Dolphins Cut Kendall Fuller, Durham Smythe
The Dolphins continued to trim their roster on Friday, releasing cornerback Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe.
Fuller signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins last March and started 11 games as a boundary cornerback in 2024. He ended the season on injured reserve with no interceptions and seven passes defended. The nine-year veteran will likely receive interest as a free agent on another short-term deal, especially since he will not count against the compensatory pick formula as a cap casualty. The Dolphins, meanwhile, will need to find another cornerback to start opposite Jalen Ramsey.
Smythe was the team’s longest tenured player after landing in Miami as a fourth-round pick in 2018. He emerged as a starter in his second year, but was used primarily as a blocker. The 29-year-old has never topped 40 receptions or 400 receiving yards in a single-season and has just three career touchdowns despite his 6-foot-6, 246-pound frame. He signed a three-year extension with the Dolphins in 2023, but saw his role diminish in 2024 due to Jonnu Smith‘s breakout. Smythe’s lack of receiving upside will limit his free agency market, but he will likely find a new home as an experienced blocking tight end. The Dolphins have Smith under contract in 2025 as well as fullback Alec Ingold, so they’re most likely to address the position through the draft.
Like Raheem Mostert‘s release reported earlier in the day, the roster moves are primarily driven by Miami’s current salary cap burden. The Dolphins started the day more than $13MM over the projected 2025 salary cap, per OverTheCap, but Fuller’s release will save $2.671MM in cap space. Cutting Durham frees another $2.175MM, leading to total cap savings of just under $7MM (including Mostert).
Combined, the three players will also account for $9MM of dead cap space in 2025. Since the Dolphins have to become cap-compliant by the start of the new league year on March 12, they could not use post-June 1 designations to spread out the dead money between two years.
The Dolphins remain $5.4MM over the projected 2025 cap, so a few additional moves will be necessary to get below the cap with enough money for free agency and the team’s incoming rookie class. Restructuring the contracts of Tua Tagovailoa or Bradley Chubb could free up to $30MM, giving Miami enough financial room to navigate the offseason.
Sources Expect Titans To Trade No. 1 Overall Pick; Latest On Browns’, Giants’ QB Plans
FEBRUARY 14: The Titans are still trending towards trading the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft.
Of a panel of eight executives, coaches, and scouts, five believe that Tennessee will trade down to add more draft capital, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, while three believe that they will stay at No. 1 and, most likely, pick a quarterback.
Their decision represents competing beliefs about how to utilize the top pick in the draft while rebuilding a franchise. Multiple members of the panel pointed out that the Titans’ roster needs go far beyond a quarterback. Trading back would allow them to build a better long-term situation for a future franchise signal-caller.
However, the first overall pick is a rare opportunity, and six of the last seven have been used on a quarterback.
“You have to make it count and get your quarterback,” said one assistant coach. “I think that’s what the Titans will do. Keep the top pick and draft Cam Ward.”
FEBRUARY 9: New Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi already indicated during his introductory press conference several weeks ago that his club is open to the possibility of trading the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Multiple sources tell ESPN’s Dan Graziano they believe Tennessee will do just that (subscription required).
The logic to a trade-down maneuver is clear. The Titans have plenty of holes to fill on their roster, and unless they become convinced one of the top signal-caller prospects in this year’s draft class (Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward) is their surefire QB of the future, moving down to collect additional draft capital makes plenty of sense.
Of course, Borgonzi & Co. are doing their due diligence on Sanders and Ward, and president of football operations Chad Brinker – who has final say over personnel matters, although Borgonzi will run the draft – indicated the team will not pass on a generational talent with the No. 1 pick. In other words, even if the Titans do not think highly enough of Sanders or Ward to make one of them the top overall pick in April, a non-QB blue-chipper like Travis Hunter could still convince Tennessee to retain its coveted position atop the draft board.
If the Titans do not select a QB with their first choice, regardless of where that selection might fall, Graziano notes that a free agent passer like Sam Darnold or Justin Fields could be in play. Or, Tennessee could simply elect to give 2023 second-rounder Will Levis one more shot to prove that he can be the solution under center.
The Browns (No. 2 overall), Giants (No. 3), Raiders (No. 6), and Jets (No. 7) all profile as potential trading partners for the Titans. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who confirms that Tennessee brass is keeping an open mind here, adds the Saints (No. 9) to the list of teams that could engage in trade talks.
