Raiders Aiming For Long-Term QB Geno Smith Deal
MARCH 31: More than three weeks after the Raiders’ Smith trade, the three-year Seahawks starter remains on his Seattle deal. But Carroll confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) the team is “working on” an extension for its new QB1. Carroll was with Seattle when the team re-signed Smith in 2023, and while longtime Seahawks copilot John Schneider did not see eye-to-eye with the passer’s camp about value on a new contract, Carroll’s new team is all set to sign off on one.
MARCH 28: The Raiders have their quarterback of the present in the form of Geno Smith, and he will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll for the 2025 campaign. Smith’s time in Vegas could stretch well beyond the final year of his current deal, of course. 
The Seahawks quickly realized a new accord would not be worked out this offseason, prompting the decision to trade Smith and turn their attention to Sam Darnold. One season remains on the current pact for the Raiders’ new QB1, and shortly after his arrival signs began pointing to an extension being worked out. One is not in place yet, although optimism remains that an agreement will be reached shortly.
When speaking about the Smith acquisition, new Raiders general manager John Spytek noted Carroll’s presence played a role in the move. That comes as no surprise, since the veteran head coach worked with Smith in Seattle from 2020-23. During that stretch, the two-time Pro Bowler had a pair of seasons atop the QB depth chart in the wake of the Russell Wilson trade and played his way into an extension averaging $25MM per season. A much higher asking price is in play this time around.
“The compensation from a draft-capital standpoint wasn’t so costly,” Spytek said during an appearance on the team’s Upon Further Review podcast. “I love my picks more than anybody… But, listen, we used a late third-round pick to hopefully have our starting quarterback here for years to come. And it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.
“When you’ve watched Geno through the years, he can throw the football with the best of any of them, honestly,” Spytek added. “I mean, you watch some of the throws he makes over and over again downfield, you know, short, intermediate. The touch is there, the arm strength is there.”
Smith, 34, has stated a desire to continue his career to the point of 20 NFL seasons. That goal could very well include a lengthy Raiders tenure if a new deal can be worked out soon, although the draft looms as a means of adding a long-term answer at the position. Vegas is set to select sixth overall next month, and the team has frequently been connected to Shedeur Sanders. A drop out of the first round – and more specifically the top 10 – is not expected in the Colorado product’s case, meaning the Raiders would need to be aggressive in pursuing him.
The remainder of the draft will of course offer Spytek and Co. other opportunities to acquire a young passer, something which makes the Smith extension situation an interesting one. If a long-term arrangement is indeed the team’s goal, it would come as no surprise if negotiations on that front picked up before the start of the draft.
Browns Were Not Interested In Long-Term Russell Wilson Commitment; Latest On Team’s QB Plans
Russell Wilson‘s 2025 free agent process ended with a Giants deal. The Super Bowl winner sees himself as the team’s starter, and he could very well wind up atop the depth chart if New York does not use a high draft pick on a passer in April. 
Wilson also visited the Browns earlier this month, opening the door to a Cleveland agreement. That did not seem as likely as a Giants pact, though, so Wilson’s ultimate decision came as little surprise. A one-year commitment to the 36-year-old could very well produce a run of starts and another deal being worked out next offseason in New York’s case.
While the Browns also themselves in need of a long-term solution under center, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes they viewed Wilson strictly as a bridge option. As a result, negotiations on a contract did not last particularly long, with the longtime Seahawk preferring an option where he would not face as much competition for a starting gig. New York had already added Jameis Winston on a two-year pact, and the team could draft a quarterback at some point next month; nevertheless, Wilson is currently on track to handle QB1 duties at this point.
Cleveland has Deshaun Watson on the books for two more years, but his second Achilles tear leaves him in danger of missing most or all of the 2025 campaign. That leaves trade acquisition Kenny Pickett in place to compete for the starting role this offseason. The top QB selected in the 2022 draft, Pickett’s Steelers tenure did not go as planned and it ended with a trade to the Eagles last spring. The 26-year-old is now in place with the Browns, a team which could be in the market for at least one other passer.
Cleveland has long been connected to trading for Kirk Cousins, but Cabot adds a deal on that front can be considered unlikely at this point. The Falcons passer wants to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation by waiting until after the draft to be dealt, although it remains to be seen if Atlanta will be on board with such a move and if financial arrangements related to the remainder of his contract can be made with an acquiring team. Free agents like Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz have been linked to the Browns, but again Cabot cautions nothing is currently imminent on that front.
