HEADLINES

Steelers Have Not Discussed Extension With WR Calvin Austin

August 3rd, 2025 at 2:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

D.K. Metcalf will take on George Pickens‘ role as the Steelers’ No. 1 receiver in 2025 and beyond. As the regular season approaches, Pittsburgh still faces questions about the secondary WR spots.

As things stand, Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson are positioned to handle larger workloads than they have so far in their brief NFL careers. Austin in particular will be worth watching given his status as a pending 2026 free agent. Time remains for an extension to be worked out for the 26-year-old, but one does not appear likely.

The Steelers have not yet approached Austin about a new contract, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes. He adds it is unclear if that will change over the coming weeks. While general manager Omar Khan has operated in a noticeably different way than his predecessor in certain capacities, he has maintained the organizational policy he inherited which prohibits in-season contract negotiations. As a result, Austin will play out the season in anticipation of a trip to the open market (pending a re-signing early in the spring, of course) unless a pact is signed soon.

The former fourth-rounder missed his entire rookie season due to injury and he occupied only a rotational role in the passing game the following year. Austin flashed potential in 2024, though, once again playing in every game and logging eight starts. He averaged 15.2 yards per reception on the season and reached or surpassed the 65-yard mark in a game four times. Another step forward – brought about, the team hopes, by improved quarterback play – would position Austin for a payday on his second contract.

The Memphis product has spent the offseason as Pittsburgh’s leading candidate for the WR2 role, although another addition at the position cannot be ruled out. The Steelers hosted Gabe Davis for a workout in June, but the absence of an immediate agreement did not eliminate the possibility of a deal being struck at some point. Davis is still unsigned as of now, with the same being true for the likes of Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper and Tyler Boyd, who has expressed interest in joining his hometown team.

The Steelers have over $19MM in cap space at the moment, so a signing would certainly be feasible from a financial standpoint. If they continue to rely on their in-house receiving options, though, Austin could be set up to earn himself a considerable raise with his 2025 performance.

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton Took Less Money To Help Denver Retain Other Players

August 3rd, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Rory Parks

Last week, Broncos WR Courtland Sutton finally secured a long-awaited third contract with the team. Although the extension represents a sizable raise over what Sutton was due to earn and locks in a new wave of guaranteed cash, the $23MM average annual value of the deal makes him the league’s 18th-highest-paid wideout in terms of yearly compensation.

Per Sean Keeler of the Denver Post, Sutton understands he may have left some money on the table – Spotrac considers his market value to be roughly $26.5MM per year – in exchange for additional security. He also knows the team has a number of other mouths to feed, and he wanted to help ensure the Broncos could lock in other key players.

“[There’s] talent in that locker room, guys that are coming up, that are trying to get their second contract,” Sutton said. “I was blessed to be able to get my third. They put the work in just the same way as I have. And some of those guys have more accolades than I have when it comes to the NFL side of things … and to be able to sign the deal that we did, it gives us a chance to keep those guys around.”

A June report suggested defensive standouts Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen may have jumped Sutton as extension priorities for Denver, and other key members of what is expected to again be a stout defense in 2025 – John Franklin-Myers, P.J. Locke, Malcolm Roach, and Alex Singleton among them – are also on expiring deals. 

When asked if he was conscious of that reality when signing his own extension, Sutton replied, “1,000%. 1,000%. The deal that we wound up signing is a great deal, and it was very beneficial to myself. And it gives us a chance to be able to keep a lot of really good players around on this team and for years to come.”

Not long after the ink dried on Sutton’s deal, the Broncos agreed to terms with Allen on a monster four-year, $102MM pact. It would not surprise if Bonitto also landed a healthy new contract in short order.

Sutton, a team captain, has done his part to facilitate Denver’s ability to keep the band together. The club is also benefitting from having its starting quarterback, Bo Nix, on his rookie deal, and Sutton will again lead Nix’s collection of offensive weaponry.

Now 29 (30 in October), Sutton cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career during Nix’s rookie campaign in 2024. Continued development from the second-year passer, coupled with the addition of tight end Evan Engram and reinforcements in the running game, could allow the Broncos – who cracked the playoff field last season – to take another step forward in 2025. 

Lions To Start Graham Glasgow At C, Tate Ratledge At RG

August 3rd, 2025 at 11:11am CST by Rory Parks

In the wake of Frank Ragnow’s retirement, it appeared second-round rookie Tate Ratledge would take over as the Lions’ starting center, despite working as a guard in college. Graham Glasgow’s past experience as an NFL pivot notwithstanding, the veteran blocker initially told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, he did not expect to be working at the center position.

