Giants Make First Wave Of Roster Cuts
Over the next few days, NFL teams will trim their roster down to 53 players. The Giants began their first wave of cuts on Friday with the following eight players (via a team announcement):
- WR Jordan Bly
- ILB K.J. Cloyd
- CB O’Donnell Fortune
- ILB Dyontae Johnson
- C Jimmy Morrissey
- WR Zach Pascal
- WR Montrell Washington
- OL Jaison Williams
Every player listed was waived except for Pascal, a vested veteran with seven accrued seasons. The other seven will be subject to waivers until Wednesday’s claiming deadline, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire. None are expected to stay in New York on the Giants’ practice squad, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
Pascal is now able to sign with any team, though his lack of meaningful offensive production since 2021 may force him to take a spot on a practice squad. He recorded back-to-back 600-yard seasons for the Colts in 2019 and 2020, but his output has waned since. The 30-year-old wideout has grown into a special teams contributor as his offensive snaps decreased, which helped him earn a veteran minimum contract in New York this offseason. Pascal’s contract only included $90k in guarantees, per OverTheCap, which will remain as dead money on the Giants’ 2025 salary cap.
NFC South Notes: Bucs, Tuttle, Falcons
Jason Licht managed to stick around to make the Tom Brady signing despite the Buccaneers missing six straight playoff brackets to start his GM tenure. Licht said (via The Athletic’s Dan Pompei) he feared he would be fired after starting 27-53 during his first five years. But the Bucs gave him a five-year extension in summer 2019. In his sixth draft as Bucs GM, Licht chose Devin White fifth overall. The high-end linebacker prospect flashed early and earned an All-Pro nod, but a penchant for freelancing led the Bucs to bench him — after a trade request amid a pursuit of a top-five ILB contract. Licht now admits White would have been “off my board” had he received a do-over, indicating the off-ball LB’s Tampa Bay stay was “too much about him.”
Licht also missed on first-rounders Vernon Hargreaves, O.J. Howard and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from 2016-21, but the Bucs’ drafts during the late 2010s through the 2020 virtual event helped form their Super Bowl LV core. As for White, he washed out of Philly after signing a one-year deal worth $4MM. He did not play a down for the Super Bowl LIX champions last season; after a stop in Houston, White rejoined Brady in Las Vegas (on a one-year, $1.17MM deal with no guarantees) this offseason.
Here is the latest from the NFC South:
- Shy Tuttle started 32 Panthers games from 2023-24, but the team both added reinforcements via free agency and has seen Derrick Brown return from a season-altering injury. The Panthers signed Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown to play up front alongside Derrick Brown, leaving Tuttle without a defined role. Tuttle is on Carolina’s roster bubble, per The Athletic’s Joe Person, who has Cam Jackson and A’Shawn Robinson — one of many ex-Rams on Ejiro Evero‘s third Panthers defense — making the team as backups over Tuttle. The Panthers would take on $6.56MM (spread over two years) by releasing Tuttle, who has made 65 career starts.
- The Panthers should also be monitored for potential late-summer adds at inside linebacker and cornerback, Person notes. Carolina cut Josey Jewell after one season and has not found a home yet. Ex-Ram Christian Rozeboom is in place to start alongside 2024 third-rounder Trevin Wallace. At corner, the Panthers have Michael Jackson and Chau Smith-Wade set to play regular roles alongside Jaycee Horn. The Panthers used their No. 1 waiver priority to claim three CBs last August; even with a lesser priority spot, more moves to bolster their defense could be coming Wednesday.
- Falcons swing tackle Storm Norton is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing ankle surgery this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. Norton re-signed on a two-year, $3MM deal this offseason. More significantly, the Falcons are without starting RT Kaleb McGary due to a leg injury. McGary will miss time, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but the nature of the injury (and the recently extended player’s expected absence length) are not yet known. McGary signed a two-year, $30MM extension ($28.48MM fully guaranteed) during training camp. Elijah Wilkinson has seen more time at guard in recent years, but the ex-Broncos swing tackle took over at RT after McGary was carted off, per Falcons.com’s Tori McElhaney. An outside addition should probably not be ruled out, but McGary’s timetable will be key on that end.
