Commanders To Sign QB Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson will be back in the nation’s capital in 2025. The journeyman quarterback has agreed to a one-year Commanders deal, ESPN’s John Keim reports. 
Johnson’s career has included time with a record 14 NFL teams (in addition to his games played in the first edition of the UFL along with the AAF and the second iteration of the XFL). That lengthy resume includes a stint in Washington dating back to the 2018 campaign. Johnson started three games in four appearances that year.
One of the (many) stops he made after that was a pair of games with the 49ers in 2022. Johnson is therefore a familiar face to Commanders general manager Adam Peters, who ensured stability on the quarterback depth chart earlier this offseason. Marcus Mariota agreed to another one-year Washington pact last month, meaning he is in position to once again serve as backup to reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.
That leaves Johnson, who turns 39 next month, in place to handle third-string duties and compete for a roster spot during training camp. In total, the former fifth-rounder has made 45 appearances and nine starts during his NFL tenure. Johnson has most recently spent the past two seasons taking part in his third stint with the Ravens. Baltimore added veteran Cooper Rush as a new backup in free agency, though, so it comes as no surprise Johnson finds himself on the move this spring.
The Commanders made a surprise run to the NFC title game in 2024, and they will look to repeat that success next season. Daniels will of course play a huge role in determining Washington’s ability to meet that goal, and if he is forced to miss time Mariota will represent an experienced fill-in option. Johnson could take on QB2 duties if needed, but his attention will turn to surviving roster cuts at the end of training camp.
Texans, Jalen Pitre Agree To Extension
The Texans made a major commitment in the secondary when they worked out a record-breaking extension for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The team now has another multi-year deal in place with a different member of the secondary from the 2022 draft class. 
Jalen Pitre has agreed to a three-year extension worth $39MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The former second-rounder was set to play on the final season of his rookie deal, meaning he is now on the books through 2028. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero adds the contract includes $29.16MM in guarantees. This accord contains a $10MM signing bonus, $18MM in new compensation for 2025 and can top out at $42.6MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.
Pitre was drafted as a safety, and for the most part he occupied that role during his first two seasons in Houston. The 25-year-old handled full-time starting duties during that span, which included a five-interception rookie campaign. Pitre’s ball production took a step back in 2023, but he remained a mainstay in the secondary. Last offseason, the Texans committed to playing him at slot corner, a role he primarily handled in 2024.
While he was limited to 12 games last year, Pitre found success at his new position. The Baylor product earned a PFF grade of 73.9, easily the highest of his career. He handled a defensive snap share of 87%, and a heavy workload can obviously be expected moving forward. Houston has Stingley on the books long term, and 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter represents another young player set to be a key member of the team’s secondary for years to come.
Since $39MM represents the base value of the contract, Pitre’s AAV of $13MM represents a new high mark for slot corners. That position has not seen much in the way of upward movement relative to boundary CBs, but the Texans have once again made a notable commitment to an in-house defender. Veteran edge rusher Danielle Hunter is also among the players who have received a lucrative extension this offseason as Houston looks to capitalize on the window of opportunity brought about by C.J. Stroud‘s rookie contract.
The Texans ranked sixth against the pass last season, and expectations will be high for their secondary again in 2025. With Stingley and now Pitre attached to long-term pacts, it will be interesting to see which position group is targeted next with respect to internal commitments.
2025 NFL Draft Visits: Williams, Simmons, Texans
The 2025 NFL Draft class is fairly deep at the defensive tackle position. One player contributing to that depth is Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams. Williams has gotten a ton of attention lately. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Williams visited the Texans today after recent visits with the Eagles, Bills, and Packers.
Part of this year’s championship-winning Buckeyes crew, Williams has been a full-time starter in Columbus for the last two seasons. He broke out with his performances in those two years, totaling 18 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks over that time.
Because Williams is not expected to be a top 10 pick, his interest is coming from all over the NFL, both from teams who could select him in the late-first or early-second round. Per Wilson, he has upcoming visits with the 49ers, Ravens, and Lions on his schedule.
Here are a few other reported visits from around the NFL:
- A teammate of Williams’ on the other side of the ball, offensive tackle Josh Simmons is also a fringe first-round prospect. After starting all 13 games for the Aztecs of San Diego State as a true freshman, Simmons transferred to Ohio State where he immediately became a full-time starter at right tackle. In 2023, he switched over to the blindside, where he started every game until missing half his senior season with a torn patellar tendon. The injury hasn’t stopped teams from being interested, though. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Simmons visited with the Packers on Monday and the Ravens on Tuesday. Schefter adds that he met with the Colts today and will see the Chiefs tomorrow.
