Checking In On 2025 Fifth-Year Option Performers
The 2021 draft class has produced some of the NFL’s best players. Patrick Surtain claimed Defensive Player of the Year acclaim, after signing a monster extension that reset the cornerback market, and Ja’Marr Chase posted a triple-crown campaign that ended up pushing the wide receiver market past $40MM per year. Penei Sewell remains the NFL’s highest-paid tackle, and the DeVonta Smith/Jaylen Waddle deals helped shape other WR contracts over the past year.
Several players from that first round also did not pan out, with the quarterback crop being the most notable underachievers. Only Trevor Lawrence received an extension among the five 2021 first-round passers, though Justin Fields did do fairly well as a free agent this offseason. The 2021 first-round class did see 15 options exercised (and three players extended; Rashod Bateman has already been extended twice), marking a bump from the 2020 first-round contingent.
Nine players from that first round, however, exited this year’s offseason programs still tied to their rookie deals. Even though the 2020 CBA helped players on this front by making fifth-year options fully guaranteed, it can still be argued the options do first-rounders a disservice due to teams having five years of player control compared to four on deals ranging from Round 2 to Round 7. But the option system — now in its 15th year — is not going anywhere. And more than a fourth of the NFL’s franchises are moving toward training camp with big decisions to make.
Here is a look at where things stand between those teams and the batch of 2021 first-rounders on fifth-year options:
Kyle Pitts, TE (Falcons); option salary: $10.88MM
Flashes of upper-crust tight end play have emerged for Pitts, but Terry Fontenot leaving Chase on the board — months before the Falcons traded Julio Jones — was obviously a mistake. Pitts joined Mike Ditka (and now Brock Bowers) as the only rookie-year tight ends to clear 1,000 yards; the Florida product has not approached that range since. While Pitts has played 17 games in each of the past two seasons, the MCL injury he sustained in 2022 brought a hurdle that became difficult to negotiate. QB play has hurt Pitts, but the Falcons have not seen him justify the No. 4 overall investment. A contract-year uptick certainly could provide a gateway to a big 2026 free agency payday, however.
No Falcons extension rumors have surfaced this offseason, but Pitts has been the subject of trade talk. The Falcons are believed to have listened on Pitts earlier this offseason. A Day 2 pick was believed to be the desired asking price for the 24-year-old pass catcher. Barring a trade, Pitts will be counted on to help Michael Penix Jr.‘s development, alongside fellow Fontenot top-10 skill-position draftees Drake London and Bijan Robinson. Pitts’ age still points to a big-ticket 2026 deal being a reasonable outcome; he can remove notions of a “prove it” contract being necessary with a quality contract year.
Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys); option salary: $24MM
In NFC East drama, the Cowboys traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Eagles, as Philly’s plan to outflank the Giants on Smith worked. Dallas won the prize here, landing Parsons at 12. Although Surtain has received the top honor among this draft class and Chase has become the highest-paid player, Parsons is also one of the NFL’s best players. He will be paid like it, and the Cowboys are operating on an eerily similar timeline compared to their slow-playing of other recent extensions.
A three-time All-Pro, Parsons is the best player still attached to a fifth-year option. And the EDGE market has changed significantly this offseason. Parsons, 26, confirmed the Cowboys’ latest delay will prove costly. A strange subplot between Jerry Jones and Parsons’ agent (David Mulugheta) also became known during these drawn-out negotiations. The former No. 12 overall pick has expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid defender, and it seems likely he will eclipse Chase’s $40.25MM-per-year deal as well. The Cowboys, whose slow-paced dealings with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb defined their 2024 offseason, have been in talks with Parsons.
Even after a value gap was revealed, a report of common ground surfaced. A franchise that accustomed to — prior to the Lamb and Prescott deals, that is — long-term contracts also looks to have hit a term-length snag here. Trade rumors came out here months ago, but nothing on that front has surfaced in a while.
After Maxx Crosby eclipsed Nick Bosa‘s defender AAV record, Danielle Hunter cleared $35MM (albeit on a one-year bump) as well. Myles Garrett‘s $40MM-per-year accord now sets the market, and T.J. Watt and Aidan Hutchinson should benefit. Parsons having waited boosts his prospects as well, and being nearly four years younger than Garrett will present a clear case for the Penn State alum’s second contract to come in noticeably higher. When will the Cowboys complete their latest arduous contractual journey?
Rashawn Slater, LT (Chargers); option salary: $19MM
The Bolts did well to add Slater at No. 13. Like Parsons, not much doubt appears to exist about Slater’s prospects for a mega-deal. The Northwestern alum, who joined Parsons and Sewell in opting out of the 2020 COVID-19-marred college season, has started every game he has played with the Chargers. After missing 14 games due to injury in 2022, Slater bounced back and earned his second Pro Bowl nod (in 2024).
