HEADLINES

Bills To Release DE Von Miller

March 9th, 2025 at 9:18am CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after securing their future at the pass rushing position, the Bills are moving on from a veteran at the same position. According to a joint report from NFL Network reporters Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Buffalo is releasing pass rusher Von Miller. It’s a cost-cutting move as the Bills take advantage of a potential out built into the 35-year-old’s contract.

Miller was three years into a six-year, $120MM extension, but a potential out was built in after the third year of the deal. At this point in the contract, Miller had no remaining guarantees, and the Bills are able to cut him with $15.42MM of dead money and $8.4MM in cap savings. If the team were to have designated him as a post-June 1 release, they could’ve lessened the dead money to $6.37MM, increasing the cap savings to $17.44MM, but Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports that this is just a regular, pre-June 1 release.

Though, Miller is set to turn 36 before the next regular season starts, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that Miller “plans to play” in 2025 for his 15th year of NFL football. While multiple reports have claimed that both Buffalo and Miller are open to a reunion on a cheaper deal, Miller will have the option to explore opportunities with other contending teams now that he has been released. Miller would be in pursuit of his third Super Bowl victory.

Miller is one of the most accomplished pass rushers in NFL history. Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, Miller ranks 16th all-time with 129.5. Just eight more sacks would put him in the top 10. With three teams, he’s been a three-time first-team All-Pro, a four-time second-team All-Pro, and an eight-time Pro Bowler. He also won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 as the No. 2 overall pick out of Texas A&M and was a Super Bowl MVP.

It’s been a long time since many of those accolades occurred, though. In fact, they all came during his 11-year tenure in Denver. After sitting out the entire 2020 season with injury, Miller was traded midseason to the Rams, with whom he won his second Super Bowl. He hasn’t reached double-digit sacks since 2018, and he only has six total over the past two years in Buffalo, with all six coming this past season.

With that six-sack season, he was able to display that he still has the talent to be a situational pass rusher in the NFL, but he’ll likely need to lower his expectations on compensation. Miller was due to earn $17.5MM in cash this season with Buffalo, $20MM in 2026, and $30MM in 2027. With the numbers he’s put up in recent years, combined with his age and injury history, wherever Miller goes, he won’t be sniffing that kind of money.

If he truly wants to land with a contender, there are certainly options. In the AFC, the Chiefs are perennial title favorites. He could always return to Buffalo on a more favorable deal or head to the AFC North and visit the Ravens or Bengals. In the NFC, the Eagles and Lions have been powers in the last few years, and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post pointed out an intriguing connection with the Commanders. Washington’s general manager, Adam Peters, was serving as a national scout in Denver when the Broncos drafted Miller.

While he may not fetch a stellar price, Miller should have plenty of options to return to the field in 2025. His potential as a pass rusher should be enough, but the expertise he brings to the game can help mold younger, developing pass rushers, as well. While the pass rushing success of young players in Buffalo like Gregory Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa can’t be fully attributed to Miller, his presence surely didn’t hurt.

Miller joins a crowded free agent position group, though. Teams looking to grab an impact pass rusher will likely go after the likes of Josh Sweat, Khalil Mack, Malcolm Koonce, Chase Young, Haason Reddick, DeMarcus Lawrence, and others before coming to him.

QB Sam Darnold Seeking Multiyear Deal

March 9th, 2025 at 8:49am CST by Ely Allen

Recent reporting on the pending free agency of Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold has claimed that he is seeking some modest commitment with a three-year contract, per Diana Russini of The Athletic. A more up-to-date report from senior NFL insider Josina Anderson tells us that Darnold is not limiting his opportunities to three-year deals, instead remaining open to multiple opportunities in hopes of landing any sort of multi-year deal.

The desire for consistent job security is an understandable one for a quarterback who hasn’t been given much of a chance anywhere he’s been. One could argue that the Jets gave Darnold three years after drafting him No. 3 overall in 2018 out of USC, but in reality, after two decent seasons that showed improvement, Darnold was traded away after one bad year.

