HEADLINES

Texans To Re-Sign CB Myles Bryant

May 21st, 2025 at 2:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Caserio will stick with one of the players he helped identify back in his Patriots days. Myles Bryant, a former Pats UDFA, is re-signing with the Texans, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports.

Added on a one-year, $1.75MM deal in 2024, Bryant played in 11 Texans games last season. While the former New England contributor’s Houston workload paled in comparison to his usage in Foxborough, the Washington alum has held a key role at points during his five-year NFL run.

Obtained during Caserio’s final Patriots offseason (2020), Bryant played 75% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in Bill Belichick‘s final slate (which produced a No. 7-ranked defense). Prior to that, he logged 55% (2021) and 61% (’22) usage rates under Belichick. The Pats turned to Bryant initially after a Jonathan Jones season-ending injury in 2021. New England, however, shifted Jones — its longtime slot corner — to more of an outside role to accommodate Bryant once the veteran returned to full strength. The Pats used both Jones and Bryant regularly over the next two seasons.

Signing with the Texans in late March last year, Bryant did not enjoy a comparable role under DeMeco Ryans. The Texans used the 5-foot-9 defender on just 10% of their defensive snaps last season. He also logged a career-high 121 special teams snaps. Bryant, 27, came to Houston after a 77-tackle season that featured seven TFLs. He will attempt to carve out a bigger role in 2025.

The Texans have a primary slot corner already, having shifted safety Jalen Pitre to that post last year. Pitre recently signed a three-year, $39MM extension that briefly (before Kyler Gordon‘s Bears payday) made him the NFL’s highest-paid pure slot CB. Bryant stands to compete for a job behind Pitre, who saw a pectoral injury end his 2024 season early.

This has proven to be a busy offseason for the Texans at corner. They also used a third-round pick on Jaylin Smith, a cornerback out of USC; that move came after Houston chose boundary starter/Derek Stingley Jr. sidekick Kamari Lassiter in last year’s second round. Prior to paying Pitre, Houston authorized a market-resetting three-year, $90MM extension for Stingley. Highlighting a commitment to the position, the Texans also took a flier on Ronald Darby this offseason.

Colts Shifting Matt Goncalves To Guard

May 21st, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

It does not appear the Colts are preparing position battles to replace Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. They have an obvious center successor lined up, in Tanor Bortolini, and their Fries successor is expected to also come from the 2024 draft class.

Indianapolis is sliding Matt Goncalves, Braden Smith‘s primary right tackle fill-in last season, to guard. He will be expected to take over as the Colts’ starting right guard, per the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins. Colts O-line coach Tony Sparano Jr. confirmed the team’s plan is shifting Goncalves to the right guard spot.

[RELATED: OCD Diagnosis Led To Braden Smith 2024 Absence]

While Goncalves’ extensive tackle past would seemingly leave a door open to the Colts needing a contingency plan in case the 2024 third-rounder cannot make the transition, Fox59’s Mike Chappell notes the team will give him “every opportunity” to replace Fries. Goncalves took one guard snap as a rookie, and he played exclusively at tackle in college. Although he logged left or right tackle starts in all four of his seasons at Pitt, no guard games transpired.

The 6-foot-6 blocker will attempt to close a revolving door opposite LG staple Quenton Nelson, who is on a $20MM-per-year deal and entering his eighth season as the starter there in Indianapolis. Building a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, Nelson has seen turnover at RG during his time in Indiana.

The Colts used Mark Glowinski as their primary RG during Nelson’s rookie contract, but their plan to hand Danny Pinter the RG job after Glowinski’s Giants defection did not pan out. Fries ultimately replaced Pinter, and after he held down that gig throughout 2023, a broken leg sidelined the converted tackle. Fries signed a big-ticket Vikings deal in free agency, joining Kelly in leaving for the Twin Cities.

Goncalves played 333 snaps in place of Smith at right tackle last season while also seeing 230 snaps at LT in place of Bernhard Raimann. Pro Football Focus rated him a mid-pack starter, slotting him 47th among tackle regulars. Smith accepted a pay cut to stay; he is now on a one-year, $8MM deal that does not include any guaranteed money. The Colts now have both their starting tackles in contract years, and they used a fourth-round pick on 6-8 tackle Jalen Travis. This move came in lieu of a Fries replacement, leaving Goncalves a clear path to the first-string RG role (as Travis is potentially groomed to be a 2026 tackle starter).