Cleveland would not have to move too far up the board to assure itself of its top choice of quarterback prospects, and as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (video link) reiterates, the Browns are expected to draft a passer and would have done so even if Deshaun Watson had not suffered a second Achilles tear that puts his 2025 season in jeopardy. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (subscription required), Browns GM Andrew Berry believes a long-term starter can be found in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the Sanders/Ward tier (although Berry naturally would not suggest otherwise at this point).
Pelissero adds that, no matter when Berry plans to pull the trigger on a college quarterback, Cleveland is also expected to add a veteran at the position. He names Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as players to watch in that scenario.
In the same video link cited above, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network says the Giants – whose only QB under contract at the moment is Tommy DeVito – will likewise be active in the veteran signal-caller market in advance of the draft. Garafolo confirms Darnold will be an option for Big Blue, and the team could again be on Russell Wilson’s radar (a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (see Graziano link above)).
Giants owner John Mara said last month he is open to resolving his club’s QB concerns with a veteran and/or a draft pick, though he appeared to suggest a prospect was the preferred route. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post believes Mara’s team will try to move up to either the No. 1 or No. 2 slot to select a quarterback, and Dan Duggan of The Athletic thinks there is a good chance the Titans and Giants will strike a No. 1-for-No. 3 swap.
Giants To Explore Selling Minority Ownership Stake
Since the NFL allowed private equity firms to purchase limited shares of franchises, a number of teams have reached agreements on that front. The Giants are interested in joining that list. 
The team is looking to sell as much as a 10% stake, as first reported by Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal. The Giants are currently owned and operated by John Mara and Steve Tisch, who each own a 50% share as things stand. No changes to the ownership structure of the franchise would be made if a sale goes through, per the report.
“The Mara and Tisch families have retained Moelis & Company to explore the potential sale of a minority, non-controlling stake in the New York Giants,” a team statement reads in part. “There will be no further comment in regard to the process.”
The Eagles, Dolphins and Bills have all worked out agreements in recent months to divest to new owners. Buyers connected to private equity firms are allowed by rule to purchase shares, but they are not permitted to take on a controlling stake. Still, a deal involving the Giants would be notable given the franchise’s market value.
As Fischer notes, the sales related to the Eagles included valuations of the franchise at $8.1 billion and $8.3 billion when they were agreed to. An arrangement involving the Giants is expected to surpass those figures, meaning Mara and Tisch will be in line for a major cash infusion if a deal can be worked out. Provided that takes place, approval from at least 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners will be required for ratification.
Having just celebrated their 100th season, the Giants’ heritage and market size will help attract potential buyers. The team’s lack of success in recent years could serve as a deterrent in some instances, but it would come as little surprise if a sale were to be arranged in the near future.
Panthers Re-Sign LS J.J. Jansen
J.J. Jansen‘s career will continue for at least one more season. The longtime Panthers long snapper agreed to another new deal on Friday, per an announcement from his agency. 
Jansen has played 260 games in his career, comfortably topping the list in that department in franchise history. That also places him in a tie (with Don Mulbach) for first amongst pure long snappers in the NFL record books. The 39-year has been in Carolina since arriving via trade in 2009, never missing a contest during that span.
The Panthers inked Jansen to a five-year, $5.48MM deal in 2016; that pact proved to be a worthwhile investment from the team’s perspective. Since that contract expired, the Notre Dame product has played on a series of one-year pacts, and this latest one will be his sixth in a row on that front. Joe Person of The Athletic recently predicted a new Jansen commitment was likely (subscription required), so this news comes as little surprise.
Trey Junkin spent most of his career (which spanned 281 games) as a long snapper, but his early years also included time spent as a linebacker and tight end. Jansen could nevertheless continue to approach his games played mark in 2025; another new pact next offseason would put him in line to break the LS record for games played in 2026. For now, though, he will prepare for a 17th campaign in Carolina.
The Panthers also have free agent decisions to make on punter Johnny Hekker and kicker Eddy Pineiro since they are both pending free agents. Person predicts Pineiro will depart on the open market, a move foreshadowed to an extent earlier this week when Matthew Wright signed a futures contract. As for Hekker, the Panthers could opt for a younger replacement but Person writes the 35-year-old is still in contention for a new deal. Regardless of how the rest of the team’s special teams battery shakes out, Jansen will yet again handle snapping duties.
