Klint Kubiak Helped Draw Sam Darnold To Seahawks; Drew Lock Entrenched As Backup
Not in the quarterback market until they traded Geno Smith days before free agency, the Seahawks immediately became a contender for the top QB prize in this year’s FA class. The offensive coordinator they hired quietly became a key component in this late-emerging pursuit.
The Seahawks had seen Smith extension talks break down, leading to the team regrouping after trading its three-year starter to the Raiders for a third-round pick. Rather than spending weeks without an answer at the game’ premier position, Seattle made a successful Sam Darnold pitch. Darnold joined the team on a three-year, $100.5MM deal — one that features a Seahawks escape hatch in February 2026.
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Darnold became intrigued at the idea of reuniting with Kubiak, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. The Broncos’ quarterbacks coach during their disastrous first season with Russell Wilson at the helm, Kubiak received a chance to regroup in San Francisco as Kyle Shanahan‘s pass-game coordinator in 2023. The Shanahans and Kubiaks go way back, obviously, though Klint had never coached with Kyle before. The 49ers then added Darnold on a one-year, $4.5MM deal in March 2023, and his year behind Brock Purdy allowed for the then-underwhelming ex-No. 3 overall pick to regroup as well.
Spending the season as Purdy’s backup, Darnold developed a comfort level with the 49ers. Kubiak played a central role in that, per Breer. Kubiak, 38, had said Smith represented a “huge draw” for him. The Seahawks hired Kubiak in late January; by early March, the team needed to recruit another quarterback. Darnold will now attempt to make his Seattle stay a multiyear arrangement, and he will have scheme familiarity thanks to Kubiak.
Seattle only authorized $37.5MM fully guaranteed to Darnold. This bettered their Smith terms from 2023, but the contract’s structure creates questions beyond 2025. The team can avoid a $17.5MM additional guarantee from vesting by moving Darnold off the roster by Feb. 12. This structure mirrors the Raiders’ Derek Carr extension from 2022; Las Vegas did use the escape hatch, cutting Carr before a much bigger guarantee vested in February 2023. The Seahawks then made a draft decision that would stand to affect Darnold’s future.
The team drafted Jalen Milroe in Round 3, doing so after signing Drew Lock to return as a backup. Lock is on a two-year, $5MM deal ($2.25MM guaranteed). While Milroe represents the long-term threat to Darnold’s job security — to the point the Seahawks informed Darnold about the pick — The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes Lock is secure in his place as the team’s backup entering the season.
Lock has played ahead of Milroe throughout training camp. The dual-threat Alabama prospect entered the draft with a high ceiling, particularly when compared to a mostly maligned QB class this year, but is viewed as a developmental option. Milroe will certainly be on Seattle’s 53-man roster, but a role as the third-stringer appears in place to open the season.
How Milroe’s development unfolds this season will be a key storyline to follow in Seattle. Significant 2025 progress could lead to a major Seahawks decision on Darnold’s contract by February. For now, though, a Darnold-Lock-Milroe depth chart is in place.
Darnold’s history of missing time certainly keeps Lock a key figure in Seattle; Darnold missed 10 starts as a Jet and was down for five games with the 2021 Panthers. He lost the 2022 Carolina gig to Baker Mayfield, but a high ankle sprain kept him out for much of that season. Darnold helped his free agency stock by playing every Vikings game last season, but his past health issues are quite relevant regarding Lock’s chances of adding to his 28-start total.
IR Stint In Play For Bills’ Maxwell Hairston
The Bills avoided the worst-case scenario with Maxwell Hairston, but the first-round pick still looks unlikely to begin the season on time. How much of the season he misses now looks like the key question.
Hairston suffered an LCL sprain early in training camp. While this represented a significant break for the Bills after an ACL tear was initially feared, Sean McDermott said an IR stint to open the season is in play. Due to Hairston’s recovery timeline, McDermott confirmed (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia) the team will probably need to discuss the prospect of Maxwell opening the season on IR. On a positive note, McDermott said (via the Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski) Hairston is off crutches.
Buffalo would have two IR options with Hairston. The team could use one of its two summer IR-return slots, which are available to teams before roster-cutdown day, to save a roster spot as Hairston continues to rehab. The Bills could also carry Hairston on the 53-man roster past cutdown day and then shift him to IR. The second path would be unlikely, as it is expected Hairston will be back to contribute as a rookie. He thus makes sense for one of the team’s August IR-return slots, which must be announced by 3pm CT August 26.
