Giants Expect Andrew Thomas For Week 1; No Restrictions For Malik Nabers
Andrew Thomas went down with a Lisfranc injury in mid-October and did not participate in the Giants’ offseason program. The All-Pro tackle has now begun training camp on the active/PUP list. While that is a camp-only designation that does not prevent Thomas from participating in regular-season games, his rehab continues.
That said, Brian Daboll did not confirm at minicamp Thomas would be ready for training camp. The fourth-year Giants HC now is offering a positive update on his top offensive lineman. Daboll expects (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz) Thomas to be ready by Week 1. That would be a welcome development for a Giants O-line counting on its anchor, a player who has missed much of the past two seasons.
[RELATED: Recapping Giants’ 2025 Offseason]
Thomas, who saw a nagging hamstring injury sideline him for seven games in 2023, opted for surgery after the Lisfranc issue surfaced last year. He missed 11 more contests, not giving the Giants a good early return on their summer 2023 extension. Initial expectations for Thomas pointed to a return to full strength by OTAs. The adjusted timetable keyed a more cautious approach, one that produced a revised buildup during the offseason program and a return during camp.
Alarm bells would blare if Thomas cannot resurface at some point during camp, but for now, the Giants are not sounding them. Until Thomas comes back, free agency addition James Hudson is in place as the Giants’ first-string left tackle.
The other significant injury situation in New York has involved Malik Nabers, but the team has its No. 1 wide receiver ready to go. Nabers did not participate in the Giants’ offseason program due to a toe injury. When the Giants opened training camp, though, Daboll confirmed (via Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano) the former first-round pick has no restrictions.
Nabers’ injury dates back to his time at LSU, but it has not caused him to miss a game in college or the NFL. The LSU product did indicate an eventual surgery could be necessary, via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, but he is at work as Russell Wilson prepares to hold off Jaxson Dart this year. (Daboll reiterated Tuesday, via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, that Wilson is the Giants’ unchallenged starter at camp’s outset.) Wilson said this offseason Nabers helped attract him to New York; it will be interesting to see how long this partnership lasts, as Dart’s debut will be a regular talking point.
Rounding out some Giants injury news, left guard Jon Runyan Jr.‘s rehab work was not confined to the ankle issues that required surgery. The 2024 free agency addition also underwent a shoulder procedure, Duggan notes. Runyan suffered a separated shoulder during training camp last year but played through it. Two seasons remain on Runyan’s three-year, $30MM contract.
Braxton Jones Receives Clearance; Bears Holding LT Competition
Braxton Jones made a quick leap from Division I-FCS blocker to starting NFL left tackle as a rookie, moving into the Bears’ starting lineup despite being a 2022 fifth-round pick. As Jones prepares for a contract year, however, the situation has changed.
The Bears have seen their three-year LT starter receive clearance, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Although Jones will need a ramp-up period as he wraps up his return from ankle surgery, he avoided the active/PUP list to open training camp. That is significant, but the Bears are not planning to give him the blindside gig without competition this year.
Kiran Amegadjie and Ozzy Trapilo, respectively chosen on Day 2 of the past two drafts, are competing with Jones for the LT post, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin notes. Ben Johnson referred to Jones’ experience making him the frontrunner, but the new HC referred to this as a true competition. That differs from how Chicago has proceeded at LT over the previous two summers.
Jones, 26, has started all 40 games he has played as a pro. This included 17 during the Bears’ woeful 2022 season. Over the past two years, though, the Southern Utah product has missed a combined 11 games. This included five due to knee and ankle injuries last season.
The fractured ankle Jones sustained in December defined his offseason, as he was a nonparticipant and rumored to be destined for the active/PUP list come training camp. Jones will at least have a better chance to stake his claim to keep the blindside job now that he has avoided it, but the new Bears staff will greenlight a challenge after the two abbreviated seasons.
Trapilo probably represents the bigger threat here, seeing as he is a second-round pick chosen on Johnson’s watch. Other than Darnell Wright, Trapilo is the Bears’ highest-drafted tackle (No. 56 overall) since Gabe Carimi (Round 1, 2011). Technically, Teven Jenkins (No. 39, 2021) was a tackle draftee; but he spent three years at guard in Chicago. The Bears appear prepared to, at the very least, groom the 6-foot-8 Trapilo for long-term LT duty.
