Cowboys Extend CB DaRon Bland
SEPTEMBER 1: Bland’s extension is worth a maximum (rather than a base value) of $92MM, as detailed by ESPN’s Todd Archer. A $22MM signing bonus is present, and Bland’s base salaries in 2025 and ’26 are locked in at signing. His $12MM salary for 2027 is guaranteed for injury and vests in March of that year. The same structure is in place for annual $1MM roster bonuses.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the deal includes a $19MM option bonus in 2028. Annual escalators worth up to $500K each are in place based on individual and team performances (with five and seven interceptions marking the thresholds and full pay being tied to whether or not the team reaches the playoffs the previous season). Salary de-escalators are also present instead of workout bonuses. In all, the four-year pact is worth $90MM in base value with $36.35MM fully guaranteed and another $13MM set to lock in midway through the deal.
AUGUST 31: The Cowboys have agreed to a four-year extension with cornerback DaRon Bland, as FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer was first to report. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds the deal is worth $92MM and includes $50MM in guaranteed money. The Cowboys have since announced the extension.
We heard back in April that Dallas was eyeing long-term deals for Bland, tight end Jake Ferguson, left guard Tyler Smith, and kicker Brandon Aubrey. Now, a little over month after extending Ferguson, Bland is on the books for the foreseeable future.
Of course, the situation involving former Cowboys edge defender Micah Parsons has been one of the NFL’s key storylines this offseason. Parsons, a premier, in-his-prime talent, was not originally viewed as a realistic trade candidate, but the relationship between player and team deteriorated in a very public way, and Dallas recently dealt the four-time Pro Bowler to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. While the trade and the circumstances that gave rise to it have earned owner Jerry Jones a great deal of criticism, it did free up some funds to be allocated elsewhere.
Indeed, as Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News writes, team sources said in the wake of the Parsons trade that the Cowboys would be active on the extension front. As such, it would not be surprising to see Smith and/or Aubrey get a new contract in short order.
A report at the end of July suggested Dallas and Bland were engaged in contract talks, and those conversations progressed to the point that Bland was hoping to put pen to paper before Week 1. He has gotten his wish, and in so doing he has landed just outside the top-five earners at the cornerback position in terms of average annual value. His new-money average of $23MM/year is just behind the likes of Patrick Surtain ($24MM), Jalen Ramsey ($24.1MM), and Jaycee Horn ($25MM).
Bland followed Trevon Diggs to the first-team All-Pro level in 2023, returning an NFL-record five interceptions for touchdowns. The fifth-round find became a vital piece in Dallas’ defense that season, shifting to an outside CB role in the wake of Diggs’ September ACL tear. Bland, who intercepted an NFL-most nine passes that season, now joins Diggs as a high-priced corner on the Cowboys’ defense. Pro Football Focus ranked Bland second among qualified corners in 2023 and 33rd during his seven-game 2024.
Entering his age-26 season, Bland also saw his extension leverage strengthened by Diggs’ injury trouble. The Cowboys paid Diggs (via a five-year, $97MM extension) before the 2023 season but have not seen the 2021 first-team All-Pro live up to the deal. The knee trouble Diggs ran into in 2023 resurfaced last year, and he missed the team’s offseason program and training camp due to the rehab effort. Diggs is off Dallas’ PUP list but is a question mark going into the season.
Bland is no stranger to injury trouble himself, having suffered a foot fracture during training camp last year. That kept him out 10 games, as the Cowboys activated him in late October but did not use him in a game until their Thanksgiving tilt. This extension certainly reveals confidence Bland can anchor Dallas’ CB corps moving forward. The team can release Diggs for just less than $6MM in dead money in 2026.
With third-round rookie Shavon Revel on the team’s reserve/NFI list after an ACL tear sustained during his final East Carolina season, Bland will be a crucial piece to Matt Eberflus‘ defense — especially considering one of the NFL’s lead pass-rushing pieces is now in Wisconsin. The Cowboys have question marks at their other CB posts for the time being, with trade acquisition Kaiir Elam — a former first-rounder the Bills never trusted as a regular starter — set to play a key role while Diggs and Revel recover.
