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Steelers, T.J. Watt Agree To Extension

July 17th, 2025 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The wait has ended for T.J. Watt and the Steelers to work out an extension. Team and player have agreed to terms on another monster pact.

Watt has landed a three-year, $123MM extension, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The pact includes $108MM in full guarantees. With an average annual value of $41MM, Watt has once again claimed the title of the league’s top earner for defensive players and all non-quarterbacks.

Myles Garrett reset the edge rush market when he signed a Browns pact averaging $40MM per year. Ja’Marr Chase did the same at the receiver position when his Bengals extension (carrying an AAV of $40.25MM) became official. To little surprise, Watt has surpassed both of those figures while helping to ensure he will finish his career in Pittsburgh. Progress has been made rather rapidly, as Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes no agreement was imminent as recently as six days ago.

Both parties in this case expressed a desire to work out a deal months ago, but Watt hinted at dissatisfaction with the early state of contract talks. Over time, this became one of many tense situations involving edge rushers around the league. A major domino has now fallen, though, and Watt is on the books through 2028. This agreement falls short of the length he was seeking, but the former Defensive Player of the Year has succeeded in moving the bar for pass rushers and securing multiple years of locked in money.

Watt has led the NFL in sacks on three occasions (2021-22 and 2024) and he has played in every game the past two seasons after a pec tear cost him notable time in 2023. However, a downturn in play late in the campaign and into the postseason last year was viewed as cause for concern on the Steelers’ part regarding a new deal. Watt already reset the market in 2021, but doing so as he enters his age-31 season obviously carries risk for the team. General manager Omar Khan and Co. are certainly banking on a major drop-off not taking place for several more years.

Watt has operated as the anchor of Pittsburgh’s EDGE group over the course of his All-Pro career, and he will remain in that role well beyond the coming season. Rumors about a potential trade circulated amidst his decision to skip minicamp, but a deal never seemed likely or imminent. A holdout (or at least hold-in) effort during training camp will now not be necessary to get this deal over the finish line, something which was the case last time for Watt.

Alex Highsmith has recorded at least six sacks in each of the past four years, and he remains on the books through 2027. He will remain a starter along the edge, with Nick Herbig and fourth-round rookie Jack Sawyer operating as rotational contributors. Watt (who has amassed 33 forced fumbles and 126 tackles for loss in his career) will be counted on to lead the way in terms of production once again this year and well beyond that point.

The seven-time Pro Bowler has yet to win a playoff game in his career, something Khan and the Steelers have aimed to change this offseason. Pittsburgh has aggressively pursued several new players through trade and free agency, breaking with standard practice in some regards. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, receiver D.K. Metcalf, cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay as well as tight end Jonnu Smith are among the new faces which will be relied on to end the Steelers’ drought for playoff wins in 2025.

Watt will of course also be a central figure in that effort. Regardless of if things go according to plan this year, though, he will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Lloyd Howell Resigns As NFLPA Executive Director

July 17th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The turmoil to engulf Lloyd Howell early in his term as NFLPA executive director will end up producing a sea change. Howell is resigning his post, via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

This comes not long after the NFLPA issued a statement backing Howell amid a conflict-of-interest controversy and the recent fallout from the collusion grievance report. Howell had become an increasingly divisive figure in light of these developments, and Jones adds the union board plans to meet as soon as possible to determine a path forward.

“It’s clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day,” Howell said. “For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season.”

While a forced resignation certainly would make sense as a logical conclusion to this swiftly developing story, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Howell made the choice to move on rather than the union forcing him out. On Sunday, the executive committee released a statement that denied reports of unrest regarding Howell’s place as executive director. That now appears an ominous offering, as Howell is out four days later.

The NFLPA appealed an independent arbiter’s ruling that no definitive collusion occurred but did so only after the findings became public. The initial ruling was handed down in January, and a Pablo Torre June report — which unearthed Christopher Droney’s grievance ruling — in June indicated the NFLPA joined the NFL in wanting the findings to remain private. This appeared odd, seeing as Droney ruled the owners likely made a collective effort to limit guaranteed money in big-ticket quarterback contracts. Rather than launch an all-out crusade against the league, the Howell-led union stood down for months. The union’s appeal will be in new hands moving forward.