Trapilo took first-team reps with the Bears’ first-stringers during team periods in their first camp workout, per Cronin. With Jones needing a bit of time to reacclimate, this does not seem to indicate Trapilo has an early lead. But it would point to the new staff having a slightly higher opinion of him than Amegadjie, chosen in Round 3 during Matt Eberflus‘ truncated final year on the job. The Yale alum missed a chunk of his rookie season due to injury, playing 125 snaps in six games.
Pro Football Focus has graded Jones as a top-35 tackle in each of his three seasons. This includes 19th- and 22nd-place rankings in 2022 and ’24. An opportunity exists for Jones to bolster his 2026 free agency stock by fending off the younger players for the gig. As of now, it does not look like he is a particularly important extension candidate in Chicago. A good contract year would place him as a high-end 2026 free agent. The next several weeks will be pivotal in forging this path.
Saints’ Tyrann Mathieu Announces Retirement
July 23: The Saints will get some minor cap savings from Mathieu’s retirement, per NewOrleans.Football’s Mike Triplett. He agreed to a revised contract earlier this offseason with a $2.47MM signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $1.53MM salary. The latter will come off this year’s cap, while the former will be taken off of Mathieu’s 2026 dead money from his last contract.
July 22: Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement on social media (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), ending the Honey Badger’s sterling 12-year career.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said that the team was informed of Mathieu’s decision in advance, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. It also leaves the team without a starting safety with six weeks left until Week 1. Mathieu started every Saints game for the last three years.
[RELATED: Saints To Sign S Julian Blackmon]
Loomis indicated that the Saints will explore adding a safety, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but they may already have Mathieu’s replacement on the roster. It won’t be veteran offseason signing Justin Reid, as he was already expected to start this year. Instead, 2023 fifth-rounder Jordan Howden jumps out as the most likely candidate.
Though he has only logged 11 career starts, Howden played just under 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps over the last two years, primarily as a free safety. That experience should put him in a strong position to start opposite Reid, though veterans J.T. Gray and Terrell Burgess will also be in the mix. A number of free agents safeties are also available, including former Saint Marcus Maye.
The Saints also drafted Virginia safety Jonas Sanker in the third round, a sign that they believe he can grow into an NFL starter. He will likely have a chance to compete for the starting job, but rookie safeties – even ones drafted on Day 2 – are rarely able to catch up to NFL speed and start right away.
Mathieu, meanwhile, will be enjoying retirement after 12 years, 180 appearances, 171 starts, and more than 11,000 snaps in the NFL. Despite an excellent college career at LSU, Mathieu fell to the third round in the 2013 draft due to size concerns. The Cardinals snagged him with the 69th overall pick, and he went on to finish fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Working regularly in the slot for the Cardinals in 2015, Mathieu earned a first-team All-Pro nod upon helping the team to a franchise-most 13 wins — and a run to the NFC championship game. The Cardinals gave Mathieu a five-year, $62.5MM extension in 2016; at the time, that deal made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The Cards cut bait on the deal two years in, as the safety market cratered in 2018. After a one-off in Houston, Mathieu made his way to Kansas City and sparked a midcareer turnaround.
Hours after Washington gave Landon Collins a $14MM-per-year deal to reignite the safety market, Kansas City matched it — as the team loaded up around Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie contract. Mathieu played an instrumental role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV-winning season, justifying the team’s big-ticket payment. In 2020, Mathieu intercepted a career-high six passes and delivered his second straight first-team All-Pro season.
Despite Mathieu remaining a quality starter in 2021, the Chiefs let him walk as a 2022 free agent. They brought in Justin Reid as a cheaper alternative, redirecting Mathieu to the Saints (on a three-year, $27MM pact). New Orleans adjusted Mathieu’s deal twice, the second such change bringing a pay cut. Reid joined the Saints this offseason, but rather than finally align as a Mathieu teammate, the former Texans draftee will end up replacing him for a third time.
