Cardinals CB Starling Thomas Suffers Torn ACL
2:25pm: Thomas has landed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. That move confirms he will join Murphy-Bunting in missing the entire 2025 campaign. Fellow cornerback Jaden Davis – who inked a futures deal in January – is also on IR.
11:56am: Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas suffered a torn ACL during Friday’s practice, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Thomas will likely miss all of 2025 as a result.
Thomas, 25, signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He impressed in his first training camp with Detroit but was unable to make the club’s 53-man roster at the end of the summer. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers, and by the end of his rookie season, he had become a full-time starter.
He continued to operate in that capacity in 2024, appearing in a full complement of games and starting 15 of them en route to a 75% snap share. While his peformance last season was certainly an improvement on his rookie showing, he has not yet made much of an impression in terms of surface-level stats or advanced metrics.
Pro Football Focus assigned Thomas an uninspiring 60.9 overall grade (with a matching coverage grade) in 2024, which placed him 76th out of 116 qualified corners. The UAB product also surrendered a 100.6 quarterback rating and is still waiting for his first career interception. He tallied just six passes defensed in his 820 defensive snaps last year.
While ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss believes the Cardinals are well-equipped to withstand Thomas’ absence, the team was seemingly counting on him to remain a key contributor in the secondary. As Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic writes, Thomas and second-round rookie Will Johnson were splitting reps at one outside corner spot, with 2024 second-rounder Max Melton getting the lion’s share of the looks on the opposite side.
With veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting set to miss the entire 2025 campaign as well, the Cardinals could look to the free agent market for reinforcements. The team’s CB room is comprised largely of young talent like Melton, Johnson, 2023 third-rounder Garrett Williams, 2024 third-rounder Elijah Jones, and fifth-round rookie Denzel Burke.
On the other hand, as Weinfuss suggested when Thomas first suffered the injury (video link), Arizona may feel it has enough depth even without Murphy-Bunting and Thomas in the mix.
Rams, RB Kyren Williams Nearing Extension?
It sounds as if extension talks between the Rams and running back Kyren Williams are continuing to trend in the right direction. As was the case with spring work, Williams timely reported to training camp, and he emphatically stated he would be a full practice participant while negotiations are ongoing (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic).
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters (including Rodrigue) that Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, spent time at the team’s training camp site on Thursday to discuss Williams’ contract with Los Angeles brass. No agreement is in place yet, but McVay conceded that the mere fact Rosenhaus made the trip is an indication that discussions are going well.
McVay expressed similar sentiments back in May, so it is unclear how much work remains to be done before the two sides strike an accord. In any event, the Rams understandably will not reset the running back market for Williams, and it is difficult to predict exactly where his new contract will rank among the deals his RB peers have secured.
The top of the market is set by game-changing talents like Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM average annual value), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM). While the soon-to-be 25-year-old Williams has the age advantage on those players, he does not have nearly the same record of production.
Williams, a fifth-round pick in 2022, saw just 35 totes in his rookie season. He exploded onto the scene in 2023 with a league-leading average of 95.3 rushing yards per game to go along with a stellar 5.0 yards-per-carry rate. He added 206 receiving yards for good measure and piled up 15 total touchdowns.
Increased usage in 2024 (316 carries, as opposed to 228 in 2023) was accompanied by a drop in efficiency. Williams’ 4.1 YPC mark in 2024, while solid, was not stellar, and he also fumbled five times. He nonetheless remained a touchdown and first down machine, recording 16 total scores and moving the chains a total of 91 times.
As such, it would not be surprising to see Williams hit the $10MM/year threshold, an AAV that seven other running backs presently enjoy. Barring an unforeseen development, an extension should be expected sooner rather than later.
Dolphins, S Minkah Fitzpatrick Agree To Reworked Deal
Shortly after hiring agent Drew Rosenhaus, Minkah Fitzpatrick has secured a reworked deal from the Dolphins. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports, Miami has added a $16.245MM signing bonus to Fitzpatrick’s thru-2026 contract, which previously contained no more guaranteed money (Schefter’s ESPN colleague, Marcel Louis-Jacques, offered a minor correction on the bonus amount, which is reportedly $16.435MM).