Last year brought extensions for Sewell, Christian Darrisaw (chosen 10 spots after Slater) and 2020 first-rounder Tristan Wirfs. Slater’s market will check in at a similar place. Extension talks began early this offseason, as the Jim Harbaugh–Joe Hortiz regime has now observed him for a season. Slater skipped OTAs but expects his second contract to come from the Chargers.
The period between minicamp and Week 1 regularly brings extensions, and this will be the most likely window for the Chargers to come to terms with their O-line anchor. Slater signing a second contract soon would allow it to overlap with at least two Joe Alt rookie-deal years, providing a benefit to an L.A. team with a $53MM-per-year Justin Herbert deal on the books.
Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (Jets); option salary: $15.31MM
After bouncing between guard and tackle, Vera-Tucker has settled at his natural position. The USC product, whom the Jets chose 14th overall in 2021, worked exclusively at right guard last year. Although the Jets faceplanted in Aaron Rodgers‘ only full season leading the charge, Vera-Tucker stayed healthy after suffering season-ending injuries in 2022 and ’23. Vera-Tucker started 15 games last year; Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s ninth-best guard.
The Jets are believed to be eyeing the post-draft period to discuss a second contract with Vera-Tucker, though the team — its struggles notwithstanding — has several extension candidates. Even if Breece Hall may not be one of them, the Jets have 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson extension-eligible now.
Vera-Tucker, who turned 26 this week, could take precedence due to being in a contract year. It is also possible a new Jets regime would want to see more given the guard’s injury struggles. Another quality year would make Vera-Tucker one of the top 2026 free agents, but the Jets hold exclusive negotiating rights until March 2026.
Jaelan Phillips, OLB (Dolphins); option salary: $13.25MM
While Vera-Tucker created some distance from his injury issues last season, Phillips sank deeper into that abyss by suffering an ACL tear after a November 2023 Achilles tear sent him off course. Chosen 18th overall in 2021, Phillips already carried injury baggage based on his UCLA past. He rocketed onto the first-round radar following a transfer to Miami, and the ex-Hurricane showed promise during the early years of his rookie contract. Phillips posted 25 QB hits and seven sacks in 2022 and was on pace to clear that career-high sack mark by a comfy margin in ’23, but the Dolphins soon saw injuries derail their edge rusher plan.
Phillips and Bradley Chubb‘s returns from malady-marred stretches represent a central Dolphins storyline. Their returns, which are nearly complete, will be paramount for a regime suddenly in some hot water. The GM who selected Phillips (Chris Grier) 18th overall remains in place, potentially helping the 26-year-old OLB in the event he can shake the injury trouble. But no extension rumors have emerged. This season will be about Phillips reestablishing his old form. If he does, a 2026 franchise tag or a lucrative deal coming in just south of that rate may await.
Kwity Paye, DE (Colts); option salary: $13.39MM
Paye’s value checks in below the Parsons-Slater tier, but he may also not be in “prove it” territory like Phillips. The former No. 21 overall pick has not battled major injury trouble nor has he delivered A-list production. Settling in as an upper-middle-class edge rusher thus far, the Michigan alum has recorded 16.5 sacks since 2023.
Paye, 26, played a big role in the Colts setting an Indianapolis-era record for sacks in a season (51) in 2023 and has certainly not been a bust for Chris Ballard‘s team. A decision will need to be made soon, though, even as the Colts have bigger issues to sort out. The Colts have done well to extend or re-sign their core players, but Ballard backtracked on an inward-focused approach this offseason by paying Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Will those deals affect Paye’s standing?
Indianapolis also has two veteran D-tackle contracts on the books (for DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart), and the team used a first-round pick on D-end Laiatu Latu last year. A Paye payday would complement Latu’s rookie-deal years, and the Colts acting early could create a discount opportunity due to Paye never eclipsing nine sacks or 12 QB hits in a season. Those numbers also could give the team pause about Paye’s long-term viability. Paye was not interested in a 2024 extension, but it would stand to reason he would be prepared to talk terms now. No extension rumors have followed, though.
Travis Etienne, RB (Jaguars); option salary: $6.14MM
An Urban Meyer draftee, Etienne has now been a Lawrence teammate for eight years. The Clemson-developed running back delivered quality work for the 2022 and ’23 Jaguars teams, becoming a high-usage player under Doug Pederson in that span. Meyer had telegraphed a hope the Jags could draft Kadarius Toney in 2021, but Etienne proved the far better pick by posting back-to-back seasons of 1,400-plus yards from scrimmage after missing his rookie year with a foot injury. However, Etienne’s stock mirrored that of the team last year. Tank Bigsby cut into his RB1 role, and career-worst marks followed.
