HEADLINES

Chiefs Sign First-Round T Josh Simmons

May 4th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Following closely on the tails of the Cowboys and offensive guard Tyler Booker, the Chiefs have come to terms with Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons on his first-round rookie contract. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the four-year contract (with a fifth-year option) for the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is worth $14.68MM.

Simmons could end up being a bit of a project in the NFL. After a redshirt season at San Diego State, Simmons started a season at right tackle for the Aztecs before transferring to Columbus and switching to left tackle. As a redshirt junior, Simmons returned to start on the left side for another year before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

In his time with the Buckeyes, the 22-year-old displayed quickness off the line of scrimmage and impressive balance. While he isn’t much of a bulldozer in the run game, his quickness can help him be effective on pulls. What really shines for Simmons is his pass blocking abilities, which were good enough to put him in serious consideration for OT1 honors in the draft class, before he experienced his injury setback.

He won’t be a project because he needs to develop, he’ll potentially be a project because his road back to 100 full health may be a bit of a journey. The injury led him to be the fifth tackle taken in the draft and the eighth offensive lineman taken. If it was poor play that led to his slide, he may have slipped out of the first round altogether. Because of his injury, though, any team that drafted him was likely going to want to use a first-round pick on him so that the fifth-year option would give them a bit of additional time to evaluate his prospects for a second NFL contract.

In Kansas City last year, starting tackles Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris were anything but impressive. For competition, the team has last year’s second-round pick, Kingsley Suamataia, and free agent signing Jaylon Moore to work with, as well. Suamataia started the first two games for the Chiefs at right tackle last year before being benched for Morris, while Moore finished the last portion of 2024 filling in for Trent Williams as the 49ers’ starting left tackle.

In an ideal situation, it would be asking a lot of Simmons to jump into a competition that could see any combination of two of Taylor, Morris, Suamataia, and Moore bookending the line. He falls into a perfect situation, though, where, sure, plenty of question marks remain on the depth chart, but there are plenty of options who can man the spots effectively until Simmons is recovered and ready to compete and contribute. His fifth-year option gives him a bit of breathing room to show his worth before his rookie deal expires.

Simmons is just the first Chiefs rookie to sign their contract. The team has six more players from their draft class that still need to ink their deals.

Ravens Sign 17 UDFAs

May 4th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Going stride-for-stride with the Seahawks in competition for the league’s largest rookie crop, the Ravens, much like Seattle, have signed 17 undrafted free agent rookies to join their 11-man draft class. The newest additions to Baltimore’s 28-man rookie class are:

The Ravens are notorious for finding undrafted free agents who have potential to make the 53-man roster. That will be a tall task for this year’s group as 17 of them compete with the 11 draft picks. That goes double for the several small school signees like Hutchinson, Jackson, Lowery, Ntoh, Penning, and Pitz, who will have to show what they can do in camp after playing inferior competition in college.

Christian-Lichtenhan certainly stands out as a possible contender for a roster spot. After the Ravens entered the draft needing to add bodies at tackle, Christian-Lichtenhan has volunteered his 6-foot-8, 315-pound frame for the job. After graduating from Colorado with a degree and 19 starts at left tackle to his name, Christian-Lichtenhan transferred to Corvallis, where he started all 12 games as the blindside blocker for the Beavers.

In Higgins and Martin, the team brings in two inside linebackers, a position at which Baltimore usually harbors hard-working UDFAs for their special teams value. Higgins was projected to be a late-Day 3 pick but just slipped out of the draft. In his two years as a starter (out of five total with the Hawkeyes), Higgins notched 295 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles, 14 passes defensed, and five interceptions. After his only season as a starter at East Tennessee State, Martin leveraged a strong year into a transfer to Memphis. For the Tigers, Martin started two seasons, tallying 206 tackles, 33.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, nine passes defensed, and three interceptions. Both are undersized backers who display sideline-to-sideline ability and strong coverage abilities.

