen himself became proactive and began making calls to determine who was interested in trading down. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post observes, Schoen believed he could swing a deal with the Broncos to acquire Denver’s No. 20 overall pick, which would have allowed him to leapfrog the Steelers and their No. 21 choice. Schoen knew Pittsburgh was in need of a quarterback as well, though he had intelligence indicating the team was also looking to trade back, which suggested the Steelers were not prepared to take a signal-caller at that point.
He nonetheless considered offering the Steelers the same deal that apparently had been discussed with multiple clubs. However, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Giants were banking on the belief that Pittsburgh would select a defensive player with the No. 21 pick, thereby obviating the need to trade for No. 20 or No. 21. This is despite Schoen’s concern, as he voiced in Giants Life, that the QB-needy Browns or Saints could also move back into the first round (though he knew division rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland would not come together on a trade of that magnitude). Fowler also says New York did not want to part with its No. 65 selection, which the Texans were willing to exclude from a trade package.
Ultimately, the Giants and Texans agreed to a trade that sent the Nos. 34 and 99 picks of the 2025 draft, along with a 2026 third-rounder, to Houston in exchange for the No. 25 pick and the right to select Dart. As Schoen admitted, no one will remember the third-round picks that went to the Texans if he got the Dart pick right. Interestingly, right before Houston GM Nick Caserio called Schoen to formally accept the deal, it looks as if Schoen received a call from Rams GM Les Snead. Los Angeles originally held the No. 26 pick, one spot behind the Texans, so Schoen naturally put Snead on hold to talk to Caserio and finalize a trade. Ultimately, Snead found a taker for his No. 26 selection, which he dealt to the Falcons in exchange for a package fronted by a 2026 first-rounder.
Dunleavy highlighted the portion of Schoen’s war room conversations in which he told head coach Brian Daboll, “you guys are convicted in [Dart]. You believe in him. We did the process. He checked all the boxes. Let’s roll the dice.” That exchange leads Dunleavy to believe the Dart pick, as previously reported, was indeed driven by the coaching staff.
Earlier reports also indicated Daboll was one of the coaches who did not see eye-to-eye with Sanders, and while the Giants reportedly still would have entertained a trade-up for Sanders if Dart had been taken off the board, multiple Daboll-Dart connections formed in the run-up to the draft. It became clear that Dart was Daboll’s preferred target, and Sanders himself acknowledged that he “didn’t hit it off with Giants coaches,” according to Fowler.
The No. 65 pick that the Giants did not want to include in a trade-up maneuver was used to select Toledo defensive end Darius Alexander. Though New York had already added the high-ceiling Carter to a group that includes Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the club further leaned into its defensive front with Alexander, whom many scouts viewed as an ascending prospect. One team source told Fowler, “when you think of the New York Giants, you think of how they are built up front.”
NFC Staff Updates: Giants, Falcons, Vikings, Rams, Eagles
As is common in the wake of the 2025 NFL Draft, several teams have been making updates to their front offices. One of the latest such clubs to do so is the Giants, who made a number of changes to their scouting staff recently.
According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the Giants and national scout Mike Derice have parted ways. Derice had been in the role for three years, joining the team shortly after the 2022 draft. The change comes as a bit of surprise with so much positive reception to the team’s last two drafts.
A new face will join the scouting department, though, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN reports that the team has hired Tyson Beane as a scouting assistant. Tyson Beane is the son of Bills general manager Brandon Beane. With Giants general manager Joe Schoen having served five years in Buffalo as Beane’s assistant general manager, it makes sense for Tyson to land in New York, if not Buffalo.
Per Raanan, the Giants also lost a member of their coaching staff, as well. Offensive assistant Angela Baker has reportedly left the organization in order to pursue opportunities elsewhere in the NFL. Baker had worked with the team since 2022.
Here are a few other staff updates from around the NFC:
- The Falcons also made a pair of changes, per Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Stratton noted a change in the LinkedIn account of Andy Grossman, showing a promotion from football data analyst to senior football data analyst. After working on staff at Northwestern, Grossman joined Atlanta back in 2022.
- On the scouting side of things, Stratton adds the Falcons are saying goodbye to national scout Joel Collier, who has been with the team since 2016. After starting as a graduate assistant at Syracuse from 1988-89, Collier served as an NFL assistant coach from 1990-2007, working with the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Dolphins and taking one year in 1993 to work as a pro scout for the Patriots. His NFL coaching career came to an end when he was hired as assistant general manager of the Chiefs, a role he held for six years. He arrived in Atlanta as director of pro personnel in 2016 before being reassigned to national scout in 2019.