The Colts brought back Glowinski to help replace Fries last year, also using UDFA Dalton Tucker as a seven-game starter there. With Travis the only notable O-line addition this offseason — as the Colts made rare high-priced outside additions in free agency on defense (Camryn Bynum, Charvarius Ward) — Tucker appears the insurance option in case Goncalves cannot complete the position switch effectively. (PFF rated Tucker 68th among guard regulars in 2024.) While Chappell does allude to Tucker being given a chance to start at RG as well, Goncalves certainly appears to have the inside track.

Giants Sign 13 UDFAs

May 21st, 2025 at 12:05pm CST by Ben Levine

MAY 21: In addition to Paige, a number of the Giants’ undrafted rookies received significant guarantees upon signing, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Wide receiver seems to have been the team’s priority after the draft; Collins signed for a team-high $270k in guarantees, while Felton and Wells got $264k and $259k, respectively. In addition, Williams and Fortune each received $165k in guaranteed money.

Felton’s main asset is his 6-foot-5, 213-pound frame with 32.25-inch arms. His lack of lateral agility limited his separation before and after the catch in college; he never crossed 700 receiving yards across four years as a starter in college (two at Norfolk State, two at Virginia Tech). Wells had excellent production in 2021 at James Madison and 2022 at South Carolina, but a fractured foot sidelined him for most of the 2023 season. He had a quiet 2024 season at Ole Miss will likely struggle to make plays with tighter margins against NFL coverage.

MAY 13: After acquiring seven first-year players via the draft, the Giants aren’t finished adding to their rookie class. The team announced the signing of 13 undrafted free agents:

“I’m excited to see how this team comes together,” GM Joe Schoen recently said about his young players (via the team’s website). “I like the players that we have. I like the makeup of the players. I’m confident in the coaching staff, and I’m excited for the 2025 season.”

Makari Paige got a chunk of change to catch on with the Giants; ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reports that the safety got $150K in guaranteed money and a $15K signing bonus. The Michigan product earned a pair of All-Big Ten selections during his college career, and he won a championship in 2023 while contributing 41 tackles. His experience at safety and nickelback could help him earn a spot on the squad.

After skipping the wide receiver position in the draft, the Giants added five players at the position via free agency. Beaux Collins brings the most collegiate experience, with the wideout averaging more than 30 catches per season across three years at Clemson. He spent the 2024 campaign at Notre Dame, where he finished with a career-high 41 catches.

Charles Woodson To Purchase Minority Browns Ownership Stake

May 21st, 2025 at 9:56am CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 21: Woodson’s minority ownership stake in the Browns was approved by the NFL at spring meetings in Minneapolis, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. The franchise’s value was listed as $5.15 billion by Forbes in August 2024, so Woodson will have pony up $5.15MM to complete the deal. With career earnings over $105MM, per OverTheCap, he should have no problem finding the funds.

MAY 15: One decade removed from the end of his decorated playing career, Charles Woodson is entering the realm of NFL ownership on a small level. The Hall of Famer is set to join Cleveland’s ownership group.

Woodson has a deal in place to purchase a 0.1% stake in the Browns, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. She adds this arrangement will bring about similar restrictions to those created for his former Michigan teammate Tom Brady as a condition of his stake in the Raiders. That arrangement limits Brady’s involvement in certain aspects of his broadcasting career (among other things) as part of an effort to avoid conflicts of interest.

Russini adds that Woodson – a native of Freemont, Ohio – will also need to cease using his name, image and likeness on packaging for the wine and whiskey companies he is associated with to comply with the NFL’s alcohol policy. Once those conditions are met, the 48-year-old will take on a minimal Browns share. Jimmy Haslam remains in place as the team’s controlling owner.

Over the course of his time with the Raiders and Packers early in his career, Woodson established himself as one of the greatest cornerbacks of his generation and beyond. The Super Bowl winner eventually transitioned to safety at the end of his All-Pro tenure, which included a return to the Raiders. Woodson’s attention has been focused on his post-playing days since his career ended in 2015; that will soon include an ownership role.

Last August, Forbes valued the Browns at $5.15 billion (h/t Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal). Based on that figure, Woodson’s purchase would cost $5.15 million, although deals such as this are often based on lesser franchise valuations and thus a lower cost to new owners. In any case, Woodson should be in place as the latest member of Cleveland’s ownership group in the near future.

Owners To Vote On Revised Playoff Seeding

May 21st, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 21: The Lions withdrew their proposal to change the NFL’s playoff seeding, per NFL Network’s Judy Battista. It will likely resurface in the future, potentially as part of an effort to expand the regular season to 18 games, according to Mark Maske of The Washington Post.

