Garrett Wilson’s Jets Future Uncertain?
The highly regarded quartet of player the Jets added within the first two rounds of the 2022 draft will be eligible for second contracts this offseason. In the case of wideout Garrett Wilson, the matter of whether or not he wishes to remain in New York appears to be less certain than it recently did.
Last week, both Wilson and Davante Adams provided updates with respect to their futures beyond the current campaign. Adams (who arrived via trade to reunite with Aaron Rodgers) has two years left on his deal but no guaranteed salaries over that span. Especially if Rodgers is not retained, therefore, he could find himself on the move once again. Rodgers’ Jets tenure is unclear as the team prepares to hire a new general manager and head coach in the near future.
Wilson’s recent comments indicated he would be on board with remaining in New York with or without Rodgers moving forward. In the wake of Sunday’s win over the Jaguars (during which the 24-year-old had a visible outburst with receivers coach Shawn Jefferson), though, Wilson was asked again about the prospect of signing a long-term Jets extension. His response was less certain this time around.
“I don’t know, man,’ Wilson replied (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “I just go about my day… If they [extend my contract], that would be a blessing. It would be awesome. I love the Jets. At the end of the day, they were the ones that believed in me. But, yeah, I can’t be worrying about that.”
Wilson’s rookie pact runs through 2025, and the Jets have the ability to exercise his fifth-year option and in doing so keep him on the books through at least 2026. Taking that route would come as no surprise, seeing as the Ohio State product is on track to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Cimini adds, however, that a source familiar with Wilson’s situation “wouldn’t be surprised” if he were to request a trade this offseason.
Trade calls came in prior to this year’s deadline, but then-GM Joe Douglas turned them down. Douglas has since been fired, joining former head coach Robert Saleh in that respect. Wilson did not indicate if the Jets’ next HC and GM hires would influence his desire to sign a long-term deal, but the team does hold his rights for two more seasons — via the option that will almost definitely be exercised by the May deadline — and thus retains the hammer in a potential standoff.
Still, Wilson expressed disappointment with the Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett plan in 2023 and then saw the team retain the OC for 2024. Regardless of Wilson’s feelings about playing with the Jets post-Rodgers, he has seen QB turnover affect his career. The Jets largely saddled him with the wildly disappointing Zach Wilson for two seasons, and before the Adams trade, the team had not done well to provide complementary help. Wilson has scored a career-high six touchdowns, a fact partially highlighting the team’s QB issues from 2022-23, this season and is moving toward a third 1,000-yard campaign.
After a turbulent 2024 that brought a significant step back — and some unusual headlines to close out the year — the Jets have some big-picture issues to navigate in 2025. Beyond the searches for the next GM and head coach, Gang Green has Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall and Jermaine Johnson joining Wilson in being set to become extension-eligible. Despite a rocky season, Gardner presumably remains in the Jets’ long-term plans along with Wilson.
It will be interesting to see how the team approaches Hall and Johnson; the latter can be kept on the books through 2026 via a fifth-year option as well. That said, the Jets may be leery of carrying three fifth-year options on their 2026 payroll. It would then behoove the team to extend one or more of these starters next year, but some moving parts exist thanks to the decision-makers that brought in these talents being out of the picture.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
49ers Want To Re-Sign S Talanoa Hufanga, LB Dre Greenlaw
As injuries have harpooned a 49ers NFC title defense for the second time in five years, the team’s offseason becomes more relevant. The 49ers extended Deommodore Lenoir earlier this season but still has several starters moving toward free agency.
The Lenoir extension probably sends Charvarius Ward back to the market, but the 49ers are not closing the door on re-signing two other impending free agent defenders. The team is interested in retaining both Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw. Kyle Shanahan confirmed as much.
[RELATED: Assessing Brock Purdy’s Extension Candidacy]
“Those are two of the better players I’ve been around and two of the better players on our team and two of the main reasons we’ve had the success we’ve had,” Shanahan said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required) “So hopefully we can do everything we can to work out keeping them here because they’re as much of examples of 49ers as anyone I can think of.”
