HEADLINES

La’el Collins To Work Out For Cowboys

July 31st, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Cowboys navigate a number of injuries on their offensive line, they’re targeting a familiar face for some depth. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, veteran lineman La’el Collins will work out for the team on Friday.

This would represent Collins’ third stint with the organization, with his first spanning seven seasons. The former UDFA quickly established himself as a starter in Dallas. The LSU product started 11 games at guard as a rookie and was limited to only three games as a sophomore, but he later settled in as the starting right tackle between 2017 and 2019. Prior to that latter campaign, the lineman inked a five-year, $50MM deal with the Cowboys.

Collins ended up missing the entire 2020 campaign after dealing with a long list of injuries, and the beginning of his 2021 campaign was derailed by a substance abuse suspension. He ended up starting 11 of his 12 appearances that season, but his declining play ultimately led to his release.

The lineman caught on with the Bengals via a three-year contract, but his first season ended a bit early thanks to a torn ACL. He was released early in the 2023 season and finally caught on with the Cowboys practice squad towards the end of the campaign, but he didn’t end up getting into a game. He signed with the Bills last offseason but was among the team’s final cuts, and he didn’t get another job throughout the 2024 campaign.

It’s now been two full seasons since Collins has seen the field for a regular season game, but the Cowboys can’t be too picky at this point. As Archer points out, the team has seen four linemen suffer injuries over the past week: Tyler Guyton (knee), Rob Jones (neck), Matt Waletzko (ankle), and Hakeem Adeniji (concussion). Guard Tyler Smith also left practice early today with knee soreness.

Unsurprisingly, Collins has the support of some of his former teammates. Dak Prescott told reporters that the 32-year-old lineman is in the best shape of his life, with the quarterback hoping that Collins “kills this workout” (per Jon Machota of The Athletic).

Raiders, Jakobi Meyers Discussing Extension

July 31st, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders kept a mainstay in the fold for the long term by working out an extension with left tackle Kolton Miller yesterday. Another key member of the team’s offense could also have a new deal in place soon.

Receiver Jakobi Meyers is in talks with Vegas about an extension, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes (video link). The 28-year-old has one season remaining on his current deal and has made it clear more than once that he would welcome an extended stay with the organization. Meyers signed with the Raiders in free agency after playing out his Patriots rookie deal.

That $11MM-per-year pact has proven to be a strong investment for Vegas so far. Playing in multiple schemes and dealing with undesirable quarterback situations, Meyers has totaled 1,834 yards and 12 touchdowns on his second team. 2024 saw him set a new career high in receptions (87) while topping 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. Stability at the quarterback spot in the form of Geno Smith, along with revamped coaching staff featuring new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, could spark improvement moving forward.

Vegas has Tre Tucker in place as a fellow starter at the receiver spot, and the team invested second- and fourth-round picks in Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton during this year’s draft. Development from any or all members of that trio would be welcomed as the team looks to duplicate tight end Brock Bowers‘ historic rookie season. In any event, Meyers will be counted to serve as a focal point in the passing game for 2025. The former UDFA has drawn 235 targets over the past two years, and a similar showing this year could help his value on a new contract with the Raiders or a free agent suitor.

Of course, time remains for an agreement to be reached which would prevent Meyers from hitting the open market next spring. His scheduled cap charge of $14.96MM is certainly not burdensome for the Raiders, but an increase in pay from the $11MM Meyers is currently owed for 2025 along with a commitment for future seasons would be affordable based on the team’s current cap situation. It would also ensure stability atop the receiver depth chart for years to come.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum Seeking Extension

July 31st, 2025 at 2:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

Zyon McCollum has developed into a mainstay in the Buccaneers’ secondary while playing out the first three years of his rookie pact. The pending 2026 free agent is eligible for an extension, and that is his target.

McCollum is seeking a second Tampa Bay contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. He adds agent Drew Rosenhaus is at the team’s facility today to discuss an extension. The Bucs are no stranger to retaining in-house players under general manager Jason Licht, and it will be interesting to see if McCollum becomes the latest player to stay in place via a raise.

