Nick Chubb Expected To Reach Free Agency
Browns general manager Andrew Berry said that the team is not planning to re-sign running back Nick Chubb ahead of next month’s free agency.
“I would say at this point that we do expect Nick to hit the market,” said Berry at the Combine (via Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Obviously his contract is up this year. We’ll meet with his reps and everything like that, but it’s something that obviously we need to work through over the next couple weeks.”
Chubb was one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs for the first five seasons of his career before a brutal injury ended his 2023 season after just two games. A lengthy rehab process sidelined him until Week 7 of the 2024 season, and a broken foot in Week 14 put him back on the shelf for the last three games of the year.
A report right before Chubb’s second injury indicated that the Browns were interested in retaining Chubb, but based on Berry’s comments, their stance has clearly changed. Cleveland’s reluctance to re-sign the veteran running back is understandable given their cap situation and his injury history, but they will have to address the position this offseason. They have just two running backs under contract and neither is signed beyond the 2025 season. Expect the Browns to add to their backfield via the draft in April.
Chubb recently expressed a desire to stay in Cleveland, but he will first have to test a free agency market that has several younger starting options. If Chubb doesn’t receive much interest, he may be motivated to return to the Browns on an inexpensive one-year deal to rebuild his value next season.
Broncos Notes: Sutton, Williams, Nix, Staff
Courtland Sutton and his agent have let the Broncos know he will not play on the final year of this contract, which calls for a $13.5MM base salary. That amount will not become guaranteed until just before Week 1. The Broncos are preparing eventual Sutton extension talks, and a potential price range has circulated. A rumor that emerged earlier this offseason pointed to a deal worth upwards of $25MM per year, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline writes. This would mark a significant raise for Sutton, who signed a $15MM-AAV extension in 2021.
A $25MM AAV would place Sutton in a tie for 11th among receivers. That might be a bit lofty for a two-time 1,000-yard going into an age-30 season, but the cap continues to spike and the Broncos relied on him to both coax improved play from Russell Wilson (in 2023) and quick development from Bo Nix (2024). Sutton finished with 1,081 receiving yards last season and has caught 18 TD passes over the past two. A $25MM-per-year deal would put Sutton ahead of emerging Texans standout Nico Collins while matching him with DeVonta Smith. It would stand to reason the Broncos would aim to have his third contract come in lower than $25MM on average, but that number emerging early is interesting.
Here is the latest out of Denver:
- Sean Payton confirmed at the Combine (via the Denver Post’s Troy Renck) running back and tight end will be priorities soon; the third-year Broncos HC mentioned this during a Kay Adams interview earlier this month as well. Denver rosters little of note at tight end, having seen its Greg Dulcich miss prove costly ahead of an in-season cut, but does return Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime in the backfield. Javonte Williams wants to stay, but recent rumors had the former second-rounder more likely to depart. George Paton said (via DenverSports.com) there is “a chance” Williams stays, noting that the once-productive back will be another year removed from the ACL and LCL tears he sustained in October 2022. Williams has not been the same player since that malady, however, his return would limit the Broncos from a potential upgrade — particularly a player who could be the coveted “joker” performer Payton regularly mentions.
- Although Nix dealt with a transverse process fracture, the QB’s back was not the area his recent surgery addressed. Rather, an ankle procedure took place, 9News’ Mike Klis adds. Nix skipped the Pro Bowl Games, as an alternate invitee, to deal with an issue that nagged him before last season. It affected him at the 2024 Combine, per Renck, who notes the Oregon prospect was dealing with turf toe at that time. That explains why Nix threw at the event but did not run the 40-yard dash. The Broncos benefited from the QB’s mobility last season, and he may be in better form in Year 2 after this surgery.
- Vacillating between edge rusher and inside linebacker during his career, Drew Sanders will be focusing on the latter area in his third season. Payton said (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) he considers the 2023 third-round pick an ILB moving forward. After suffering an Achilles tear last spring, the Arkansas alum will be in line to help a Broncos team that has regular LBs Cody Barton and Justin Strnad due for free agency.
