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Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

July 14th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Texans showed their 2023 rebound was far from a fluke, DeMeco Ryans‘ second season saw the team plateau. C.J. Stroud did not take the second-year step many anticipated, and Houston finished with an even point differential despite playing in one of the NFL’s worst divisions. After a second straight 10-7 season, the Texans made widespread offensive changes while fortifying Ryans’ defense for the long term.

As Houston attempts to infiltrate the AFC’s upper crust and reach the first conference championship game in franchise history, some points of emphasis emerged between free agency and the draft.

Trades:

The Texans made the interesting decision to both label their offensive line a problem, the correct determination, while also trading away the best piece from it. Tunsil is out after six Texans seasons, having commanded two monster contracts since the 2019 blockbuster trade brought him in from Miami.

ESPN’s pass block win rate metric slotted Tunsil just outside the top 10 in 2023 and ’24, and the nine-year veteran had stayed mostly healthy since his injury-plagued 2021. Tunsil represented a key component in the Texans’ Stroud developmental effort, and they will pivot from a five-time Pro bowler (all five nods coming in Houston) to an eight-year vet (Cam Robinson) without any honors on his resume. Though, the Texans addressed this position early in the draft as well.

Tunsil is also weeks from his 31st birthday and would have been a candidate for an even higher-priced extension, as two seasons remain on his three-year, $75MM accord. Even though the Texans are light in terms of salary along their O-line — beyond Tytus Howard‘s three-year, $54MM deal — Tunsil said the team was prioritizing younger players over his fourth contract. That could have become a disruption along an O-line that had become a problem in 2024.

That said, this is a gamble due to the potential downgrade Tunsil to Robinson could bring. Still, the Texans fetched a nice haul for a player acquired before Nick Caserio‘s GM tenure began.

One of Caserio’s failed O-line projects is now in Philadelphia, being dealt for a proven safety. As Green did not pan out, the Texans will bet against the Eagles resurrecting his career a la their Mekhi Becton effort. Green struggled during his two seasons on the field while missing all of 2023 due to an offseason injury. A midseason IR trip ended Green’s starter run last season, as the Texas A&M product returned as a seldom-used backup by year’s end. One year remains on Green’s rookie deal; the Eagles declined his fifth-year option.

Gardner-Johnson is an interesting bet, especially in giving up an underperforming guard. Two years also remain on the two-time Super Bowl starter/renowned trash talker’s three-year, $27MM contract. No guaranteed money remains on Gardner-Johnson’s deal post-2025, giving the Texans flexibility if this fit does not work out. The Eagles have now ended both CJGJ’s stints at one season, letting him walk (to the Lions) in 2023 and trading him for a Becton replacement option after the second season.

Philly did see Gardner-Johnson prove an important piece. He tied for the NFL INT lead, with six, in 2022 despite missing five games. Although the Eagles had changed their defensive scheme yet again by the time Gardner-Johnson re-signed, he matched that six-INT season for a No. 1-ranked defense in 2024. Pro Football Focus graded Gardner-Johnson 14th among safety regulars last season, ranking him sixth in terms of coverage.

The former Saints draftee is also still just 27, creating upside in Ryans’ defense. Gardner-Johnson’s arrival could be much more important after Jimmie Ward‘s recent arrest, but he adds to an equation featuring Ward and emerging talent Calen Bullock at safety.

Capitalizing on Stroud’s rookie contract, the Texans parted with low-end compensation to add Kirk. This flier carries considerable upside, as the veteran slot receiver had been the Jaguars’ top Trevor Lawrence-era target. The retooling Jags were prepared to cut Kirk; the Texans made sure they would obtain his rights, picking up the final season of the 1,000-yard weapon’s four-year, $72MM contract.

The Jags’ 2023 freefall came just after Kirk’s season-ending core muscle malady. They went 1-5 without Kirk available down the stretch. The former Cardinals second-round pick had notched his first 1,000-yard season (1,108) in 2022 to justify a contract most labeled outlandish earlier that year. Kirk then beat that per-game yardage number by averaging a career-best 57.6 in 2023.

While Kirk was not as productive to start 2024, he drew trade interest before suffering a broken collarbone. A year after trading for Stefon Diggs, the Texans made a lower-stakes move with a younger cog; Kirk will not turn 29 until November. Given Diggs’ departure and Tank Dell‘s uncertain future, Kirk is probably a low-cost bet worth making.

Ingram is a true flier, having been benched by the Vikings last season. A former second-round pick out of LSU, Ingram made 41 starts with Minnesota. He factors into a crowded Houston guard mix. PFF ranked Ingram 66th among guard regulars last season, and while the advanced metrics site did slot him inside the top 40 in 2023, the Texans are attempting to revive a depressed asset.

Extensions and restructures:

This offseason featured the first batch of highly drafted Caserio players become extension-eligible, marking a turning point for an organization that had bottomed out earlier this decade. Once deploying rosters chock full of average or subaverage veterans, Caserio restocked it with several extension-worthy performers. The fifth-year GM operated proactively, potentially establishing a blueprint for when Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. are up for new deals in 2026.

After an abbreviated rookie season, Stingley has become one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks. Caserio’s initial first-round pick as a GM hit big, intercepting five passes in back-to-back seasons and reaching the first-team All-Pro level. The Texans chose Stingley one spot over Sauce Gardner in 2022, and while the LSU product initially trailed the physical Jets cover man, a changing of the guard occurred — as the No. 1 contender for Patrick Surtain‘s belt, if you will — in 2024.

Pro Football Focus rated Stingley fifth among CB regulars last season, after placing him ninth in 2024, while Gardner struggled. Stingley, 24, already established himself by 2023, though, as his coverage metrics from last season closely resemble his second-year work. After allowing a 47.9% completion rate as the closest defender in 2023, Stingley posted a 47.1 number last year. His passer rating allowed only climbed from 41.3 to a still-elite 51.2, and the boundary defender’s yards-per-target number dropped significantly — from 12.5 to 9.6. A natural in Ryans’ defense, Stingley has become the Texans’ top player. Houston paid him as such.

Despite Surtain’s Defensive Player of the Year season, he now trails Stingley by $6MM in terms of AAV. Both players are signed through 2029, as the Texans still had two years of control on Stingley’s rookie deal (via a fifth-year option that would have been exercised), and the extension includes no full guarantees beyond 2026. Though, a rolling guarantee structure makes this a more player-friendly agreement. Stingley’s 2027 base salary locks in by March 2026; that pattern recurs a year later for his 2028 paragraph 5 number.

Although Stingley does not have a runaway lead in terms of two- and three-year cash flows like he does in CB AAV, it was still surprising to see the Texans agree to make him the NFL’s first $30MM-per-year DB on just a three-year contract. The corner market did not move between May 2022 and September 2024, needing Surtain to break through a $21MM-per-year ceiling — one that had fallen behind safeties by spring 2024. Seeing Surtain and Jalen Ramsey set the table, Stingley collected the final piece of leverage when Jaycee Horn scored a then-market-setting $25MM-per-year deal in early March.

