Daiyan Henley Full Go At Chargers’ Camp; Junior Colson In Mix To Start
Daiyan Henley played just 53 defensive snaps as a rookie. By his second season, the 2023 third-round pick moved into the Chargers’ defensive signal-caller role as an every-down linebacker — for a defense that made a substantial leap.
The Bolts have Henley signed for two more seasons, and they re-signed 2024 regulars Denzel Perryman and Troy Dye this offseason. But the internal preference may be for those veterans to provide insurance in part-time roles. This would clear a path for a Henley-like ascent from 2024 third-round pick Junior Colson.
Playing for Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter at Michigan, Colson could not establish himself as a rookie-year starter. He logged 218 defensive snaps, ceding time to Perryman (11 starts) and Dye (five). Colson made one start, but if he has a solid training camp, that status should be expected to change in Year 2. He enters this year’s Bolts camp as the player to watch at linebacker, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, who notes the ex-Wolverines cog has a route to being an impactful 2025 starter.
Harbaugh drafted two of his Wolverines last year, adding wide receiver Cornelius Johnson in Round 7. Johnson is no longer on the roster, but three years remain on Colson’s rookie contract. Although Colson did not prove ready as a rookie, he saw two health issues impede him. An appendectomy led to missed camp time, and an ankle injury led him to IR during the season. The Chargers used an IR activation on Colson in December, and he returned to a part-time role during that stretch.
Henley’s climb from rookie afterthought — in Brandon Staley‘s abbreviated final season — to green-dot player in a year’s time provides encouragement for a Chargers team that got plenty from an unspectacular defensive cast last season. The team giving Perryman a one-year, $2.7MM deal — ahead of his age-33 season — and keeping Dye at two years, $5.5MM do not stand to block Colson if he proves ready over the next several weeks (the Chargers also did not draft an off-ball LB this year). The Bolts, who jumped from 24th in scoring defense in Staley’s finale to first in Minter’s debut, would then have two starting LBs at rookie-scale rates.
A labrum tear did not disrupt Henley’s ascent last season, but the former Nevada and Washington State ‘backer addressed the issue via offseason surgery. While a few Bolts landed on the active/PUP list to open camp, Henley was not one of them. Henley said this week he is full go entering his third NFL camp.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
Darren Waller’s Dolphins Deal Includes No Guarantees
When the Dolphins acquired Darren Waller, the veteran tight end’s cap hit stood beyond $10MM. That is no longer the case, as the Dolphins and the unretiring tight end have agreed on a new structure after the unexpected trade.
The Giants had acquired Waller’s Raiders extension in March 2023, only to see the former Pro Bowler retire after one season in New York. He expressed a desire to be traded to Miami, where he will try and resurrect his career. The Dolphins will be careful here, as they designed a contract with no guarantees.
Although Waller’s Raiders deal ran through 2026, OverTheCap indicates his Dolphins pact ends after the 2025 season. Waller will be tied to a one-year, $2MM deal that includes no guarantees. Incentives can take this contract to $3MM, according to Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer. Waller counts $2MM against Miami’s cap.
This could represent a bargain for the Dolphins, based on Waller’s past performance, but the player having an extensive injury history and being out of football in 2024 invited the team to exercise caution when doing this deal. Although the Dolphins held trade talks with the Raiders in 2023, they are getting a different version of Waller by 2025.
Waller’s issues with substance abuse nearly ended his NFL opportunity before it started; the Raiders signing him off the Ravens’ practice squad in November 2018 changed his career path. The Jon Gruden 2.0-era pickup posted back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons (2019-20) and drew Comeback Player of the Year votes in 2019 and a Pro Bowl nod in 2020. Waller signed two Raiders extensions, the second just before the 2022 season after an extended negotiation, but saw the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime trade him for a third-round pick — the choice the Giants obtained in the Kadarius Toney trade — months after the three-year, $51MM extension emerged.