- Sanders’ former position coach has run into some trouble, however. Broncos OLBs coach Michael Wilhoite was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault in connection with an incident at the Denver International Airport on Sunday, Klis reports. A Denver police officer working on assignment told Wilhoite he could not leave his car unattended at a departure terminal. After allegedly cursing at the officer, Wilhoite bumped his chest into him. After the officer is alleged to have pushed Wilhoite, the former linebacker is accused of punching him in the face. The officer then used his taser, but Wilhoite still drove off before being apprehended soon after. Wilhoite, 38, has been released on bail. A former Saints assistant, Wilhoite has coached the Broncos’ OLBs for two seasons.
Eagles Want To Re-Sign Zack Baun
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said that the team will make a “concerted effort” to re-sign linebacker Zack Baun, per PHLY’s Zach Berman.
Baun broke out in Philadelphia last season after four inconsistent years in New Orleans to start his career. The 2020 third-rounder struggled to find a role in the Saints defense, but he was a perfect fit in Vic Fangio‘s scheme in 2024. Baun led the Eagles with 153 total tackles (sixth-most league-wide) and earned a 90.1 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) that led all linebackers.
Baun far outplayed his one-year, $3.5MM contract last year. After proving himself with first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors – not to mention a fifth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting – the former Wisconsin Badger will be looking to cash in on his next contract. However, he is 28 years old with just one elite season under his belt, which could limit his value, especially in terms of guaranteed money.
Baun has expressed a desire to stay with the Eagles, who are no stranger to paying premium talent at top-of-the-market rates. Their contract structures would easily allow them to re-sign Baun, who could command more $15MM per year on a new deal.
The Eagles do have a few other starters slated to hit free agency, including Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams. The team has been proactive with extensions in recent years, but didn’t reach any long-term agreements during the 2024 season. With several players putting up strong seasons on the way to Philadelphia’s Super Bowl victory, it will be difficult to retain them all.
“We didn’t do any deals during the season, which probably could have prevented some of these problems, but we just didn’t feel like the timing was right,” said Roseman.
It’s not easy to find elite middle linebacker play in the NFL. Given Baun’s ascension in Philadelphia, both sides should be properly motivated to continue their partnership into 2025 and beyond.
Packers Shopping CB Jaire Alexander
A Green Bay departure for Jaire Alexander is looking likelier. Mentioned as a player expected to be on the move this offseason, Alexander is now being shopped.
The Packers have engaged in trade talks with teams on the veteran cover man, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Two years remain on Alexander’s $21MM-AAV contract. While the Packers are OK moving Alexander for the right price, the CB’s contract would work against the NFC North team obtaining too much in terms of compensation. Then again, the Saints were able to land a third-rounder and two other picks for Marshon Lattimore, a high-priced corner who has been nearly as unavailable as Alexander has over the past two seasons.
GM Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday (via the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein) he has not given a player permission to shop himself in trades in the past, but the Combine will be a place where the Packers and the cornerback’s camp huddle up to determine if there is a future here. The Pack followed this path with Aaron Jones, who rejected what would have been a second pay cut. Gutekunst said last year Jones was in Green Bay’s plans and rebuffed Alexander trade rumors. The veteran exec’s tune is different this year on the talented but unreliable corner.
“We’re working through that. He certainly could be, but I think we’ll work through that as we go,” Gutekunst said of Alexander’s place on the 2025 Packers (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman). “We’ve got to get him out there now. I think obviously, we’ve talked about (how) there’s been a lot of frustration on his part. He wants to be out there badly and not being able to be out there at his best has frustrated him and that has frustrated our football team, too, because we’re better with him. But we’ll see.”