Jackson stands, perhaps, the strongest chance to make the roster from the small schools. Jackson started three of his five seasons in Normal. His final two years (172 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and four interceptions) were his strongest. His versatility earned him first-team All-MVFC honors, and he was recognized at the Senior Bowl as the National team’s Top DB. His versatility gives him a strong chance to compete for a roster spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/4/25

May 4th, 2025 at 5:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s only minor NFL transactions to close out the week:

Philadelphia Eagles

After announcing their initial undrafted free agent signing class earlier this week, Philadelphia has tacked on a late addition in Jackson. After five years of finding his footing (two seasons at Michigan and three at Washington), Jackson finally broke out as an impact player in his sixth year of college (his fourth with the Huskies). He reeled in 85 passes for 893 yards and seven touchdowns, adding a score on the ground, as well, in 2024.

Davis-Price, a former third-round pick out of LSU, will now have a chance to join his third team in as many years. If he clears waivers, he could have his choice of where he signs.

Fred Warner Will Not Hold Out Amidst 49ers Extension Talks

May 4th, 2025 at 4:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like quarterback Brock Purdy, linebacker Fred Warner has been in attendance for the opening stages of the 49ers’ offseason program. Both players represent priorities on the extension front, although plenty of progress is still required in the latter’s case.

Prior to the draft, it was reported San Francisco had not yet engaged in significant contract talks with Warner. Team and player were not close with respect to tight end George Kittle at that point, but things changed rather quickly on that front. While Kittle drew trade interest prior to signing his pact, it would certainly come as a surprise if San Francisco fielded calls for Warner.

The 28-year-old said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner) he does not plan on skipping any portion of the 49ers’ offseason by way of holding out. That is certainly a positive sign traction could be gained on the extension front relatively soon, although of course Purdy’s incoming raise needs to be finalized as well. Warner is confident at this point his camp and the 49ers will “figure out the right move” regarding a new deal.

As things stand, the four-time All-Pro is attached to his $19.05MM-per-year accord. That is the second most lucrative deal for off-ball linebackers, behind only Roquan Smith. Warner is on the books for another two years, but his $17.65MM base salaries for 2025 and ’26 are not guaranteed. An extension would provide him with a new round of locked-in money while also reducing scheduled cap charges of $29.17MM and $26.71MM.

Warner has remained durable and productive throughout his seven-year career. The former third-rounder filled the statsheet with 131 tackles, four forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions in 2024. He earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod as a result while helping his leverage in contract talks. A new agreement moving him to the top of the position’s market will likely be in store if progress is made during negotiations.

San Francisco’s roster has undergone plenty of changes this year (including at the LB spot and others on defense), but an offensive nucleus including notable contracts for Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey is still in place. Purdy’s second contract will bring with it a massive raise and no doubt tie him to the franchise for years to come. As talks continue in that case, it will be interesting to see if Warner’s long-term future also gets worked out sometime this summer.

No Timetable For Investigation Into Ravens K Justin Tucker To Conclude

May 4th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s investigation into Justin Tucker‘s alleged sexual misconduct is ongoing. As the Ravens await its findings, they have another kicker in the fold.

The possibility loomed throughout the pre-draft process that Baltimore would draft a kicker for the first time in franchise history. That proved to be the case with Arizona’s Tyler Loop coming off the board in the sixth round. Now, he and Tucker are in position to compete with one another during training camp. That could change in the wake of the NFL’s investigation coming to an end, but it remains to be seen when that will be the case.

“I think that right now they’re both on the roster,” general manager Eric DeCosta said of Tucker and Loop when speaking to the media after the draft (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “It was a situation for us where we’re just trying to find the best football players, so we’re excited to see what [Loop] can do. He’ll be here… [and we will] get a chance to see his leg and that will help us address what our decision-making is going to be moving forward.”

Tucker has been accused of inappropriate conduct during message sessions by a total of 16 Baltimore-area therapists. The 35-year-old has denied any wrongdoing on two occasions, but his future with the Ravens was already a talking point during the 2024 campaign based on his play. Tucker’s 73.3% accuracy rate on field goals was by far the worst of his 13-year career. A strong return to form took place toward the end of the campaign and through the playoffs after a mid-season slump, but there is an argument to be made a change at the position is in order based strictly on football reasons.

