Here are Friday’s practice squad moves heading into the first weekend of the NFL season:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Javon Baker
- Released: OLB Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Here are Friday’s minor transactions as we await Game 2 of the 2025 season, including today’s standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Chiefs and Chargers:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: DT Sam Roberts
- Released: WR David Sills
- Released (with injury settlement): CB Grayland Arnold
Chicago Bears
- Waived (with injury settlement): C Doug Kramer
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived (with injury settlement): TE Tanner McLachlan
Green Bay Packers
- Waived (with injury settlement): S Omar Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived (with injury settlement): K Maddux Trujillo
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR Amari Cooper (story)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: LS Rick Lovato, T Foster Sarell
Each NFL team is granted two standard gameday practice squad elevations each game, allowing them to call up two members of their practice squad that are able to play in that weekend’s game. After the game is played, the elevated players revert back to the practice squad with no transaction required. This differs from a transaction like we saw earlier today wherein wide receiver Justin Shorter was signed to the Raiders’ active roster from their practice squad. He is now permanently on the team’s 53-man roster until they cut him or until his contract expires.
Practice squad players can be called up a maximum of three times under a single practice squad contract. If the team wants to call up a player who’s been called up three times already, team’s will usually sign the player to their active roster for a game, cut them after, and then sign them to a new practice squad contract. Under a new contract, the player would be eligible to be elevated for three more games.
The Bills have placed veteran kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve, per a team announcement.
Bass was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice due to a hip/groin issue that will now sideline him for at least four games, including Sunday night’s matchup with the Ravens. Though he has yet to finish a season with a conversion rate above 90%, Bass has been a reliable kicker for his five-year career in Buffalo and hit a career-long 61-yard field goal in 2024.
After Bass went down on Wednesday, the Bills quickly moved to sign Matt Prater to the practice squad as an injury replacement on Thursday. The former Broncos, Cardinals, and Lions kicker missed most of the 2024 season due to a torn meniscus; before that, he made 83.6% of his career field goal attempts, so Buffalo should be able to trust him while Bass is recovering. The Bills can only elevate Prater from the practice squad three times, so they will need to sign him to the active roster if he is going to replace Bass in all four games (and potentially more).
The Bills are also likely to be without veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White on Sunday. He did not practice all week due to a groin injury and is listed as doubtful on the injury report.
The Ravens also ruled out a few key players for Sunday Night Football: fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely. Likely is an expected absence as he recovers from preseason foot surgery, while Ricard has missed multiple weeks of practice with a calf injury. Cornerback Jaire Alexander, however, is off the injury report and expected to make his debut in purple and black.
The Buccaneers have taken care of another extension in time for Week 1. Cornerback Zyon McCollum has a new deal in place.
McCollum’s agents announced on Friday (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) an agreement has been reached on a three-year extension. The pact has a value of $48MM and includes $35.4MM guaranteed. McCollum was set to enter the season as a pending free agent, but he will now be under contract through 2028.
Today’s news comes as little surprise, considering McCollum was known to be seeking a second Tampa accord. The former fifth-rounder has developed into a mainstay on defense over the course of his first three seasons in the NFL. His rookie campaign included a part-time workload, but the following year resulted in a major jump in playing time. Last season, McCollum handled over 1,000 defensive snaps; he will be relied on as a permanent fixture in the secondary for years to come.
In 2024, the 26-year-old recorded his first two interceptions while adding 17 pass deflections. The latter stat put him in a tie for third in the NFL and helped result in a career-best PFF evaluation. McCollum finished 45th amongst qualifying corners in overall grade after setting a new personal best in completion percentage and passer rating allowed. Continued improvement in that regard would be welcomed and is certainly something the Buccaneers are investing in.
Even if McCollum doesn’t grow into a top-tier cornerback, there is an argument to be made for basic stability at one of the game’s most important positions. With a $16MM APY, McCollum is only the 15th-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with a market that should continue to grow after a major increase this offseason. Just being a healthy, consistent starter would make his deal a solid value.