Alexander, 28, has not justified his four-year, $84MM deal. That contract stood as the game’s top CB deal for nearly 2 1/2 years, as it took until Patrick Surtain‘s $24MM-AAV accord to top it last September. Alexander had missed most of the 2021 season, which did not slow him on the contract front, but has also been unavailable for extended stretches over the past two years. The former first-round pick has missed 10 games in each of the past two seasons, and the strange coin-toss incident in Carolina — which prompted a one-game Packers suspension — served as one of the memorable moments from this period.
The seven-year veteran is due a $16.15MM base salary in 2025. Given his limited participation over the past two seasons, the Packers are likely not keen on paying that. We heard shortly after the season Alexander’s 2024 season was likely his last in Green Bay. A matter of the Packers obtaining something in return now remains, as the Pro Bowler would be a release candidate otherwise. The Packers would create more than $6MM in cap space by trading Alexander; the move would come with more than $18MM in dead money, however.
Alexander’s likely exit will give the Pack more CB work to do this offseason. Eric Stokes, who did not justify his first-round status on his rookie deal, is on the verge of free agency. Keisean Nixon remains under contract, however. Former seventh-rounder Carrington Valentine, who has been needed regularly due to the first-rounders’ injury trouble, has two years left on his rookie pact.
Bucs GM: Team Aims To Keep Chris Godwin
While no player has been franchise-tagged three times since the 2006 CBA made such a move prohibitive, the Buccaneers would still like to keep Chris Godwin off the free agent market.
The Bucs, who have also done very well to convince core players to re-sign once they become free agents, remain interested in re-signing Godwin. Jason Licht confirmed this previously rumored stance, indicating that the Bucs still view their accomplished WR2 highly despite another major injury — this one a dislocated ankle.
“Hopefully, we can come to an agreement with him because Chris means the world to this organization, to all of us individually but as an organization as a whole,” Licht said, via ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine. “Nobody has been more resilient than him. We’ve been down this road, a similar path, with him. Nobody has been more resilient and works harder than him. So those are the good things. If I were a betting man, I’d bet on Chris. But the facts are we have to wade through some variables here.”
Licht alluding to variables makes sense. The Bucs re-signed Mike Evans in 2024, though he is already back in a contract year, and saw third-round pick Jalen McMillan progress down the stretch. Another Godwin deal could interfere with McMillan’s development, and another contract for the team’s longtime Evans sidekick would significantly increase the franchise’s allocation at wide receiver.
The Bucs have a history in prioritizing Godwin despite an injury. They applied a second franchise tag on the 2017 third-round pick in 2022, after he had suffered ACL and MCL tears the previous December, and then gave him a three-year, $60MM extension. Godwin returned on time and has since posted two more 1,000-yard seasons. Betting on Godwin once again falls in line with the Bucs’ M.O., which has involved retaining core players. They were able to keep Evans off the market last year, even as a Tee Higgins franchise tag would have driven up his value. Higgins is expected to be tagged again, and it would stand to reason Godwin would want to gauge his free agency value for the first time.
As could be expected, the Bucs will not re-tag Godwin, Laine adds. Even if Godwin reaches the legal tampering period unsigned, the Bucs have shown they can retain talent. They re-signed Shaq Barrett after he was free to speak to other teams in 2021, and they did the same with Carlton Davis (2022) and Jamel Dean (2023). The team did not let Baker Mayfield hit free agency, signing him a day before last year’s legal tampering period. Tampa Bay has until 11am CT on March 10 to negotiate exclusively with Godwin, a four-time 1,000-yard receiver and the second-leading pass catcher in franchise history.
The Bucs already moved Godwin’s void date back, with Laine confirming it was delayed from Feb. 17 to March 12. This is something they did not do for Evans, who counted as both an active contract and dead money on the team’s 2024 payroll. Sliding the void date back will allow the team more time to re-sign Godwin, as a re-up before that point would keep void years-driven dead money off the Bucs’ cap sheet. The team has already seen edge rusher Anthony Nelson‘s deal void, per Fox Sports’ Greg Auman; this will create $2.65MM in dead money for the team in 2025.