DeCosta noted in his post-draft press conference there is no timetable in place for the league’s investigation to conclude. Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Tucker’s situation, head coach John Harbaugh noted (via Hensley) the seven-time Pro Bowler was informed by the team a kicker could be drafted this spring. Especially now that Loop is in place, a Tucker release could very well be something to watch for.

Three years remain on the five-time All-Pro’s contract, with scheduled salaries ranging from $4.2MM to $5.15MM during that span. None of Tucker’s outstanding base salaries are guaranteed, though, and cutting him after June 1 would free up funds for Baltimore. Proceeding with a release past that date would generate $4.2MM in cap savings while incurring a dead money charge of $2.87MM.

Loop’s field goal percentage declined each season in college, but his leg strength – illustrated by a school-record 62-yarder in 2024 – made him a target for the Ravens. Harbaugh reiterated on Sunday (video link via Hensley) the commitment to retaining Tucker or replacing him with Loop will be be a football matter. That remains the case for now, but as Harbaugh noted the NFL has not informed the team about any developments in its investigation. Until that probe is closed, Baltimore’s kicker situation will be unclear.

Chiefs Add 16 UDFAs

May 4th, 2025 at 2:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs made a total of seven selections during the draft, and they will be joined by 16 undrafted free agents at rookie minicamp. Here is a look at Kansas City’s 2025 UDFA class:

Of the names on this list, at least six have received a six-figure commitment from Kansas City. The most lucrative pact – in terms of guarantees – is the one for Briningstool, with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reporting he received a total of $264K locked in. Watson, meanwhile, landed $249K in guarantees (per Wilson). They will both look to earn a roster spot as a depth tight end option.

Wilson reports Cooper secured a $20K signing bonus as part of his $259K in total guarantees. The 24-year-old spent the first four seasons of his college career at Texas State before playing pair of seasons with the Cowboys. At 6-6 and 326 pounds, he could look to earn a place on the roster as a swing tackle or compete for playing time at guard.

Izzard landed $225K in guarantees, Wilson adds. His 4.85 40-yard dash time from Penn State’s Pro Day is an indication of his athleticism, something which could earn him a spot on the D-tackle depth chart. According to Wilson, meanwhile, Knowles received a $20K signing bonus along with $200K in guaranteed salary.

Czaplicki’s base salary for 2025 includes $95K locked in; Wilson adds his pact also contains a $5K signing bonus. Matt Araiza operated as the Chiefs’ punter last season, producing a net average of 41.5 net yards per punt. 25 this season, Araiza will have competition during training camp.

Seahawks HC: Jalen Milroe Is A QB “Through And Through”

May 4th, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

While one of their West division counterparts, the Raiders, envision a Taysom Hill-like trajectory for college quarterback and 2025 draftee Tommy Mellott, the Seahawks do not have the same plan for Jalen Milroe, whom Seattle selected in the third round of last month’s draft. As Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic writes, the ‘Hawks see Milroe as a true quarterback at the professional level (subscription required).

“The way [the Saints] used [Hill] was more in a tight end-fullback hybrid role, sometimes taking snaps; [Milroe] is a quarterback through and through,” head coach Mike Macdonald said. “He’s going to be trained to play quarterback for us. When he’s in there, he’s going to be playing quarterback. But the athleticism is going to come to life when he’s on the field.”

As opposed to Mellott, an FCS product, Milroe made a name for himself at blue-blood Alabama, so it stands to reason that he would be given every opportunity to succeed as a passer despite his rawness in that regard and his athletic gifts that could make him a dynamic, Swiss Army-type weapon. His arm strength, coupled with his attitude and intelligence, give the Seahawks reason to believe they can develop him into a quality NFL quarterback.

That does not mean the ‘Hawks will eschew Milroe’s athleticism while he is learning the professional game and honing his mechanics. GM John Schneider said his club has “added an explosive weapon while [Milroe] develops as a quarterback,” and Macdonald also implied the team would deploy Milroe in “certain situations” early on.