Per Birkett, the first iteration of the Ratledge-at-center experiment lasted all of three training camp practices. Glasgow, who operated as the Lions’ primary left guard last year, had opened camp as the starting right guard, but he and Ratledge have swapped roles. Glasgow is now the snapper, while Ratledge is the first-team RG (2024 draftee Christian Mahogany is penciled in as the starting left guard).

According to team reporter Dannie Rogers, the switch had more to do with Glasgow’s rapport with quarterback Jared Goff than underperformance on Ratledge’s part. 

Offensive coordinator John Morton said of Ratledge, “I love how smart he is. And he’s just going to continue to grow. I mean, I thought he did an exceptional job when he was at center. I mean, that’s a lot mentally. Different snap counts and audibles. It was a lot and I thought he did a pretty good job. I’m really happy where he’s at.”

Head coach Dan Campbell said Ratledge will still take reps at center throughout the rest of the summer, but it makes sense that a team with championship aspirations would opt for a more experienced player at the position. In the meantime, Ratledge will get his first professional experience at the right guard post, where he thrived as a collegian.

The starting RG for Georgia’s championship outfit in 2022, Ratledge went on to earn All-SEC and All-American nods in each of his final two seasons with the Bulldogs. He will slot in between Glasgow and Penei Sewell on a Detroit front that may again be among the league’s best but that could struggle to adequately replace Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler, who signed with the Titans this offseason.

Glasgow, 33, is under contract through the 2026 season, but a release after the upcoming campaign would net the Lions roughly $2.7MM in cap savings. If Ratledge impresses at right guard and with whatever center reps he earns, the team theoretically could shift him to center next year and part ways with Glasgow (who was probably the weakest link on Detroit’s 2024 O-line).

In related news, the team has activated left tackle Taylor Decker off the active/PUP list, per Birkett.

Patriots WRs Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker Facing Uphill Battle To Make Roster

August 3rd, 2025 at 10:09am CST by Rory Parks

2024 draftees Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker failed to make much of an impact in their first professional season. The Patriots’ second-year wideouts are now working under a brand new coaching staff, and they could be facing an uphill battle to make the club’s 53-man roster (indeed, it was reported back in June that Polk could be on the bubble). 

ESPN’s Mike Reiss expects New England to carry six wideouts on the opening day roster, and after the first few days of training camp, Reiss noted that Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, and DeMario Douglas were running with the starters. Meanwhile, Kyle Williams, Kendrick Bourne – himself a potential cut candidate – and UDFA rookie Efton Chism III were taking second-team reps. Polk and Baker, on the other hand, were “not on the current radar” and had essentially “faded from view.”

At the time, free agent addition Mack Hollins was still on the active/PUP list. Since then, the Pats have activated Hollins, and in an updated look at the club’s WR situation, Reiss describes Diggs, Boutte, Douglas, and Hollins as the top four players on the depth chart, with Williams – who has flashed in recent days after something of a “dry spell” – slotting in behind them.

Williams is a third-round rookie, so his place on the team is almost certainly secure despite natural growing pains. Diggs, New England’s marquee free agent acquisition, was always expected to lead the way, and 2023 draftees Douglas and Boutte have shown promise as complementary options. Hollins offers a big-bodied target for QB Drake Maye, and his two-year, $8.4MM contract indicated his roster spot was never in doubt either.

It is telling that, prior to Hollins’ return, an undrafted rookie was seeing more reps than Polk and Baker. Per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Chism’s spring momentum has not carried over into training camp, and Reiss made note of a Chism drop in a recent practice. Still, given the sheer volume of players in the wide receiver room, it may take an injury and/or the release of a player like Bourne for Polk and Baker to remain in Foxborough.

Further complicating the issue for Polk was a hamstring injury that caused him to miss practice time. He is back on the field, and head coach Mike Vrabel said the second-year pro is “a player that worked extremely hard to get back and ready to go … there’s been some positive things that he’s done since he’s been back” (via Mike Kadlick of CLNS Media). Vrabel went on to say that Polk has not made any mental errors despite his absence.

Polk, a second-round selection last year, may be more likely than Baker, a fourth-rounder, to make the team based on upside alone. According to Kyed, Polk may also have an in as a slot receiver, since the Pats’ depth in the slot is thinner than it is outside the numbers.

Dolphins Sign OL Germain Ifedi

August 3rd, 2025 at 7:51am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins have signed veteran offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Starting right tackle Austin Jackson is expected to miss a few weeks of camp after suffering an injury in practice on Saturday, so Ifedi will at least provide experienced depth in Jackson’s absence (though the team does believe Jackson will be in the Week 1 starting lineup).