Elsewhere on the Bucs’ roster, they are planning to allow slot cornerback Tykee Smith compete for a starting safety job. Todd Bowles said (via the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud) the 2024 third-round pick, who has primarily operated as the Bucs’ nickel performer, will vie for a starting safety job. That would allow for more Smith playing time, but it would also give the Bucs work to do in the slot again.
Jordan Whitehead primarily worked as Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s wingman at safety last season, though the two-time Buccaneer missed five games. Whitehead’s second Bucs contract runs through the 2025 season. Christian Izien, who has played a few roles (including safety) for the team during his two-year career, would be a candidate to return to the slot if Smith’s safety push sticks, Stroud adds. Izien worked regularly in the slot in 2023.
Sean McVay Wants Matthew Stafford Back; Tom Brady Reaches Out On Raiders’ Behalf
9:53am: After attracting significant interest — particularly from the Raiders and Giants — since being allowed to talk with other teams, Stafford may end up costing more. Teams are anticipating, in light of the interest the talented quarterback has generated, the Rams will up their asking price in trades, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. They have already been connected to seeking at least a first-round pick.
9:05am: The Rams have let Matthew Stafford speak with other teams, even as the veteran quarterback has not requested a trade. As the sides attempt to use this process to determine the Super Bowl-winning passer’s value, Stafford has been linked to a few teams. But a future in which he stays in Los Angeles on an adjusted contract remains in play.
Linked to wanting Stafford to stay, Sean McVay confirmed that stance at the Combine. The ninth-year Rams HC would prefer the team and Stafford find common contractual ground to move forward in a fifth season together.
“When you talk about the elephant in the room, these are the things that are really challenging,” McVay told Amazon’s Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick during an appearance on the retirees’ Fitz & Whit podcast (via NFL.com). “Because there’s no discrepancy on us wanting him to continue to lead the way and be our quarterback. The interesting and the challenging dilemma and dynamics within this are, hey, how do you continuously as a head coach look at the short term and the long term and be able to figure out what does that really look like?
“You have to be able to say, hey, how do we continuously build? How do we support him? How do we make sure that he’s getting what is his worth relative to those things? So, at the end of the day, we had something in mind, he had something in mind, and nobody was right or wrong. And then ultimately you’re saying there’s a ton of interest because this guy is an incredible player.”
After agreeing to a restructure last summer, Stafford has been tied to seeking $50MM per year this offseason. The Rams are not believed to be eyeing a payment on this level, creating this polite impasse of sorts. While the team wants its QB back in the fold, it will depend on what Stafford will accept contractually and what kind of trade offers emerge. Although Stafford leaving would gut the Rams, he is effectively a high-end bridge QB at this point in his career. Stafford is heading into his age-37 season, and the Rams need a long-term answer.
The Giants, Browns, Steelers and Raiders have been mentioned as Stafford suitors. The Giants are not believed to be open to trading the No. 3 overall pick for Stafford, but the Rams would seek at least a first-round pick for the 17th-year veteran. The Raiders are doing some work on him, as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore reports Tom Brady has contacted Stafford on the Silver and Black’s behalf.
Las Vegas both has a glaring QB need and plenty of cap space, being projected to carry more than $99MM — the second-most in the NFL. The Raiders, however, are not close to where the Rams are in terms of competitiveness; they have missed the past three playoff brackets and have not won a playoff game since the 2002 AFC championship. Stafford does not hold a no-trade clause, but the nature of this situation points to Vegas brass needing to sell Stafford on competitive viability while also agreeing to a deal carrying a $50MM-plus AAV.
The Raiders have also been connected to Sam Darnold and potentially reuniting Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson. A trade-up for Cam Ward has also surfaced at multiple points, as the Raiders hold the No. 6 pick. A Stafford trade would probably lead the Raiders to delay a QB draft choice beyond 2025, but the Rams are still conducting this fact-finding mission re: their starter’s value.