- One team that could see Simmons in the future is the Texans, who have been doing plenty of research on offensive linemen after seeing some changes to their starting lineup for 2025. The team hosted North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel today, per Wilson. Zabel had experience playing for the Bison at all four tackle and guard spots but is widely seen as one of the top center prospects in the class, a position at which Houston would welcome an upgrade with open arms. The team also hosted fringe first-round prospect Aireontae Ersery out of Minnesota. Playing left tackle for the Golden Gophers, Ersery could be a potential tackle of the future to step in after Cam Robinson or Trent Brown.
AFC North Draft Rumors: Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens
Recently, we saw the Browns host a few probable Day 2 quarterback prospects, and it made us think that Cleveland is less likely to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and more likely to take his teammate Travis Hunter or Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter then pick a quarterback at the top of the second round. During an interview on ESPN’s The Daily Grossi, Tony Grossi seemed to support this notion.
Grossi seemed to confirm that the Browns like Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe “a lot” and that they could easily select him near the second round after addressing another position at No. 2 overall. I say “near the second round” because it’s likely that Cleveland could trade up a short distance back into the first round to secure a fifth-round option for a young passer.
This fits well with Milroe’s projected draft range, which Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports puts anywhere from pick No. 20 overall to pick No. 50. Cleveland holds the first pick of the second round (No. 33 overall).
Here are a few other draft rumors coming out of the AFC North division:
- After spending most of their offseason so far (and a huge portion of their salary cap) on the wide receiver position, the Bengals are expected to use most of their six draft picks on defense, according to Jordan Reid of ESPN. With the team so far failing to reach a new agreement with defensive end Trey Hendrickson and potentially even including him in a Draft Day trade deal, defensive end could be an obvious target in the first round. Tony Pauline of sportskeeda predicts that if Cincinatti does go pass rusher, assuming Carter and Georgia’s Mykel Williams are already off the table, it could trigger a run of pass rushers instead of allowing them to continue to slide later and later into the first round.
- While the Steelers are expected to spend one of their two picks in the first three rounds of the draft on a quarterback, Reid claims that they could use the other on a defensive tackle or wide receiver. The team has done plenty of research on both positions, notably checking out defensive tackles Joshua Farmer from Florida State and JJ Pegues from Ole Miss and wide receivers Matthew Golden from Texas and Savion Williams from TCU.
- Lastly, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley predicts that the most likely first-round scenario sees the Ravens bolstering their defensive line. Kyle Van Noy returns after giving the team 21.5 sacks in the last two years, and Odafe Oweh finally broke out with a 10.0-sack performance in 2024, but David Ojabo and Adisa Isaac — both drafted in the top three rounds of their respective drafts — have yet to make an impact. With Michael Pierce retiring and Travis Jones entering a contract year, defensive tackle could make a lot of sense. The first round is extremely deep at the position with players like Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams all projected to be selected somewhere around Baltimore’s 27th overall pick. More likely, though, the Ravens tend to let the draft fall to them and select the best player available regardless of position. With few true holes on the roster, this should give them a bevy of options.
Teams Unlikely To Trade Much In First Round of Draft
We’ve seen a common refrain bouncing around with several teams in the leadup to the 2025 NFL Draft: (input team here) is a likely candidate to trade down. The reason for this stems from a view that this year’s draft class lacks elite, top-end talent but boasts enough starting-caliber players to last well into the third round. Because of this, teams don’t seem to be valuing early draft picks as much, instead looking to acquire as many picks as possible.
Unfortunately, though, when so many teams are looking to trade down, it makes it harder to do so. That lack of elite, top-end players in the first round is going to make it difficult to find suitors to trade up with. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was quoted today saying that “he doesn’t foresee…many teams wanting to trade up across the league,” per the PewterReport X account. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport seemed to agree, claiming that “not a lot of teams are trying to move up.”
This doesn’t mean that no teams are going to trade up. A couple teams may fall in love with a certain player enough to chase him up the draft board. More likely, though, in the back half of the first round, teams targeting specific positions are going to want to trade into the first round to take players at those positions, especially if those teams currently reside at the top of the second round. Specifically, positions with the most expensive contracts, like quarterbacks and offensive tackles, could see prospects targeted by trading back into the first round.
This is because first-round picks are granted a fifth-year option that the rest of the draft class doesn’t get in its contracts. Passers and bookend blockers can be expensive to retain on second contracts, so having an extra year to work out contract extensions can be crucial. Similarly, quarterbacks and tackles are often the most likely candidates to be asked to sit and develop in the early years of their contracts. Having that fifth-year option gives teams an extra year to help determine if they want to keep a developing player long-term.