As a rookie in New York, Darnold didn’t win many games as a starter — rookie quarterbacks rarely do. Still, with a 4-9 record in 13 games played, Darnold threw for 2,865 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions while only completing 57.7 percent of his passes. At the time, he was throwing to Robbie Chosen, rookie fourth-round tight end Chris Herndon, Quincy Enunwa, and Jermaine Kearse, while his 26th-ranked run game was buoyed by Isaiah Crowell, Bilal Powell, and Elijah McGuire.

In his sophomore campaign, despite the acquisition of Le’Veon Bell — fresh off a year of not playing football — the Jets’ rushing attack ranked even worse at 31st in the league. An improved receiving corps of Chosen, Jamison Crowder, Demaryius Thomas, and the receiving back, Bell, helped improve Darnold’s individual performance, though. Going 7-6 in 13 games played, Darnold improved his completion percentage to 61.9 while throwing for 3,024 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

For Darnold’s third year at the helm, the Jets brought in a new veteran running back in Frank Gore, who did not quite capture the success he had held in San Francisco with New York. Once again, he was throwing to a new group of receivers as Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Braxton Berrios, and Denzel Mims were his new main targets. Darnold regressed a bit with this group, completing only 59.1 percent of his passes for 2,208 yards, nine touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 12 starts, going 2-10 in those games.

The Jets traded Darnold to the Panthers the following year, where he finally had a decent running back, though Christian McCaffrey would only play in seven games that year before Chuba Hubbard ultimately filled in. Darnold also finally had a playmaking receiver in D.J. Moore, but behind him and Chosen, McCaffrey’s seven-game output and third-string running back Ameer Abdullah were the next top receiving performances for the year, so his stats didn’t much improve from the prior year.

The next season, Carolina brought in Baker Mayfield to start, benching Darnold until the final six games of the season. Finally being provided a top-10 rushing attack, though still throwing to a lackluster group, Darnold led the Panthers to a 4-2 record in those six starts, throwing seven touchdowns to only three interceptions and showing just a hint of what he could do with a decent supporting group.

After a year as strictly a backup in San Francisco, Darnold arrived in Minnesota, where he unceremoniously earned the starting job thanks to an injury to rookie first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. Given a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time in his career and by far the best group of receivers he ever worked with, led by superstar Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, Darnold shined. With this elite group, Darnold delivered career highs in completion percentage (66.2), passing yard (4,319), and touchdowns (35) while only throwing 12 interceptions.

Darnold showed the league that he was not a bust of a No. 3 overall pick. He showed the NFL that when a team invested in putting an offense around him with good weapons, he was a Pro Bowler capable of winning 14 games and falling just a game short of the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It makes sense, then, that, wherever he goes next, be it Seattle, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or maybe even New York again, the 27-year-old will want more than a year and, ideally, enough time for a team to put some major supporting pieces around him.

Justin Fields Likely To Test Market; Steelers Looking Into Outside QB Addition

March 8th, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have been talking to both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson for weeks, but no signing has taken place. It can naturally be assumed complications have interfered with the team’s rumored plan to retain Fields. Recent reports seem to indicate that is the case.

We heard Friday that Fields has a burgeoning market, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini points to the young QB reaching free agency to hear offers from other clubs. The Jets will be one of the teams in pursuit, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds. A Jets-Fields connection emerged recently, and with two options on this market not in play for Gang Green (Sam Darnold and Aaron Rodgers, the latter of whom about to be a Jets release), Fields would make sense — as a bridge if nothing else.

Other teams have interest in Fields, too, Rapoport adds. This will drive up the Steeler backup’s price and test the AFC North team’s resolve. As the Steelers have been primarily connected to only Fields and Wilson, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reports the team has not dismissed pursuing an outside free agent to solve its QB issue.

The team has enjoyed plenty of time to both evaluate their in-house options and conduct negotiations, even though it does not talk extensions in-season. Both passers have clashed with the coaching staff, though. Fields was understandably upset when Mike Tomlin overruled player and staffer support to keep him as a starter, but the veteran HC did not turn back to Fields after making the call to bench him for Wilson once the latter recovered from his calf injury. The Steelers’ Wilson path started well but ended badly, with the team losing its final five games.

