Browns, Steelers Inquired About Saints’ Chris Olave
The Browns and the Steelers both reached out the Saints regarding the availability of wide receiver Chris Olave this offseason, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
New Orleans rebuffed those overtures and doubled down on their commitment to the 2022 first-rounder by picking up his fifth-year option. That will keep Olave under contract through the 2026 season, during which he will earn a fully-guaranteed $15.5MM.
Cleveland and Pittsburgh have both been active in the wide receiver trade market over the last few years. The Browns brought in Amari Cooper in 2022 and Jerry Jeudy in 2024. (Cooper was later traded to the Bills at last season’s trade deadline.) The Steelers, meanwhile, sent a second-round pick to the Seahawks to acquire D.K. Metcalf this offseason and sent George Pickens to the Cowboys earlier this month.
Installing a new coaching staff tends to lead to player turnover as the roster is evaluated for fit with the incoming scheme. Between that and Olave’s down year in 2024, the Browns and the Steelers may have thought they could swoop in for a bargain.
However, the Saints declined to engage in trade talks for the 24-year-old wideout. That could be because new head coach Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier see a major role for Olave in their passing attack. It could also be due to Olave’s lower trade value coming off a 400-yard season after he eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his first two.
Picking up Olave’s fifth-year option indicates that the Saints believe he can bounce back in 2025, though he will have to adjust to a new coaching staff and a new quarterback, likely rookie Tyler Shough. If Olave returns to his top-25 production, he should be in line for an extension with a substantial raise next offseason.
The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History
The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.
The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.
Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jordan Hicks; March 12, 2019: Four years, $34MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Atlanta Falcons
- Deion Jones; July 17, 2019: Four years, $54MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Roquan Smith; January 10, 2023: Five years, $100MM ($60MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- Matt Milano; March 12, 2023: Two years, $28.33MM ($27.15MM guaranteed)
Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly; September 10, 2015: Five years, $61.8MM ($33.36MM guaranteed)
Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees
Chicago Bears
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 13, 2023: Four years, $72MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Logan Wilson; August 4, 2023: Four years, $36MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Cleveland Browns
- Jamie Collins; January 23, 2017: Four years, $50MM ($26.4MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Jaylon Smith; August 20, 2019: Five years, $63.75MM ($35.41MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Brandon Marshall; June 14, 2016: Four years, $32MM ($20.1MM guaranteed)
Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee
Detroit Lions
- DeAndre Levy; August 5, 2015: Three years, $33.74MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Benardrick McKinney; June 14, 2018: Five years, $50MM ($22.16MM guaranteed)
Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees
Indianapolis Colts
- Shaquille Leonard; August 8, 2021: Five years, $98.5MM ($52.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Foye Oluokun; March 14, 2022: Three years, $45MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Nick Bolton; March 9, 2025: Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Cory Littleton; March 17, 2020: Three years, $35.25MM ($22MM guaranteed)
Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Donald Butler; February 28, 2014: Seven years, $51.8MM ($11.15MM guaranteed)
Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal
Los Angeles Rams
- James Laurinaitis; September 8, 2012: Five years, $41.5MM ($23.62MM guaranteed)
Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee
Miami Dolphins
- Jerome Baker; June 13, 2021: Three years, $37.5MM ($28.41MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr; March 12, 2019: Five years, $67.5MM ($33MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)
Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money
New Orleans Saints
- Demario Davis; September 13, 2020: Three years, $27MM ($18.35MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Bobby Okereke; March 13, 2023: Four years, $40MM ($21.8MM guaranteed)
Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee
New York Jets
- C.J. Mosley; March 12, 2019: Five years, $85MM ($51MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Zack Baun; March 5, 2025: Three years, $51MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Patrick Queen; March 12, 2024: Three years, $41MM ($20.51MM guaranteed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Fred Warner; May 19, 2025: Three years, $63MM ($56MM guaranteed)
Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wagner; July 26, 2019: Three years, $54MM ($40.25MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Lavonte David; August 9, 2015: Five years, $50.25MM ($25.56MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Cody Barton; March 10, 2025: Three years, $21MM ($13.33MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- London Fletcher; March 3, 2007: Five years, $25MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)
Tush Push Fallout: Eagles, Lurie, Packers, NFL, Odds, Safety, Rewording
We saw earlier today that the Packers‘ proposal to ban the Eagles‘ notorious tush push play fell two votes short of the necessary 24 votes to pass. As the day continued, we saw some minor reports following the failed proposal.