Joining the team as a fifth-round pick, McCollum primarily played on special teams as a rookie but he also handled a rotational role on defense. His workload increased dramatically the following season when he earned nine starts. In 2024, McCollum was on the field for over 1,000 defensive snaps and that is in line to continue this season and (provided a new pact can be worked out) beyond.

The 26-year-old notched the first two interceptions of his career last season, and his 17 pass deflections put him in a tie for third in the NFL in that department. McCollum was charged with four touchdowns surrendered in coverage by Pro Football Reference, but his completion percentage (57.4%) and passer rating (86.9) marked career bests. Further improvement would make a long-term pact a worthwhile investment from the Buccaneers’ perspective.

Tampa Bay has relied on Jamel Dean as a perimeter corner throughout his career, but the seventh-year veteran is in danger of losing his starting spot. Tykee Smith has seen time in the slot, but a transition to safety could allow for third-round rookie Jacob Parrish to handle starting duties on the inside. Dean being demoted to a backup would see Benjamin Morrison – taken in the second round of this year’s draft – work opposite of McCollum on the perimeter. Time in the slot has been floated as a possibility in McCollum’s case, but he has worked almost exclusively on the boundary during his career.

Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner have taken the cornerback market to (and slightly beyond) $30MM per year with their respective extensions. McCollum does not have the same track record as those two, and any pact signed before the start of the 2025 season will no doubt fall short of that AAV figure. Still, a multi-year accord would make him the latest Bucs cover man to receive a second contract with the team if his desire to work out a deal is reciprocated.

UFL To Relocate Multiple Teams For 2026; League Eyeing Long-Term Expansion

July 31st, 2025 at 1:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

2026 will mark the third consecutive year of operation for the United Football League. Changes with respect to some of the league’s markets will be in place by the time the campaign begins.

Entrepreneur and co-founder of the likes of Vitaminwater, Smartwater and BodyArmor Mike Repole has joined the UFL’s investment group. He is now in control of the league’s business operations. Repole spoke about his intentions in an interview with ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

Ahead of the 2026 season, at least two teams – and as many as four – will be based out of a different market. It is not yet clear which markets will be departing the league, but Repole noted Columbus will be among the new ones. The UFL will remain at eight teams for the coming season. If his vision for the league is fulfilled, though, that number will grow considerably. Repole aims for the UFL to have 10-12 teams within the next five years and 16 within the next decade.

“We’re going to be aggressive as far as being nimble and scrappy and gritty and making aggressive moves,” Repole said. “If by 2035, if we can’t have 16 teams, I’m going to consider it a personal failure. This is it. Other leagues didn’t have the capital that this league has, didn’t have the media giants that this league has, didn’t have the entrepreneurs that this team has.”

Investment from the likes of RedBird Capital along with league co-owners Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, and broadcast partnerships with ESPN and FOX have allowed the UFL to operate so far. Repole rightfully noted that – with the exception of the St. Louis Battlehawks – attendance represents a key issue. St. Louis has averaged roughly 30,000 fans per home game, but that figure ranges from 5,000-12,000 on average for the UFL’s other markets. Relocation will be aimed at raising attendance levels while expansion receives consideration.

The UFL recently trademarked four team names which date back to the original USFL: the Oakland Invaders, the Philadelphia Stars, the New Jersey Generals and the Tampa Bay Bandits. Once more information about the upcoming changes becomes available, it would come as no surprise if one or more of those locations were to become new markets for a franchise.

RB Latavius Murray Retires

July 31st, 2025 at 12:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

After being unable to find an NFL opportunity in 2024, Latavius Murray is hanging up his cleats. The veteran running back announced on Thursday that he is retiring at the age of 35 (video link via NFL insider Jordan Schultz).

A sixth-round pick of the Raiders in 2013, Murray played on a rotational basis the following year before taking on starting duties. He recorded his first and only 1,000-yard campaign in 2015 and secured a Pro Bowl nod in the process. A career-best 12 rushing touchdowns during his final Raiders season set Murray up for a strong free agent market.