Is Hunter quietly building a Hall of Fame resume? No first-team All-Pro accolades hurt that potential case, but the consistent sack artist’s prime has gone against those of Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons. The youngest player to reach 50 sacks also saw his prime interrupted by injury, as he missed 26 games between the 2020 and ’21 seasons. Despite this sizable chunk of missed time, Hunter ranks 11th in career sacks through an age-30 season (99.5) in NFL history. Houston could be ground zero for a back-door Canton ascent, and Caserio ensured the Hunter-Anderson duo would last longer.

The Texans gave the 2024 free agent signee a deal that narrowly eclipsed Maxx Crosby‘s $35.5MM AAV number, though this obviously differs from the Raiders’ three-year extension. After griping about his Vikings extension — a deal that was team-friendly at the time and only swung further in that direction — for years, Hunter has done well for himself in Houston. He scored a near-fully guaranteed first Texans contract (two years, $49MM; $48MM guaranteed), and the team effectively gave him a $6.1MM raise for 2025. More importantly, Hunter’s re-up secured a near-fully guaranteed 2026.

Hunter, 30, tacked a fifth Pro Bowl onto his resume with a 12.5-sack season. The Texans-Vikings’ Hunter-Jonathan Greenard free agency switch proved a win-win, as the latter earned Pro Bowl recognition as part of a top-five Minnesota defense. Since returning from a 2021 chest injury, Hunter has not missed a game and has displayed consistency by staying between 22 and 23 QB hits in each of those three seasons. Being paired with Anderson will allow a good chance at a seventh double-digit sack season, while his presence helped the younger rusher make strides forward.

Houston moved Pitre from safety to the slot last year, and the early extension reflects a belief that change worked. Shortly after making Stingley the NFL’s highest-paid perimeter corner, the Texans moved Pitre to the top of the slot salary list. This set the bar for Kyler Gordon‘s Bears extension to raise the ceiling to $13.3MM per year.

The slot market keeps growing, as teams are taking advantage of a bargain rate attached to this underrated position. As recently as March 2024, no pure slot had crossed the eight-figure-per-year barrier; after historic cap spikes in 2024 and ’25, six pure slot CBs are there now.

This came after Pitre’s season-ending pectoral injury, which required surgery. The contract certainly renders that a nonissue, as the Texans have the makings of a long-term CB trio. These two deals pair well with Kamari Lassiter‘s rookie pact. The 2024 second-rounder’s rookie deal runs through 2027.

Free agency additions:

Having a biannual look at Robinson through his AFC South past, the Texans decided to add one of this market’s top players days into free agency. While it appeared Robinson’s market — thanks to Ronnie Stanley and Alaric Jackson taking themselves off the table via pre-free agency agreements — would rival Dan Moore Jr.‘s, the longtime Jags LT-turned-Vikings stopgap took a one-year accord with an eye on 2026. Based on the Texans’ offseason, this looks set to be a one-year partnership.

The pure left tackle carrying 101 career starts divided some entering free agency, as no Pro Bowls are on his resume. Then again, Pro Bowl LTs entering age-30 seasons rarely hit the market barring noteworthy injury concerns. PFF slotted Robinson outside the top 50 among tackles last season, and his 88.2% pass block win rate did not wow. But the Texans will add the twice-franchise-tagged blocker as a stopgap while second-round pick Aireontae Ersery develops.

The Hall of Fame will need to adjust its criteria if modern running backs are to be enshrined, as workloads plummeted compared to prior eras. Chubb looked to be one of the players who could create a case, provided the goalposts are moved to accommodate some of this period’s best ballcarriers, but the injuries he sustained in 2023 and ’24 altered that path. The former Browns dynamo missed 15 games in 2023 due to a severe knee injury, one that kept him from debuting until late October of 2024. He then saw a broken foot shelve him after eight games last season. As a result, Chubb’s free agency predictably tanked.

Chubb, 29, had taken a steep Browns pay cut after his 2023 knee injuries — a partially torn ACL, a fully torn MCL along with medial capsule and meniscus damage — and is certainly at a make-or-break point. The former second-round pick had zoomed to four straight Pro Bowls, running behind a well-built Browns O-line. This included two 1,400-plus-yard rushing seasons (2019, 2022), the first of which coming before the team rebuilt its O-line.

One of the NFL’s top pure runners of the past several years, Chubb now joins Joe Mixon — who is nearly a year younger despite being drafted a year earlier — in Houston’s backfield. After not seeing Dameon Pierce pan out, the Texans have one of the more experienced backfields in recent NFL history.

Chubb did not look himself before going down with the foot injury last season. He averaged 3.3 yards per carry, after topping 5.0 in each of his first five seasons, and is likely done as a regular starter. Still, the Texans have a former top-tier RB on a low-cost contract; they will hope the eighth-year vet being nearly two years removed from the major knee injury can spark a resurgence.

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Players To Spend Season On Franchise Tag Since 2015

July 13th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs and Trey Smith have just less than 48 hours to agree on a long-term extension; otherwise, the Pro Bowl guard will play on the franchise tag and negotiations will be tabled until 2026. That is 2025’s only tag situation as the July 15 deadline approaches.

Over the previous 10 offseasons, 77 players received the franchise tag. Many of those signed extensions before the midsummer deadline. Here are the players who did not and ended up playing the season for the tag price:

2015

Pierre-Paul’s infamous fireworks accident led to Giants rescinding $14.8MM tag, setting up revised agreement 

2016

2017

2018

Bell did not collect any money on his 2018 tag, being the 21st century’s lone franchise-tagged player to skip season

2019

Texans applied $15.9MM linebacker tag on Clowney, trading him to Seahawks in August 2019; edge rusher agreed to salary reduction upon being dealt

2020

Ravens, Judon agreed on compromise between defensive end, linebacker tag prices. Ngakoue agreed to salary reduction to facilitate trade from Jaguars. Vikings traded edge rusher to Ravens before 2020 deadline. Prescott received exclusive franchise tag from Cowboys.

2021

2022

2023

Raiders provided raise to Jacobs to bring him into training camp

2024

Extension Candidate: Courtland Sutton

July 13th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Broncos have rebounded from their disastrous 2022 situation, some of the key players to help them climb out of that hole are entering contract years. Nik Bonitto is a traditional extension candidate, coming off a breakout season ahead of the final year of his rookie contract, while Zach Allen jumped a level ahead of his age-28 season. A significant raise will be necessary for the Broncos to keep the ascending interior D-lineman on a third contract.

Denver, however, has a homegrown player residing as a more interesting extension candidate. Courtland Sutton carries a few unusual markers along his journey to another extension case. Even though Bonitto and Allen qualify as higher-value players due to their ages, Sutton stands as a pivotal piece considering the Broncos’ plan on offense. The former John Elway draftee has waited patiently for a deal, reporting to both OTAs and minicamp after skipping some offseason work while pursuing a raise last year. But he looks to have seen the younger defenders leapfrog him in Denver’s extension queue.