“There does have to be an element of understanding, well, what does that future look like without this freakin’ G who’s been our quarterback for the last four years?” McVay said. “And there’s no wrong or right way to go about it, but I do think for us to be able to make the most educated decision in terms of the cash budget that we operate on, the draft comp that you would get in return, you just need to be able to have all the parameters to at least explore it.”
Titans Grant OLB Harold Landry Permission To Seek Trade
Making a successful comeback after an ACL tear kept him off the field in 2022, Harold Landry is suddenly at a career crossroads. The quality edge rusher has resumed his career as a dependable pass rusher, doing so while on back-to-back struggling Titans teams.
With two years remaining on what was viewed as a team-friendly contract at the time of signing (2022), Landry has joined Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel and Jonathan Allen in being given permission to shop around. The Titans are granting Landry permission to find a trade partner, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
The Titans finished 3-14 last season, down from 6-11 in Mike Vrabel‘s finale. They have squandered some quality Landry efforts, as he has racked up 19.5 sacks since returning from ACL rehab. Landry has not missed a game over that span, putting to rest much of the concern about being recovered from the injury.
Two seasons remain on Landry’s four-year, $87.5MM extension — one signed just before free agency in 2022. He is due a $17.5MM base salary in 2025. The Titans have paid out the guarantees on their top edge rusher’s contract. Tennessee has relied on Landry to anchor its edge-rushing corps throughout his career, having been unsuccessful in landing a complementary piece for much of that period. Additions like Bud Dupree and Jadeveon Clowney did not pan out. Arden Key is currently in that spot; one season remains on his three-year contract.
Going into his eighth season, Landry is 28. He would stand to generate trade interest for a Titans team squarely in rebuild mode after firing a GM (Ran Carthon) for the second time since December 2022. Both the HC and GM who drafted Landry and were in place when he signed his extension are gone. As Josh Sweat leads the way in terms of free agent edges available (all due respect to 34-year-old Khalil Mack), teams seeking help at this premium position can now target Landry in a swap. The Landry news also comes as the Chargers face an uncertain future with Joey Bosa.
Edge rusher fireworks continue this offseason, one that has already included Myles Garrett requesting a trade out of Cleveland. (The Browns are not planning to honor that request.) Joe Burrow also continues to push the Bengals to extend Trey Hendrickson, who joins T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons in a contract year. While Landry has not proven to be in that class, he is not too far off. The 2018 second-round pick produced a career-high 12 sacks in 2021 — before adding 1.5 in a Titans divisional-round loss to the Super Bowl-bound Bengals.
The Boston College product has also proven reliable, even as the Titans have crumbled around him. As Tennessee has struggled to keep key players healthy and to find a post-Ryan Tannehill QB solution, Landry has maintained his form. A team acquiring Landry would have two years of control left as well, though the prospect of an updated contract will undoubtedly come up. Landry is now the NFL’s 16th-highest-paid edge defender.
If the Titans and Landry can find a trade partner, connections to Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter stand to heat up. Carter will be a player the Titans consider at No. 1 overall, despite the organization not seeing Will Levis fill its QB need. While Travis Hunter will be in that mix as well, Tennessee has also been closely tied to trading down. Teams have reached out about the top pick already. Landry would add notable draft capital if moved, as the Titans attempt a rebuild under new GM Mike Borgonzi.
49ers To Promote Klay Kubiak To OC; Brian Griese No Longer On Staff
FEBRUARY 26: Griese has decided to leave coaching after three seasons, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch reports. The former NFL starter, 49, had weighed leaving after his first season with the 49ers but opted to keep going. Two years later, Purdy’s position coach is leaving the profession.
FEBRUARY 25: The 49ers are following through with their expected OC plan. They will promote Klay Kubiak to the post, according to a team announcement. That will give the NFC West two second-generation Kubiaks as OCs.