Last year, the Bills used both their summer IR-return slots — which became available to teams beginning in 2024 — by stashing Matt Milano and running back Darrynton Evans on their injured list. This covered two of Buffalo’s eight injury activations. While Milano returned from IR late in the season, the Bills did not activate Evans and instead cut him.
The team had aimed for Hairston to start opposite the recently extended Christian Benford, letting Rasul Douglas test free agency. While the two-year Buffalo starter remains available, the Bills have reunited with Tre’Davious White. The former All-Pro, whose career skidded off track due to ACL and Achilles tears, is moving toward a chance to start again. This represents a risk due to White’s recent form, but the Bills have been pleased with how the nine-year veteran has looked during camp.
White is going into his age-30 season and struggled in four Rams starts, being traded (to the Ravens) in a seventh-round pick swap at the deadline. Baltimore used White as a backup in seven games. White started 82 games for the Bills from 2017-23. Buffalo also reunited with 28-game starter Dane Jackson this offseason; Jackson spent 2023 with the Panthers.
Hairston missing this much practice time will likely affect his development. The Bills will not be eligible to designate the Kentucky product to return to practice until after Week 4. It would make sense Hairston hitting IR would lead to a longer absence than the four-game minimum, as the team would seemingly want him to ramp up during practice. The Bills could avoid this scenario by keeping Hairston off IR, using a week-to-week strategy that would allow for earlier practice work in the event he is ready.
Vikings WR Rondale Moore Suffers Knee Injury, Out For Season
AUGUST 12: It has since been revealed Moore will miss the season, the Vikings confirmed (via Seifert). The former second-round pick has landed on IR.
AUGUST 10: Vikings wide receiver and returner Rondale Moore suffered an injury to his left knee during the club’s preseason opener against the Texans on Saturday, as relayed by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Moore will undergo an MRI on Sunday to determine the extent of the damage, but in his post-game presser, head coach Kevin O’Connell called the situation “heartbreaking,” and ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests Moore will miss the entire season.
If Schefter is correct, it would represent a harsh case of déjà vu for the 25-year-old, who sustained a season-ending injury to his right knee as a member of the Falcons last August, almost exactly one year ago. Despite missing the entirety of the 2024 slate, Moore attracted a number of suitors in free agency before signing a one-year, $2MM contract with Minnesota in March.
As Seifert notes, Moore was vying for a role as the Vikings’ No. 4 wideout and primary punt returner. The injury occurred during a punt return; he was running out of bounds after a two-yard gain when he was tackled by Houston linebacker Jamal Hill, who pulled Moore down awkwardly.
O’Connell believed Hill may have employed a hip-drop tackle, though he did not think there was any ill intent. Of course, that does not make the outcome easier to swallow for Moore, who slammed his hands on the back of the medical cart so hard that the sound reverberated throughout the stadium.
“It’s one of the most painful things for me as a head coach when I feel that emotion,” O’Connell said. “I make a life out of trying to leave others better than I found them. In that situation, there is nothing I can do, which is the worst feeling as a coach. So you just consult with him and make sure that he knows he’s not going to be alone.”
A second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2021, Moore established himself as a versatile offensive option during his time in Arizona. He averaged 45 receptions per season between 2021 and 2023, and he also garnered 52 total carries (for 249 yards) over that span. He even got an extended look as a returner during his rookie campaign, a skill set the Vikings were trying to reexplore.
After the Falcons made a big splash at the quarterback position by signing Kirk Cousins last year, they viewed their primary 2023 QB1, Desmond Ridder, as trade fodder. They dealt Ridder to the Cardinals in exchange for Moore, whom they hoped would provide Cousins & Co. with a capable complementary target. That did not come to pass, and it unfortunately does not appear the Vikings’ plans for Moore will come to fruition either.
Raiders Could Pursue CB Addition
The Raiders’ secondary will look much different in 2025 than it did last year. Further changes could be coming at the cornerback spot in particular. 
[RELATED: Recapping Raiders’ Offseason]
Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes it would not come as a surprise if a cornerback addition were to be made prior to Week 1. Former Packers first-rounder Eric Stokes – added this spring via free agency – is in line to operate as a starter on the perimeter. The top slot job, meanwhile, looks to belong to Darnay Holmes, who handled a rotational during his debut Vegas campaign.
