Panthers, C Austin Corbett Push Back Void Date
The Panthers have bought themselves a bit more time to determine whether center Austin Corbett will continue his playing career in Charlotte. Per OverTheCap.com, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer, player and team have agreed to push the void date on Corbett’s contract to March 11, one day before the start of the 2025 league year.
Corbett, 29, just completed the final season of the three-year, $29.25MM deal he signed with the Panthers in March 2022. He suited up for a full complement of games in his debut Carolina campaign, and his play was mostly in line with his platform-year performance with the Rams in 2021, which is what convinced the Panthers to authorize a notable free agent contract in the first place.
Unfortunately, Corbett suffered an ACL tear during the 17th and final contest of the 2022 season, which led to missed time the following year. The former Browns draftee briefly returned to action in 2023, but an MCL injury limited him to only four games. Then, in Week 5 of the 2024 slate, Corbett sustained a season-ending biceps tear.
Having played just nine games due to significant injuries in each of the past two seasons, Corbett would not be hitting the open market with any kind of positive momentum if he were to leave the Panthers. And a new contract with Carolina would likely be a modest one, although his familiarity with the offense may be attractive to him as he seeks to rebuild his value.
From the club’s perspective, a new contract would allow the Panthers to reduce the nearly $8MM dead cap charge they would incur if Corbett’s current deal simply voids. It would also allow them to retain a player who has proven to be a capable blocker when healthy, a player to whom they entrusted the starting center job last spring in the critical second year of QB Bryce Young’s development (Corbett had operated exclusively at right guard in each of his four prior seasons and had never played the pivot at the professional level).
As Kaye notes, the delay of the void date does not guarantee that the two sides will strike a new agreement, though there is clearly at least some interest in a reunion. Even if Corbett does return, however, it would be fair to expect the Panthers to further bolster the center position in the draft and/or free agency.
Rams Give QB Matthew Stafford Permission To Speak With Other Teams
We’ve seen some interesting developments in the past couple of months concerning the future of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. Today’s newest update comes from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network who tells us that the team has given Stafford’s agent permission to speak with other teams about his value. Rapoport makes it clear that this is not a trade request, just an external appraisal. 
Following the end of the Rams’ 2024 campaign, Stafford began to contemplate his future in the league, potentially weighing the possibility of retirement before ultimately making the decision to play in 2025, after some pressure for clarity from the team. As the team was waiting for that clarity, though, the Rams made it known that they were considering trading the veteran quarterback. This rumor led to interest from several teams who began to contact Los Angeles with interest in Stafford.
With today’s update, we see that the Rams have been hearing these offers and are hoping to use them to assist in their contract negotiations. Our previous most recent update hinted that the 37-year-old was seeking a raise on his next deal. This new tactic from the Rams could be seen as an attempt to let the rest of the league do their work for them. This would be similar to what the Ravens attempted last year, when they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, and most teams expected them to match any offer sheet after letting other teams determine Jackson’s worth.
This is a less official version of this. This is closer to the MLB’s arbitration process, in which the team and player can’t come to an agreement on a player’s value, so they use a third-party arbiter to make the determination for them. As the Rams and Stafford struggle to find level ground in contract discussions, the hope is that outside teams will participate and give their two cents on what Stafford’s next contract should look like.
More likely, teams, if they don’t really believe they have a chance to land Stafford in a trade, could try to inflate the cost of a Stafford deal in order to handicap the Rams as much as possible. This possibility is underlined by a report from Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo, who tells us that these other teams don’t believe this means the Rams and Stafford are headed for a split and that trade compensation will remain a hurdle to them actually acquiring the passer.
Another hurdle to acquiring Stafford via trade is the $45.3MM in dead money trading Stafford’s contract would cost the Rams, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OvertheCap.com. Still, Fitzgerald believes that the Rams would be willing to deal Stafford for a return they deem worthy, but if that adequate trade offer doesn’t come, they would work with the veteran on a modified contract.