If Milroe shows notable progress in his rookie campaign, the Seahawks will be put to a fascinating decision in 2026. Free agent signee Sam Darnold joined the club on a three-year, $100.5MM contract on the heels of his belated breakout season with the Vikings, but he is not due any fully-guaranteed money on that deal after the 2025 season. Drew Lock, meanwhile, was brought back to Seattle on a modest two-year pact that is easily escapable next year. So Milroe has a real opportunity to ascend the depth chart in short order should he demonstrate an ability to live up to his vast potential.

In each of his last two seasons with the Crimson Tide, Milroe threw for more than 2,800 yards. During that timeframe, the now 22-year-old passer tallied 39 touchdowns through the air and another 32 scores on the ground.

Raiders’ Sixth-Rounder Tommy Mellott To Play WR

May 4th, 2025 at 11:18am CST by Rory Parks

The Raiders added two FCS quarterbacks in the sixth round of April’s draft, bringing Montana State’s Tommy Mellott and North Dakota State’s Cam Miller aboard. As our Ely Allen wrote at the time the picks were made, some scouts and analysts believed Mellott would transition to wide receiver at the professional level, and that is precisely what will happen.

Las Vegas has said Mellott will play WR, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. While Miller will attempt to earn a place on the QB depth chart behind Geno Smith and Aidan O’Connell, Mellott will focus his efforts elsewhere on offense and on special teams.

Mellott became Montana State’s full-time signal-caller in 2021, though his best numbers as a passer didn’t come until his final collegiate season in 2024, when he won the Walter Payton Award (the FCS award for most outstanding offensive player). Last year, Mellott threw for 31 touchdowns (his previous season-high was 10) with only two interceptions. For his career, he threw 55 TDs to only eight picks in 49 games.

Of course, it is difficult to project how FCS success will translate to the NFL, and Mellott’s rushing statistics offer a clue as to how he might thrive in the pros. In his 49 collegiate contests, he compiled 3,517 rushing yards and 43 rushing scores while sustaining a 7.2 yards-per-carry average. As ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler notes in a rather comprehensive piece detailing Mellott’s draft-day experience and his future with the Raiders, Las Vegas special teams coordinator Tom McMahon believes Mellott can become a new version of Taysom Hill, Julian Edelman, or Josh Cribbs, college QBs who found success as offensive weapons and/or special teams aces in the NFL.

As far as Day 3 choices go, Mellott was reportedly a hot commodity. McMahon knew his colleagues around the league were well-aware of Mellott, and he attempted to obscure his feelings about the former Bobcat during conversations with those colleagues. GM John Spytek also opted against using a “30” visit on Mellott to avoid alerting other clubs of the Raiders’ interest, and McMahon says as soon as the Mellott pick was announced, he received texts from other ST coaches indicating their team was about to select the talented prospect.

Mellott is a self-described fan of Edelman and noted that the Patriots icon first earned attention as a pro by excelling as a punt returner. Mellott likewise will attempt to gain recognition in whatever role Las Vegas envisions for him.

“I was a different kind of prospect going into the NFL,” Mellott said. “I wasn’t a clear-cut quarterback. … To get drafted is an honor and a privilege. The work is not even close to being done. I’m excited to go there and prove that I can contribute.”

In addition to Mellott, the Raiders tried to shore up their significant WR need by adding Jack Bech (second round) and Dont’e Thornton (fourth round) in the draft. But unless Las Vegas also signs one of the veteran wideouts still on the market, there would seemingly still be an opportunity for Mellott to carve out an ancillary role among the club’s pass-catching contingent in addition to whatever work he sees as a return specialist. 

Ameer Abdullah led Vegas with 10 punt returns and nine kickoff returns last year, but he is still a free agent. 

Dolphins To Explore Free Agency For CB Help

May 4th, 2025 at 9:03am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins released cornerback Kendall Fuller in February and are trying to trade fellow CB Jalen Ramsey. The team is therefore in need of at least one, and possibly two, starting boundary corners, and GM Chris Grier has indicated he is looking to veteran free agents to fill the void (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques).

