Teams Picking In Top-Five May Look To Trade Back
While there’s some belief that the Titans will move the No. 1 pick, they may not be the only team atop the draft board looking to make moves. Albert Breer of SI.com believes every team in the top five will at least entertain the idea of trading back.
[RELATED: Sources Expect Titans To Trade No. 1 Overall Pick]
All of these squads (which includes the Browns (No. 2), Giants (No. 3), Patriots (No. 4), and Jaguars (No. 5)) have plenty of reasons to justify a trade. Each of these teams won’t suddenly vault into contention (or even mediocrity) with just their first-round selection, and picking up additional assets may help them fill out their respective rosters. While these organizations may not be able to get a haul, they could still snag a foundational piece while picking up additional draft picks.
However, Breer also notes that this is partly an indictment on the draft class. Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are generally considered the draft’s only blue-chip prospects. Teams like the Patriots and Jaguars already have their answers at quarterback, and if those front offices believe they’re out of realistic range for Carter/Hunter, it may make sense to move back and pick up extra pieces.
Further, the draft’s QB depth may convince some teams to pivot. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders appear to be in their own tier among prospects, but neither of the impending rookies are believed to be generational, can’t-miss players. Instead of reaching for a QB they’re not enamored with, it could make sense for a team like the Giants to target a different position (or maybe a different quarterback) via a trade down the board.
Of course, each of those concerns will work against the teams picking in the top-five. As Breer notes, rival teams may not be as eager to trade up for any of the non-blue-chip prospects. There will surely be suitors, but the offers may not be lucrative enough to convince any of those top-five squads to move on.
It’s pretty common to see at least one top-five squad move off of their original draft position, but we’ve also seen a recent trend of front offices holding on to their best draft assets. Between 2019 and 2022, we only saw one top-five pick change hands (with the 2021 third-overall pick being swapped a few times before landing with the 49ers, who took Trey Lance). A handful of top-five 2023 picks were traded, but even the 2024 draft only saw the first-overall pick stray from its original team (which was a product of a trade involving the 2023 first-overall pick).
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 2/12/25
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Atlanta Falcons
- OT Kilian Zierer
Kansas City Chiefs
Anthony Firkser brings 78 games of NFL experience. His best run came with the Titans, including a two-year stretch between 2020 and 2021 when he hauled in 73 catches. After starting the 2024 season with the Jets, Firkser spent most of the second half on the Chiefs practice squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/12/25
One minor move to pass along:
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: WR JaQuae Jackson
JaQuae Jackson spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve thanks to an ankle injury, but the team showed faith in the rookie by not releasing him via an injury settlement. The Patriots will now have the option to keep Jackson around for the 2025 season.
An undrafted rookie out of Rutgers, Jackson showed some promise during the preseason when he hauled in a 38-yard touchdown. The wideout displayed that same big-play ability during his time in college, as he averaged 16.4 yards on his 22 receptions during the 2023 season.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/12/25
One exclusive rights free agent has already signed his deal:
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Buffalo Bills: OL Alec Anderson
The Bills slapped Alec Anderson with a reserve/futures deal last month, a no-brainer considering it would only lock the lineman in for the minimum salary. Anderson didn’t take a whole lot of time to put pen to paper, as the impending third-year player is now officially under contract with Buffalo for the 2025 campaign.
A 2022 undrafted free agent, it took Anderson until the 2024 season to make his NFL debut. He ended up getting into all 17 games for the Bills this year, appearing in 291 snaps (which mostly came via four starts). Anderson will remain an important depth option for the Bills moving forward.
Kadarius Toney Arrested, Accused Of Strangling Woman
Kadarius Toney was arrested last week on counts of aggravated assault — strangulation and obstructing/harassing 911 calls, according to a report from TMZ.com.
The incident took place in Georgia on January 14. According to police reports obtained by the outlet, Toney was accused of putting his hands around a woman’s throat “with enough force to cause her to be unable to breathe.”
Toney also allegedly took the woman’s phone when she attempted to call 911. According to the documents, the alleged assault left red marks on the woman’s throat and caused “petechial hemorrhaging” in her eyes.
An arrest warrant was issued the next day, and Toney was officially booked on February 6. A judge set bail at $25K for each count. ESPN reports that Toney wasn’t listed as in custody on February 7.
A former first-round pick by the Giants, Toney lasted only a year-plus in New York before getting dealt to the Chiefs. He hauled in 41 receptions for Kansas City across a year and a half, earning a pair of Super Bowl rings along the way. The 26-year-old was cut last August and landed on the Browns practice squad, where he spent most of the 2025 season. He was released by Cleveland in December following a one-game cameo where he muffed a punt and earned a taunting penalty.