Chargers Expected To Move On From Joey Bosa?
Joey Bosa‘s nearly decade-long stint with the Chargers may be coming to an end. Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post believes the organization will look to move on from their defensive star, while multiple sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano that they expect the Chargers to cut the pass rusher.
While the front office would surely rather keep Bosa or get something in return for the five-time Pro Bowler, the untenable financial commitment makes the player a prime cut candidate. Bosa is attached to a massive $36.47MM cap hit next season, the highest at his position. The team could save $25.36MM by either cutting or trading the veteran, an option that may be too enticing to deny (even with the Chargers armed with the sixth-most effective cap space in the NFL).
That $25.36MM savings also represents Bosa’s true earnings for the upcoming 2025 campaign, although none of that is guaranteed. As Graziano notes, the pass rusher is due a $12.36MM roster bonus in March, so the Chargers will surely look to make a decision on Bosa’s future before the bonus is due.
Bosa has continued to be productive when he’s on the field. Unfortunately, he’s rarely made it through a season unscathed. After being limited to 14 games before the 2022 and 2023 campaign, Bosa did manage to get into 14 games this past season, finishing with five sacks and 13 QB hits. Still, with only two fully healthy seasons on his resume, any suitors would have to account for Bosa missing at least a handful of contests in 2025.
While the two sides could go back to the negotiating table, Bosa already gave up some money last offseason. Still attached to the five-year, $135MM contract he inked in 2020, Bosa reworked his deal in 2024, saving the Chargers more than $10MM on his projected $32MM cap hit. The front office could once again try to convert some of his salary into bonuses, but they’d still be committed to a healthy cap charge either way.
On the flip side, Graziano notes that the Chargers may have no choice but to hang on to Bosa for at least one more season. That’s because Khalil Mack is hitting free agency, and the organization is prohibited from slapping the star edge rusher with the franchise tag. If Mack is destined to leave Los Angeles, the front office may want to retain some semblance of continuity on the edge.
Giants Targeting Veterans, Rookie At QB
Last month, Giants owner John Mara acknowledged the team’s need for a quarterback and said the front office could target the position either via free agency or the draft. With more time to reflect, it sounds like the organization is considering adding players from both of those buckets.
[RELATED: Giants Open To Resolving QB Issue With Draft Pick, Veteran]
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler expects the Giants to sign a veteran quarterback and select a rookie at that position in the draft. Fowler notes there’s urgency for coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen to get this right, as the duo’s job status could be tied to their handling of the QBs room in 2025.
It’s obviously not a profound concept to pair a bridge QB with a young signal caller, but it sounds like the Giants have their eye on someone more significant than a one-year veteran stopgap. Fowler believes that free agent Russell Wilson and trade option Matthew Stafford could be targets for the Giants, and there are plenty of additional options that will or could be available (including Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, and Kirk Cousins).
None of those options will truly change the long-term trajectory of the franchise, but they should still command a pretty penny. Fortunately for the Giants, they have some financial wiggle room to compete in a bidding war. The team is projected to have more than $44MM in cap space, and they could easily carve out additional breathing room by releasing players or restructuring contracts.
Armed with the third-overall pick, the Giants should also be in prime position to take one of the draft’s top QB prospects. While neither Shedeur Sanders nor Cam Ward are considered blue-chip prospects, the Giants wouldn’t have to be entirely reliant on their rookie if they add a veteran atop the depth chart.
Interestingly, the Giants are turning to one of their offensive stars for opinions on draft options. Wideout Malik Nabers told Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post that the Giants have reached out to him about his thoughts on the quarterback prospects.
“I’m paying attention to it with the eyes of a hawk,” Nabers said. “[The Giants] have been keeping me in the loop, whether it’s who I like. They always ask me questions like that. When I watch [Sanders and Ward], I pick the things I like about both of them and go back and tell them.”
