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Offseason In Review: Arizona Cardinals

August 31st, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

2024 marked a year for improvements in Arizona. In the second year of the Jonathan Gannon–Monti Ossenfort regime, the head coach and general manager duo took a team that had finished last in the NFC West for two straight years and had given up the second-most points and most rushing yards on defense in 2023 and improved in every one of those facets. Seeing that the new leadership was having a positive effect and knowing that quarterback Kyler Murray is now well over two years removed from his late-2022 ACL injury, the Cardinals came into this offseason with a new plan.

With a 2024 salary cap carryover of $11.38MM and another cap increase by the league, Arizona entered the offseason with $71.33MM in cap space — good for the fourth-highest amount in the NFL — and a plan to utilize it. With the small caveat of having to shoulder Murray’s $43.33MM-cap hit — good for the fifth-highest such figure in the NFL — the Cardinals came out of 2024 looking to improve the roster with tons of new contracts for players both foreign (to the team) and domestic.

Extensions and restructures:

Early this offseason, the Cardinals expressed hope to sign their star tight end to an extension as soon as he became eligible. They got it done just two months after that report, making McBride the highest-paid tight end in NFL history (for a little less than four weeks, until George Kittle moved the market just past him).

McBride, 25, has proven to be more than worth the $19MM-per-year price tag after finishing just one catch (111) and 48 yards (1,146) short of matching the totals of the league’s leading tight end in both stats. The TE market remains south of the $20MM-per-year place, even as WR salaries are now past $40MM AAV, but McBride set the table for such a breakthrough after his strong third season.

Although frustrating fantasy GMs by catching only two touchdown passes last season, McBride has established himself as the most prolific receiving tight end in the Cardinals’ Arizona-years history. McBride’s past two seasons rank first and second for Cards TEs in single-season yardage since the team relocated to the desert in 1988. This contract ensures the Colorado State product will team with Marvin Harrison Jr. as the Cardinals’ top pass-catching weapons for the foreseeable future.

Part of McBride’s full guarantee comes via a $16.5MM signing bonus. The former second-round pick secured a fully guaranteed 2026 base salary, and the Cardinals used $7.5MM in option bonuses — in lieu of void years — to help keep his cap hits low. McBride will not be tied to a cap number higher than $9MM until 2027. McBride’s $1.88MM 2026 option bonus is guaranteed, while $3MM of his 2027 base salary locks in on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. Per Spotrac, the other $7.53MM of McBride’s 2027 base salary shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year.

Free agency additions:

The area in which the Cards were most prepared to spend was in free agency, and the main focus was on a defense that, despite showing improvement in 2024, still had a long way to go in order to be considered an impressive unit. A defensive line last year that most often was comprised of L.J. Collier, Dante Stills, Roy Lopez, and Naquan Jones has been transformed into a unit led by a familiar face in Campbell, with Tomlinson, Sweat, and last year’s first-round pick, Darius Robinson, filling out the rest of the line.

Campbell spent the first nine years of his career in Glendale, and when he tested the free agency waters for the first time at 30 years old, he was a hot commodity. To Arizona’s credit, the team tried to retain the star lineman on a $9MM-per-year hometown discount back in 2017, and the Denver native even received a $13MM-per-year offer from his actual hometown Broncos team. Ultimately, he landed in Jacksonville — which promptly became known affectionately as “Sacksonville,” due in part to his presence — and gave the Jaguars three of the best years of his career.

Campbell was traded in 2020 to the Ravens, where he put forth three more decent campaigns, but injuries began to nag a bit when his time in Baltimore ended at 36 years old. Not one to bow to Father Time, though, Campbell played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons — 2023 with the Falcons, 2024 with the Dolphins — before heading back to the team that drafted him. The Cardinals, in fact, had attempted to reacquire him in the middle of the 2024 season.

Set to turn 39 Monday, Campbell has not posted double-digit sacks since his second year in Jacksonville. But he routinely grades as one of the strongest defensive linemen in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and his leadership and community work are often considered second to none. Recent rumblings have revealed Campbell’s return to Arizona may include a swan song performance as he anticipates retiring after his 18th NFL season.

Joining Campbell on the line are top signees Sweat and Tomlinson. Sweat arrives in Arizona after seven years in Philadelphia, where he had established himself as a full-time starter after earning a three-year, $40MM extension and collected 43 sacks in his final six years with the team after going sackless as a rookie.

It became clear the Eagles were not going to be able to retain Sweat following their Super Bowl-winning campaign, and the 28-year-old switched his representation up in preparation to land a deal like the one he got with the Cardinals. PFR’s No. 2 overall free agent, Sweat dominated in Super Bowl LIX — with 2.5 sacks and a crucial second-quarter pressure that forced a Patrick Mahomes interception — to cement himself as a top-tier free agent. This will bring a reunion with Gannon, Sweat’s DC from 2021-22.

Tomlinson, on the other hand, found himself a surprise free agent after the Browns made him a cap casualty in the aftermath of making Myles Garrett the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL (at the time). Tomlinson, 31, had been midway through his third NFL contract after playing out his rookie deal with the Giants and spending two years in Minnesota. Per PFF, his first season in Cleveland was a down year for the veteran, but he recovered quite well in 2024.

Before becoming a Brown, though, Tomlinson routinely graded out as a top-25 interior defensive lineman in the NFL. The new one-two of Campbell and Tomlinson in the middle with Sweat and Robinson on the ends should make for a formidable new-look unit.

The team’s linebacking corps also got some renovations. Deciding to move on from the Kyzir White experience, the Cardinals added a budding Davis-Gaither to the group. Davis-Gaither spent the first four years of his career as a rotational player with the Bengals, starting only four games in 54 appearances. More was asked of Davis-Gaither at the end of last season, though, when an injury to Logan Wilson forced him into the starting lineup for the final six games. The team’s current depth charts indicate that Davis-Gaither may retain a starting role in his first year with the Cardinals.

The team made relatively very few moves on offense when looking at external free agents, deciding instead to focus their efforts on bodies in the building already, as we’ll visit in later sections. One spot in which the team figured it could make a significant improvement was at backup quarterback.

When Murray suffered his ACL injury two years ago, the two backup quarterbacks, Joshua Dobbs and Clayton Tune, went a combined 1-8 to open the 2023 season. Luckily for Arizona, Murray started every game last season, but it seems the Cardinals still felt a need to find a more experienced, successful option than the former fifth-round pick out of Houston.

Brissett seems to be the latest entry into the journeyman emergency starter archetype. Like those who came before him — Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh McCown, Vinny Testaverde — he comes to town with multiple years of experience as a full-time starter and double-digit starts for the Browns and/or Jets.

While it is true that Brissett has never finished a season with more starts won than lost, the 32-year-old is a composed professional that rarely throws the ball to the other team. When your star quarterback is out for any reason, being able to minimize mistakes becomes a crucial part of winning games. Regardless, Arizona will hope it doesn’t see much of its new $6.25MM-per-year asset.

One area on the defense the team failed to improve through free agency was at cornerback. While Garrett Williams earned much acclaim for his performance in the slot, the outside group of corners was pretty average. A season-ending knee injury in May for returning starter Sean Murphy-Bunting put a scare into the team, then a torn ACL for the other returning starter, Starling Thomas, exacerbated concerns (more on that below) at the position even more three weeks ago.

Very early in the offseason, the Cardinals kicked the tires on former Chargers starting cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who’s coming off an injury of his own. No contract emerged from the visit, but Samuel remains unsigned to this day. At the moment, though, it appears Arizona will be content with the help it obtained at the position through the draft.

Re-signings:

When Ossenfort and Co. looked at the free agent market, they saw a lot of players they liked who wore the same logo they did. The front office then got busy re-signing several key players from last year’s team.

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Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

August 30th, 2025 at 10:40pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

In 2024, the Buccaneers won their fourth straight NFC South title – a feat dimmed by the division’s struggles in recent years – but lost in the wild-card round. The team again opted for continuity this offseason, extending general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles. The Bucs also rewarded quarterback Baker Mayfield with more guaranteed money after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. 

Licht retained key talent – including star wide receiver Chris Godwin on a hometown discount – and stocked up on premium positions in the draft. With succession plans in place for the starters who departed in free agency, the team’s biggest loss this offseason was not a player, but a coach: offensive coordinator Liam Coen. He left Tampa to take the head coaching job in Jacksonville after a back-and-forth saga that may have frustrated the team’s decision-makers. Can replacement Josh Grizzard — the Bucs’ fourth play-caller in four years — keep the the offense in high gear as a pursuit of a fifth straight division title begins? 

Extensions and restructures:

The Buccaneers made multiple moves with Mayfield’s contract this offseason, starting with a traditional restructure in April. The team converted $18MM of Mayfield’s $30MM salary to a signing bonus that reduced his cap hit by $14.4MM and added $3.6MM to the four remaining years of the deal. 

A few months later, Licht expressed a desire to keep Mayfield past the end of his contract in 2026, but no extension materialized. Instead, Tampa Bay converted $30MM of his 2026 salary into two roster bonuses.

The first, worth a fully guaranteed $13MM, is due in 2026 but will prorate across the team’s salary cap starting in 2025. That decreased Mayfield’s cap hit by $10.4MM in 2026 with $2.6MM added to 2025 and each of the three void years after 2026 (via OverTheCap). The second roster bonus is worth $17MM and guarantees in early 2026, per Pewter Report’s Joshua Quiepo. 

As a result of these moves, Mayfield’s 2025 cap hit decreased by $11.8MM (to $26.48MM) and his 2026 cap hit decreased by $6.8MM (to $38.98MM). The Bucs also pushed $18.6MM into void years that increased the dead money scheduled to hit the team’s 2027 salary cap to $30.15MM. For a Bucs team that needed to swim in the shallow end of the QB pool in 2023 — thanks to the Tom Brady $35MM retirement bill brought on by void years — a clear incentive exists to extend Mayfield before that point. 

Tampa Bay isn’t necessarily tied to Mayfield in 2026 by these contract restructures, but the tweaks indicate the team is planning for him to start for at least two more years. The release of 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask and the Bucs’ subsequent signing of once-retired Teddy Bridgewater as their new backup were additional signals that Mayfield would keep his job through 2026.

Mayfield, meanwhile, received $30MM in new guarantees along with an improved cashflow, both well-deserved rewards for an elite 2024. He originally signed with the Buccaneers in 2023 on a $4MM “prove it” deal and blew expectations out of the water with his first 4,000-yard season. That earned him his current three-year, $100MM contract — agreed to a day before the 2024 legal tampering period — that seemed like a good value at the time and aged well for the Bucs after just one year. Mayfield has seen Sam Darnold and Geno Smith eclipse his middle-class QB terms, and the Bucs appear prepared to enter into extension talks before his deal expires. 

Among all quarterbacks in 2024, Mayfield ranked third in passing yards (4,500), second in passing touchdowns (41), and fourth in passer rating (106.8), all career-best marks. He did also throw a league-high 16 interceptions, but that didn’t stop him from earning the first MVP votes of his career. With his contract up after 2026, a similar performance this season will put the 30-year-old passer in a strong negotiating position next offseason.