The UCF product landed a three-year, $15MM Vikings pact on the open market. Murray ended up spending a pair of seasons in Minnesota where he operated as part of a backfield tandem with Dalvin Cook. A similar setup was in place with New Orleans when Murray paired with Alvin Kamara for the 2019 and ’20 campaigns, during which he remained a consistent producer on the ground.

Murray caught on with the Ravens in 2021 shortly after being cut. As part of a Baltimore backfield ravaged by preseason injuries, he managed to handle a notable workload before finding himself on the move once again the following season. In 2022, Murray briefly returned to the Saints before signing from the practice squad to the Broncos’ active roster midway through the campaign. That decision set up a starting role to close out the season and helped earn him a Bills pact for 2023.

Logging a 32% snap share with Buffalo, Murray remained healthy but saw his yards per attempt average dip below 4.1 for the first time since 2017. That was a key factor in the Bills’ decision not to retain him, even though Murray was open to an extended stay with the team. After spending last season without a deal, today will mark the end of the line after 10 NFL seasons.

In all, Murray played 158 combined regular and postseason games over the course of his NFL tenure, totaling over 8,000 scrimmage yards and 61 touchdowns. He amassed more than $21MM in career earnings.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick Aiming For Long-Term Dolphins Tenure

July 31st, 2025 at 11:50am CST by Adam La Rose

Minkah Fitzpatrick is back where his career began thanks to the trade which sent him from Pittsburgh to Miami. In the wake of that deal, the All-Pro safety worked out a restructured contract with the Dolphins.

As a result of the alterations to his pact, Fitzpatrick received a signing bonus to help take the place of money which was not previously guaranteed. No new years were added to his pact, though, so the decision to accelerate compensation for 2025 did not add any term to Fitzpatrick’s second Dolphins stint. The five-time Pro Bowler is currently set to see his contract expire after the 2026 campaign, but he is interested in a long-term Miami tenure.

“I know it was reported that I wanted a new contract,” Fitzpatrick said (via the Associated Press through Fox Sports), “but I just wanted to know that I was going to be here for more than a season and I got that. And now, I’m going to go out there, play All-Pro, Pro Bowl level and hopefully earn the respect of my teammates and the organization to have that long-term contract.”

The restructure created $11MM in immediate cap space for the Dolphins, a team in need of financial flexibility given its cap situation prior to the Fitzpatrick reworking and the growing need for healthy contributors in the secondary. Of course, the move will inflate Fitzpatrick’s cap charge for 2026, providing further incentive on the team’s part to work out a multi-year commitment. Efforts on that front will be tied to how the 28-year-old fares in his return to South Beach.

Fitzpatrick’s request to be traded during his second season resulted in the swap which sent him to the Steelers. Over the course of course of 88 regular season games with Pittsburgh, he amassed 18 interceptions and 45 pass deflections. The past two seasons have seen Fitzpatrick notch just one pick, however, and a return to his previous form will be needed if he is to secure another lucrative pact. With an AAV of $18.25MM at signing, his current deal ranks fourth amongst safeties. Another accord could be in store next spring depending on how things play out.

Cowboys, CB DaRon Bland Engaging In Extension Talks

July 31st, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

We knew back in April that the Cowboys were eyeing extensions for offensive lineman Tyler Smith, cornerback DaRon Bland, tight end Jake Ferguson, and kicker Brandon Aubrey.

Ferguson got his this weekend, and Smith switched up his representation after the team picked up his fifth-year option. While, so far, it’s been crickets for Aubrey, Bland told the media this week that his agent has been in talks with the team on a new deal, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS.

“Definitely Dallas is always where I want to be,” said Bland (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “Hopefully we can get it done.” 

The 2022 fifth-rounder is looking to cash in on a cornerback market that grew to $30MM this offseason. Though he may replace Jourdan Lewis as Dallas’ primary slot corner, he will likely want to be paid as one of the league’s top outside cornerbacks.