Torre reported the NFLPA wanted to keep ex-union president-turned-chief strategy officer J.C. Tretter‘s remarks about Russell Wilson‘s failed crusade to land a fully guaranteed Broncos contract concealed. Howell appointed Tretter as the chief strategy officer shortly after his term as president wrapped; linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin is the current NFLPA president. The latter will play a lead role in the union’s effort to determine Howell’s replacement.

More significantly in the Howell drama, a subsequent report revealed he had done consulting work for a firm approved to purchase a minority stake in a franchise. Howell earned $3.4MM consulting for The Carlyle Group in 2024. While Carlyle released a statement that attempted to distance Howell from the firm’s workings regarding a potential franchise stake purchase, Howell continuing to do work outside of his NFLPA role brought red flags by itself. Previous union heads were not believed to have worked outside jobs, let alone serving in roles posing clear conflicts of interest.

The NFLPA named Howell as DeMaurice Smith‘s successor in June 2023. At the time, this brought surprise due to Howell’s candidacy unfolding in secret. When the ESPN.com report regarding Howell’s involvement with Carlyle surfaced, it was not set to bring his tenure to a quick close. The two stories persisting became too much to overcome for Howell, who had taken the perch after 34 years at the Booz Allen Hamilton consulting firm. He concluded that tenure as the firm’s CFO.

Howell’s time at Booz Allen included a lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation. Earlier today, a report from ESPN.com’s Don Van Natta and Kalyn Kahler indicated two executive committee members were unaware of the lawsuit when they voted Howell into the executive director post. Two other executive committee members, though, said (via Van Natta and Kahler) the board did know of the suit before the vote. (The 2011 lawsuit was ultimately settled.)

This marks a remarkably short tenure in the executive director position. Smith served 14 years in the position, steering the NFLPA through CBA talks in 2011 and 2020. Hall of Fame guard Gene Upshaw was in the position for 25 years. Ed Garvey was in place in this role from 1971-83. As the union prepares to navigate the NFL’s push for an 18-game schedule, it will look for a leader equipped to remain in the role for a lengthy term. Considering the secrecy that accompanied Howell’s election, it would surprise if the executive committee’s next search was not a much more transparent process.

Chargers WR Mike Williams To Retire

July 17th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Williams will not, in fact, see the field during his second stint with the Chargers. The veteran wideout is instead ending his career.

Williams’ agent informed the Chargers last night that his client is retiring, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. As a result, Williams will depart the NFL at the age of 30. He spent eight years in the league, the first seven of which came as a member of the Bolts.

Five players opened training camp on the active/PUP list for Los Angeles. Williams was among them, but players can be activated from that list at any time before final roster cuts are made and those situations often include relatively minor ailments. Even in the event Williams would have been forced to remain on the PUP list through the first month of the campaign, returning to action at some point would have represented much less of a surprise than today’s news.

Selected seventh overall by the Chargers in 2017, Williams made a minimal impact as a rookie. From Year 2 onward, though, he established himself as one of the league’s top deep threats. Williams averaged an NFL-best 20.4 yards per reception in 2019 while reaching 1,000 yards. He managed a career-best 1,146 yards two years later while thriving as a complementary wideout to Keenan Allen.

Just like Allen, Williams found himself playing elsewhere in 2024. One of general manager Joe Hortiz‘s decisions during his first offseason in charge was to move on from the pair and thus reset financially at the WR position. Williams was released in a cost-shedding move, one which was quickly followed by a one-year Jets agreement. Things did not go according to plan in New York, with the Clemson product only logging a 53% snap share and making 12 scoreless catches.

A trade took place ahead of the deadline to send Williams to the Steelers. Pittsburgh was known to be in the market for a receiver addition, and he made 10 combined regular and postseason appearances with his new team. Aside from catching a touchdown during his Steelers debut, however Williams was largely a non-factor with the team. As a result, a lucrative free agent market did not exist this spring.