Sutton is going into his age-30 season, and he carries an atypical resume for a No. 1 receiver. The 2018 second-round pick’s two 1,000-yard seasons are spaced five years apart. He helped build an initial extension candidacy by eclipsing 1,000 yards in 2019. That 1,112-yard season still stands as Sutton’s career high; it came with Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen and a rookie-year Drew Lock making starts. A 2020 ACL tear paused Sutton’s ascent, and Denver’s QB quagmire lowered the receiver’s ceiling for an extended stretch.

As the Broncos assembled a low-octane Teddy Bridgewater offense, Sutton and Jerry Jeudy became info-graphic fodder due to Aaron Rodgers‘ interest in being traded to Denver in 2021. The Packers held onto the reigning MVP that year and in 2022, leading the Broncos to their blockbuster Russell Wilson trade. That move brought a spectacular failure, as an overmatched Nathaniel Hackett grounded Denver’s offense to 32nd in 2022. Sean Payton elevated Wilson back to respectability in 2023, however, and that season effectively launched Sutton’s second extension campaign.

Wilson’s 26-touchdown pass, eight-interception season ended ugly, with a contract-based benching taking place. But Wilson-to-Sutton became the team’s most notable connection since the Peyton Manning days; the 6-foot-4 WR totaled 10 TD receptions, displaying a penchant for acrobatic grabs. Sutton then submitted a second 1,000-yard season, being a linchpin on a 2024 offense bereft of other reliable pass catchers. This helped Sutton post a 1,081-yard 2024 season, boosting Bo Nix to 29 TD passes — the second-most by a rookie QB in NFL history.

So much happened between the Rodgers rumors and Nix’s rookie season, though. Sutton signed a four-year, $60MM extension days after Tim Patrick‘s three-year, $30MM deal. While injuries dogged Patrick in the years that followed, Sutton remained a productive starter. Being an Elway-era draftee extended under George Paton, Sutton became a trade-rumor mainstay during Payton’s initial months on the job. The Broncos listened closely on Sutton and Jeudy during the 2023 offseason, aiming for a second-round pick for Sutton and a first for Jeudy. Nothing on that level emerged, but the Ravens came close to acquiring Sutton — before pivoting to Odell Beckham Jr.‘s $15MM guarantee.

Denver declined a Jeudy offer that included third- and fifth-round picks before the 2023 deadline, holding onto Sutton as well. That Jeudy decision became a mistake, as the team both sold low in March 2024 (fifth- and sixth-round picks) before seeing him post a Pro Bowl season in Cleveland. Jeudy’s departure solidified Sutton’s WR1 standing, to the point the Broncos declined a third-round pick from the 49ers during the summer 2024 Brandon Aiyuk saga. Sutton more than doubling any other Broncos pass catcher in yardage last season strengthened his extension case.

Missing out on Emeka Egbuka in the draft, the Broncos did not address the receiver position until Round 3 (Pat Bryant). The Illinois prospect’s 4.61-second 40-yard dash time docked his value, and while Marvin Mims has flashed, the Broncos have mostly deployed him as a gadget cog on offense. The team’s 2024 rookies (Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin) also appear role players, even if Vele’s skillset resembles Sutton’s (Vele is also set to turn 28 before year’s end, complicating the second-year player’s long-term NFL future).

Everything since the 2023 season has boosted Sutton’s stock, but finding a price may be proving tricky. The Broncos agreed to only an incentive package with Sutton last year, telling his camp 2025 would be the window for true extension talks. We are here now, and nothing has transpired since Sutton labeled the 2025 talks positive in April. Denver completed summer extensions with Patrick Surtain and Quinn Meinerz last year; Sutton drama could resurface if no deal emerges this summer.

It would surprise if the Broncos revisited trade talks in the event they could not come to terms with Sutton before Week 1. The SMU product remains valuable due to the dearth of proven WR help ahead of Nix’s second season.

Finding contractual comps does prove difficult. Mike Evans and Davante Adams signed similar deals — two years, $41MM (Evans) and 2/44 (Adams) — while Calvin Ridley‘s resume did not match Sutton’s ahead of a four-year, $92MM Titans deal. Ridley signed that contract months before his 30th birthday, though his standing as last year’s top WR free agent — after the Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. tags — boosted his value. Evans and Adams are much more accomplished players, both of whom also being more than two years older.

Jeudy signed a Browns-friendly extension (three years, $52.5MM), but it came after the Broncos’ QB struggles suppressed his stats. Sutton is in a similar boat, but after being tied to an AAV ($15MM) that sits 25th at the position — following market booms in 2022 and ’24 — it would surprise if the eighth-year vet settled for anything south of $20MM per year.

Pittman’s three-year, $70MM accord could be a comp for Sutton, as the Colts’ No. 1 target is just two years younger and agreed to that deal before another salary cap spike commenced. Jeudy fetched $41MM guaranteed at signing, Pittman $46MM. That is probably beyond where the Broncos will go regarding locked-in compensation, though Sutton residing in a gray area due to age, production and importance makes that number harder to peg as well.

A short-term extension seems the most likely outcome here. The sides’ price points will be interesting to learn. Sutton would command reasonable value as a 2026 free agent, but will he want to chance negotiating ahead of an age-31 season? Many variables have led to this point, as the next several weeks figure to determine where this years-long saga ends.

Extension Candidate: Terry McLaurin

July 12th, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Ely Allen

There’s been no shortage of noise coming out of the District of Columbia — technically 25 miles or so west of DC — concerning the extension negotiations for veteran wide receiver Terry McLaurin. It should be a no-brainer: a second-team All-Pro heading into a contract year with a $25.5MM cap hit while he’s catching balls from a quarterback on a rookie deal? Up to this point in the offseason, though, the two parties have been unable to make progress towards a new deal.

It started early in the offseason, with the team acknowledging that an extension for McLaurin was something it was interested in. McLaurin showed the team how serious he was about receiving new terms when he held out of Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp, racking up over $104K in fines. Reportedly, the Commanders were taken aback at the difficulties they were having reaching agreeable terms with their star receiver, and as it became clear that the two sides were very far apart on an agreement, McLaurin voiced his frustrations with the procedures.

But why has this been such a struggle? Does the team not want to lower McLaurin’s cap hit and make sure he’s around for all of the years Jayden Daniels plays on a rookie deal? It seems multiple factors are proving challenging when negotiations are taking place as performance and status say one thing, while age and potential for decline say another.

To start, McLaurin just completed his best season to date. While he didn’t put up a career high in receiving yards (1,096), his 13 touchdowns catches were more than half of his five-year career touchdown-total coming into the season (25). He also did it all in the fewest targets since his rookie year, showing improved efficiency with his new quarterback.