Vikings’ Harrison Smith, Stephon Gilmore To Contemplate Retirement
Free agency could lead to a few notable departures in the Vikings’ secondary. Retirement is another means by which the team could be shorthanded heading into 2025, though. 
Safety Harrison Smith said (via Andrew Kramer of the Minnesota Star Tribune) he will give thought to hanging up his cleats this offseason. That was the case last year, but he and the team agreed to a restructured pact which paved the way for him to play a 13th campaign in Minnesota. Smith remained a full-time starter in 2024, and after being held without an interception the previous year he recorded three this past season.
As a result, his absence would be acutely felt in the event a retirement decision were to be made. Smith, 36, said he was not leaning that way in the wake of the Vikings’ wild-card loss, and if he were to play in 2025 he would carry a modest cap hit of $6.57MM. The six-time Pro Bowler would be expected to remain in a first-team role if he were to continue his career, one which has seen him cement his status as one of the top defenders in franchise history.
Smith has played 192 regular season games, the most by a defensive back amongst all Vikings players. That figure ranks eighth in franchise history, and his 37 career interceptions are the most with respect to active players. The Notre Dame product’s leadership in addition to his production would be difficult to replace, although working out a new deal with pending free agent Camryn Bynum could allow for continuity on the backend. Josh Metellus has logged a heavy defensive workload over the past two years and he could step into a full-time starting role in the event Smith were to end his career.
Just like Smith, cornerback Stephon Gilmore will give thought to retirement. The former Defensive Player of the Year has bounced around the league since the end of his Patriots tenure, spending time with the Panthers, Colts and Cowboys before inking a one-year Vikings pact in August. That deal provided the team with a full-time starter opposite Byron Murphy, and Gilmore helped Minnesota finish the year with the NFL’s fifth-ranked scoring defense.
“It’s more this year,” the 34-year-old said (via Kramer) of considering retirement. “Older, body feeling it a little bit more. Just wasn’t thinking about it during the season, but now looking back at how I feel, I’ll definitely be thinking about it.”
Murphy is in line to command a notable free agent market, while Shaquill Griffin is also in need of a new deal. Losing either of those two in addition to Gilmore hanging up his cleats would leave cornerback as even more of an offseason priority. Much of Minnesota’s outlook over the spring will of course depend on what happens with quarterback Sam Darnold, but the decisions Smith and Gilmore make in the near future will also be key team storylines to follow.
QB Jameis Winston Wants To Re-Sign With Browns
Jameis Winston is among the veteran quarterbacks set to hit free agency in March. Given the way his Browns tenure ended in 2024, a strong market of outside teams may not be in place provided he finds himself on the move this spring. If Winston has his way, though, he will remain in Cleveland for 2025. 
“I would love to go back there,” he said during an appearance on Up & Adams (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot). “Cleveland was better than what I expected. Cleveland has the best 90 days of anywhere in the world.”
The former No. 1 pick spent the first nine years of his career in the NFC South (five with the Buccaneers, four with the Saints) before taking a one-year Browns deal last offseason. That $4MM pact gave the team veteran insurance behind Deshaun Watson on the depth chart, something which became significant when he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear.
Watson’s absence opened the door for Winston to take over QB1 duties over a seven-game stretch. The 31-year-old topped 300 passing yards three times over that span – including a 497-yard outing against the Broncos – but his 12 interceptions helped inform the team’s decision to take a different direction to close out the campaign. Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe took over the rest of the way, a sign Cleveland would prefer to move on from Winston this offseason.
Since then, Watson has suffered a second Achilles tear, leaving his 2025 availability in doubt. Thompson-Robinson is on the books for next season, but the team is expected to be in the market for at least one new passer via trade or free agency in the near future. Failing that, the draft will become an area of focus at that position. The Browns own the No. 2 pick, and their evaluation of the top prospects will include a visit with Shedeur Sanders.
Winston made it clear earlier this month that he would be on board with a Giants pact, one which could allow him to operate as a bridge starter depending on how the team operates during the draft. New York also has a Sanders visit lined up, and by means of owning the No. 3 selection the team could be in play for adding him or Cam Ward during the first round. The Giants will no doubt be connected to other passers this spring, though, and it remains to be seen if a reciprocal interest will exist as it pertains to Winston.