As for the other first-team gig on the perimeter, training camp has resulted in a number of corners receiving a look. Third-round rookie Darien Porter has enjoyed a strong summer so far, per Bonsignore, and he has a strong chance of beating out 2024 fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson as a result. The team’s depth chart ahead of this week’s preseason action lists Porter as a starter and Richardson as a backup, although of course that does not offer any finality on the matter.
Per The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, Kyu Blu Kelly received a portion of first-team reps during today’s practice. The 2023 draftee has made only 12 appearances to date in his career, although four of those came with the Raiders last season. Kelly is listed as a backup on this week’s depth chart, but he has two more preseason contests to attempt to play his way into a starting gig.
The likes of Asante Samuel Jr., Rasul Douglas and Kendall Fuller remain unsigned at this point, and they could be added on a one-year deal to offer experience and starting-caliber play at the CB position. Vegas has nearly $35MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if a short-term addition is deemed necessary later this summer.
Jets QB Tyrod Taylor Undergoes Knee Scope
The Jets’ quarterback depth will be limited through their remaining training camp practices and preseason games. Tyrod Taylor is recovering from a knee scope, head coach Aaron Glenn said on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). 
Taylor is set to miss the rest of the preseason while rehabbing, but the Jets are hopeful he will be able to recover in time for Week 1. The 36-year-old is slated to handle backup duties behind Justin Fields in 2025, the first season of the new regime featuring Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. That duo’s success will be closely tied to Fields and his ability to provide stable quarterback play over at least the near term.
In the event of injury or poor play on the former first-rounder’s part, though, Taylor will be counted on to step in. He has 94 regular season games and 58 starts to his name, including a pair of brief appearances with the Jets last season. Taylor’s ongoing presence as a high-floor insurance option through this offseason helped inform the team’s free agent approach under center, which as expected did not include a long-term commitment to any of the free agent options.
Fields himself suffered a health scare late last month, but his toe injury proved to be a minor one. SNY’s Connor Hughes recently noted how Fields was wearing a larger shoe on the affected foot, adding the ailment may have been a contributing factor to his less-than-stellar showings early in camp. Improved play over the coming weeks will be key, and it will be interesting to see how much (if at all) the former Bear and Steeler plays during New York’s two final preseason contests given Taylor’s absence.
The Jets also have a pair of undrafted free agents in the form of Adrian Martinez (2023) and Brady Cook (2025) at quarterback. It would come as no surprise if both were to see an increased workload in the coming days with Taylor on the mend. The play of Martinez and Cook will decide how New York proceeds with respect to the third QB spot ahead of final roster cuts at the end of the month.
In other injury news, Glenn noted receiver Allen Lazard is dealing with a shoulder injury. The 29-year-old is set to miss roughly two weeks as a result, meaning he too is in line to be sidelined for the remainder of the preseason. Lazard was seen as a trade candidate in the wake of Aaron Rodgers‘ Jets tenure coming to an end, but a pay cut was ultimately agreed to allowing him to remain in New York. A role in the passing game awaits upon his return to full health.
49ers WR Demarcus Robinson Files Appeal Over Expected DUI Suspension
Demarcus Robinson concluded the legal situation related to a November 2024 DUI arrest last month. The veteran receiver entered a plea of no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge as part of an agreement which saw other charges dismissed. 
As a result, the expectation of a suspension has been in place since the case was closed. Standard practice around the NFL for a first-time offense regarding DUI instances is a three-game suspension. Vikings wideout Jordan Addison represents the most recent example in that regard. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan anticipates a Robinson ban, but an appeals process will play out first.
“(I’m) pretty anxious,” Robinson said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) when speaking to the media about his situation. “Just waiting on the outcome to see what happens with that … I really don’t know the timeframe. Waiting to hear from them, honestly.”
The fact Robinson agreed to a misdemeanor charge could help his chances of avoiding a suspension (or at least receiving a ban of less than three games). An outcome of any kind on this front will be key for team and player considering the injury issues the 49ers are currently dealing with at the receiver spot. Brandon Aiyuk remains on track to start the year on the reserve/PUP list, with a return in the vicinity of Week 6 being named yesterday by Shanahan as a target. Meanwhile, fourth-round rookie Jordan Watkins is dealing with a high ankle sprain which could leave him sidelined for the regular season opener.