MAY 20: This measure is unlikely to pass, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during a SportsCenter appearance it should not be expected to venture off the radar. A change should be expected — one that would introduce the possibility of a division winner beginning its playoff slate on the road for the first time since 1989 — down the line, as Fowler offers the increasingly inevitable move to 18 games could be what pushes this change past the goal line.

Indeed, Breer adds the proposal was not close to passing in March. Owners did, however, discuss language that would have included a winning record being required for any non-division winner to host a game. That component did not make its way into the Lions’ final proposal, however.

MAY 16: Olympic participation will be one of the key items on the agenda for the upcoming owners meeting in Minneapolis. Another one will pertain to a potential tweak in the way playoff teams are seeded moving forward.

In January, it was learned the NFL would look into changing the playoff format. In particular, seeding the postseason-bound teams from each conference based solely on record has received consideration. Such an arrangement would still see division winners assured of a playoff spot but not necessarily home field during the wild-card round.

Owners will have the opportunity to vote on a proposal from the Lions which would seed the playoff teams from 1-7 next week, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes. Questions were raised earlier this offseason about removing the guaranteed home game from division winners and thus the likelihood of such an alteration receiving sufficient support for it to be passed. Breer adds a change has since been made to the proposal which would see teams reseeded after the opening round of the postseason.

Division winners would also receive the tiebreaker over wild-card teams under this proposal (regardless of the outcome of head-to-head matchups), per Breer. While that would lend even further credence to the significance of topping a division, passing the resolution – or at least some form of it – would constitute a notable departure from the status quo in how the playoff bracket is arranged. A strong possibility therefore exists less than the required 24 yes votes from owners will exist in the coming days.

On that note, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports it is considered unlikely the current proposal will pass if it is brought to a vote. He adds, however, that opinions on the matter could begin to shift once an 18-game regular season schedule (long seen as an inevitability) is put in place. As both Breer and Jones note, the changes being floated would create more opportunities for teams to move up and down the playoff order through to the end of the campaign even after clinching their division. That, in turn, would presumably lead to more starters remaining on the field for otherwise meaningless (or at least less meaningful) matchups in the closing weeks of the year.

Of course, the fact a proposal is set for discussion and potentially a vote illustrates the support it has among some in the league. Jones writes that commissioner Roger Goodell is among the advocates for altering the playoff seeding. Whether or not that helps sway the view of enough owners next week will be worth monitoring.

Perception Exists Giants’ Front Office Preferred Shedeur Sanders Over Jaxson Dart

May 20th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three seasons attempting to make an inherited quarterback work, the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime will attempt to move their way off hot seats via the passer they drafted. Jaxson Dart is now in place after Daniel Jones did not come close to living up to his $40MM-per-year contract.

Dart-Giants connections began to emerge shortly before the draft, as Shedeur Sanders‘ freefall commenced. Coaches become involved in the process as the winter progresses, and Daboll was believed to be convicted in his belief Dart would be Big Blue’s best available option (after the Titans repeatedly rebuffed the Giants’ efforts to trade up to No. 1). Schoen has attempted to push back on the notion he gave in to his coaches’ preference.

“It was an organizational decision,” Schoen said during an appearance on Up & Adams (h/t the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy). “Any player that we take, it’s a collaborative process and it’s very detailed, and we believe in it. … Three coaches on staff (Daboll, OC Mike Kafka and QBs coach Shea Tierney) that have been part of the development of two pretty good quarterbacks in the league right now (Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen), and when they are convicted on a player and the scouting staff is convicted on a player, typically you have the best chance for success in those situations.”

Schoen told Kay Adams that Dart was on the Giants’ radar “throughout the fall,” though a post-draft report indicated the Giants did more in-person work on Sanders compared to the Ole Miss starter. Schoen is believed to have scouted just one Dart game in-person, while a previous report indicated the GM had “lived in Boulder” as Sanders hype increased. A pre-draft report also indicated the Giants were split on Sanders, potentially placing the divide between the front office and coaching staff. Enough information has come out pointing to Daboll playing the lead role in ensuring the Giants did not draft the Colorado QB.

A perception exists within personnel departments the Giants’ front office preferred Sanders, Dunleavy notes, before Daboll and his staff came to hold Dart in higher regard. The Giants spent more time with Sanders than any team spent with any prospect, Dunleavy adds. That would paint the picture of a mid-process pivot, as Dart certainly appeared to gain steam late. A pre-draft report tabbed Sanders as being the No. 2 QB on the Giants’ big board (behind Cam Ward), but that could certainly have been a smokescreen effort considering the Dart trade-up, which helped key Sanders’ freefall.