Bland’s usage will be interesting to track this year as well. After playing a near-full-time slot role as a rookie, he has largely been a boundary defender. This offseason, however, the Cowboys had Bland working in the slot regularly. A setup where he plays inside on passing downs, alongside Diggs and Elam/Revel, would make sense for the Cowboys. This contract also checks in well north of where the 49ers went for their multipurpose CB (Deommodore Lenoir) last year and miles ahead of the slot-only market.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Ravens Extend S Kyle Hamilton
AUGUST 29: Hamilton’s fully guaranteed money includes a signing bonus, his 2025 and ’26 base salaries, and a 2026 option bonus, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. More significantly in the long term, Hamilton secured a rolling guarantee structure. His $17MM 2027 base salary shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in 2026. His $17MM 2028 base salary makes that shift in 2027, providing advanced security for the young standout.
While Hamilton’s 2029 base salary ($17.9MM) is nonguaranteed, he will collect a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the ’29 league year, Florio adds. Since the deal tacks four years onto his through-2026 rookie contract, Hamilton is signed through 2030. There is also a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2030 league year. This marks the second time (in the fifth-year option era) the Ravens have paid a first-rounder with two years left on a rookie contract; they did the same with Marlon Humphrey in 2020.
AUGUST 27: The Ravens have eyed a Kyle Hamilton extension for a lengthy stretch. As the season nears, Baltimore has one of its 2022 standout first-rounders locked in long term.
Hamilton has agreed to a deal that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid safety, the team announced (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). While fellow 2022 first-rounder Tyler Linderbaum remains on his rookie deal, Hamilton has reset the safety market.
This extension will move the bar far north at safety, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the Ravens are giving Hamilton a four-year, $100.4MM deal. Of that amount, $82MM is guaranteed, including $48MM in fully guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. While this is a significant increase over the top of the safety market – set earlier this year by Kerby Joseph just over $21MM – it’s also somewhat reflective of increase in cornerback pay this offseason.
More than anything, of course, Hamilton’s contract is a reflection of his status as one of the best – if not the best – safeties in the NFL. He’s coming off back-to-back Pro Bowls and a ninth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting after turning around Baltimore’s pass defense with his move to a more traditional safety role in 2024. His versatility and impact can be felt at all three levels of the field, similar to the Chargers’ Derwin James.
Appropriately, Hamilton’s deal is essentially James’ 2022 extension adjusted for cap inflation. James received $19MM per year, which accounted for 9.1% of the salary cap at the time, per OverTheCap. Hamilton’s $25MM APY represents just under 9.0% of the 2025 cap. Though it’s an expensive deal, the 24-year-old has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Adding four years and $100.4MM to that deal will keep Hamilton in Baltimore through the 2030 season for $20.3MM per year, which could become a steal as the cap continues to rise in the coming years.
The Ravens drafted Hamilton 14th overall in 2022 and have seen him soar to the All-Pro tier. With two original-ballot Pro Bowls on his resume, Hamilton secured the top fifth-year option price at safety ($18.6MM). His new deal checks in well north of that in terms of per-year average, and it will give future impact safeties a price to target.
The recent CB boom — which Patrick Surtain reset last year only to see the deal topped a few times over since — illustrates how quickly a market-setting contract can be eclipsed by others using it as a benchmark. After all, Antoine Winfield Jr. became the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year safety barely a year ago. That said, safety value has fluctuated over the years. As a result, Hamilton’s AAV may top the market for a while — particularly given the Notre Dame alum’s versatile skillset that is so pivotal to Baltimore’s defensive blueprint.
Hamilton is now the second-highest-paid Raven — behind only Lamar Jackson — representing rare status for a safety. The Ravens will now turn their attention to Linderbaum, who did not see his fifth-year option exercised due to the option formula grouping all O-linemen together. The Ravens want to pay their All-Pro center before season’s end.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Cowboys Trade Micah Parsons To Packers
Trade chatter surrounding Micah Parsons has proven to be substantive. Not long after a Thursday report indicated the star edge rusher could be on the move, a blockbuster trade has indeed been worked out. 
The Cowboys have an agreement in place to send Parsons to the Packers, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater. The package heading back to Dallas includes two first-round picks. Rapoport adds defensive tackle Kenny Clark is also going to the Cowboys as the final part of the trade agreement. The move is now official.
