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Contract Details: Allen, Bills, Bears, Giants, Adebo, Packers, Hobbs, Chiefs, Saints

March 13th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Starting with one monster Bills extension and another big-ticket deal, here are the latest contract details from around the NFL:

  • Josh Allen, QB (Bills): Six years, $330MM. Classified as a two-year add-on that provides the reigning MVP with a roughly $90MM raise, the deal includes some key dates. On fully guaranteed salaries in 2025 and ’26, Allen will see all of his 2027 pay become fully guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year, per OverTheCap. On Day 5 of the 2027 league year, Allen’s 53.5MM salary locks in. $14MM of Allen’s 2029 roster bonus ($22.3MM) becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2028 league year. Allen will be due a $35MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2029 league year. He is tied to a $41.3MM cap number in 2025, but restructures are likely coming; his cap hit spikes to $61.4MM in 2026.
  • Gregory Rousseau, DE (Bills). Four years, $80MM. Rousseau will see $49MM guaranteed at signing, OverTheCap notes, while his 2025 and ’26 base salaries are fully guaranteed. The Bills are providing guarantees into Year 3, as KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes that $5MM of Rousseau’s $16.41MM base is locked in already. The rest will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year. A $3MM roster bonus is also in place on Day 5 of the 2029 league year.
  • Paulson Adebo, CB (Giants). Three years, $54MM. The young cornerback will see $34.75MM guaranteed at signing. Despite Adebo only signing a three-year deal, that full guarantee ranks 10th among corners. The Giants guaranteed $13.5MM of Adebo’s $17.25MM 2026 salary, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. The rest becomes guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year.
  • Dayo Odeyingbo, DE (Bears): Three years, $48MM. The ex-Colt will see $29.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. $13MM of Odeyingbo’s $15.5MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed at signing, with Wilson adding the rest locks in on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. A $1MM roster bonus is also due on Day 5 of the 2027 league year; Odeyingbo’s 2027 base is nonguaranteed.
  • Nate Hobbs, CB (Packers). Four years, $48MM. While Hobbs is guaranteed $16MM at signing, the general Packers contract structure resurfaces here. Reminding of Josh Jacobs‘ 2024 deal (also 4/48), his former Raiders teammate has no guarantees beyond that $16MM signing bonus, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. A $6.25MM roster bonus is due on Day 3 of the 2026 league year, Wilson tweets. The Packers typically do not guarantee second-year salaries, but they would be out $12MM in dead money if they move in on 2026 — due to signing bonus prorations.
  • Darius Slayton, WR (Giants). Three years, $36MM. Now on a third Giants contract, Slayton will receive $22MM at signing, Wilson tweets. That is $10MM more than his second contract was worth in total. Slayton’s 2026 salary is mostly guaranteed, with Wilson adding $9.75MM of that $12.25MM is locked in. A $2.5MM roster bonus in place on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
  • Juwan Johnson, TE (Saints). Three years, $30.75MM. Johnson will see $21.25MM at signing, with Wilson adding his 2025 and ’26 base salaries are guaranteed. Johnson’s 2027 paragraph 5 number ($7.5MM) is nonguaranteed, but a $2MM roster bonus is due on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.
  • Jaylon Moore, T (Chiefs). Two years, $30MM. The Chiefs are guaranteeing their new left tackle hopeful $21.24MM at signing. A career-long 49ers backup, Moore will see $7MM of his $14.24MM 2026 base salary guaranteed at signing, Wilson tweets.

Browns, Giants To Meet With Russell Wilson

March 12th, 2025 at 11:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Russell Wilson may be behind Aaron Rodgers in the free agent QB pecking order, another team is showing interest. The Browns are preparing to meet with the 13-year veteran.

Wilson will travel to Cleveland tonight for a Thursday meeting, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds the passer’s second Giants meeting in two years is set for Friday. The Giants have been linked to Wilson for a while, but they join the Steelers in waiting for a Rodgers answer.

When the Browns traded for Kenny Pickett, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot indicated the ex-Steelers first-rounder would not automatically be the veteran that steers the ship while Deshaun Watson is out and before it is known a rookie QB is Cleveland-bound. The Browns are still believed to be looking into vets, and Wilson will qualify. Given teams’ preference of Rodgers over him, Wilson will also not stand to be a particularly pricey option at this stage of his career.