Klint‘s Seattle role will differ from Klay’s San Francisco description, as Kyle Shanahan will remain the 49ers’ play-caller. However, the 49ers are making a notable change just south of the OC level. Mick Lombardi is moving up to QBs coach, replacing Brian Griese.
To comply with the Rooney Rule, the 49ers interviewed Iowa State wide receivers coach Noah Pauley for the job. They also met with Oregon assistant Junior Adams, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows tweets. Adams has since taken over as the Cowboys’ wide receivers coach. This non-play-calling post was always expected to go to Klay Kubiak, who has been with the team since 2021.
This will mark a climb for the younger Kubiak brother, who was the team’s assistant QBs coach in 2023 and a pass-game specialist last season. Shanahan has not always filled his OC position, last using the title before Mike McDaniel‘s exit in 2021. While Shanahan will still run the show, Kubiak moving up a rung is somewhat consequential. He will be in place as the accomplished HC’s right-hand man on offense. That role has produced HC and play-calling opportunities in the recent past.
The Lombardi-for-Griese move changes out second-generation NFL personnel. This brings about an interesting development for Griese, who turned down the chance to interview for the Jets’ HC position earlier this offseason. The former QB-turned-announcer-turned-assistant was with the 49ers for three seasons, moving straight from the Monday Night Football booth to Shanahan’s staff. Griese was in place when Brock Purdy made a stunning surge from Mr. Irrelevant to late-season injury replacement to Super Bowl starter who went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes. It will be interesting to see where Griese lands next.
After Michael Lombardi followed Bill Belichick to North Carolina, his son will reemerge in a prominent NFL role. Fired after 1 1/2 seasons as Raiders OC under Josh McDaniels, Mick Lombardi landed as a senior offensive assistant for the 49ers last season. The ex-Patriots staffer will work more closely with Purdy in 2025. This will be Lombardi’s first QBs coaching role at any level.
Bengals Prepared To Make Ja’Marr Chase NFL’s Highest-Paid Non-QB
The Bengals were unable to work out an extension agreement with Ja’Marr Chase last offseason, and the decision to use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins led to doubt about his future beyond 2024. In the case of both receivers, the team remains intent on inking both to long-term deals.
Chase in particular will require an historic investment in the wake of Justin Jefferson resetting the market for non-quarterbacks last year. Chase’s LSU teammate secured $35MM per year on average from the Vikings, but a new Bengals deal will check in at a higher rate. Coming off the back of a triple-crown season, Chase has been connected to an asking price of $40MM per season.
In spite of the organization’s track record regarding massive player investments, reaching an agreement at least in the vicinity of that figure is the target. De facto general manager Duke Tobin said on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) the Bengals are planning to “reward” Chase by making him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. Head coach Zac Taylor echoed that sentiment when speaking to the media (h/t Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
As Joe Burrow has turned up the heat on the franchise regarding doing what it takes to retain Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, Tobin has offered some support that the QB will see a positive outcome here. The longtime Bengals exec said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) he is optimistic extensions for all three are doable.
The Bengals are paying for delaying the Chase deal, as the hesitancy — a delay not shown by the Eagles and Dolphins with first-rounders DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — preceded a price-raising season from the 2021 fifth overall pick. Miami and Philly became the first teams — in the fifth-year option era — to extend a first-round wideout with two years of rookie-deal control remaining. Mike Brown said early in training camp the Bengals were unlikely to follow suit. Although the team was believed to have come close to extending Chase before last season, not doing so will lead to a bigger payment being required. While surpassing Jefferson’s $35MM AAV is one matter, a team not known for post-Year 1 guarantees going past the $88.7MM the Vikings fully guaranteed their All-Pro wideout is another.
Regarding Higgins, the Bengals paying him would contradict a years-long expectation. Higgins had been expected to depart, via free agency defection or tag-and-trade transaction, for a while. Last month, Tobin said the team would aim to re-sign Higgins at the “right number.” It would seem Burrow’s efforts, years after Carson Palmer forced his way out due to frustration with the organization’s transactional aggressiveness, are not going unnoticed in the Cincinnati building.