Wilson also clashed with OC Arthur Smith, with Dulac adding the two disagreed about the state of the offense. Wilson being upset about an offense’s direction would continue a refrain. He had disagreed with Pete Carroll‘s plan in Seattle, at the height of the “Let Russ cook” movement, and received tremendous input into the direction of the Denver offense during Nathaniel Hackett‘s doomed HC stay. Sean Payton and Wilson did not prove a fit, as a messy divorce commenced. Wilson has been expected to leave Pittsburgh, but if Fields is lured away by a strong offer elsewhere, the 36-year-old may need to be a fallback option.

If the Steelers are to look outside for a new QB, they would have options in Darnold, Rodgers, Daniel Jones and perhaps Kirk Cousins. Beyond Darnold, these options would serve as temporary fixes. Rodgers and Cousins, though, would remind of Wilson’s situations, as other teams would be on the hook for the veterans’ salaries. As of now, however, the Falcons are holding firm on Cousins. A release remains a possibility, however.

The Jets not having Rodgers or Darnold as options and sitting behind the Titans, Browns and Giants in the draft would stand to ramp up a Fields push. The former three-year Bears starter could serve as a multiyear option in New York, which as an OC (Tanner Engstrand) who observed Fields closely while on an NFC North staff. Fields going into his age-26 season would appeal to suitors as well. If Darnold is now most likely to be a Seahawk, the Fields domino would be next to fall.

The Steelers have until 11am CT Monday to keep him off the market. As of now, that appears unlikely to happen. Were Fields to remain unsigned by that point, the Steelers could still bring him back. They would just have to bid against other teams to do so.

Ravens To Re-Sign LT Ronnie Stanley

March 8th, 2025 at 11:25pm CST by Ely Allen

It looks like Ronnie Stanley‘s time in Baltimore is not over quite yet. Surprisingly, the Ravens were the first to announce the deal on X. Diana Russini of The Athletic quickly followed to inform us that Stanley is signing a three-year, $60MM extension with $44MM guaranteed at signing. Stanley was the fourth-ranked player on our list of the Top 50 Free Agents in 2025.

Returning Stanley to the fold is huge for the Ravens, as this is not the year to be wanting for a left tackle. In free agency, after Stanley, the top options at left tackle are now Dan Moore, Cam Robinson, and an aging Tyron Smith, who has been reportedly mulling retirement. In the draft, a concern has been raised about needing tackles as many of the graduating tackles in the draft have been seen as better fits for the interior line by many evaluators.

Another reason this is huge for Baltimore is that it helps them to avoid doing a full offseason overhaul of their offensive line for the second year in a row. Last year, the team went to work in the offseason in order to replace both starting guards (John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler) and their starting right tackle Morgan Moses.

They attempted to fill the guard spots with Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees, with their sixth-man of the offensive line Patrick Mekari filling in at right tackle. When Vorhees struggled, they shifted Mekari into the left guard spot and started rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle for the rest of the season. Mekari is still currently on track for free agency, but the team has shown how much they value his versatility in the past. Even if he does leave, filling an interior lineman spot will be a much less Herculean task than if they had let Stanley walk.

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have extended Stanley, and they are likely praying that this time goes much smoother. After picking up Stanley’s fifth-year option back in 2019, the team made Stanley the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL following an All-Pro season in which Pro Football Focus graded him the second-best tackle in the league and named him the best pass blocking tackle in the NFL. The five-year, $112.8MM extension came partway through the 2020 season.

Two days later, Stanley was carted off the field with a season-ending ankle injury. The next season, after playing in the season-opener, Stanley was once again placed on injured reserve after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. He wouldn’t return until Week 5 of the 2022 season, after having missed 29 of the 30 games since he signed his extension. After shaky seasons in 2022 and 2023, Stanley started every game last year, making his first Pro Bowl appearance since that All-Pro season in 2019.

Knowing this injury history and seeing as how Stanley is set to turn 31 before the 2025 season, Baltimore was reportedly hesitant to get to $20MM per year, according to Russini’s colleague Jeff Zrebiec. But seeing the other options, and the likely overpayment that is sure to occur for those secondary options, the Ravens will likely feel pretty good about the price they paid for their tried-and-true blindside blocker, especially as the negotiating period starting Monday was sure to bring in much higher offers. Stanley’s pact will see $44MM paid out over the first two years, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, those other options, namely Moore and Robinson, could both command up to $15MM per year in the open market now. For tackles that PFF (subscription required) graded out as the 42nd- and 53rd-best tackles in the league, respectively, that’s a steep price to pay.