As part of this massive deal, Parsons has worked out a Packers extension. A four-year, $188MM accord has been agreed to, per the NFL Network report (which has since been confirmed by others). The deal contains $136MM in total guarantees. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds Parsons will receive $120MM fully locked in at signing, including $62MM paid out in 2025. Those figures – along with a $47MM average annual value – easily mark a new high point in compensation for non-quarterbacks.
In recent days, the possibility of a trade has gained steam. Yesterday, it was reported the Packers were among the teams showing interest; as such, it is reasonable Green Bay is where Parsons is now headed. Still, today’s move is a massive development for all involved and marks a departure from standard operating procedure in the Packers’ case. The team has a reputation as a draft-and-develop franchise, and that includes recent first-round investments along the edge in Rashan Gary (2019) and Lukas Van Ness (2024).
Both of those players will remain in place even with Parsons arriving. Green Bay’s defensive front has nevertheless been dealt a blow with Clark heading the other way. The three-time Pro Bowler has spent his entire nine-year career with the Packers, and he will provide the Cowboys with a needed upgrade at the DT spot. Clark, 29, has three years remaining on his contract. The former first-rounder posted a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2023, but that figure fell to one last season. Even without a bounce-back in that department, stable play against the run would be welcomed by the Cowboys.
Dallas has a reputation for dragging high-profile negotiations deep into the offseason. Many observers viewed the Parsons situation as the latest example of that, but relations between the 26-year-old and owner Jerry Jones have taken a turn for the worst this summer. Informal talks between the two produced a handshake agreement during the spring, one Jones maintained a desire to stick to in the process of finalizing an extension. When Parsons went public with his trade request at the start of the month, though, he stated he did not want to be held to the terms mentioned in that conversation. No formal offer is known to have been made by Dallas, and negotiations came to a halt in the wake of Jones’ comments on agent David Mulugheta.
Per Rapoport, this trade was agreed to earlier this week. Negotiations then turned to the matter of an extension, with Mulugheta negotiating this monster accord. The Packers’ financial outlook will be altered considerably with this deal in place, especially since quarterback Jordan Love is attached to one of the league’s most expensive accords. The team’s window to contend for a Super Bowl is obviously viewed as being open given this trade.
Dallas, meanwhile, still has a core headlined by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. They both signed major extensions of their own last offseason, and Clark joins Osa Odighizuwa (re-upped this spring on a $20MM-per-year deal) as a key figure on defense for 2025 and beyond. The Cowboys are thus not in a position to turn away from contention in the near future, but with one week remaining in the offseason they have moved on from arguably their best player.
The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence during free agency, so today’s blockbuster means both of their starting edge rush spots will have new occupants. Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland, James Houston and second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku are in position to handle pass rush duties moving forward. How that group fares will be key in determining the success of the post-Parsons Dallas defense.
The Packers went 9-8 during Love’s first season as their starting quarterback, and they improved to 11-6 last season. A step toward the NFL’s elite was targeted in their roster moves this offseason, and that process has extended deep into August. Parsons was already on the books for 2025 due to his fifth-year option (the value of which is yet to be finalized). The All-Pro is now under contract through 2029.
“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” a statement from Parsons reads in part. “My heart has always been [in Dallas], and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.
“Thank you, Cowboys Nation, for every cheer, every moment, and every ounce of love you showed me. Wearing the star has been the honor of my life.”
As Schefter notes, 29 players drafted since 1970 have been named to the Pro Bowl in each of their first four seasons. Parsons will be the first name on that list to play for a different team in their fifth NFL campaign. Dallas and Green Bay will meet in a Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 4. It goes without saying what the top storyline for that contest will be.
Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Accepts Six-Game Ban
The earlier report of a six-game Rashee Rice suspension proved telling; the Chiefs wide receiver will accept that NFL punishment, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.
Rather than proceed to a Sept. 30 hearing, Rice will accept this deal and serve the ban to open the season. While it would have been quite strange to see Rice play the first four games before the hearing and drag this process out, Pelissero adds that was never the real plan here. A settlement loomed as the most likely outcome, and it has now come to pass.
Rice’s criminal case — in connection with a March 2024 hit-and-run incident that brought eight felony charges — concluded last month with a sentence of five years probation and a 30-day prison term. Rice received deferred adjudication, which would potentially allow him to avoid the prison stay, but his NFL matter lingered for several weeks after the legal resolution.