For instance, Dianna Russini tells us that four high-ranking front-office officials were under the impression that the league used Green Bay to push the proposed rule change due to their lack of a principal owner. The thought being that, by using Green Bay, other team owners would be able to put their support behind the proposal without any singular owner being targeted by those who oppose it.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie seemed to agree with this sentiment, believing that the league was attempting to influence the vote. He particularly criticized NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent for advocating for the ban, per ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.
Here are a few other notes from the initial fallout of the failed proposal:
- Lurie’s speech attempting to keep the proposal from passing was reportedly described as both extremely emotional and passionate and fact- and data-based. According to Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the impassioned intensity of the speech was due to an internal feeling within the franchise that the Eagles faced an uphill battle and believed the proposal would indeed be passed.
- We had mentioned briefly in recent weeks that the Packers were resubmitting the proposal with broader language in an attempt to gain more supportive votes, going beyond the QB sneak terminology to include any offensive player “pushing, pulling, lifting, or assisting the runner except by individually blocking opponents for him.” According to Russini, multiple sources believe the new phrasing alienated some teams and ended up actually hurting the odds of the proposal being passed.
- In his impassioned speech, Lurie made some questionable assertions, per Russini, the most notable of which being that the tush push is “the safest play in the history of the game” and claiming that “whoever votes to ban this play is taking liability for putting risk on (the league’s) quarterbacks.” He doubled down on this in his attacks on Goodell and Vincent, citing that he had spoken to NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills about the play extensively, according to Wickersham.
Lions Sign First-Round DT Tyleik Williams
The Lions have already been busy signing members of their seven-man draft class. Today they inked their largest contract of the group, agreeing to terms with first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. 
Williams spent four years at Ohio State, appearing in 51 total contests. Despite not being a starter as a freshman, Williams flashed incredible potential in the defensive line rotation, notching five sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. His contributions dropped in his sophomore season, but he became a full-time starter in his third year. As a starter for the Buckeyes, Williams logged 5.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and six passes defensed in his junior and senior seasons.
Listed at 6-foot-3, 330 pounds, there’s hope that Williams can command multiple blockers when he’s playing at his best. He uses his pre-snap intelligence and imposing frame to stack blockers on the line and disrupt running lanes, making him an outstanding asset for a team that already fielded a top-five rush defense in 2024.
Because of injuries along the defensive line, the Lions were frequently linked to defensive line prospects, though it was more often defensive end prospects, since the team returns both D.J. Reader and Alim McNeill. The team also re-signed former second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike to a one-year deal. Because of this there may not be an immediate role for Williams in Detroit, but the rookie will surely be counted on moving forward.
Williams is the sixth drafted rookie to sign their initial four-year contract in Detroit, leaving only Georgia offensive guard Tate Ratledge, who was selected in the second round. Here’s a breakdown of the team’s 2025 draft class:
- Round 1, No. 28: Tyleik Williams (DT, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 57 (from Rams through Panthers and Broncos): Tate Ratledge (G, Georgia)
- Round 3, No. 70 (from Jaguars): Isaac TeSlaa (WR, Arkansas) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 171 (from Cowboys through Patriots)*: Miles Frazier (G, LSU) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 196 (from Buccaneers): Ahmed Hassanein (OLB, Boise State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 230 (from Cardinals through Panthers and Broncos): Dan Jackson (S, Georgia) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 244: Dominic Lovett (WR, Georgia) (signed)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/25
Wednesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB J.J. Russell
- Released: LB Milo Eifler
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Gregory Junior
- Waived: CB Kaleb Hayes
Houston Texans
- Released: G Jerome Carvin, DE Kingsley Jonathan
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Michael Barrett, DT Laki Tasi
- Waived: LB Wesley Steiner
Russell heads to Arizona after three seasons in Tampa Bay. So far, with his time in the league, Russell has improved upon his contributions as a player each season. In three years with the Bucs, Russell made four starts and logged 49 tackles.