Stanley was reportedly drawing significant interest from the Patriots, Chiefs, and Commanders. With the Ravens keeping Stanley off the open market, New England, Kansas City, and Washington will likely be duking it out for the Moore, Robinson, and perhaps Jaylon Moore, who’s started 12 games for the 49ers in the four years of his rookie deal.

With Stanley putting pen to paper, the Ravens have officially checked off perhaps the biggest task on their to-do list for the offseason. Key free agents like Mekari, fullback Patrick Ricard, and cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Tre’Davious White are set to hit the open market soon, and the team still would like to improve at the cornerback, pass rusher, and interior offensive line positions. With free agency and the draft looming, the Ravens are set up well to make a push next season in an effort to get Lamar Jackson that elusive Super Bowl with his blindside tackle beside him.

Vikings Not Expected To Re-Sign Sam Darnold; Daniel Jones, Aaron Rodgers On Radar

March 8th, 2025 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Friday’s Raiders-Seahawks trade has shaken up the quarterback market. As Geno Smith‘s relocation moved the Seahawks into the group of teams needing a quarterback, Sam Darnold immediately became connected to Seattle. That has changed his status with the Vikings.

Although the Vikings came out of the franchise tag deadline with interest in retaining their 2024 starter at a lower rate, that no longer looks to be in play. In the wake of the Smith trade, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports the Vikings are not expected to re-sign Darnold. They are now focused on other options.

As J.J. McCarthy moves closer to the starting role, a Darnold defection will allow the Vikes to focus on a cheaper option. On that note, Daniel Jones remains in play to stay. Jones will not bring nearly the price tag Darnold will, but the Vikings might not be the only team that views the ex-Giant as a player who could conceivably traverse the Smith, Darnold and Baker Mayfield trajectory. A Colts-Jones link emerged earlier this week, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirms Indianapolis will be a factor for Jones as they search for a veteran to compete with Anthony Richardson.

In addition to Jones, a much bigger name lurks. As the Giants have been the team primarily linked to Aaron Rodgers, Rapoport adds the Vikings loom as a dark horse for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Yes, Rodgers continuing to follow Brett Favre‘s late-2000s career path appears realistic. McCarthy is on track to practice in the spring, per Pelissero, but the Vikings remain expected to add a veteran as a stopgap — at the very least. Rodgers having options may dissuade him from a placeholder scenario like this, but it is not like the Giants would call it a day if they signed the 41-year-old QB.

Rodgers’ path to Minnesota would be slightly different than Favre’s, as the latter’s Packers successor spent two seasons with the Jets as opposed to one. A since-outlawed poison-pill provision stipulated the Jets would have needed to send the Packers three first-round picks had they traded Favre to the Vikings — the QB’s first choice back when Rodgers took over in Green Bay. After Favre retirement No. 2, the Jets merely cut Favre and watched as he joined the Vikings months later. He spent two years in Minnesota, with the first season going much better than the second. Rodgers is about to be cut, and Minnesota needs a veteran.

With no prospect on the Giants’ roster just yet, Rodgers could have a chance to be a full-season starter with the Big Apple’s NFC team. Though, the Giants have been closely tied to a trade-up for Cam Ward. Still, that is not a lock to take place. A veteran who joins Big Blue has a clearer path to keeping the job throughout 2025 compared to one who signs with the Vikings, who are close to beginning McCarthy’s time as a first-stringer. That will affect Minnesota’s QB approach.

The Vikings had elevated Jones from their practice squad late last season but did not dress him as Darnold’s backup in their wild-card game. Nick Mullens did so, but Jones — after six seasons of starter work with the Giants — would be in place to become McCarthy’s primary 2025 backup if he re-signs.

As Darnold’s market soared thanks to his bounce-back season in Kevin O’Connell‘s QB-friendly offense, Jones staying has always loomed as a possibility. With Darnold-Seahawks ties quickly emerging after the Raiders’ Smith acquisition, Jones being a much cheaper post-Darnold solution is not too difficult to envision. Will Jones be the Vikings’ preference to Rodgers?

