New York Jets News & Rumors

LT Tyron Smith To Retire

April 15th, 2025 at 10:13pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Longtime NFL left tackle Tyron Smith is retiring, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Smith will sign a one-day contract to retire as a Cowboy, the team for which he played for 13 years before finishing his career with the Jets in 2024.

Smith will retire as one of the best offensive tackles of his generation with two selections as a first-team All-Pro and eight as a Pro Bowler. He was originally the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft after playing college football at USC. Smith started all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie in Dallas before switching to the left side in 2012. He was named to seven straight Pro Bowls from 2013 to 2019, starting 100 games at left tackle for the Cowboys in that span.

Injuries plagued Smith throughout the second half of his career. He didn’t start more than 13 games in a season after 2015 and only played in 17 games from 2020 to 2022 due to neck, ankle, and hamstring injuries. When healthy, he was still one of the best left tackles in the league, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 and a second-team All-Pro selection in 2023, his last year in Dallas. That rebound came after Smith had earned All-Decade acclaim for the 2010s.

Smith then signed with the Jets in 2024, starting their first 10 games at left tackle before a season-ending neck injury landed him on injured reserve. He said that he was considering retirement after the season, a decision confirmed by today’s news. Smith will leave a $5.8MM dead cap hit on the Jets’ 2025 salary cap, per OverTheCap.

The Jets already have a replacement for Smith on their roster in 2024 first-round pick Olu Fashanu. He took over for Smith in Week 10 last season and started the next five games at left tackle before a bout of plantar fasciitis sidelined him for the last two games of the year. However, the Jets have little experienced depth at offensive tackle and will likely need to invest in the position before the start of the 2025 season.

The Cowboys have scheduled a press conference on Wednesday for Smith to formally announce his retirement, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. He is the second longtime Cowboys offensive lineman to retire this offseason; Smith’s former teammate, right guard Zack Martin, retired in February.

Smith, 34, will walk away having earned more than $124MM over the course of his career. Much of that came from the mammoth extension Smith signed when first eligible (2014). The Cowboys managed to lock down the Hall of Fame-level talent for 10 years — via an eight-year, $97.6MM extension being tacked onto his five-year rookie contract — and held Smith to that. Injuries played a key role in Smith being unable to land a lucrative third contract, but he became the rare player in NFL history to play out an eight-year contract.

Jets To Host DT Mason Graham

April 14th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets’ pre-draft work will include a top-30 visit with one of the most highly touted defenders in the 2025 class. D-tackle Mason Graham will head to New York tomorrow, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Graham has long been regarded as the top defensive lineman available in this month’s draft, and to no surprise he has generated plenty of attention. The Michigan product has already met with the Patriots and Saints, and, more recently, the Browns and Raiders. Each of those teams are set to select in the top 10; the Jets currently own pick No. 7.

New York has done extensive work on Graham, Rapoport notes. The team formally met with the first-team All-American at the Combine, then had dinner with him the night before Michigan’s Pro Day. Coupled with this upcoming visit, that will give first-time general manager Darren Mougey and Co. plenty of information to work with when weighing their options in the first round. It remains to be seen if Graham will be available when the Jets are on the clock, given the connections made between him and teams like the Jaguars (set to pick fifth overall) and those which have previously hosted him.

Several options could be on the table for New York, a team which is known to be high on Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Offensive tackle Armand Membou is also firmly on the team’s radar, and the Jets could look to trade down if the Missouri product is unavailable. Whether or not Graham is still on the board by that point will of course influence Mougey’s decision to move down the order or which prospect he selects if New York stays put at No. 7.

The Jets’ defensive interior will again be anchored by Quinnen Williams in 2025. The former third overall pick is attached to a $24MM-per-year deal, and he will remain atop a D-line depth chart which has seen plenty of turnover this offseason. Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas and Leki Fotu each departed in free agency, while New York has added Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele on the open market. As the 2024 Outland Trophy winner, Graham would be expected to take on a key role right away within that group in the event he were to be selected by the Jets.

Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots, Seahawks Host EDGE Mykel Williams

April 13th, 2025 at 4:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mykel Williams‘ pre-draft itinerary is becoming quite busy. After meetings with the Cardinals, Saints and 49ers surfaced, the Georgia edge defender prospect will run his meeting count toward 10.

The Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots and Seahawks have also brought in the first-round talent for “30” visits, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. Listed as the No. 22 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Williams is among the latest in a wave of Georgia defender prospects considered a safe bet to be a first-round pick.

The Bulldogs sent five defenders (Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Lewis Cine) into the 2022 first round and saw two more (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) go in Round 1 in 2023. Both the Bulldogs’ 2024 first-rounders (Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims) came on offense, but this year will introduce another wave of Bulldog defenders to the NFL masses on Day 1 of the draft. Williams joins hybrid linebacker Jalon Walker and safety Malaki Starks as first-round candidates.

Williams spent each of his three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and ’24. A former five-star recruit, Williams did not quite live up to expectations in Athens. He did not eclipse five sacks or 10 tackles for loss in a season, though he was a regular on three Georgia defenses — including a national championship-winning 2022 group. An ankle injury hindered Williams’ play in 2024. Still, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound rusher’s size and athleticism has him squarely on the first-round radar. Unlike Walker, Williams is a pure edge rusher who will not enter the NFL with questions about his best positional fit.

The Bucs have been mentioned as a team that could still target an edge rusher despite their Haason Reddick signing. Tampa Bay has needed consistent help from non-edge players to produce sacks in recent years. Barring an unexpected blockbuster trade, Dallas has Micah Parsons anchoring a D-end contingent that houses a returning Sam Williams, 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland and Dante Fowler, who rejoined the team after a year in Washington. DeMarcus Lawrence left for the Seahawks, who cut Dre’Mont Jones as part of their latest cap purge. The team still rosters Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Uchenna Nwosu, who has seen back-to-back injury-shortened seasons lead to a reworked contract.

Neither the Jets nor Patriots appear in range for Williams, as the AFC East squads both hold top-10 picks. A trade-up move could conceivably be in play, though both can use these meetings to gather intel on Williams as a potential future opponent as well. The Pats reunited Mike Vrabel with Harold Landry last month but could still use another edge defender. The Jets split with Reddick to wrap a tumultuous partnership but still feature starters Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald.

Jets Doing Extensive Tyler Warren Work; Team Eyeing Armand Membou?

April 13th, 2025 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Retooling after a failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, they have new decision-makers set for their first draft. As Darren Mougey prepares for his first Jets draft, two names are coming up as players to monitor at No. 7 overall.

Although the team was listed as a potential stealth destination for Shedeur Sanders weeks ago, a Jets QB move appears likelier on Day 2. Justin Fields will be given the chance to reboot as a starter, after a season spent mostly as a backup, and help may well be coming for the team’s $20MM-per-year passer. The choice between a weapon or a blocker may come by the time the Jets go on the clock.

Mentioned as a team infatuated with Tyler Warren weeks ago, the Jets indeed have been doing extensive homework on the 2024 John Mackey Award winner, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Warren landing spots appear to begin with the Jets at 7, even though the Jaguars (No. 5) recently released Evan Engram. One team in the top 10 had canceled a workout with the Penn State product, which could mean any Colts effort to snag Warren will prove futile absent a notable trade-up.

The Jets did not see their C.J. Uzomah signing pay off, and they opted to let fellow 2022 signee Tyler Conklin walk after his contract expired. Conklin signed with the Chargers, leaving a big hole at the position in New York. Mougey praised 2023 third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert (35 career catches, no TDs) and signed ex-Charger Stone Smartt to a low-cost deal (one year, $1.35MM). The team appears unlikely to go into the season with a Ruckert-Smartt top two at the position.

Jets-Brock Bowers ties formed before the 2024 draft, but the team did not strongly consider making that pick. It instead selected Olu Fashanu during that historically offense-tilted start to a draft. Warren would give the team a chance to fill that need a year later, though Bowers admittedly set the rookie-year bar quite high. A Warren move also would leave another major need unfilled in Round 1.