That’s the other thing to consider when looking at McLaurin’s career production. After falling 81 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards in his 14-game rookie campaign, McLaurin has been a 1,000-yard receiver in every season since. While that’s impressive on its own, consider that he put up consistent production while catching passes off the arms of players like Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins, Alex Smith, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, and Sam Howell. He’s a modern-day Andre Johnson in that regard. Now that you’ve paired him with a talented, young passer, he puts up an All-Pro season.

So, what does his production say he should be making on a new deal? First, let’s set the floor. Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins set the new mark for WR2s this year, surpassing Jaylen Waddle as the league’s highest-paid WR2 with an average annual value of $28.75MM. As a high-performing WR1, McLaurin should at least be making more than the highest-paid WR2. After that, the comparisons become difficult to make. The top-earning receivers market has drastically jumped in recent years with Ja’Marr Chase (AAV of $40.25MM), Justin Jefferson ($35MM), and CeeDee Lamb ($34MM) leading the pack.

Age becomes a factor, as well, though. Coming in as a 24-year-old rookie, McLaurin is set to turn 30 this season. Tyreek Hill was 30 years old when he signed his most recent contract ($30MM) that gave him a $54MM signing bonus. Older receivers like 29-year-old Calvin Ridley ($23MM), 32-year-old Davante Adams ($22MM), 29-year-old Chris Godwin ($22MM), 31-year-old Stefon Diggs ($21.17MM), and 30-year-old Mike Evans ($20.5MM) hurt McLaurin’s case. D.K. Metcalf ($33MM), though two years younger that McLaurin, may have helped McLaurin’s case a bit with his recent four-year, $132MM extension in Pittsburgh.

The last point of comparison may come from his status as an All-Pro. Chase and Jefferson were both first-teamers, along with Amon-Ra St. Brown ($32MM), while joining McLaurin as second-team All-Pros were Lamb and A.J. Brown ($32MM). With the lowest AAV of those five coming in at $32MM, one would expect that to be a target for McLaurin, as well. To McLaurin’s credit, he doesn’t seem intent upon resetting the market at the position. Reasonably, he is just looking to enter the echelon of pass catchers making $30MM or more.

Ultimately, there’s so many directions in which this deal can go. We’ve focused mainly on AAV, but term length, guarantees, and fee structure can all play huge roles in negotiating that AAV up or down. McLaurin could settle for a two-year commitment in order to try and get up to $33MM or $34MM. The Commanders could try to backload base salary, while supplementing the low-salaried early years with a substantial signing bonus. There’s no shortage of predictions for how this contract may end up looking, and that’s one of the reasons why there’s been so little progress and so much frustration.

Despite the frustrations, the two sides have been in constant communication and are expected to come to terms at some point. The oft-injured Deebo Samuel can be strong while on the field, but behind him and McLaurin, the receiving corps depth is either old or unproven. Look to McLaurin’s participation in training camp, and depending on what we see, we may look for an extension in the days leading up to the regular season.

5 Key Stories: 7/6/25 – 7/12/25

July 12th, 2025 at 9:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The build-up to NFL training camps continues, and the offseason’s quiet period has nearly come to an end as a result. The past few days have nonetheless seen a few notable developments. In case you missed any of them, here is a quick recap:

  • Bears, Poles Agree To Extension: The 2025 offseason has seen plenty of changes on the sidelines in the case of the Bears, but they will have continuity in the front office. As expected, general manager Ryan Poles has agreed to an extension which keeps him under contract through 2029 (just like new head coach Ben Johnson). Poles – in place since 2022 – led the coaching search this winter as he looks to guide the team to a step forward from his first three years at the helm. Chicago has gone just 15-36 over that span, but expectations for quarterback Caleb Williams will be high ahead of Year 2 in the league. Poles has been busy attempting to fortify Chicago’s offensive and defensive lines this spring, but even if those moves do not produce the desired results his future should be secure.
  • NFLPA Planning Collusion Case Appeal: For several months, the arbitration ruling on the NFLPA’s collusion case against the NFL were kept secret. Two weeks after the findings became public, however, the union now intends to appeal the decision made by arbitrator Christopher Droney. The January ruling stated the NFL did not engage in collusion following Deshaun Watson‘s fully guaranteed contract, but also noted how the league “urged” teams to limit guaranteed spending on player contracts. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell will oversee the appeal since he is facing scrutiny based on his role in suppressing the ruling from players and conflict of interest concerns stemming from his consultant role with a private equity firm. For now, at least, Howell does not intend to resign.
  • Cousins Speaks Out On Falcons’ Free Agent Approach: Last March, Kirk Cousins ended his six-year Vikings tenure by signing with the Falcons in free agency. That four-year deal included full guarantees for 2024 and ’25, suggesting he would remain atop the QB depth chart during that time. Atlanta then drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, though, and the rookie took over for Cousins late last season. Cousins has spoken on the topic in Netflix’s Quarterback series, stating his free agent approach would have been different had he known the Falcons would draft a passer. The 36-year-old’s preference, in hindsight, was to stay in Minnesota knowing both the Vikings and Falcons would select a first-round quarterback. Cousins is set to handle backup duties in Atlanta moving forward.
  • Holdout Possible For Bengals’ Hendrickson: Several notable pass rushers have yet to sort out their financial situations, and that includes Trey Hendrickson. A new round of extension talks with the Bengals is taking place, but the 2024 sack leader remains willing to stretch his holdout through not only training camp but also into the regular season. As one might expect given the nature of negotiations so far, no agreement is expected before camp begins. One year remains on Hendrickson’s current pact, and he is owed $16MM as things stand. The 30-year-old is aiming for a multi-year extension whereas the Bengals prefer a single year being added to his contract. The stalemate in this case could persist for quite some time.
  • Bucs’ Wirfs To Miss Time In 2025: A sprained MCL proved to be a lingering issue for Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs. The All-Pro left tackle missed time during the spring while struggling to recover in full from the injury. As a result, arthroscopic surgery was deemed the best course of action, and Wirfs will miss the beginning of the regular season while rehabbing. Veteran Charlie Heck is in line to handle starting duties on the blindside as things stand, but regardless of who fills in Tampa’s offensive line will be notably shorthanded until Wirfs is back in the fold.

Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

July 11th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After authorizing the three biggest contracts in team history, the Jaguars moved through a disastrous season. The team’s 4-13 campaign led to Doug Pederson‘s ouster, as the former Super Bowl-winning HC’s fate became easy to predict as the season’s final weeks transpired. The team’s initial offseason plan, however, took on water as it became clear GM Trent Baalke‘s presence was interfering with the search to replace Pederson.

A course change midway through led the Jaguars to their eventual Liam Coen–James Gladstone pairing. This brings far less experience compared to Pederson-Baalke, but Jacksonville had seen its fortunes worsen as that pair’s third season ended. Coen will be asked to elevate Trevor Lawrence to justify the $55MM-per-year contract awarded last year, and the new regime’s defining move equipped the former No. 1 overall pick with one of the most unique weapons in NFL history.