Raiders Declined Seahawks’ Offer For Maxx Crosby; Sam Darnold Likely To Choose Seattle?

March 8th, 2025 at 11:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks aimed much higher in a Geno Smith trade compared to what they eventually received. Fetching a third-round pick three years after their Russell Wilson trade brought eight assets back, the Seahawks asked the Raiders about a player who drew trade interest before last year’s deadline.

Seattle included Maxx Crosby in its trade talks with Las Vegas, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who indicates the NFC West team asked for Crosby in a trade that would have sent Smith and D.K. Metcalf to the Raiders. The Raiders quickly informed the Seahawks Crosby was a non-starter, and the team reached a record-setting extension with the star edge rusher earlier this week.

As Metcalf still looms as a trade possibility, the Seahawks will have a new starting quarterback in 2025. They have become the lead suitor for Sam Darnold, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adding that several execs around the league expect Darnold to end up in Seattle. The Titans have also emerged as a front-line Darnold suitor, but that looks to have changed after this Smith trade, which has brought several Darnold-Seattle links.

Mark Davis said last year Crosby was not available, and although another trade link emerged early this offseason, no serious traction came out of it. The Raiders have since signed Crosby to a three-year, $106.5MM extension. That deal came together quickly, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicating it took only “a matter of hours” for the sides to hammer out the extension. That is rather surprising, considering that Crosby set a new non-QB contract record despite only agreeing to a three-year term.

Crosby will receive $62.5MM guaranteed at signing, Florio adds, with that figure including his 2025 and ’26 base salaries. Crosby’s 2027 base salary ($29MM) is guaranteed for injury and becomes fully guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. That will amount to a practical guarantee, as the Raiders will be extraordinarily unlikely to move on from Crosby next year. Crosby’s 2028 and ’29 base salaries are nonguaranteed.

It is worth wondering if the Seahawks and Raiders’ Smith talks impacted the Crosby extension. Even if they did not, Seattle attempting to land the dominant pass rusher in a package that would have reunited Pete Carroll with Metcalf as well is quite noteworthy. The Raiders could still acquire Metcalf and/or Tyler Lockett, the latter becoming a free agent minutes before the younger Seahawks wideout’s trade request surfaced. The Seahawks want the Metcalf trade matter resolved by the draft.

Metcalf was linked to preferring a warm-weather city and landing in a place with more quarterback stability. This could certainly be perceived as a knock on Smith, and ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry adds that the Smith trade — and Darnold-to-Seattle rumors — could alter the Metcalf conversation in Seattle. Darnold has not been as good as Smith on the whole, though the Vikings QB outplayed the former Comeback Player of the Year in 2024.

Darnold is now expected to leave Minnesota, and it will be interesting to see how far Seattle will need to go contractually to land the breakthrough passer. The Seahawks’ offense will lack the overall weaponry the Vikings’ provided, especially if the team trades Metcalf. Keeping Metcalf would make the Seahawks more appealing to Darnold, even though Jaxon Smith-Njigba authored a breakout season. Darnold will understandably want to know how serious the Seahawks are about moving Metcalf before he commits, as other suitors’ offers could still impact a Darnold-to-Seattle path.

NFC Notes: Carr, Horn, Kupp, Cowboys, Okereke

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

Derek Carr‘s contract will be restructured for the second straight offseason, ensuring he remains with the Saints for at least one more year. The veteran quarterback’s future had been in question until the news of his pact being reworked.

General Mickey Loomis said keeping Carr in place was the team’s plan, so it comes as no surprise he will play a third season in New Orleans. The four-time Pro Bowler apparently would have welcomed a change of scenery, though. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Carr was believed to be willing to head elsewhere this offseason by joining a QB-needy team. The Saints, however, never showed a desire to move forward with a trade or release.