A Chargers reunion was worked out in March; Williams returned on a one-year pact worth a guaranteed $3MM (including a $1.5MM signing bonus). As the team contemplates attempting to get that money back, it will proceed without an experienced pass-catching option. Second-round rookie Tre Harris is among those holding out for full guarantees in his rookie deal, so for the time being the Chargers are notably shorthanded at the receiver spot. With over $27MM in cap space, Hortiz can target an addition from within the free agent pool (which still includes Allen) in time for the start of the year.

In all, Williams made 109 combined regular and postseason appearances during his career. He amassed over $86MM in earnings during his time in the NFL, something which has now come to a close.

Jets, CB Sauce Gardner Agree On Extension

July 17th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

JULY 17: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes Gardner’s locked in compensation includes a $13.75MM signing bonus along with annual workout and roster bonuses (many of which are guaranteed upfront or are set to vest one year early). His base salaries in 2025 ($1.25MM) and ’26 ($5.25MM) are locked in. A $20MM 2026 option bonus is included and is guaranteed in full; the 2027 option bonus ($10MM) is guaranteed for injury and shifts to a full guarantee one year early. The same is true of Gardner’s base salaries for 2027 ($13.95MM) and ’28 ($19.2MM). His pay for the final two years of the pact is not guaranteed.

JULY 15: One day after extending star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, the Jets are signing All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to a four-year, $120.4MM contract extension, per Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Gardner himself announced on social media that an agreement had been reached. His deal has the same structure as Wilson’s extension, per Schefter.

With a $30.1MM AAV, Gardner is now the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, beating out the $30MM per year deal signed by fellow 2022 first-rounder Derek Stingley Jr. earlier this year. However, Gardner’s $85.653MM in total guarantees (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) do not quite reach Stingley’s $89MM.

It will be interesting to see where the full guarantees fall here; Stingley holds that standard — with $48MM — as well. Gardner agreeing to a four-year deal should allow him to eclipse that number, as Stingley is tied to a three-year extension.

The Jets have now spent $250MM in the last two days to lock down cornerstone players on both sides of the ball in a solid start for new head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Past offseasons in New York have been marked by quarterback drama and contract standoffs with key veterans, but the new regime avoided such pitfalls by signing Justin Fields early in free agency and getting the Wilson and Gardner extensions done before training camp.

Mougey has now been part of two record-setting cornerback extensions since September. The former Broncos assistant GM was in place when the team inked Patrick Surtain on a then-record $24MM-per-year deal. Despite Surtain’s Defensive Player of the Year season, he has already fallen to fifth in the cornerback pecking order. This effectively illustrates timing, rather than merit, reigns in NFL contract matters. Gardner and Stingley do owe Surtain for breaking through the ice formed over a two-plus-year period in this market.

Prior to Surtain’s agreement, the CB market had not seen anyone top Jaire Alexander‘s four-year, $84MM Packers pact — one agreed to in May 2022. Corners have seen wide receivers move into a higher tax bracket over the past several years, and even safeties — via Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s four-year, $84.1MM accord — had passed them by last year. But Surtain’s contract brought a thaw, and Jalen Ramsey‘s third contract — one already traded — came a day after the standout Broncos defender’s deal emerged.

This offseason then brought Jaycee Horn to the $25MM-per-year level. The Panthers cover man reached that place despite no All-Pro honors (to Surtain’s two). But the salary cap having jumped by another $24MM, after a record $30.6MM spike in 2024, set the stage for an overdue market boom. After all, Ja’Marr Chase elevated the WR ceiling past $40MM per year in March. Stingley and Gardner have made significant inroads for their position, creating a new tier in terms of AAV this year.

Gardner benefited by waiting, and he can perhaps owe that to the Jets changing regimes this offseason. But his rookie-contract play warranted a substantial commitment. The former No. 4 overall pick arrived under Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh‘s watch and played a lead role in vaulting the Jets’ defense — a last-ranked unit in 2021 — to fourth place (in scoring and yardage) in 2022. The physical corner earned first-team All-Pro honors for his work as a rookie, and he matched that showing in 2023.