The Florida State product has said in the past he still views himself as being capable of operating as a full-time starter in the NFL. Considering his Cleveland performances in 2024, it is difficult to envision an unchallenged opportunity atop a depth chart coming Winston’s way. If the Browns offer him a new deal, though, a second season with the team will become likely.
Jets Likely To Proceed With Post-June 1 Aaron Rodgers Release
On Thursday, the Jets confirmed their discussions with Aaron Rodgers resulted in the decision being made that the team will move in a different direction this offseason. If the future Hall of Fame quarterback is to continue his career in 2025, it will be with another franchise. 
“It was important to have this discussion now to provide clarity and enable each of us the proper time to plan for our respective futures,” a joint statement from head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey reads in part. “We want to thank [Rodgers] for the leadership, passion, and dedication he brought to the organization and wish him success moving forward.”
Rodgers was reportedly prepared to once again restructure his pact to remain in New York, but the franchise’s new regime will make the expected move of starting over at the QB spot. The decision now facing Mougey and Glenn is whether to cut bait immediately or designate the 41-year-old as a post-June 1 release. Taking the latter route (something Mougey is certainly familiar with since his time with the Broncos included Russell Wilson‘s departure) would spread out the dead money charges on Rodgers’ pact across two years.
On that note, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports a post-June 1 cut is likely. Provided that proves to be the case, the Jets will take on a $14MM dead cap charge for 2025 with the remaining $35MM in dead money landing on the team’s 2026 cap sheet. New York would see $9.5MM is savings this year, but only after June 1. Rodgers would remain on the roster until the start of new league year in mid-March if the Jets opted against an immediate release.
In Wilson’s situation last offseason, the Broncos allowed him and his representation to speak to interested teams before he officially became a free agent. That will again be the case this time around with Rodgers. As Rapoport notes, the fact the Jets have announced their intentions means potential suitors can make contact before the two-day legal tampering window opens next month. If the four-time MVP decides to continue playing, he will therefore be able to get a head start on free agency.
The list of suitors for Rodgers could be limited based on his age, middling 2024 production and the tension which emerged with ownership during his Jets tenure. Still, a short-term arrangement could allow him to serve as a bridge starter for a team which drafts a successor as early as this spring. The Jets have Tyrod Taylor under contract, but another starting-caliber option could be on the team’s radar via trade, free agency or the draft. By the time the new league year begins, more clarity on Rodgers’ future and that of the Jets will no doubt emerge.
Vikings Unlikely To Let Sam Darnold Walk; ‘Significant’ Rehab Work Remains For J.J. McCarthy?
This year looks a bit light on franchise tag candidates, but the Vikings do have the most significant decision to make before the March 4 tag deadline.
Sam Darnold has come up as a player the team will consider tagging, despite his tough finish to his debut Minnesota season, and J.J. McCarthy‘s recovery timeline stands to factor into the Vikings’ decision. McCarthy has undergone two surgeries after suffering a meniscus tear in the preseason. While plenty of time remains between now and Week 1, last year’s No. 10 overall pick looks to have a ways to go in his recovery.
[RELATED: Byron Murphy Seeking Significant Raise In Free Agency]
McCarthy still has “significant” work to do in terms of rebuilding his body after the injury, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, whose recent conversations with a number of NFL execs point to the NFC North team protecting itself before the tag deadline. The Vikings should not be expected to let Darnold hit free agency, La Canfora notes. This would take the top QB option off the market, but given the Vikes’ situation, it would be understandable if they sought high-priced insurance.
The Vikings have been in talks with Darnold, who would be eligible to speak with other teams beginning March 10 when the legal tampering period starts. Darnold’s best financial play would probably be hitting the market and signing with a starter-needy team, one that would be ready to authorize multiple guaranteed years on a contract that would be expected to top $30MM per annum. The Baker Mayfield price range came up for Darnold recently; Darnold’s ex-Panthers teammate re-signed with the Buccaneers for three years and $100MM just before free agency last year.