No years were added to the pact, so Fitzpatrick remains eligible for free agency after the 2026 season. He was previously due to earn $15.5MM in base salary in 2025, and while he was not in jeopardy of missing out on that money given that he was just acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Steelers, the extra security and expedited cash flow is surely a welcome development.
Rosenhaus said he and Fitzpatrick are comfortable with the restructure and will continue to work towards an extension. It is nonetheless fair to wonder how anxious the ‘Fins will be to put an extension in place since they do not yet know how their former first-round pick will fare in new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s scheme. Plus, despite earning Pro Bowl accolades in each of the last two seasons, Fitzpatrick was not as effective from either an advanced metrics or ball production perspective over the 2023-24 campaigns as he was earlier in his career.
The revised pact will result in a $2MM bump in 2025 pay for Fitzpatrick, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. That money was moved from what Fitzpatrick was due to earn in 2026, so the 28-year-old will thus be in line for $17.5MM in 2026 and $15.6MM in 2026, and the salary-to-signing bonus mechanism (as confirmed by ESPN’s Field Yates) will result in $11MM in cap savings on this year’s ledger. That represented a key need for the Dolphins, who had just over $1MM in cap space and who now have increased flexibility to conduct in-season business.
Re-acquiring Fitzpatrick was part of Miami’s major offseason overhaul in the secondary, which will see four new starters in 2025. The club recently signed Jack Jones and Mike Hilton in an effort to address a dire cornerback situation that was exacerbated by the Ramsey departure.
Jets QB Justin Fields Returns To Practice On Limited Basis
JULY 27: Fields took part in individual drills and 7-on-7 work on Saturday, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. The club’s new QB1 thrived in the 7-on-7 session, showing good mobility and completing all six of his passes, including one touchdown toss.
Fields did not take any 11-on-11 reps, and Glenn says the passer still has “a ways to go” before he returns to full participation. Still, a frightening situation is clearly trending in the right direction.
JULY 24, 9:30pm: Fields’ injury is not considered significant, Cimini reports. In spite of the relatively positive update, missed time should still in store. Per Vacchiano, Fields could be sidelined for a portion of training camp along with some or all of the preseason. Both follow-up reports indicate a return to full health in time for Week 1 is expected, and the team has since confirmed Fields is dealing with a dislocated toe, a much less severe ailment than some of the alternative outcomes.
10:07am: Jets quarterback Justin Fields was carted off the field this morning after suffering a dislocated toe during practice, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The severity of Fields’ injury remains unknown, but the Jets appear to have avoided a worst-case scenario with a toe injury rather than one to the knee or lower leg. Furthermore, the affected toe was not fractured, nor is it the big toe, per Rapoport.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) that he believes Fields’ toe was stepped on during a play. The 26-year-old quarterback is expected to undergo more tests to determine how long he will be sidelined.
Glenn expressed confidence in Fields’ backup, Tyrod Taylor, a journeyman quarterback who played for four different teams over the past five seasons.
“We have an outstanding backup in Tyrod, who’s been in this league for around 14 years,” said Glenn. “[With] the leadership he brings, we’re all good.” Glenn also noted that Taylor brings a similar skillset to Fields that will allow the Jets to continue developing their offense with minimal interruption.
“I don’t think there’s any drop-off as far as what we want to do in terms of play-calling,” continued Glenn (via FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano). “We’re all excited to have that guy here.”
That excitement won’t continue if Fields’ injury is more severe and he ends up sidelined for an extended period of time. It appears initially that the Jets have avoided major disaster, but further testing will provide a more definitive outlook.
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin Reports To Camp; No Extension In Place
Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who held out of the first several days of training camp as part of his effort to secure a lucrative extension, has reported to the team, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. However, there is no new contract in place, and Washington has put McLaurin on the active/PUP list with an ankle injury.