With his new deal, McCollum will continue to be a key cog in Tampa Bay’s secondary for the next few years. He’s played next to Jamel Dean for his entire career, but the Buccaneers made a clear effort this offseason to find the future of their cornerback room by drafting Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish on Day 2 of April’s draft. Dean is under contract through 2026, but the exploding cornerback market may preclude another extension in Tampa Bay with younger players waiting in the wings.
Darren Waller‘s Dolphins debut (and NFL return) is set to be delayed by at least one week. The unretired tight end encountered a setback this week, head coach Mike McDaniel said (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). 
[RELATED: Reviewing Dolphins’ Offseason]
As a result, Waller is likely to miss Miami’s season opener against the Colts. A hip strain is the issue in this case, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Missed time was an issue during the latter stages of Waller’s Raiders tenure as well as his single Giants campaign; things have not gotten off to a good start with the Dolphins.
Waller was moved to the active/PUP list early this summer, but as expected he was activated late in August. That move allowed the former Pro Bowler to return to practice in preparation for his first game action since Week 18 in 2023. At least a short-term issue has now arisen, though, and it will be worth monitoring how long it will keep him sidelined.
The Dolphins included Jonnu Smith in the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, dealing him away after a career-best showing in 2024. Questions were raised in the wake of that swap about how Miami would replace Smith at the tight end spot. The team caught many off guard by agreeing to acquire Waller in a trade with the Giants after he made it clear he would only return to the NFL if he could reunite with Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith in the process.
Presuming Waller is sidelined on Sunday, the Dolphins will need to rely on Julian Hill and Jalin Conyers at the tight end spot. Hill entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and Conyers did the same this spring. Experience will be in short supply as a result for however long Waller is unavailable.
Damarri Mathis will not be available to the Panthers in 2025. The fourth-year cornerback has suffered an ACL tear, head coach Dave Canales said on Friday (via ESPN’s David Newton). 
Mathis spent his first three seasons with the Broncos, and he was in Denver through the summer. The former fourth-rounder was among the team’s roster cuts last week, and he hit the waiver wire as a result. The Panthers added Mathis via a claim.
Instead of having him available for the final season of his rookie deal, however, Carolina will be shorthanded at the cornerback spot. The 26-year-old made 43 appearances and 13 starts over the course of his Broncos tenure. Adding to those totals would have helped Mathis’ market value ahead of his first trip to free agency next spring. Now, his attention will turn to surgery and a lengthy rehab process.
The injury will deal a blow to Mathis’ earning potential on the open market. The Missouri product emerged as a trade candidate last season, but Denver elected to keep him in the fold through the remainder of the campaign. Mathis was not a regular contributor on defense, but he chipped in on special teams with a snap share of 44% in that regard. At least a part-time role in both capacities could have been in store with the Panthers.
Instead, Carolina will move forward with a cornerback group led once again by Jaycee Horn after his massive extension was worked out in the offseason. Michael Jackson, Akayleb Evans, Chau Smith-Wade and Corey Thornton round out the team’s depth chart at the position. Mathis will head to injured reserve, and it will be interesting to see if the Panthers pursue an addition in his absence.
Carolina entered Friday with roughly $14MM in cap space. As a result, a low-cost addition could be feasible. Kendall Fuller and Mike Hilton are among the most experienced options still on the market, while Stephon Gilmore is still unsigned. Gilmore – whose most recent Pro Bowl season (2021) came with the Panthers – said in July he would be open to continuing his career in 2025, but only under the right circumstances. It remains to be seen if a Carolina reunion would qualify, but in any case the team could stand to add depth in the secondary.
Amari Cooper was positioned to play a role in the Raiders’ passing game upon returning to the franchise for 2025. The 10-year veteran will not be in the fold, however, given his decision to retire. 