While Minnesota could take this route in an effort to avoid a $40MM-plus cap hold clogging its payroll due to a franchise tag, McCarthy’s presence represents a rather notable difference between this situation and the one Tampa Bay navigated in 2024. Darnold also could conceivably be leery of re-signing on a multiyear deal due to McCarthy’s presence. McCarthy’s rookie contract can run through 2028 via the fifth-year option, and while a report after Week 17 — a critical juncture on the Darnold Minnesota timeline, due to his struggles in the two games that followed — indicated teams would call the Vikes on McCarthy. No indications have emerged suggesting the Vikings would entertain trading a player around whom they centered their 2024 offseason.
If McCarthy does need to take major steps forward in terms of rehab and acclimating to the NFL, the Vikings keeping Darnold — after a breakthrough season that produced a 14-3 record, an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod and a Kevin O’Connell Coach of the Year honor — would make sense regardless of cost. Minnesota is projected to carry more than $58MM in cap space. While a Darnold tag would throw a wrench into the Vikings’ ability to retain free agents Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum and Aaron Jones, prioritizing a quarterback would stand to supersede retaining starters elsewhere.
Though, the Vikings are coming off a season in which they saw a $10MM QB make a stunning leap. A second Darnold year also cuts into Minnesota’s ability to build around McCarthy’s rookie contract. O’Connell also elevated Kirk Cousins‘ play, and the team also worked with Daniel Jones for nearly two months to close the season. Jones would be a less expensive option, in the event the Vikings decide a Darnold franchise tag would be too pricey.
Of course, teams have the choice of two tags to use each year. The lesser-used transition tag would be an interesting play, as our Nikhil Mehta suggested earlier this month. The lower-cost tag has since come up around the NFL as a potential option, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero.
Whereas OverTheCap projects the QB franchise tag to eclipse $41MM, it predicts the transition tag value to check in south of $36MM. That might not be enough of a difference to risk losing Darnold for no compensation, as the franchise tag still calls for two first-round picks to come back in the event of an unmatched offer sheet. But a transition tag also would give the Vikings five days to match any offer, effectively handcuffing the team that submitted the proposal at a time when key free agents will come off the board.
Darnold, 27, represents the top QB domino this year. The Vikings’ call during the tag window (Feb. 18-March 4) will determine if he is available. If a tag takes the seven-year vet out of the equation, teams would need to pivot. Jones, Cousins, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and, if he intends to keep playing, Aaron Rodgers will be the other top veterans to monitor as bridge options (at worst) in a scenario in which Darnold stays in Minnesota.
Bills’ James Cook Seeking $15MM Per Year
James Cook is eligible for an extension, and his level of play over the past two years has helped his value considerably. The Pro Bowl running back will be in line for a major raise on a second Bills contract, and a financial target appears to have emerged. 
Cook pinned a post on Instagram which indicates he is seeking an average of $15MM per season on an extension. That figure would place him second in the pecking order at the running back position behind only Christian McCaffrey (whose current 49ers deal moved the top of the market to $19MM). The Bills are known to view Cook as a key member of their future, but the team also faces a number of important decisions on the extension front this offseason.
The likes of linebacker Terrel Bernard, center Connor McGovern, cornerback Christian Benford and edge rusher Gregory Rousseau are among the players who could be extended over the coming months. The latter two in particular could prove to be expensive priorities given the landscape of their respective positions. Still, authorizing a raise for Cook would be an understandable priority for Buffalo given his age and performances as the team’s lead back.
The 25-year-old split time with Devin Singletary as a rookie, but over the past two years he has handled RB1 duties. Cook racked up 1,567 scrimmage yards in 2023 en route to a Pro Bowl nod; this past season, his output dropped off in terms of yards but he was able to find the end zone much more often. After scoring six touchdowns in 2023, Cook raised that figure to 18 in 2024 (including 16 rushing scores, which tied for the league lead). Expectations will be high moving forward for the Georgia product.
On the other hand, the Bills used fourth-round rookie Ray Davis at a notable rate in 2024. Davis received 113 carries during the regular season, amassing 631 scrimmage yards and serving as a short-yardage and goal line option. If his role were to expand further in the near future, making a lucrative investment in Cook as a clear-cut lead back may not be feasible.