Carr made it clear before a final decision on his future was made that he would not welcome a pay cut. His $40MM in 2025 compensation will (to a large extent) now be paid out as a signing bonus, but it was already guaranteed under the pact’s previous setup. Trading or cutting their QB1 would therefore have not been feasible for the Saints, but it is still noteworthy Carr would have been on board with a fresh start after two years with the team.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Extension talks are ongoing between the Panthers and Jaycee Horn. When healthy, the former No. 8 pick has proven to be an effective cornerback but injuries in 2021 and ’23 threaten to hurt his leverage. In spite of his missed time, Joe Person of The Athletic writes Horn is believed to be seeking a deal near the top of the position’s market (subscription required). Five corners are attached to an AAV of $20.1MM or more, and Jalen Ramsey leads the way at $24.1MM per year. That figure could very well be overtaken once Sauce Gardner (Jets) and Derek Stingley (Texans) have extensions in place, but Horn, 25, may not slot in very far behind them.
  • Cooper Kupp is known to be on the trade market, with the Rams making clear their intention of moving on from the eight-year veteran. The team is prepared to retain salary to swing a deal, and general manager Les Snead hopes to have one in place by next week (when the 31-year-old’s roster bonus is due). In his first interview since learning of the team’s choice to move on, Kupp said (via Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times) head coach Sean McVay informed him of the move during a face-to-face meting in his office. McVay has left the door (slightly) open to a return with his recent comments, but Kupp has moved forward knowing he will be playing elsewhere in 2025.
  • Brandin Cooks is one of many veteran receivers set to hit the market next week. The 31-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Cowboys, and in an interview with The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson he said he is open to re-signing. Cooks – who missed seven games in 2024 – added he is fully healthy, and Anderson writes there could be interest from multiple teams. While a return to Dallas is firmly in play, Cooks said he feels he has not been utilized correctly during his time there so far. The 11-year veteran played out a two-year, $20MM deal with the Cowboys.
  • Bobby Okereke‘s second season with the Giants was limited to 12 games due to a herniated disc in his back. The veteran linebacker is expected to be healthy in time for OTAs, but he could find himself on a new team by then. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News writes there have been rumblings this offseason about the Giants not viewing Okereke’s value in the same light as they did previously. A 2023 free agent signing for general manager Joe Schoen, the former Colt delivered 149 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his debut New York season. His production dropped this past campaign, though, and with two years left on his pact a trade or release could be under consideration. Moving on immediately would not yield notable savings, but a post-June 1 release would free up $9MM later in the offseason. Okereke, 28, is due a $3MM roster bonus March 17.
  • With regard to other Cowboys updates, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News notes veteran defensive ends Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston could be on the way out. DeMarcus Lawrence hopes to re-sign, but he is also open to exploring his market. The Cowboys currently have Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland on their rookie deals and a pending mega-extension to work out with leading edge rusher Micah Parsons. Inexpensive depth will increasingly be a priority if any or all of Lawrence, Lawson and Golston sign elsewhere. Watkins adds that punter Bryan Anger and long snapper Trent Sieg are among the players Dallas aims to re-sign, something which has already been taken care of in the case of Osa Odighizuwa.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/25

March 8th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

New York Giants

Ferguson’s new pact is four years in length, per a team announcement. The eight-year veteran has spent his entire career with the Bills, and his Buffalo tenure will continue for the foreseeable future. Ferguson, 30, has only missed one game to date. His most recent pacts have averaged between $1.08MM and $1.33MM per year, and that will no doubt be the range for this latest one.

Darren Waller‘s retirement created an opening at the tight end spot for the Giants. Manhertz did not operate as a key pass-catcher, but the veteran served as a blocker as he has at other spots during his career. After playing in a rotational capacity on offense and chipping in on special teams, the 32-year-old will be counted on to handle a similar workload in 2025.

Commanders To Re-Sign TE Zach Ertz

March 8th, 2025 at 9:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another 2024 Commanders addition is staying put ahead of free agency. Tight end Zach Ertz has a new deal in place.

This will be a one-year agreement, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The pact has a base value of $6.25MM with upside of $9MM thanks to incentives. After a strong debut campaign in Washington, Ertz will remain a key contributor on offense.

The veteran had a strong run with the Eagles but he faced questions about his remaining productivity upon being traded to the Cardinals in 2021. Ertz nevertheless remained a full-time starter upon arrival in Arizona while playing under Kliff Kingsbury. The latter’s decision to return to the NFL coaching ranks as Washington’s offensive coordinator was followed by Ertz taking a one-year Commanders pact.