The NFL was believed to be initially seeking a suspension that ranged into double-digit territory. While Rice finalized his hit-and-run matter, he was accused of punching a photographer at a nightclub following that freeway street-racing incident (though, the accuser did not end up pressing charges). Another incident during Rice’s college days also was believed to have factored into the NFL’s investigation. When Rice was at SMU, Rice or a member of his party fired gunshots into an empty vehicle belonging to a Mustangs basketball player.
But this latest Chiefs off-field saga has produced finality. They will have Rice eligible to return beginning in Week 7. The three-time reigning AFC champions will be without their top wideout for games against the Chargers, Eagles, Giants, Ravens, Jaguars and Lions.
Coming on during his rookie-year stretch run, Rice proved pivotal during the Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl-winning season. He started off hot last season as well, but an LCL tear ended his season early. The Chiefs, who also played without Marquise Brown for most of last season, have largely struggled at receiver for the past two years. As Travis Kelce has moved into mid-30s, Patrick Mahomes has fallen off his stratospheric pace. While the Chiefs have still relied on a strong defense to help them to Super Bowls, they are counting on their megastar QB to recapture earlier form. Rice’s suspension may put that on hold.
The Chiefs have Brown healthy and saw first-round pick Xavier Worthy make strides down the stretch last season. Fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals also should factor into the AFC powerhouse’s equation during the Rice ban. The Chiefs also still have JuJu Smith-Schuster rostered; the former mainstay quietly re-signed this offseason. Rice’s absence figures to be felt early, though Kelce’s presence in an age-36 season will certainly help — even if he is in clear decline.
This suspension also gives Rice additional time to recover from the LCL injury, even as he had already resumed full practice. The third-year receiver will not be able to practice, however, until Week 7. The Chiefs have shown an ability to make do with a suboptimal receiver situation over the past two years, but this time around, they are poised to see their preferred array be available by midseason.
Panthers Trade WR Adam Thielen Back To Vikings
Adam Thielen is returning home. The Panthers have agreed on terms to send the Minnesota native back to the Vikings, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the deal is done.
Carolina will receive a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder. Minnesota adds Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, according to Schefter, who adds talks between the NFC teams have been serious for a few days. The conditional seventh-rounder the Vikings received becomes a sixth if Thielen is not active for 10 games or not on the 53-man roster for 14, The Athletic’s Joe Person tweets.
The teams had been haggling over trade value this week, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the Panthers initially asked for a lot in return for the established possession receiver. With terms agreed to, the Vikings are finalizing a revised contract, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds.
Thielen rejoins a Vikings team hurting at wide receiver to open the season — to the point the team eyed trade help. Jordan Addison incurred a three-game suspension for a 2024 DUI arrest, while Rondale Moore suffered a season-ending knee injury for a second straight year. Jalen Nailor is also recovering from a hand injury, and Justin Jefferson missed a few weeks because of a hamstring injury sustained early in training camp.
Despite the Vikings cutting Thielen in 2023, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz indicates Kevin O’Connell advocated “strongly” to add a veteran to help. Thielen, 35, fits the bill and has scheme familiarity from his 2022 season in O’Connell’s offense. Prior to that, Thielen played nine seasons in Minnesota. The former rookie-camp tryout body is set to play a 13th NFL season, and he will be asked to help J.J. McCarthy transition to the pros. When addressing the trade, Panthers head coach Dave Canales noted (via ESPN’s David Newton) Thielen never specifically asked to be dealt back to Minnesota.
Nonetheless, Thielen becomes the third receiver the Panthers have traded since October. They dealt Jonathan Mingo to the Cowboys and ended the failed Diontae Johnson experiment before the 2024 deadline. Thielen, who accepted a revised contract this offseason, will be dealt from an offense that added another first-round wideout — Tetairoa McMillan — this year. McMillan leads the way for the Panthers at receiver now, headlining a group featuring Xavier Legette and UDFA talent Jalen Coker. This does strip a proven pass catcher from Bryce Young, but the Panthers have young talent to garner key reps this season.
After two productive seasons in Carolina, Thielen accepted a reworked contract this offseason. The Panthers had him on a one-year, $8.75MM deal ($1.5MM guaranteed). While the rework gave Thielen some guaranteed money for 2025 — the final year of his contract — it also left the door open for a trade. The Panthers will take on $5MM in dead money from moving Thielen, with the figure being split between the 2025 and ’26 seasons.