Set to select second overall in April’s draft, Cleveland will likely have the opportunity to select any prospect other than Cam Ward. The team was recently reported to be high on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, but other options will be considered as well. The Browns have hosted Tyler Shough on a top-30 visit, and he is among the quarterbacks who could find themselves in Cleveland next season. For now, at least, Pickett is in position to receive the chance to handle QB1 duties, something he sees himself as capable of managing on his new team.
Titans’ Brian Callahan On No. 1 Overall Pick
Current reporting suggests Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward has clearly established himself as the best passer in the 2025 draft class. As such, the Titans – who were considered likely to trade down from their No. 1 overall selection not too long ago – are seemingly prepared to make Ward the top pick in next month’s draft.
Of course, Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan is not going to tip his team’s hand at this stage of the process, and new GM Mike Borgonzi recently said all options (including a trade-down) are still on the table (via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). Nonetheless, Callahan confirmed – assuming the Titans retain their No. 1 choice – the club will be picking one of a short list of four players.
“I think it’s a short list at No. 1 for sure, it’s all the guys that I think are worthy of it, the ones that everyone talks about out there, and between Travis [Hunter] and Shedeur [Sanders] and [Ward] and Abdul Carter, I think those are, that’s the top of the draft for me,” Callahan recently told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith).
Callahan added, “[t]here’s going to be a lot of good ones certainly that come after them, but I think those at this moment are the best players in the draft and at the top of it.”
Carter is an elite pass-rushing prospect who has been closely linked to the Browns and their No. 2 overall pick in recent days. Hunter is a rare two-way phenom whom some teams primarily project as a cornerback at the professional level, with other teams valuing him more highly as a wide receiver. Both Carter and Hunter have long been viewed as the top overall talents in the 2025 class, though the fact that Ward and Sanders play quarterback naturally elevates their stock quite a bit.
With the 2025 crop of QBs generally considered a weak one, Borgonzi’s January comments indicating he would not pass on a “generational talent” with the first pick in the draft signaled to many that the Titans – who are not just a quarterback away from contention – would eschew a signal-caller at the top of the draft board and would instead select Carter or Hunter. Ward’s pre-draft ascension and the importance of the quarterback position may have changed the team’s thinking in that regard, though Callahan’s comments – if taken at face value, that is – suggest Carter and Hunter are still in the mix.
It is also notable that Callahan named Sanders as one of the four players worthy of the No. 1 selection. Much has been made about Sanders’ draft stock and the possibility that he might fall out of the first round entirely, as well as the fact that other QB prospects like Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough may have surpassed him on some team’s boards. Callahan’s remarks support the notion that, notwithstanding the rumors surrounding Sanders’ potential slide, the Colorado product remains an early-first round candidate. Despite the Ward-to-Tennessee momentum, the Titans will host Sanders on a private workout.
“We’re getting closer for sure; all of the processes are moving right along,” Callahan said of his second draft as a head coach. “I would say we have a pretty good feel for what direction we’re headed by early April here, and you put the final touches on it and tie the bow over it by the time you get to the draft.”
Titans Refute Report Of Will Levis Trade Talks
Titans executive Chad Brinker refuted a recent report that the team was engaging in talks to trade quarterback Will Levis
“That’s a false report,” said Brinker, the team’s president of football operations (via senior team reporter Jim Wyatt). “We have not contacted anybody, and nobody has contacted us, about Will Levis.”
Levis was the Titans’ second-round pick in 2023 and took over as the team’s starting quarterback midway through his rookie year. In 2024, he made 12 starts, missing three games in the middle of the season due to injury and splitting time with Mason Rudolph to end the season. The Titans were interested in re-signing Rudolph, according to Wyatt, but he opted to return to Pittsburgh instead.
Rather than dealing Levis, the Titans see him as a potential starter in 2025, even if they were to use one of their top draft picks on a quarterback.
“The plan with Will Levis is he has a chance to compete for a starting job next year,” said Brinker. Even if he doesn’t win the job, his youth, athleticism, and familiarity with the Titans offense will likely keep him in place as a backup.
Brinker added that the team would prefer to have four quarterbacks heading into training camp. Currently, they have three: Levis, Brandon Allen, and Tim Boyle, the latter two of whom were signed to one-year deals in free agency. Brinker came up in a Packers organization that frequently had four quarterbacks in training camp, per Main Street Media’s Terry McCormick.