Free agency additions:

The Buccaneers’ only major free agency addition was a dice roll on Haason Reddick with the hopes that he can recapture his pre-Jets form. Reddick’s holdout limited him to 10 disappointing games in 2024, with only one sack, but he reached double-digit sacks in each of his previous four seasons. 

That production came with three different teams, so there’s hope that Reddick can quickly acclimate to Tampa Bay’s defense and consistently impact opposing quarterbacks. However, his 7.6% pass rush win rate in 2024 was almost half his 14.0% win rate in 2023, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). 

Still, Reddick could be worth the risk with the rest of Tampa Bay’s pass rushers returning in 2025 including ascending talents YaYa Diaby and Calijah Kancey, both of whom contributed 7.5 sacks last season. Diaby’s official contributions – which also included 11 tackles for loss – somewhat underrepresent his pass-rushing performance; he was credited with 70 pressures (via PFF), tied with Micah Parsons and Greg Rousseau for seventh-most among edge rushers last year. Kancey, meanwhile, took a clear step forward from his four-sack rookie year and will look to pair with the always-imposing Vita Vea as an disruptive pair of defensive linemen. 

This season will determine if Reddick can return to the upper echelon of EDGE earners, as last year’s failed holdout proved costly. As the position’s market exploded via the Parsons, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt deals, Reddick was not in a realistic position to command more than what he did.

Despite Reddick powering an Eagles pursuit at the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record in 2022, Philadelphia chose Josh Sweat over him to build around in 2024. Amid constant ownership intervention, then-Jets GM Joe Douglas balked at a post-trade extension largely due to Reddick’s age. Set to turn 31 in September, the former first-round pick faces a crucial year regarding his future value. In addition to Watt’s megadeal, Danielle Hunter scored another big guarantee at 31. Reddick will attempt to cash in again on the back of a strong Bucs season, potentially joining fellow accomplished (and disgruntled) 30-something Trey Hendrickson on the 2026 market.

The only other starter signed in free agency was veteran punter Riley Dixon. The Buccaneers cycled through three punters in 2024, none of whom cleared 40 net yards per punt, so they opted for reliability in the 32-year-old Dixon. The 10th-year veteran’s fully guaranteed $3MM deal quickly looked like an excellent value after the positional market eclipsed $4MM later in the offseason. He will look to add some consistency to Tampa Bay’s special teams operations this year.

Bridgewater has replaced Trask as Mayfield’s backup. This will be the Miami native-turned-high school coach’s eighth NFL team. The former Vikings first-rounder unretired last year to rejoin the Lions, replacing Hendon Hooker as Detroit’s QB2 late in the season. Bridgewater should probably be considered an upgrade on Trask, even if he is a year-to-year proposition at this point. Mayfield has proven durable in Tampa, making every start since his 2023 signing, but he has run into injury trouble in the past.

Bridgewater, 32, has made 65 career starts. Although Trask competed with Mayfield for the Bucs’ 2023 starting job, the team asking Bridgewater to come in late in the offseason reflects a lack of faith in the former second-round pick.

Re-signings:

Godwin started the 2024 season on pace for a career year before a dislocated ankle in Week 7 forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. At the time of the injury, Godwin’s 576 yards ranked second in the NFL. Despite an uncertain return timeline, he was expected to draw heavy interest in free agency, even with several other well-regarded veterans hitting the market. A February agreement to delay the void date on Godwin’s contract was an early sign that he would stay in Tampa Bay, but the Patriots and the Steelers — among other teams — tried to change his mind. 

New England came in with a $30MM-AAV offer that would have made Godwin the sixth-highest-paid receiver in the league. Pittsburgh also expressed interest before pivoting to D.K. Metcalf. But Godwin declined to chase the biggest check and agreed to a three-year, $66MM extension hours before the legal tampering window opened on March 10.

The decision was a clear act of loyalty by the longtime Buccaneer, who began his NFL career in Tampa as a third-round pick in 2017. He was franchise-tagged twice at the end of his rookie deal and reached a $20MM-AAV extension off the second tag in 2022. His new deal is an increase of just $2MM per year, lagging well behind cap inflation and the receiver market as a whole. After all of the offseason dust settled, Godwin’s $22MM average salary only ranked 21st among all wideouts. Though, his $44MM in fully guaranteed money is a top-10 figure. 

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2025 NFL Trades

August 28th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. While the Cowboys and Steelers’ George Pickens swap showed moves can be made at other points on the NFL calendar, early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. On that note, it is a good time to check in on what has transpired on the trade market between windows two and three.

Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2025:

March 1

49ers chose running back Jordan James at 147

March 4

Rams traded pick to Vikings, moving up to No. 172 for linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

March 5

March 6

March 7

Seahawks chose quarterback Jalen Milroe at 92

March 9

Seahawks used No. 52 to trade up (via the Titans) 17 spots for safety Nick Emmanwori, drafted running back Damien Martinez at 223; Steelers selected quarterback Will Howard at 185

March 10

Texans added wide receiver Jaylin Noel at 79, sent 236 to Jaguars in Day 2 trade; Commanders chose wideout Jaylin Lane at No. 128 

Eagles used No. 164 to climb one spot (via Chiefs) in first round for linebacker Jihaad Campbell

March 11

March 12

Bills took Ohio State cornerback Jordan Hancock at 170; Cowboys chose guard Ajani Cornelius at No. 204

Titans drafted running back Kalel Mullings at No. 188; Cowboys chose running back Phil Mafah at 239

March 13

March 15

Vikings packaged No. 187 in trade-down move (via Texans); 49ers drafted safety Marques Sigle at 160

April 3

Patriots traded down from No. 171 (via Lions) to draft kicker Andres Borregales; Cowboys chose defensive tackle Jay Toia at 217

April 26

Seahawks selected defensive lineman Rylie Mills at No. 142; Vikings traded No. 172 to Rams

May 7

June 2

Pick could upgrade to fourth-rounder if performance-based conditions are met

June 30

July 1

August 4

August 17

August 20

August 22

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

September 8

2026 fifth-round pick (from Bryce Huff trade) could upgrade to fourth-rounder, which would be sent to Jacksonville if 49ers DE meets those conditions

September 14

September 23

September 29

October 7

October 8

October 27

October 28

October 29

Offseason In Review: Denver Broncos

August 23rd, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hovering near the bottom of most power rankings entering last season, the Broncos overcame a record-setting Russell Wilson dead money anchor to make a surprising playoff berth. Viewed as a reach by many, Bo Nix played the lead role in the Broncos snapping an eight-year postseason drought. Nix’s strong finish to his rookie year also provided a ray of hope Denver has finally solved a quarterback issue that had lingered since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.

The Broncos did benefit from drawing the NFC South last season, sweeping the division en route to a 10-7 record. Denver went 2-7 against teams with winning records, and while the team’s showing in Kansas City pointed to the eventual AFC champions having a tough assignment in Week 18 even had they played starters, Sean Payton‘s third Broncos squad has questions to answer about navigating over-.500 opposition. But addressing deficiencies in free agency and the draft have moved the Broncos into a better place roster-wise, creating considerable optimism compared to where they stood entering the past two seasons.

Extensions and restructures:

The Broncos did well to pay Sutton before the 2022 wide receiver market transformation, locking down one of their key pass catchers on a four-year extension worth $60MM in November 2021. Sutton did not approach 1,000 yards in 2021 or ’22, but Denver’s offensive struggles as a whole dragged down its receivers in those years. Jerry Jeudy did not make a step forward in Payton’s offense in 2023, but Sutton reestablished himself as the team’s top target by hauling in 10 touchdown receptions — a few of which of the acrobatic variety — to help Wilson (to a degree, at least) bounce back from a career-reshaping 2022. This came during an endless run of Sutton trade rumors, buzz that did not stop until after the 2024 deadline.

Denver discussed Sutton in 2022 deals and dangled him during the ensuing offseason, with Baltimore talks nearly producing a March 2023 swap. Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Ravens interest may have changed the Broncos’ WR plans, as the AFC North team backed off Sutton. The Broncos had sought a second-round pick for the 2018 second-rounder and a first for Jeudy, but they ended up selling low on Jeudy (fifth- and sixth-rounders) in March 2024. The Broncos stuck with Sutton and prioritized him to the point they declined a third-round offer from the 49ers, who would have added Sutton as part of a three-team Brandon Aiyuk trade with the Steelers in August 2024.

The Beckham and Aiyuk what-ifs behind him by Week 1 of last season, Sutton posted his second 1,000-yard year to help Nix to the second-most rookie-year TD passes (29) in NFL history. The 6-foot-4 WR had sought a true raise from the Broncos during the 2024 offseason, but only an incentive package emerged.

With 1,081 receiving yards and the Broncos improving on their 2023 offensive standing, Sutton maxed out that $1.5MM package. After the Broncos had informed him 2025 would be his true negotiating window, his camp informed the team the wideout would not play out a contract year on the $15MM-per-year deal. That set the stage for another round of Sutton rumors.

Although an offseason report listed Allen and Nik Bonitto as higher extension priorities, Sutton did not need to wait much longer. The Broncos locked down their No. 1 target at a team-friendly rate but one, illustrating how far the WR market has climbed since Sutton was last extended, that provided a considerable raise. At $23MM per year, Sutton’s AAV matches Calvin Ridley‘s for 18th among wideouts. Ridley, who used free agency to his advantage, received more fully guaranteed ($46MM); still, Sutton’s $40MM there ranks 14th at the position.

Sutton, 29, admitted he left a bit on the table to help the Broncos extend teammates. It is unlikely he left too much, but the Broncos had a complex task in completing a fair deal with a player 2-for-7 in 1,000-yard seasons — with QB play largely contributing on that end. Sutton also observed the Broncos pass on adding a No. 1-type wideout this offseason, strengthening his leverage. But a compromise figures to benefit the Broncos, who only guaranteed $1MM of Sutton’s money beyond 2026. It would cost the Broncos $15.85MM (due to two void years) to escape the contract in 2027; that number drops to $9.78MM in 2028 — which would be Sutton’s age-32 season.

Shortly after that long-rumored deal was finalized, the Broncos paid one of their three first-time All-Pros from 2024. Allen had proven a value on a three-year, $45.75MM deal, going from J.J. Watt sidekick to interior disruption force as a D-line’s anchor. The career-long Vance Joseph pupil led the NFL with 40 QB hits last season; that ranked second among all 2020s performances and eighth over the past 10 years. Basically, that list is Aaron Donald, the Watts and Allen’s 2024.

Allen’s extension path was not nearly as complicated as Sutton’s. The Broncos paid their top D-lineman in his contract year, tabling talks until after the draft. Thanks to Allen’s dominant 2024, the process ended with the seventh-year veteran becoming the NFL’s third-highest-paid interior D-lineman. Only Chris Jones and Milton Williams (who used free agency to land a monster Patriots deal) sit higher than the late-blooming Bronco.