Thielen tacked on a third 1,000-yard season to his resume in Carolina, being a woeful offense’s top option in 2023. He added a 615-yard year in 2024, doing so despite missing seven games with a hamstring injury. The former Jefferson and Stefon Diggs sidekick ranks third in career Vikings receptions and receiving TDs, sitting fifth in career Minnesota yardage.
Thielen had pointed to 2025 potentially being his NFL finale, and it will now come in his home state. Thielen combined for 24 TD receptions in Jefferson’s first two years. After working with Kirk Cousins for five seasons, Thielen garnered experience with a younger QB in Young; that should help him ahead of McCarthy’s debut campaign.
Minnesota initially had Diggs complementing Thielen, who eclipsed 1,200 yards in 2017 and ’18. Thielen agreed to two Vikings extensions, the second of which a four-year, $64.8MM accord. The Vikes revised that deal in 2022 but cut the accomplished receiver in March 2023, after the sides could not agree on another adjustment.
Thielen then collected a three-year, $25MM deal from the Panthers. While Carolina missed on some 2023 additions, Thielen provided value. After trade rumors emerged at the 2024 deadline, the Panthers circled back to a deal now. The Vikings had added Addison in Round 1 weeks after cutting Thielen. It will be interesting to see that duo work together, with Nailor (414 yards last season) and third-round rookie Tai Felton rounding out what will be one of the NFL’s deepest WR groups once Addison is activated in Week 4.
Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin Agree To Extension
AUGUST 27: The deal’s base value has emerged; as expected, McLaurin did not score a top-five wide receiver rate. This is a three-year, $87MM extension, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. It includes $44.65MM guaranteed at signing — $30MM of that figure comes via a signing bonus — according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. While just $2.9MM of McLaurin’s $12.9MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed at signing, Breer adds a $10MM 2026 roster bonus is fully guaranteed. McLaurin’s 2027 and ’28 base salaries are nonguaranteed.
Rumors emerged this summer indicating the Commanders were leery of a $30MM-per-year payday for a wideout set to turn 30, and they have McLaurin at $29MM AAV. This value checks in 10th among receivers, settling between the $30MM-AAV club and Tee Higgins‘ $28.75MM-per-year deal. In terms of full guarantees, McLaurin matches Chris Godwin for ninth at the position.
AUGUST 25: Terry McLaurin‘s contract saga has come to an end. The Pro Bowl wideout finalized an extension with the Commanders on Monday, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
This is a three-year accord, per Schultz. He adds McLaurin’s new deal is worth over $96MM. One year remained on his pact prior to today’s news. As a result, McLaurin is now on the books through 2028. This pact contains a $30MM signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds.
Multiple reports indicate $96MM actually represents the maximum value of this accord. In any event, today’s agreement ends the questions related to McLaurin’s future in Washington. A trade request was issued in response to extension talks failing to progress as hoped. At no point did it appear likely a swap would take place, however, with the Commanders intending to move forward without entertaining trade offers.
McLaurin was briefly absent from training camp, but he later reported and was moved to the active/PUP list. Upon being activated, the 29-year-old was not a full practice participant. Uncertainty loomed in this case as the countdown to Week 1 continued without much in the way of progress being made. After a spell without the parties speaking to one another, though, the expected outcome in this case has arrived.
Exact figures on McLaurin’s initial asking price did not emerge, but over the course of the offseason it became clear the Commanders were taken aback by it. Concerns related to the Ohio State product’s age were a sticking point in negotiations, but today’s pact means McLaurin will remain in the nation’s capital through the foreseeable future (and across the remainder of quarterback Jayden Daniels‘ rookie contract). This marks the second time in his career McLaurin has taken a three-year extension (whereas four-year pacts are common for high-profile receivers).
As the wait for precise details on this extension continues, it is clear McLaurin has secured a major raise. He was owed a base salary of $15.5MM for 2025 with a cap charge of $25.5MM; both figures will change once the deal is finalized. An average annual value of $32MM would put him in a tie for sixth amongst receivers and fall just short of D.K. Metcalf‘s Steelers accord. The Metcalf deal has long been viewed as a comparable one for McLaurin, although he did not deem it necessary to match it entirely.