Morgan Moses‘ career has now included two Jets one-and-done stays. While the team engaged in talks to re-sign the veteran right tackle, the Patriots came in with a notable offer — three years, $24MM ($11MM at signing) — to land a player going into an age-34 season. The Jets have Fashanu ready to go at LT, but they could use the draft to add on the right side. Will Campbell-Patriots connections have emerged, potentially leaving the door open for Missouri prospect Armand Membou to slide to No. 7. This appears a scenario that would tempt the Jets, as Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes the team will be prepared to find a trade-down option if the Mizzou blocker is off the board.

The Pats have been tied to Membou on multiple occasions during the pre-draft process, but Campbell-New England ties persist. Membou, the No. 12 prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (which lists Campbell 10th), would represent a lofty investment to fill the Jets’ RT post. This would mean back-to-back first-round tackle investments, as the team added Fashanu at No. 11 last year.

The Jets also chose an O-lineman (Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker) twice previously under GM Joe Douglas, but a need remains. While the team has been connected to being an earlier-than-expected landing spot for Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Membou appears more likely to be the draft’s second tackle chosen (assuming Campbell’s arm length does not keep him from being the first).

OL Rumors: Neal, Banks, Teller, 49ers

April 12th, 2025 at 11:36am CST by Sam Robinson

Evan Neal came into the NFL with some guard experience, playing there at points at Alabama. Some evaluators viewed that as the former high-end prospect’s better NFL spot. After faceplanting at tackle, Neal may have no choice. This could be where the situation is headed, as ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan labels Neal as “destined” to slide to guard. GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll said Neal is open to playing guard or tackle. The Giants have Jermaine Eluemunor at RT presently, assuming Andrew Thomas stays healthy, and a soon-to-be 35-year-old (Greg Van Roten) at RG. Schoen resisted moving Neal to guard in the past, but with the Alabama alum being a major disappointment as a pro, a starter-to-bullpen-like switch may be necessary as a last-ditch measure.

Although the Giants re-signed Van Roten to a one-year, $3.25MM deal, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan points to a potential early-round guard pick to learn from the veteran. This would cloud Neal’s status further, though the Giants already missed on a Schoen-era Day 2 guard pick (Joshua Ezeudu). Here is the latest from the O-line landscape:

Despite extensive work already, the Texans also look to be ready to add an early-round O-lineman. Holding four top-90 picks, Houston should be considered likely to use one on a blocker, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. One target appears to be Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr., as Miller indicates “numerous scouts” point to the Texans being high on the ex-Longhorns tackle. Ranked 31st on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Banks was a former five-star recruit who claimed the Outland Trophy last season. Some teams view Banks as a better guard, per Jeremiah, but others may hold him in higher regard. Although the Texans could be eyeing him as a long-term answer at guard or left tackle, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill notes some view a landing with the Jets at No. 7 as realistic. After drafting Olu Fashanu in last year’s first round, New York needs a right tackle to replace Morgan Moses.
The Browns now have three experienced guards, having added Teven Jenkins on just a one-year deal worth $3.1MM. This could point Wyatt Teller to a crossroads after he missed time in 2024, but GM Andrew Berry expects (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the veteran starter to be back in 2025. A two-time second-team All-Pro who has received three Pro Bowl invites, Teller played a key role for the Browns during the decade’s first half. Teller, 30, also only missed four games last season. He is entering a contract year, but the Browns’ penchant for void years would create considerable dead money in the event of a trade or release. That said, Cleveland can save more than $7MM by trading Teller after June 1. Doing so would clear a spot for Jenkins, as Joel Bitonio is set to play at least one more season.
Joining Jenkins as a three-year guard starter from the 2021 second round, Aaron Banks signed a big-ticket Packers deal. This leaves the 49ers with a key player to replace. Despite Spencer Burford‘s past as a starting guard, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows views Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj as the players set to compete to start opposite Dominick Puni. Re-signed to a one-year, $1.34MM deal, Bartch is a 20-game starter; Zakelj — a 2022 sixth-rounder — has two career starts. Matt Hennessy, a former Falcons starting center, may factor into this competition as well, Kyle Shanahan said (via Barrows).
As for Burford, he may be ticketed to be San Francisco’s swing tackle after practicing more there than guard down the stretch last year, Barrows adds. Burford played tackle in college. He would be set to replace Jaylon Moore, whom the 49ers wanted to keep. They did not appear close to matching the Chiefs’ two-year, $30MM offer. “I knew we had a really good roster, but I didn’t know our swing tackle would make $15MM on the free agent market,” John Lynch said. Burford has made 29 career starts, while the Chiefs will bet on Moore (five starts) to stop a left tackle revolving door.

Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Johnson, Harmon

April 11th, 2025 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins are reportedly doing some homework on high-ranked tight end prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Though, at No. 13 overall, Miami may be out of range of top tight end prospect Tyler Warren of Penn State, the team took a look at two options that could be around for their second-round pick.

According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, LSU’s Mason Taylor was onsite yesterday. Taylor is the son of Dolphins legend Jason Taylor. The younger Taylor is projected to be a fringe first-round prospect, but with tight ends, the ranges can certainly be wider. Taylor did a top-30 visit with the Browns on Monday and has also visited the Seahawks and Chargers.

Earlier this week, the Dolphins also hosted local tight prospect Elijah Arroyo out of Miami (FL), per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Arroyo had a breakout season for the Hurricanes this year and caught lots of attention at the Senior Bowl. After visiting Miami on Monday, Arroyo met with the Browns on Tuesday and Giants on Wednesday. Mike Cugno of CBS Sports adds that teammates Xavier Restrepo and Arroyo have both spent plenty of time around the Dolphins facility in the last couple of days.

Miami saw veteran Jonnu Smith rival Tyreek Hill in the receiving game for the Dolphins last year, but Smith’s contract expires after this season, so Taylor or Arroyo may be viewed as strong TE2 options or potential tight ends of the future.

Here are a few other draft visits we’ve seen reported in recent days:

All-American running back Kaleb Johnson has been making the rounds lately. After visiting the Steelers last weekend, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that Johnson has visited the Titans, Broncos, Texans, and Bengals. Johnson is widely considered the third-best running back prospect in the class behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Based on interest from the Titans, Johnson could go anywhere from the early-second to early-third round.
Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon visited the Jets yesterday. He hasn’t often been mocked in range of the Jets‘ No. 7 overall pick so far, but he could certainly be a candidate to find New York early in the second round or perhaps in the late-first, should the Jets opt to trade back up. Garafolo notes that Harmon has also visited the Browns and Steelers this week.

Saints Notes: Sanders, Radunz, Mathieu

April 11th, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Another Derek Carr restructure ties the Saints to the middling quarterback for the 2025 season and will make it costly to separate in 2026. As GM Mickey Loomis continues to delay a rebuild, New Orleans could have a potential opportunity to land a surefire Carr successor at No. 9 overall. Shedeur Sanders‘ stock has seemingly dipped during the pre-draft process, to the point the QB-needy Browns and Giants no longer seem likely to address their situations by taking the Colorado QB. If Sanders reaches No. 6, the Raiders, Jets and Saints await over the next four draft slots. Of that trio, SI.com’s Albert Breer pegs New Orleans as the most likely team to make the move.

Although this would be a historic development for a Saints team that has repeatedly used free agency and the trade market to address its QB position (last first-rounder: Archie Manning), NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill is skeptical the team would select Sanders at 9. The team has been closely tied to Texas’ Quinn Ewers, in a potential Round 2 move, and team brass dined with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart. The latter, however, may well require a first-round pick. For trade-up purposes, the Saints hold the No. 40 overall pick as well. In late March, Sanders was mentioned as a player unlikely to fall out of the top 10. If the Saints pass, however, that scenario would seem likely.

