HEADLINES

Bengals, S Geno Stone Agree To Restructure

May 6th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Geno Stone will remain with the Bengals for 2025, but he will do so at a reduced rate. The veteran safety has agreed to a restructured pact, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap reports.

Stone was due to receive $6.48MM this year, but that figure has now dropped to $4.9MM. The Bengals have guaranteed $1.5MM of the compensation contained in the new agreement, which ensures he will play in Cincinnati in 2025. Stone, 26, remains a pending 2026 free agent.

A seventh-round pick in 2020, Stone saw his usage rate increase with each passing season during his tenure with the Ravens. That included an 82% snap share in 2023, a year in which he posted seven interceptions and played a key role in Baltimore’s defensive success. That performance helped Stone’s market value, and he landed a two-year, $14MM pact from the Bengals last spring.

The Iowa product was a full-time starter during his debut Cincinnati campaign, but he was one of several defensive players on the team who underperformed. Stone managed four interceptions and a career-high 81 tackles, but his work in coverage left plenty to be desired. The safety spot was a talking point this offseason as a result, and in January Stone found himself among the Bengals’ potential cap casualties.

Instead, he and Jordan Battle remain in the fold. Cincinnati elected not to re-sign veteran Vonn Bell this spring, but the team did not select a safety during the draft. New defensive coordinator Al Golden has expressed confidence in Battle’s ability to take on a full-time starting gig starting in 2025, so a tandem with Stone is in store as things stand. The Bengals could of course still look to bring in a veteran, though; Justin Simmons, Julian Blackmon and Jordan Whitehead are among the experienced options still on the market.

The Bengals ranked 21st against the pass last season, and improvement in that department will be needed in 2025 for a return to the playoffs to be possible. Stone will have a role to play in that regard, and a bounce-back campaign would help his value ahead of free agency next spring.

Ravens Release K Justin Tucker

May 5th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Tucker‘s tenure with the Ravens has come to an end. The decorated kicker was released on Monday, per a team announcement.

“Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances,” a statement from general manager Eric DeCosta reads in part. “Considering our current roster, we have made the tough decision to release Justin Tucker… We are grateful for Justin’s many contributions while playing for the Ravens. We sincerely wish him and his family the very best in this next chapter of their lives.”

While this move is significant given Tucker’s lengthy run of success in Baltimore, it does not come as a surprise. The possibility of moving on from the 35-year-old has loomed throughout the offseason. On-field matters were cited as the reason why a release would take place during the official comments on the subject from the team’s decision makers, but today’s news also comes amid a backdrop of sexual misconduct allegations.

16 massage therapists have accused Tucker of inappropriate conduct dating back to the early portions of his NFL career. Denials of any wrongdoing have emerged on two occasions, and the Ravens made it clear in the wake of a league investigation being opened they would wait until its conclusion to make a decision. In spite of that, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports the matter is still being reviewed.

Prior to the draft, Tucker was informed by the Ravens the team could select a kicker. In the rare instances when teams do so, veteran incumbents are usually replaced. That will indeed be the case in this instance as well. Tyler Loop – selected in the sixth round of this year’s draft – is now the only kicker on Baltimore’s roster. Barring an addition for training camp, he will be tasked with replacing the NFL’s all-time most accurate kicker.

Tucker (a former undrafted free agent who took over kicking duties as a Ravens rookie in 2012) played a key role in the team’s Super Bowl victory that year. From that point on, he enjoyed a strong run of consistency, with his field goal success rate ranging from 82.5% to 97.4%. The 2010s All-Decade team member connected on a 66-yard field goal attempt in 2021, breaking the record for the longest in NFL history.

The 2024 campaign saw a notable downturn in accuracy, however. A midseason slump resulted in Tucker missing a total of 10 kicks (eight field goals, two extra points) during the season. A return to form late in the campaign did little to quell questions about a change at the position being on the horizon. That became especially true when news of the allegations broke.