[RELATED: Recapping Raiders’ Offseason]
When Cooper informed the Raiders he was hanging up his cleats only one week after signing, the team was left shorthanded at the receiver position. At least one move will take place before Week 1 to provide depth. Justin Shorter is being promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, as first reported by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Vegas had three taxi squad options to choose from entering Friday, and Shorter will get a look during the team’s opening game. A fifth-round pick of the Bills in 2023, Shorter did not seen any regular season game action with Buffalo. He caught on with the Raiders last season, making a total of 10 appearances. Shorter hardly played on offense, but he logged a 45% snap share on special teams. A third phase workload would come as no surprise this time around.
Shorter was among the Raiders’ roster cuts last week, but he was immediately retained via a practice squad agreement. That move suggested he could see game time as an elevation, but Cooper’s retirement call created a spot on the active roster. Shorter, 25, will look to find success in a limited role early in 2025.
Vegas has 2024 receiving leader Jakobi Meyers in place, along with third-year contributor Tre Tucker and a pair of rookies (Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton) set to lead the way at the receiver spot. Coming off a record-breaking rookies campaign, tight end Brock Bowers will of course be counted on as a focal point in the passing game as well. Shorter will aim to chip in on special teams for at least one game while the Raiders evaluate their options to replace Cooper on a long-term basis.
For the second year in a row, Ted Karras has agreed to a one-year extension. The veteran center inked his latest Bengals pact Friday morning, per a team announcement. 
[RELATED: Lucas Patrick Wins Bengals’ RG Spot]
This is a $5MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Last summer, team and player agreed to a re-up averaging $6MM across 2024 and ’25, with $4.8MM in new money being owed for the coming campaign. Karras has now received another new pact of similar value; he is under contract through 2026 as a result.
Karras spent his first six seasons in the AFC East, playing out his rookie contract with the Patriots before taking a one-year Dolphins contract. That was followed by a return to New England on another one-year accord. The former sixth-rounder then joined the Bengals on a three-year, $18MM pact as part of the team’s offensive line renovations of that offseason.
Since then, Karras has been a mainstay up front for Cincinnati. The Illinois product has missed only one game to date, and he has delivered consistent performances for his third career team. Karras graded out as PFF’s 15th-best center during his first two Bengals campaigns, and he checked in at No. 21 last year. He will be counted on to remain at that level for at least another two years while also filling a notable leadership role in Cincinnati.
At 32, Karras is presumably closer to the end of his career than the beginning. On multiple occasions this offseason, however, he informed Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer he does not foresee a retirement decision being made in the near future. Team and player will look to continue their relationship through the 2026 campaign at a minimum, although another new contract could be in store if Karras continues to play at a consistent level this season.
Week 1 is upon us, with the Eagles and Cowboys kicking off the 2025 NFL season. Philadelphia enters the campaign as the reigning Super Bowl champions and one of the NFC’s top candidates to return to the tile game in February. Dallas, meanwhile, recently provided one of the league’s most unexpected transactions in recent history.
Before the regular season begins, here is a quick look back at some of the NFL’s top storylines:
[RELATED: 2025 Offseason In Review Series]
Parsons Blockbuster Caps Off EDGE Market Shifts
The Cowboys’ Micah Parsons extension negotiations did not result in an agreement being reached prior to training camp. That timeline did not raise any eyebrows based on the nature of other high-profile negotiations in years past. It increasingly became clear over the summer, however, that a disconnect existed between the All-Pro edge rusher and owner Jerry Jones regarding an in-person conversation in March about a new contract. 
Parsons’ agent was not present for those talks, and involving him in formal negotiations became something Jones was unprepared to do. A trade request did not appear to generate movement toward a swap taking place, but with no progress being made with respect to contract talks the Cowboys’ stance shifted. Shortly after that took place, a trade agreement was in place with the Packers.