Receiver depth was an issue for the Commanders last year, and general manager Adam Peters swung a trade with his former team to acquire Deebo Samuel. The former All-Pro will add a unique element to Washington’s offense in 2025, but he is a pending free agent. Especially against the backdrop of a potential Samuel departure next spring, hammering out a long-term McLaurin pact was critical for the team. The top of Washington’s WR depth chart is now set to remain intact for years to come.
McLaurin has topped 1,000 yards in each of the past five seasons, and in 2024 he comfortably set a new career high with 13 touchdowns. A strong connection with Daniels could help the Commanders in their effort to duplicate last year’s run to the NFC title game. McLaurin has been available for a full campaign every year since 2021, so durability should not be a concern as he plays out his third NFL pact.
Expectations will be high for McLaurin in the wake of this news, something which will pave the way for a return to practice. He will spend the coming days ramping up in advance of Week 1, and another productive season would set the Commanders up for successful campaign while also proving their investment to be worthwhile.
Bengals, DE Trey Hendrickson Revise Deal
The monthslong (perhaps yearslong) Trey Hendrickson contract saga in Cincinnati has reached a conclusion — for 2025, at least. With less than two weeks remaining before the Bengals’ opener, a deal is in place.
Hendrickson and the Bengals are in agreement on a revised contract, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. After Rapoport and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicated the sides were close, it appears this endless chapter is complete. The sides agreed on what will be a $14MM 2025 raise, Pelissero reports, adding the ninth-year veteran will make $30MM this year.
While this is a short-term win for Hendrickson, the Bengals’ preference for a one-year guarantee — reminding of a previous Hendrickson re-up — appears to have won out. This is certainly good news for the Bengals, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Hendrickson is expected to play in Week 1.
Earlier today, a report surfaced indicating the Bengals and Hendrickson had resumed talks. The Bengals had long been willing to give Hendrickson a high AAV on a short-term agreement, but the 30-year-old pass rusher had understandably sought a guarantee package that provides better long-term security. But that has not happened. And Hendrickson remains on track for free agency in 2026.
Hendrickson was already tied to a $15.8MM 2025 base salary this year. That had been in place as part of a one-year extension agreed to in 2023. Hendrickson said he agreed to that extension in fear of being franchise-tagged in 2025. With the Bengals’ Tee Higgins matter taking two offseasons to resolve, no tag was available. And Hendrickson, despite seeing T.J. Watt land a $108MM full guarantee on a three-year deal, appears to be prepared to hit free agency in 2026. Even as the Bengals observed the Steelers break their guarantee structure for Watt, the Bengals did not budge on a key organizational philosophy with Hendrickson.
The Bengals have bent on their steadfast refusal to include post-Year 1 salary guarantees in deals, but it has taken a young Hall of Fame-type talent to convince them to do so. Joe Burrow naturally received post-Year 1 guarantees upon being extended in 2023, and Ja’Marr Chase‘s triple-crown season prompted the Bengals to break their policy this offseason. Higgins, however, did not. With the Bengals not bending for a younger talent like Higgins, the team did not appear ready to give Hendrickson that type of agreement. Hendrickson’s importance to Cincinnati’s defense — one that took a significant step back last year — did not end up leading to an extension for the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, and this could be the parties’ final season together.
Hendrickson did receive an extension offer — three years, $95MM — according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, but he turned it down due to no guaranteed money being present beyond Year 1. Hendrickson turned down what may have been a comparable offer several weeks ago.
This familiar Bengals issue is now a key part of the decorated edge rusher’s career. Rather than take his chances with a nonguaranteed structure down the line, Hendrickson will see if he can reach free agency after another strong season. This top-up does not match where the Texans went with Danielle Hunter (one year, $35.6MM), which certainly points to this saga either concluding with a 2026 free agency exit or potentially taking another turn.
Cincy could cuff Hendrickson via a 2026 franchise tag. Teams usually reserve the tag for players who play out their rookie deals, as the Bengals did with Higgins and Jessie Bates recently, but this franchise also cuffed a veteran performer not too long ago. The Bengals tagged A.J. Green in 2020. If they were to go to this well with Hendrickson, however, this raise will hike that price beyond $35MM. As could be expected, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz adds a no-tag clause is not present in this rework.