For what it’s worth, Shanahan offered a similar sentiment regarding Ward this summer. With Lenoir signed and Renardo Green on track for a bigger 2025 role, Ward is almost certainly heading elsewhere come March. The 49ers also have guard Aaron Banks set to hit the market. Barrows does not place a high likelihood on Banks being back, either, as the 49ers have not been big on guard payments under Shanahan; this year’s guard market also showed how high prices can rise for proven starters. As for Hufanga, Barrows views a return as being squarely on the radar.
The markets of both Hufanga and Greenlaw figure to be impacted by the injuries each has battled. Hufanga sustained an ACL tear in November 2023 and then missed much of this season due to a wrist issue, one that still has him in a cast. Greenlaw suffered one of the more untimely injuries in NFL history, at least as it pertained to his team’s championship chances, tearing an Achilles while trotting onto the field in Super Bowl LVIII. Both players are off IR now, however, and can boost their markets by playing well for a 6-8 team over the final three games.
A 2021 fifth-round pick, Hufanga impressed during a 2022 position battle to replace Jaquiski Tartt and earned first-team All-Pro acclaim months later. The 49ers showed how much they value Hufanga this season, redeploying him despite the cast. That said, Ji’Ayir Brown and fourth-round rookie Malik Mustapha have been the team’s primary safeties this season. Both are tied to rookie deals, each’s running beyond 2025. The 49ers want to keep Hufanga, but Barrows does not make it sound like they would compete with a booming market. Then again, beyond Xavier McKinney and Jessie Bates, safeties have not generated booming markets in recent offseasons. That would boost San Francisco’s retention chances.
San Francisco has run into a much more difficult time replacing Greenlaw. Its 2024 plan infamously combusted last week, with De’Vondre Campbell refusing to enter the Rams game and walking off the field. The 49ers have suspended the linebacker, whom John Lynch confronted during the strange sequence. The since-banned ‘backer had started to refuse to play during the second quarter, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer notes, adding that Lynch then sent him to the locker room. Shanahan also said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) the team had one other linebacker — after Eric Kendricks, who backtracked on a 49ers pledge to join the Cowboys — ahead of Campbell in their free agency pecking order.
Campbell, however, became the pick and proved a downgrade on Greenlaw. The latter has been Fred Warner‘s primary sidekick since his 2019 rookie season. While Greenlaw accepted a two-year, $16MM extension in 2022, he is likely to finish this season unsigned. We mentioned recently a deal in the ballpark of ex-teammate Azeez Al-Shaair (three years, $34MM) could be in play should Greenlaw stay healthy to close out the year; Barrows also mentioned that as a comp. Greenlaw and Al-Shaair are each 27, though the 49ers consistently played Greenlaw in front of the now-Texans linebacker.
The 49ers’ plans to pay Brock Purdy the quarterback going rate will complicate their free agency strategy as well. That will make the Greenlaw and Hufanga markets more interesting. A potential either/or situation may form with this duo, but it does appear clear the 49ers are not planning to let either walk without negotiations commencing first.
Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed Will Not Return This Year
DECEMBER 20: Callahan said Friday (via Titaninsider.com’s Terry McCormick) that Sneed is not expected to come back, calling the high-priced cornerback’s injury “very strange” and “significant,” via veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. This will end a disappointing season for the trade pickup.
Sneed both could not do much to help the Titans this season and also left a void in the Chiefs’ lineup opposite Trent McDuffie. The recently extended corner is signed through the 2027 season; his 2025 compensation is fully guaranteed.
DECEMBER 13: L’Jarius Sneed has been sidelined since October, and recent comments from Titans head coach Brian Callahan indicate that the veteran cornerback may not play again this season.
Callahan said it was “iffy” if Sneed returns to the field this year, according to Titans team reporter Jim Wyatt. The 27-year-old played in just five games before he injured his quad. At first, the injury was not believed to be serious, but Tennessee eventually moved Sneed onto injured reserve more than a month after his first missed game.
Sneed spent most of his time on IR with Chidobe Awuzie, who was out for more than two months with a groin injury. Awuzie came back last week, but Callahan seems dubious that Sneed can make a similar return.