- The Saints hired former center LeCharles Bentley as a personnel and performance consultant. Bentley, who made the Pro Bowl at two positions (center, guard) during his Saints rookie-contract stay in the early 2000s, has been training O-linemen during offseasons for many years. The four-year Saints starter who suffered a career-ending injury shortly after signing with the Browns in 2006, Bentley has assisted with film study, at practice and in the weight room thus far, according to Saints.com’s John DeShazier. The 45-year-old staffer’s four Saints seasons doubled as Mickey Loomis‘ first four as GM.
Patriots Begin Roster Cuts
The deadline for final roster cuts looms, and teams often get a head start on such moves with players known to be on the wrong side of the bubble. In the case of the Patriots, that has resulted in 14 players being let go early.
Head coach Mike Vrabel announced on Friday (h/t Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that the following players have been cut:
- TE Jaheim Bell
- RB Micah Bernard
- DT Philip Blidi
- DB Isaiah Bolden
- TE Cole Fotheringham
- WR Phil Lutz
- LB RJ Moten
- DT Kyle Peko
- DB Jordan Polk
- LB Monty Rice
- G Tyrese Robinson
- G Sidy Sow
- RB Shane Watts
- QB Ben Wooldridge
Each player listed will be eligible to join New England’s practice squad next week, although anyone cut at this time should not be considered a priority (for the Patriots or any other team) in that regard. Wooldridge being let go means that, for the time being, New England only has two quarterbacks on the roster. Drake Maye will of course handle starting duties, but veteran backup Josh Dobbs may not be a roster lock. Especially in the wake of today’s moves, the QB position will be one to watch closely.
A number of relatively recent draft picks are included in the list of players likely moving on. Sow and Bolden were respectively selected in the fourth and seventh rounds in 2023, with Sow handling a first-team role as a rookie. He made only one start last season, however, and was not positioned to serve as a key member of the Patriots’ renovated O-line under Vrabel and his new regime.
Bell joined New England as a seventh-round pick last year. He hardly saw the field on offense but chipped in on special teams. Rice – who logged a 56% third phase snap share during his three Patriots games in 2024 – represents another core special teams presence who will need to be retained via the taxi squad or replaced in the coming days.
Lions’ Alim McNeill Ahead Of Schedule; Josh Paschal Likely To Start Season On NFI List?
One of many impactful injuries the Lions suffered on defense in 2024 was Alim McNeill‘s ACL tear. The fifth-year defensive tackle continues to recover, and his latest update on his status is a positive one. 
“The way we’re trending now, yeah, we’re definitely ahead of schedule,” McNeill said when addressing his rehab process (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I don’t know timeline-wise, I have no clue. Like a date-wise, I would never say. But I’m feeling really good.”
Earlier this summer, late October or early November was floated as a rough point for McNiell to be back in the fold. The 25-year-old’s injury occurred in December, leading to surgery (which he noted also included a meniscal repair). No setbacks have taken place, though, leading to an encouraging adjustment to the projected return date in this case. General manager Brad Holmes said earlier this summer McNiell could be available earlier than first expected.
If that proves to be the case, Detroit’s defensive line will receive a major boost sometime in the fall. Levi Onwuzurike re-signed on a one-year pact but his ACL tear from last month will sideline him for the entire season. That will leave the Lions without a key presence at the defensive tackle spot and presumably lead to a heavy early workload for first-round rookie Tyleik Williams. D.J. Reader remains in place, but getting McNeill (who is on the books through 2028 thanks to his lucrative extension signed last offseason) back relatively quickly will be welcomed.
In other Lions injury news, defensive end Josh Paschal is not on the verge of returning to game action. Head coach Dan Campbell said (via Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network) Paschal is unlikely to be activated from the non-football injury list in the near future. With roster cuts looming, decisions on injured players and their return designations will need to be made soon. If Paschal remains on the NFI list to begin the campaign, he will be forced to miss at least Detroit’s first four games.
The 25-year-old is entering the final season of his rookie contract, an after handling a snap share of 61% in 2024 Paschal will be expected to remain a key figure on the D-line when healthy. He has only five sacks to his name but a strong showing this year could result in a notable free agent market. For now, though, attention will remain focused on the recovery process.
Colts’ Xavien Howard Turned Aside 2024 Offers; CB On Track For Starting Role?