In New York, Waller played just 12 games. For a Giants team that had moved on from Evan Engram in 2022, Waller’s 2023 work (52 receptions, 552 yards, one touchdown) stands out. But he landed on IR due to a hamstring injury, his second in two seasons. Waller did return via IR activation late that season, but he hinted at a potential retirement during the 2024 offseason. The veteran tight end followed through on that weeks after the draft, setting up another unremarkable Giants TE season.
Not many good options were available for the Dolphins, who folded Jonnu Smith into the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick swap with the Steelers. Waller, who missed six games in 2021 and eight in 2022, represents a low-risk bet. Miami can move on for no dead money. Waller will turn 33 in September; the upcoming Dolphins training camp will determine if he still has an NFL future.
Key Dates On 2025-26 NFL Calendar
The NFL recently announced important dates for the remainder of 2025 on through the 2026 offseason. Here are some dates to file away during these periods:
Key dates remaining on the 2025 NFL calendar:
- August 5: Window to trade an unsigned rookie draftee closes
- August 26: Teams can stash two players on IR before finalizing their 53-man roster
- August 26: By 3pm CT, clubs must reduce rosters from 90 to 53 players
- August 27: Post-cutdown waiver claims due at 11am CT
- August 27: Teams can begin setting practice squads
- September 23: Waiver priority shifts from teams’ 2024 record to their 2025 record
- September 26-29: Teams can begin designating players placed on IR, NFI and PUP lists for return
- October 21-22: Fall league meetings
- November 4: Trade deadline set for 3pm CT
- November 5: Vested veterans (if cut) become subject to waivers
Key dates for the 2026 offseason:
- January 5: Players chosen in 2023 draft can begin negotiating extensions
- February 17-March 3: Franchise and transition tag application window
- March 9-11: Legal tampering period
- March 11: 2026 league year begins at 3pm CT
- March 29-April 1: Spring league meetings
- April 6: Teams that hired new head coaches can begin offseason programs
- April 20: Clubs with returning HCs can begin offseason work
- April 23-25: 2026 NFL Draft
If Shemar Stewart is unsigned beyond August 5, the Bengals cannot trade him until the 2026 draft. Stewart signing his rookie deal by August 5 would allow for a trade. The same goes for any of the unsigned second-rounders — and there are many — in this year’s draft class.
This offseason did not feature changes to the IR system like 2022 and 2024 brought. The league is sticking with the 2024 change allowing teams to designate up to two players as IR-return options before setting their initial 53-man rosters August 26. Players given this August designation will count against teams’ eight-activation limit during the regular season. Those players will not be eligible to practice until Week 5.
The NFL trade deadline, which resided on the Tuesday following Week 8 from 2012-23, again will sit on the day after Week 9 concludes. Players cut following the trade deadline must hit waivers; anyone vested veterans released before that point pass straight to free agency.
Anthony Richardson Is Healthy, Ready To Compete With Daniel Jones For Colts’ QB Gig
With the Colts’ veterans due to report in less than a week, quarterback Anthony Richardson is “going to be good going into training camp,” according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder.
Richardson injured his shoulder during OTAs and missed mandatory minicamp, giving new teammate Daniel Jones a chance to take an early lead in the Colts’ starting quarterback competition. Richardson only appeared in 15 games (all starts) in his first two seasons due to injuries, a key factor in the team’s decision to sign Jones and publicly announce an open competition for the QB1 gig.
It was only two years ago that the Colts selected Richardson with the No. 4 pick, but there are signs that the team considers Jones to be a legitimate starting option for the 2025 season. One is that Jones opted to sign in Indianapolis in the first place.
“There was more interest in Daniel Jones out there than people realize,” said ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If Jones chose the Colts over other suitors, that would suggest that he believed he had the best chance of winning a starting job in Indianapolis.
Schefter also noted that the Colts gave Jones $14MM this offseason, more than what Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers received. Both are more experienced than Jones and seem to be the presumptive starters for their teams, so it would stand to reason that Jones is in a similar position.