Over the past two seasons, Hendrickson leads the NFL with 35 sacks — 4.5 more than anyone else. This naturally brought Hendrickson back to the table, after the Bengals did not redo his deal in 2024. The team let Hendrickson seek a trade, and while better guarantee structures were undoubtedly available elsewhere, Cincy held a high asking price that prevented a deal. The Bengals wanted at least a first-round pick before the draft, and their recent ask — even after a reported reduction –was believed to be too high for teams as well.
The second leg of trade rumors came after a report indicating contract talks had stalled. We heard earlier this summer Cincy had not offered a $35MM-per-year deal, but an August report indicated the proposal was “closer to the top of the market.” At 3/95, Hendrickson would have been the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid EDGE by AAV. While there are more notable barometers to measure contract value, the Bengals’ guarantee caution would not have made that a player-friendly pact.
Even as the Bengals struggled defensively, leaving a Burrow MVP-caliber season short of the playoffs, Hendrickson could not turn a holdout or a hold-in into a multiyear guarantee. With Hendrickson agreeing to terms rather than missing out on near-$1MM game checks, the matter is resolved for now.
This will remain an interesting story to follow, as Hendrickson free agency- and/or tag-related rumors figure to follow this agreement soon. But the Bengals, after their lengthy Shemar Stewart impasse over default language ended, will have both their top DEs available to start the season.
Raiders Acquire Kenny Pickett From Browns
The Raiders have landed on a new backup for Geno Smith. The team is acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Browns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Cleveland will be receiving a 2026 fifth-round pick in return, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
This is a natural move for both organizations. The Raiders have been hunting for a new backup quarterback since Aidan O’Connell suffered a fracture wrist that will sideline him for six to eight weeks. Meanwhile, the Browns were looking to clear up their QB logjam, despite what GM Andrew Berry may have signaled yesterday.
The Raiders’ only other option behind Smith was rookie sixth-round pick Cam Miller, so it seemed like only a matter of time before Las Vegas landed a veteran signal caller. In comes Pickett, who has pivoted to the backup phase of his career. A former first-round pick, the Pittsburgh product failed to live up to his draft billing with the Steelers. He went 14-10 in his 24 starts with the organization but only tossed 13 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions. When the Steelers revamped their QB depth chart last offseason, Pickett requested a trade and was promptly sent to Philly to be Jalen Hurts‘ backup.
Pickett ended up getting into five games for his new squad, completing 25 of his 42 pass attempts for 291 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He earned a win in his lone start for the Eagles, a blowout Week 17 victory over the Cowboys. After the season, he was dealt to Cleveland for a fifth-round pick and QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The Browns depth chart quickly became crowded as they navigated another lost season from Deshaun Watson. While it was once believed that Pickett could be in the driver’s seat to be Cleveland’s new QB1, Joe Flacco ended up winning the QB battle. Still, the team had too much notable depth at the position as the roster deadline approached. With this trade, the Browns can now roll into the season with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders as the primary backups.
If you’re keeping count at home, this represents the third trade of Pickett’s four-year career. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero notes, this accomplishment has only been matched by one other player in NFL history: Sam Howell, who reached the milestone yesterday.
Vikings Trade QB Sam Howell To Eagles; Minnesota Signs Carson Wentz
The Vikings are trading quarterback Sam Howell and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Eagles, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. In exchange, Minnesota will receive a fifth- and seventh-round choice in 2026, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that the team is also signing veteran passer Carson Wentz to replace Howell and to serve as the backup for J.J. McCarthy.
Wentz, 32, visited the Vikings yesterday, and the summit clearly went well. McCarthy, of course, missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to injury, though the club’s faith in his ability to operate as the starting QB in 2025 never wavered. Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones were therefore allowed to leave in free agency, and Minnesota acquired Howell during April’s draft with the expectation that he would slot in behind McCarthy on the depth chart.
Howell played well in the club’s first preseason contest this summer, but he struggled in his second outing, completing one of five passes for 13 yards and an interception. He sat out the preseason finale on Friday as Brett Rypien and 2025 UDFA Max Brosmer shared the snaps under center.