In addition to his $44.5MM guaranteed at signing, Allen will see $15.75MM of his 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2026. This contract structure reminds of Mike McGlinchey‘s, which provided the right tackle a Year 3 guarantee that vested early in Year 2. The deal effectively locks Allen in through at least his age-30 season, and this partnership will probably extend beyond Sutton’s due to age.

Since June 2024, the Broncos have extended six starters (Sutton, Allen, Quinn Meinerz, Patrick Surtain, Jonathon Cooper, Garett Bolles) on deals worth at least $13.5MM per year. Backloading the deals via void years has helped the franchise, which cannot reap the usual benefits of a rookie-QB contract thanks to part two of Wilson’s dead money apocalypse still coming in at $32MM.

Wilson’s money comes off the books next year, but the relief will be short-lived. Although a Nix extension stands to be backloaded as well, a deal will be likely to commence in 2027. Having plenty of players worthy of extensions is a good problem, though this spree of upper-crust contracts will create challenges down the road. The past year also represents quite the comeback tour for GM George Paton, who evaded firing rumors after his Wilson contract and Nathaniel Hackett hire to form an effective duo with Payton.

Free agency additions:

Denver’s 2024 improvement aside, it came without much at linebacker and without any reliable skill-position talents outside of Sutton. While Nix’s strong second half occurring with limited weaponry naturally creates Year 2 optimism, the Broncos needed to aggressively target upgrades to help their QB. One came in free agency, while two more ex-49er staples — to join D.J. Jones and Mike McGlinchey — preceded the Engram signing.

Hufanga and Greenlaw brought difficulty when compiling this year’s PFR Top 50; injury issues clouded both ex-San Francisco stalwarts’ markets. Hufanga (No. 30 in our annual value-based rankings) received more interest; Greenlaw (No. 40) still commanded plenty despite missing almost all of last season with the Achilles tear that may or may not have swung Super Bowl LVIII.

The 49ers did well to lock down Greenlaw on a team-friendly deal in 2022, giving the longtime Fred Warner sidekick a two-year extension worth just $16.4MM. Greenlaw outplayed that contract, but his seminal Achilles tear sustained trotting onto the field in Super Bowl LVIII re-routed his career. The all-around LB talent played just 34 snaps last season, running into Achilles soreness shortly after being activated from the reserve/PUP list in Week 15. The Broncos are betting on upside, but Greenlaw’s injury-plagued 2024 — which came three years after groin surgery sidelined him for 13 2021 games — influenced a lighter commitment.

Although the 49ers made an 11th-hour push to flip Greenlaw’s Broncos commitment during the legal tampering period, the seventh-year LB did not waver even after San Francisco upped its offer beyond where Denver went. It is not clear if that means a bigger overall package or a higher guarantee. It is safe to assume the Broncos’ $11.5MM at signing compared closely to the 49ers’ last-ditch pitch. The Greenlaw contract contains a $2MM salary guarantee on Day 5 of the 2026 league year; nothing else is locked in beyond 2025, giving the Broncos an early out.

Not featuring much in the way of reliable linebacking play since the Super Bowl 50 Danny Trevathan–Brandon Marshall combo, the Broncos will hope they do not have to consider escaping that 2026 Greenlaw guarantee next March. Greenlaw, 28, would fill the key need on Denver’s defense; he graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 overall off-ball LB in 2022 and 23rd in 2023 (247 combined tackles, eight TFLs).

A plus coverage ‘backer, Greenlaw has already missed offseason and training camp time. Considering Alex Singleton is 31 and coming off an ACL tear, the Broncos’ ILB situation brings risk. That is about the only worrying area on a strengthened defense, however.

The Broncos fended off a late Jets push for Hufanga, who will replace P.J. Locke alongside 2024 FA addition Brandon Jones. Had Hufanga stayed healthy in 2023 and ’24, his market probably would have topped Tre’von Moehrig‘s $17MM-per-year deal in March. But Hufanga, 26, suffered a November 2023 ACL tear — the Broncos cornered the market on 49ers defenders absent during Patrick Mahomes‘ late-game surge in Super Bowl LVIII — and missed much of last season due to a concussion and a wrist injury. Before he missed 20 games from 2023-24 (counting playoffs), the former fifth-round find delivered one of the decade’s top safety seasons.

Hufanga’s 2022 brought six turnovers (four INTs, two forced fumbles) to go with two sacks, five TFLs and nine pass breakups. That first-team All-Pro season — Hufanga’s first as an NFL starter — produced the $20MM guarantee necessary to sign him. PFF also graded Hufanga as a top-30 safety in 2023 but was much lower on him last year, slotting him 74th at the position. As they have with Greenlaw, the Broncos are rolling the dice. Hufanga’s age presents greater upside. If the Broncos are right, having Hufanga on the NFL’s 12th-most lucrative safety contract will be a bargain.

Tight end probably loomed as Denver’s biggest need; fortunately, Jacksonville sent a proven option to the market during Liam Coen‘s first weeks on the job. The Broncos have been unable to replace Noah Fant since his inclusion in the Wilson trade. Greg Dulcich did not pan out, and over the past two years, no Bronco tight end has eclipsed 205 receiving yards in a season. Last year, top TE Adam Trautman accumulated just 188. Engram is set to turn 31 in September, but he will be a massive upgrade on what the Broncos had been deploying post-Fant.

Engram set the Jaguars’ single-season tight end receiving yardage record in 2022 and broke it in ’23. After a 766-yard showing in 2022, the ex-Giants first-rounder tallied 963 in ’23. Engram’s 2023 season included 114 catches, which trailed only Jimmy Smith‘s 1999 in Jags history, and it had proved the team right for extending a player who had been inconsistent in New York.

A two-time Pro Bowler as a Giant, Engram fell back to earth in 2024. The agile chain-mover missed eight games due to two separate injuries, with a labrum tear the lead culprit. The Jags’ new regime bailed on Year 3 of Engram’s $13.75MM-AAV extension.

Nearly matching that per-year number on this Broncos deal, Engram received a comparable offer from the Chargers. Although Justin Herbert (and a Los Angeles landing) would certainly seem an enticing combo, Engram said Nix proved a driver for his Denver commitment. Landing in Payton’s offense will likely help as well. Denver naturally pursued ex-Payton Saints charge Juwan Johnson, driving up his market ahead of a New Orleans re-signing, but Engram is a more accomplished player. Not a proven red zone threat (nine total TDs in three Jacksonville seasons), the ninth-year vet could still profile as Denver’s de facto WR2 this season.

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Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Rams

August 20th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pushing the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles to the limit in the divisional round, the Rams entered the offseason in the same place they usually do — as a clear championship contender. The team needed to solve a quarterback dilemma before reloading its arsenal for a potential Super Bowl LX run, and considerable fallout emerged from the latest Matthew Stafford contract-driven saga.

While the Rams swapped out star wide receivers and made their biggest running back commitment since Todd Gurley, Stafford’s status overshadowed everything else about Los Angeles’ offseason. The team’s draft strategy opens a door to a potential succession plan, but for now, it is still Stafford-or-bust in L.A.

Extensions and restructures:

After the Rams solved their lingering 2024 Stafford issue with an incentive package and a minor guarantee bump for 2025, they received word the Super Bowl-winning passer would play a 17th NFL season. By late January, however, Stafford trade rumors began to emerge. As the Combine neared, the Rams gave Stafford — whom they acquired in a January 2021 blockbuster trade — permission to explore another relocation. That set off one of the stranger storylines involving a high-profile QB in recent memory. A host of rumors emerged about Stafford’s future, all while the Rams would have been staring at a significant downgrade at the game’s premier position if they went through with a swap.

Playing on a Lions-designed deal ($27MM per year) during the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning season, Stafford signed a four-year, $160MM extension. At the time, Stafford left money on the table to help the Rams remain a contender. The team then rewarded Super Bowl heroes Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp later in 2022. Stafford, however, regretted this decision and pushed for better terms in 2024 and ’25.

The Rams gave him a $5MM 2024 raise by moving money up from future years and then added a $4MM 2025 roster bonus. Stafford submitted a second straight strong season — after 2023 trade rumors swirled following an injury-plagued 2022 — and found teams willing to pay up, increasing urgency on the Rams’ end.

Several teams, including the Steelers, contacted the Rams on Stafford. While Pittsburgh preferred Stafford to Aaron Rodgers, two teams emerged as the true Stafford suitors. The Giants and Raiders worked out contract parameters, with each team ready to authorize guarantee packages in the $90-$100MM range. As he did in the Raiders’ Ben Johnson pursuit, Tom Brady played a lead role and spoke with Stafford at a Montana ski resort. The Giants were linked to a potential $55MM-per-year offer, after a Stafford request of at least $50MM AAV had emerged.

The Rams sought a first-round pick, but neither of the primary suitors was willing to deal a top-six selection — as both held such draft real estate. L.A. was not willing to meet Stafford’s $50MM-AAV ask, but the team had infrastructure advantages on both suitors. Coming off last-place divisional finishes, neither the Giants nor Raiders profile as a 2025 contender. With Stafford now 37, it would have been more of a pure financial play to bail on the Rams for one of those situations.

With Stafford lacking a no-trade clause, the Rams also held the hammer here. Sean McVay represented a draw as well, and the ninth-year Rams HC remained in contact with Stafford throughout the process. In the end, a predictable conclusion emerged. Stafford did not take a late-career risk of joining teams much farther away from the Super Bowl-contending level, and the Rams fully guaranteed his 2025 salary while dangling a guarantee carrot for 2026. Though, Stafford remaining on the roster by that March 2026 vesting date suddenly looks hazier.

If Stafford remains a Ram by Day 5 of the 2026 league year, $40MM of his 2026 compensation fully guarantees. That effectively becomes a sell-by date for the Rams, whose first-round trade may change their long-term outlook at the position. Even though Stafford has secured $26MM more from the Rams than this contract initially called for, turning down better security — even though the full guarantee numbers from the Giants and Raiders never surfaced — injects some risk due to the QB’s ongoing injury trouble. But Stafford is running it back with a team he has piloted to three playoff appearances.

It would cost the Rams $41.87MM to drop Stafford before that guarantee vests, and while the latest rework did increase the punishment on the franchise were it to move on before that mid-March date, the dead money could be split over two years via a post-June 1 cut. It remains to be seen if Stafford would have realistic trade value next year, when he intends to keep playing. His latest injury battle has created short- and long-term questions.

A back injury cropped up early in training camp, keeping Stafford off the field for multiple weeks. This included missing two joint practices. A report of a disk issue soon surfaced, as Stafford received an epidural injection, and the Rams continued to push back their fifth-year QB’s return date.

As of Monday, Stafford has returned to work. But he has played through countless injuries over his career. Now in his late 30s, the one-time (non-alternate) Pro Bowler will need to be constantly monitored on the health front. The Rams’ fortunes ride on their star passer staying healthy, but without an alternative they were overly interested in (more on that below), a decision to regroup with Stafford won the day. Was it the right play?