Coaching/Front Office:

Before Travis Hunter became in play for the Jaguars, they needed to sort out their leadership positions. It took a bit. Pederson, though, received an early pink slip. He was the only coach fired on Black Monday this year, and although reports of uncertainty did emerge late in the season, it was not hard to see where the situation was heading. After a 9-8 2022 season that featured a Lawrence-led 27-point comeback win over the Chargers in the wild-card round, the Jags were 8-3 and sniffing the AFC’s No. 1 seed a year later. They finished Pederson’s tenure with five wins in their final 23 games.

Lawrence’s health, a non-issue until his third season, hurt the Jags in this span. But the former Clemson super-prospect has not developed as the team hoped. The Jags ranked 24th offensively last season, one that ended with Lawrence sidelined due to a concussion and a nonthrowing shoulder injury that required surgery.

Pederson’s first Jacksonville season brought a 10th-place offensive ranking, the best of his tenure, with the HC being the primary play-caller. The veteran coach, however, gave OC Press Taylor the call sheet before the 2023 season and kept outsiders in suspense about his play-calling plans for 2024. Shad Khan even voiced support for Pederson taking the reins back, but Pederson stuck with Taylor — a development that reminded of the HC’s Eagles undoing.

Pederson had aimed to have Taylor promoted to Eagles OC in 2021, but ownership was not onboard. This helped lead to a split. Pederson brought Taylor with him to Jacksonville and stuck with him as play-caller for the past two seasons, even as the walls tumbled down. Pederson firing Mike Caldwell as DC did not bring a 2024 boost, as the Jags regressed in both points and yards allowed (dropping to 27th and 31st in those categories, respectively) under Ryan Nielsen. Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell joined Lawrence in failing to justify their 2024 paydays.

While Pederson’s tenure did not reach the depths of Gus Bradley‘s or Doug Marrone‘s, Khan gave him less time by moving on after three years. That came months after the owner labeled the 2024 Jags as the most talented roster in team history. Khan attempted to have only Pederson take the fall, keeping Baalke on to help hire the next HC. Although Khan stopped short of guaranteeing Baalke would remain GM, coaching candidates certainly assumed that would be the case (even Pederson had been hesitant about the then-GM in 2022).

This created a disjointed search, as both Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson had reservations about Baalke. This contributed to Johnson choosing the Bears despite the coveted candidate’s reported Jags interest. The Jags then saw Coen decline a second interview, bowing out of their search and agreeing to a Buccaneers extension worth roughly $4.5MM per year on January 22nd. The Bucs’ extension offer was contingent on Coen not taking a second Jaguars meeting, but once he realized he held a strong chance at landing the Jags gig, another raise ask occurred. Bucs ownership declined it, however. This sequence proved to be an important stretch regarding the Jaguars’ big-picture direction.

Hours after Coen backed out on his second meeting, Khan fired Baalke. The owner did so despite claiming a full-on overhaul would be “suicide” for the franchise. Signaling the GM was the primary hang-up, Coen circled back and met with the Jags. This then involved Coen avoiding Bucs contact, telling Todd Bowles he was dealing with a personal matter, as a clandestine mission in north Florida commenced.

An agreement emerged Jan. 23. The one-and-done Tampa Bay OC certainly burned bridges on the way out of town — to the point the Bucs blocked two assistants from becoming Coen’s O-line coach — but he secured stunning power given his limited experience and history of leaving jobs quickly.

The Jaguars’ 2024 struggles prompted Khan to hand the keys to Coen. This came four years after the owner placed Urban Meyer atop the personnel pyramid. With Pederson not doing enough in between, the Jags are a coach-centric operation again.

Coen, 39, has not stayed in the same job since his first Rams stint in the late 2010s. Sean McVay hired Coen as assistant wide receivers coach in 2018 and moved him to assistant QBs coach in 2020. Coen then bounced from Kentucky to the Rams and back to Kentucky — all in OC roles — before yo-yoing back to the NFL with the Bucs, who gave the young coach his first NFL play-calling shot.

The 2022 Rams did not impress, but Coen coaxed a breakout Will Levis junior season (2021) and later helped Baker Mayfield build on his 2023 resurgence. Mayfield established career-high marks across the board last season, throwing 41 TD passes and completing 71.4% of his throws. This came as he reached a career-best 7.9 yards per attempt, checking enough boxes for Coen to follow Dave Canales in receiving a head coaching offer after one season as Bucs OC. Robert Saleh, who worked under Bradley in Jacksonville, was believed to be the team’s fallback option if Coen did not reconsider his stance.

Rumors over the past several years paint a grim picture of life during a Baalke GM stay. The 49ers keeping their GM over Jim Harbaugh in 2015 proved a mistake, as the team sunk to its lowest depth since the late 1970s, and the Jags’ 2022 HC search featured hiccups involving the GM. Khan firing Meyer increased Baalke’s organizational power ahead of a draft that brought a Travon Walker-over-Aidan Hutchinson pick. An early-season report last year also depicted friction between Baalke and Pederson, with Taylor’s status a point of contention.

Baalke following Tom Telesco off the GM tier this offseason means no second-chance GMs are currently employed, illustrating the high stakes these jobs carry. No team has hired Baalke or Pederson, and the Jags’ midwinter changeup brought in Gladstone, who is the NFL’s youngest GM (at 34).

Gladstone spent nine years in Los Angeles, rising from an assistant to the general manager position to director of scouting strategy. The Jags were Gladstone’s only GM connection, and it came after reported Coen preference Mike Greenberg, the Bucs’ assistant GM, declined an interview. Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham also checked in as an early frontrunner. Gladstone and Coen worked together for four nonconsecutive seasons in L.A., and the former had worked under Brad Holmes before he became the Lions’ GM.

The Rams have an established history of finding draft gems in the McVay era, and their 2023 and ’24 drafts — efforts that helped create a formidable pass rush as Aaron Donald exited — reflected well on their scouting strategy chief. Seeing Holmes do wonders in Detroit, the Jags will roll the dice on a young exec. He joins Coen and Boselli as part of a decision-making troika, but the HC is atop the pyramid.

Coen did not hire an experienced OC. Udinski rises from Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach to this post. Even though the Jags’ OC position is currently a non-play-calling gig, this represents quite the vault for a 29-year-old assistant. Udinski landed this job after candidate Nate Scheelhaase bowed out to stay with the Rams.

Like Gladstone, Udinski rose from the “assistant to the” level. This climb, however, occurred within a two-year span. Kevin O’Connell made Udinski his assistant QBs coach in 2023, and Sam Darnold‘s belated breakthrough garnered attention for the staff. Udinski becoming an OC before Vikes QBs coach Josh McCown is interesting, but O’Connell — Coen’s Rams boss in 2020 — has become one of the NFL’s most respected coaches. This represents the first major branch off his coaching tree.