The Browns have been more closely connected to Kirk Cousins than Wilson, but as the 2025 league year begins and a $10MM Cousins payment is due, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot is sticking to his guns on cuffing the QB as a high-priced backup. Teams were split on if that Atlanta strategy will continue, but Cousins is not coming up in trades and is not yet a free agent. Despite Kevin Stefanski’s past with Cousins, the 2012 fourth-round pick’s status may well be leading the Browns to look into a 2012 third-rounder.

Certainly not one to cool down drama, Rodgers is taking his time on a potential Pittsburgh-or-New York decision. That has affected Wilson, who is not believed to be a Titans target. The Vikings are also in the mix for a veteran stopgap, but a Browns fit would be quite interesting given the makeup of the team’s QB room. The Browns are needing to keep costs low because of their 2022 decision to give Watson a fully guaranteed $230MM. That trade came barely a week after the Broncos sent two first-rounders, two seconds and other assets to the Seahawks for Wilson. The Browns are considering carrying both players on the same roster.

Wilson, 36, is certainly more than a failed trade piece. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler who sits third all time in QB rushing yards. Mike Tomlin, against the wishes of some in the Steelers organization, installed Wilson as his starter for 11 games last season. Wilson threw 16 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Wilson finished 23rd in QBR, two spots ahead of Rodgers, and posted a better yards-per-attempt number (7.4) than the older great (6.7) as well. Never in Rodgers’ league as a pure passer, Wilson being five years younger may not matter too much right now for teams, either. But the Browns will consider Wilson ahead of a season when Watson figures to land on the reserve/PUP list.

The Giants met with Wilson before his Broncos release last year. The quick visit pertained to a QB who could push Daniel Jones, but Wilson became intrigued by a clearer shot to start in Pittsburgh. The Giants admitted defeat on Jones midway through last season and now need at least two QBs, as Tommy DeVito is the only one contracted. Despite Rodgers underwhelming as a Jet, the Giants are fairly desperate. If Rodgers chooses the Steelers or retires, the Giants may need to give Wilson strong consideration while they determine a draft path.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/25

March 12th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the minor moves from the first day of the 2025 league year:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Yes, a few of these players have graduated from our minor-moves sector, but today’s signing blitz being what it was, they land here. Ford highlights the batch contractually, agreeing (per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter) to a two-year, $4MM deal. Ford played on more than 70% of Cleveland’s special teams snaps over the past two seasons.

Trask will reprise his role as Baker Mayfield‘s backup, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the former second-round pick is staying on a one-year, $2.79MM contract. Trask and Mayfield competed for the job in 2023, but as was the case with the Drew Lock–Geno Smith battle a year prior, the winner never looked back. Trask will be in place for a fifth Bucs season, having moved from third-stringer during the Tom Brady era to QB2 in the Mayfield years.

Hawkins will stay with the Patriots on a two-year deal worth up to $2.2MM, according to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. A 2022 full-time Falcons starter, Hawkins saw Jessie Bates replace him in 2023. The Falcons later waived Hawkins, who ended up on the Chargers in 2023. The Pats used him as a seven-game starter in 2024, when he made 48 tackles (three for loss).

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/12/25

March 12th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2025 league year begins, here are the Wednesday tender decisions involving restricted and exclusive rights free agents:

RFAs

Tendered:

Nontendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Nontendered:

The Ravens have discussed an extension with Washington, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. For now, the safety is on Baltimore’s cap sheet at $3.26MM. A second-round tender would have cost the Ravens $5.35MM and brought back a second-round pick if the team did not match an offer sheet elsewhere. An unmatched Washington offer sheet now would not bring the Ravens any compensation. Washington started 10 games for the Ravens last season.

Giants To Re-Sign G Greg Van Roten

March 12th, 2025 at 8:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

It appears veteran offensive guard Greg Van Roten is returning for another year of NFL play at 35 years old. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Van Roten has agreed to a deal that will keep him with the Giants for another year.

This is a bit surprising, as the Giants signed Van Roten during training camp last year. As Evan Neal‘s timetable kept being pushed back, the Giants changed course and installed Van Roten next to former Raiders teammate Jermaine Eluemunor. Effectively important right side of the Las Vegas line, New York may have designs on running that back.