In addition to adding a more experienced and accomplished voice in Wentz — who is familiar with HC Kevin O’Connell‘s offensive system — today’s transaction adds a bit more draft capital to the Vikings’ stockpile (just as the recent Harrison Phillips swap did). As multiple pundits, including ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, were quick to point out in the immediate aftermath of the Howell report, Minnesota is in the market for a wide receiver, and the Phillips and Howell trades could help facilitate a WR addition. Longtime Viking and current Panther Adam Thielen remains a target, but Fowler notes the club has multiple lines of inquiry open. Plus, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, Minnesota has been pleased with Brosmer and appears perfectly content to have him as the No. 3 QB.
Howell, meanwhile, continues a nomadic journey that is uncommon for such a young player. The Commanders’ 2022 draftee, who will turn 25 next month, started all 17 games for Washington in 2023, and he finished with a 4-13 record. The club was unafraid to let him air it out, as he led the NFL with 612 pass attempts, which led to a league-worst 21 interceptions. He was traded to Seattle in April 2024, but he saw limited action as the backup to Geno Smith. Including today’s deal, the UNC product has been traded three times in the span of 18 months.
Still, the Eagles needed some cover for their own QB room, as Jalen Hurts‘ presumptive backup, Tanner McKee, is dealing with a finger injury that has jeopardized his Week 1 availability. Albert Breer of SI.com notes Philadelphia remains high on McKee, and it does not sound as if his ailment is a long-term one. Nonetheless, Howell will offer an upgrade over sixth-round rookie Kyle McCord, both as the QB2 in the event McKee is not ready to go at the start of the season and as the QB3 over the course of the campaign (or, the Eagles could theoretically try to trade McKee; per Breer, there has been outside interest in the 25-year-old signal-caller, which echoes his recent report on the matter).
Assuming a McKee trade does not come to fruition, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes McCord will be waived, though the Eagles could try to stash him on the practice squad if he clears waivers. Offseason trade acquisition Dorian Thompson-Robinson is also on the Eagles’ roster for the time being, but today’s news obviously does not bode well for his future in Philly.
McLane adds that the team has waived/injured DB Lewis Cine, who, according Zach Berman of The Athletic, was on crutches following Friday’s preseason game, when he recorded a diving interception.
Panthers, Taylor Moton Agree To Extension
Taylor Moton‘s tenure in Carolina is set to continue beyond the coming season. The ninth-year right tackle has agreed to an extension, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
This new Panthers accord – which is now official – is two years in length and is worth $44MM, Moton’s agents informed Schefter. $40MM of that figure is guaranteed. Moton was entering a contract year, but he is now on the books through 2027.
Prior to today’s news, Moton was on course to carry a 2025 cap charge of over $31MM. The Panthers maintained a level of comfort with that figure remaining intact, but an extension always loomed as a means of reducing it while ensuring no free agent departure could take place next spring. Moton saw his ironman streak come to an end in 2024 with three missed games, but he has remained an anchor up front since his second year in the NFL.
Moton, who just turned 31, has been consistent not only in terms of availability but also performance during his Carolina tenure. With the exception of 2022, he has ranked between 13th and 23rd in terms of PFF grade amongst offensive tackles every year during his time as a starter. The Panthers will aim for a continuation of that run over the near term by means of their latest investment up front.
Carolina added a pair of starting guards via free agency last offseason by signing Robert Hunt (five years, $100MM) and Damien Lewis (four years, $53MM). Those big-ticket deals came about with left tackle Ikem Ekwonu on his rookie pact and Moton attached to his $17MM-per-year extension. A raise – coupled with a notable guarantee, although the structure of the contract is not yet known – has been authorized to ensure stability at the tackle spots. That will especially be true if Ekwonu’s desire for a new Carolina deal is met.
In any case, 2025 will see the same starting unit up front for Carolina. Ekwonu and Moton will spend a fourth season together, with Lewis and Hunt manning the guard spots. Austin Corbett won out this summer’s competition with Cade Mays, meaning he will retain his starting role at center. Continuity along the O-line will be a key factor in what the team hopes will be continued development from third-year quarterback Bryce Young in 2025.
At $22MM, the average annual value of his deal moves Moton into a tie with the recently-extended Zach Tom in terms of yearly compensation at the right tackle position. Only Lane Johnson ($25MM) and Penei Sewell ($28MM) are attached to a higher figure at that spot. If Moton can maintain his level of play over the course of his third contract, this latest commitment on the part of the Panthers will likely prove to be worthwhile.