Jeff Zrebeic of The Athletic notes Tucker will be designated a post-June 1 release, which represents the more feasible financial route from the team’s perspective. This move will generate $4.2MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $2.87MM. Three years remained on the five-time All-Pro’s contract, one which carried an average annual value of $6MM (the second-highest figure in the league for kickers).

While the Ravens will move forward with a new kicker for the first time in 13 years, attention will turn to the results of the league investigation. Tucker’s future in the NFL – if he has one – will no doubt depend in large part on the findings of the NFL probe.

Mutual Interest Between Cowboys, WR Amari Cooper

May 5th, 2025 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The draft came and went without the Cowboys adding at the receiver spot. At least one addition amongst the veterans still on the market is expected as a result, with a familiar face on the team’s radar.

Amari Cooper‘s name was recently mentioned as a wideout the Cowboys have discussed bringing back. Nothing is imminent at this point, but this team-player connection remains one to watch. During an appearance on SportsCenter yesterday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported a “mutual interest” exists between Dallas and Cooper (h/t Bleacher Report).

The Cowboys traded for Cooper in 2018, with a first-round pick going the other way. The former Raider remained in Dallas for another three seasons, topping 1,100 receiving yards on two occasions. With CeeDee Lamb emerging as the team’s WR1, Cooper was dealt to the Browns in March 2022 as part of a late-round pick swap agreement. Since that point, the Cowboys have attempted to find a viable group of options to complement Lamb.

Over the past two seasons, that effort included Brandin Cooks logging a starter’s role. He returned to the Saints during free agency, though, further limiting the number of veterans still available to Dallas. Cooper – whose production took a notable step back in 2024 – should not require a major financial investment if a Cowboys reunion is to take place. Given Lamb’s $34MM-per-year pact, cost-effective role players will of course be key at the position.

During his two full seasons in Cleveland, Cooper racked up 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Browns struggled with respect to quarterback play last year, and the midseason trade which sent him to Buffalo did not produce a large workload on his new team. Entering his age-31 campaign, Cooper will not be expected to duplicate the success from earlier in his career on his next team.

Nevertheless, the five-time Pro Bowler could help a Cowboys WR room led by Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo Parris Campbell and returner KaVontae Turpin. Dallas currently has roughly $34.5MM in cap space with other offseason priorities (like a Micah Parsons extension) to attend to. It will be interesting to see, though, if progress toward a Cooper agreement can be made in the near future.

Rams Finalize Matthew Stafford Restructure

May 5th, 2025 at 9:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a new round of speculation about his future – tied not to his desire about playing in 2025, but rather where he would do so – Matthew Stafford and the Rams reached agreement on another restructure. Now, that deal is officially in place.

Team and player finalized the new agreement over the weekend, as first reported by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Per the teams of the pact, Stafford will collect $44MM in 2025 along with $40MM the following year. That $84MM total stands in sharp contrast to the $58MM which was originally owed over the next two years (although it falls well short of the top of the QB market)

Stafford’s future has been considered year-to-year by Los Angeles, but the team’s latest raise notably included $56MM in full guarantees. That figure consists of the remaining $40MM to be paid out for this season, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, along with an additional $16MM in 2026. Rapoport adds that Stafford’s ’26 compensation will vest provided he remains on the roster by the start of free agency next spring.

For the past four years, Stafford has operated as the Rams’ starter. After helping lead the team to the Super Bowl during his debut Los Angeles campaign, the former No. 1 pick was limited to nine games the following year. Stafford has remained durable since then, and the Rams’ continued decision not to draft a successor indicates their confidence he will continue to operate at a high level moving forward.

The 37-year-old received permission to gauge his market this offseason, but no trade agreement was struck with suitors like the Giants or Raiders. As a result, Stafford and the Rams will look to build off the success of the 2024 campaign with stability under center for at least another two years. Given the length of this latest restructure, team and player will no doubt welcome the lack of questions regarding Stafford’s short-term outlook.

Cowboys Expected To Be Cautious With Dak Prescott During OTAs

May 5th, 2025 at 9:26pm CST by Ben Levine

While Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott recently expressed confidence about his recovery from a hamstring injury, he may not be a full participant when practices begin. Jon Machota of The Athletic says the Cowboys plan to be cautious with the quarterback’s recovery during OTAs and minicamp.