The Titans have plenty of reason to be cautious with their star cornerback. They sent a third-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for Sneed’s services and promptly signed him to a four-year, $76.4MM extension. His $44MM in fully-guaranteed money ranks third at the position and includes $19MM in guaranteed salary in 2025, so Tennessee will be expecting a full season from him next year.
It took more than a month for the Titans to figure out that Sneed’s injury was severe enough to require an IR stint, and the team is already eliminated from the playoffs. Risking a re-injury that could impact Sneed’s future availability would be a short-sighted move from a franchise that is likely considering their 2025 draft position at this point in the season.
Chiefs Activate WR Marquise Brown From IR
As expected, Marquise Brown is in position to make his season debut tomorrow. The veteran wideout is being activated by the Chiefs, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. The Chiefs have since made the activation official.
Brown faced high expectations in the lead-in to the 2024 season, given the Chiefs’ track record of success incorporating speedsters into their offense. Brown has proven himself to be one of the league’s top vertical threats during his career, although it came as no surprise when he took only a one-year pact to head to Kansas City. An SC joint injury resulted in surgery and a lengthy stint on injured reserve, though.
As a result, the possibility remained that Brown would be sidelined for the entire campaign, one in which the WR position has been a sore spot particularly after Rashee Rice being lost for the year. However, Brown has made progress in his recovery after the operation and he received clearance to practice last week. Activation in time for Week 15 was not feasible, but signs have pointed to an activation taking place in time for Kansas City’s contest against Houston on Saturday. Once this move is made official, the Chiefs will have four IR activations remaining.
Kansas City ranks just 13th in the league in passing yards per game (224), and improving on that number will be a goal in advance of the postseason. The trade acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins has proven effective, with the three-time All-Pro averaging 11.2 yards per reception and scoring four touchdowns in his first eight Chiefs games. Brown will look to add a new deep threat to the team’s passing game as Kansas aims to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
If he can do so, the 27-year-old will help his stock ahead of free agency. Brown landed $6.5MM guaranteed on his Chiefs deal, one which has not gone according to plan so far given his missed time. A strong outing through the remainder of the campaign could rebuild his value to an extent on another Kansas City pact or one sending him elsewhere, though. Brown topped 1,000 yards during his third and final Ravens campaign, but the trade which sent him to the Cardinals was followed up by missed time in 2022 and ’23. Health will be a key factor in determining Brown’s standing around the league moving forward.
In the meantime, his attention will turn to his performances down the stretch as the Chiefs eye a third straight Super Bowl run. The team will have one more skill position contributor available for that process.
Trevon Diggs Could Miss Start Of 2025 Training Camp
DECEMBER 20: Diggs is expected to undergo bone graft surgery, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. That procedure carries a longer recovery timeline than other surgical options, but it likely offers the best outcome in the long run. Moore notes a timeline is not in place with respect to when Diggs’ operation will take place, but in any event he faces a lengthy rehab process.
DECEMBER 16: Trevon Diggs‘ impending surgery won’t only knock the Cowboys cornerback out for the remainder of the 2024 campaign. During an appearance on 1053 The Fan, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones admitted that Diggs likely wouldn’t be available for at least the start of training camp. Jones also confirmed that Diggs was playing through significant pain before suffering another cartilage issue.
[RELATED: Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs Set To Have Season-Ending Surgery]
“He was having to play with fluid in his knee,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “He was out there doing everything he can because he wants to play, he wants to compete, he wants to contribute. … But unfortunately he [suffered] a new injury that has to do with cartilage. It’s certainly a very legitimate injury that’s gonna take him some time to recover from. … I don’t think he’ll be a player during training camp. I think his timeline is going to be right about the start of the season.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is a bit more definitive with his timeline, noting that Diggs’ recovery could take up to eight months. That would keep the cornerback off the practice field until at least August, and depending on his required ramp-up period, Diggs could be forced to miss the early part of the regular season.