He entered the Cowboys’ starting lineup midway through his rookie year and led the defense with five interceptions. Bland then led the NFL in 2023 with nine interceptions, 209 return yards, and five pick-sixes on his way to first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, as well as a fifth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He then took a step back in 2024; after recovering from a training camp stress fracture, Bland logged zero interceptions in seven games and allowed a 105.7 passer rating when targeted.

If recent negotiations in Dallas are any indication, Bland may have to wait a while for his payday. Last year, the Cowboys extended CeeDee Lamb late in training camp and Dak Prescott just before Week 1, and the team still hasn’t signed Micah Parsons to a new deal. Bland has another year left on his rookie contract, which would allow contract talks to continue until next March (and potentially longer if Dallas uses the franchise tag).

However, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones pushed back on the idea that the Cowboys draw out negotiations with their top players.

“I don’t think there is a pattern here,” said Jones (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “We don’t drag deals out. We do deals when there’s an opportunity to do a deal. Certainly, no one knows what goes on internally with a particular negotiation. Sometimes players and agents aren’t ready to pull the trigger until they see other cards played.”

Jones went on to say that he does not want to overpay just to get a deal done early, especially with players who want to remain in Dallas. Bland seems to fall into that category, so he may have to wait his turn to put pen to paper unless he accepts a team-friendly deal.

49ers Work Out Jeff Wilson, Ameer Abdullah

July 31st, 2025 at 9:20am CST by Sam Robinson

July 31: The 49ers are signing Abdullah after his tryout on Thursday, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. A thin running back room in San Francisco may give the 10-year veteran a chance at making the 53-man roster as a kick returner who can provide depth in the backfield.

July 30: Jeff Wilson has spent the past his entire career in roughly the same scheme, rejoining ex-49ers OC Mike McDaniel after a 2022 deadline deal. After playing out his Dolphins contract, Wilson has lingered in free agency for four-plus months.

The 49ers are back on the radar for their former UDFA find. Wilson went through a workout with his original NFL team Wednesday, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. Wilson played with the 49ers from 2018 until that November 2022 trade. He joined ex-Browns and Jaguars backup D’Ernest Johnson at the audition.

Additionally, the 49ers brought in veteran tackle Cameron Fleming for a recent workout, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds. Fleming played in one Broncos game last season, rejoining the team he played for from 2021-23.

Wilson had re-signed with the Dolphins on a two-year, $6MM deal in 2023 but accepted a pay cut in 2024. The Dolphins added De’Von Achane in the 2023 third round and turned to him as a rookie, preceding Wilson adjusting his 2024 Miami terms (one year, $1.75MM). Achane received more work in 2024, reducing 2023 NFL touchdown leader Raheem Mostert to a backup and Wilson to an afterthought. Wilson totaled just 15 carries for 57 yards last season.

For his career, Wilson has logged only 531 carries. The 49ers traded him to the Dolphins shortly after acquiring Christian McCaffrey via trade, but Wilson still gained a career-high 860 yards (between San Francisco and Miami work) that season. He amassed 600 rushing yards (4.8 per carry) and seven touchdowns for the 2020 49ers. Mostert is now a Raider, and Wilson (30 in November) has a chance to head west as well.

The 49ers have Isaac Guerendo positioned as their top McCaffrey backup, having traded Jordan Mason to the Vikings in March. San Francisco is ready to redeploy McCaffrey, but his extensive injury history should call for depth to be prioritized. The 49ers did use a fifth-round pick on Oregon’s Jordan James, and ex-Packer reserve Patrick Taylor is on the 90-man roster. Wilson would certainly bring scheme familiarity to go with a light career workload.

In addition to auditioning Jeff Wilson, the 49ers (per Aaron Wilson) had Ameer Abdullah at the audition. Abdullah has lasted 10 years in the NFL, playing the past three with the Raiders. Las Vegas used Abdullah as a backup and kick returner, though more in the latter capacity, during his tenure. The former Lions second-round pick did make three starts last season, when he rushed for 311 yards — his most since 2017 — but he has made five total starts over the past seven seasons.