Both of those moves proved to be fruitful. Led by Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, Washington advanced to the NFC title game, notably raising expectations for 2025 in the process. Ertz put up a 66-654-7 statline during his debut Commanders season, and last month he made it clear he had no intentions of hanging up his cleats. Now, prior to free agency, the 34-year-old’s immediate future has been assured.

Ertz’s pact last year was worth $3MM and included just $1.96MM in guarantees. Especially if the three-time Pro Bowler reaches his incentives, he will fare much better in 2025 from a financial perspective. The Commanders could look to add a tight end successor in the draft this spring, but Ertz will be counted on to remain a productive member of the team’s skill-position group for at least one more year.

Adding a proven receiver to complement Terry McLaurin was seen as a clear priority for this offseason, and the Commanders addressed it with the Deebo Samuel trade. Bringing back Ertz will ensure continuity elsewhere on offense as the team looks to duplicate its success while Daniels remains attached to his rookie contract. Washington’s efforts to keep free agent pickups from last year in place include the recent re-signing of linebacker Bobby Wagner.

He and Ertz will look to again provide value to a Commanders organization which has been substantially reshaped under owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn. Washington entered Saturday with nearly $80MM in cap space, so even once this pact becomes official the team will have plenty of spending power in free agency to add to its existing corps.

Giants To Target CB In Free Agency

March 8th, 2025 at 9:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Free agency is just around the corner, and after four years with Joe Schoen at the helm as general manager, the Giants are still looking for additions to their roster that can take them to the next level. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan did a deep dive yesterday on some of the players and positions New York will be focusing on in the coming weeks.

Internally, Raanan identified the Giants’ top free agents as wide receiver Darius Slayton, outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari, safety Jason Pinnock, and right guard Greg Van Roten. Of the four, Raanan notes that it looks likely that most, if not all, will hit the open market.

Slayton is looking to join a contender on his next deal. While he hasn’t caught more than five touchdowns in a season since his rookie year, Slayton has surpassed 700 receiving yards in four his six seasons. Receiver-hungry teams like the Chargers and Steelers are likely to seek services like his.

Ojulari has never quite broken out, only averaging 5.5 sacks per year and missing notable time in each of the past three seasons. That could hurt his market, especially with several notable veterans (including the likes of recent cuts Joey Bosa and Harold Landry) available in free agency. Still, while teams which are unable to make a notable addition in the coming days could look to a highly regarded draft class in the pass-rush department, the 24-year-old Ojuari could be an attractive option on a short-term deal.

Pinnock and/or Van Roten departing would create vacancies in the secondary and offensive line, areas which are already in need of help for the Giants. Raanan notes a starting-caliber addition will be sought out at the guard spot, even if Evan Neal (who has not developed as hoped at right tackle) is moved inside. A modest investment at safety can also be expected, whether that consists of retaining Pinnock or signing one of the middle class free agent options.

With respect to priorities for outside addition, cornerback will be a position to monitor. Raanan reports the Giants are looking to make a free agent move at the top of the market. Adding a cover man like D.J. Reed, Paulson Adebo, Charvarius Ward or Byron Murphy – names listed by Raanan as targets New York has looked into (or likely will) – will be expensive. Bringing in any of those veterans to lead a depth chart featuring Deonte Banks and Dru Phillips would, though, go a long way in helping a defense which ranked 31st in the NFL in interceptions last year.

Another potential target could be Isaiah Rodgers. Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports the 2024 Eagles pickup is worth watching as free agency approaches. Rodgers, 27, only logged a 36% snap share on defense for the Super Bowl winners but he played a key role on special teams and could secure a larger workload on a new deal. Philadelphia has moved on from Darius Slay and James Bradberry, creating the opportunity for Rodgers to work as a starter if he re-signs.

The Giants currently find themselves with $45.62MM in cap space, a figure which will drop slightly once the new deal for punter Jamie Gillan becomes official, but plenty of funds will be available to make a notable splash at the cornerback position. It will be interesting to see who the team targets at the onset of the negotiating window.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post. 

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