Some Daboll-Sanders friction is believed to have taken place during an install session. While Dart impressed Giants decision-makers during his install, Sanders not being as prepared became a point of contention. The Giants are, of course, not the only team to come away unimpressed with Sanders’ approach during the pre-draft process, as multiple teams took the QB off their boards.

Sanders having taken the strange step — for a player with his prospect profile, at least — of approaching team meetings like a recruit, rather than as a job interview, certainly rubbed teams the wrong way. His slide from potential top-10 pick to No. 144 represents perhaps the most notable tumble in draft history. Sanders’ actions may well have determined the Giants’ QB future; that said, pre-draft offerings also had some teams ranking Dart ahead of the two-year Colorado standout.

Daboll and Schoen have worked together since 2018, when the former arrived as the Bills’ OC. A report of tension between the two emerged earlier this offseason, and it appears Daboll’s QB pick will hold the current regime’s future in his hands.

Joe Burrow Endorses Potential Trey Hendrickson Extension

May 20th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Joe Burrow‘s influence on the Bengals organization was clearly highlighted this offseason, as the QB got his wish when Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were both signed to long-term extensions. Burrow also made it clear that he wanted star defender Trey Hendrickson to receive a new deal, although a lack of progress on that front has already led to public frustration and a potential holdout.

[RELATED: Bengals In Contract Squabble With DE Shemar Stewart]

While speaking with reporters today, Burrow once again stated that he wanted the Bengals defensive leader to stick in Cincy for the long haul. The QB also said he supports Hendrickson’s decision to not participate in team activities while extension talks are ongoing.

“Yeah, we’ll see what happens with that,” Burrow said (via Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “You guys all know how I feel about Trey. He’s a great player. I love Trey as a guy. He goes out and plays well every single Sunday. He’s very productive. He’s a guy that deserves to get paid and get paid what he wants and what the market is. So, like I said, we’ll see what happens with that. But, I love Trey and hope he’s with us.

“I think he’s doing what he thinks is best for his career and I support him in that,” Burrow added. “Trey’s a smart guy. Just like anybody, I’m sure there’s things that he’d like to have back. But he’s very well thought out in his process and what he’s trying to do. And so, if he thinks that’s the way to go, then that’s the way to go.”

As part of a one-year, $21MM extension he signed in 2023, Hendrickson is due a $15.8MM base salary this season. After finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024, the pass rusher is naturally seeking more long-term security and a top-of-position average annual value. While the Bengals were willing to break from tradition with Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, the organization isn’t willing to commit significant guarantees beyond the 2025 season to Hendrickson.

The 30-year-old showed up for the second phase of offseason workouts last week in street clothes, and he reiterated his stance that negotiations have gotten “personal” and he won’t be playing for the Bengals under his current pact. Hendrickson noted to reporters that Zac Taylor threatened fines for eventually missing mandatory practices, and the coach did acknowledge today that he’s since spoken with his defensive star.

“I put a lot of time into thinking — those situations, there’s real money at stake,” Taylor said (via Simmons). “So I put a lot of time and energy into thinking about how to communicate, when to communicate. And so, that’s just how I handled that one. And, yeah, Trey and I have spoken.

“I think every situation is unique,” Taylor added. “Every personality is different, every player is different. The timing of everything is different. So, you just adapt as you go with that stuff.”

Owners Greenlight Player Flag Football Participation In 2028 Olympics

May 20th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL will go forward with permitting players to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics’ flag football event. Owners have approved a previously reported measure involving the new Olympic sport, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

In a development that will certainly make other countries’ efforts to claim gold in flag football more difficult, the NFL voted unanimously to approve the measure (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Although this will not greenlight unlimited participation among players, a formidable collection will be in line to take part in July 2028.

As referenced recently, the proposal will allow only one player per NFL team to participate for his country. A separate player in the league’s international pathway program could participate for his home nation, however. Seeing as the majority of NFL players are Americans, Tuesday’s approval vote primarily impacts the host country’s approach to the new noncontact event at the Los Angeles Games.

This will not exactly rival the NBA’s famed Dream Team from the 1992 Games. Football is not a global game (the NFL’s increased international forays notwithstanding) and no restrictions on who could participate existed involving the NBA in 1992. The Bulls (Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen) and Jazz (Karl Malone, John Stockton) each sent multiple players as part of Team USA.