Ifedi, 31, has 117 apperances and 90 starts to his name. While most of that time has come at right tackle, he has also seen his fair share of snaps at right guard. In 2024, he started seven games at left tackle for the Browns’ injury-depleted offensive line.

That was the most action he saw since his seven-start 2021 campaign with the Bears, and there is a reason why he was still on the open market in early August. The former first-round pick of the Seahawks played every snap for Seattle during his first four years in the league from 2016-19, but he never developed as the team hoped, and his fifth-year option was declined as a result.

That led him to Chicago, where he spent the 2020-21 seasons. He operated as a full-time starter during that stint, excepting the games he missed due to injury. His Pro Football Focus evaluations were much better as a Bear than they had been as a Seahawk, but they were still roughly average, and he was unable to carve out a meaningful role for himself with the Falcons in 2022. He then spent all of the 2023 slate riding the Bills’ bench and did not see a single snap.

His time as an emergency LT with Cleveland did not go well, with PFF considering him the seventh-worst tackle in the league out of 81 qualified players. In fairness, he was miscast as a blindside blocker, and his work with the Bears suggested he can be a competent starter and a solid pass-blocker on the right side of the line. It may or may not be enough to land him a spot on the 53-man roster, but the Dolphins could certainly have done worse in their search for camp reinforcements.

That search also included players like Zack Bailey, Yodny Cajuste, Chris Hubbard, and David Sharpe, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, who indicated that quartet worked out for the team along with Ifedi. Obviously, Ifedi impressed the most.

In a corresponding move, Miami waived fourth-string quarterback Brett Gabbert (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). And, in a rare piece of good news for the club’s secondary, the ‘Fins activated free agent addition Ifeatu Melifonwu from the active/NFI list (via Louis-Jacques). Melifonwu could start at safety alongside trade acquisition Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Jerry Jones Comments On Micah Parsons’ Trade Request

August 2nd, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones was not short on company following the team’s training camp sessions today. Surrounded by reporters and with jeers raining down from nearby fans in attendance, Jones delivered his comments on the bombshell trade request issued by star defender Micah Parsons yesterday. Jones’ first comment?

“I would say to our fans, don’t lose any sleep over this.”

The quote (courtesy of ESPN’s Adam Schefter) set the tone for a series of nonchalant answers that seemed to paint Parsons’ request less as something to be taken seriously and more as a standard part of negotiations. It was followed by similar unconcerned statements disregarding Parsons’ seriousness such as “we’re in good shape” and “this is a negotiation,” per Jon Machota of The Athletic. When asked about the deal that was supposedly on the table in March, Jones claimed simply that “Micah took it off the table,” according to Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt.

Jones shrugged off the accusations from Parsons of being cornered without his agent present to negotiate. Parsons had told media that he had gone to speak with Jones under the guise that conversations would be concerning leadership before Jones shifted the conversation to negotiations once he was behind closed doors. When asked about Parsons’ view of that confrontation (in a video provided by Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram), Jones dismissed it, emphasizing his own viewpoint by directing a defensive “are you asking me?” to the reporter.

Jones has received plenty of criticism in recent years for his strategies in negotiations with big players, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Most notably, last year, he waited to extend quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb until long after several other players at both positions had fully reset the markets. Those who criticize argue that, had he pushed negotiations earlier, the Cowboys could’ve saved millions on each deal by setting the new market rather than reacting to it.

Those who see a method to Jones’ madness believe that the businessman is perfectly willing to pay a bit more for each contract in exchange for the free marketing that comes as a result of dominating the news cycle this time of year. While this could certainly serve as a secondhand benefit to the owner’s pockets, from a football perspective, the inflating contracts with each negotiation still make it difficult to continue building a roster around these big deals.

Todd Archer of ESPN points out that, of all those negotiations of the past called into question — those of Prescott (twice), Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, Zack Martin, and even way back with Emmitt Smith — none have gotten to the point of a trade request. Most have gotten the deals they were looking for, even if at the last second; Smith’s deal came after missing all of training camp and sitting out the first two games of the 1993 regular season, both of which resulted in losses. Ultimately, as Archer points out, “Jones has never lost a star player he wanted to keep.”

Archer also notes, though, that Parsons has “pushed further than anybody” else with yesterday’s trade request. Perhaps Jones is right, and they are “in good shape.” Perhaps he fully plans on paying Parsons every bit of what is being asked for financially, just after denying other asks of earlier negotiations and a trade request. With that request, Parsons has already entered new territory for Cowboys stars. Now, we’re left to wonder if he’ll be the first of those stars to slip away from Jones.