Van Roten played for $2MM last season and immediately took over as a starter at RG. Pro Football Focus graded Van Roten as a mid-pack guard, which was about the best Giants could have hoped for under the circumstances; the advanced metrics site slotted him 42nd in 2024. While the Giants no longer opted to count on Neal, Van Roten made 17 starts for a second straight season. He will enter 2025 as one of the NFL’s oldest linemen — on either side of the ball.

Vacillating between backup and starter, Van Roten has made an interesting mid-30s resurgence. A part-time starter with the 2021 Jets and a pure backup with the ’22 Bills, Van Roten earned a starting gig as a mid-offseason Raiders replacement and did the same with the Giants. The former UDFA out of Penn has made 88 career starts.

Van Roten returning gives the Giants all five of their 2024 O-line first-stringers under contract. A “for better or worse” caveat may be needed there, as it was not a particularly great line (largely sans Andrew Thomas), but continuity up front is generally a positive for teams.

While Kevin Zeitler has certainly enjoyed a better career, Van Roten matches the former first-round pick in longevity. Hours after the historically durable guard landed another gig (with the Titans), Van Roten is set to play a 14th season as well. The Giants have spent their money on defense in free agency, adding Paulson Adebo, Jevon Holland and Chauncey Golston. While they want to sign Aaron Rodgers as a high-profile bridge QB, that is still on hold. Van Roten will either be blocking for Rodgers or another bridge option in 2025, with the Giants also firmly in play to draft a quarterback at No. 3 overall (or via a trade-up).

Ely Allen contributed to this post

Giants Sign OT Stone Forsythe

March 12th, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Giants are signing offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, according to his agency and confirmed by a team announcement.

The Seahawks traded up in the 2021 draft to select Forsythe in the sixth round. He only played 14 offensive snaps as a rookie, but emerged as a key swing tackle over the next three years as Seattle weathered injuries to Abraham Lucas and Charles Cross.

Forsythe appeared in 34 games with nine starts and 623 offensive snaps across the next two years, lining up at both left and right tackle. He opened the 2024 season as the Seahawks’ starting right tackle with Lucas rehabbing from an injury suffered in 2023.

Forsythe then landed on injured reserve in October and remained sidelined until Week 16. By that time, Lucas was back at right tackle in Seattle and Forsythe finished the season on the bench. He left Seattle with 53 total appearances and 14 starts, 13 of which came in 2023 and 2024.

Forsythe could compete for a starting job in New York. Andrew Thomas is locked in as the Giants’ left tackle, but 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal has struggled with injuries and consistency on the right side. If he can’t win a starting gig, he will likely return to his role as a swing tackle that can step in at left or right tackle in case of injury.

Titans Not Interested In Russell Wilson

March 12th, 2025 at 12:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even as we near the 2025 league year, Aaron Rodgers has commanded enough attention he is holding up the quarterback market. Set to turn 42 later this year, the all-time QB talent is believed to be the first choice of the Steelers and Giants. The Vikings are lurking, even if they do not appear the favorite here.

Wilson has emerged as a backup plan for the Steelers and likely the Giants as well (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). If Wilson does not land in New York or back in Pittsburgh, finding a fit may be difficult. Not connected to the Vikings, Wilson also does not look to be an option for the Titans. Tennessee is not interested in the 13-year veteran, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes.

The Titans were connected to Sam Darnold before the market opened, but the team was not viewed as likely to exceed $30MM per year for the 2024 Pro Bowler. The Seahawks did, giving Darnold a three-year, $100.5MM contract. Tennessee was not believed to be interested in a reclamation-project-type arm, pointing the team away from some of free agency’s options. Though, Wilson would not profile as such. The decorated ex-Seahawk is nearing the end of a great career; there is not much mystery to the 36-year-old passer at this point. Even though Wilson would provide the Titans with some veteran certainty, they are looking elsewhere.

Tennessee has not been closely tied to Rodgers, either. The team still has Will Levis and is open to bringing back Mason Rudolph. The Titans coming out of free agency without a starter-caliber veteran will point them to a quarterback in the first round. Holding the No. 1 overall pick, the Titans have Cam Ward backers in their building — even as trade-down rumors have swirled. A Shedeur Sanders selection would seemingly hinge on how far Tennessee moves down, should it opt to add assets in exchange for No. 1 overall.