Monti Ossenfort: Cardinals To Be ‘Active’ In Free Agency
Teams around the NFL recently received further clarity on where the 2025 salary cap is expected to land. This year’s increase will be higher than expected, giving those which were already on track to have plenty of space even more spending power. 
That list includes the Cardinals. Arizona is currently projected to hold the fifth-most space in the NFL with over $76MM available (h/t Over the Cap). As a result, Monti Ossenfort could be among the more active general managers in the league once the new league year begins in March. Veteran additions via the open market are clearly on the team’s radar.
“We are going to be active [in free agency],” Ossenfort said when speaking about the Cardinals’ offseason outlook (via the team’s website). “We’re going to look for every avenue to improve the team, but we have to be smart about not only this year’s team, but as we build for the future and our own players that we want to extend.”
Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon took on a rebuilding effort upon being hired in 2023. After improving from 4-13 during their first season at the helm to 8-9 in 2024, progress has been made in that process and the coming months will offer plenty of opportunities to take another step forward. Additions along the offensive line could be a priority, with the same being true along the edge and at the cornerback spot given the current makeup of Arizona’s roster.
Of course, in-house matters will be key this offseason as well. Working out an extension with Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride is something the Cardinals were recently reported to be prioritizing; Ossenfort said work on that front will take place “as it comes up.” A McBride raise granted through a long-term deal will still leave plenty of resources to supplement the team’s draft additions of the past two years.
The NFC West was wide open throughout the 2024 campaign, and continued development on the part of the Cardinals could make at least a wild-card berth a realistic target for next season. Free agency will provide Ossenfort and Co. with the first opportunity to make a notable move, and it will be interesting to see if a lucrative addition is made soon.
NFL, Owners To Discuss 2028 Olympic Participation In March
March will bring about the franchise tag deadline and, shortly thereafter, the start of the new league year. The next league meeting is also upcoming, and it will provide the NFL and its owners the opportunity to discuss the potential of participating in flag football during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 
Shortly after it was confirmed flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028, it was confirmed to no surprise that the NFL and NFLPA opened discussions about the possibility of NFL players taking part. Further developments on that front could be coming soon. The league is set to make a full presentation about Olympic participation during the March meeting, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.
A vote could take place in the near future as a result, but that would come as a surprise. A number of issues related to finances, logistics and insurance will need to be sorted out if any agreement is to be reached allowing NFL players to take part. Nothing in the current CBA covers international competitions, so an amendment would need to be added relating to the 2028 Olympics and future games. As Jones notes, the NFL has a “strong desire” to make flag football a permanent Olympic event beyond the Los Angeles debut. High-profile players such as Tyreek Hill have previously expressed interest in taking part, and he is not alone in that respect.
“Most likely I’ll be retired by 2028,” Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans said (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine). “I don’t know. But if I am retired, I would definitely like to play in the Olympics.”
In other flag-related news, commissioner Roger Goodell said in advance of the Super Bowl that the creation of a professional flag football league is under consideration. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports work is already underway on that front, which should should not come as a shock. The NFL has made a highly public effort in recent years to promote and develop flag football at the youth level in particular, so establishing a pro league represents a logical next step.
The league’s international calendar has expanded recently and regular season games played abroad is set to become an increasingly frequent staple of the league moving forward. Pairing a growing presence abroad with Olympic participation is something the NFL and NFLPA would welcome, and it will be interesting to see if progress toward that goal will be reached in the near future.
John Schneider Addresses Seahawks’ Offseason Approach
Year 1 of the Mike Macdonald era as head coach of the Seahawks produced a 10-win campaign but not a playoff berth. Changes on the sideline have been made, with Klint Kubiak now in place as offensive coordinator while the team contemplates its upcoming offseason moves. 
General manager John Schneider has work to do in the near future for the Seahawks to achieve cap compliance. Once that happens, he and the front office will set out to improve a roster which proved to be lacking along the offensive line in particular in 2024. As Schneider’s comments on the matter demonstrate, there is a roadmap in place.