Hendrickson is eyeing a lucrative fourth contract, after tacking a one-year extension onto his initial Bengals agreement, and would be OK if it came after a trade. The All-Pro defensive end wants a quick resolution, however. Like Chase, one season remains on Hendrickson’s deal. For all the criticisms lobbed the Bengals’ way regarding contract matters, they do have a recent history of authorizing third contracts for D-linemen. They paid both Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap in 2018. Of course, paying Hendrickson with Burrow tied to a $55MM-per-year deal is a different matter even with the recent cap spikes considered.
As we detailed in a recent Trade Rumors Front Office piece, how the Bengals proceed this offseason may well affect their long-term relationship with Burrow. The superstar QB will undoubtedly be monitoring these situations closely, with the Higgins matter — expected to produce at least a placeholder franchise tag — first on the docket.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Josh Sweat Expected To Depart In Free Agency; Eagles On Radar For Myles Garrett
Andrew Berry is not budging on his early-offseason Myles Garrett stances. The Browns are set against trading the future Hall of Fame pass rusher.
Reaffirming that at the Combine, the sixth-year GM said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) the Browns are “not interested in moving him.” Other teams continue to circle, with the Browns having received calls on a player who has made it clear he wants out. Cleveland is prepping a monster Garrett extension offer — during what should be an explosive offseason on the EDGE market — but it is unclear how much that would move the needle for the disgruntled All-Pro.
[RELATED: Sweat Makes Agency Change]
As teams look into this matter, execs around the league are connecting the Eagles as a team that will be pursuing a pass rusher. This loose Philly-Garrett tie comes as Josh Sweat nears free agency. It does not look like the reigning Super Bowl champions will re-sign the standout edge rusher, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating (h/t iHeartRadio’s Victor Williams) expectations are pointing to a Sweat exit in free agency.
Sweat could hardly have done more to finalize his case as a top-tier free agency in the upcoming class, having hounded Patrick Mahomes throughout Super Bowl LIX. Exposing a Joe Thuney-at-LT plan that had been moderately effective for the Chiefs en route to the Super Bowl, Sweat collected 2.5 sacks and forced an interception when he drove the Kansas City LT into Mahomes late in the first half. Sweat, 27, finished the season with eight sacks and did well to reestablish his value after accepting a March 2024 pay cut.
Playing for $10MM last season, Sweat will be aiming much higher as a first-time free agent. The former fourth-round pick signed a three-year, $40MM extension with the Eagles in 2021. He became the team’s 2024 edge-rushing centerpiece, as Brandon Graham went down with a triceps tear and Bryce Huff — thus far, at least — proved unworthy of the three-year, $51.1MM deal. Although the Eagles have Nolan Smith set to play a lead role in next year’s pass rush, third-round rookie Jalyx Hunt may still be viewed as a backup.
This has connected execs to Garrett for Philly. Some around the league mentioned the Eagles as a landing spot previously, citing Berry’s past working for Howie Roseman. The Eagles, who added a third-round pick by unloading Haason Reddick last spring, have made splashy trades under Roseman. They moved a first-rounder to add A.J. Brown in 2022, parted with a second to acquire Ronald Darby in 2017. Roseman was in the Eagles’ front office (but not yet GM) when they dealt first-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to obtain Jason Peters from the Bills back in 2009. Peters and Brown proved worthy of the trade costs.
Teams are prepared to part with a first-round pick and change for Garrett, even though Berry has continued to come out against any trade. Garrett, 29, would also be eyeing a big-ticket extension. That would affect teams’ trade offers, but the Eagles have shown a willingness to be creative to help fit contracts onto their cap sheet in the recent past. It might take a while to pry Garrett from Cleveland, with the draft looming as the first notable deadline here. But the Eagles have been willing to wait on big trades in the past.