Here is the latest out of New Orleans:

Formerly in right tackle competitions in Tennessee, Dillon Radunz relocated to guard during the latter part of his rookie contract. The former second-round pick may be settling there with the Saints. Viewing guard as his top position, Radunz said (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) left guard “obviously” will bring competition in New Orleans. Regular 2024 LG Lucas Patrick joined the Bengals in free agency, clearing a spot opposite Cesar Ruiz. Radunz only played right guard for the Titans last season, but he logged 903 snaps there. Radunz’s one-year deal is worth $2.25MM, Terrell notes; it is fully guaranteed.
Tyrann Mathieu‘s latest Saints contract adjustment will lower his cap number from $11.3MM to $6.09MM, Terrell tweets. Achievable incentives are in the contract, which could allow the veteran safety to make money back after agreeing to a pay cut. The Saints will see Mathieu’s deal void on the final day of the 2025 league year, Terrell adds.
Changing coaching staffs, the Saints recently announced they are retaining Jahri Evans. The former New Orleans All-Pro guard is staying on as assistant offensive line coach under Kellen Moore. Evans, 41, had been an offensive assistant over the past two seasons, which stands to make this move a slight promotion. Additionally, New Orleans hired Jay Rodgers to oversee its edge defenders. Rodgers will come over from Atlanta, where he worked under one-and-done DC Jimmy Lake. The Chargers fired Rodgers late in the 2023 season, but that move came shortly after Brandon Staley‘s ouster. Staley hired Rodgers, an NFL assistant since 2009, in 2022 and had worked with him in Chicago previously.

Jets, WR Allen Lazard Agree To Restructure

April 10th, 2025 at 8:54am CST by Adam La Rose

Allen Lazard‘s time with the Jets seemed to be coming to an end earlier this offseason. Not long after granting the veteran receiver permission to seek a trade, however, it became clear New York would attempt to keep Lazard in the fold via a restructure.

That effort has now produced an agreement. Team and player have a new arrangement in place, Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald reports. Originally scheduled to earn $11MM this year, Lazard will take an $8.5MM pay cut for 2025. $1.75MM of his new base salary is guaranteed, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds $2.5MM in incentives are in place to allow him to earn back some of his previously-owed compensation. The 29-year-old’s cap charge will drop to $4.6MM for this season.

Notably, today’s new deal also sets Lazard up for free agency after the 2025 campaign. The former UDFA originally had two years left on his pact, but he will now hit the open market next spring. Lazard’s debut Jets campaign fell well short of expectations, but he rebounded to an extent in 2024 with 530 yards and six touchdowns on 37 catches. Former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers is no longer New York’s quarterback, but Lazard will have a role on offense as Justin Fields takes on starting duties.

The Jets’ midseason Davante Adams acquisition did not spark a run to the postseason, and as expected the All-Pro was released last month. That move leaves Garrett Wilson in line to serve as the focal point of the team’s passing attack, and he represents one of New York’s top extension candidates. Free agent addition Josh Reynolds and 2024 third-rounder Malachi Corley will be joined by Lazard in 2025 as secondary receiving options.

Once the latter’s contract voids, his 2026 cap charge will be $4.37MM. A departure next spring would still come as no surprise given the new Jets regime which is in place, but Lazard will have one more year in the Big Apple to help his free agent value.

At Least Six Teams Planning Private Workout For Penn State TE Tyler Warren

April 6th, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 6: Warren only has one official top-30 visit on deck, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. In a further sign of how highly regarded he is, Schultz adds one team set to select in the top 10 has canceled its private workout with Warren. A long wait on the opening night of the draft should not be expected.

MARCH 30: Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is seen as one of the top players at his position in this year’s draft class, and many pundits view him as the best TE option. As such, Warren joined college teammate and fellow first-round prospect Abdul Carter in sitting out the Nittany Lions’ Pro Day on Friday, with Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com reporting Warren will instead work out for a handful of interested clubs prior to the draft.

Pauline refers to Warren as an “acquired taste” and says not every team has him as the premier TE in the 2025 pool. At least one club views last year’s John Mackey Award winner as the fourth-best tight end in the class, and draftniks like Pauline and ESPN’s Matt Miller consider him the second-best prospect behind Michigan’s Colston Loveland. NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., meanwhile, place Warren at the top of the TE hierarchy.

One way or another, Warren should hear his name called in Round 1. Pauline had previously reported that the Jets are “infatuated” with the soon-to-be 23-year-old, and he had also noted the Colts have significant interest. Unsurprisingly, then, both New York and Indianapolis – which hold the No. 7 and No. 14 overall picks, respectively – plan to bring Warren in for a private workout.