ESPN enlisted the help of multiple beat reporters to give some intel into what they’re hearing about their respective teams, and four of them fell into this group mentioned in the last paragraph. Jordan Reid believed the Browns and Giants could both trade back into the first round for a passer after using their Nos. 2 & 3 picks on Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. Other teams could trade up for different positions but for the same reason. Matt Miller claimed that the Titans could trade up for a wide receiver at the end of the first round and that the Bears could do the same for a pass rusher.
There are several teams with a limited number of picks — Cardinals (6), Vikings (4), and Commanders (5) — that Reid and Miller identify as teams who could be easy targets to trade up with for the four teams mentioned above. Those teams should have their pick of the litter with so many others wanting to trade back, but with Arizona, Minnesota, and Washington so lacking in picks, teams looking to trade up may get more bang for their buck from that trio.
Eagles To Sign WR Terrace Marshall
The Eagles are continuing their pattern of acquiring former Day 1 and 2 draft picks by signing wide receiver Terrace Marshall, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Marshall visited the Titans at the end of March, but ultimately came to terms to join the Eagles instead.
Philadelphia has signed or traded for a number of players who were highly-touted prospects when they entered the league, but struggled to initially live up to their draft billing. Last offseason, the Eagles added former first-rounders Mekhi Becton and Jahan Dotson, as well as Zack Baun, a third-round pick in 2020.
Marshall was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he struggled to find his footing with just 17 catches for 138 yards as a rookie despite a robust 422 snaps. He showed more promise with 28 catches and 490 yards in 2022, but played only nine games in 2023 with multiple healthy scratches.
The Panthers waived Marshall during final roster cuts in 2024. He spent time on the 49ers’ practice squad before joining the Raiders, first on the practice squad before a November promotion to the active roster. He appeared in seven games in Las Vegas, but only recorded three catches and 41 yards by the end of the season.
Marshall will be looking to rebuild his value in Philadelphia, where he could compete for the WR4 job behind Dotson, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith. The Eagles also have Johnny Wilson, and Ainias Smith on the roster, but they represent either end of the physical spectrum and will likely have a more specific role as a result. Marshall is a solid athlete at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and can line up out wide or in the slot, but he will have to prove he’s worth of playing time and targets before the regular season.
Patriots Open To Trading Down; Interested In Jalon Walker, Armand Membou?
The Patriots “would be happy” with using the fourth overall pick in April’s draft on Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, per ESPN’s Matt Miller.
Both are considered blue-chip prospects in a class with a wide range of evaluations, which is why it’s no certainty that they’ll even be available when New England is on the clock. Another team would likely need to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the top three.
If that doesn’t happen, the Patriots will be considering a wider range of options with the No. 4 pick, including a potential trade down with a team trying to acquire Sanders.
“If somebody has an offer for us, I think we’d be willing to listen,” said head coach Mike Vrabel (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss).
Vrabel also said that the team is looking to add a “premium” talent in the first round, but if Hunter and Carter are off the board, they might trade back to land another coveted prospect and gain additional draft capital.
The Patriots’ list of targets – either at No. 4 or later in the first round – could include LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who have both visited New England. Campbell in particular has been frequently linked with the Patriots due to their need along the offensive line and his potential culture fit with Vrabel.
The team has also “done a lot of work” on Missouri’s Armand Membou, per Miller. He is Campbell’s primary competition to be the first offensive linemen selected this year, and the Patriots are interested in both players.
Georgia’s Jalon Walker could also fit the playmaking mold that Vrabel is looking to add to the Patriots defense, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The hybrid linebacker can line up off-ball or on the edge and brings leadership skills and a mentality that Vrabel will appreciate.
New Regime Drew Geno Smith To Raiders
At first glance, the surprising trade that sent Geno Smith from the Seahawks to the Raiders appeared to be about money.
It’s a familiar story in the NFL: a player wants more money than his current team is willing to offer, and requests to be traded to a new team who will meet his demands. That seemed to be the case when the Raiders gave Smith a two-year, $75MM extension a few weeks after they acquired him.
But Smith insists that the move wasn’t only about money, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. His relationships with key members of the Raiders’ new regime – head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and minority owner Tom Brady – showed him the respect and opportunity he could have in Las Vegas.
Carroll forged a lasting bond during Smith’s career turnaround in Seattle, which included a Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 and a three-year, $75MM extension in 2023. Though Carroll left the Seahawks in 2024, the two remained in touch as Smith navigated the ups-and-downs of a 10-7 season under a new head coach.
“I would call him whenever I got frustrated,” said Smith (via Breer). “He talked me through things, and he still coached me. And I think that’s what makes him such a special man, is that he was coaching me even when he wasn’t my head coach. A lot of the things that he was telling me, a lot of conversations we had really kept me steady throughout the season, and kept my head on straight.
In January, the Raiders hired Carroll as their next head coach. Two months later, negotiation talks between Smith and the Seahawks broke down, leading them to take calls on a potential trade. Seattle wanted to work with Smith on finding his new home and notified his agent of the Raiders’ interest.