The LSU standout finishes his career with 36 interceptions, 11 sacks and seven forced fumbles. His work with the Cardinals and Chiefs spearheaded an All-Decade honor for the 2010s. Mathieu retires just shy of $100MM in career earnings, per OverTheCap, though that may change depending on how the Saints financially handle his retirement.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson Begins Training Camp Holdout
10:38pm: The latest round of negotiations between Hendrickson and the Bengals has proven to be “very contentious,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. He adds Monday’s talks did not yield progress, and it remains to be seen at this point when communication between the parties will open again. A lengthy holdout could very well be in store. He has since landed on the Bengals’ reserve/did not report list.
9:49am: Trey Hendrickson has long loomed as a candidate to skip the start of training camp. With the Bengals preparing to begin padded practices, the reigning sack leader is indeed absent. 
Hendrickson informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday that he has elected to hold out from training camp. As a result, he will begin accruing mandatory daily fines while extension talks continue. Owner Mike Brown struck an optimistic tone yesterday when speaking to the media about the Hendrickson situation. For at least the time being, however, this stalemate will continue.
A native of Orlando, Hendrickson posted on Instagram that he has returned to Florida in the absence of an agreement. The 30-year-old has maintained since the spring that he is prepared to not only hold out of training camp but into the regular season if no extension is worked out. Several weeks remain to see if that will end up taking place, but today’s expected update is another indication this situation is not in a good place. To date, the Bengals have yet to offer a deal in the $35MM-per-year range and the team’s preference is to add one year to Hendrickson’s current pact.
Of course, guarantees are a key sticking point in negotiations. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Cincinnati is willing to authorize a multi-year pact which includes a “substantial raise” compared to the $16MM Hendrickson is currently owed for 2025 (video link). The issue, to no surprise, is the four-time Pro Bowler’s desire to secure guarantees for 2026 “and beyond” and thus match what a number of other edge rushers have received on that front this offseason with their new deals. T.J. Watt is the most recent pass rusher to reset the market, and his new Steelers pact includes $108MM fully guaranteed along with a record-breaking cashflow for non-quarterbacks.
It would come as a major surprise if Hendrickson were to match Watt in terms of base or locked in earnings on his next pact. Nevertheless, an increase in guarantees will likely be needed to get a deal done. During today’s episode of Good Morning Football, Manti Te’o said he has spoken with Hendrickson, who described the Bengals’ offers regarding guaranteed money as “atrociously, atrociously low” (h/t Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero).
The Bengals are certainly no stranger to contract drama leading up to the regular season. Tension with the likes of Joe Mixon, Jessie Bates, Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase over the past several years have created uncertainty about those players’ availability in time for Week 1. That will also be the case for Hendrickson unless a breakthrough can be made.
Micah Parsons Avoiding Hold-In, Not Practicing Due To Back Issue
While Micah Parsons is still seeking a new contract, the star pass rusher was in attendance for the start of Cowboys training camp. However, it sounds like the veteran won’t be hitting the practice field anytime soon.
[RELATED: DE Micah Parsons: Cowboys Ownership Has Made Negotiations “More Complicated” Than Necessary]
While speaking with reporters today, Parsons revealed that he’s nursing a back injury and doesn’t intend to practice until his body feels right. While Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News described the situation as a “hold-in,” Parsons said he’s not engaging in that negotiation tactic. The veteran also said he doesn’t plan on holding out (via Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports).
“Just being mindful,” Parsons said of his refusal to practice (via Jane Slater of NFL Network). “Obviously, just want to get the body going the right way and where I want it to. But, obviously, with D-Law gone, like I said, I just feel like it was my turn to lead and it’s hard to do that from the crib. So, I want to be here with the guys, show them that I care; I want to be here, win championships. So, that’s why I’m here.”
Parsons and the Cowboys appeared to be progressing towards a deal earlier this offseason, but there have been no developments on that front over the past few months. In the meantime, a handful of pass rushers have earned lucrative new deals, and Parsons admitted that those contracts have left him discouraged about his own contract situation.
“When you go around the league and you see these other teams taking care of their best guys, I seen T.J. [Watt] gotten taken care of. Maxx [Crosby] got taken care of. Myles [Garrett] got taken care of, [and] he’s got two years left on his deal,” Parsons said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “You see a lot of people around the league taken care of, and you wish you had that same type of energy.”