Robinson, 30, enjoyed a career year with the Rams in 2024 with 505 yards and seven touchdowns on 31 receptions. A depth role should await him in San Francisco behind Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings (who continues to seek an extension) and 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall. Robinson is on the books for the next two years, but it remains to be seen when he will first be available for his new team.
Texans Place TE Brevin Jordan On IR
Brevin Jordan worked his way back from a 2024 ACL tear in time to take part in training camp with the Texans. The veteran tight end will not play this season, however. 
Jordan has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. A serious leg injury suffered during practice yesterday raised concerns about a lengthy absence being possible (video link via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). Now, not long after having returned to full health from the ACL tear, Jordan will be sidelined for the entire 2025 campaign.
The 25-year-old has spent his entire career with the Texans, occupying a depth role on offense along the way by chipping in as a run blocker and special teams contributor. Jordan was orginally set to reach free agency this spring upon seeing his rookie contract expire, but a one-year extension was agreed to in December. That pact marked a mutual commitment between team and player for another campaign with each other coming off the ACL tear months earlier. Given today’s news, though, things have not gone according to plan.
Jordan’s attention will turn to rehab once again, and he will do so as a pending 2026 free agent. The former fifth-rounder’s market will obviously take a hit given his absence for most of the 2024 season and all of the coming campaign. His loss will thin out Houston’s TE depth chart behind starter Dalton Schultz.
Wilson reports the Texans are expected to pursue a signing to help offset Jordan’s absence. Houston has Irv Smith Jr. along with Dalton Keene in the fold. The team spent Day 3 picks in the past two drafts on Cade Stover and Luke Lachey, and they could be in store for an increased role depending on how things shake out over the remainder of the offseason. The Texans entered Tuesday with nearly $15MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue for any one-year signings which get worked out in the near future.
Darrelle Revis, Joe Briggs Among Potential Candidates For NFLPA’s Exec. Director Role
Lloyd Howell received a public show of support from the NFLPA not long before a growing list of scandals led to his resignation as the union’s executive director. Fellow key official J.C. Tretter departed shortly thereafter, creating two notable vacancies in leadership positions. 
Since then, David White has landed the executive director position on an interim basis. The search process for a permanent union leader is expected to begin soon, and White – having been the runner-up to Howell in 2023 – would make for a logical candidate regarding the full-time gig. No one has formally thrown their hat into the ring yet, but two potential candidates for the position have emerged.
Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis is a name to watch on this front, as first reported by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Interest is indeed in place amongst some players and agents in Revis taking charge of the union, Mark Maske of the Washington Post confirms. The 40-year-old has been retired since 2018.
Over the course of his career, Revis demonstrated a willingness to hold out during contract talks. That is no doubt a factor which would be viewed as a positive from the union’s perspective with respect to CBA talks and other interactions with the league’s owners. Revis’ uncle Sean Gilbert once made a push to unseat DeMaurice Smith as the NFLPA’s executive director. Especially if emphasis is placed on hiring an ex-NFL player for the role, Revis’ interest will be worth monitoring.
Meanwhile, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson notes that Joe Briggs’ name has also come up regarding candidates to replace Howell. Briggs has a lengthy legal background and has worked with the NFLPA by managing its financial programs department and later serving as the union’s public policy counsel; he was also the first person to lead the NFLPA’s government relations department. Briggs is currently a professor at Georgetown University.
NFLPA president Jalen Reeves-Maybin has made it clear representatives from all 32 teams will be involved in the voting process for a new full-time executive director when the time comes. It will be interesting to see if Revis and/or Briggs will be among the finalists to receive consideration.
Christian Watson Likely To Land On Packers’ Reserve/PUP List; Jayden Reed Uncertain To Play In Week 1?
AUGUST 12: When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Gutekunst confirmed (via USA Today’s Ryan Wood) Watson is expected to begin the season with a reserve/PUP designation. He added, though, a return as early as Week 5 could be in store given Watson’s steady progress in the rehab process.
AUGUST 10: Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed is expected to be among Green Bay’s top pass catchers in 2025, just as he has been over each of his first two years in the league. Unfortunately, he is dealing with an injury that could jeopardize his availability for the start of the season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Reed is in a walking boot due to a sprained foot, and one source described his status as “day to day.” When asked about Reed following his team’s first preseason contest on Saturday, head coach Matt LaFleur said he hoped Reed would be on the field for Week 1. He added, however, “any time you see a guy in a boot that’s a concern” (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky).
