Nick Chubb Wants To Re-Sign With Browns
Browns running back Nick Chubb is set to be a free agent after this season, but he has every desire to stay in Cleveland for the rest of his career.
“I started here. I’d like to finish here,” said Chubb via Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe. “Cleveland just means a lot to me. Everything we’ve been through, ups and downs, but I’m proud to be drafted here.”
Chubb agreed to a revised contract with the Browns this offseason as he worked his way back from last year’s knee injury. He’s managed just 291 yards and three touchdowns on 93 rushing attempts in his seven appearances this year, indicating that he’s still working his way back to his previous Pro Bowl form. Chubb will also turn 29 on December 27; combined, those two factors could complicate negotiations with the Browns.
Cleveland still has to figure out a plan for Deshaun Watson‘s fully-guaranteed contract. Absorbing a massive dead cap hit in 2025 could hinder their ability to keep in-house free agents like Chubb. After taking a pay cut this year, he may be looking to cash in on what could be the last big contract of his career.
The Browns haven’t gotten much production out of their other running backs this year. Jerome Ford, D’Onta Foreman, and Pierre Strong have combined for fewer than 600 rushing yards and just one rushing touchdown. Whether it’s Chubb, an external free agent, or a draft pick, the Browns will need to figure out a new plan for their backfield in 2025.
Chubb is not the only notable Browns player to publicly state that he wants to remain in Cleveland after his contract expires. Jameis Winston also wants to stick around, indicating that the Browns have maintained a cohesive organizational culture despite the turmoil surrounding the franchise since their ill-fated acquisition of Watson in 2022.
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49ers To Activate LB Dre Greenlaw
Although the 49ers will not be confused with a healthy team going into their pivotal Rams rematch, they did see Talanoa Hufanga return last week. The team now will see the other key defender who has missed most of this season back at work.
Injured while trotting onto the field in Super Bowl LVIII, Dre Greenlaw is coming back. The 49ers will activate the standout linebacker from the PUP list tonight, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. It will conclude a 10-month recovery from Achilles surgery, as Greenlaw went down on February 12. Greenlaw’s activation is now official.
The team had aimed for a midseason return, but Greenlaw saw his timeline pushed back a bit. A return will now come for a team that has lost Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave for the season and one that has played without Nick Bosa and Trent Williams in recent weeks. While Fred Warner has been playing through a fractured ankle, he and Greenlaw will team up again in time for a crucial game.
At 6-7, the 49ers probably cannot afford another loss if they are to make a last-ditch push at defending the NFC West title they have won for the past two seasons. It may already be too late, with the Rams and Seahawks at 8-5, but the team routed the Bears in Week 14 to halt a losing streak. A healthier defense will take a shot at toppling a Rams team coming off a shootout win against the Bills.
Greenlaw, 27, will transition into a key stretch as well. He joins Hufanga and Charvarius Ward as 49ers defensive starters unsigned beyond this season. The team has Warner locked down, while Deommodore Lenoir signed an extension recently. With a Brock Purdy payday planned, the 49ers will need to make some sacrifices. Greenlaw could be among them. In that case, the next four games would double as an audition for the recovering player. A free agency deal, potentially in the realm of the one ex-teammate Azeez Al-Shaair inked in March, may be in the cards if Greenlaw can stay healthy.
Coming off back-to-back 120-tackle seasons, Greenlaw is playing out a two-year, $16.4MM contract agreed to during the 2022 season. Despite being a fifth-round pick, Greenlaw has worked as a 49ers regular at linebacker for most of his career. The team has used free agency addition De’Vondre Campbell on 719 snaps this season. Campbell was added to play alongside Warner while Greenlaw recovered. It did not seem at the time that the plan was for that setup to last 13 games, but it did. And given how long Greenlaw has been out, it would surprise if he was thrust into a full workload immediately.
This transaction will not count against the 49ers’ remaining injury activations, as only players moved from IR or the NFI lists back to the active roster do so. Nevertheless, the 49ers will throw a more complete version of their defense at a Rams team that has steadily gotten healthier since the teams’ September meeting.
Penn State S Kevin Winston Jr. Declares For 2025 Draft
Kevin Winston Jr. did not have the 2024 season he hoped for, but he has elected to turn pro. The Penn State junior announced on Thursday is headed to the NFL draft.
“After much thought and prayer, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be declaring for the 2025 NFL draft,” Winston’s statement reads in part. “This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I’m ready to embrace this next challenge with the same dedication and heart that got me to this point.”
Winston suffered a partial ACL tear earlier this season, limiting him to only three games played. He will not be available to the Nittany Lions during their upcoming playoff games, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Winston should receive full clearance by March 1. That would allow for him to participate in the NFL Combine later that month.