- Stratton also informs us that another NFL staffer with 30-plus years of experience has parted ways with their most recent employer. The Vikings have reportedly parted ways with personnel scout Frank Acevedo. Acevedo has been in Minnesota for the last 23 years after starting his NFL career with seven seasons in Kansas City. He will explore other options in 2025.
- The Rams also announced a number of updates to their scouting staff, per Stratton. Two scouting apprentices earned promotions as Cory Moore was named an area scout and Michael Young was named a pro scout. Roman Cooper was also hired to serve as senior scouting assistant.
- Lastly, the Eagles have hired Smit Bajaj to serve as a quantitative analyst for the team. Bajaj was recently part of the winning team in this year’s NFL Big Data Bowl competition, helping him to earn this opportunity. Seth Walder of ESPN tells us that Bajaj will start in July.
Rams Add Anthony Robinson To Front Office
MAY 16: The Robinson addition is now official, per a team announcement. He will operate as a national scout, a notable step down in title compared to his Titans stint. Robinson will nevertheless provide Los Angeles with considerable experience in the scouting department.
MAY 13: The Titans’ offseason moved one of Ran Carthon‘s assistant GM hires (Chad Brinker) to the top of Tennessee’s personnel pyramid, following Carthon’s firing, and the other (Anthony Robinson) out of the picture altogether. Robinson, though, has bounced back.
Months after his Titans ouster, Robinson is heading back to the NFC. The two-year Titans assistant GM will join the Rams’ front office, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Robinson agreed to leave the Falcons, his employer for 15 years, for an opportunity to become assistant GM in Tennessee. The Titans gave Robinson that title weeks after hiring Brinker in 2023. Both held the assistant GM title entering 2025, but a significant restructure left Brinker in charge. Robinson was soon fired, as Brinker — now the Titans’ president of football operations — led the way in hiring Mike Borgonzi as GM.
As it turned out, Robinson only participated in one draft with the Titans, who had hired him shortly after the 2023 draft. Teams regularly keep staffs together through the draft, as the Jaguars did with assistant GM Ethan Waugh (before moving on earlier this month), but Robinson received the boot shortly after Carthon.
Prior to coming to Nashville, Robinson had served as a long-running exec in Atlanta. A Thomas Dimitroff Falcons hire during the GM’s first year with the Falcons (2008), Robinson became a full-time scout in 2011 and had worked his way up to the team’s college scouting director gig by 2019. Current Falcons GM Terry Fontenot kept Robinson aboard for two-plus years, before his Titans defection. The Rams, who also have former GM Ray Farmer on Les Snead‘s front office roster, will give the veteran staffer another shot.
NFL Contract Details: Stafford, White, Moss
Here are recently released details on deals from around the NFL:
- Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): Two years, $84MM. This restructured deal was announced two weeks ago, but the details were just recently announced, including $40MM of guaranteed money. $4MM of the $84MM comes in the form of a roster bonus paid out in March, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The remaining $80MM is split evenly over the next two seasons with $16MM base salaries and four $6MM bonuses ($24MM total) in each year. The bonus structure gives Los Angeles a bit of flexibility with the salary cap. The $40MM from 2025 is what makes up the guaranteed amount, and the 2026 $40MM fully guarantees on the fifth day of the new league year. On The Breer Report, Breer also mentioned that the new deal pays out $26MM more than Stafford was set to earn through 2026 and that Stafford essentially turned down what could’ve been deals from the Raiders and Giants for over $50MM per year in order to remain with the Rams in 2025.
- Tre’Davious White, CB (Bills): One year, $3MM. The new deal for the veteran defender was reportedly worth up to $6.8MM. Now that we know the base value of the contract is only $3MM, we can see how much the incentives of the deal are worth, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire. White’s deal contains $2.2MM of guaranteed money, composed of his $1MM signing bonus and $1.2MM of his 2025 base salary (worth $1.56MM in total). White will have non-cumulative playing time-based incentives — $500K for 45% of defensive snaps, $750K for 55%, $1MM for 65%, $1.5MM for 75%, and $2.25MM for 90% — and non-cumulative interception-based incentives — $250K for two interceptions, $500K for three, $750K for four, and $1MM for five. Lastly, he’ll earn a per game active roster bonus of $20K for a potential season total of $340K.
- Zack Moss, RB (Bengals): One year, $1.7MM. Like Stafford, Moss is another restructured deal. Previously set to earn $3.47MM for the 2025 season, Moss took a pay cut to hopefully avoid being a cap casualty and increase his guaranteed money for the year. The guaranteed money Moss added on the deal was a $375K signing bonus. He’ll also earn a $9K per game active roster bonus for a potential season total of $155K.