Having Carroll as his head coach was a plus. So was the Raiders’ new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, who tried to recruit a teenage Smith to Oregon more than a decade ago. The two renewed their connection when Kelly coached Smith’s cousin, star wideout Jeremiah Smith, at Ohio State.
“We never got the chance to be player-coach,” said Smith. “But I’ve always wanted to explore that. We’ve always had a good rapport with one another.”
And then there was Brady, the legendary quarterback who bought a minority stake in the Raiders in 2024 and played a major role in their organizational overhaul this offseason. Brady recognized the mental traits that will give Smith a chance at playing into his 40s, like Brady did, and his vote of confidence loomed large in Smith’s mind.
With excitement about the franchise’s new leadership and the prospect of a financial commitment past 2025, Smith realized that the Raiders offered the brightest future.
“I just thought the opportunity in Vegas, man, it was just too, too, too great to pass up,” he said.
Rams Re-Sign LB Troy Reeder
Troy Reeder will remain with the Rams for another season. The veteran linebacker was re-signed on Thursday, per a team announcement. 
Reeder has spent five of his six seasons with the Rams; the lone exception came in 2022 when he played for the Chargers. The 30-year-old has played on one-year-deals since 2022. To no surprise, that will be the case once again this time around.
The former UDFA played a notable role as a rookie, logging eight starts across his 16 appearances. He remained a regular on defense over the next two seasons, reaching a career high in tackles (91) during his final campaign before joining Los Angeles’ other franchise. During his one-and-done Chargers stint, though, Reeder primarily worked on special teams. That largely remained the case during his first campaign back with the Rams.
Things changed in 2024, with the Delaware product starting all six of his appearances and logging by far the highest defensive snap share of his career (94%). A hamstring injury cost him the remainder of the campaign, however, something which also hurt his market value. Reeder’s previous Rams pact was worth $1.13MM, and given his missed time this latest one will likely check in at a similar value.
The Rams – who entered Thursday with $17.7MM in cap space – still have plenty of room to make any further moves at the linebacker spot before the upcoming draft. Reeder will re-join a group which also includes low-cost returnees Omar Speights, Tony Fields and Eli Neal in addition to free agent signing Nathan Landman. Even if a rookie is added in the near future, Reeder will be in position to compete for a starting gig during training camp.
Giants To Host RB Omarion Hampton; Latest On Team’s First-Round Plans
Adding a rookie quarterback is certainly on the table for the Giants; with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the books, though, the team has increasingly been seen as situated to avoid a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick. Signs continue to point in that direction. 
Provided the Titans follow through with selecting Cam Ward first overall, the Browns will be left with their choice of top prospects Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter. Whichever member of that pair remains available when New York is on the clock will no doubt receive strong consideration, especially if general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll do not view Shedeur Sanders as being worth a top-three pick.
The Browns have previously been linked to heavy Carter interest, but more recently Hunter has emerged as the favorite to go second overall. Part of determining the Heisman winner’s NFL landing spot will of course be the evaluation of his position at the pro level, and the Giants – who may have shifted their view on that front – are firmly in play to draft him. A move up the board to accomplish that may be on the table.
Sports Illustratred’s Albert Breer writes either Hunter or Carter are likely headed to the Giants later this month, with the team positioned to take a best player available approach at the top of the board. Selecting the latter would add to an edge rush group already featuring Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, making for what could be a less immediate path to playing time for the Penn State standout. By contrast, Hunter could fill a void at receiver and/or cornerback.
New York’s WR group is headlined by Malik Nabers and includes veteran re-signee Darius Slayton, but room exists for a complementary option. Hunter could meet that requirement on offense, or if deployed on defense he could join a CB depth chart featuring free agent addition Paulson Adebo. 2023 first-rounder Deonte Banks has not developed as hoped, and Hunter could compete for a starting spot right away opposite Adebo on the perimeter. Depending on how the Browns’ evaluations shake out, Breer adds a trade up to the second slot could be in play which would ensure the Giants’ ability to add Hunter.
In other draft news concerning the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Omarion Hampton is visiting today. The North Carolina product is widely seen as the second best member of a very strong running back class and is firmly on the first-round radar. New York’s post-Saquon Barkley era saw veteran Devin Singletary and fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy split time in the backfield. Both of them are under contract for next year, but adding further at the RB position could be under consideration.
Barring a move well down the Day 1 order, though, Hampton is unlikely to be in New York’s range. The second-team All-American can likely be projected to hear his name called sometime in the 20s, Breer predicts (video link). A Hampton selection prior to that could be in the cards, although it would still represent a surprise if the Giants were to find themselves as a serious suitor.