Rapoport clarifies that Diggs will undergo “surgery to repair an issue related to his articular cartilage.” We’ve already learned that this latest injury isn’t related to the player’s ACL tear from the 2023 campaign. In his comeback season in 2024, Diggs battled a torn calf while also missing two recent games with designations of groin and knee injuries. With his latest season-ending ailment, Diggs’ 2023 and 2024 campaigns will see him combine for 13 total appearances.
The Cowboys are surely hoping the former second-round pick can return to his dependable, All-Pro form, as Diggs is currently in the first year of his five-year, $97MM extension. The defensive back is only a few years removed from his prolific 11-interception season, and his 2022 follow-up was just as productive. In his limited looks over the past two years, sites like Pro Football Focus (subscription required) haven’t been as fond of his performance, but we could attribute the downturn to his lingering injuries.
Raheem Morris, Kirk Cousins Address Falcons’ QB Switch
Once the Falcons selected Michael Penix eighth overall during April’s draft, questions were raised about the possibility he would take over from free agent addition Kirk Cousins earlier than the team anticipated. That has proven to be the case over the closing weeks of the campaign. 
Cousins has struggled mightily in recent weeks, throwing one touchdown and nine interceptions over the past five contests. The Falcons are still in contention for a postseason berth at 7-7, but Penix will get the nod for Week 16 against the Giants. Benching Cousins this early into his Atlanta tenure comes as a surprise given the team’s financial investment made this spring, something head coach Raheem Morris conceded when addressing the decision.
“We were playing extremely well,” Morris said, via Amos Morale III and Josh Kendall of The Athletic (subscription required). “So I’d be telling you a story if I didn’t tell you I was surprised right now how the last couple of weeks have gone and how we haven’t been able to turn around and play a little bit better at the position in order to keep things going how we had.”
Cousins had a relatively strong start to the year, and the Falcons appeared to be on track to win the NFC South with a 6-3 record after Week 9. A four-game losing streak followed, however, and Monday’s narrow win over the Raiders did not quell concerns about the team’s direction late in the year. Now, Penix will be tasked with stabilizing the QB position down the stretch as the Falcons weigh their future with Cousins.
The 36-year-old was the top quarterback on the market this past spring despite his Vikings tenure ending with a torn Achilles. Cousins landed a four-year, $160MM pact in free agency to head to Atlanta, a deal which appeared to offer a short-term solution under center. To his surprise (and that of many other observers), the Falcons followed that deal by using their top selection on Penix and thus adding an eventual Cousins successor. Owner Arthur Blank had a role in the Penix choice, and Morris added he was also “involved” in the decision to insert Penix into the lineup.
“I would agree with [Morris], it probably ultimately was the turnovers,” Cousins said when reflecting on his benching (via the team’s website). “That’s such a key thing in winning and losing in the NFL.”
Cousins added he “didn’t forget how to play quarterback,” but for at least the time being he is not in position to operate as Atlanta’s starter. The first two seasons of his deal include fully guaranteed salaries, so the four-time Pro Bowler should remain in Atlanta for 2025 at a minimum. Given the decision to turn to Penix already, though, it remains to be seen what role Cousins will have for that year.
Panthers Unlikely To Target First-Round QB?
Year 2 with the Panthers has seen Bryce Young removed and re-inserted into the lineup amongst up-and-down performances. It remains to be seen if Carolina will target a replacement, but at this point the team appears to be eyeing moves at other positions. 
Young’s ability to recover from a disappointing rookie campaign was a central storyline for himself individually and the organization as a whole. The main goal of first-year head coach Dave Canales was guiding last April’s No. 1 pick into a franchise passer, a process which hit a roadblock early in the campaign. Young was benched in favor of Andy Dalton in Week 3 before eventually returning to the top of the depth on a permanent basis in Week 8. During the intervening period, trade calls came in given the potential of Carolina being willing to move on.
As general manager Dan Morgan confirmed last month, however, consideration was never given to a trade. Young and the Panthers’ offense have generally seen an uptick in performance since he returned to the starting lineup, although Week 15 represented a notable exception in that regard. Questions therefore still linger with respect to how Carolina will proceed in the offseason. Young figures to remain in the team’s plans, though.