Brinker’s comments further indicate that the Titans will draft Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, giving the team their fourth quarterback who can enter training camp competing with Levis for the starting job.
Steelers Have No Timeline For Aaron Rodgers Deal, Still Exploring Other QBs
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that the team has no exact timeline to sign Aaron Rodgers, per team writer Dale Lolley.
Training camp, however, would be a “line of demarcation,” per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. At that point, not having a quarterback in place would hinder the team’s ability to build chemistry and cohesiveness before the season.
Pittsburgh’s public pursuit of the four-time MVP has not advanced past a six-hour visit on March 21. Tomlin said that the two sides were focused on getting to know each other during the meeting. He also did not rule out another addition to a Steelers quarterback room that currently features two players – Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson – who have combined for 21 career starts.
“We’re still evaluating the acquisition of a guy at the position, whether it’s in free agency and/or the draft,” said Tomlin (via Lolley).
Rodgers is the only starting-caliber quarterback available in free agency, but the Steelers could explore trading for Kirk Cousins after the draft. That would likely be predicated on Pittsburgh not picking a quarterback in the first round of April’s draft. The team currently holds the No. 21 pick, where top quarterback prospects Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are not expected to be available.
The Steelers have been scouting the rest of the 2025 quarterback class, including Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Ohio State’s Will Howard, and Texas’ Quinn Ewers. Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan visited all three schools’ pro days in recent weeks, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
Tomlin also acknowledged the possibility of entering the season with Rudolph as the starter.
“I think that’s why we reacquired him. We like Mason Rudolph, but you know, that’s no secret,” he said (via DeFabo).
Jets Aim To Keep WR Allen Lazard
With Aaron Rodgers no longer on the Jets, wideout Davante Adams is understandably out of the organization as well. Many have expected New York to also move on from fellow ex-Packer Allen Lazard, but he could remain in place for 2025. 
New Jets general manager Darren Mougey said on Sunday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post) the team hopes to keep Lazard on the roster. A report from last month indicated a release could be expected, and the same was recently repeated in the wake of the Josh Reynolds signing. As Costello notes, though, efforts to restructure Lazard’s pact are ongoing.
The 29-year-old joined the Jets on a lucrative deal in 2023, a move which was followed by the Rodgers trade. Lazard faced high expectations given the $11MM annual average value of his deal, but things did not go according to plan and he recorded 23 catches and one touchdown. A healthy season from Rodgers helped produce a better output in 2024 (60-530-6 statline), although a parting of ways would still not come as a surprise. Lazard received permission to seek a trade not long before free agency began, but obviously no takers emerged.
Mougey’s remarks suggest the Jets could still be willing to move on from the former UDFA, but working out a pay cut arrangement would allow him to remain in the fold. As things currently stand, Lazard is owed $11MM next season with a scheduled cap hit of $13.18MM. The same setup exists for 2026, the final year of the Iowa State product’s deal. A trade or release would yield roughly equal cap savings and dead money charges, but a post-June 1 designation would generate $11MM in savings while incurring a dead cap charge of $2.18MM.
Without Adams in place, moving on from Lazard would leave the Jets short on experienced receivers (although that vacancy was addressed to an extent with the Reynolds deal). Garrett Wilson is set to once again operate as the focal point of New York’s passing attack – something which was not always the case during Adams’ brief stint with the team – in 2025. Reynolds will serve in a complementary capacity, and 2024 third-rounder Malachi Corley could as well.
If Lazard accepts a pay cut, he will be in position to continue as a regular on offense (having handled an 84% snap share in 2024). Failing that, the possibility of a release will loom as the countdown to the draft continues.
Cowboys Planning Further Free Agent Moves
In recent years, the Cowboys have not been major players on the free agent market. 2025 has seen a number of new players brought in, but to no surprise a splashy move has yet to take place. Not many high-profile options remain at this point of the offseason, of course, but Dallas could have more additions coming soon. 
“We’re not done yet,” executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters on Sunday (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “We still got some things that are outstanding that we’re trying to get done. Missed a few guys along the way too in terms of the number just being a lot higher than we thought it would be on a couple guys. Overall we’re real pleased with what we were able to do with our roster and help the team.”
[RELATED: Micah Parsons Seeking $200MM Extension?]