Abdullah spent four seasons with the Lions but did not impress much as a starter. At 32, he has still managed to impress a host of coaching staffs and stick in the league for an extended period.

Fleming worked as a regular starter for the Broncos in 2021, after the Ja’Wuan James offsite injury saga, before becoming a swing backup in ’22. The Broncos have enjoyed good health along their O-line over the past two seasons, and Fleming was not needed for the most part. Last year, the 11-year veteran caught on with Denver in-season. Mostly a swingman throughout his career, Fleming (33 in September) has played in 118 games with 62 starts.

The 49ers have Andre Dillard rostered as a swing option, though he has mostly played left tackle as a pro. They did not ultimately do a deal with D.J. Humphries, also waiving Nicholas Petit-Frere after a brief stint. Trent Williams missed nearly half of last season due to injury, and the 49ers lost swingman Jaylon Moore to a $15MM-per-year Chiefs deal. Converted guard Spencer Burford represents an option behind starting RT Colton McKivitz, but Fleming would provide considerably more tackle experience if called upon.

Raiders, LT Kolton Miller Agree On Extension

July 30th, 2025 at 8:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Four Raiders remain from the Oakland days of the franchise. The longest-tenured of those four players is now set to stick around in Las Vegas for a few more years, at least. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Raiders are extending left tackle Kolton Miller on a three-year, $66MM agreement. The new deal includes $42.5MM of guaranteed money.

It’s no surprise that Miller is getting a new deal. We knew back in April that he was seeking a new deal as he skipped the team’s voluntary offseason program. Miller was entering the 2025 NFL season on the final year of the three-year, $54MM extension he had signed in 2021 to move on from his rookie deal. This time around, he’s received a $4MM-per-year raise.

There were thoughts that the Raiders might be looking to draft his replacement with options like Armand Membou and Kelvin Banks Jr. in range at No. 6 overall, but the team opted instead for a pair of third-round, developmental lineman in Texas Tech’s Caleb Rogers and William & Mary’s Charles Grant. Following the draft, Miller returned to team activities as the Raiders seemingly started to play ball. Miller had made it clear that he wanted to retire a Raider, it was just unclear whether or not the team was going to meet him there.

Miller has been a full-time starting blindside blocker for the Raiders since they selected him 15th overall in 2018 out of UCLA. Out of a possible 116 games, Miller has been on the field for all but seven of them. It took a couple years for his massive 6-foot-8, 325-pound frame to find his mojo in the NFL, but he improved year after year. Vegas opted to extend him before they even needed to make a decision on his fifth-year option, giving him an impressive — though not boundary-pushing — deal that would make him the fifth-highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL at the time.

Miller rewarded their faith in him with the best season of his career, in which Pro Football Focus (subscription required) would grade him as the fifth-best offensive tackle in the league out of 83 players graded at the position, commensurate with his salary. Though he hasn’t graded that high in the three years since, rankings of sixth in 2022, 11th in 2023, and 13th last year show that, time and again, Miller is up there with the best bookends in the NFL.

Miller’s new deal is, once again, impressive while not encroaching on the league’s highest-paid tackles, who are creeping up slowly on $30MM per year. His $22MM-per-year average ties him as the 11th-highest-paid tackles with Jordan Mailata and Zach Tom. The three-year term of the deal is short of those we’ve seen for young stars like Rashawn Slater (four years) and Tristan Wirfs (five years), but the contract length is well in line with players closer to his 29 years of age. Laremy Tunsil (28), Dion Dawkins (29), Ronnie Stanley (30), and Taylor Decker (30) all signed three-year deals of their own in the last two years.

While kicker Daniel Carlson shared a rookie year in Oakland with Miller, he didn’t join the team until Week 3 after the team that drafted him (Vikings) waived him two weeks into the season. Having worn a Raiders jersey longer than any other player in the locker room, as a result, Miller’s tenure has been extended through the 2028 season. It’s still to be determined whether or not he’ll spend his entire career in silver and black, as he desires, but today’s deal goes a long way in helping him towards that goal.