The Steelers gave Wilson their starting job out of training camp. This, however, came as Justin Fields closed the gap between the two passers — after a stream of offseason assurances the job was Wilson’s — while the older QB battled a nagging calf injury. After aggravating the calf issue, Wilson missed six games. Player and assistant support for Fields to keep the gig existed, but Mike Tomlin “acted alone” in reinstalling Wilson. This route helped guide the Steelers to 10-3, but Wilson lost momentum after Pittsburgh’s season ended with a five-game losing streak. Wilson and OC Arthur Smith also clashed about the offensive direction, which reminds of Wilson’s issues late in his Seattle days and during his two-year Denver stint.

While Wilson has spoken to the Steelers about a deal, it was clear Fields was the team’s preference. The nine-time Pro Bowler may not be a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, after the past three seasons, but he is the NFL’s third-leading QB rusher and coming off a season in which he ranked 23rd in QBR (two spots north of Rodgers). Following a 16-TD, five-INT 11-game sample in Pittsburgh — at 7.4 yards per attempt, which is much higher than Rodgers’ 2024 number (6.7) — Wilson will not be guaranteed a starting job in 2025.

Russell Wilson Still In Play As Fallback Steelers Option; Aaron Rodgers Down To Two Teams?

March 11th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers’ preference entering the negotiating period was to keep Justin Fields in place instead of Russell Wilson. That plan is no longer an option since the former agreed to a two-year Jets deal on Monday.

Wilson is still on the market, and he would obviously be a familiar option after spending the 2024 season as Pittsburgh’s starter (when healthy). The Steelers have become one of the suitors for Aaron Rodgers, however, and a deal could be in place soon. As talks on the Rodgers front continue, Wilson is not out of Pittsburgh’s plans yet.

Should the Rodgers negotiations break down, Wilson resides as a fallback option at this point, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. That might be a humbling position for a playoff team’s primary starter to reside, but Wilson looks to have other options. The Giants and Titans are believed to be interested, though New York is also in on Rodgers, who cannot officially be released until Wednesday afternoon. The Browns are also believed to still be eyeing a veteran, despite their Kenny Pickett acquisition.

A report Monday night indicated a Rodgers-Steelers deal could go down today, and SI.com’s Albert Breer said during a Rich Eisen Show segment the Steelers were fairly confident as of Monday that Rodgers would select them. The Giants remain in the mix, and Breer expects Rodgers to end up in Pittsburgh or to switch locker rooms at MetLife Stadium. The Giants have made their pitch and are indeed waiting on Rodgers’ decision, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes.

Although a weekend report connected the Vikings to Rodgers — in what would be an eerie parallel to the Brett Favre career path — Breer indicates he would be surprised if the future Hall of Famer ends up in Minnesota. That said, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano does not view the Vikings as out of this mix yet. This situation differs from last year’s Wilson decision and what could happen if the Falcons cut Kirk Cousins, as Rodgers could see a notable salary in 2025. The Broncos were already paying Wilson’s salary, while Cousins’ 2025 money is guaranteed as well.

The Steelers and Vikings are coming off playoff seasons and would be better positioned to complement Rodgers this year; that said, the Giants have been busy in free agency, most notably re-signing Darius Slayton and adding Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo. While Minnesota has J.J. McCarthy and New York holds the No. 3 overall pick, Pittsburgh may be committed to a full season of Rodgers if he is to sign. The Steelers not holding a pick in the top 20 would stand to give them an advantage for Rodgers, who would not need to look over his shoulder at a prospect — in all likelihood — were he to choose Pittsburgh.

As for Wilson, waiting on Rodgers’ talks with the Steelers may not sit too well. The younger of the two aging options finished two spots higher in QBR (23rd to 25th) last season and piloted the team to the playoffs. The Steelers’ late-season collapse, however, has not reflected well on Wilson, who appears behind Rodgers with the Giants as well.