A less complicated negotiation unfolded with Williams, who came up as an extension candidate in the spring. It took a few months, but the sides reached an agreement. The former fifth-round pick, who had pushed Cam Akers to the periphery in L.A.’s vision, became the first running back the team has committed to contractually since Todd Gurley‘s 2018 payday. The team came to regret the Gurley contract — which reset the market seven years ago — and even as the cap has exploded since, the Williams deal comes in well south of Gurley’s.

With the cap at $177.2MM in 2018 (compared to $279.2MM today), the Rams gave Gurley a four-year, $57.5MM extension that came with $21.95MM at signing. Williams has not proven to be in that class, but the Notre Dame alum has been a quality starter. Williams, 25 next week, led the NFL with 95.3 rushing yards per game in 2023 and delivered a career-high 1,299 on the ground last season. The Rams had not seen enough from Akers or Darrell Henderson to pay them between their 2020 Gurley cut and Williams’ extension eligibility, but they have reinvested in the position on a more careful contract. The team was unwilling to go toward a top-market deal here.

Les Snead approved a $15.15MM at-signing guarantee, but Williams’ camp secured additional guarantees by early 2026. Already guaranteeing $2.75MM of Williams’ $5MM 2026 base salary, the Rams will guarantee the rest on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. On Day 5, $4.61MM of Williams’ $8.95MM 2027 base salary will lock in. Barring an injury that would impede a passed physical come March, the Rams could move on for $12.58MM in dead money next year.

This contract’s fine print reveals a bit more caution on the team’s part, but if it were to consider moving on, a move would need to be made soon after free agency starts. While Williams’ camp did well to secure a rolling guarantee structure, it does not fully protect the RB from a quick release — as a post-June 1 cut would minimize the damage for the Rams, who cut Gurley less than two years after his extension.

Free agency additions:

Adams grew to loathe his first post-high school experience of catching passes from quarterbacks not named Derek Carr or Aaron Rodgers, but the California native became intrigued by a move back west after his Jets stop. The Rams convinced the decorated wide receiver to replace Cooper Kupp alongside Puka Nacua. Adams is a year older than Kupp but has been far more durable, and the Rams will at least try him out — for a hefty sum — for a season.

Although the Jets could not crawl out of their early hole upon acquiring Adams from the Raiders, the wide receiver put up impressive numbers during the 5-12 slate. Not missing any games as a Jet (after what looked like an injury exaggeration in his final Las Vegas days), Adams posted 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 New York games. His presence looked to have alienated Garrett Wilson, but it showed some positive Rodgers work. In 14 games last season, Adams cobbled together his sixth 1,000-yard season. Firmly on the Hall of Fame radar, Adams will attempt to contribute to a Super Bowl contender’s cause after his post-Green Bay years did not remotely involve playoff chances.

The Rams, who could not count on Kupp for the most part since a string of injuries that began midway through the 2022 season, added a receiver who has not missed more than two games in a season due to a legitimate injury since 2019. If Adams shows clear decline signs, the Rams have an early out. Adams, 32, is due a $6MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. The Rams can move on via a $14MM dead money charge if they opt to cut bait before the bonus is due.

It is interesting Adams joined a team that could feature some Jimmy Garoppolo starts, seeing as the receiver criticized the then-Raiders starter — effectively getting Garoppolo benched midway through the 2023 season — as the wheels fell off for Josh McDaniels in Vegas. Garoppolo had not re-signed with the Rams when Adams committed, but the team re-upped its backup QB a day after it signed Adams.

Naturally, the Rams were also connected to Rodgers. In what would have been a third Rodgers-Adams partnership, the Rams discussed the aging great as a contingency plan in case they followed through with a Stafford trade. Rodgers, who lives in California during the offseason, was open to taking a discount to play for McVay. Stafford staying forced the four-time MVP to look elsewhere, and he ended up in Pittsburgh (on a one-year, $14.15MM deal) just before minicamp.

Shelton’s 2024 exit stung the Rams a bit more than expected. Even though the team’s two-year center starter commanded just $3MM from the Bears, the Rams cycled through a few centers last year. The sides regrouped in March, and Shelton received a significant raise. He will see half of his 2026 base salary guaranteed at signing, pointing to a true two-year commitment.

Between training camp and the divisional round, the Rams tried Steve Avila, Jonah Jackson and Beaux Limmer at center. Limmer will return to a backup role, while Avila is at his more natural guard spot — where he resettled last year after the Rams regretted their Jackson signing. Shelton, 30, is back with the team he spent five seasons with from 2019-23.

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Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

August 19th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Year 2 of Jordan Love’s tenure atop the Packers’ quarterback depth chart produced another playoff berth amidst a strong showing against several middling and subpar opponents. On the other hand, Green Bay went a combined 0-6 between the regular and postseason against the Eagles, Lions and Vikings. Even a season of double-digit wins thus demonstrated the need for further improvement.

By and large, the past several months have been quiet for the Packers. Beyond some big-ticket free agency additions, few major roster changes have taken place in anticipation of the 2025 campaign — one when the NFC North should again be very strong. If the team is to emerge as one of the league’s true heavyweights, a number of familiar faces will be relied on this year.

Free agency additions:

Last spring, the Packers made a pair of major splashes on the open market. The investments made in safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs proved worthwhile in Year 1, with both players receiving a Pro Bowl invitation and McKinney landing a first-team All-Pro nod. General manager Brian Gutekunst noted in February, however, that 2025 would not feature as many big swings in free agency.

Indeed, only two notable new faces arrived as part of this year’s class. Banks was not a factor during his rookie campaign in San Francisco, but the following three seasons saw him operate as a full-time starter. The former second-rounder avoided major injury over that span, playing a key role in the 49ers’ offense and playing his way out of a second deal with the team. San Francisco had a number of other financial priorities, leaving Banks (PFR’s No. 21 free agent) as one of the best interior blockers available this spring.

As expected, Banks departed the Bay Area early in free agency. The Notre Dame product secured an AAV of $19.25MM, a figure which ranked fifth for guards at the time (Trey Smith has since replaced his franchise tag with a market-topping Chiefs extension). Expectations will certainly be high for Banks as a result; he will replace Elgton Jenkins at the left guard spot for the foreseeable future.

Set to turn 28 in September, Banks has not drawn standout evaluations from Pro Football Focus to date in his career. Pass protection in particular has been an issue, although 2024 marked his best campaign in terms of run blocking grade and overall evaluation. Still, Banks has finished no better than 33rd amongst guards so far. Banks’ free agent market would stand to disagree with PFF’s assessments, but the Packers are certainly banking on an uptick readies to debut for his second career team.

Keeping with organizational policy, Hobbs joined Banks in receiving his only fully guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus. He can nevertheless be counted on to remain in the fold through at least 2026 based on the structure of his pact. A full-time starting gig awaits the former Raider for however long he is in place with Green Bay.

Hobbs saw time on the perimeter while playing out his rookie contract, but the Raiders primarily deployed him in the slot. The former fifth-rounder is expected to be used in both capacities with his new team, one which enters the season with questions in the secondary. Hobbs, 26, missed a total of 17 games across his four Raiders campaigns. In addition to high-end play, availability will be a central goal over the coming years in his case as a result.

A preventative knee surgery took place earlier this month, so while Hobbs could be back to full strength in time for the start of the season his Green Bay tenure has not gotten off to a worry-free start on the health front. Provided the Illinois product can stay on the field, though, continued improvement in terms of pass coverage – coming off personal bests in completion percentage and passer rating allowed in 2024 – would make him a worthwhile addition.

The Packers were among the teams which showed interest in former first-rounder Damon Arnette. After a one-year spell in the UFL, Arnette put himself back on the NFL radar and ultimately landed with the Texans. Green Bay did not take a flier in that instance, but the team did so in the case of Simmons.

The former Cardinals top-10 pick struggled in Arizona while failing to find a permanent role on defense. A trade to the Giants allowed Simmons to spend 2024 in New York; he appeared in every game while seeing sparse usage on defense and special teams. The 27-year-old will work full-time as a linebacker in Green Bay. Success in that capacity could result in a stronger market next spring.

Re-signings:

Prior to free agency, it became clear the Packers intended to retain McManus for 2025 and beyond. Such a stance was certainly understandable given the veteran’s showings in 11 Green Bay games last year. McManus missed only two of his 23 total field goal attempts during the regular season and playoffs. The 34-year-old was also perfect on extra points.

McManus saw his nine-year Broncos run come to an end in 2023; that resulted in a 17-game period handling kicking duties with the Jaguars. A free agent signing with the Commanders followed, although the Super Bowl 50 winner was then named in a lawsuit alleging sexual assault during an international flight during his Jacksonville tenure. The Commanders cut McManus, but after the league’s decision not to suspend him another fresh start become available.

In the wake of the Anders Carlson selection not panning out as hoped, the Packers cycled through several options before finding stability in the form of McManus. The Temple product is now in position to serve as a (relatively) long-term Mason Crosby successor, provided he plays out at least most of his current pact. At an AAV of $5.1MM, McManus’ deal sits tied for ninth amongst kickers in annual compensation.

Over the course of his four Green Bay seasons, McDuffie has seen a year-over-year jump in playing time. The former sixth-rounder’s defensive snap share checked in at 64% in 2024 and he started every game. Coming off a career high in tackles (97), McDuffie is once again set to serve as an important contributor at the second level of Green Bay’s defense alongside Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper. No member of that trio is attached to a lucrative pact, and McDuffie’s modest second NFL accord could prove to be valuable if he manages to duplicate last year’s play.

Notable losses:

As soon as the Nate Hobbs signing took place, the chances of an Alexander departure increased. The latter spent his first seven years in Green Bay, landing what was at signing a market-topping cornerback extension based on his early play. Considerable missed time increasingly became a problem in Alexander’s case, however.

Having missed double-digit games three of the past four seasons, Alexander was not a feasible candidate to continue playing out the remaining two years of his $21MM-per-year pact absent an adjustment. Trade talks took place over an extended period, but to no surprise suitors were hesitant about taking on his contract. A pay cut was offered in May; in the absence of an agreement on that front, Alexander remained a strong candidate to play elsewhere in 2025.

The two-time Pro Bowler made it clear a release would be preferred to a trade (all the while maintaining the expectation a new Packers arrangement would eventually be worked out). Green Bay’s restructure offer would have set Alexander up for free agency in 2026, but the proposal did not include any up-front guarantees for this season. In the end, the Packers decided to proceed with a release — without a post-June 1 designation. As a result, a $17MM-plus dead cap charge will be applied to 2025 before Alexander’s contract comes off the books entirely next year.

As expected, free agent interest emerged immedicably after the release took place. Turning aside more lucrative offers, Alexander chose to reunite with former Louisville teammate Lamar Jackson by taking a one-year Ravens deal. A healthy showing within Baltimore’s highly regarded secondary could result in a notable free agent market next spring. Failing that, the 28-year-old could very well struggle to move his earning power back to where it once was.

Slaton certainly outperformed expectations while playing out his rookie contract in Green Bay. The former fifth-rounder saw part-time work during his first two seasons and developed into a full-time starter after that. In 2023, Slaton handled a career-high snap share of 56% and set a new personal mark with 50 tackles.