Joe Flacco To Take Bulk Of Browns’ First-Team Reps; Shedeur Sanders Highly Unlikely To Win Job

July 30th, 2025 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The extraordinarily rare four-man quarterback competition unfolding in Cleveland is ongoing, but adjustments are being made. Kenny Pickett is out with a hamstring injury, giving Joe Flacco a wider runway to reacquire the job.

While Pickett recovers, Kevin Stefanski said (via ESPN.com’s Daniel Oyefusi) Flacco will take the bulk of the first-team reps. Flacco did not take as many offseason reps, but because of his 2023 Browns showing, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicates he received what amounted to a first-round bye in this battle ahead of training camp.

Flacco proved he remained a capable starter during a serviceable but unremarkable Colts stint, but his elevating a battered Browns offense to a playoff berth in 2023 carries considerable weight. The Browns are obviously evaluating how a 40-year-old Flacco differs from his 38-year-old version, but with Pickett down, the 18th-year veteran has a chance to impress and start a season opener for the first time since filling in for Zach Wilson in 2022. This would be Flacco’s 14th time earning a Week 1 NFL start.

As Flacco enjoys a strong opportunity to grab the reins, Shedeur Sanders does not look to have a chance at the Week 1 gig. Sanders entered the Browns’ offseason program “far behind” Flacco, Pickett and third-rounder Dillon Gabriel, Breer adds, and is trying to catch up. Sanders received extensive criticism for his strange approach to the pre-draft process, but beyond proving difficult in interviews with teams (as a recruiting-type mentality is believed to have taken place on the QB’s part), Sanders drew attention for being behind from a football knowhow perspective, according to Breer.

The two-year Colorado starter being as far behind as he was during pre-draft meetings surprised some, Breer adds, and he fell into fourth place during the Browns’ offseason workouts due in part to lagging on the football IQ front. To open camp, the first-team reps primarily went to Flacco and Pickett, with Gabriel taking the leftover work. Operating as an inverse option to Sanders thus far, Gabriel has impressed with his football IQ while presenting a less-than-ideal frame (at 5-foot-10) and skillset.

The Browns plan to stop sending out two offensive units simultaneously, a tactic deployed due to the unique four-man QB battle, according to Stefanski. This transition will lead to fewer reps, further increasing Sanders’ degree of difficulty as a developmental option. As it stands, Sanders faces a “Super Bowl LI”-like uphill climb to win the job, Breer concludes, adding he has gained ground since workouts started.

Although Sanders was a much-rumored first-round candidate, falling to fifth for myriad reasons made it unrealistic he would win the Browns’ Week 1 job. Fifth-round rookies are almost never in QB competitions in the first place, making this training camp more of a developmental stage for the second-generation pro.

At the preseason’s conclusion, the Browns will need to decide if they want to carry four quarterbacks — a genuine possibility — on their 53-man roster. Gabriel looks close to a roster lock here, with Sanders the wild card. Pickett’s injury would open a door for the Browns regarding an IR move, as a way to retain both rookies, but it would seem unlikely the team would proceed that way with a player firmly in the mix for the Week 1 job. (The team is not planning to trade one of its rookie arms.) Sanders would need to pass through waivers to reach Cleveland’s practice squad, further complicating the situation.

Jimmy Haslam also fielded a question about Arch Manning this week. While the owner cannot realistically comment on the Browns’ path to the soon-to-be Texas starter, he did voice a belief (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) the QB will stay in school for the 2026 season (kicking the can to the 2027 draft). Haslam mentioned his relationship with the Manning family in offering that prediction.

Even if Manning is unlikely to declare for the 2026 draft, next year is projected to include a much deeper class compared to 2025. The Browns having two first-round picks seemingly came in preparation for that. For now, Gabriel and Sanders continue to make their cases about future duty while the Flacco-Pickett veteran matchup represents the far more likely decider for Week 1 this season.

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