Jaguars Interview James Gladstone For GM, Schedule Meeting With Jon Robinson
The Jaguars’ general manager search process continued apace on Wednesday with an interview of Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone, per a team announcement. Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown interviewed for the job earlier in the day.
Gladstone has spent eight seasons with the Rams and overlapped with new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during both of his stints in Los Angeles. As director of scouting strategy, Gladstone oversees the Rams’ pro and college scouting operations. He has helped the team consistently find talented prospects outside of the first round after trading their top picks away for most of his tenure.
The Jaguars also plan to meet with with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Robinson interviewed for the Jets’ GM vacancy in December and was considered an early favorite for the Jaguars job shortly after Trent Baalke‘s firing.
Robinson has been out of the NFL since December 2022, when he was fired by the Titans despite a 7-5 start to the year and back-to-back division titles in preceding seasons. He finished with an overall record of 66-48 as general manager, but received little interest in the previous two coaching cycles. Now, Robinson is set to meet with the Jaguars regarding his return to the AFC South.
Here are the rest of Jacksonville’s GM candidates:
- Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interviewed 2/12
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
- James Gladstone, director of scouting strategy (Rams): Interviewed 2/12
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): To interview 2/12
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interview scheduled
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Interviewed 2/11
Jaguars Interview Trey Brown For GM
The Jaguars have completed an interview with Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown for their general manager vacancy, per a team announcement.
Brown has been one of the league’s hottest GM candidates over the last two cycles. He received interest from the Raiders and the Patriots in 2024 and interviewed with the Jets twice this year. Now, he finds himself on Jacksonville’s radar after they fired Trent Baalke to secure the services of new head coach Liam Coen.
Brown began his front office career as a scout with the Patriots (2010-2012) and the Eagles (2013-2014). He rose up the ranks in Philadelphia to become the director of college scouting in 2016, a position he held for three years before joining the AAF’s Birmingham Iron as executive vice president of football operations in 2019. Brown then moved to the XFL as the St. Louis Battlehawks’ director of player personnel in 2020 before returning to the NFL in 2021.
Brown spent one year as a scout in Cincinnati before his promotion to senior personnel executive. During his tenure, the Bengals added Orlando Brown in free agency and signed Joe Burrow to a long-term extension. However, their 2024 season was marred by poor defense and a struggling rushing attack, though Burrow still led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns.
Brown has no direct connections with Coen, though Bengals head coach Zac Taylor worked closely with Coen in Los Angeles in 2018. If hired, he would seek to provide Trevor Lawrence with additional pass-catching options outside of rookie receiving leader Brian Thomas while upgrading one of the league’s worst defenses heading into 2025.
Here are the rest of the Jaguars’ candidates for the job:
- Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
- Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interviewed 1/12
- Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
- James Gladstone, scouting director (Rams): Interview requested
- Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): To interview 2/12
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): One of top candidates?
- Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Interviewed 2/11
Ohio State To Hire Matt Patricia As DC
The Ohio State University Buckeyes are expected to hire former Lions head coach Matt Patricia as their next defensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Patricia was in Columbus on Monday to discuss the job, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. He will replace Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes in January to take the defensive coordinator job at Penn State.
Patricia was a longtime assistant under Bill Belichick in New England. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator in 2012, a post he held until 2018, when he was hired as the Lions’ head coach. Patricia’s time in Detroit was disastrous on and off the field, marked by a 13-29-1 record and several instances of conflict with players. He was fired 11 games into the 2020 season after a 4-7 start and quickly found himself back on Belichick’s staff in New England in 2021. Patricia served as a senior advisor for the next two seasons, which included a stint as offensive play-caller in 2022.
In 2023, the Eagles hired Patricia as a senior defensive assistant. He took over as defensive play-caller by the end of the season, but he was not retained after a lack of improvement from Philadelphia’s defense.
Like his mentor Belichick, Patricia spent the 2024 season away from coaching before taking a job in the college ranks. He will join the Buckeyes as they attempt to weather the loss of several starting defenders – including defensive linemen Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, and Tyleik Williams – and defend their national championship title.
Davante Adams Open To Packers Reunion?
As Matt LaFleur set out to annoy fantasy GMs with his wide receiver setup over the past two years, the Packers have seen some growth from their array of young talent. Jayden Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft have emerged as quality targets, with the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs showing flashes as regulars.
The Packers, however, have not featured a 900-yard receiver since the 2021 season. Their 2022 Davante Adams tag-and-trade move ended a run of Pro Bowl seasons at the position. Reed’s 857-yard 2024 represents the highwater mark over the past three years. The Packers have ranked 12th in passing yards in each of Jordan Love‘s two seasons, and Josh Jacobs recently suggested the team should pursue a true No. 1-level wide receiver this offseason.