Pro Football Focus ranked Gardner first and third among CB regulars in 2022 and ’23, respectively, but observed a drop-off in 2024. Although Gardner checked in 31st on the advanced metrics website’s list last year, issues with his tackling were apparent during a season that saw Jeff Ulbrich‘s defense take a step back (20th in points allowed). Gardner saw his yards-per-target number rise from 6.0 to 9.3 from 2023 to ’24 — a non-Pro Bowl season — creating a rebound opportunity under Glenn. But Tuesday’s agreement showed the Jets’ new power brokers did not need to see how Gardner fit into Glenn’s defense before making a historic commitment.

The Jets had never wavered from their plan to pay Gardner, having let D.J. Reed walk in free agency (after extending Michael Carter at the lower slot rate), and the team eyed the post-draft period as the window for true negotiations. Gardner had expressed interest in remaining a Jet long term, and the team had made an offer by mid-June. Although Mougey and Glenn brought in Brandon Stephens at $12MM per annum in March, the team will not let Gardner come close to a contract year. This is now the NFL’s only team with three eight-figure-per-year corners on the payroll.

New York had cooled on paying CBs since its whiffs on Darrelle Revis (the second stint) and Trumaine Johnson. But Gardner’s early-career form meant that pattern needed to end. The team’s chaotic 2024 has preceded a calmer ’25, as Aaron Rodgers is out and news of Woody Johnson meddling has drifted off the front burner. Wilson and Gardner’s paydays signal a willingness to reward Douglas-era draftees, and the moves leave Jermaine Johnson — who is coming off a season-ending injury — as the only member of the Jets’ 2022 first-round trio still on a rookie deal. Post-Rodgers, Wilson and Gardner will be asked to be the franchise’s centerpiece players as it attempts to end the NFL’s longest active playoff drought.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Chiefs, G Trey Smith Finalize Extension

July 15th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

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.

Bears To Extend GM Ryan Poles

July 11th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ryan Poles is set to remain in place for years to come. The Bears reached agreement on an extension with their general manager Friday, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Poles had two years remaining on his deal, but today’s agreement will add to his tenure in the Windy City. Poles is now under contract through 2029. That lines his pact up with that of new head coach Ben Johnson. This move comes as little surprise given the confidence shown this year in Poles, 39, by team president Kevin Warren.

Hired in 2022 alongside Matt Eberflus, Poles has overseen a number of roster changes during his tenure. The team has not developed as hoped over the past three years – posting a combined record of 15-36 over that span – and Eberflus did not make through the 2024 campaign. As Johnson aims to provide Chicago with long-term stability on the sidelines, though, Poles will remain in place to continue the rebuild he has undertaken since his arrival from a lengthy tenure with the Chiefs.

Of course, the focal point of that process will be the development of Caleb Williams. Poles worked out a blockbuster trade with the Panthers in 2023 which allowed Carolina to move up to No. 1 in that year’s draft and select Bryce Young. One the of elements of that trade was that Chicago owned the Panthers’ top choice in 2024, which wound up being the first overall selection. Taking advantage of the opportunity to start over under center after three years with Justin Fields in place, Poles traded Fields and drafted Williams last spring.

A number of moves made last offseason – such as the acquisition of wideout Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift – were aimed at easing Williams’ acclimation to the NFL. Questions lingered about the state of Chicago’s offensive line entering the campaign, however, and (in part due to that unit’s play) Williams took a league-leading 68 sacks. One of Poles’ key goals this year was to shore up the interior of the Bears’ O-line, and he landed guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trade. Each signed extensions tying them to the team through 2027, which is also the length of center Drew Dalman‘s free agent deal.

Adding further pass-catching options during the draft, Poles selected tight end Colston Loveland in the first round and receiver Luther Burden in the second. The latter will join a WR room led by D.J. Moore – part of the package which went to Chicago in the Young blockbuster – as well as 2024 top-10 selection Rome Odunze. At the tight end spot, Loveland will form a tandem with Cole Kmet, who is among the players Poles has extended on long-term deals during his tenure.