A former four-star recruit, Winston played sparingly during his freshman season. He took on a much larger workload last year, however, establishing himself as a full-time starter. Winston led the team in tackles with 61, adding one interception, five pass breakups and three tackles for loss along the way. That production led to All-Big Ten honorable mentions and elevated expectations for 2024.
Due to the injury, though, Winston’s attention for the past several months has been focused solely on recovery. Provided he is cleared to take part in pre-draft workouts, he will be able to help rebuild his stock. The 6-2, 201-pounder has the size to be a regular contributor on defense at the NFL level, and Scouts Inc. has him listed as this year’s third-ranked safety. Especially if everything plays out well on the health front, he should hear his name called on Day 2 of the draft.
Jimmy Haslam: Browns Not Considering Rebuild
The 2024 season has not gone according to plan for the Browns, and moves at the quarterback position in particular will be an interesting offseason storyline surrounding the team. Owner Jimmy Haslam has already backed head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, and his latest remarks on the organization confirm no rebuild is being contemplated. 
“We need to get through the season and we will look at everything,” Haslam said at the league meetings (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler). “We’re all disappointed. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ll go back and go to work. I’ve learned not to get too emotional during the season. We will sit down after the season, go through everything for next year.”
Stefanski and Berry each signed extensions in June, a sign of the organization’s commitment to continuity on the sidelines and in the front office. That tandem has been in place since 2020, and the Browns have posted winning seasons twice during that span. On both occasions, Stefanski has earned Coach of the Year honors, and expectations were high entering 2024 given Cleveland’s playoff berth from last season. Quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s struggles continued prior to his Achilles tear, however, and competition for the starting role is expected to be added this offseason.
Watson remains under contract through 2026, and with all of his remaining compensation guaranteed in full the Browns do not realistically have the option of releasing or trading him. Jameis Winston has likely upped his value given his level of play since taking over from Watson, but he is a pending free agent. Keeping Winston in place or adding a different veteran passer will be an option this spring, as will selecting a quarterback in the draft. The Browns’ 3-11 record has them on track for a high pick during the first round in April, the first time since 2021 they will own a Day 1 selection.
Other issues have contributed to Cleveland’s poor showing in 2024, of course. The team’s defense still has Jim Schwartz as coordinator, but the unit has experienced a major regression compared to last year. Nick Chubb‘s return to action has not sparked a resurgence in terms of rushing efficiency, as the four-time Pro Bowler is averaging 3.1 yards per attempt in 2024. Chubb is also a pending free agent as a result of his offseason restructure.
A number of key decisions will need to be made over the coming months if the Browns are to return to the playoffs in 2025. An organizational reset will not be part of that process, though, so expectations will remain high for Cleveland’s top brass and the core players who will be in place come the start of next season.
Raiders’ Charles Snowden Arrested For DUI
Charles Snowden is facing a DUI charge. The Raiders defensive end was arrested early Tuesday morning and booked into the Clark County Detention Center, as detailed by David Charns of 8 News Now. 
Snowden was released shortly thereafter, court records show. He does not have an arraignment scheduled at this time, and a hearing for a status check on his arresting document is set to take place in April.
“The Raiders are aware of the incident involving Charles Snowden and have been in contact with the NFL and local authorities,” a team statement reads (h/t Vic Tafur of The Athletic). “The club will not comment further as this is a legal matter.”
A former UDFA, Snowden made a pair of appearances with the Bears in 2021 before seeing a lengthy spell between regular season NFL appearances. He joined the Raiders’ practice squad last December but did not see any game time. Vegas waived Snowden during roster cutdowns this August, but he was immediately retained on the team’s practice squad.
The Raiders have been shorthanded along the edge in 2024, something highlighted by Malcolm Koonce missing the entire campaign due to a knee injury. His absence has opened the door to other contributors as complementary options to Maxx Crosby. Snowden has been one of the players who has seen a notable workload as a result, appearing in all 13 games so far this year and making seven starts. The 26-year-old has logged a 36% defensive snap share, totaling 30 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
It remains to be seen how the Raiders will proceed in the wake of Snowden’s misdemeanor charge. He is currently on track to become an exclusive-rights restricted free agent this offseason, but a decision on the team’s part to move on would leave him available to interested teams via the waiver wire.
Bill Belichick To Become UNC Head Coach
Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is headed to the University of North Carolina to take over as head coach of the Tar Heels’ football program, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Belichick’s contract was initially reported to be worth $30MM over three years, per The Athletic’s Ralph Russo and FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, but CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero later reported that Belichick will be signing a five-year deal. UNC’s Board of Trustees is expected to officially approve the deal on Thursday, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Initial reports of Belichick’s interest in the UNC head coaching gig emerged last week, though he remained linked to several NFL jobs as well. A second interview in Chapel Hill indicated that Belichick was serious about coaching at the college level and was not using the interest from the Tar Heels as leverage to get back into the NFL. Extensive negotiations involved Belichick’s salary, a job for his son (and current University of Washington defensive coordinator) Steve Belichick, and UNC’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and recruitment strategy.