Xavien Howard‘s time outside the NFL came to an end this week when he joined the Colts. The 2024 campaign came and went without a deal in his case, but that was not due to a lack of interest. 
“I did have opportunities, I just feel like it wasn’t the right situation for me,” the former All-Pro corner said when reflecting on how last year played out (via the team’s website). “So I gave it a shot, I’m like OK, I just can wait [until] next year and hopefully something will happen, and something ended up happening.”
Howard, 32, was released by the Dolphins last spring, ending his eight-year Miami tenure. Few suitors emerged during his free agent tenure, although a midseason visit with the Bengals took place. No deal was worked out, but the visit allowed Howard and then-defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to reconnect. Anarumo is now in charge of the Colts’ defense, so it came as little surprise when Indianapolis became Howard’s eventual 2025 destination.
The four-time Pro Bowler has twice led the league in interceptions during a season, and he has amassed 29 over the course of his career. Howard’s playmaking dried up toward the end of his Dolphins tenure with just one pick in each of the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, although he totaled 24 pass deflections over that span. A return to form after a lengthy absence would be welcomed in Howard’s case since it would help his free agent prospects next spring; it may also wind up being necessary from the team’s perspective.
The Colts’ depth chart for their final preseason contest lists Howard as a starter at the cornerback position. Free agent signing Charvarius Ward is locked into one first-team spot on the perimeter, while returnee Kenny Moore will again be counted on as a key figure in the slot. Indianapolis has already been hit hard by injuries in the secondary, however, leaving the door open to Howard earning a starting gig in short order. Veterans added in August rarely take on more than a depth role with their new teams, but an exception could be in store in this case.
Jerry Jones Accuses Micah Parsons’ Agent Of Obstructing Negotiations
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reaffirmed a hard stance in the team’s extension negotiations with Micah Parsons on Thursday, insisting that the two sides had already agreed to a deal and blaming the lack of progress on Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta.
“When we wanted to send the details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our [expletive],” said Jones in an interview with Michael Irvin. Mulugheta has since denied that claim, per Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS.
“We had our agreement on term, amount, guarantees, everything,” continued Jones, referencing a conversation he had with Parsons earlier this offseason. “We’ve got this deal resolved, in my mind, for the Dallas Cowboys.” Jones also said that his agreement with Parsons “would have made him the highest guaranteed player other than a quarterback in the NFL.”
“The world would know that I want Micah if they knew what I offered him,” added Jones. That offer, according to Hill, was worth more than $40MM per year with almost $200MM in guaranteed money.
However, Parsons has since demanded that the Cowboys reach out to Mulugheta to finalize the contract. Jones, believing he already had a deal, hasn’t been willing to do that, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Parsons said upon requesting a trade he viewed his conversation with Jones as informal and that Mulugheta needed to be brought into the loop to conduct true negotiations.
A $200MM guarantee of any sort would also suggest the Cowboys offered an extension beyond four years or potentially beyond five; we heard earlier this offseason term length could pose an issue in this negotiation. No EDGE is tied to a guarantee beyond $124MM, and the top DEs and rush OLBs are on three- or four-year deals. While the Cowboys traditionally prefer longer-term structures, players — for the most part — are not signing committing to teams beyond four years anymore.
Jones has a well-documented history of trying to negotiate directly with players rather than through their agents and referenced such agreements with Irvin in their interview. He also revealed that he once shut down negotiations with a prospective coach because he wanted to involve an “advisor.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me…talking directly to a player,” Jones said. But there might be.
In 2023, the NFL sent a memo to every team regarding a non-NFLPA certified agent trying to negotiate on the behalf of Lamar Jackson, per Around The NFL’s Nick Shook. That memo included a reminder that, under Article 48 of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, “an Offer Sheet, which may result in an NFL Player Contract, may only be negotiated with the player, if he is acting on his own behalf, or with the player’s NFLPA certified agent.” The memo also warned that “Violation of this rule may result in disapproval of any Offer Sheet or resulting Player Contract entered into by Mr. Jackson and the new Club.”
At the end of the interview, Jones leaned on Irvin to reach out Parsons personally to set up a meeting with Jones and “bridge this gap.”