On defense, Chicago’s secondary has been the target for multiple lucrative deals. Over the past two offseasons, Poles has authorized extensions for cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, and they will remain key members of a defense led by edge rusher Montez Sweat and the Tremaine Edmunds–T.J. Edwards tandem at linebacker moving forward. Chicago’s defense has improved in terms of points allowed during each of the past three years, but after ranking 13th in 2024 there is still room for another step forward from the unit.

Of course, Poles’ time in charge has included notable misses as well. The prime example on that front is the second-round pick traded to the Steelers for receiver Chase Claypool in 2022. Claypool showed promise during his time in Pittsburgh, but he made a total of just 18 catches with the Bears. He was dealt in 2023 to the Dolphins as part of a Day 3 pick swap, an illustration of the extent to which the initial move on Poles’ part did not pan out.

The NFC North sent three teams to the postseason in 2024, and expectations will be high once more in the division this year. Coming off a 5-12 campaign, Chicago will look to take a step forward and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Failure to do so may have fueled speculation about a 2026 GM change, but today’s news ensures Poles’ job security for at least the intermediate future.

Dolphins Acquire TE Darren Waller From Giants

July 7th, 2025 at 4:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 7: The deal is now official, per an announcement from the Dolphins. Sirius XM’s Howard Balzer notes Waller is still on the reserve/retired list at this point, but that will of course change in the near future. Miami was at the roster limit entering Monday, but with the Jalen Ramsey and Smith swap for Minkah Fitzpatrick also officially taking place, activating Waller should not require a corresponding move.

JULY 1: The Dolphins have taken an unexpected route to find a new veteran tight end. A trade agreement is in place with the Giants for Miami to acquire Darren Waller, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Waller is coming out of retirement to head to Miami. New York still held his rights, requiring this swap to take place. The former Pro Bowler only intended to resume his playing career if he could do so with the Dolphins, Pelissero adds. That will indeed be the case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Miami will receive Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-rounder in 2026.

Acquired via trade from the Raiders, Waller faced high expectations upon arrival with the Giants. The former sixth-rounder wound up only playing one season in New York, however. Retirement was brought up on more than one occasion, and last June Waller officially decided to hang up his cleats. That move – which came in the wake of a frightening health episode in November 2023 – created cap savings for the Giants but the team did not deal away his rights at any point. Two years remained on Waller’s contract at the time of his retirement, but Pelissero notes he will ink a restructured pact heavy on incentives as part of this trade.

Providing details on that point, Schefter adds this will be a one-year deal worth up to $5MM via incentives. Waller will now aim to provide his new team with a veteran pass-catching option in the wake of Jonnu Smith being dealt to the Steelers yesterday. The Dolphins were in the market for a tight end as a result, but this move is certainly not the one many would have expected.

In addition to health issues, Waller cited a waning passion for the game when addressing his decision to retire. That is of course commonplace for many around the league when they elect to hang up their cleats, but it seemed to confirm Waller would not be eyeing a return. With one exception clearly being made in the case of the Dolphins, however, he is now set to play a ninth NFL campaign.

Miami’s depth chart at the TE spot consisted of veteran Pharaoh Brown along with Julian Hill, Hayden Ricci and Jalin Conyers. Each member of the latter trio entered the league as an undrafted free agent. Expectations will be limited in their cases as a result, but it will be interesting to see how this Waller experiment unfolds in 2025.

Steelers Extend GM Omar Khan

July 3rd, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Omar Khan‘s tenure as general manager of the Steelers will not be ending any time soon. The team announced on Thursday that Khan has received a contract extension through 2028.

Kevin Colbert handled GM responsibilities in Pittsburgh from 2000-21. Khan loomed as a potential in-house successor during the latter stages of his tenure, so it came as no surprise when the team looked internally as part of the final round of interviews. Khan was promoted to the role in May 2022.

The timing of that move meant Khan was tasked with overseeing the start of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era at quarterback. That stretch has seen six different signal-callers start for Pittsburgh, but the team has yet to identify a long-term solution at the position. That remains true at the moment, but for 2025 Khan and the Steelers will rely on 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers to lead the offense.