Bill Belichick appears to have gotten his way when it comes to funding for recruitment. The Tar Heels are expected to quintuple their NIL package for football from $4MM to $20MM, per USA Today’s Matt Hayes. UNC is also expected to hire as many as 30 additional staff members, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Belichick was not expected to garner much interest from the NFL during this year’s hiring cycle, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Rather than wait for more vacancies to open up, Belichick opted to take his talents to the college level, likely giving up his career-long pursuit of Don Shula‘s NFL-record 347 wins. The ex-Patriots coach will turn 73 next April, so a return to the pros would run counter to the league’s recent trend of hiring younger first-time head coaches. Belichick’s Patriots run ended with the future Hall of Fame HC at 333 wins, second all time.
Belichick will replace longtime UNC head coach Mack Brown, the winningest coach in program history, who was fired at the end of November. The Tar Heels compiled a 44-33 under Brown since 2019 – his second stint in Chapel Hill – but have gone 1-4 in bowl games in that span.
Had the Tar Heels not met Belichick’s demands, UNC was expected to offer its head coaching job to Browns passing game specialist and tight ends coach Tommy Rees, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Like Belichick, Rees went through two interviews with the Tar Heels and even received support from former Alabama head coach Nick Saban.
Belichick’s decision sent shockwaves through the NFL’s winter meetings in Dallas, according to ESPN’s Diana Russini. Any team that was considering him as a head coach candidate will have to look elsewhere in the coming months. Though Belichick’s last four seasons in New England only yielded a 29-38 record, his status as a legendary football coach will bring excitement and legitimacy to the Tar Heels’ football program.
Tom Brady To Play ‘Huge’ Role In Raiders’ Personnel Plans; Mark Davis Not Mandating QB Pick?
Since ditching their solid but unspectacular Derek Carr plan, the Raiders have delivered a rudderless two years at quarterback. They have not seen their free agency and draft plans pan out, and the organization is amid a lengthy buildup to another true search for an answer.
Although the Raiders looked into Tom Brady as a player ahead of the 2023 free agency period, the former Josh McDaniels pupil retired for a second time. That did not stop Mark Davis from aligning with the QB legend soon after. It took a bit, but Brady’s ownership stake is now official, leading to what promises to be a prominent partnership — one that will not place the 23-year veteran as a figurehead.
Brady will play a “huge” role in personnel, with Davis going as far as to confirm this (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) at the latest owners meetings Wednesday. Bonsignore reported earlier this week Brady will hold a prominent place in the Raiders’ decision-making hierarchy “over time.” This invites obvious intrigue due to Brady’s stature and how it will impact the authority of GM Tom Telseco, who controls the Raiders’ roster. This is a night-and-day turnaround from Brady’s June 2023 assessment, which pegged a “very passive” role in Las Vegas.
More specifically, Davis wants to hear an honest assessment from a qualified staffer who is not fearing for his job, according to Yahoo’s Charles Robinson. Buying a stake in the Raiders earlier this season — after more than a year of waiting — Brady has no concerns of being pushed out. The NFL has allowed him to operate dually as FOX’s top analyst, albeit with significant sanctions, and minority Raiders owner. That setup is interesting enough by itself, but with Brady set to help shape the Raiders’ long-term plan, how they will go about addressing the quarterback spot will be a central 2025 NFL storyline.
Brady does not hold personnel experience, but Davis is certainly set to lean on this century’s highest-profile player’s body of work within the game. As it stands, Brady will be perhaps the lead decision-maker when it comes to Las Vegas determining its QB answer.
As for where that player will come from, a drafted arm might not be a lock. Conflicting accounts have emerged, per Robinson, as to whether Davis will demand the Raiders draft a starter-caliber QB. Be it through the draft or a veteran acquisition, Robinson adds Davis will mandate a long-term plan to fix this issue. The Raiders also want to improve their roster before acquiring a to-be-determined long-term QB, Robinson adds, noting that in-house extensions may be on the horizon. Given the Raiders’ 2-11 record, it will be interesting to see which players become targets.
Although Ken Stabler played longer with the Raiders, Carr operated as the longest-running QB1 in team history. The Raiders erred by signing Jimmy Garoppolo, and Antonio Pierce repeatedly benched Garder Minshew despite the team having signed him to a two-year, $25MM deal in March. Since Carr was parked in Week 17 of the 2022 season due to his contract, the Raiders have started six quarterbacks. That number might balloon to seven Sunday, if Desmond Ridder is needed in place of Aidan O’Connell. Neither of those passers, however, will be expected to factor into Telesco, Davis and now Brady’s long-term plan.