Green Bay sent a pair of first-round picks along with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas for Parsons. The 26-year-old then signed a four-year extension averaging $47MM per season – easily a new record for non-quarterbacks. Parsons will offer a new dynamic on defense for a Packers team looking to improve off last year’s 11-6 campaign. The Cowboys will move forward with questions in the immediate future about their outlook and uncertainty regarding how their core will change with the new draft capital aimed at replacing Parsons’ production. When Aidan Hutchinson has a new Lions pact in hand, he will likely benefit from the terms of that historic extension.
Well before the Parsons move took place, the EDGE market witnessed expected financial growth. Maxx Crosby secured an extension from the new Raiders regime averaging $35.5MM annually. Myles Garrett issued a trade request, but it was rescinded when he and the Browns worked out a $40MM-per-year accord. That represented the watermark for pass rushers until T.J. Watt signed a three-year Steelers extension carrying an AAV of $41MM which includes $108MM fully guaranteed. Joining Parsons as a second contract contributor along the edge to land a massive raise, meanwhile, is the Broncos’ Nik Bonitto (four years, $106MM).
Danielle Hunter (Texans) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) also worked out short-term deals which brought about raises moving them in line with the top of the position’s market. Hendrickson’s situation included a hold-in and the threat of missing regular contests. An agreement on a multi-year pact was reached regarding term length and total money, but disagreements on guarantees proved to be impassible. A compromise will keep the reigning sack leader available to Cincinnati – a team which worked out joint extensions with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins during the spring – for 2025.
Rodgers Headlines QB Movement
Like every year, 2025 witnessed plenty of changes at the quarterback spot. Following his Jets release – a process which was foreshadowed late last season but proved to be the source of ire on the player’s part – Aaron Rodgers reached free agency for the first time in his career. The four-time MVP showed interest in a small number of teams, speaking with the Vikings and Giants without reaching a deal. By the time Rodgers signed with Pittsburgh, that team-player combination was widely expected around the league. 
The Steelers have been unable to find a permanent Ben Roethlisberger successor, and Rodgers (42 in December) will certainly not serve as a long-term replacement. His one-year pact is likely to lead to a retirement decision next offseason, capping off an illustrious career. A portion of Rodgers’ legacy will be his ability to end on a strong note with Pittsburgh, a team which engaged in an unusually active offseason also featuring the trade acquisitions of wideout D.K. Metcalf and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
In addition to Rodgers, the likes of Sam Darnold (Seahawks), Geno Smith (Raiders), Russell Wilson (Giants) and Daniel Jones (Colts) are positioned to handle QB1 duties with new teams. Darnold and Jones departed the Vikings as Minnesota elected to hand the reins over to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. After a meniscus tear left him sidelined all of last season, the 22-year-old will be counted on to acclimate quickly with the Vikings looking to duplicate their 14-3 run from 2024.
Jones won out a starting competition with Anthony Richardson, a worrying development for the former No. 4 pick’s future. Indianapolis has no plans of trading Richardson at this point, but a potential parting of ways will become a talking point if he does not find himself on the field at some point. Joe Flacco, meanwhile, will his begin second Browns stint as the team’s starter after winning out a QB battle featuring the since-traded Kenny Pickett; rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will back him up while Deshaun Watson rehabs a second Achilles tear.
Kirk Cousins made it known he wished to join a new team after losing his starting position late in his debut Falcons campaign. Atlanta preferred to keep the 37-year-old in place, however, in lieu of retaining a portion of his guaranteed $27.5MM salary for this season. Michael Penix Jr. will handle starting duties now and (if things go according to plan) well into the future, leaving Cousins’ situation uncertain.
New Regimes Look For Early Impressions
By the time the coaching carousel was finished spinning, seven teams had a new head coach in place. Mike Vrabel is back in a HC capacity, having returned to the Patriots’ organization after playing in New England for eight years. The ex-Titans coach will look to oversee development from Drake Maye in his second year (and first full campaign as a starter) with a familiar face – Josh McDaniels – once again handling offensive coordinator duties. New England went 4-13 during Jerod Mayo’s one-and-done season in charge; notable improvement will be sought out in 2025. 