“We know exactly what our deficiencies are,” he said during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ John Schneider Show. “We can all see it, right? And we have a plan to address everything.”
With and without lead back Kenneth Walker in the lineup, the Seahawks struggled on the ground in 2024. The team finished 28th in the league in rushing, something which put added pressure on the passing attack. Seattle allowed 50 sacks, something which contributed to a drop in production on the part of quarterback Geno Smith and the team’s second straight failure to make the playoffs.
To no surprise, then, upgrading up front is widely seen as a top priority for the Seahawks. As Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes, offensive line is a very popular position for the team in mock drafts. With the No. 18 pick in April’s draft, Seattle will have the opportunity to add a starting-caliber guard or competition for right tackle Abraham Lucas, who has struggled with injuries each of the past two years. The draft will represent a prime opportunity to help address needs along the offensive and defensive lines, but Schneider cautioned that a lucrative free agent splash should not be expected.
“You can’t just throw money at something to fix it, to fix a perceived need,” he added. “We’ve made mistakes there in the past and we’re not try not to repeat the mistakes we made.”
Seattle is among the teams currently projected to be above the cap, but moves like releasing Tyler Lockett can be used to free up finances ahead of free agency. The coming months will be key for the Seahawks at the line of scrimmage in particular as they look to implement Schneider’s plan
Robert Woods Wants To Re-Sign With Texans
Robert Woods has spent the past two seasons in Houston, seeing his usage rate drop compared to earlier in his career along the way. The pending free agent receiver is not looking for a change of scenery this spring, however. 
“Feeling good, kind of getting ready to revamp and go another year again,” Woods said when providing an update on his health and speaking about his future (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). “I had a great time here in Houston, loved being with C.J. [Stroud], a great quarterback, loved our receiver room, our coaches. We’ll see how it goes in free agency.
“You know how free agency is. Whatever is best for me and my family and my football career. If that’s in Houston, however it goes, we’ll look to that.”
Woods’ best campaigns came during his five year run with the Rams (2017-21). That span included the two times the former second-rounder surpassed 1,000 yards, but it ended with a campaign in which he was limited to only nine games. Woods was traded to the Titans during the 2022 offseason, although after one year in Tennessee he was released; that allowed him to join the Texans on a two-year, $15.25MM deal.
Operating as an experienced depth contributor in Houston, the USC product totaled 629 yards and just one touchdown while playing out that pact. Woods logged a 70% snap share in 2023, but this past season he saw his playing time plummet to 37%. Considering Stefon Diggs and, later, Tank Dell suffered ACL tears in 2024, that usage rate is an indication the Texans will not match Woods’ desire to work out a new deal this offseason.
General manager Nick Caserio recently said he is open to re-signing Diggs, while Dell and Nico Collins are on the books for next season and beyond. The team also has the likes of John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson and Jared Wayne attached to their rookie contracts, so Woods may very well have to look elsewhere if he reaches free agency. Approaching his age-33 season, Woods will not have a strong market in that event, but his remarks make it clear he intends to keep playing in 2025.
Ravens Finalize 2025 Coaching Staff
The Ravens are one of the latest teams to formally finalize their 2025 coaching staff, announcing their additions and updates yesterday, per team editorial director Ryan Mink. Head coach John Harbaugh has held one of the most consistent positions in the NFL, and his staff will reflect that in 2025. 
After fielding the NFL’s No. 3 scoring offense, No. 1 total offense, No. 7 passing offense, and No. 1 rushing offense in 2024, Baltimore didn’t see the need to make any changes on offense. Though offensive coordinator Todd Monken got some head coaching interest this cycle, he remained in Baltimore with an extension. The only update on that side of the ball comes from running backs coach Willie Taggart, who has earned the assistant head coach title left vacant with the departure of last year’s assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt. There was also a minor update on the offense, where offensive football analyst Prentice Gill was named as a coaching fellow. Joining Gill as coaching fellows are DP Eyman and Ian Kolste.