[RELATED: Dak Prescott Close To Full Health]

Prescott claimed last month that he was already healthy enough to play in a game, and this followed earlier reports that the quarterback would likely be ready to go for May practices. The veteran underwent surgery for a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon in November, so the expedited timeline wasn’t completely unfounded.

Entering the first year of a four-year, $240MM extension signed last September, Prescott and the Cowboys are naturally being cautious with his return to the field. In addition to protecting the asset, there are some other positives to limiting the player’s practice reps.

As Machota notes, there should be more opportunities for Joe Milton to get acclimated with his new team during those early practices. The 2024 sixth-round pick was traded from the Patriots to the Cowboys last month, and after mostly serving as a third-string QB as a rookie, Milton will now enter his sophomore season as Prescott’s primary backup.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Jerry Jones recently told reporters that Trevon Diggs could open the season on the physically unable to perform list (per ESPN’s Todd Archer). After missing most of the 2023 season with a torn ACL, his comeback campaign in 2024 ended early thanks to an injury in the same knee. Sam Williams is also recovering from a torn ACL suffered last summer, but Jones said the defensive end is basically fully recovered.

Chiefs Waive BJ Thompson

May 5th, 2025 at 8:40pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs moved on from BJ Thompson today, but the separation may be temporary. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Chiefs waived the defensive end with a non-football illness designation.

The specific designation of the transaction means Thompson will most likely land back in Kansas City. Assuming the player passes through waivers unclaimed, he’ll be placed on the non-football illness list, allowing him to continue his rehab without taking up a roster spot.

Andy Reid acknowledged as much while speaking with reporters yesterday. The coach noted that Thompson has made progress in his recovery from his 2024 cardiac arrest, and the transaction isn’t an indication that the player is facing the end of his playing career.

“[H]e is making progress, but just not quite, not quite there yet, but he’s made great, great strides,” Reid told reporters (h/t Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports). “And so in this day and age of the way football is, we had to do something there. And this is the route that we went. But it doesn’t mean his career is over by any means, just where we’re at today.”

A 2023 fifth-round pick, the Stephen F. Austin product played sparingly as a rookie. During a team meeting last summer, Thompson suffered a seizure that resulted in cardiac arrest for more than 90 seconds. He regained consciousness a few days later. Fortunately, it sounds like Thompson is doing much better, but the Chiefs are still playing it very safe when it comes to his playing future.

The Chiefs made another move today, waiving linebacker Blake Lynch (via Wilson). The veteran joined the Chiefs late last season and got into one game for his new squad. He re-signed with the Chiefs back in March. Lynch has appeared in 29 career games, with the majority coming from a 16-game showing with the Vikings in 2021.

NFL Minor Transactions: 5/5/25

May 5th, 2025 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Rams

Josiah Deguara brings 65 games of experience to Arizona, with the majority of those appearances coming during his four seasons with the Packers. While he’s had a consistent special teams role in recent years, he’s also managed to contribute offensively. This includes a 2021 campaign where he hauled in 25 catches and two touchdowns with Aaron Rodgers as his QB.

The tight end is coming off a 15-game showing in Jacksonville where he was limited to only three catches all season. The veteran should compete for a role behind Trey McBride, with the Cardinals also rostering the likes of Tip Reiman and Elijah Higgins at the position.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/5/25

May 5th, 2025 at 6:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s draft pick signings:

Kansas City Chiefs

After quickly signing OT Josh Simmons to his first-round rookie contract, the Chiefs are now pivoting to the other end of their draft board, agreeing to contracts with their final two selections from the 2025 draft.

Bassa was a four-year starter at Oregon, including a 2023 campaign where he earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors after finishing with 71 tackles. His 54 tackles in 2024 represented his lowest total since his freshman year, but that likely didn’t do much to hurt his draft stock.

Smith served as mostly a backup during his three seasons at Miami, but he had a breakout showing after transferring to SMU for the 2024 campaign. The RB finished this past year with 1,659 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns.