The decision to sign Rodgers (in June, ending a months-long run of uncertainty over whether or not he would suit up for a 21st NFL campaign) is one of several unorthodox moves Khan has made this offseason. The trade acquisition of D.K. Metcalf – which involved a big-ticket extension – and the departure of fellow wideout George Pickens coupled with the Rodgers signing mean Pittsburgh’s offense will look much different this year.

More recently, the Steelers and Dolphins pulled off a blockbuster trade. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith are now in place, while Minkah Fitzpatrick is not. The latter earned All-Pro acclaim early in his Pittsburgh tenure, but the past two years have seen a downturn in production. Despite two years remaining on Fitzpatrick’s contract, the team moved forward with a notable swap which sees Ramsey arrive with considerable term (and 2025 guarantees) remaining on his pact.

Khan has acted with an aggression Colbert did not often display during the 2025 offseason in particular. His moves up to this point have clearly sat well with owner Art Rooney II, who has certainly shown an affinity for stability in the front office and on the sidelines during his tenure. Regardless of how his recent moves play out, Khan will be in position to continue shaping the Steelers’ roster – which still has defensive stalwarts Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt in the fold – for years to come.

That effort will include the 2026 draft, an event which will take place in Pittsburgh. By next spring, Rodgers will likely be retired, leaving Khan and Co. in position to target a rookie passer early. Other key roster moves will be required regardless of how the current setup fares, but Rooney and the Steelers will not be on the lookout for a replacement in the front office in any case.

Dolphins Trade Jalen Ramsey To Steelers For Minkah Fitzpatrick

June 30th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jalen Ramsey trade saga is coming to an end. The All-Pro corner is on the move, but not out west as many predicted.

The Dolphins have reached agreement with the Steelers on a Ramsey swap, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Pittsburgh recently emerged as the most recent team likely to be eliminated from the list of landing spots in this case, but a trade has nevertheless been worked out and is now official. Ramsey will receive a $3MM bump in pay as part of this deal.

With the Dolphins paying $7MM of the $26.6MM Ramsey was owed this season, Rapoport reports the Steelers will be responsible for the remainder of that total. Pittsburgh will thus pay him $19.6MM in 2025.

Adding an unexpected layer to this blockbuster deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is headed the other way in the swap. Fitzpatrick began his career in Miami, and the former first-rounder was dealt to the Steelers in 2019. He will now return to his original team for 2025. This represents the first time since 2002 there have been players with five or more Pro Bowl nods traded for one another (h/t Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports).

Rapoport notes the Rams and Steelers were the two main Ramsey suitors, with Los Angeles long representing the expected destination in this situation. He adds Pittsburgh was out of the running until very recently, but that has obviously changed rather quickly. Ramsey himself has confirmed that he is headed to the Steelers, which will be his fourth career team.

The three-time All-Pro spent the past two seasons in Miami, rebounding from his injury-shortened 2023 campaign to play a full slate last year. Ramsey appeared set to remain in South Beach for the foreseeable future when he agreed to a lucrative extension last offseason, but a falling out with head coach Mike McDaniel led to the mutual decision a parting of ways would be best. Ramsey was on the trade block through the spring, but the list of suitors publicly expressing interest proved to be rather short.

Rams head coach Sean McVay made it clear the team was open to a Ramsey reunion (after he helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2021). Finances were a sticking point in this case, however. The seven-time Pro Bowler has already received a $4MM roster bonus from Miami, but his outstanding $21MM-plus in compensation for the year is guaranteed. Ramsey is on the books for another three yeas after the coming campaign, but an adjustment to his pact has been expected upon arrival with an acquiring team.

Despite a limited market emerging, the Dolphins remained steadfast in their desire to move on from Ramsey. The 30-year-old has proven to be one of the league’s top corners over the course of his career, although age will become a concern during his Steelers tenure. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh’s CB depth chart now includes another standout veteran after the team added Darius Slay in free agency. Those two will join returnee Joey Porter Jr. in a secondary which will look much different in 2025.