The defensive side of the ball is where we saw the most change in the coaching staff. We’ve already reported on most of the changes to defensive coordinator Zach Orr‘s staff, which included the hirings of Tyler Santucci as inside linebackers coach, Matt Pees as assistant linebackers coach, Donald D’Alesio as defensive backs coach, and Chuck Pagano as senior defensive assistant/secondary coach. The only other update on the defensive coaching staff saw former assistant defensive line/outside linebackers coach Matt Robinson promoted to outside linebackers coach.
On special teams, we see don’t see any changes up top, but the team has added former safety Anthony Levine as assistant special teams coach following his dismissal from the Titans’ staff. Levine played 10 seasons in Baltimore mainly as a mainstay on special teams. He becomes the second former special teamer to return to the staff after former punter Sam Koch served as a special teams consultant last year. Depending on what happens with the investigation into allegations against kicker Justin Tucker, they may have their work cut out for them.
That does it for the changes to the Ravens’ 2025 coaching staff. Not much change seems to have been needed for the team who won back-to-back AFC North titles. Harbaugh and company will run it back in hopes of improving their postseason outcomes from the past two seasons.
Buccaneers Announce Finalized 2025 Coaching Staff
With former offensive coordinator Liam Coen departing for his first head coaching role in Jacksonville, there was bound to be some changes along the Buccaneers coaching staff. Todd Bowles and company announced all their planned changes for the staff yesterday, and we’ll break them down here. 
We already knew that, with Coen out, Josh Grizzard was promoted to offensive coordinator. Hiring an internal candidate into the role allowed Tampa Bay to retain several assistants, as well. After being interviewed for the offensive coordinator job in Houston that went to Nick Caley, quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis was retained to his position, as were running backs coach Skip Peete, wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon, tight ends coach Justin Peelle, and offensive consultant Tom Moore. We’ve also already reported on the hiring of Kefense Hynson to fill Grizzard’s role as pass game coordinator and the promotion of Brian Picucci from assistant offensive line coach to offensive line coach.
The unreported changes to the staff see Jordan Somerville, who has served as assistant quarterbacks coach for the team, add the role of pass game specialist to his existing responsibilities. Additionally, former offensive quality control coach Jeff Kastl has been promoted to assistant tight ends coach. Lastly on offense, we had reported initially that former offensive line coach Kevin Carberry had added the assistant head coach title to his duties, but the team’s announcement grants him the additional title of run game coordinator instead.
On defense, where Bowles acts as a sort of de facto coordinator, only a few changes were necessary. Cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross, safeties coach Nick Rapone, assistant secondary coach Tim Atkins, and defensive quality control coach Joey Fitzgerald all return to their same roles for 2025, and we’ve already reported on the addition of Charlie Strong as defensive line coach, replacing Kacy Rodgers who departed for the same role in Detroit. We also reported that former pass game coordinator/inside linebackers coach Larry Foote would be retained after interviewing for the Lions defensive coordinator job that went to internal candidate Kelvin Sheppard in Detroit, but today’s announcement tells us that both titles have changed for Foote as he will now serve as run game coordinator/outside linebackers coach.
With Foote taking outside linebacker duties, former outside linebackers coach George Edwards will now serve as pass game coordinator after being mentioned as a defensive coordinator candidate in New Orleans. Taking Foote’s inside linebackers coaching role will be Mike Caldwell, who was hired for the job after not being retained by the Raiders this offseason. Lastly on defense, Rashad Johnson, the former NFL safety who served as defensive assistant last year, has been promoted to serve alongside Atkins as assistant secondary coach.
No changes were required on special teams, where Thomas McGaughey and Keith Tandy return as special teams coordinator and defensive/special teams assistant, respectively.
That will be the 2025 coaching staff for the Buccaneers. Bowles and Grizzard did a good job retaining a decent number of staffers, utilizing a few promotions where necessary, and filled out the holes effectively. They’ll hope to bring back similar success to take them to the postseason for the sixth season in a row.