In addressing the situation, head coach Dan Quinn said McLaurin will work off to the side with trainers to get his ankle better (via ESPN’s John Keim). It is unclear whether McLaurin will practice with the club once he has fully recovered.
While Keim notes McLaurin was dealing with an injury to the same ankle at the end of last season, multiple writers appear skeptical about the ailment. Schefter suggests McLaurin is simply engaging in a hold-in rather than a holdout, and JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington said, “I bet [the ankle] would get better with an 8 figure check.”
Indeed, Keim confirms today’s development does not mean there has been progress towards an agreement, and player and team will continue discussions in that regard. McLaurin has not publicly indicated what he is seeking in negotiations, but Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post suggests his floor could be $32MM – $33MM per year. In terms of average annual value, that would place McLaurin among the top-six highest earners at the wide receiver position, though guarantees and cash flow are generally more important benchmarks.
Offering a slightly more optimistic take than Keim, ESPN’s Field Yates says McLaurin’s reporting is “maybe” a sign that the parties have bridged at least some of the gap between them. In any event, hold-ins are typically viewed as a more effective negotiating tool than holdouts, and McLaurin surely wanted to stop the accrual of daily fines that accompanied his holdout. McLaurin missed three days of minicamp and four days of training camp, pushing his fine total to $305K (via Jhabvala). He also missed out on a $500K workout bonus.
McLaurin’s age (30 in September) could make it harder for him to join younger peers like Garrett Wilson (25) and D.K. Metcalf (27), who are making between $32MM to $33MM per year on their new deals. Nonetheless, McLaurin’s importance to the Commanders is obvious, and trading the two-time Pro Bowler would surely run counter to the team’s goal of another deep postseason run.
For now, Quinn – who said he spoke with McLaurin Saturday night – is simply glad to have the franchise stalwart in the building.
“It was great,” Quinn said (via Keim). “I’m really pumped that he’s here.”
The HC added, “On the business side, [GM Adam Peters] and the guys are still working hard with Terry and his reps. While on PUP, it’s just like we do with other guys — work with the trainers to get back as soon as he can.”
In a corresponding move, the Commanders have waived Fentrell Cypress II with an injury designation. Cypress was a priority undrafted free agent in this year’s class and secured $145K in guarantees. Washington clearly did not see enough from him in spring practices or the first few days of training camp to keep him on the roster.
Vikings, S Josh Metellus Agree To Extension
Vikings safety Josh Metellus was heading into the 2025 NFL season on a contract year with a $6.54MM cap hit. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team has secured the defender long term by signing him to a three-year, $36MM extension.
Adding onto the end of his current deal, the extension keeps Metellus under contract through the 2028 season. Per Schefter, Metellus’ new deal comes with $25MM in guaranteed money and has a potential maximum value of $42MM with contract incentives. 
Coming out of Minnesota’s 15-man 2020 draft class, Metellus is one of three players drafted by the team that year to still be on the roster — the other two being Justin Jefferson and backup offensive lineman Blake Brandel.
For much of his first two seasons, Metellus was a special teamer, coming off the bench for significant snaps for the first time in the final game of his sophomore campaign. He played a similar role in 2022, but three Harrison Smith absences allowed Metellus to showcase what he could contribute as a starter. He looked good in his first glimpses with the first team, catching an interception in the first start of his career.
Already, in 2022, the Vikings were beginning to see the potential and versatility Metullus offered to the defense. Most of his snaps came at safety, but he spent about 40 percent of his time on the field roaming into the box or the slot or, occasionally, lining up as an edge rusher or outside cornerback. In 2023, Minnesota made a call that it could no longer allow starters Smith and Camryn Bynum to keep Metellus off the field.