While the 27-year-old’s playing time and output took a downturn last season, he played his way into a Bengals pact on the open market. Slaton will continue to serve as a run-stopping presence with his new team. Green Bay ranked seventh against the run in 2024, and remaining strong in that regard without their recent nose tackle starter will be key.

Myers represents the most notable loss on offense. A 56-game starter with Green Bay, his preference was to remain in place on his second contract. Instead, a departure took place by means of a Jets deal which may not result in the starting gig. Myers, 27, ranked between 26th and 38th in terms of center PFF grades during his Packers tenure. The team will aim for improvement with its new arrangement up front.

Like Alexander, Stokes struggled to remain healthy and thus to meet expectations in Green Bay. The former first-rounder managed to play 17 games last year, but he did so while logging the lowest snap share (54%) of his career. A starting spot should await Stokes with the Raiders, but his role could change in the event of a late-summer cornerback addition being made in Vegas.

Over the course of his three seasons in Green Bay, Wilson took on an increased workload both on defense and special teams. His 12 starts and 558 defensive snaps were the second most of his career, so the 30-year-old’s absence could be felt in 2025. The Packers will face Wilson at least twice this season since he returned to the Vikings on the open market.

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Offseason In Review: Buffalo Bills

August 18th, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last season further entrenched the Bills in an impressive but unfortunate contingent in NFL history. In booking a seventh playoff berth in eight seasons (six of those with Josh Allen at the helm), this Buffalo nucleus is firmly among the best — along with the Air Coryell Chargers, Marty Schottenheimer‘s Browns and Chiefs squads, and probably the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson-era crew (among others) — to not reach a Super Bowl. After 2024 brought a retooling offseason that lowered expectations, last year’s run to the Super Bowl LIX precipice restored them for 2025.

As the Bills continue their agonizing trend of controlling the regular-season Chiefs rivalry before losing each playoff rematch, they went to work augmenting key areas. But ensuring a batch of early-2020s draft choices remained in Buffalo long term defined this offseason. One extension towered among the others in value and importance, but a host of reasonably priced paydays set up this Bills core for the decade’s remainder.

Extensions and restructures:

The Allen contract came without rumored talks. That theme persisted, with one notable exception, as the Bills planned their paydays. Allen entered the offseason tied to what had become a wildly team-friendly deal, as the QB market exploded beyond the $50MM-per-year rate and as Allen had established himself as a megastar. The Bills did not technically need to do anything after the seven-year veteran’s MVP season; his six-year extension (agreed to in August 2021) ran through the 2028 slate. But as the market had moved the Buffalo icon out of the top 10 among QBs, the team acted.

Allen’s new contract is more of a lucrative rework than a true extension. Only two new years are included; the QB is now tied to the Bills through the 2030 season. But the Bills rewarded their franchise cornerstone with a massive guarantee influx. Allen, 28, received what amounts to a $90MM raise on his previous deal. The fully guaranteed money represented the lead item here. Allen’s $147MM figure is well south of Deshaun Watson‘s $230MM, but this contract beats every other deal in terms of fully guaranteed money. Although Allen could not catch Dak Prescott‘s massive $60MM-AAV accord — one achieved with far more leverage than the Bills QB carried — he topped the Cowboys passer in upfront guarantees.

Some 14 months after Patrick Mahomes‘ outlier 10-year extension, Allen became the only quarterback to agree to a deal beyond five years. This helped the Bills, who have gone to the restructure well like the Chiefs have. Buffalo needed to make an adjustment, as Kansas City did with its megastar talent in September 2022, but the team still has Allen signed for six more seasons. That will help establish cost certainty — for a while, at least — at Allen’s apex.

Having Allen at the same AAV of Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love — even after a $24MM offseason cap surge — should age quite well. Mahomes’ historic Chiefs impact notwithstanding, the three-time Super Bowl champion has Andy Reid calling the shots and the perennially underrated Steve Spagnuolo providing defensive fortification. Travis Kelce, for most of Mahomes’ career at least, being a dominant tight end helped raise the QB’s floor as well. Allen has lacked these amenities, for the most part, and an argument can be made — as it was last year — he is the NFL’s most indispensable player.

The Bills have continued to receive full participation from their dual-threat dynamo, despite regular punishment on scrambles and designed runs. Allen has logged 759 regular-season carries and 112 more in the playoffs, signing up for hits Jackson deftly avoids in the process. Obviously important as a passer, Allen’s run-game prowess separates him as an all-time talent. Allen already ranks sixth in career QB carries; he will move into fourth early this season. While the Bills may need to rein in their do-it-all player on that front at some point to ensure he remains elite through the duration of this contract, the franchise is enjoying the spoils of its two-trade-up 2018 presently.

Dion Dawkins‘ NFL arrival predates Allen’s, but the Bills went to work on fortifying their younger core this year. That meant deals for starters drafted in 2021 and ’22. Shakir’s extension began this mission in February, and the blueprint (barring a late-summer accord perhaps with an interior O-lineman) ended with Cook’s hold-in leading to an agreement last week.

After five smooth negotiations, the Bills reached choppy waters during Cook’s. The 2024 Pro Bowler threw a $15MM-per-year price point out there, and initial talks in the spring did not progress. Brandon Beane then pointed to the two-year running back starter needing to begin his contract year unsigned. Fortunately for all parties, that did not end up happening. Cook skipped OTAs but reported for minicamp. This off-and-on work schedule persisted into training camp, when the former second-round pick participated initially before shifting to a hold-in strategy before returning to practice. A day after Cook suited up, a deal unsurprisingly emerged.

The 2024 running back resurgence did bring a market reset, thanks to Saquon Barkley‘s otherworldly season, and Derrick Henry receiving $25MM guaranteed at signing despite being 31. Beyond those Hall of Fame-caliber talents, no true shift occurred. Last fall established a second tier at the position, with James Conner, Chuba Hubbard and David Montgomery following Rhamondre Stevenson in landing extensions between $8.3MM and $9.5MM per year. Alvin Kamara‘s third Saints contract came in at $12.25MM AAV. This offseason brought two notable deals in between those goalposts.

Days after the Rams gave Kyren Williams a three-year, $33MM extension, the Bills found common ground with Cook. Although both players received full guarantees totaling just more than $15MM, each deal features vesting dates in early 2026. The Bills guaranteed $5MM of Cook’s 2026 compensation at signing; another $4.41MM locks in February 9. Cook also secured a rolling guarantee structure, which will pay out $6.22MM of his $9.13MM 2027 base salary on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. Although Cook’s $15.28MM full guarantee is just 10th at the position, more than $10MM in additional guarantees are due by mid-March.

Cook offered a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season last year and led the NFL with 16 rushing TDs. Cook received the first notable RB extension during the Beane-Sean McDermott era. The Bills had removed LeSean McCoy‘s Doug Whaley-era contract from the payroll and made Devin Singletary and Zack Moss one-contract players. Cook, 26 in September, did not do as well on his second contract as older brother Dalvin. But most teams have been stingier on RB paydays since the 2017 class cashed in years ago.

Cook and Shakir have been Allen’s steadiest weapons since Joe Brady replaced Ken Dorsey as OC midway through the 2023 season. While Stefon Diggs disappointed to close that campaign, Shakir emerged as a reliable target and developed further in 2024. The slot cog led a more egalitarian Bills pass-catching corps with 821 receiving yards. Seventy-six catches and four touchdowns to go with that yardage total did not provide Diggs-level numbers, but Shakir was not asked for such contributions. The extension reflects such a role.

Shakir’s $13.25MM AAV number sits 27th among receivers. It is difficult to extend core performers this far outside the upper crust at their respective positions, but Shakir is a former fifth-round pick who played sparingly as a rookie. Considering how valuable he is in Buffalo’s post-Diggs setup, this seems like a team-friendly deal. Shakir, 25, opted to pass on testing free agency — or at least waiting to see how the market changed by training camp — to lock in money early. The Bills made a few similar moves in the weeks that followed.

Like Bobby Okereke years prior, Bernard entered the NFL perhaps better known for an enthusiastic (via Kyle Brandt) third-round draft announcement than on-field play. Last season changed that, as Bernard established himself as Buffalo’s new linebacker pillar. Bernard, 26, has played at least 87% of the Bills’ defensive snaps over the past two seasons. With Milano missing most of that stretch, the Baylor product became a vital player on a defense known to run into ill-timed injury trouble. Although Pro Football Focus rated Bernard as a bottom-five full-time LB last season, the Bills disagreed and rewarded the productive Day 2 draftee.

Of the Shakir-Bernard-Rousseau-Benford quartet, Bernard did the best in terms of AAV at his position. His $10.5MM number still ranks only 12th among off-ball ‘backers, marking what looks like another solid compromise from the Bills. This deal reminds of Milano’s second contract (in 2021), but with the cap spiking by nearly $100MM since that offseason, Bernard’s is a much team-friendlier agreement. The Bills also did not guarantee any money beyond 2026, giving them an easy out — in the event this bet on an ascending player fails — by 2027.

The Bills did not receive what they hoped from Von Miller, leading Rousseau to go from an initial sidekick piece alongside the future Hall of Famer to the team’s lead pass rusher. Rousseau, 25, has not yet posted a nine-sack season; he reached eight in 2022 and ’24. But he has boosted his career-high in QB hits in each of the past three seasons, going from 14 to 18 to 24. Rousseau’s 35 pressures also ranked 11th last season, when he added career-high marks in TFLs (16) and forced fumbles (three). Barring injury, it is likely Rousseau’s best work is ahead of him.

The Bills did not exactly get in early here, as Rousseau had played four seasons on his rookie deal, but the 2021 first-rounder’s resume helped them close these negotiations with the No. 13 edge rusher AAV ($20MM). Continuing to equip Rousseau with veteran bookends (Miller, Leonard Floyd, Joey Bosa), the Bills have made the Miami alum their lead D-end with this extension. Rousseau would have been a franchise tag candidate in 2026 had he not signed early, but the Bills took care of this months before training camp. Rousseau’s AAV matches Miller’s 2022 number, but he is nearly eight years younger at the time of signing (at a lower percentage of the cap), pointing to better returns.

Identifying Cook, Shakir, Bernard and Rousseau as core players to extend, the Bills included Benford in that group after he had taken the longest road to such status. Chosen in the same 2022 draft as first-rounder Kaiir Elam, Benford quickly showed he was the better player. Also coming from Division I-FCS (Villanova), Benford entered his rookie season with minimal fanfare. But Benford earned a starting gig early, giving Tre’Davious White more time to rehab his first major injury. When the Bills acquired Rasul Douglas at the 2023 deadline, it was to give them an answer opposite Benford, not Elam.

PFF has ranked Benford as a top-10 corner in each of the past two seasons. The 6-foot-1 CB submitted his best work in terms of completion percentage (63.5) and yards per target (5.4) as the closest defender last season. Given the Chiefs’ narrow victory margins in both their past two playoff wins in this series, it can certainly be argued the series’ playoff record would be different had Benford finished either game. Benford missed the Bills’ 2023 divisional-round Chiefs loss and left with a concussion early in last season’s AFC championship game.