Dallas was among the teams which showed interest in wideout Cooper Kupp, who ultimately inked a three-year deal with the Seahawks. Like others, the Cowboys stood down knowing how high Kupp’s asking price was. The receiver position is one which could see an addition for Dallas given the team’s need to replace Brandin Cooks as a No. 2 option. Ex-Cowboy Amari Cooper, just like Keenan Allen and Tyler Lockett, remains unsigned at this point.
Having seen Rico Dowdle depart on the open market, Dallas has made a pair of backfield additions (Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders). Those veterans are set to see a notable role in 2025, although many still see the Cowboys as a suitor for top RB prospect Ashton Jeanty or another rookie in next month’s draft. The team’s defense has seen a number of additions already, in the form of a reunion with edge rusher Dante Fowler along with trades for cornerback Kaiir Elam and linebacker Kenneth Murray.
Given Jones’ remarks, further moves could be in store prior to the draft (although many veterans are often not added until after that event takes place). The Cowboys entered Sunday with just over $34.5MM in cap space, more than enough funds for at least one short-term addition. It will be interesting to see if a strong pursuit takes place in the near future.
Broncos Were Only Interested In Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs At Reduced Rate; Team Still In Veteran WR Market?
Prior to his March release, the Broncos were reportedly uninterested in trading for former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp. Once Kupp became a free agent, though, there was said to be mutual interest in a Kupp-Denver relationship.
[RELATED: Cowboys, Patriots Balked At Kupp’s Asking Price]
Nonetheless, Mike Klis of 9News.com hears the Broncos’ involvement in the Kupp sweepstakes was cursory at best, thanks largely to the receiver’s asking price. If the club could have landed the Super Bowl LVI MVP at a discounted rate, it might have done so. But once it became clear no discount would be forthcoming, Klis said Denver did not pursue Kupp (who ultimately signed a three-year, $45MM deal with the Seahawks).
The Broncos were never publicly connected to Stefon Diggs, whose reworked contract with the Texans expired at the end of the 2024 season. Klis says the club would have been interested in Diggs if he could have been had at a discount, but as was the case with Kupp, it soon became apparent the four-time Pro Bowler was not interested in a pillow contract. And he did not need to be, as he recently signed a three-year, $69MM accord with the Patriots.
To be clear, Klis is not suggesting Denver was motivated by frugality here. Head coach Sean Payton said back in February that he felt more highly of his cadre of wideouts than some league observers, and assuming that was not simply coach-speak, it stands to reason that the club would not overextend itself for 30-something WRs who are dealing with recent injury and production concerns.
The team was prioritizing a tight end upgrade, and it accomplished that goal by scooping up Jaguars cap casualty Evan Engram, who should provide a notable boost to the passing game. Plus, even though their Kupp and Diggs interest did not get past the preliminary stage, the fact that they made inquiries at all suggests to Klis that the Broncos – Payton’s comments notwithstanding – are still in the veteran receiver market. Which makes sense, given the lack of proven production on the team’s depth chart behind WR1 Courtland Sutton.
In Klis’ estimation, Keenan Allen and Elijah Moore are two of the most logical free agents for Denver to pursue, with Tyler Lockett representing another possibility. Adding a player like that would lessen the team’s urgency to select a wideout early in April’s draft while also providing a worthy complement to Sutton and breakout candidate Marvin Mims.
Eagles RT Lane Johnson Intends To Play Through 2027 Season
The Eagles recently extended right tackle Lane Johnson through 2027 by adding one year to his existing deal. The transaction served the dual purpose of rewarding a franchise icon with an additional $30MM in guaranteed money while also lowering his 2025 cap charge. Nonetheless, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer said at the time the extension was announced that Johnson may retire before his contract expires.
If Johnson has his druthers, though, he will play out his term of club control. “I feel really good. I think I can play out the contract,” the soon-to-be 35-year-old blocker said (via McLane).
Shortly before the 2024 season got underway, Johnson said he believes he can play until he is 40, thereby joining the likes of Jason Peters and Andrew Whitworth in that rarefied air for offensive linemen. In the same statement, though, Johnson acknowledged it was perhaps more realistic for him to play another two to three years.
At the time he made those comments, another three seasons would have taken Johnson through the 2026 campaign. As such, it is notable that he believes he can see out the 2027 add-on to his contract, which would take him through his age-37 season.