The same is true of the Raiders, who brought Pete Carroll back into the fold following his post-Seahawks hiatus. 74 later this month, the Super Bowl winner will be tasked with helping Vegas join the rest of the AFC West as a playoff contender while working alongside first-year general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady. Carroll takes over a team which last posted a winning record in 2021 and would benefit from a run of stability on the sidelines and in the front office.
The Jaguars cleaned house by bringing in Liam Coen as head coach (as part of an unusual hiring process) and, shortly thereafter, fired GM Trent Baalke. James Gladstone is now in place as Baalke’s replacement with the Jags looking to return to the playoffs and maximize Trevor Lawrence’s potential along the way. Kellen Moore is also among the first-time head coaches for 2025; he will guide the Saints through a transition at quarterback and other positions toward a younger core for the future.
As expected, the Lions lost both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to head coaching jobs. The former made an intra-division move to the Bears, while the latter is now partnered with general manager Darren Mougey as the Jets’ new decision-makers. Their performances will be worth watching closely. The Cowboys were seen as a candidate for a notable outside hire after parting ways with Mike McCarthy, but offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was promoted instead. His first year as a head coach at any level will be the subject of considerable scrutiny.
The AFC South saw a number of notable developments, including the passing of Colts owner Jim Irsay. His three daughters have inherited the franchise, with Carlie Irsay-Gordon assuming day-to-day operations. The Titans will also have new (front office) leadership in place for 2025. Mike Borgonzi took on GM duties shortly after Chad Brinker was promoted to president of football operations. Together, they will work with head coach Brian Callahan and aim to improve on last year’s 3-14 season.
Hunter Among Notable Rookies
This season will bring about several rookie storylines, but one of the most interesting to follow will be that of Travis Hunter. Jacksonville paid a steep price to move up from No. 5 to No. 2 and select the Heisman winner after he thrived as a receiver and corner in college. The Jags have spent the offseason carefully increasing Hunter’s practice workload on each side of the ball, and he is set to play both ways as a rookie. Finding success as a true two-way player in the modern NFL would make for a fascinating development while also giving Jacksonville a difference-maker on offense and defense. 
The only player selected ahead of Hunter – quarterback Cam Ward – is in position to handle starting duties right away with the Titans. Especially with Will Levis out for the season, Ward will be counted on during his rookie season. Offering an upgrade would help Tennessee bounce back from last year’s campaign while also offering promise as a long-term answer under center for the team.
Jaxson Dart (Giants) and Tyler Shough (Saints) were the second and third QBs selected in April. Neither will see first-team action to begin the campaign, but struggles from their respective teams could lead to calls for a change under center. In Cleveland, meanwhile, a pair of rookies are candidates to see game time at some point this season (depending on how Joe Flacco‘s second Browns stint plays out).
The 2025 draft featured prominently in terms of defensive line and pass rush prospects. Leading the way in that respect is Abdul Carter, who will look to make an early impact on a Giants team which faces high expectations for 2025. Five defensive tackles heard their names called on Day 1, and they too could emerge as key figures early in their NFL careers.
On the other side of the ball, a few standout names have become the subject of considerable attention leading up to Week 1. Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty will lead his team’s backfield, and the Boise State product faces high expectations right away after putting up massive production at the college level. In terms of receivers, Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers) and Matthew Golden (Packers) are among the candidates for a standout season in 2025.
Familiar Contenders Aim To Unseat Chiefs, Eagles
The Chiefs and Eagles have been mainstays in Super Bowls during recent years. Both teams largely managed to retain their cores this offseason, so it would come as no surprise if at least one of Kansas City or Philadelphia were to take part in this year’s title game. The list of top contenders to unseat them as conference champions features plenty of familiar names. 