Parsons provided some more insight into his negotiations with the Cowboys…or lack thereof. The pass rusher said there’s “really not much movement” on the extension front (via Jon Machota of The Athletic), and the player said his agent, David Mulugheta, recently reached out to the organization but hasn’t heard back (via Watkins). Parsons even went as far as to acknowledge a potential divorce, noting that “if this is the end, this is the end…I understand the nature of the business” (via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Yesterday, Jerry Jones didn’t convey the same urgency as Parsons, as the Cowboys owner indicated that he’s not in any rush to finalize a new deal. On the flip side, Jones also said the two sides effectively came to an agreement on a new contract earlier this offseason (via Hill), but it’s uncertain when negotiations went off the rails. ESPN’s Adam Schefter seemed to contradict Jones’ comments, noting that the two sides still haven’t engaged in formal contract talks.
While a long-term pact once seemed like a certainty, it sounds like Parsons is at least considering a potential exit out of Dallas. While a number of edge rusher standoffs (particularly between Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals) have commanded headlines this offseason, this developing Parsons/Cowboys saga is suddenly center stage.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25
With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol, WR David White
- Waived: WR Kelly Akharaiyi, P Jake Camarda
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Spencer Brown, C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
- Placed on active/NFI: TE Dawson Knox
- Activated from active/PUP: DE Landon Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry
- Released/failed physical: LB Josey Jewell (story)
- Placed on active/NFI: DT Bobby Brown
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DT Dante Barnett
- Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss
Cleveland Browns
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaelen Gill
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Mike Hall Jr., QB Deshaun Watson
- Placed on active/NFI: WR David Bell
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: K Mark McNamee
Houston Texans
- Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Maason Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett, G Atonio Mafi, WR Seth Williams
- Waived: CB Mello Dotson, WR Zakhair Franklin, WR Key’Shawn Smith, LB Jailin Walker
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OT Savion Washington
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Daniel Brunskill
- Waived: QB Brett Gabbert
- Placed on active/PUP: OL Liam Eichenberg, TE Darren Waller
- Placed on active/NFI: S Ifeatu Melifonwu
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on active/PUP: TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau
- Placed on reserve/retired: TE Dallin Holker, S Tyrann Mathieu (story)
New York Giants
- Signed: S K’Von Wallace
- Waived/failed physical: S Anthony Johnson Jr.
- Placed on active/PUP: RB Eric Gray, LT Andrew Thomas
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Victor Dimukeje
New York Jets
- Waived: OT Obinna Eze
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Silas Dzansi, WR Chris Godwin, G Sua Opeta, QB Michael Pratt, OT Tristan Wirfs
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Anthony Walker
- Placed on active/non-football illness: DL Desmond Watson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on active/PUP: C Lloyd Cushenberry, CB L’Jarius Sneed
Washington Commanders
- Waived/NFI: RB Michael Wiley
Titans EDGE Lorenzo Carter Plans To Retire
Despite joining the Titans earlier this offseason, Lorenzo Carter won’t be suiting up for his new squad. The veteran edge rusher informed the Titans that he plans to retire, according to Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. Carter will land on the reserve/retired list.
“He notified us yesterday that he will be retiring,” Titans GM Mike Borgonzi told reporters (via Wyatt), “so we wish him well.”
The former third-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Giants. He dealt with injuries throughout his stint in New York, but he still managed to collect 14.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in 49 games (33 starts). He caught on with the Falcons ahead of the 2022 season and generally stayed healthy in three seasons with the organization. He finished his time in Atlanta with seven sacks in 47 games, although he got shutout in that statistical category during the 2024 season.
Carter will finish his career having tallied 278 tackles, 21.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He got into 96 games across seven NFL seasons.
The 29-year-old joined the Titans earlier this offseason and was expected to provide some veteran experience on the edge for the rebuilding squad. The team lost Harold Landry in free agency this offseason but will still return the likes of Arden Key and Jaylen Harrell. The Titans also brought in Dre’Mont Jones via free agency while selecting Oluwafemi Oladejo in the second round of the draft.