Decisions should come soon, but Rodgers having this much say in how the QB market plays, at 41 and coming off an underwhelming Jets tenure, is interesting. But teams are still intrigued by the all-time QB talent. He has a clear route to play a 21st season and remain a starter.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post

Vikings, G Will Fries Agree To Deal

March 11th, 2025 at 8:37am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings added one former Colt along the offensive line in the form of center Ryan Kelly yesterday, and another is also headed to Minnesota. Guard Will Fries has a deal in place, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This will be a whopping five-year, $88MM pact, Fowler adds. KTSP’s Darren Wolfson’s reported yesterday that the sides were discussing a deal, so it comes as little surprise one has now been worked out. Fries will face massive expectations upon arrival given the nature of this commitment.

Fries does not have a connection to Ryan Grigson like Kelly does, as Fries is a first-time free agent who had joined the Colts in the 2021 draft. Despite not joining a team on Day 1 of the legal tampering period, Fries will cash in. While this is on the longer end of the term-length spectrum — especially as the cap has climbed like his has this decade — Fries is receiving a big number to join the Vikings. Guarantees will provide more illumination, but it is clear Minnesota eyed Fries from the start.

The Vikings have been busy Tuesday, agreeing to deals with two high-profile street free agents (Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave) to beef up their defensive line alongside Harrison Phillips while adding Fries as their other new piece with Kelly. The two Colts defections come as Indianapolis added long-rumored Minnesota Sam Darnold fallback option Daniel Jones. As Jones prepares to take a run at another starting job, two Colts blockers will prepare to help J.J. McCarthy transition after missing his rookie season.

A Colts starter for roughly two seasons, Fries is coming off a season-ending injury. He sustained a broken leg early last year; that halted considerable momentum. The fifth-year veteran is not yet 100%, per ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder, but all indications point to him having no issues being ready for next season on time. This contract certainly displays Vikings confidence on this front. The Vikings needed to go big for Fries, whom the Colts tried to re-sign. Pushes from the Patriots, Giants, Seahawks and Cardinals drove the market to this place, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, as Fries did very well for himself despite the early-season injury.

Fries, who emerged out of the 2021 seventh round, graded as the league’s second-best guard (per Pro Football Focus) and had won his run- and pass-blocking matchups at a career-best rate (per ESPN) before the Week 5 setback. This came after a 17-start 2023, as Fries had taken over for less effective starter Danny Pinter during the 2022 season.

Not on the younger end among this year’s free agent class, Fries (27 in April) will be asked to start at one of the Vikings’ guard spots. Former second-round pick Ed Ingram‘s Vikings future is in doubt, after a 2024 benching, and Dalton Risner — who has not seen free agent markets come close to Fries’ new level — is again out of contract.

Adam La Rose contributed to this report.

Giants To Sign S Jevon Holland

March 11th, 2025 at 8:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Jevon Holland found himself as one of the top free agents left on the board in the aftermath of Monday’s action. He has managed to find a new home quickly during the second day of the negotiating period, however.

Holland has agreed to terms with the Giants, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This will be a three-year, $45MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds. The deal includes $30.3MM in guarantees, per Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero.

The top safety on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent list, Holland checked in at No. 6 overall. The 25-year-old Canadian was held without an interception in 2024, a factor which threatened to hurt his earning potential on the open market. Another, of course, was the overall trend (which was particularly visible last offseason) of teams shying away from big-ticket safety signings. Nevertheless, Holland has managed to secure a notable payday.

With 301 tackles, 25 pass deflections and five each in the sack and forced fumble categories, the former second-rounder will be expected to produce in a number of areas for New York. Holland is set to join a team which ranked top-10 in pass defense last year but struggled on that side of the ball in several other areas. The Giants allowed Xavier McKinney to walk last spring, but they have made a commitment in line with many of the top safety deals worked out in 2025 to acquire Holland.

Once it became clear the Dolphins would not use the franchise tag in this case, a free agent departure loomed. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes the team did make an effort to re-sign Holland, but he had several options to choose from on the open market. The interested suitors included the Panthers, Commanders, Colts and Titans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported yesterday. Carolina and Indianapolis have since made big-money commitments in other safeties, helping explain this Giants agreement.

New York has been active in adding on defense so far this offseason, including a lucrative deal for cornerback Paulson Adebo. He and Holland will be counted on to operate as impactful starters in 2025 and beyond as the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing season last year.

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