Quinn Ewers’ Agent Explains Draft Slide

May 5th, 2025 at 5:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Quinn Ewers didn’t do enough during the 2024 campaign to warrant being one of the first quarterbacks off the draft board. Still, it was a surprise when the Texas signal caller slid all the way to the seventh round, and he was ultimately the final QB taken when he was selected by the Dolphins at No. 231.

[RELATED: Dolphins Draft QB Quinn Ewers At No. 231]

There was some initial speculation about Ewers’ fall down the draft board. His lack of ball protection (12 interceptions, 10 fumbles in 2024) was assumed to be the main culprit, but there were also scouts who criticized his lack of mobility and struggles under pressure.

His agent has since provided another reason. Ron Slavin said he reached out to a number of teams to understand why Ewers fell all the way to the seventh round. Many of those teams acknowledged that they rated the Longhorns quarterback higher than a seventh-round pick, but they were wary of the attention he’d draw as a backup.

“They thought he was a third- or fourth-round pick, but too big of a name to be a clipboard holder,” Slavin told ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Which I think is chickens—.”

In a draft where Shedeur Sanders also fell due to concerns about any impending distractions, it’s not a surprise that some pundits are starting to point fingers at the “NIL era.” That includes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, who believes endorsements and the accompanying attention will make “it awkward” for players (especially QBs) to suddenly sit on the bench.

Ironically, Ewers landed in a spot that could eventually lead to some QB controversy. Tua Tagovailoa has had his fair share of concussion and injury issues, putting Miami’s backups into the spotlight. After shuffling through a handful of names last season, the Dolphins landed on Zach Wilson as their QB2 for the 2025 campaign. If Tagovailoa went down, Wilson would surely get the first shot at the starting gig, but his spotty track record could open the door for Ewers.

For what it’s worth, the rookie QB isn’t letting his unexpected draft slide impact his perspective. While he admitted that he was surprised to fall to the seventh round, he was still relieved to hear his name called during draft weekend.

“I just didn’t know what was going on,” Ewers said. “But, I mean, it was nice [to get drafted], because at one point I’m like, ‘I’m not even going to get drafted. I’m going to go undrafted.’

“It was very unexpected, and I think that the toughest part about it is just the amount of unexpected occurrences there were. But I’m glad that I ended up where I ended up. To go as late as I did, I’m glad it’s a good spot.”

No Timeline For Texans WR Tank Dell’s Return

May 5th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tank Dell‘s 2024 season came to an abrupt end when he suffered a massive knee injury in Week 16. The Texans wideout still faces a very long road to recovery, and no firm timeline exists for him to return to the field.

“For Tank, I want him to continue to get better, continue to attack each day of the rehab process the right way, like he’s been doing, with a great attitude,” head coach DeMeco Ryans said when speaking to the media on Monday (video link via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). “There’s nothing to rush. There’s no set timeline that we need him back by this certain day. We need Tank back when Tank is ready to be Tank, and that’s good enough for me.”

Not long after the injury, it became clear Dell would require multiple surgeries to repair the damage (which included ACL, PCL and LCL tears along with a torn meniscus and a dislocated kneecap). As of March, the 25-year-old had undergone a pair of operations, marking a key checkpoint in his rehab process. The possibility still remains, however, that Dell will miss most or even all of the 2025 campaign.

Selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, Dell’s rookie campaign showcased a strong connection between he and quarterback C.J. Stroud. That year also featured a major injury, however, in the form of a broken leg. Missing considerable time during this coming campaign would of course hinder the Iowa State product’s value for a potential extension. Dell’s rookie deal runs through 2026.

Houston lost Stefon Diggs in free agency, although the team pulled off an intra-division trade to acquire Christian Kirk. The Texans’ receiver corps will continue to be led by Nico Collins moving forward, but the Texans also have John Metchie and Justin Watson in the fold, along with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Both members of that Iowa State tandem will look to carve out roles during training camp. As that takes place, Dell will continue rehabbing without a hard target for when to return to action.

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