Campanile, 42, has no history with Coen or Gladstone. He spent four years in Miami as linebackers coach, arriving under Brian Flores and being retained by both of Mike McDaniel‘s first two DCs. Campanile only interviewed for the Jags’ DC job this year but met with the Dolphins and Giants about their positions in 2024. The Jaguars are now on their fifth DC of the 2020s. Nielsen has now been a one-and-done DC in New Orleans, Atlanta and Jacksonville over the past three years, managing to pull this off without technically being fired. The 2022 Saints co-DC took the Falcons’ job in 2023 and was subsequently tied to two canned HCs.

Trades:

Among the extensive receiver turnover in Jacksonville, this move stands out. The team was prepared to release Kirk, who turned heads with his $18MM-per-year contract as a 2022 free agent, but collected a low-end return from a division rival. While dealing Kirk to the Texans may have signaled the new staff’s view of his abilities, this is more of a salary dump from a regime that had no ties to Lawrence’s previous top target.

Kirk is still just 28 and delivered two impressive seasons in Jacksonville. Proving the Baalke-Pederson regime right for a market-reshaping contract — via the wave of deals made after Kirk’s — the former Cardinals second-round pick helped elevate Lawrence with an 1,108-yard 2022 showing and was more productive on a per-game basis in 2023. The slot weapon averaged a career-high 57.6 yards per game in 2023 but went down with a core muscle injury early in Week 13. That setback coincided with the Jags’ swoon, as they were 8-3 in the games Kirk finished that season.

A broken collarbone shelved Kirk last season, denying teams — including the then-WR-fixated Steelers — a chance to make trade offers near the deadline. The Jags moved on from Kirk’s $15.5MM 2025 salary in the final year of the contract, saving $10.44MM as a result. Though, the Coen-Gladstone regime did OK a $13MM-plus dead money hit via this trade. The Jags have made two significant WR investments in the past two drafts, lessening the blow to Lawrence.

Free agency additions:

One of the league’s most versatile players, Mekari has seen at least 200 snaps at all five O-line positions. His work at guard in 2024, however, set a quality free agent market in March. The Ravens had slotted Mekari as a swing backup but needed him at left guard last season. Jacksonville will slide Mekari to right guard, as Ezra Cleveland is in place at LG. This contract represented a value vault for Mekari, who played out a three-year, $15.45MM deal.

ESPN’s pass block win rate metric ranked Mekari fifth among guards last season, marking an impressive showing given that the versatile blocker’s primary position was tackle from 2021-23. The Jags are not certain 2023 first-round pick Anton Harrison will remain their RT starter, so it is possible Mekari could be tapped to take over there. His projected 2025 spot will be RG, however.

A $7MM-per-year deal looks like a win for Hainsey, who joined Murray and Brown among the Jags’ curious contracts on Day 1 of free agency. The Buccaneers demoted Hainsey, Ryan Jensen‘s center replacement, for first-rounder Graham Barton last year. Hainsey started a game in his contract year but played only 95 offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus was down on the former third-rounder’s center work in 2023, ranking him 32nd at the position, but viewed him as a top-15 snapper in 2022. Even as Coen only stopped through during Hainsey’s second-string season, the one-year Bucs OC signed off on a top-10 center contract to bring him to Jacksonville.

After the slot cornerback market received updates to move it past eight figures per year for the first time, a few more inside contributors cashed in. Kenny Moore and Taron Johnson did the early damage in March 2024, and Michael Carter passed them months later. This year, Lewis helped set the table for Jalen Pitre and Kyler Gordon. Lewis’ situation reminds more of Moore and Johnson’s, as Carter, Pitre and Gordon are second-contract players. Entering his age-30 season, Lewis is on his fourth contract. The Jags looked into reuniting Coen and Carlton Davis, but that market reached $16MM per year. Lewis instead became the team’s CB addition.

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33 Unsigned 2025 Draft Picks Remain

July 9th, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Ely Allen

The NFL has hit a logjam and is collectively lagging far behind where it normally is at this point in the offseason. Two years ago, the league hit its last 30 unsigned players before July. Last year, teams were signing rookies as quickly as they were drafting them, and only 10 players remained unsigned by June 17. A couple intriguing situations have caused pens to go quiet in 2025, and as a result, here are the 33 remaining unsigned rookies of the 2025 NFL Draft:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 4:

  • No. 107 (Jaguars): Jack Kiser (LB, Notre Dame)

In recent years, a trend has seen second-rounders lasting the longest, but what we’re seeing this year is unheard of. As rookies have been getting a bit of flexibility in negotiating structures of guarantees, getting deals done has become a waiting game of seeing what surrounding picks are getting for comparison. Last year, teams breezed through the issue, but 2025 has seen significantly increased troubles.

Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins set the tone by signing a fully guaranteed rookie contract, the first ever for a second-round selection. The next day, the Browns were essentially forced to do the same for Carson Schwesinger, picked one slot before Higgins. Shough, the Saints rookie quarterback, is seeking the same deal, hoping that his elevated status as a passer will help convince New Orleans to continue making history. Shough’s efforts have caused every pick between him and Higgins to stand pat, waiting to see if they get to ask for full guarantees from their teams, as well. This would be a drastic development, as last year’s 40th overall pick, Cooper DeJean, received only two fully guaranteed years with only partial guarantees in Year 3.

The biggest story outside of the second round is that of the standoff between Stewart and the Bengals. Stewart has issues with what he perceives as a lack of protection in Cincinnati’s offer that causes a contract default in any year to void any guarantees in all the following years. It’s a new precedent the team is trying to set, and Stewart seems intent on preventing them from doing so.

It will be interesting to see which standoff gets settled first: Stewart’s or Shough’s. The latter standoff ending would likely set off a domino reaction of second-round deals that would help a large number of teams close out their rookie classes. To this point, only four NFL teams have done so.

Extension Candidate: Lamar Jackson

July 8th, 2025 at 10:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens return 19 of 22 starters from the team they fielded in Buffalo six months ago. This is mostly good luck, as the team avoided too many expiring contracts to impact players, but that luck shifts pretty hard in the other direction in 2025 with Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Tyler Linderbaum, Odafe Oweh, Travis Jones, Ar’Darius Washington, and many others heading into contract years.

All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton will be expecting a new deal sometime soon, as well. While the Ravens will surely be working towards extension offers for many of them, there’s one player they’ve already claimed is at the forefront of their priorities for an extension.

So many quarterbacks have gotten new deals in the last two years that Lamar Jackson‘s once-record-setting five-year, $260MM extension from 2023 feels like a distant memory. Thanks to recent new deals for Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, Brock Purdy, and Josh Allen, Jackson’s formerly league-leading $52MM annual average salary has sunk all the way down to 10th-highest in the NFL. Head coach John Harbaugh indicated at league meetings that Jackson could be back on top soon.

While it may seem counterintuitive to prioritize a Jackson extension when he still has three years remaining on his contract and the Ravens have so many players on contracts that expire sooner, getting Jackson on a new deal could serve a crucial role in helping to team to secure some of his talented teammates long-term. After this season, the final two years of Jackson’s contract have him sporting an untenable cap hit of $74.5MM. In order to help keep some of his teammates in Baltimore, Jackson and the Ravens could pursue an extension in the fashion of the man who beat him out for MVP last year.