In the AFC, the Ravens and Bills are widely seen as teams with a strong chance of reaching the Super Bowl. That has of course been the case for several years, with playoff losses against the Chiefs proving to be an unwanted pattern. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen again find themselves surrounded by strong rosters and stable coaching staffs, though, leading to renewed expectations for a deep postseason push.
The NFC produced a trio of teams which won 14 or more regular season games in 2024. The Eagles were one of them, and the Lions and Vikings were the others. Detroit and Minnesota figure to once again face a steep challenge from within the NFC North, and the Packers could build off an 11-win season while the Bears have the potential to improve considerably in Caleb Williams‘ second season.
Meanwhile, teams like the Texans, Broncos and Chargers in the AFC, along with the Commanders, Rams and Buccaneers in the NFC could break through in 2025. Each of those teams qualified for the postseason last year, with Washington making a surprise run to the NFC title game on the back of a stellar rookie campaign from quarterback Jayden Daniels. A step forward this time around could involve moving past the Chiefs and Eagles in the pecking order.
The Bengals and 49ers both missed the postseason last year. As Cincinnati and San Francisco look to bounce back from highly underwhelming 2024 campaigns, both teams will do so knowing they have made a Super Bowl appearance in the 2020s. Joe Burrow will have a familiar group around him, while Brock Purdy will be tasked with meeting expectations after signing a $265MM extension this offseason.
Plenty of other notable developments took place in the NFL world over the past several months. The ‘Tush Push’ narrowly survived a vote on banning it in the spring, the league expanded its international schedule and numerous scandals hit the NFLPA and led to Lloyd Howell and J.C. Tretter resigning. Those stories and others helped shape the 2025 offseason.
With the wait for the regular season now over, how do you see this year’s campaign playing out? Will one of the favorites emerge hoist the Lombardi Trophy, or will a dark horse team emerge as champions? How will the MVP race play out? Which storylines intrigue you the most for the season? Have your say in the comments section below.
The only team to advance to five Super Bowls in six years, the Chiefs continued their dynasty but saw the Eagles’ blowout win deny them a threepeat. Kansas City’s metrics and point differential last season pointed to a record far worse than 15-2, but the team still managed to skate to Super Bowl LIX. After Philadelphia exposed the 2024 K.C. edition’s flaws, the Chiefs — like they did after their Super Bowl LV loss to the Buccaneers — went to work addressing them.
Changing up along their offensive line once again, the Chiefs added two left tackle options and swapped out Joe Thuney‘s big-ticket deal for a Trey Smith payday. The team’s latest high-profile suspension (for wide receiver Rashee Rice) will impact the start of its latest AFC title defense, and there is no shortage of challengers heading into the season. But the Chiefs still roll out the Patrick Mahomes–Travis Kelce–Chris Jones troika that, along with Andy Reid, created this dynasty. The team worked on the future Hall of Famers’ supporting cast this offseason.
Extensions and restructures:
- Reached four-year, $94MM extension ($46.75MM guaranteed) with franchise-tagged G Trey Smith
- Agreed on four-year, $88MM extension ($32MM guaranteed) with DE George Karlaftis
- Restructured QB Patrick Mahomes, DT Chris Jones‘ contracts, creating $49.4MM in cap space
Paying Creed Humphrey a center-record deal last year, the Chiefs were unable to come to terms with Smith. That led to a $23.4MM franchise tag. For a while, it appeared the team would let Smith walk in free agency as it had Orlando Brown Jr. But Smith’s age made him a player the franchise would do what it needed to in order to retain. This space pondered what was effectively a Thuney-for-Smith payroll swap last year; not long after Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs executed the switch. Thuney’s move to Chicago came days after the Smith franchise tag, and the Chiefs are now committed to the former sixth-round find.