Fitzpatrick only played 18 games during his first Dolphins tenure. Expectations were high for the former No. 11 pick, but his departure came about as part of the team’s maneuvering in advance of the 2020 draft (which brought about the selection of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa). Upon arrival in Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick shone and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He remained productive through the following years.

However, things took an unwanted turn following the 2022 campaign (one in which Fitzpatrick recorded a league-leading six interceptions). Over the past two seasons, the Alabama product has been limited to just one pick and seven pass deflections while operating in different areas on the field. A five-time Pro Bowler, Fitzpatrick will aim to return to his previous form during his second Dolphins stint. His original team has a notable vacancy at the cornerback spot, but he will provide starting play at the safety position.

Two years remain on Fitzpatrick’s contract, and he is set to carry cap charges of $22.36MM and $24.46MM as things stand. With none of his remaining base salaries guaranteed, the Steelers will create $15.5MM in savings while generating a dead money charge of only $6.86MM. Those figures will help absorb the incoming Ramsey pact.

Pittsburgh has made a number of aggressive moves this offseason, deviating from standard operating procedure. The additions of Aaron Rodgers and D.K Metcalf were aimed at upgrading on offense, a unit which has been further augmented with today’s blockbuster. Ramsey will aim to further fuel the team’s Super Bowl aspirations for what will likely be a one-and-done Rodgers season. The Dolphins, meanwhile, will move forward in 2025 with a much different core in terms of veterans on both sides of the ball.

Steelers Acquire, Extend TE Jonnu Smith

June 30th, 2025 at 10:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

Part of the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick blockbuster will see the Dolphins and Steelers agree to another swap. Tight end Jonnu Smith is headed to Pittsburgh.

With the dust having settled on all portions of this singular trade (which is now official), here are the full details (courtesy of NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport):

Steelers receive:

Ramsey
Smith
2027 seventh-round pick

Dolphins receive:

Fitzpatrick
2027 fifth-round pick

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Smith will receive a one-year, $12MM extension upon arrival in Pittsburgh, allowing him to earn a raise as hoped. Finances were a sticking point between he and the Dolphins. Smith preferred to remain in Miami, but after enjoying a career year and setting a new franchise record for tight end production he aimed to parlay his play into a new pact.

On more than one occasion, the Steelers emerged as a potential landing spot for Smith in the event no new Dolphins pact could be worked out. Talks on a Miami extension took place, but the 29-year-old’s absence from minicamp was a sign this situation could end in a change of scenery. After only one year with the Dolphins, Smith is indeed on the move once again. Of course, today’s news means he is in store for another reunion with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Jonnu and Arthur Smith worked together with the Titans and again when they were alongside each other with the Falcons. The latter took on OC duties in Pittsburgh last season, overseeing an offense which used both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at quarterback. QB1 duties are now held by Aaron Rodgers, who will likely retire after this season. The Steelers are certainly not being shy in terms of notable moves on both sides of the ball in preparation for the coming campaign.

Pittsburgh already has Pat Freiermuth in place at the tight end spot. The former second-rounder is under contract through 2028, something which made a potential Smith move a somewhat awkward one. Now that it is in place, though, the Steelers can be expected to lean heavily on two-tight end sets. With uncertainly looming over the team’s WR options aside from D.K. Metcalf, Smith will give Pittsburgh a veteran pass-catching option.

The former third-rounder posted a statline of 88-884-8 last season, leading to his first career Pro Bowl nod. Expectations will be high for Smith with his fifth NFL team given his production and the fact he will be in a familiar scheme. For the Dolphins, meanwhile, Ramsey’s departure has created a notable vacancy at the CB position; the loss of Smith will likewise leave the team short on experienced tight ends.

The 2025 offseason has seen a major exodus in terms of veterans in Miami, by means of free agent departures, releases and trades. As the Dolphins look to bounce back from last year’s underwhelming campaign, they will do so with a slew of new faces on both sides of the ball. Smith is now under contract for the next two years. He will look to operate as a complementary option for Rodgers and Co. as Pittsburgh takes a run at a Super Bowl in 2025.

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