All three safeties started 17 games that season and led the team in defensive snaps played. Bynum worked most often as the deep safety, Smith split his time between the defensive outfield and the box, and Metellus roamed the slot, the box, and the edge in near equal quantities. In fact, aside from outside cornerback, where he logged 29 snaps, Metellus’ least seen position was safety (55 snaps). Playing all over the field in the first year of a two-year, $8MM extension and his first year as a full-time starter, Metellus delivered all over the field. His 116 total tackles were second to only Bynum, and he added 2.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, an interception returned for 43 yards, five passes defensed, and four forced fumbles to boot.
In 2024, Metellus logged fewer starts, but his usage remained the same as he continued to share the field with Smith and Bynum in equal shares. The 2024 season saw Metellus diversify a little less, spending under 100 snaps at edge, outside corner, and safety, but he spent about half his snaps in the box and a quarter in the slot. Once again, he finished second on the team with 103 total tackles, and he logged two tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, two interceptions, five passes defensed, and one forced fumble for good measure.
In 2025, the Vikings will be without their deep safety after Bynum signed a four-year, $60MM deal with the Colts. The backups behind Metellus and Smith — Jay Ward, Theo Jackson, and Mishael Powell — are all young and inexperienced, so Metellus may be making a move back into a more traditional safety spot. Smith will likely take back a free safety role, after playing a bit more strong safety when Bynum was in the picture, while Metellus works as the primary strong safety, allowing him to drift up into the box or slot when necessary.
The idea of an extension for Metellus and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel was first floating around the rumor mill in the days after the Super Bowl. Van Ginkel got his done in May, and after the team addressed an extension for tight end Josh Oliver in June, Metellus became the next focus.
Metellus had missed the first two days of practice in training camp, and while that now looks like he was pushing for an extension, head coach Kevin O’Connell assured the media that they “were being honest” about an ankle injury being the reason for his absences, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Regardless, a little payday should make him feel better. He’s expected to sit out Saturday practices and return to the field on Monday under his new contract. He’s already outperformed his sixth-round draft slot and his $8MM extension; now, the Vikings will be hoping he can take another step and outperform this one, as well.
QB Matthew Stafford Has Back Soreness; Rams Using Altered Practice Approach
Back soreness resulted in Matthew Stafford being limited to start training camp. Instead of returning to practice this coming week, the Super Bowl winner will be sidelined. 
Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Saturday (via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop) that Stafford is still expected to be at full strength in time for Week 1. For now, though, the 37-year-old is considered week-to-week.
“I don’t think we can be smart enough with somebody like Matthew [Stafford] and I think it’s best for him, best for our football team, and that’s kind of the plan that we’ll have moving forward,” McVay said of the team’s amended practice schedule which will be implemented this summer.
McVay also noted (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) that Stafford is on board with the plan to manage his workload during camp. The team will also employ a “modified schedule” for practice with other veterans on the offensive side of the ball. Longevity through the campaign is the target as Los Angeles aims for another postseason run in 2025.
Keeping Stafford in particular healthy will of course be critical to the team’s success. He was able to handle a full campaign last year, only sitting out the regular season finale with the Rams having already clinched the NFC West title. A sustained run of availability will also be key given the commitments which are in place beyond the 2025 campaign.
The Rams allowed Stafford to survey his trade market this offseason before ultimately working out another restructured pact. The two-time Pro Bowler is scheduled to collect $84MM over the next two years, with $56MM of that figure – including $16MM in 2026 – fully guaranteed. No long-term successor is in place, so Stafford’s healthy and level of play will remain central in determining the team’s fate for at least another two years.
In the meantime, veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo and 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett will handle practice reps at the quarterback spot. Stafford will see time as camp progresses, but his ability to avoid any setbacks will be a storyline to monitor leading up to the regular season.
Dolphins Sign CBs Jack Jones, Mike Hilton
After a season-ending injury to Artie Burns, the Dolphins are making two veteran additions to their cornerback room.
The first is former Patriots and Raiders cornerback Jack Jones in a signing made official on Saturday, per a team announcement. Jones started 16 games for the Raiders last season and led the team with three interceptions and 16 passes defended.