The Saints (No. 9 overall), Bears (No. 10), Chargers (No. 23), and Rams (No. 26) are also on Warren’s itinerary, per Pauline. None of those clubs have the same glaring TE need as the Jets and Colts, but with the top of the Bolts’ TE depth chart comprised of Will Dissly and new acquisition Tyler Conklin – who recently signed a modest one-year accord – a high-ceiling addition would make sense there. Likewise, the Rams’ Tyler Higbee is eligible for free agency next year and is entering his age-32 campaign, which makes both Los Angeles outfits logical Warren suitors.

It would be somewhat surprising to see Warren fall beyond Indianapolis’ No. 14 pick, because even clubs not named in Pauline’s report (like the Cowboys and their No. 12 selection) profile as legitimate destinations. Encouraged by Brock Bowers’ stunning rookie performance for the Raiders in 2024, clubs with immediate holes to fill at the TE spot could look to Warren as both a short- and long-term fix. The Colts coveted Bowers last season – he was nabbed by Las Vegas two picks before Indianapolis went on the clock – and they may not allow their preferred tight end prospect in 2025 to get away if he is still on the board.

In his final collegiate season, Warren – whose ability to get open underneath and create yards after the catch remind evaluators like Miller (subscription required) of Bowers – posted 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight scores. As a Wildcat threat, he added four rushing TDs and one passing TD for good measure.

Jets To Explore Extensions For CB Sauce Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, OL Alijah Vera-Tucker After Draft

April 6th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Rory Parks

Two members of the Jets’ young core, foundational talents Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, are extension-eligible for the first time. While new deals for the club’s top two selections of the 2022 draft are not imminent, Connor Hughes of SNY.tv expects negotiations to commence at some point after this month’s draft.

Hughes had previously reported that the Gardner talks are likely to be straightforward. Despite a bit of a regression in his third professional season, there is seemingly no concern over Gardner’s ability to regain the elite form he displayed in his first two campaigns. As such, he is going to reset the cornerback market, which is currently paced by Derek Stingley’s new deal with the Texans that features a $30MM AAV and roughly $48MM in full guarantees.

Coming to terms on a price point for Wilson could prove more difficult. Wilson has had to make do with poor to mediocre quarterback play since entering the league, so even though he has managed to record over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his three NFL seasons, he is not viewed as a player who will top the exploding WR market. Hughes spoke with a few league sources who predicted the Ohio State product would land an AAV between $25MM-$30MM whenever he puts pen to paper.

As of the time of this writing, that would put Wilson somewhere between the 7th- and 12th-highest-paid earner at the receiver position. Tyreek Hill and Brandon Aiyuk earn $30MM per year (with Amon-Ra St. Brown barely above that threshold), while DeVonta Smith earns $25MM per year.

Sometimes forgotten in the extension rumors is offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, a 2021 first-rounder who is entering the fifth-year option season of his rookie deal and is presently on track for free agency in 2026. ESPN’s Rich Cimini says new GM Darren Mougey will also examine Vera-Tucker’s contract situation after the upcoming draft.

AVT missed significant time due to injury in 2022 and 2023 but rebounded to play 15 games last season. When he has been on the field, he has been a quality blocker and has seen action and both tackle spots and both guard spots.

That said, he only covered LT and RT as a result of injuries to other players, and last year, he lined up exclusively at RG. It sounds like he will stay there for the long haul, as Mougey says he views Vera-Tucker as a guard (via Hughes). So even though the club currently has a glaring need at right tackle, Mougey will need to address that need in some other way.

Running back Breece Hall is unlikely to be the subject of offseason extension talks, as was reported previously. The contract-year back has yet to regain the level of explosiveness he displayed in his injury-shortened rookie year, and new head coach Aaron Glenn wants to utilize an RB-by-committee approach that features Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis (via Cimini). That would stand to limit Hall’s production in his platform season, and as Cimini observes, Glenn’s comments could certainly fuel trade speculation.

Despite Hall’s inability to recapture his 2022 form, Cimini believes he would generate interest from rival teams.

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