Prioritizing interior protection for Mahomes during a 2021 offseason that saw the arrivals of Thuney, Humphrey and Smith, the Chiefs have now reset the guard market twice in the past five offseasons. They gave Thuney a five-year, $80MM deal in March 2021; the cap having spiked by $97MM since made Smith’s market more lucrative. He ended up becoming the first guard to exceed $21MM per year and did so by a healthy margin. Smith, 26, enters this season with a $23.5MM AAV.
Teams rarely use franchise tags on interior offensive linemen. That brought a complication for the Chiefs, as the CBA groups all O-linemen together under the tag and fifth-year options formulas. Since 2012, Thuney, Smith and Brandon Scherff have been the only guards tagged. The Chiefs tagging Smith helped the guard market climb, as the Tennessee alum being grouped with tackle salaries on the tag inflated the tender price. Smith signed his tender soon after, making this a rather peaceful negotiation. It still took a while for a deal to be struck.
Although only two players (Smith and Tee Higgins) were tagged this year, the Chiefs still injected some old-school drama into the July tag deadline. They reached an extension with their Pro Bowl right guard hours before the July 15 deadline. This came three Julys after they failed to extend Brown, creating a left tackle revolving door. A question about Kansas City’s LG position now exists, but the team is set on the other side.
Pro Football Focus has graded Smith as a top-15 guard in each of his four seasons, while ESPN ranked him sixth among interior blockers in run block win rate last year and fourth in pass block win rate in 2024. Blood clots in Smith’s lungs caused his draft stock to crater in 2021, but the Chiefs hit big on the No. 226 overall pick that year.
Smith earned fully guaranteed 2025 and ’26 compensation, but like their Jawaan Taylor deal, the Chiefs built in a rolling guarantee structure to complete this deal. Smith’s $23.25MM 2027 base salary locks in on Day 3 of the ’26 league year, effectively tying him to the Chiefs for at least three more seasons. Smith’s consistency points to this partnership having a chance to last longer.
Months later, Kansas City completed a quieter negotiation with Karlaftis. Not part of the Tyreek Hill trade package (like Trent McDuffie was), Karlaftis went 30th overall in 2022. The Purdue product has been a steady producer on a Chris Jones-fronted D-line over the past three years. After a 10.5-sack 2023 season, Karlaftis smashed his career high in QB hits by tallying 28 in 2024. This body of work prompted the Chiefs to act early on a player without a Pro Bowl nod.
Because Karlaftis has not hovered especially close to the best at his position, the Chiefs completed a rare middle-class extension with a player paid early. Karlaftis became the third Chiefs player in the fifth-year option era to sign an extension in the same offseason his option was exercised, joining Mahomes (2020) and Eric Fisher (2016). Despite the EDGE market exploding this offseason, it took a deal that ended up less than halfway to Micah Parsons‘ record-setter ($46.5MM per year) to lock in Karlaftis through 2030.
The Chiefs inked their Karlaftis extension days before T.J. Watt moved the market once again. While Karlaftis was never a candidate to land a near-top-market accord, Kansas City getting in ahead of the Watt and Parsons windfalls represented good timing. This deal reminds of the Bills’ March Gregory Rousseau extension (4/80), and when the dust settled, Karlaftis is the NFL’s 13th-highest-paid edge rusher. The Chiefs topping the payments for Rousseau, Josh Sweat and 2024 Pro Bowl starter Jonathan Greenard illustrates the workmanlike D-end’s importance on their roster.
Trades:
- Sent G Joe Thuney to Bears for 2026 fourth-round pick
- Traded WR Skyy Moore, 2027 seventh-round pick to 49ers for 2027 sixth-rounder
- Reacquired DT Derrick Nnadi from Jets in deal swapping conditional 2027 sixth-, seventh-rounders
While the team created considerable cap space by going back to the restructure well with Mahomes’ contract (and using the same tactic with Jones’ new deal), it needed to offload Thuney’s contract. Carrying one remaining season (at $15.5MM), Thuney’s pact worked out well for the Chiefs. The former Patriots third-rounder became an All-Pro mainstay, landing there in 2023 and ’24 to help the Chiefs to Super Bowls. Thuney had also produced a second-team All-Pro season to boost Kansas City to the Super Bowl LVII title a year prior.