While factors unrelated to on-field performance, such as familial obligations and long-term health, are often instrumental in a player’s decision to retire, Johnson’s play has not shown any signs of regression even as he has entered his mid-30s. He just received his third consecutive (and sixth overall) Pro Bowl nod for his 2024 work, which was instrumental in Philadelphia’s second Super Bowl championship. The two-time First Team All-Pro graded out as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best offensive tackle out of 81 qualifiers last year, and outside of his injury-shortened 2020 season, he has not finished lower than 13th in PFF’s grading system in any of the last nine years.
Now that Brandon Graham has retired, Johnson is all that remains of the Eagles’ “Core Four” that featured Johnson, Graham, Fletcher Cox, and Jason Kelce. At the moment, it sounds like that venerable quartet has a good chance of keeping its final member in the league for three more years.
Latest On Steelers, Aaron Rodgers
The Aaron Rodgers wait persists in Pittsburgh. Not viewed as being the clubhouse leaders for the future Hall of Fame quarterback, the Giants took themselves out of the running this week by signing Russell Wilson. Letting Wilson walk without showing much offseason interest, the Steelers have met with Rodgers and continue to hope he accepts their offer.
Pittsburgh is not believed to have raised its offer since submitting it near the beginning of free agency, and New York leaving this derby may not convince the AFC North club to update it. That said, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes the 41-year-old passer is viewed as being more focused on a potential fit than additional money he can add to his career earnings.
Considering Rodgers has made more than $380MM in his career, not making money the lead driver here makes sense. On that note, Bleacher Report’s James Palmer adds (h/t Steelers Depot’s Troy Montgomery) some in the Steelers’ building are wondering whether a Rodgers addition would mean overhauling Pittsburgh’s offense to suit the veteran or if the 20-year QB would assimilate into Arthur Smith‘s scheme.
This could bring be a bit of give and take, though it should be noted the Buccaneers and Broncos eventually tailored their schemes to suit Tom Brady and Peyton Manning‘s respective skillsets. However, Rodgers’ attempt to follow his more accomplished peers’ lead by thriving after a late-career relocation did not go well after the Jets imported the QB’s preferred scheme.
Smith and Wilson clashed during the latter’s lone Pittsburgh season, and Rodgers certainly has a reputation as a demanding presence. But Rodgers is also believed to be seeking a Packers-like environment, per Breer, after his Jets partnership went south. The Steelers use a similar contract blueprint to the Packers’ and carry an established culture, one currently fostered by the likes of Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Those defenders’ primes have hit a wall thanks largely to shaky quarterback play. Although Rodgers’ shtick may not be for everyone, the Steelers are willing to take a chance here due to the shortcomings they have seen at QB this decade.
As for where this stands, Rodgers has still not given any indication regarding when he will decide. He is believed to have told the Vikings they would be his preference. Minnesota GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did not completely rule out Rodgers, but the team is pausing a potential pursuit — despite some support in the building for one — to give J.J. McCarthy free rein during the offseason program. Unless Rodgers wants to take a Brett Favre-like approach and wait for a Vikings fit to emerge this summer, he will need to let the Steelers know on a decision soon. The team is doing homework on QBs in the draft, preparing to host Jaxson Dart on a “30” visit in April.
Confirming the team is doing plenty of homework on this QB draft class, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said during a SportsCenter appearance the Steelers are nevertheless optimistic on Rodgers. This reminds of a weekend report that viewed a Rodgers-Steelers union as likely.
More notably, Fowler indicates several around the league’s QB market assume the Steelers probably received a degree of assurance that Rodgers will commit to Pittsburgh at some point. With Wilson believed to have remained interested in a second Steelers contract, the team standing down and letting him walk could well point to confidence Rodgers will sign eventually.
The draft may not provide a true deadline, but the Steelers would obviously prefer to know if they have a surefire 2025 starter before potentially making a plan to acquire an heir apparent. If Rodgers opts to retire or informs the Steelers he will wait on the Vikings, the team would be in a tough spot. With Wilson gone, Joe Flacco, Carson Wentz and Ryan Tannehill — the latter having not played in 2024 — are the most notable bridge options available in free agency. Kirk Cousins would be an option after the draft, as the Falcons QB will wait to see how teams operate there before waiving his no-trade clause, but he would appeal to the Browns (and ex-boss Kevin Stefanski) as well.