Broncos Extend DL Zach Allen

August 2nd, 2025 at 10:31pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

10:31pm: Per OvertheCap.com, $44.25MM of Allen’s new extension is fully guaranteed at signing, including a $24MM signing bonus, his base salaries in 2025 ($2.49MM) and 2026 ($16.49MM), and per game roster bonuses in those seasons that will total $510K and $765K, respectively. $15.75MM will become fully guaranteed in March 2026, and the rest will guarantee in March of the following year.

9:31am: The Broncos have agreed to terms with defensive lineman Zach Allen on a four-year, $102MM extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the extension.

It was reported back in March that Allen was seeking an extension in the range of $25MM per year. His new contract meets that goal at a $25.5MM APY that ranks third among the NFL’s interior defensive lineman, per OverTheCap.

Allen’s deal also includes $69.5MM in guaranteed money, per Schefter, which would also rank third at the position in terms of total guarantees. If that number represents fully guaranteed money, it would set a new record for interior defensive linemen.

The 27-year-old may not be a household name, but his payday is appropriate after an excellent 2024 season. Allen recorded 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss as a key anchor for a Broncos defense that finished third in points allowed and seventh in yards allowed. He also recorded 75 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), a mark that led all interior defensive lineman and trailed only four edge rushers.

Allen earned a second-team All-Pro selection for his efforts last season, the first such recognition of his career. That gave him the leverage to seek an extension as he entered the final year of the three-year, $45.75MM deal that brought him to Denver in 2023 in the first place. Allen’s new deal represents a raise of more than $10MM per year and will keep him under contract through the 2028 season.

The former Cardinals third-round pick effectively replaced Dre’Mont Jones in Denver, as the two relocated (Jones to Seattle) on Day 1 of the 2023 legal tampering period. Allen has been a lifer in DC Vance Joseph‘s scheme, arriving in Arizona during Joseph’s first offseason running the Cards’ defense. Weeks after Joseph returned to Denver, Allen followed. After a woeful start to the 2023 season, the Broncos’ defense took big steps forward in 2024.

Helping the Broncos to a third-place finish in scoring defense, Allen’s 40 QB hits led the NFL and represented a top-10 mark for any season in the 2020s. That surge solidified a midcareer breakout, placing Allen in prime position to capitalize. The Broncos will go through with another reward, locking up two extension candidates this week.

The Broncos, who got veteran wideout Courtland Sutton‘s extension done on Monday, will likely now turn their attention to negotiations with fourth-year edge rusher Nik Bonitto. Allen’s primary partner in the trenches, John Franklin-Myers, has also been pursuing a new contract after a career-high 7.0 sacks last year, but the Broncos have not engaged in contract talks to date. After signing one defensive lineman to a nine-figure deal, Denver seems unlikely to give Franklin-Myers a market-level extension.

5 Key Stories: 7/27/25 – 8/2/25

August 2nd, 2025 at 8:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The past few days have seen the NFL’s preseason get underway along with a number of high-profile developments. In case you missed the top stories from this week, here is a quick recap:

  • Slater Signs Record-Breaking Chargers Extension: The left tackle (and thus offensive line) market has a new leader from a financial standpoint. Rashawn Slater inked a Chargers extension which is worth $114MM over four years. The pact carries an annual average value of $28.5MM, which surpasses the figure from Penei Sewell and Tristan Wirfs‘ 2024 deals. $92MM in guarantees are present, and Slater, 26, will receive a record-breaking cashflow for O-linemen over one, two and four years while playing out this accord (which keeps him on the books through 2029). Slater earned a second Pro Bowl nod in 2024, and he will be counted on to remain an anchor up front for Los Angeles through the foreseeable future on this contract.
  • Allen, Sutton Land New Broncos Deals: Defensive lineman Zach Allen and wideout Courtland Sutton have long loomed as two of the Broncos’ top extension candidates this offseason. Within a matter of days, both have new deals in place. Allen will collect $44.25MM fully guaranteed on his new, four-year pact. The former Cardinal earned second-team All-Pro acclaim with a career-best 8.5 sacks last season, and he has been rewarded with a $102MM accord. Sutton, meanwhile, will continue his lengthy Denver tenure thanks to a four-year, $92MM extension. The 29-year-old will receive $27MM in new guaranteed money and he is on the books through 2029 to reprise his role as the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver.
  • Parsons, McLaurin Submit Trade Requests: This time of the year always contains drama associated with extension talks (particularly those which do not go smoothly). Micah Parsons (Cowboys) and Terry McLaurin (Commanders) have been embroiled in negotiations which have yet to produce a deal, and both have issued a trade request as a result. Such a move is commonplace amongst players looking to increase pressure on their teams to finalize a new pact, and in both cases consideration is not being given to a trade. Parsons is a strong candidate to reset the edge rush market – which would require a pact averaging more than $41MM per year on his second contract. McLaurin, meanwhile, is reported to be seeking a third Washington pact with an AAV at or around $33MM. Both players are pending 2026 free agents.
  • Seahawks To Extend Schneider: The 2024 season was the first in which John Schneider had final say on roster moves for the Seahawks. Seattle was unable to reach the playoffs to begin the post-Pete Carroll era, but coming off a 10-win campaign and a busy offseason Schneider has agreed to an extension which keeps him in place through 2030. The 15-year GM’s resume includes the Seahawks’ lone Super Bowl title, and he will be expected to engineer future contenders as the organization’s top decision-maker. As head coach Mike Macdonald prepares for Year 2 in his position, Schneider will enter the campaign with a lengthy track record as well as long-term security.
  • Colts, Raimann Agree To Extension: Talks on a new deal between Bernhard Raimann and the Colts left a gap between the parties at first. Common ground was reached with time to spare for the start of the season, however. Indianapolis’ left tackle landed a four-year, $100MM extension including $60MM in guarantees. The 27-year-old Austrian has handled blindside duties for nearly all of his three-year career so far, and remaining one of the top blockers in the league will be critical for the team’s O-line. A free agent departure next spring would have left a major vacancy up front for the Colts, but Raimann is now on the books for the foreseeable future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/25

August 2nd, 2025 at 8:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from active/PUP list: TE Mark Redman

New York Jets

  • Claimed off waivers (from Broncos): CB Mario Goodrich
  • Waived (with injury designation): S Jaylin Simpson

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Danny Gray

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders 

Watkins and Campbell are among the notable veterans who are out for the season unless they wind up being released via an injury settlement and later signing with another team. Watkins left Arizona’s practice early on Thursday, and subsequent evaluation has clearly confirmed a notable injury occurred.

Campbell is dealing with a knee ailment, ESPN’s Todd Archer notes. Injuries have been a near-constant issue for the 28-year-old, who has played a full season only once so far in his career. The Cowboys marked Campbell’s third consecutive NFC East team, but instead of competing for a roster spot he will once again turn his attention to recovery.

Wallace has 96 games and 72 starts to his name, although his 35% defensive snap share with the Broncos last season was by far the lowest of his career. The 30-year-old will head to Jacksonville in time for the preseason. A strong showing through the remainder of training camp could allow him to occupy a backup role in the Jags’ secondary this season.

Packers C Elgton Jenkins Does Not Anticipate Contract Adjustment Following Position Change

August 2nd, 2025 at 7:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency saw the Packers add Aaron Banks as their new left guard starter. With Josh Myers departing on the open market, Elgton Jenkins is now in position to find himself at center.

[RELATED: Packers Conducting LT Competition]

Jenkins – who has thrived in several capacities along Green Bay’s O-line during his career – was not satisfied with the move given the difference in markets for guards and centers. In the spring, it was reported the two-time Pro Bowler was seeking an adjustment to his contract to reflect the move, but no such arrangement was made. When publicly addressing his situation, Jenkins confirmed his agent discussed a restructure with the team but also noted he does not expect one to take place before the campaign.

“Right now, I’m not even thinking about that,” the 29-year-old said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) when asked about the lack of a contract adjustment. “Been playing this game for 20-some years, seven years in the league. I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. The financial side, I know that’s going to come.”

Two years remain on Jenkins’ deal, and he is owed $32.8MM over that span. His $11.7MM salary will lock in just before the start of the season (just like every veteran around the league), but none of the former second-rounder’s base pay for 2026 is guaranteed. The Packers do not have a history of locking in money early, so it comes as little surprise no action was taken with respect to a restructure in this case.

Trey Smith moved the top of the guard market to $23.5MM this offseason, and a total of five guards are currently attached to a deal averaging $20MM or more per season. By contrast, Creed Humphrey leads the way in terms of center compensation at $18MM; only six players at the position sport an eight-figure AAV. Jenkins’ outlook on his third contract will be influenced heavily by not only his play but also this position change.

The Packers – who recently activated Jenkins from the active/NFI list – will count on strong play up front while aiming to remain contenders in the NFC North this season. Part of that effort will depend on Jenkins succeeding in his new position as he tries to play his way into an upgraded pact next spring.

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