Kyle Shanahan: Jauan Jennings Hasn’t Formally Requested Trade
A report last week indicated that 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings either wanted a new contract or a trade. The veteran is still expected to report to training camp tomorrow, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that his wideout hasn’t formally requested out of San Francisco (per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner).
[RELATED: 49ers WR Jauan Jennings Seeking Extension Or Trade]
Jennings signed a two-year deal last spring that replaced his second-round RFA tender. He proceeded to have a career season as the 49ers navigated a number of injuries. Jennings finished the 2024 campaign with 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns. Set to earn $3.28MM in salary guarantees in 2025 (plus an option bonus of $1.12MM on September 1), the impending free agent is now seeking some long-term security.
With Deebo Samuel no longer on the team and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, the 49ers are set to be even more dependent on Jennings in 2025. The 49ers front office has dealt with plenty of contract drama at the position in recent years, but Jennings’ lack of track record makes this situation a bit more unique. It remains to be seen if Jennings will carry through with his trade-request threat, and for the time being, it appears both sides will proceed as planned.
If Jennings does suddenly pivot to a holdout or trade request, the 49ers will have to dig even deeper into their depth chart. 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall would likely lead the group, although he’s currently nursing a hamstring issue that landed him on PUP. The team brought in some reinforcement at the position this offseason, signing veterans Demarcus Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins while drafting Jordan Watkins (fourth round) and Junior Bergen (seventh round). The team is also rostering 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing.
The 49ers could also count on an eventual return for Aiyuk, although it sounds like the star receiver’s comeback is still a ways off. GM John Lynch told reporters today that Aiyuk is still “not anywhere close to having a concrete timeline” (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). Aiyuk suffered his knee injury in late-October, and it seems like he’s destined to miss at least the first four games of the upcoming campaign.
TE Jimmy Graham Announces Retirement
Jimmy Graham is calling it a career. The veteran tight end confirmed a report from John DeShazier of the Saints website that he’s indeed hanging up his cleats.
After sitting out the 2022 campaign, Graham returned to New Orleans for the 2023 season. After hauling in four touchdowns that season, the veteran wouldn’t commit to the 2024 campaign and ultimately didn’t end up joining a team. Still, the tight end avoided an official retirement announcement until today.
Graham was one of the most productive receiving tight ends during his early days with the Saints. Between the 2011 and 2013 seasons, the former third-round pick averaged 90 catches for 1,169 yards and 12 touchdowns per season. His numbers slowly declined as he approached his age-30 campaign, although he remained productive in stops with the Seahawks and Packers. Following a two-year stop in Chicago, Graham sat out the 2022 season before reuniting with the Saints for the 2023 campaign.
Graham will finish his career having hauled in 719 receptions for 8,545 yards and 89 touchdowns. He also amassed over $82MM in career earnings.
Bears Sign DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, DB Tre Flowers
The Bears are making some veteran additions to their defense before training camp starts on Wednesday by signing defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon and defensive back Tre Flowers, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
To make room on the roster, the team waived defensive back Alex Cook and defensive end Jereme Robinson, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Kpassagnon is entering his ninth season in the NFL with 104 appearances and 34 starts under his belt for the Chiefs and the Saints, though he has only produced 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss. He has multiple connections to Chicago: general manager Ryan Poles was the director of college scouting in Kansas City when they drafted Kpassagnon in 2017, and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coached Kpassagnon in New Orleans for the last four years. Kpassagnon’s time as a Saint ended with a torn Achilles suffered three games into the 2024 season, but signing with a new team indicates that he is fully recovered, or close to it.
However, making the roster in Chicago is no certainty. The Bears have three edge defenders who are roster locks – Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Austin Booker – and Daniel Hardy‘s role on special teams will likely keep him around, as well. That will likely leave Kpassagnon to compete with 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson for a roster spot.
Flowers is a seven-year veteran with 95 appearances and 44 starts for five different teams. He barely played last year, playing just 39 total snaps across four appearances with the Jaguars and one with the Colts. More than 80% of his career snaps have come as an outside cornerback, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), so he will likely remain in that role in Chicago. Flowers will be the team’s oldest and most experienced cornerback, which may help him beat out his younger competition for a roster spot. He also played 579 special teams snaps in 2022 and 2023; a return to that level of contribution would certainly help him as well.