Though, the flag format will present a five-on-five event. Six men’s and women’s teams will be part of the new discipline. Rosters will include 10 players in total, limiting the spots available to a flood of qualified performers. Games will take place on a 70-yard field, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

The L.A. Games are set to run from July 14-30, which is on the earlier side for a Summer Olympics. That will help NFL players return on time — or soon after — to training camps. Marquise Goodwin was on rosters while he made bids to make Olympic teams, but his efforts never conflicted with training camp. A 2012 Olympian in the long jump while he was still at Texas, Goodwin did not qualify for the 2016 or 2021 Games. Sprinter Jeff Demps joined Goodwin as a London Olympian, being part of the 4×100-meter team. But the 2012 UDFA did not sign with a team — the Patriots — until after the Games concluded.

Teams will see some players arrive late to camp come 2028. Though, padded 11-on-11 work will not be slated to commence — for teams not involved in the Hall of Fame Game, that is — while the flag football event is being contested. That said, players will need to be present for tryouts; it will be interesting to when those will take place ahead of the ’28 Games.

A salary cap credit will be put into place for any injured player, according to ESPN; this would presumably cover teams in the event of missed games only. A leaguewide insurance policy providing injury protection for players is also expected to be included in this agreement, a buildup our Adam La Rose has covered for over a year here.

Generations of NFL players, barring select track and field standouts (and brief bobsledder Herschel Walker), have been unable to do compete in the Olympics. Jockeying for spots at tryouts will be interesting when that time comes.

Justin Jefferson will be one of the players, in all likelihood, in play to represent Team USA. The Vikings wideout has not decided if he will do so (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor), though he has called it “a dream” to represent his nation in the Olympics. Patrick Mahomes, Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill have also expressed interest, though the two wideouts may have an uphill battle due to their respective ages. How this approval impacts NFL secondaries will also be something to watch. Considering Travis Hunter‘s skillset, he would stand to be an obvious choice — assuming the Jaguars draftee stays on his present course.

How other countries’ rosters look will be an interesting storyline to monitor, though with NFL players likely to comprise all of Team USA’s 10-man squad, the host nation will undoubtedly enter as the gold-medal favorite. Flag football, on the men’s and women’s side, has made notable inroads into the world’s sports lexicon in recent years; the revamped Pro Bowl Games provide perhaps the most notable example. Although this team is three years away from being assembled, the flag football event will be a regular talking point within the league until those Summer Games commence.

49ers QB Notes: Purdy, Jones, Rourke

May 20th, 2025 at 9:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have made Brock Purdy‘s extension official, as the team announced the new five-year deal earlier this evening.

“Brock is a tremendous leader and a fantastic representative for the 49ers organization, and we are ecstatic to get this deal done,” said GM John Lynch. “When we took him with the last pick in the Draft, we knew he had potential to succeed in this league, but we had no idea how special of a player he would become. He has played at an exceptionally high level since taking over the starting job, and we look forward to seeing him continue to lead this team for years to come.”

Purdy’s five-year, $265MM deal includes $181MM in guaranteed money, including $100MM locked in up front. With the deal settling in at a $53MM average annual value, Purdy wasn’t able to crack the top five AAVs at his position. Still, the contract includes a favorable short-term cash structure and a no-trade clause, reinforcing the franchise’s belief in the former Mr. Irrelevant.

Elsewhere on the depth chart, Mac Jones was added this offseason to serve as Purdy’s primary backup. The 2021 first-round pick has struggled to live up to a promising rookie campaign. He was ditched by the Patriots after only three seasons, and he had to settle for a backup gig in Jacksonville for the 2024 campaign. He ended up getting seven starts while filling in for Trevor Lawrence, and that performance earned him another chance as a QB2 in San Francisco.

While the 49ers obviously don’t have much of a long-term opening for Jones, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak still believes his quarterback has enough to be a starter again in the NFL.

“Going back to college, we obviously studied Mac coming out, and we thought very highly of him and his skillset as a thrower and the things he did in college,” Kubiak said last week (via Joel Soria of NBC Sports Bay Area). “… And then, obviously, as a rookie, what he did in the NFL was very impressive. Mac’s a really good thrower. He stands in the pocket, he’s a strong guy and he’s really smart. And so he’s got a lot of traits that we like for a starting quarterback.”

On the bottom of the depth chart, the 49ers are considering a pair of inexperienced players. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle expects rookie seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke to have a redshirt rookie season. The QB could be stashed on IR as he continues to recover from offseason surgery on a partially torn ACL. In that scenario, former UDFA Tanner Mordecai would likely make the roster as the third quarterback.

NFL Minor Transactions: 5/20/25

May 20th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

  • Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.

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