Despite his ill-timed absences, Benford secured what is now an upper-middle-class CB extension. Buffalo’s Benford deal came after both Jaycee Horn and Derek Stingley Jr. raised the market’s ceiling, but the team still has its top cover man tied to the 19th-most lucrative CB contract. Benford, 25 in September, likely would have done better by waiting until free agency (or a franchise tag). But the Bills, continuing their offseason theme, convinced him to re-up early.

Part of McDermott’s first draft (one that took place shortly before Beane’s GM hire), Milano delivered strong work on his rookie deal and second contract. Since Buffalo redid the All-Pro’s contract in 2023, injuries have thrown his career off course. Milano, 31, missed 12 games due to injury in each of the past two seasons. That has limited Buffalo’s defense, and keyed a reduction.

Rather than taking his chances on the market coming off these injury-marred years ahead of his age-31 season, Milano will attempt to rebound with the team that drafted him. As Bernard, Benford, Cook, Rousseau and Shakir became the offseason focus around Allen, one of the initial McDermott-era investments is now paid as a moderately priced starting linebacker.

Free agency additions:

More undercard (to the extension cycle’s main event) in this Bills offseason, free agency still brought some important additions. The three most significant came from Los Angeles.

As they did with Von Miller in 2022, the Bills swooped in as a stealth contender to win an edge rusher sweepstakes. Joey Bosa was listed as close to reuniting with younger brother Nick in San Francisco, while the Miami native was also on the Dolphins’ radar. No Bills connections emerged until an agreement became known.

Bosa, 30, treks east as an injury-prone but productive pass rusher. The Bills will need to account for the health issues associated with this marquee free agent — a player the Chargers dropped after giving him a 2024 pay cut — and a calf issue already kept Bosa out for a stretch this offseason. When available, however, Bosa will be an upgrade.

It would seem Bosa will need to switch to a situational role earlier than most four-time Pro Bowlers do, because he has missed 40 regular-season games in nine years. He has already been on this track, having not eclipsed the 55% snap barrier on defense since 2021 — his most recent non-alternate Pro Bowl season. Bosa has four double-digit sack seasons on his resume — all from 2016-21. He missed much of the ’22 season after groin surgery and was down for eight 2023 games with foot trouble. Last season, Bosa posted modest numbers — five sacks, 13 QB hits, two forced fumbles — but generated a decent FA market.

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5 Key Stories: 8/10/25 – 8/16/25

August 16th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Midway through August, teams around the NFL are preparing for final roster cuts. Contract matters are still front of mind in certain cases, though, and some notable developments have recently taken place on that front (and others). In case you missed any of the top stories from the past week, here is a quick recap:

  • Bills, Cook Reach Extension Agreement: The 2025 offseason has seen a slew of extensions worked out in the case of the Bills. Running back James Cook represented an outlier with no deal coming together by the start of training camp. After a brief hold-in, though, the two-time Pro Bowler suited up for practice one day before news of his new contract broke. Cook landed a four-year pact which averages $11.5MM per year and includes $15.28MM guaranteed at signing. The former second-rounder now sits seventh in the NFL in per-year running back compensation. On the books through 2029, Cook will look to retain his efficiency for years to come with an increased workload potentially being in store down the road.
  • Heyward Holding In At Steelers’ Camp: Cameron Heyward recently emerged (alongside kicker Chris Boswell) as a member of the Steelers seeking a contract adjustment. The All-Pro defensive tackle enjoyed a return to form in 2024 and is seeking a raise as a result while avoiding team drills in practice. When speaking publicly on the matter, Heyward hinted at the possibility of sitting out regular season games in the absence of a new arrangement. Last offseason, the 36-year-old signed an extension through 2026; the Steelers have a policy of not negotiating deals with more than one year remaining. It will be interesting to see if a compromise of some kind can be reached in the coming weeks to ensure Heyward ends his hold-in.
  • Hearing Scheduled For Chiefs’ Rice: It remains to be seen if (and for how long) Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice will be suspended in 2025. His March 2024 hit-and-run incident resulted in felony charges, but a conclusion to his legal case turned attention to the question of league discipline. After the NFL, NFLPA and Rice’s camp were unable to agree to a suspension length, the matter will proceed to a hearing. Former judge Sue L. Robinson will oversee the case on September 30, leaving Rice available for the first four games of the season. The outlook for Kansas City’s projected No. 1 receiver beyond that point is uncertain, though.
  • Commanders Not Close To McLaurin Extension: As expected, the Commanders do not intend to trade Terry McLaurin. The Pro Bowl wideout continues to seek an extension, and a gap remains between team and player on finances. Washington is leery of a long-term commitment given McLaurin’s age (30 in September) and the threat of a drop-off in production. The five-time 1,000-yard producer has been connected to an asking price in the low-$30MM range regarding annual compensation. McLaurin’s activation from the active/PUP list is separate from his ongoing contract situation, which still has no end in sight. Time remains for an agreement to be reached, but considerable progress will need to be made shortly if a pact is to be in place by Week 1.
  • Browns Rookie Judkins Not Facing Charges: Quinshon Judkins remained the NFL’s only unsigned 2025 draft pick well into the summer while his legal situation remained unclear. The Browns running back is now in position to join the team, however, since his domestic violence case has ended without charges being pursued. Judkins, taken in the second round of this year’s draft, is expected to sign his rookie pact and be available for the start of the season. The Ohio State product could carve out a role fairly early as part of a Cleveland backfield which no longer includes Nick Chubb, although the NFL’s investigation into the case will continue.

Offseason In Review: Miami Dolphins

August 15th, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

For a team that has made two playoff appearances over the past three years and has not lost 10 games since 2019, vibes sure don’t seem great in Miami. Mike McDaniel has moved closer to the hot seat, despite coaxing dramatic Tua Tagovailoa improvement and leading the Dolphins to back-to-back playoff berths for the first time since Dave Wannstedt‘s tenure more than 20 years ago. GM Chris Grier also has not enjoyed a banner year, having seen his Tyreek Hill rework and Jalen Ramsey extension not prove fruitful.

The Dolphins have battled cap trouble in multiple offseasons, and this one brought a historic dead money charge thanks to the Ramsey trade. McDaniel may need a third playoff berth in four seasons to keep his job — as odd as that sounds for a franchise that booked two playoff appearances from 2002-21 — pointing to Tagovailoa’s health potentially determining the HC’s long-term fate. Regardless of Tua’s status, the Dolphins have some questions to answer after some notable offseason roster subtractions and storylines.

Trades:

Reminding of the 2019 Odell Beckham Jr. trade that belatedly included an Olivier Vernon–Kevin Zeitler swap, the Dolphins and Steelers folded the Smith transaction into the Ramsey-Fitzpatrick blockbuster. Almost six years after he forced his way out of Jacksonville, Ramsey burned more bridges in Florida. After it was over, the former All-Pro cornerback set a non-quarterback dead money record, tagging the Dolphins with $35.86MM — spread between 2025 and ’26.

The latest Ramsey chapter of discontent emerged in April, when the Dolphins and the aging defender agreed to pursue a trade. This came months after Grier had signed off on a market-topping extension, representing the second time Ramsey had become the top CB earner.

Extended soon after Patrick Surtain reset the market in September, Ramsey played reasonably well in 2024. Pro Football Focus ranked him 11th among corners, but considering he missed nearly half the 2023 season, the nine-year veteran did not justify Grier’s decision to both rework his Rams deal upon arrival and then sign off on a new one 18 months later.

Grier has become the rare GM to cave repeatedly to disgruntled players. It was not even known if Ramsey was even disgruntled last year, but after Grier reworked the Xavien Howard and Tyreek Hill deals to throw significant guarantees their way, he paid Ramsey ahead of an age-30 season. Ramsey is tied to a three-year, $72.3MM extension that runs through 2028. This reminded of the Howard and Hill adjustments since Ramsey also had multiple seasons (two) left on a contract. The Dolphins doing that extension and then trading him less than a year later proved quite costly.

Teams balked at taking on all of Ramsey’s guaranteed money for 2025, depressing the value of a player probably headed to the Hall of Fame. More significantly, Ramsey was believed to be at odds with McDaniel’s leadership style, potentially calling into question the atypical HC personality’s fit in the locker room. The draft-day report called the Ramsey-McDaniel relationship “irreparably broken,” and the former Super Bowl winner had harbored issues with the Dolphins’ (in his view) “willingness to accept mediocrity.” but the team needed — rather than see the Ramsey dead money hit the 2025 payroll exclusively — to drag this out until after June 1.

While the buildup did not look great for the Dolphins, Grier crafted an interesting solution. The Dolphins agreed to pay $7MM of Ramsey’s 2025 compensation, sweetening the deal for the Steelers, who are paying nearly $20MM to the soon-to-be 31-year-old CB. This was a somewhat surprising salary split, but the Dolphins took on more money by reacquiring Fitzpatrick. That became the most fascinating component of that two-trade day, seeing as the Dolphins — in Grier’s first months as a GM with roster control — traded Fitzpatrick early in his second season.

A dispute between Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins led to his exit after just 18 games. The 2018 first-round pick (and his mother) objected to the Flores-led coaching staff using Fitzpatrick as a box player during the team’s 2019 training camp. This came after Miami primarily used Fitzpatrick at corner as a rookie.

While 2019 featured Grier at the controls, previous front office boss Mike Tannenbaum drafted Fitzpatrick. Grier traded him — days after giving the player’s camp permission to seek a trade — as the Dolphins continued a teardown that included swaps involving Ryan Tannehill and Laremy Tunsil. Six years later, Fitzpatrick joins a team that made strides in this rebuild but has not approached the ultimate goal.

Fitzpatrick, 28, should have more good football left than Ramsey. The three-time first-team All-Pro combined for 15 interceptions from 2019-22, excelling as a deep safety while helping to elevate the Steelers’ defense into a perennial top-10 unit. Over the past two years, the Steelers became underwhelmed by Fitzpatrick’s lack of splash plays; he has one INT since the start of the 2023 season. The 2023 slate, however, brought an increase in box snaps compared to his usual free safety role. Last season did not reverse Fitzpatrick’s downward playmaking trend, but he suited up for 17 games and will have a chance to play a lead role in a Dolphins team that lost Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones over the past two offseasons.

As a Dolphins rookie in 2018, Fitzpatrick primarily played corner. He rotated between the boundary and the slot, playing more inside. That will not be his role this time around. Set to deploy Fitzpatrick at safety, the Dolphins also reworked his contract.

Previously attached to a four-year, $72.98MM deal, the eighth-year vet is now on a two-year, $33.1MM accord that provided a new signing bonus and dropped his 2025 cap hit to $4.5MM. That provided a cash influx for a player who had played out the guarantees on his Steelers deal. Despite Grier trading him so early in his career, Fitzpatrick is now interested in a long-term Miami future.