Jones’ ability to command a new offense will be crucial to his chances of winning the starting job. Richardson, meanwhile, will have to prove that his shoulder is fully healthy and develop some mental and technical consistency to put him in a position to start.
Russell Wilson Wants To Play Another ‘5-Plus’ Years
The Giants signed Russell Wilson to a one-year deal this offseason, indicating that they do not see the 13-year veteran as a multi-year proposition under center.
If his contract wasn’t enough, the Giants’ selection of Jaxson Dart in the first round hammered the message home: Wilson will be starting in New York for a limited time only.
Wilson seems to be in a similar situation to that of Sam Darnold last year in Minnesota. If he plays well, he will likely be priced out of New York with a first round pick waiting in the wings; if not, he won’t be re-signed, certainly not for starter-level money. However, Wilson is significantly older than Darnold; entering his age-37 season, he is likely done with multi-year deals altogether.
As a result, 2025 is Wilson’s last chance to prove himself as a starting quarterback after an underwhelming three seasons since leaving Seattle. He intents to play another “five-plus years” into his early 40s, according to Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr. But, if he can’t succeed in New York this year, he will likely be relegated to a backup role in 2026 and beyond.
Wilson also told Orr that his ability to extend plays and connect with pass-catchers downfield is an important measure stick of how his game ages. That will be an especially crucial skill behind a Giants offensive line that struggled to protect the pocket in 2024.
Chiefs, G Trey Smith Finalize Extension
9:45pm: Smith will see $46.75MM fully guaranteed, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. That sits second among guards, trailing only Lindstrom’s $48.2MM number. Smith’s guarantee also checks in lower than what two franchise tags would have brought, but Kansas City was still able to finalize a deal before today’s deadline.
As the Chiefs reward the former sixth-round pick, they will use their Patrick Mahomes guarantee model. Smith secured a rolling guarantee structure, per Breer, who reports the Pro Bowl right guard’s $23.25MM 2027 base salary will become fully guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Smith’s $23.25MM 2028 base salary is nonguaranteed, but the 2027 structure effectively ensures he will collect three years’ worth of cash on this lucrative contract.
12:45pm: The Chiefs are finalizing a four-year extension with franchise-tagged right guard Trey Smith, according to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
The deal is worth $94MM with $70MM in guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, keeping Smith as the highest-paid guard in league history. His $23.5MM APY is slightly more than his one-year franchise tag and resets the position’s market by $2.5MM after the Eagles gave left guard Landon Dickerson $21MM per year last offseason. Smith’s total guarantees of $70MM will also set a new record by $7MM, per OverTheCap, beating out Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom.
News of the agreement comes mere hours before a 3pm CT deadline for tagged players to sign a multiyear deal. With a strong desire to lower Smith’s 2025 cap hit and lock him down for the foreseeable future, the Chiefs finally accomplished their biggest goal of the offseason. This comes three years after Kansas City failed to beat the buzzer with left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., but the team had eyed a Smith payday for a bit. The March Joe Thuney trade set this in motion, as the three-time reigning AFC champions swapped out one high guard salary for another.
Smith will be under contract through 2028, as will All-Pro center and fellow 2021 draftee Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year extension last August. Arguably the best guard-center duo on the league, Smith and Humphrey are both the highest-paid players at their position and will form the bedrock of the Kansas City’s offensive line for years to come.
While the Chiefs are coming off a humbling loss in Super Bowl LIX — a game that saw its O-line struggle — the team had done well to reconfigure its O-line following the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV onslaught. This came via the Brown trade, the Thuney contract (five years, $80MM) and adding Humphrey and Smith in the draft. It will be on Smith and Humphrey to lead the way back following the Eagles’ blowout win.
The Chiefs also spent this offseason acquiring potential long-term left tackles to join Smith and Humphrey on the O-line, including veteran free agent signing Jaylon Moore and first-round rookie Josh Simmons. However, the team’s future at left guard and right tackle is less certain. 2023 UDFA Mike Caliendo is the most experienced guard on the roster with just three career starts, while right tackle Jawaan Taylor has struggled to live up to his $80MM contract and has no guaranteed money on his deal after this year.