Quarterback should not be considered a position the Panthers target during the first round of the 2025 draft, ESPN’s David Newton writes. Aiding the team’s defense would represent a reasonable goal, and Newton adds edge rush will likely be a option for Carolina’s top pick (one which could still reach as high as the No. 1 slot). Joe Person of The Athletic likewise notes Young should still be in place for next season at a minimum (subscription required).
The 23-year-old’s trade value is not particularly high given how his Carolina tenure has gone to date, and with his 2025 and ’26 compensation (totaling roughly $10.3MM) guaranteed, a release would not be sensible. Young could also be retained one season longer via the fifth-year option, but a decision will not need to be made on that front until after the 2025 campaign. How Young and Canales fare that year will be pivotal in shaping the franchise’s rebuild.
In the meantime, Person adds a veteran presence should be expected to pair with Young. Options include a new deal for Dalton (a pending free agent) or other signal-callers set to hit the market this spring like Daniel Jones. Person names Geno Smith as a potential target based on his familiarity with Canales, although his Seahawks future remains uncertain. An experienced passer would insulate against the possibility of Young regressing in 2025, but for now that is the level of investment under center the Panthers should be expected to make during the offseason.
Russell Wilson Wants To Re-Sign With Steelers
After inking a one-year deal with the Steelers this offseason, Russell Wilson has seen a career resurgence. If the veteran QB has his way, the partnership will extend beyond the 2024 campaign. During a recent episode of Hard Knocks, Wilson revealed that he’d like to re-sign with the Steelers this offseason.
“Hopefully. I love it here,” Wilson responded to a fan’s question about re-signing (via Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports). “It’s cool. Hope we can win a Super Bowl.”
Wilson’s first season in Pittsburgh couldn’t have gone much better than it has. Mike Tomlin surprised many when he opted for Wilson atop the depth chart following Justin Fields‘ strong start to the season. Wilson has rewarded his coach’s faith, with the veteran guiding the Steelers to a 6-2 record in his eight starts.
Following a pair of underwhelming seasons in Denver, Wilson has looked more like his old self in Pittsburgh. His interception rate (1.3) and yards-per-game mark (239) represent his best numbers since his Seattle tenure. In total, the 36-year-old has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards, 13 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
That strong performance has set Wilson up for a sizable pay day this offseason. Considering the lucrative contracts he’s signed throughout his career, Wilson may be willing to settle for a slight discount to stick around Pittsburgh. On the flip side, the Steelers may be willing to slightly pay up on a second contract. Wilson saved the Steelers some cash by inking a $1.2MM minimum contract; he was going to make $39MM regardless thanks to his Broncos release, and the QB had his former squad pick up most of that tab.
Wilson’s performance in the postseason should also inform the team’s approach heading into the offseason, but a successful playoff run would also boost the QB’s market value. Still, as things stand right now, it sounds like Wilson (and presumably the organization) would be interested in extending this relationship beyond one season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/19/24
Today’s practice squad moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Casey Toohill
- Released: DT Eli Ankou
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Artie Burns
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/24
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: CB T.J. Tampa
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed off Bengals practice squad: DT Justin Rogers
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: DL Matt Henningsen, RB Blake Watson
Detroit Lions
- Designated for return: LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: TE Hayden Hurst
- Promoted: CB Dicaprio Bootle, S Kendall Williamson
While the Lions navigate a long list of injuries to their defense, the team did get some good news today, as linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin returned to practice. The 29-year-old suffered a neck injury in early November that required a stint on IR. While there seemed to be some initial pessimism surrounding the injury, the veteran will now have a chance to return for the stretch run of the season.
A former fourth-round pick, Reeves-Maybin spent the first five seasons of his career in Detroit before a one-year stay in Houston. He’s spent the past two seasons back in Detroit, including a 2023 campaign where he earned a Pro Bowl nod for his special teams prowess. He’s continued to serve an important ST role in 2024, but he also saw time in 111 defensive snaps in eight games. That represented his highest defensive snap count since the 2021 campaign.