Allen signed a six-year, $330MM extension in March despite the fact that his prior deal still had four years remaining. Instead of simply tacking on new years with more money to grant Allen his extension, the Bills essentially scrapped the terms of his original contract, giving their MVP a raise while keeping some flexibility in the team’s salary cap for years to come.

Allen and Buffalo may have paved the way for Jackson and many quarterbacks expecting raises in the future. The Ravens could create $15.8MM of cap space in 2025 with an extension, and scrapping the terms of the original deal could help significantly lower Jackson’s cap hit in 2026 and 2027, as well. The Ravens supposedly always planned to return to the negotiation table before reaching Jackson’s obscene cap hits, and the Bills may have provided them with the perfect solution.

One key point of difference could come in the cash and guarantee structures. Allen and the Bills chose an extremely straightforward method in which Allen’s cash receipts vary relatively little from year to year, ranging from $52.5MM to $58MM. In contrast, Jackson’s current contract saw him receive $80MM in Year 1 and $31.79MM in Year 2. In Allen’s deal, his full guarantees come from a modest signing bonus ($56.75MM), his first- and second-year base salaries, and $34.5MM of his third-year base salary. Jackson pushed hard for a fully guaranteed deal in 2023 but ended up settling for a signing bonus of $72.5MM, his first- and second-year base salaries, and some bonuses in Years 2 and 3.

It’s hard to know just how much the Ravens could follow in Buffalo’s footsteps with a Jackson deal or just how much Jackson is willing to follow in Allen’s. The team may love the structure, but Jackson may want more money up front, like with his last deal. Jackson may also see the value in spreading out his cash flow in order to ensure that the Ravens can continue to surround him with talented players.

The time is right for Baltimore to try to make something happen, before training camp and the preseason take Jackson away from the table. Regardless, they’ll need to get something done in the next nine months if they want to avoid getting stuck with one player taking up a projected 24.26 percent of the team’s salary cap space in 2026.

Checking In On Unresolved Edge Rusher Situations

July 8th, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

At the offseason’s outset, we projected the edge rusher market — which had not moved too much aside from Nick Bosa‘s contract since T.J. Watt‘s 2021 extension — would take center stage due to the volume of marquee players entering contract years. The fireworks have not disappointed.

The Raiders entered the fray despite having Maxx Crosby contracted for two more seasons, and their early play led the Browns to make the same move — one that took Myles Garrett off the trade block. Garrett’s $40MM-per-year number — which led to Ja’Marr Chase‘s asking price changing, as the title of “highest-paid non-quarterback” gains steam in the NFL — still leads the way at his position, but a glut of edge rushers are still deep in negotiations.

Although both Odafe Oweh and Kwity Paye are heading into their fifth-year option seasons, rumors of negotiations have not emerged involving the Ravens and Colts edge players. Those situations are worth monitoring, but front-burner matters involving All-Pro-caliber rushers — and one curious rookie case — have produced a wave of headlines this offseason. As training camps near, here is where everything stands:

Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

The messiest of these situations has brought a staredown. Although the Bengals have seen a few players (Tee Higgins, Jonah Williams, Germaine Pratt) request trades in recent years, they have not buckled. Hendrickson, though, levied accusations against the team at OTAs and is prepared to sit out regular-season games. This came after executive VP Katie Blackburn‘s comments taking issue with Hendrickson’s stance. Highlighted by the Carson Palmer standoff 14 years ago, the Bengals have not been known to cave. But the team seemingly went from being prepared to move on from Higgins to paying its No. 2 wideout after Joe Burrow‘s crusade. Burrow has stumped for Hendrickson as well.

Trade rumors here have died down, despite the Bengals giving Hendrickson’s camp permission to shop around. The Bengals rejected multiple offers, and teams viewed the Bengals’ asking price — believed to be at least a first-round pick — as unrealistic since an acquiring team would need to hand out a monster extension as well. Hendrickson made it clear early in the offseason he wanted either a Bengals extension or to be traded to a team that would authorize one; months have passed without either resolution, leading to frustration from a player who has anchored Cincinnati’s pass rush since signing in 2021.

Hendrickson, 30, went public after no talks commenced in the weeks following the draft and made it known he would extend his holdout into the regular season. The Bengals are likely betting the 2024 sack leader will cave rather than miss game checks, and they have not offered a $35MM-per-year deal — which would surpass Bosa and land in the range Crosby set — to their top defender.

The Bengals also have a long-held precedent of not guaranteeing salary beyond Year 1, joining the Packers and Steelers in that approach. Though, Cincy bent for Chase and Burrow. The team is aiming to give Hendrickson another one-year deal, after extending him (one year, $21MM) in 2023; the ninth-year vet wants a true extension, even if he is not expecting to match Garrett’s Browns terms.

Cincinnati paid Geno Atkins at 30 and Carlos Dunlap at 29 in 2018, authorizing third contracts for both. Hendrickson will be 31 by season’s end, adding urgency to his situation. The team saw its defense regress in 2024, denying an MVP-caliber Burrow season and Chase’s triple-crown showing from producing a playoff berth. Hendrickson has leverage of denying his services to prop up a defense that needs to improve to better the Bengals’ chances at making the playoffs for the first time since 2022. But the sides are not close to an agreement.

Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

Hendrickson’s price may well change if other rushers land deals that move the bar; Hutchinson is a player to monitor here. The Lions acted early with Penei Sewell, giving the All-Pro right tackle a deal that topped both tackle markets in April 2024. Sewell still resides as the NFL’s highest-paid RT. Hutchinson enters his fourth training camp in position to top the EDGE market, as he is going into an age-25 season. He is also now fully cleared from the broken leg that ended his 2024 season early.

The Lions made it known they were preparing to extend Hutchinson, and fifth-year GM Brad Holmes acknowledged the price could change as other extensions are completed at the position around the league. Hutchinson’s second contract will almost definitely come in north of $40MM per year, as he is nearly five years younger than Garrett. The Lions lacking a proven presence opposite the former No. 2 overall pick also increases his leverage, and the sides are expected to accelerate talks now that a full recovery has taken place.

Detroit striking first here likely would provide a discount. The NFL’s 2023 pressures leader, Hutchinson showing All-Pro-level form again would up his price come 2026. Even with the team having Hutchinson signed through 2026 via the fifth-year option, waiting until the option year could lead to a notably higher price if/once Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt receive their big-ticket extensions before Week 1.

Micah Parsons, Cowboys

Considering how the Cowboys played it with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, this situation has generated headlines since Parsons became extension-eligible in January 2024. Parsons, 26, is a three-time All-Pro who is the top player on a team. Trade rumors emerged in 2024, but they fizzled fairly early. Even as the Cowboys paid Prescott and Lamb on top-market deals, with the QB breaking new ground by reaching $60MM AAV, Parsons has long been expected to receive an extension. Once again, however, the Cowboys are dragging their feet. This routine has even surprised Parsons, who said the Cowboys waiting once again will lead his price to rise.