As Louis-Jacques observes, Miami entered last month’s draft with needs along the offensive and defensive lines and at corner. While the team added several defensive tackles – including No. 13 overall selection Kenneth Grant – as well as a second-round guard, it did not nab a CB until the fifth round, when it turned in the card for Florida defender Jason Marshall Jr. 

Before the draft, Grier expressed his belief that the 2025 class of college corners was a deep one, thereby implying that quality players could be had in later rounds. Marshall brings good size and a four-year SEC pedigree to the table, but Louis-Jacques identifies him as a developmental player at this point (which is of course the norm for most Day 3 choices).

The lack of an immediate starter in the Dolphins’ rookie class and the seemingly imminent departure of one of the game’s best CBs in Ramsey increases the urgency to add established talent to the secondary. In terms of advanced metrics, Fuller was not up to his usual standard in 2024 – his first season in Miami – though he still earned a solid 66.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He struggled with concussions and played in just 11 games, but assuming there are no lingering health concerns, one wonders if the ‘Fins will circle back to Fuller on a less expensive deal than the two-year, $16.5MM accord he signed in March 2024.

While James Bradberry also remains on the market, the 2020 Pro Bowler missed all of last season due to injury. Even before that, the Eagles had shifted Bradberry to safety following a dismal 2023 effort at his natural cornerback position. As such, the soon-to-be 32-year-old does not profile as a surefire boundary starter at this stage of his career, despite his desire to return to CB in 2025.

Rasul Douglas, meanwhile, had strung together several strong seasons in a row before struggling for the Bills in 2024, surrendering a career-worst 122.0 quarterback rating on passes thrown in his direction and earning a career-worst 53.9 PFF grade as a result. And Stephon Gilmore played reasonably well as part of the Vikings’ fifth-ranked scoring defense in 2024, but the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year and late-career journeyman is reportedly giving thought to retirement. There has been no publicly-reported interest in him, Douglas, or Fuller since their contracts expired or were terminated this year.

The same is true of Mike Hilton and C.J. Henderson, two other players with significant starting experience who could pique Grier’s interest. Other recognizable names like Asante Samuel Jr.  and Shaquill Griffin are also unattached as of the time of this writing.

Packers Have Conducted Jaire Alexander Trade Talks

May 3rd, 2025 at 9:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top offseason storyline for the Packers remains the future of Jaire Alexander. The high-priced corner is still in the organization at this point, although he was absent from Green Bay’s voluntary workouts this week.

Participation on that front should not be expected as things stand. The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports Alexander and the Packers have an agreement in place where he will not report to the team until a resolution on his situation is found. That update comes as little surprise given the extent to which the two-time Pro Bowler’s future remains in the air. Anderson confirms all options are still on the table in this situation.

One of those would see Alexander remain in Green Bay for the 2025 campaign, something which did not appear likely in February. Green Bay shopped the 28-year-old in advance of free agency, but no agreement was reached around that time or during the draft. Teams around the league have done most of the heavy lifting from a roster-building perspective by now, but Alexander is among the high-profile players still available deep into the offseason.

Per Anderson, Green Bay has conducted “exploratory” trade talks involving the Louisville product. No specific suitors have emerged to date, but she adds a pair of teams have kept tabs on this situation for a lengthy period of time. If a trade is to take place, an acquiring team will need to take on the two years remaining on Alexander’s contract (which does not include any outstanding guaranteed salaries).

With Alexander set to carry cap charges of $24.64MM and $27.02MM, a restructure could be in order to facilitate a trade. The former first-rounder’s preference, however, would be a release allowing him to join a new team as a free agent. Green Bay would need to wait until after June 1 until proceeding with a cut if the team were to take that approach given the cap implications of doing so. As a result, this saga could continue for several weeks (with mandatory minicamp looming later in June).

Jalen Ramsey joins Alexander as a veteran corner available on the trade market. The latter’s injury history – single-digit games played in three of the past four years – will no doubt hinder his market to at least an extent, but interest persists at this point.

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