Reed, a 2023 second-round pick, has produced a 17-game triple-slash average of 61/850/7 through the first half of his rookie deal, thus proving his importance to the Packers’ Jordan Love-led offense. He did struggle with drops (nine) in 2024, but after agent Drew Rosenhaus approached Packers GM Brian Gutekunst with questions about Reed’s role in the wake of Green Bay’s significant investment in the WR position in April’s draft, LaFleur suggested there should be no such concerns in that regard.
The rookie wideouts, Matthew Golden (first round) and Savion Williams (third) could be especially important in the early stages of the season if Reed is forced to miss time. Deep threat Christian Watson was already expected to be sidelined, perhaps until midseason, as a result of the ACL tear he sustained at the end of the 2024 campaign.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler confirms Watson is expected to be placed on the reserve/PUP list at the end of training camp, which would force the contract-year receiver to miss at least the first four games of the 2025 schedule. While both Fowler and Wes Hodkiewicz of the team’s official website acknowledge Watson is moving well and has shown no lingering effects from his injury, Hodkiewicz cautions Watson is not “going full blast” just yet. Green Bay will exercise patience here, a decision made easier by Golden’s standout camp.
The news is better for linebacker Quay Walker, who will again serve as a starter in the middle of the Green Bay defense. Since the club declined Walker’s fifth-year option – which was not surprising, as the fifth-year number for all linebackers is inflated by the salaries of outside linebackers who rush the passer – Walker is, like Watson, entering a platform season.
Walker opened training camp on the PUP list, and though he was activated on July 23, he had not taken part in 11-on-11 drills until a few days ago. As Demovsky writes, Walker has returned to full participation after dealing with an ankle injury that impacted him most of last year and that caused him to miss the final three regular season games of 2024.
Walker, 25, underwent surgery on the ankle in late May, per Demovsky. Given his camp status, it sounds as if he has made a full recovery, and Gutekunst has expressed a desire to keep the 2022 first-rounder on the club for the foreseeable future. Player and team have recently engaged in extension talks.
Cameron Heyward Willing To Miss Games Over Contract Dispute?
Cameron Heyward‘s sudden hold-in could lead to regular-season absences. While speaking with reporters today, the Steelers defensive lineman hinted that he’d be willing to sit out regular season games as he pursues a revised deal.
[RELATED: Steelers DT Seeking Steelers Contract Adjustment]
“I think there are definitely options out there that could reflect that,” Heyward said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor).
“I’m looking to be valued,” Heyward added (via Pryor). “I know what I bring to this team and what I’m capable of on and off the field. It’s hard for me, after the year I’ve had, to justify playing at the number I’m playing at.”
It was only a year ago that the Steelers tacked on a two-year, $29MM extension to the veteran’s expiring contract. Coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career in 2023, Heyward reverted back to his All-Pro play in 2024. The likely future Hall of Famer finished last season with 71 tackles, eight sacks, and 20 QB hits, leading to an All-Pro nod.
Considering his resurgent campaign, Heyward is now dissatisfied with his current pact. While the player’s hold-in seemed to come out of nowhere, Heyward claims he warned the organization that he’d want to return to the negotiating table if he quickly outperformed his extension (via Mark Kaboly). Heyward said the front office “giggled” at this notion, providing motivation for his comeback performance in 2024.
Heyward’s hold-in kicked off last week, although he had primarily done work off to the side during the early phases of training camp. We heard at the time that the two sides had indeed discussed the 36-year-old’s issues with his contract, although it sounds like there hasn’t been any progress. The Steelers are coming off an offseason where they had to navigate T.J. Watt‘s extension, perhaps explaining why the Heyward showdown has only recently become public.
With a $14.5MM average annual value, Heyward’s contract only ranks 22nd among interior defensive linemen. Even bumping those annual earnings to $20MM wouldn’t place Heyward in the top-10 of his position. The Steelers could perhaps explore increasing the player’s 2025 earnings, or the two sides could even pursue a divorce. Heyward was once open to exploring a post-Pittsburgh path last year, but it’s uncertain if his current problems with the organization would lead to this path.
The Steelers already put in some work finding a potential Heyward successor, as the team used a first-round pick on Oregon’s Derrick Harmon. The rookie could easily slide into the starting lineup if the veteran decides to sit out games.