“His agent should be involved in terms of papering it and all that kind of stuff,” said Jones, but he maintained his position that agents shouldn’t be involved in negotiations beyond formalities and paperwork.
Jones also referenced the potential to place the franchise tag on Parsons in 2026 and 2027 on multiple occasions.
“We can have him three years without having this agreement,” said Jones, comparing the situation to the Cowboys’ use of the franchise tag on Dak Prescott in 2020 and 2021.
“It’s exactly what happened with Dak,” explained Jones. “The precedent is handling it like Dak.” However, as noted by Hill, Prescott did not entertain direct talks with the Cowboys and forced them to negotiate with his agent. That eventually resulted in a four-year, $160MM agreement reached shortly after the tag was applied in 2021. By waiting as long as they did to extend Prescott, the Cowboys gave him what became overwhelming leverage. That chain of events led to the extraordinarily player-friendly extension agreed to in September 2024.
Parsons is set to make $24MM on his fifth-year option this season. He was designated as a defensive end for his fifth-year option, which would likely continue for the franchise tag, resulting in a projected cost of $26.54MM in 2026 and $31.84MM in 2027, per OverTheCap. Obviously, $58.38MM over two years is significantly less than what Parsons stands to earn from an extension with the Cowboys.
Jones also seemed to issue a warning to his star player against holding out into the regular season: “In this particular case, then Micah comes in and plays this year under his contract. If he doesn’t, it’s very costly. Very costly for everybody.”
For now, the lack of communication between Parson and the Cowboys is a fundamental obstacle to any progress in negotiations, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Parsons issues his trade request nearly three weeks ago. A lack of communication by this point — for a franchise that prolonged Prescott and CeeDee Lamb negotiations last year — does not reflect well on the Cowboys’ negotiating strategies.
“You can’t get a deal done if you’re not even talking,” said Schefter on his podcast. “The two sides haven’t had any negotiations since late March or early April. And it sounds like at this point it’s personal. It sounds like each side is dug in.”
“Both sides seem to be angry,” added Schefter, who noted that other teams have resolved similar situations but said that may not be the result in this case.
“I see these two sides headed towards a divorce in time,” continued Schefter. “It certainly doesn’t feel like these two sides want to enter a long-term relationship together.” Jones, meanwhile, clearly believes that he has a longer runway to keep Parsons in Dallas.
“We’ve really got three years to work this thing out,” Jones told Irvin.
Indeed, according to The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson, the relationship between the two sides “has not deteriorated to the point of an imminent divorce from the team’s perspective” and “the club remains unrattled at this time.” But Jones’ comments Thursday have not helped matters. Parsons took the step of removing Cowboys material from his X page. That is fairly standard practice during contentious negotiations, but it does not appear the sides are anywhere close to a resolution at this point. That would put Parsons to a decision, as a holdout would be the next step here.
Saints, Browns, Chiefs Seeking RB Trade
As Wednesday illustrated (on several occasions), this time on the NFL calendar often breeds trades. The countdown to final roster cuts continues, and further swaps could be coming soon as a result. 
Running back could be a position to watch on the trade front. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports the Saints, Browns and Chiefs have each been making calls about an addition at that spot. This comes at a time when Commanders back Brian Robinson is known to be available.
No specific suitors have been tied to Robinson yet, but any number of teams could show interest in the pending 2026 free agent. If any of New Orleans, Cleveland or Kansas City were to do so, a swap would become something to watch for in advance of Week 1. The three teams have varying needs regarding a backfield addition.
The Saints will once again have Alvin Kamara leading the way in 2025. A new deal signed last summer has the five-time Pro Bowler on the books for another two years, and $3MM of his base salary for next season is already guaranteed. Any new arrival would be viewed as a backup option amongst the likes of Kendre Miller and free agent additions Cam Akers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
The Browns elected not to retain Nick Chubb this offseason, and he eventually joined the Texans on the open market. Cleveland’s backfield will once again involved Jerome Ford on a regular basis, and second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins is expected to be available during the regular season. Domestic violence charges were recently dropped against the Ohio State product, presumably paving the way for him to sign his rookie deal (although a league investigation is ongoing). Cleveland also has returnee Pierre Strong along with fourth-rounder Dylan Sampson in the backfield.