The Dolphins showed interesting hesitation about paying Smith, whose Miami debut doubled as his best season. Smith smashed career-high marks with 88 receptions, 884 yards and eight TDs last year, helping a Dolphins team that saw Hill’s production nosedive and Jaylen Waddle regress as Tagovailoa missed time.

The Steelers came up as a Smith suitor in May, and while the veteran tight end expressed a desire to stay in Miami while the sides discussed an extension, the parties could not hammer out one. Roughly a month after the initial rumor, Jonnu and Arthur Smith — the former Titans OC and Falcons HC — reunited yet again.

This marks the second time an Arthur Smith team traded for Jonnu Smith, but this trade preceded an extension. Jonnu Smith had been tied to a two-year, $8.4MM deal — one agreed to after the Falcons made him a cap casualty soon after firing Arthur Smith. The Steelers gave Jonnu a one-year, $12MM extension, pushing his deal through 2026. The trade brought less than $3MM in Dolphins dead cap, but it leaves a significant question at tight end. With limited options in terms of proven receiving TEs by early July, the Dolphins threw a Hail Mary of sorts.

Waller, 33 next month, retired last summer after rumors pointed to an exit for weeks. The former Raiders Pro Bowler burned the Giants, having sustained another hamstring injury (leading to a five-game absence) and retired after the 2024 draft. No word about a Waller comeback had surfaced, but after the Dolphins acquired his rights via the pick-swap trade, Waller let it be known he wanted to play in Miami or stay retired.

The Dolphins stashed Waller on their active/PUP list for ramp-up purposes. Miami has him on a one-year, $2MM deal with no guarantees. While this profiles as a flier, the Dolphins’ TE depth chart is desperate for this Waller reemergence to commence in earnest. Miami did not draft a tight end and has none on the roster who have delivered a 210-yard season. Waller accumulated 552 in a disappointing Giants season and is among a select few with two 1,100-yard years on his resume.

The Dolphins will almost definitely not be getting prime Waller form, but something in the range of his Giants work would be a lifeline for a team desperate at this position. Waller missed eight Raiders games due to hamstring trouble in 2022, following a $17MM-per-year extension agreement, and some Las Vegas staffers expressed frustration about his slow recovery. Waller also missed six games in 2021. This is a buyer-beware situation, making the Dolphins’ visit with Noah Fant — who signed with the Bengals soon after — rather interesting.

Extensions and restructures:

Add Sieler to the list of Dolphins Grier has extended with more than one year left on a previous deal. Sieler did not hold in but let it be known he wanted a new deal after back-to-back 10-sack seasons. Because this extension is tacked onto a through-2026 pact, the veteran D-tackle is now signed through 2029.

Originally a waiver claim (from the Ravens) in December 2019, Sieler arrived to close out Grier’s first year as the team’s front office boss. Sieler operated as more of a Christian Wilkins sidekick from 2020-22, and the Dolphins did well to extend him at what turned out to be a below-market rate. Paying Sieler before being unable to come to terms with Wilkins, Miami observed its waiver-claim find combine for 24 TFLs over the past two seasons.

Grier’s latest early raise bumps Sieler from barely $10MM per year (31st among interior D-linemen) to over $22MM AAV. Sieler, 30 next month, is now being paid more than Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams and Daron Payne. This is quite the level jump for a former seventh-round pick, and the Dolphins will count on him once again ahead of an age-30 season. Though, he should have more help thanks to some returning edge rushers.

Chubb was delivering on the November 2022 trade/extension sequence. He posted 11 sacks — his most since a rookie season (12) opposite Von Miller — and led the NFL with six forced fumbles in 2023. Chubb, though, suffered an ACL tear late in a blowout loss to the Ravens in Week 17 of that season. He then missed all of last season, joining OLB mate Jaelan Phillips in seeing injury issues reshape his Miami trajectory. As a result of the missed season, an accepted pay-cut request transpired.

The Dolphins included incentives in Chubb’s rework, and since the former top-five pick missed all of last season, the escalators will be considered not likely to be earned — thus giving Miami 2025 cap relief. Chubb’s cap hit is down to $12.33MM. The two-time Pro Bowler is on track to return for the Dolphins, who have EDGE questions but more depth at the position compared to their Chubb- and (largely) Phillips-less 2024. Phillips, who suffered an ACL tear early last season, also avoided the active/PUP list ahead of training camp.

The veteran duo will accompany 2024 first-rounder Chop Robinson, giving Miami an intriguing pass-rushing boost — provided Chubb and Phillips stay on the field. Miami will be expected to either give Chubb another pay cut in 2026, when his cap hit balloons to $31.2MM, or release him. This will be a critical season for the 29-year-old pass rusher’s value. Phillips is tied to a $13.25MM fifth-year option, cashing in between his Achilles and ACL tears. This will be a pivotal year for him as well.

Free agency additions:

After Isaiah Wynn joined Bradley Chubb in seeing a 2023 injury cost him the full 2024 season, the Dolphins retooled with a player who missed most of that campaign. Daniels would have been a less affordable option had he not suffered an Achilles tear in Week 4. While this is technically a three-year deal, it is more of a “prove it” pact due to its structure.

Even with three void years included in this accord, the Dolphins can cut Daniels (due a $3.48MM guarantee on Day 3 of the 2026 league year) for just a $4.8MM dead money charge in 2026. Despite being a seven-year veteran, Daniels had age on his side. The former second-round pick heads into an age-28 season. If he can recapture his pre-injury form, the Dolphins will gain considerable value.

Daniels finished ninth in pass block win rate in his 2022 Steelers debut and was second only to Quenton Nelson in run block win rate before going down last season. PFF ranked Daniels 33rd among guard regulars in 2023. He will be an upgrade from Robert Jones; the Dolphins hope the three-year Steelers starter can return to a form that saw him miss only two games from 2021-23.

Wilson nearly fetched as much guaranteed as Trey Lance and Mac Jones combined, representing a lingering belief in the former No. 2 overall pick’s arm talent. Even as Wilson did not threaten Jarrett Stidham for Denver’s backup job last season, he has made 33 career starts. Highlighting Wilson’s experience may not be the best way to go here, considering the Jets benched him three times — at one point demoting him to the third-string level — during an erratic tenure. Despite being supported by a top-five defense in 2022 and ’23, Wilson went 12-21 as a starter in his three-year New York run. The Jets needed to take on rookie-contract money in order to fetch a Day 3 draft pick from the Broncos last year.

The Jets saw a failure to add a veteran behind Aaron Rodgers prove costly in 2023, as Wilson’s reset program returned to center stage. Tua Tagovailoa‘s unreliability makes this situation resemble the Jets’ 2023 blueprint, but Wilson having shown more evidence in incapability that year makes this Miami setup perhaps even shakier.

If Tua goes down again, the Zach Wilson Experience will hit South Beach. That is a frightening proposition. But the Dolphins pounced on Wilson on Day 1 of the legal tampering period, rather than waiting out the veteran QB2 market. This points to McDaniel belief he can coax better play from the one-time top prospect, though the Dolphins were believed to be interested in Andy Dalton before he re-signed with the Panthers. Wilson, 26, is definitely another way to go.

A touchdown machine in 2024, Westbrook-Ikhine will almost definitely be an upgrade on last year’s Odell Beckham Jr. version. The tertiary Titans target caught nine TD passes on just 32 receptions. While that will be difficult to sustain, Westbrook-Ikhine (10 combined TDs from 2021-23) played a regular Tennessee role (between 370-480 yards each year from 2021-24) and is qualified to operate as Miami’s WR3 alongside Hill and Waddle. This is a much more affordable option than Cedrick Wilson Jr., who flopped on a three-year, $24MM deal. NWI’s consistency should matter for a Dolphins team that may need more from this spot after trading Jonnu Smith.

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Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

August 12th, 2025 at 10:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Reminding closely of the 49ers’ 2020 season, San Francisco’s latest NFC title defense skidded off track largely due to injuries. A difficult schedule, which came after two more late-summer contract sagas (Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams), ground up a depleted San Francisco roster, producing the same six wins the 2020 slate brought. This offseason brought significant changes, seeing a host of Super Bowl LVIII starters depart while also featuring a welcome change in the 49ers’ negotiation timing.

The team completed its top extension priorities before May’s end, reupping George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Fred Warner. This stood to minimize the distractions that have frequently impacted the 49ers during the Kyle Shanahan–John Lynch era. A far less imposing — as it appears in August — schedule awaits Shanahan’s ninth roster, and the team will attempt to replicate the 2021 squad’s rebound effort.

Extensions and restructures:

It is still difficult to overstate the oddity of Purdy’s career arc. Although Dak Prescott became the NFL’s highest-paid player out of the fourth round, Purdy was one pick from going undrafted. The NFL features 20 $20MM-per-year quarterbacks; Purdy is the only one chosen outside the fourth round. The Iowa State success story lost some steam from his 2023 breakthrough, as All-Pros kept dropping around him, but he did nothing to veer off the extension course he had traversed. The 49ers then managed an interesting compromise.

Regularly labeled a modest talent in a great system, Purdy has operated on a higher level compared to Jimmy Garoppolo — a player the 49ers once re-signed at a top-market rate. That ignited what had been a slower-moving QB market in 2018, and passers continue to benefit. Because of the struggles the 2021 and ’22 QB draftees have faced, Purdy stood as the only contract-year passer to monitor regarding a blockbuster payday this offseason.

Following up his first-place QBR finish in 2023 with a seventh-place conclusion despite the losses of Aiyuk, Williams and Christian McCaffrey — and more underwhelming Deebo Samuel play — Purdy solidified his extension status. He had already gone toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII to punctuate one of the most unlikely ascents in quarterback history, and that 2023 produced only the second full-season yards-per-attempt number north of 9.5 since the 1950s (trivia answer: Chris Chandler‘s 1998 slate). Shanahan’s offense undoubtedly has boosted Purdy; team and player reached a compromise that undoubtedly stemmed from this unique arrangement.

Seeking an early-offseason deal in order to minimize distractions, Purdy is believed to have asked for $65MM per year. That was a nonstarter for the 49ers. Rather than the usual San Francisco stalemate dragging well into training camp, the sides resolved it with a $53MM-per-year deal that carries a player-friendly structure.

Purdy secured a Mahomes-like rolling guarantee structure. A $55.1MM 2028 payout will become guaranteed April 1, 2027, per OverTheCap. The 49ers are due to pay out a $7.2MM guarantee for 2029 on April 1, 2028. These key dates follow a $100MM at-signing guarantee. Purdy’s $165.1MM cash flow through four years betters Jared Goff‘s number, even if the Lions QB has Purdy’s deal beat at the second- and third-year marks.

The 49ers managed to still sign Purdy to an AAV tied for seventh at the position. Considering the Jaguars and Packers needed to match the top QB salary at the time to extend their passers (Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love) without a Purdy-level season on their resumes, the 49ers did well not to approach Prescott’s $60MM-per-year topper. Purdy agreeing to the Goff AAV after the cap spiked by another $24MM is a team win, though this is still a substantial commitment to a player that drew no draft buzz three years ago.