The second, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is veteran slot corner Mike Hilton. Hilton started 23 games over the last two years as the Bengals’ primary nickel, a role he has held in both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh over the last eight seasons.
Cornerback has long been a need for Miami, even before the team traded Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers. Jones primarily plays on the boundary, where he will likely compete for a starting job, while Hilton could be the starting nickel right away if Kader Kohou moves outside. Kohou also appeared to suffer a minor injury in Saturday’s practice, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Jones, a 2022 fourth-rounder, began his career with the Patriots and started two games as a rookie. He was cut five games into the 2023 season after disciplinary issues in New England and claimed off waivers by the Raiders. Jones earned a starting job in Las Vegas by the end of the year and continued it into 2024 but was released by the Raiders in April, presumably as part of the roster turnover that comes with regime change.
Originally an undrafted free agent signing by the Steelers, Hilton is one of the league’s most experienced nickels. His 36 career starts don’t properly represent his contributions, as he maintained a snap share around 60% during his four years in Pittsburgh and stayed above 70% for his next four in Cincinnati. His last two seasons were arguably his best, racking up 13 passes defended and 157 tackles with a whopping 24 tackles for loss.
Hilton earned grades of 77.4 and 75.9 from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2023 and 2024, respectively, his two best marks outside of his breakout rookie season. With a slew of younger corners on the roster, however, the Bengals declined to retain Hilton when his contract expired this year.
The Dolphins waived Ryan Cooper Jr. in a corresponding move to their signing of Jones. Cooper appeared in one game for the Ravens last year and finished the season on the Seahawks’ practices squad.
WR Alec Pierce Does Not Anticipate Colts Extension
Earlier this offseason, it was reported Alec Pierce and the Colts had yet to engage in extension talks. The fourth-year wideout’s camp has in fact spoken to the team about a second contract, but it is still unlikely one will be worked out any time soon. 
Pierce is one of several Day 2 swings Indianapolis has taken at the receiver position under general manager Chris Ballard. The former second-rounder handled a regular offensive role during his rookie season before becoming a full-time starter in 2023. During that period, Pierce saw his yards per catch rate increase but managed only four touchdowns.
This past campaign resulted in a step forward in production despite the Colts’ quarterback issues. Pierce set a new personal best with 824 yards and caught a career-high seven touchdowns. His 22.3 yards per reception average led the NFL. At the age of 25, a raise should be in store on his next deal. It remains to be seen if it will come from Indianapolis, though.
“I haven’t even thought about it too much in terms of myself,” Pierce said when speaking about a potential Colts extension (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star). “My agents might have talked with them a while back, but I feel like on that front, it’s going to be play the season out, kind of see where things go.”
While the door is certainly not closed to an arrangement keeping the Cincinnati product in place beyond 2025, Pierce’s comments strongly indicate he will at least test his market next spring. The Colts have not been shy about retaining in-house players during Ballard’s tenure as GM, although a philosophical shift was implemented this offseason. That could contribute to a 2026 free agent departure in this case.
The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr. on the books for another two years (with his $18MM base salary guaranteed in full for 2025.). He will be counted on to remain the team’s No. 1 wideout irrespective of who earns the starting quarterback gig. Ashton Dulin was re-signed on a two-year pact this offseason, and he will provide Indianapolis with a cost-effective depth option. Pierce is joined by Josh Downs (third round, 2023) and Adonai Mitchell (second round, 2024) as a Colts wideout attached to a rookie contract.
The team would therefore still have low-cost receivers to supplement Pittman in the event Pierce were to leave on the open market. It will be interesting to see if things change and efforts are made to work out a deal as the 2025 season progresses.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/25
Saturday’s minor moves around the league:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Kelly Akharaiyi
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR David White
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to IR: CB M.J. Devonshire
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Garnett Hollis Jr.
Houston Texans
- Activated from active/PUP list: C Eli Cox, LB K.C. Ossai, RB J.J. Taylor