The Chiefs still have Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt atop their RB depth chart entering 2025. Pacheco was limited to seven regular season contests last year, and when on the field he averaged by far the lowest yards per carry average (3.7) of his three-year career. One season remains on Pacheco’s rookie contract, and Hunt is also a pending free agent. Kansas City added Elijah Mitchell in free agency on a one-year deal, so any trade could be aimed at adding a more permanent backfield presence. It is uncommon, however, for players with multiple years left on their contracts to be dealt at this time.
Each of New Orleans (roughly $20.5MM in cap space), Cleveland ($19MM) and Kansas City ($17MM) could easily afford a rental addition in the backfield. Over the coming days, it will be interesting to see if one of more of those teams executes a trade acquisition.
Patriots’ Ja’Lynn Polk To Miss 2025 Season
Ja’Lynn Polk had been viewed as a candidate to miss final roster cuts with the Patriots this summer. The second-year wideout’s attention will now turn to matter of recovery, however. 
Polk is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. Multiple specialists were consulted before the decision was made to move forward with the procedure, he adds. Polk will now aim to return to full health in time for the 2026 campaign.
Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Polk entered the league with high expectations based on his success at the college level. The Texas Tech product transferred to Washington in 2021 and enjoyed a strong finish to his career with the Huskies. His final season produced personal bests in catches (69), yards (1,159) and touchdowns (nine).
During his rookie campaign with New England, though, Polk made just 12 catches on 33 targets. The team’s offense as a whole struggled mightily last season, leading to a slew of changes over the past several months. With a new regime in place, Polk – along with fellow 2024 draftee Javon Baker – loomed as a cut candidate at the end of training camp. Given today’s news, he can simply be moved to injured reserve and retained through next year.
The Patriots are positioned to move forward with Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas as starters at the receiver spot. Rookie Kyle Williams and Kendrick Bourne (presuming the latter is not released next week) are also set to have a role in the passing game in 2025, while undrafted free agent Efton Chism has enjoyed a strong camp to the point where is expected to make the Week 1 roster. A decision will not need to be with respect to Polk anymore, but Baker’s status will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
By the time he is back to full strength in 2026, Polk will have two years remaining on his rookie contract. His Patriots future will presumably be unclear once again at that point, and a decision on retaining him or moving on will be impacted by the performance of New England’s other wideouts this season.
Giants Not Making Jameis Winston Available In Trades
Jaxson Dart capped off a promising preseason tonight. While Brian Daboll continues to reaffirm Russell Wilson‘s starter status, calls for the rookie to receive the call will be plentiful in the coming weeks.
While Daboll has (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) labeled Dart as developing and Wilson his starter, Jameis Winston is also rostered. The Giants gave Winston a two-year, $8MM deal days before signing Wilson. Some in the team’s building preferred Winston to Wilson during free agency. But the former No. 1 overall pick hovers in a gray area for now, making it worth wondering if the Giants would consider moving on early.
Assistant GM Brandon Brown attempted to shoot that down, saying this week (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) Winston is “a New York Giant” and noted the 11th-year passer wants to stay. This reinforces what NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo had heard about this situation previously. Moving past some early-career off-field trouble, Winston has become something of a character as he has traveled the league. The 2024 Browns fill-in drew interest from the 49ers and Chargers on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. It took until March 21 for Winston to sign, however.
The Giants having both Winston and Wilson would stand to represent overkill behind Dart (if/once the rookie takes over this year), though the team’s QB reserves obviously became an issue a few times this decade. It would be perhaps a slight surprise if all three of New York’s top passers remained on the roster by season’s end — especially if Dart proves ready by then. Winston being signed to a two-year deal would give the Giants a multiyear Dart backup and/or a player to reevaluate trading in 2026.
A report earlier this month pegged the Giants in being OK leaving the first-round rookie on the bench for the full season. Based on the rate at which Round 1 QBs play as rookies (and considering Wilson’s post-Seattle struggles), it would be shocking if Dart did not play this season. After a 32-for-47, 372-yard, three-touchdown preseason, the Ole Miss product certainly helped his cause for early-season playing time. Would that inevitable promotion then move Wilson, rather than Winston, to the trade block?