Minutes after a report the Chiefs were shopping Thuney, terms of the Bears swap surfaced. The Chiefs are passing on Thuney’s age-33 season, while the Bears handed him a two-year, $35MM extension. Chicago GM Ryan Poles was in Kansas City’s front office when the team signed Thuney in 2021; the nine-year veteran becomes part of a Bears interior O-line revamp that included a trade for Jonah Jackson and a Drew Dalman free agency addition.
While the Eagles exposed the Chiefs’ final left tackle plan last season — moving Thuney outside — he had been mostly passable in that role after the previous three options (Kingsley Suamataia, Wanya Morris, D.J. Humphries) faltered. Andy Reid benched Suamataia during a rough outing against Trey Hendrickson in Week 2, never giving him the LT job back. The 2024 second-rounder is now on track to succeed Thuney. With Suamataia having minimal guard experience, the Chiefs are taking a risk. With Smith commanding the extension he did and Jawaan Taylor‘s albatross contract remaining on the books for 2025, this became the cost of doing business.
Moore did not pan out as a second-round pick, being demoted during a 2023 season that brought a Mahomes-era-worst six regular-season losses. The Chiefs saw their receiving corps improve after moving Moore and Kadarius Toney out of the rotation. Toney was out by Week 1 of the 2024 season, and Moore never regained a regular role.
After not eclipsing 275 receiving yards in either of his first two seasons, Moore did not catch a pass in 2024. That reduced his trade value to a mere 2027 pick swap — an exchange in line with Nnadi’s. The seven-year Chiefs nose tackle makes the same move Mecole Hardman did in 2023, being back to K.C. months after signing with the Jets. The 87-game starter did lose his job last year, starting just one game and seeing his snap rate fall from 46% in 2023 to 20% in ’24. But he is back in the mix.
Re-signings:
- Nick Bolton, LB. Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
- Marquise Brown, WR. One year, $7MM ($6.5MM guaranteed)
- Charles Omenihu, DE. One year, $4MM ($3.45MM guaranteed)
- James Winchester, LS. One year, $1.65MM ($1.65MM guaranteed)
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR. One year, $1.42MM ($1.2MM guaranteed)
- Kareem Hunt, RB. One year, $1.5MM ($850K guaranteed)
- Robert Tonyan, TE. One year, $1.26MM
PFR’s No. 10 free agent, Bolton saw the Thuney trade and Mahomes/Jones reworks clear a path for him to stay in Missouri. The Chiefs extended their top linebacker an offer that kept him out of free agency, agreeing to terms the day before the legal tampering window opened. Bolton, 25, arrived in the same draft that produced Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. This contract set the market for the Jets and Jamien Sherwood, but Bolton approached the free agency doorstep with a much better resume.
Bolton would have never been a franchise tag candidate — even if Trey Smith had already been extended — due to the CBA grouping on- and off-ball linebackers together. This made Bolton a real candidate to leave in free agency, but the agile defender has been central to the Chiefs’ still-underappreciated defensive success. Kansas City made the past two Super Bowls without the No. 15-ranked scoring offense, highlighting the backbone their Jones-Bolton-Trent McDuffie defense provides.
Functioning well against the run, Bolton also posted a top-20 coverage grade (per PFF) last season. The former second-round pick added 11 tackles for loss in 2024, matching his 2022 total (two injuries cost the Mizzou alum eight games in 2023). He added six passes defensed last season. Three of Bolton’s four Chiefs teams have deployed a top-eight defense, and the club convinced the Texas native to stay rather than weigh his Chiefs offer against others during the tampering period.