Regardless of who he plays next to, Smith figures to be one of the best blockers in the league for the foreseeable future. He fell into the sixth round of the 2021 draft due to medical concerns about blood clots in his lungs, but earned the Chiefs’ starting right guard job as a rookie and never looked back.
The 25-year-old blocker has only missed one game due to injury in his four-year NFL career and was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2024 after giving up only one sack in 1,288 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF has rated Smith as a top-15 guard in each of his four seasons, and ESPN’s pass block win rate has slotted him sixth in run blocking in 2024 — after placing him fourth in pass protection in ’23.
Smith’s new contract is a final leap in a guard market that has exploded over the last few offseasons. Next up will be Cowboys Pro Bowler Tyler Smith, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He could approach Smith’s $23.5MM APY, but other guards up for new deals are either significantly older or significantly less-proven.
T.J. Watt Seeking Market-Topping AAV, Four-Year Guarantee From Steelers?
The wait continues around the NFL for several high-profile edge rush contract situations to be sorted out. In the case of T.J. Watt and the Steelers, it remains to be seen if an extension agreement can be reached before Week 1. 
Watt has drawn trade interest from suitors, but even though the Steelers are evaluating his value the pending 2026 free agent is widely expected to stay in Pittsburgh for at least one more season. Ensuring his future beyond that point will require another lucrative investment on the team’s part, with Watt a strong candidate to once again reset the pass rush market. A clearer picture of his asking price seems to have emerged.
During Monday’s episode of Kaboly+Mack (video link), Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show laid out the parameters of what he is “pretty sure” Watt is seeking. Per Kaboly, the former Defensive Player of the Year is angling for a five-year contract with the first four years guaranteed at an average annual value higher than Myles Garrett‘s $40MM. Topping Garrett’s mark in terms of per-year compensation has long been expected, but a commitment of that length by the Steelers would certainly be notable.
As evidenced by the fact an agreement is still not in place, the Steelers are not – at least for now – willing to go to those lengths to retain Watt on a third contract. Entering his age-31 season, the seven-time Pro Bowler naturally faces questions about his ability to remain among the league’s top pass rushers over the course of his next deal. Watt’s level of play late in the 2024 campaign is believed to be a cause for concern from the team’s perspective, and projecting his production over the coming years will be key for general manager Omar Khan in arriving at an agreement in this case.
Deviating from standard organizational procedure in a number of ways, Khan has taken a different roster-building approach in some respects than predecessor Kevin Colbert. 2025 in particular has seen the Steelers make notable win-now moves like the Aaron Rodgers signing and the trade acquisition of Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Pittsburgh’s chances of making a postseason run would be greatly hindered by trading Watt, and the team’s 1-10 record in games without him certainly helps the four-time All-Pro’s leverage in negotiations.
Steelers players are set to report to training camp on July 23, which marks a somewhat notable checkpoint in this process. A holdout would come as a surprise given the fact it would lead to mandatory fines, although some view Watt as the likeliest player engaged in extension talks to take that route. During negotiations on his second Steelers pact, the three-time sack leader opted to hold in and it would come as no surprise if he did the same this time around.
Garrett’s four-year, $160MM Browns extension (which contains just under $124MM in total guarantees and roughly $89MM locked in at signing) still represents the bar for edge rushers at this point, but Micah Parsons is among the players who could sign a larger deal before Week 1. Watt is in a similar situation despite the age gap between he and Parsons, leaving plenty to be determined over the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers find a middle ground between their valuation and his asking price in time for the start of the season.
Broncos Sign First-Round CB Jahdae Barron
While a long list of second-round picks remain unsigned, there were only two first-round selections who had yet to sign their rookie pacts. One of those unsigned first rounders is Shemar Stewart, whose standoff with the Bengals has been extensively covered. The other was Broncos defensive back Jahdae Barron, but the Texas product has reportedly put pen to paper.
Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports that the Broncos and Barron have agreed to terms on the player’s four-year rookie contract. The cornerback will earn more than $18MM on his rookie deal, and he’ll also get a $9.8MM signing bonus. The Broncos are set to open their rookie minicamp tomorrow.
Barron had a standout career with the Longhorns, but he took his performance to another level in 2024. He finished the season with 67 tackles and a conference-leading five interceptions, leading to him earning a number of accolades. This included a consensus All-American nod and the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. That performance vaulted him up draft boards, and he was ultimately selected by the Broncos with the 20th-overall pick.
Following his selection, head coach Sean Payton said the rookie was “too unique to pass up,” and the Broncos fully intend to capitalize on the player’s versatility. Barron served in a variety of roles during his time at Texas. He primarily played nickel during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but he played more on the outside in 2024. He even garnered at least 140 snaps in the box in each of his final three seasons at the school.
With Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss slotted in on the outside in Denver, the rookie is expected to mostly play in the slot as a rookie. The Broncos are still rostering their 2024 slot CB in Ja’Quan McMillian, so the team could also use Barron as a Swiss Army Knife-type player in their secondary.
As mentioned, Stewart now has the distinction of being the only unsigned first-round pick from this year’s draft. Also as mentioned, there are still a number of second-round picks who haven’t signed their rookie contracts, including Broncos second-round running back RJ Harvey.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/15/25
One minor move to pass along:
Buffalo Bills
- Placed on active/PUP: DE Landon Jackson
The Bills made a bit of an unexpected move today when they placed rookie defensive end Landon Jackson on the physically unable to perform list. While the nature of the injury hasn’t been reported, a source told Ryan O’Halloran of The Buffalo News that the move was merely “precautionary” and Jackson “will be fine.”
The third-round pick finished his college career with a pair of standout seasons at Arkansas. The pass rusher compiled 13 sacks between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, earning him All-SEC honors in both campaigns. The Bills made him the 72nd pick in this year’s draft, and he’ll be joining a deep group of DEs that includes Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau, Michael Hoecht, and A.J. Epenesa.
Ravens Received Trade Interest In Mark Andrews, Hope To Extend Isaiah Likely
Despite months of trade speculation, Mark Andrews remains on the Ravens roster and is expected to stick with the squad for the 2025 season. While the team held on to their long-time star tight end, the front office was clearly open to making a trade. As Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes, the Ravens indeed received trade inquiries on the veteran, but no team was able to meet Baltimore’s asking price.
Zrebiec still leaves the door open for a potential departure, with the writer wondering how the Ravens front office would proceed if a TE-needy team comes knocking during the preseason. GM Eric DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh, and quarterback Lamar Jackson have all endorsed Andrews sticking with the organization for at least the 2025 campaign, although the tight end’s expiring contract (and his recent playoff failures) have led to the veteran being firmly on the trade block.
Andrews has struggled to replicate his first-team All-Pro performance from 2021, when he finished with 107 catches for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns. The 2024 campaign actually represented one of his most productive recent performances, as the 29-year-old finished the year with a career-high 11 touchdowns. Of course, Andrews drew plenty of blame for his postseason showing, including a playoff loss to the Bills when the tight end fumbled the ball on a crucial drive and dropped a game-tying two-point conversion.
The former third-round pick is entering the final season of a four-year, $56MM extension, and he’s due to carry a lofty cap charge of $16.91MM in 2025. A trade would have provided the organization with some cap relief ($11MM), although those savings aren’t nearly as important now that the offseason is all but over.
While Andrews may be preparing for his final season in Baltimore, the team is apparently focused on retaining another impending free agent tight end. Zrebiec writes that the Ravens are expected to “make a push” to extend tight end Isaiah Likely. The former fourth-round pick is coming off his most productive NFL season, with the third-year player hauling in 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns.
Considering Andrews’ precarious spot on the roster, Likely could be in line for an even bigger role in 2025. With a true breakout within the realm of possibilities, the Ravens may be hoping to extend the tight end before his value shoots up.