An unquestioned starter between beating out Matt Flynn in 2012 and being benched in Week 17 of the 2023 season, Wilson will generate an interesting Hall of Fame debate down the road. He is tied to a one-year, $10.5MM deal ($10MM guaranteed). The Giants also face the NFL’s toughest schedule, and that docket includes road games against the Commanders and Cowboys before Chiefs and Chargers home tilts. Although a reprieve (via the Saints) comes in Week 5, the Giants go Eagles-Broncos-Eagles after that.
It is possible the team will want Wilson to navigate that schedule early, but with Daboll and GM Joe Schoen on hot seats, an understandable temptation to play the QB they drafted will probably emerge. With Tommy DeVito perhaps headed for the practice squad (or potentially elsewhere) next week, how the Giants proceed with Wilson and Winston before the November 4 deadline will be an interesting QB storyline to monitor. Wilson has changed teams thrice since 2022; how likely is it that he moves again before season’s end?
Curtis Samuel On Bills’ Roster Bubble; Mitch Trubisky Leading QB2 Battle
A host of experienced players accompany Keon Coleman in the Bills’ wide receiver room. Joshua Palmer is a roster lock, and Elijah Moore — who has seen plenty of work in place of an injured Khalil Shakir this month — has been viewed as fairly safe. One other veteran does not appear to be on steady ground.
Once Shakir recovers from the high ankle sprain he suffered earlier this month, the recently extended receiver will reprise his role as Buffalo’s top slot option. Coleman and Palmer will join him as regulars, leaving questions about how the Bills round out their room. One player needing to make a late push appears to be Curtis Samuel, who has two seasons remaining on a three-year, $24MM deal. Further complicating the situation: Samuel’s 2025 base salary ($6.91MM) is guaranteed.
[RELATED: Assessing Bills’ Extension-Filled Offseason]
But the Bills are not certain to keep the former second-round pick, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia notes. Samuel battled back from a hamstring injury to log a full practice for the first time this week, per Buscaglia, who adds the eighth-year veteran’s lack of involvement on special teams complicates his path to a second Bills roster.
Buffalo has Laviska Shenault in place as a return option, with third-year UDFA Tyrell Shavers and low-cost free agency addition Kristian Wilkerson also in the mix for back-end roster spots. Shavers (three career games played) is among those who impressed in Samuel’s absence, Buscaglia adds.
Samuel, 29, did not impress much in his first Bills season; he caught 31 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown before adding two more TDs in the playoffs. Ex-Panthers old enough to have been in Charlotte under Brandon Beane and/or Sean McDermott have been popular commodities in Buffalo, as the Shaq Thompson addition reinforces, but Samuel’s guarantee is not locking him into another Bills plan just yet (the Panthers drafted Samuel during Beane’s final draft with the team; Samuel also overlapped with OC Joe Brady in Carolina).
If Buffalo were to cut Samuel, a lofty dead money hit ($8.64MM) would await this year. Another $3MM-plus would be part of Buffalo’s 2026 payroll, per OverTheCap, due to the post-June 1 timing of a release. Samuel also looms as a potential trade candidate, Buscaglia adds.
Considering the ex-Panthers and Commanders slot weapon’s inconsistency, the Bills would undoubtedly need to pay some of his base salary to facilitate a swap. Teams are looking, however, as the Jets and Vikings — and perhaps still the 49ers, even after their Skyy Moore acquisition — are among those on the hunt at receiver.
Shifting to the battle to back up Josh Allen, Buscaglia notes Mitch Trubisky holds a lead on Mike White. Outplaying White in the joint practice with the Bears, Trubisky winning the job would merely mean holding off a player who spent last season on Buffalo’s practice squad. But the Bills did extend White via his reserve/futures deal, giving the ex-Jets starter a chance to vie for the QB2 gig.
Neither Trubisky nor White impressed much in the Bears’ 38-0 win over the Bills last week, and determining a backup has not been a Bills issue — due to an Allen games-played streak that stretches back to his rookie year — in a while. But the former No. 2 overall pick, who is heading into his age-31 season, may be moving closer to hanging onto the job he held in 2024 (and before that in 2021). Trubisky has a $1MM salary guarantee and is tied to a $3.25MM cap number; White is at just $1.2MM on Buffalo’s cap.