The running back market flatlined over a period of several years, but deals sending the likes of Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry to new teams last spring helped the position from a financial standpoint. That was of course driven in part by the weak RB draft class which was in place in 2024 (which will not be the case this year), but it will be interesting to see how the Bills approach negotiations on the Cook front. The former second-rounder is due $5.19MM in 2025, and the franchise tag looms as possibility for the following season. That could be avoided with an extension, but Cook is clearly aiming high with respect to a starting point in contract talks.
Zack Baun Wants To Stay With Eagles; Milton Williams Addresses Free Agency
The inside linebacker market has stagnated a bit since Fred Warner and Shaquille Leonard‘s paydays in 2021. Only one player — Roquan Smith — has since eclipsed those deals, and the market saw two of its top AAVs (C.J. Mosley and Foyesade Oluokun) drop due to extensions that brought pay cuts last year.
This year’s free agency period is unlikely to feature any true threats to eclipse Smith, but one ILB transformed his market thanks to a 2024 breakthrough. Zack Baun went from a largely unproductive edge rusher — and a player who researched special-teamers’ deals as comps going into free agency last year — to a first-team All-Pro. Baun almost completed the inverse of the Haason Reddick emergence, as the former Eagle revitalized his career after being moved from ILB to an edge role.
[RELATED: Eagles Win Super Bowl LIX]
Baun finished the season with 151 tackles, five forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks. He added a regular-season INT and a pivotal Super Bowl LIX pick, which set up the Eagles deep in Chiefs territory ahead of a second-quarter touchdown. Baun’s breakout year will generate an interesting market, as he is 28 and has no prior history of consistent play. This could make some teams hesitant, but Baun certainly proved he fits in Vic Fangio‘s scheme. And he would like to continue developing in Philadelphia.
“I’m curious. I don’t know what it’ll look like, honestly,” Baun said of his second crack at free agency (via PHLY’s Zach Berman). “…Hopefully it’s here. I love this place. I appreciate what they’ve done for my career and my family — just everything. I got a lot of options to weigh.”
The Eagles have some important defensive pieces nearing the market. Josh Sweat is chief among them, with Milton Williams also out of contract. Mekhi Becton joins Baun in being interested in staying with the Eagles, who saw both bargain-bin 2024 FA signings raise their values in helping Philly to its second Super Bowl championship. While Becton plays a higher-valued position, Baun was one of the NFL’s best defenders last season, getting there on a $3.5MM contract. He will be looking for a significant raise soon.
Last year’s market saw two eight-figure-per-year free agent ILB contracts handed out. The Texans gave Azeez Al-Shaair a three-year, $34MM deal; the Steelers signed off on a three-year, $41MM Patrick Queen pact. These contracts respectively check fifth and seventh among off-ball LBs. Considering Baun is 28 and just put together a first-team All-Pro season to help a team to a championship, it would seem reasonable he could target that price range.
Philly is projected to hold more than $18MM in cap space, a mid-pack number three-plus weeks ahead of the 2025 league year. The team’s creative 2024 maneuvering on offense showed an ability to afford a number of pricey extensions, as void years and option bonuses flood Howie Roseman‘s payroll. If the Eagles lose Baun, they would have a glaring need at linebacker thanks to Nakobe Dean having suffered a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round. The team has not devoted much in the way of funds to this position in recent years, but Dean’s latest injury provides a complication.
Williams mentioned (via Berman) a desire to stay in a winning situation. That is often not prioritized by players seeking second contracts, as this window represents a key opportunity to cash in. The Eagles also have both Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis signed for multiple additional seasons, should the team pick up Davis’ fifth-year option by May. Williams could be an odd man out, as the Eagles figure to be saving up to extend the Georgia alums down the line. This could certainly mean Williams’ best offers will come from other teams, and the four-year veteran did add he would want “a situation to as close as this as possible.”
More than two years younger than Baun, Williams will be 26 by Week 1 of next season. He finished his contract year with career-high marks in sacks (five) and QB hits (10). Pass rush win rate slotted the former third-round pick sixth among interior D-linemen, who added two sacks and a forced fumble in Super Bowl LIX. Like Sweat, Baun and Becton, Williams made some money this past season.
Elsewhere on the Super Bowl champions’ roster, Landon Dickerson is likely to undergo knee surgery (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane). The Pro Bowl guard left the NFC championship game with a left knee malady and played through it in the Super Bowl. The Eagles have the All-Pro guard signed to a position-record $21MM-per-year deal.