Although Tee Higgins is expected to reach free agency, the bidding for the five-year Bengals target will run hot. As LaFleur also has pushed back against the idea his offense needs a defined WR1, Adams is likely to be available again. And he is believed to be open to a Packers reunion, according to Madison.com’s Jason Wilde.
This, of course, does not mean the Packers would automatically be interested in adding the off-and-on Aaron Rodgers weapon. They already cashed out via the 2022 Raiders swap, fetching first- and second-round picks. That said, Adams confirmed Green Bay offered a better deal compared to Las Vegas’ (five years, $140MM) in 2022. The Packers were unable to complete an extension with Adams ahead of his 2021 contract year, an All-Pro showing, and the Fresno State alum ended up preferring a reunion with Derek Carr over staying with the Packers. That would make an about-face involving Green Bay rather interesting, especially with Rodgers long gone.
Adams has also been tied to heading back to the west coast. It is not certain the Jets bail via release, as a third Adams trade could conceivably occur. It would likely take the Jets eating some salary to move on. As it stands, Gang Green will not pay Adams $35.64MM in 2025. If they move on via release, cap savings of $29.9MM would come the retooling team’s way. The Jets are also expected to cut Rodgers, representing a clean break after a two-year period in which the team centered around the aging QB.
Adams is now 32, but he showed in New York he remains capable of quality play. Though, Adams probably is not capable of production on the level of his previous Packers form any longer. That could dissuade a team from giving up assets to land his through-2026 contract. Considering the Packers’ stance on their receiver room, it would be borderline farfetched for Green Bay to dive back in — especially now that Love is already on a $55MM-per-year contract.
Breaking through in 2016, Adams has totaled at least 997 receiving yards in each of the past eight seasons. Six 1,000-yard campaigns are mixed into that run, as the former Green Bay second-rounder has made a Hall of Fame case. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions in 2020, and he boosted Rodgers to his fourth MVP a year later with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards. Rodgers’ attempts to convince Adams to stay in 2022 did not work out, though the duo reunited in New York two years later.
The Packers have run into a health issue at receiver as well, as Watson is likely to begin the 2025 late due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Watson and Doubs are going into contract years, with Reed and Dontayvion Wicks signed through 2026. It will be interesting to see if the Packers do add a notable receiver piece this offseason, even though Adams appears likelier to end up elsewhere.
Dolphins To Meet With Terron Armstead, Plan To Invest In O-Line
As Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury issues resurfaced, the Dolphins exited the 2024 season with major questions along their offensive line. Chief among them: Terron Armstead‘s future. After matching his career high with 15 games played, the veteran left tackle once again is undecided about sticking around.
Armstead has not determined if he will play a 13th NFL season, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates the decorated left tackle will soon meet with Dolphins brass about his future. Armstead’s five-year, $75MM contract runs through the 2026 season, but the ex-Saints draftee has taken a year-to-year approach recently.
By this time in 2024, Armstead had not yet decided to play, and Grier said last April the Dolphins had to prepare as though last season would be the five-time Pro Bowler’s finale. It appears the team still wants to extend the partnership with the oft-injured tackle.
Pro Football Focus slotted Armstead as the No. 4 overall tackle last season, though ESPN’s win rate metrics did not place the veteran blocker in the top 10 in run blocking or in pass protection. Armstead, 33, is due a $13.3MM base salary this coming season. That money is nonguaranteed, but the two void years Miami inserted into this contract would result in an $18MM-plus dead money bill if Armstead retires this year.
Armstead retiring would open a spot for 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul at LT, but Miami has more questions along its interior O-line. The team did not re-sign Robert Hunt or Connor Williams in 2024, and while Aaron Brewer is tied to a three-year deal, the team has guards Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn due for free agency. Wynn experienced a setback during rehab from his 2024 quad injury, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and only played in three games (103 total snaps). As could be expected, the Dolphins will make moves to address their front soon.
“We had some players that were very confident in [O-line coach] Butch [Barry] and Mike [McDaniel],” Grier said, via Louis-Jacques. “Those guys, I thought, deserved some praise because of what they had done the year before. And they started out the year well and unfortunately, injuries got to us, we didn’t finish well … We’re going to have to invest in the offensive line now.”
Kendall Lamm is not expected back, and would-be swing tackle Kion Smith is also unsigned after suffering an ACL tear during the preseason. The Dolphins still have Austin Jackson tied to a $12MM-per-year accord that runs through 2026, with he and Brewer — PFF’s No. 8 center last season — providing some stability for the team.
As was the case last year, the Dolphins need to make moves to reach cap compliance before the start of the league year next month. OverTheCap projects Miami to be more than $11MM over the to-be-determined 2025 salary ceiling. A Trey Smith push appears unrealistic, and the money allocated at tackle, center, wide receiver and quarterback may require a measured approach at guard in free agency — before a likely draft investment at the position.