Even if Purdy admitted to leaving money on the table to help the 49ers build around him, this is a seismic payout for him; the QB’s rookie deal was worth $3.74MM. This compromise also netted Purdy a no-trade clause, providing protection few players across the league enjoy. While this deal does not make it a lock Purdy finishes his career in San Francisco, it is a sizable commitment.

It was worth wondering — after the high-end deals given to non-top-tier passers like Lawrence, Love and Tua Tagovailoa last year — if the 49ers would consider letting Purdy play out his rookie contract while keeping the trade door open. But rumors steadily emerged about an extension. The team fully endorsed its former third-string QB, minimizing any talk of a potential 49ers zag while they added another rookie-deal QB to play for Shanahan.

Purdy’s payday came after Kittle inked his third contract. Having built a Hall of Fame resume, Kittle was still unable to move the tight end position past $20MM per year. The 49ers handed their all-around TE dynamo an extension weeks after Ja’Marr Chase elevated the WR ceiling to $40.25MM, it is certainly interesting the NFL keeps valuing top TEs far lower than high-end WR2s.

Kittle’s deal also came after the Cardinals kept Trey McBride under $20MM per year. While a sizable gap existed between team and player early, the deal was done before April ended. Regardless of how undervalued Kittle appears to be, the deal may ensure the ninth-year pass catcher finishes his career in San Francisco.

Purdy could well become the defining Shanahan/Lynch draft choice, but Kittle is right there. The former No. 146 overall pick moved into a tie for second place all time with a fourth 1,000-yard TE season. Kittle has not matched peak Travis Kelce in terms of receiving success, as the 49ers use him differently, but he has long been the game’s premier all-around tight end. Vital to the 49ers’ run game as well, Kittle has five All-Pros on an eight-season resume. He also stayed mostly healthy since his first extension (5/75) preceded an eight-game 2020. Kittle, 31, has played at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons.

Kelce and Rob Gronkowski being tied to team-friendly contracts hurt the tight end market on the whole, and Kittle heading into an age-32 season limited his earning power. This deal locks him in through at least 2026, and $2MM of the Iowa alum’s 2027 money is guaranteed at signing. The 49ers used an Eagles-like structure, filled with option bonuses and void years, to keep Kittle’s cap hits under $19MM until 2029. The 49ers did not submit to a rolling guarantee structure here, making 2027 a year to monitor regarding this contract. By 2028, the 49ers can escape it for less than $5MM in dead money.

Purdy’s extension influenced the 49ers in free agency, which included far more notable losses than additions, but the team’s Dre Greenlaw‘s price point probably pertained to Warner’s future. Unlike Shaquille Leonard, Warner has stayed healthy after resetting the off-ball LB market in 2021. The 49ers rewarded him by ending Roquan Smith‘s two-year run atop the market.

Like Kittle, Warner appears on his way to Canton. He is riding a three-season streak of first-team All-Pro honors and has four in his career. That matches NaVorro Bowman‘s count and is just one shy of 2024 Hall inductee Patrick Willis‘. Warner also played through an ankle fracture last season, still motoring to his usual All-Pro perch.

The 49ers have seen the former third-round pick miss one career game, giving them confidence in Warner staying power into his early 30s while also providing important durability for a frequently injury-plagued team. The dynamic cover LB’s 2027 money will become guaranteed by April 1, 2026.

Trades:

While the 49ers continue to build around Super Bowl LIV starters Kittle and Warner, they separated from another by making Samuel part of this offseason’s first trade. The $30MM-per-year Aiyuk extension pointed to Samuel being trade bait this offseason, and while the 49ers expressed some hope they could keep their five-year receiving duo together, they quickly pivoted to letting his camp find a trade partner. As it turned out, only one truly emerged.

The Broncos and Texans looked into Samuel, but neither made an offer. A year after Aiyuk expressed interest in joining college teammate Jayden Daniels via trade, the Commanders — led by ex-49ers assistant GM Adam Peters — acquired Samuel. Whereas the Steelers needed to send a second-round pick to the Seahawks for D.K. Metcalf and hand over a top-four extension, this trade involving a 2019 WR draftee amounted to a salary dump. It still stings the 49ers, who are taking on $34.12MM in dead money — breaking the Bills’ Stefon Diggs WR record from last year — following the swap.

The Commanders have not extended Samuel, who remains tied to his three-year, $71.55MM deal from summer 2022. The 49ers asked for Jonathan Allen in the trade, but the Pro Bowl DT was not included. San Francisco also passed on Allen in free agency after his Washington release.

Even as Samuel would occasionally make highlight-reel plays, he struggled with durability and put up generally unremarkable stats on his second 49ers contract. Samuel’s dominant 2021 — 1,405 receiving yards, 365 on the ground, 14 touchdowns — now looks like an outlier. While the “wide back” did impress in 2023 (892/225/12), he did not eclipse 700 receiving yards in 2022 or ’24. Having accumulated 202 rushing attempts also could shorten Samuel’s career, as he plays with a physical style.

The 2019 second-round pick did make important contributions during the 49ers’ four NFC championship game journeys, but the team sold low and has Ricky Pearsall‘s rookie deal — and a low-cost Jauan Jennings contract, much to the ascendant WR’s chagrin — complementing Aiyuk’s top-10 WR terms. Though, the 49ers continue to have persistent trouble keeping their top wideouts healthy. That has continued during training camp.

Huff received a lifeline because of this trade. One of the few Eagles to see his stock drop last year, Huff was a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LIX despite commanding $34MM guaranteed at signing in 2024. The former Jets passing-down specialist sensed early he would not fit in Vic Fangio‘s scheme; he will now be back under Robert Saleh, who oversaw his ascent to a 10-sack player in 2023.

After winning a bidding war, the Eagles realized Huff was not worth the three-year, $51MM contract. In Saleh’s Jets scheme, however, Huff finished his tenure with a dominant (albeit in short spurts) contract year. He was PFR’s No. 9 free agent in 2024, having led the NFL in pressure rate (21.8%). That came on just 480 snaps, which proved telling ahead of an injury-affected Eagles slate. But the Jets’ 2023 sack leader was struggling before his wrist injury. He tallied all of 2.5 sacks and four QB hits last season.

The 49ers have Huff on a $7.95MM guaranteed 2025 salary; beyond this year, he can be cut free of charge. The 49ers will likely adjust Huff’s contract if they intend to keep him in 2026, as his cap number balloons to $17.1MM next year. Huff, 27, joins the resilient Yetur Gross-Matos and first-rounder Mykel Williams as Nick Bosa complementary rushers. The 49ers continue to shuffle through Bosa wingmen, and Huff follows Chase Young, Randy Gregory and Charles Omenihu as a trade piece to staff part of this contingent.

Mason outlasted third-rounders Trey Sermon and Tyrion Davis-Price and was a much more reliable option than pre-McCaffrey starter Elijah Mitchell. A former UDFA, Mason began last season as the 49ers’ starter due to McCaffrey’s injury. Averaging over 5.0 yards per carry on limited usage in 2022 and ’23, Mason impressively posted a 5.2-yard number on 153 carries last year. The 49ers sold high, but they will rely on 2024 third-rounder Isaac Guerendo — he of a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash time in 2024 — behind CMC this year. One of the top fantasy handcuff options in recent memory, Guerendo averaged 5.3 yards per tote as a rookie.

Free agency additions:

Farrell’s Jacksonville-to-San Francisco migration headlining a team’s free agency payments illustrates a light acquisition effort on the 49ers’ part. The 49ers lost blocking tight end Charlie Woerner to the Falcons last year and saw the Lions match their Brock Wright RFA offer sheet. Farrell spent much of his on-field time last season as a run blocker.

Pro Football Focus raved about Farrell’s run-blocking work, grading him second-best among tight ends in that skill last season. The 49ers have long prioritized run blocking at tight end, as Kittle fantasy GMs can confirm, and Farrell (27) should give them a quality option in his prime.

Safety has been a wildly unstable position in San Francisco. From toggling Jimmie Ward between safety and the slot to Jaquiski Tartt‘s crushing INT drop to Talanoa Hufanga‘s All-Pro season preceding two injury-marred slates, the 49ers have struggled to staff this role. That will continue, as 2024 rookie starter Malik Mustapha is expected to miss regular-season time due to a Week 18 ACL tear. In Pinnock and Grant, the team grabbed two starters at cheap rates. One of the two will slide in as depth post-Tashaun Gipson.

Not exactly beacons of safety stability, as Julian Love and Xavier McKinney left town, the Giants turned to Pinnock as a starter from 2023-24. A 2021 Jets fifth-round pick, Pinnock reunites with Saleh after the team waived him in 2022. Pinnock started 37 games on his rookie contract, making 85 tackles in each of the past two seasons. He intercepted two passes in 2023, taking one back for a touchdown, and combined to make 10 TFLs over the past two years. PFF graded Pinnock as a top-50 safety in 2023 but placed him 78th last season.

Pinnock is on track to start, impressing to the point two-year starter Ji’Ayir Brown is in competition with Grant and fifth-round rookie Marques Sigle for the other spot. Justin Simmons replaced Grant in 2024. Grant started 32 games for the Falcons from 2022-23.

With Samuel gone and Brandon Aiyuk unlikely to be ready for Week 1, the 49ers still stood down at receiver. The Jauan Jennings–Ricky Pearsall duo will be important until Aiyuk returns, but Robinson will be relied upon early in the season as well. The former Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford tertiary target impressed as Los Angeles’ primary WR3 last season, hauling in 31 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdown grabs.

The nine-year veteran collected guarantees into Year 2 of his deal, pointing to an expectation for the four-time 400-yard performer to be a regular in the 49ers’ offense. Though, Aiyuk returning would stand to slide Robinson to the WR4 post. Robinson is suddenly not a safe bet, either, after pleading no contest to a DUI charge. A three-game suspension, which Robinson has preemptively appealed, could further limit the 49ers to open the season.

Although a rumor connected the 49ers to Davante Adams, nothing came out of it. Adams signed a two-year, $46MM deal with the Rams. The 49ers allocated their money to extensions, having already committed to Aiyuk as their high-priced wideout.

As it turned out, the 49ers did not have a deal in place with D.J. Humphries, who joins Adams with the Rams. Dillard represents a shaky swing option, having been a Titans release — after being demoted — one season into a three-year, $29MM deal. Dillard, though, played as a Packers backup last year and cost the veteran minimum. Dillard joins Spencer Burford and as the 49ers’ top swing options at tackle.

Weeks wanted to stay with the Texans, but they moved on from the longest-tenured player in franchise history. The 39-year-old long snapper will play his 16th season in San Francisco, being part of a historically old snapper-punter duo. Morstead is also 39 but will reunite with Saleh, who had the ex-Saints Super Bowl winner installed as his punter during two separate stints while employed as Jets HC. Morstead averaged at least 47.2 yards per punt as a Jet; six-year option Mitch Wishnowsky — cut after suffering a back injury last November — only reached that number once in six seasons.

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