With a month left in the season, the Raiders are projected to hold the No. 1 overall pick. This top-heavy season, though, has produced a host of challengers for that spot. And the 2025 draft’s QB crop is not viewed especially well. That could prompt the Raiders to look into other options — be it a true starter or another bridge plan ahead of 2026. Antonio Pierce, who pushed for a Jayden Daniels reunion, would almost definitely — if he is retained, that is — be against a second bridge plan ahead of a 2026 draft choice. But Pierce or his replacement will be answering to Brady and Telesco on this matter.
Once they learned no Daniels trade would happen, the Raiders had Michael Penix Jr. as a potential fallback option. But the team did not want to trade up for the Washington prospect, who went eighth overall to Atlanta. The Falcons choosing Penix at 8 flummoxed the Raiders, Robinson adds, as the Telesco-led front office believed he would be there at 13. With Penix going at 8, the Broncos scuttled any plans to trade down and drafted Bo Nix — who visited the Raiders — at 12. This left the Raiders in the cold at QB, though they did do well to acquire Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Brock Bowers in a best-player-available pick.
Bowers’ historic pace should bode well for Telesco’s standing within the building, but soon he will need to provide Brady with answers at quarterback. It will be quite interesting to find out who will hold the anvil when it comes to how the franchise proceeds here in 2025, but given Davis’ comments, it should not be expected Brady will encounter significant pushback if he voices a strong opinion about a near-future path.
Commanders Claim WR K.J. Osborn
Noah Brown‘s injury will prompt the Commanders to act at receiver. They submitted a successful waiver claim for K.J. Osborn, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports.
The Patriots ended an unsuccessful Osborn tenure Tuesday. The veteran slot receiver has produced in the past, however, faring well in Kevin O’Connell‘s Vikings offense. The Commanders will give him a shot in their Terry McLaurin-led receiving corps.
Osborn had fallen well off the radar in New England, catching only seven passes for 57 yards as the Patriots attempted to find answers at the position. The Pats had given Osborn a one-year, $4MM deal but did not benefit much from that contract. Only $1.18MM of that deal consists of base salary. Washington will only owe Osborn $278K for the season’s remainder.
Although Osborn did little in New England, he was a consistent producer in Minnesota. The former Vikings fifth-round pick posted 655 yards under then-OC Klint Kubiak in 2021 and caught on seamlessly with O’Connell a year later, finishing with 650 in an offense that featured Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and, after the trade deadline, T.J. Hockenson. Osborn concluded his Minnesota run with 540 yards in 2023 but did not command a substantial market in free agency, leading to a low-end Pats accord. From 2021-23, Osborn totaled 15 touchdown receptions.
Brown suffered what Dan Quinn said was likely a season-ending injury in Week 13. The late-summer addition had been Washington’s top McLaurin sidekick. This organization spent years trying to find a reliable WR2 but saw its Ron Rivera-era efforts fail. Jahan Dotson was the most notable disappointment; the team traded the 2022 first-round pick during training camp. Brown will likely wrap his season with 453 yards, a total boosted by a Hail Mary touchdown against the Bears, and the Commanders do not have another wideout who has passed 275 on the year. That will make Osborn an interesting addition.
Osborn, 27, may need to again settle for a one-year deal in free agency — after struggling in New England and ending up in a few trade rumors before the deadline — but he will have an interesting opportunity. Brown’s quick assimilation in Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense, along with Osborn having played under four play-callers in five seasons, offers some upside here.
NFL Injury Updates: Herbert, Bullard, Prater
The Chargers are 8-5 under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff, good for second place in the AFC West and the sixth seed in the AFC. Harbaugh gave the media an update today that could spell trouble for the team hoping to make a playoff push and run, per Alex Insdorf of the Guilty as Charged podcast.
According to Harbaugh, quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with a leg contusion as well as a sprained left ankle this week. Harbaugh claimed that Herbert is “doing everything and anything in his power to play on Sunday,” hinting that practicing was a possibility today, but ultimately, Herbert was not a participant in today’s practice.
Herbert had been the picture of health, starting every game since his debut until missing the final four games of last year. Los Angeles will hope that he doesn’t need to miss much time, if any, and that he’ll be able to help them close out the season as a playoff team.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the league:
- Packers safety Javon Bullard left the locker room this Sunday on crutches after suffering a right ankle injury. After undergoing MRI testing today, it was determined that the injury was not guaranteed to be long-term. There is still a risk that Bullard may miss time, as he’s been designated as week-to-week, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
- We’ve been reporting on the injury of Cardinals veteran kicker Matt Prater this season and the possibility of his return without much understanding of his injury. Last we had heard, Prater’s knee injury was not considered season-ending despite all the time missed already. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN finally shed some light on the situation, reporting that Prater has been recovering from meniscus surgery to his left knee. This is far more clarity than the “soreness” designation that had been prevalent earlier in the season and gives us a better idea of what Prater is working through to return to the field.