Tasi arrives in Vegas via the league’s International Player Pathway program. The Australian native is a former rugby player of Samoan descent. The Raiders’ website lists him as a defensive lineman, but Tashan Reed of The Athletic noted that he was being utilized on offense today, as well.
Steelers Sign Round 1 DL Derrick Harmon, Wrap Draft Class Deals
Add the Steelers to the list of teams to have their first-round pick under contract. Pittsburgh agreed to terms with defensive lineman Derrick Harmon on Wednesday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes.
Harmon’s rookie pact, as the No. 21 overall pick, will run through 2028. The Steelers will have a fifth-year option on the contract, one the team must exercise by May 2028. The Oregon alum will be tied to a fully guaranteed $17.97MM deal. Harmon is the first D-lineman the Steelers have drafted in Round 1 since Cameron Heyward in 2011.
While the Steelers will pair Heyward and Harmon this season, the Oregon prospect profiles as one the team will hope anchors the D-line after Heyward retires. Two seasons remain on Heyward’s deal, though no guarantees are in place beyond 2025. Heyward is heading into his age-36 season; Harmon will not turn 22 until August.
Viewed as a clear landing spot for either Jaxson Dart or Shedeur Sanders, the Steelers instead fortified a D-line by adding a first-rounder alongside Heyward and 2023 second-rounder Keeanu Benton. The Giants were leery of the Steelers’ QB need at No. 21, but New York’s front office expected Pittsburgh to pass. This led to Big Blue trading up (via the Texans) at No. 25 for Dart, a player the Steelers are believed to have graded as a first-round talent.
Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers wait has surpassed two months now, but the organization remains optimistic. The team entered the draft aiming to take its swing for a long-term QB — after missing on Kenny Pickett — in either the 2025 or ’26 drafts. The Harmon pick points such a move to 2026, as the Steelers added an extra third-round pick via the post-draft George Pickens trade with the Cowboys.
Harmon put up career-best numbers during his one season at Oregon. The Michigan State transfer posted five sacks, 11 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, helping the Ducks to the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The 311-pounder’s quickness and power make him a menace inside the tackles, but he also showed the ability to line up outside. Although Heyward played sparingly as a rookie 14 years ago, the Steelers will likely turn to Harmon as an immediate regular along their D-line.
This signing wraps the Steelers’ draft class contracts. Here is how Pittsburgh’s class looks heading into OTAs:
- Round 1, No. 21: Derrick Harmon (DT, Oregon) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 83: Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 123: Jack Sawyer (OLB, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 164 (from Lions through Browns, Eagles and Chiefs): Yahya Black (DE, Iowa) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 185 (from Bears through Seahawks): Will Howard (QB, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 226 (from Panthers through Chiefs): Carson Bruener (LB, Washington) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 229 (from Falcons through Eagles): Donte Kent (CB, Central Michigan) (signed)
Texans To Re-Sign CB Myles Bryant
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
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.
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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 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:
- Rushawn Baker, RB (Elon)
- Jordan Bly, WR (Gardner-Webb)
- Dalen Cambre, WR (Louisiana)
- Beaux Collins, WR (Notre Dame)
- RJ Delancy III, CB (Wisconsin)
- Da’Quan Felton, WR (Virginia Tech)
- Trace Ford, LB (Oklahoma)
- O’Donnell Fortune, CB (South Carolina)
- Tommy McCormick, S (Idaho)
- Makari Paige, S (Michigan)
- Jermaine Terry, TE (Oregon State)
- Antwane Wells Jr., WR (Ole Miss)
- Jaison Williams, OL (Youngstown State)
“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 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.