Parsons said during the Cowboys’ 2024 offseason program he was fine waiting until his contract year to sign a new deal, and he expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender. Although the Penn State-developed dynamo missed time due to injury in 2024, nothing has really changed regarding that ask. Parsons floated out what appeared to be a $50MM-per-year ask by the spring. It is unlikely the Cowboys will go there, but the fifth-year rusher admitted his price has already risen based on the Crosby and Garrett deals. Parsons’ age and early-career performance work in his favor, and he just saw his top two teammates lead the Cowboys to breaking on their usual term-length aim.

Both Prescott and Lamb secured four-year extensions, being the rare high-profile Cowboys to land deals shorter than five years. Term length is an issue for Dallas with Parsons, but five- and six-year deals are largely avoided now. Only one free agent (Will Fries) agreed to even a five-year deal this year; the cap’s record growth has led players to prefer shorter-term pacts to cash in again sooner. Rumblings of Parsons and Jerry Jones being in step on price emerged, but no reports of a true agreement have come out.

Parsons is still holding out hope for an extension to be done by training camp, even as Cowboys delays have been much discussed, and it represented a good sign he attended the team’s offseason program and participated at points. A hold-in still should be considered likely until a deal is done.

Shemar Stewart, Bengals

The Bengals have managed to pay both Chase and Higgins while still seeing many question their commitment. The team has attempted to distance itself from a frugal reputation; its handling of the Hendrickson and Stewart situations has made that difficult.

While Hendrickson is amid a classic holdout, Stewart is at odds with his new team over minor contract language. He and Broncos safety Jahdae Barron are the only unsigned first-rounders. Barron signed a waiver that allowed him to participate in Denver’s offseason program; Stewart and the Bengals could not accomplish that. This created a situation in which the Bengals’ top two D-ends were not on the field for offseason work.

Language included in the Bengals’ rookie waiver did not sit well with Stewart, who left minicamp early after voicing confusion about the team’s overall goal. The Bengals want to include a clause in Stewart’s contract “that causes a default in the current year to trigger a default in all remaining years.” Stewart also expressed an issue with bonus payments, as his contract would not match the bonus schedule of 2023 and ’24 Cincy first-rounders Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims. Stewart’s agent wants to negotiate this or potentially secure his client a concession rather than the Bengals making an all-or-nothing crusade on this minor matter.

Regardless of how the sides got here, this is not a good place to start — especially given the Hendrickson situation and the team’s poor 2024 defensive showing. Stewart will be attached to a fully guaranteed $18.96MM rookie deal. Offset language has played a role in some of the few holdouts in the rookie-scale era, but the 2011 CBA largely did away with rookie standoffs. The Bengals’ past shows they are unlikely to budge here, putting the onus on Stewart to accept the team’s terms. But this relationship has endured a seemingly unnecessary early hiccup.

T.J. Watt, Steelers

Watt separated from Parsons’ track by skipping minicamp. This also diverges from the All-Pro’s 2021 course, when he staged a hold-in at minicamp and training camp. More material on Watt’s negotiations has come out this time around; the prospect of a training camp holdout — a practice largely curbed by the 2020 CBA — looms. Watt, 30, is aiming to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender. His resume warrants a commitment on this level, but as of this week, no deal is close. Guarantees are an issue this time around.

The Steelers ended Watt’s hold-in days before the 2021 season, reaching a then-market-setting extension (four years, $112MM). More importantly, Pittsburgh gave Watt $80MM fully guaranteed. This broke the team’s non-QB precedent of not providing guaranteed salary beyond Year 1. With Garrett securing $40MM ahead of his age-30 season, Watt (31 in October) naturally wants what his 2017 draft classmate received. Watt can use the threat of not playing — the Steelers are 1-10 in games he has missed — against a team hellbent on changing its recent one-and-done playoff pattern, having signed Aaron Rodgers and traded for D.K. Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, and Jonnu Smith.

With this situation still unresolved when the team made the trades with the Dolphins, buzz about teams looking into Watt circulated. The team is undeterred. Moving Watt would seemingly be a nonstarter for the Steelers, as it would make little sense to add the cast of veterans they have only to deal away their best player. Even if the Steelers could use a second first-round pick as ammo to trade up for a 2026 QB prospect — after Rodgers’ expected retirement — trading Watt now would severely wound the 2025 team’s chances.

It will be interesting to see if Watt holds out, as the Steelers famously do not negotiate in-season. That separates these talks from the other three veterans’ negotiations. A resolution will happen by Week 1, and it is still expected Pittsburgh will pay up. As it stands, though, the sides are apart on both guarantees and term length. A 2026 franchise tag would become necessary in the event no agreement is reached, but with the team not having negotiated in-season since 1993, a Watt threat to miss regular-season games — no such threat has come out yet — would carry more weight. Both parties want an extension done by camp, but hurdles remain.

Release Candidate: David Ojabo

July 8th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

David Ojabo entered the NFL with high expectations despite the Achilles tear he suffered shortly before being drafted. The Ravens edge rusher has not developed as hoped, however, and his ability to retain a roster spot this summer will be worth watching.

During Michigan’s Pro Day, Ojabo suffered his torn Achilles. That injury hurt his draft stock, but Baltimore selected him in the second round in 2022. His recovery process resulted in just three combined regular and postseason contests as a rookie, a span which included only one sack. Hopes were high from team and player for a step forward in Year 2, but a knee/ankle injury shut Ojabo down after three games.

This past season saw the 25-year-old appear in 13 games as he managed a much healthier campaign than his first two. Ojabo only handled a 33% snap share, however, and that rotational role resulted in limited production. Two sacks and nine pressures were a reflection of his workload but also an inability to move up the depth chart (which was led by Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh). With one year remaining on his rookie contract, this summer will be critical for Ojabo.

As The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes (subscription required), Van Noy and Oweh remain in position as starters for 2025. Baltimore’s pass rush group also includes returnees Tavius Robinson and Adisa Isaac, along with second-round rookie Mike Green. Those five can be considered roster locks, whereas Ojabo enters training camp on the bubble. Per Zrebiec, Ojabo could “very easily” find himself on a new team in 2025.

As things stand, Ojabo is set to carry a cap charge of $2.52MM for the final year of his pact. Cutting or trading him would create $1.78MM in savings while generating a dead money charge of only $733K. It would come as a surprise to see a notable trade market in this case, given Ojabo’s missed time and limited production when on the field. In the event he were to be waived, though, teams looking for a depth addition with upside based on age could show interest in a modest deal following roster cuts.

Van Noy is entering the final season of his pact while Oweh is slated to play on his fifth-year option as things stand. Keeping one or both in the fold beyond 2025 would be an understandable goal for the Ravens after each member of that tandem produced double-digit sacks last season. Robinson, Isaac and Green will each be on their rookie deals for at least two more years, so they can be expected to remain in place for that time. Ojabo, on the other hand, could find himself on the move in the near future.

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