Etienne does not appear an extension candidate in Jacksonville, and trade rumors emerged before the draft. Linked to Ashton Jeanty at No. 5, the Jags pulled off a smokescreen operation centered around Travis Hunter. Even with Jacksonville going with Hunter over Jeanty, the team drafted two running backs (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) ahead of Liam Coen‘s first year in charge. Coen did throw cold water on an Etienne trade, but the 26-year-old RB appears set to play out his rookie contract and test free agency in 2026. It will be interesting to see if Coen, who coaxed a promising rookie-year season from Bucky Irving, can move Etienne back on track. But a post-draft report also indicated the new Jags HC is not especially high on the former No. 25 overall pick.
Greg Newsome, CB (Browns); option salary: $13.38MM
As Hunter headed to Jacksonville instead of Cleveland, Newsome saw his status receive an 11th-hour update ahead of the draft. Rather than see Hunter’s two-way role impact him, Newsome enters 2025 in a similar spot. The Browns traded down from No. 2 and took Mason Graham — in a draft that did not see Cleveland draft a cornerback — but Newsome still may not be long for Cleveland.
The Browns dangled the 25-year-old corner in trades before the draft; that followed a pre-deadline trade rumor. In April, it looked like Hunter’s part-time CB role would affect Newsome. But the Browns and Jags had been working on a trade for more than two weeks before the draft. Those trade talks may have been merely a reflection of the organization’s view of Newsome, the 2021 No. 26 overall pick.
Former third-rounder Martin Emerson has operated as Denzel Ward‘s perimeter complementary performer during his career, relegating Newsome to a slot role in sub-packages. Last season, that meant only three starts for Newsome, who described some frustration with his role during the winter. A trade may still be something to monitor ahead of the November deadline, especially if the Browns want to keep stockpiling ammo for a 2026 QB move.
Odafe Oweh, OLB (Ravens); option salary: $13.25MM
Like Paye, Oweh has submitted an extended sample of quality production. Neither had revealed themselves to be difference-making presences going into 2024, but after the Ravens moved on from Jadeveon Clowney, Oweh took a long-awaited step forward. The former No. 31 overall pick broke through for 10 sacks and 23 QB hits. Oweh had never previously surpassed five sacks or 15 hits in a season, with 2024 representing a significant development for a Ravens team that has otherwise relied on veteran stopgaps since Matt Judon‘s 2021 free agency departure.
With David Ojabo not yet panning out, Oweh still has a clear runway in Baltimore. An extension is in play for the ex-Parsons Penn State teammate. Not too much has come out on this front just yet, and the Ravens may also be interested in seeing if Oweh can replicate his 2024 production. Then again, the team has four years of intel on the 26-year-old pass rusher.
Waiting until 2026 to make a play here would run the risk of Oweh’s price rising beyond Baltimore’s comfort zone. No stranger to letting pass-rushing talent walk in free agency and recouping compensatory picks, the Ravens have also not been able to rely on a homegrown pass rusher since Judon. That would stand to make Oweh a reasonable priority in his contract year.
5 Key Stories: 6/15/25 – 6/21/25
As the wait for the opening of training camps around the league begins, a number of high-profile situations remain unresolved. That will likely remain the case for several weeks, but one major free agent move defined the past few days. In case you missed any of the top developments from this week, here is a quick recap:
- Alexander Chooses Ravens: With no trade or pay cut agreement being reached with the Packers, Jaire Alexander hit the open market upon being released. The two-time Pro Bowler drew immediate interest to no surprise, and in short order he decided on his second career team. Alexander had not been heavily linked to the Ravens upon becoming a free agent, but not long after former Louisville teammate Lamar Jackson publicly endorsed adding him, Baltimore did just that. Alexander will play on a one-year, $4MM pact with another $2MM available via incentives – a far cry from what he was originally owed but a deal which allows him to test the market next spring. The oft-injured cover man’s preference appeared to be a reworked Packers agreement, but in the absence of guarantees on a pay cut he elected to start over on a new team.
- Ramsey Landing Spots Becoming Clearer? Jalen Ramsey is still with the Dolphins at this point, but nothing has changed with respect to a trade being expected. The list of teams not pursuing him continues to grow, something which is bringing his potential landing spots into greater focus. The Rams have long been known as an interested party in this situation, and they are joined by the Chargers as a team to watch. A Friday report stated Ramsey would prefer being dealt to the West Coast, with the two Los Angeles franchise being listed as destinations. The Bolts had not previously been linked to the 30-year-old, but it will be interesting to see if they partake in a bidding war with the Rams during trade talks with the Dolphins.
- Guarantees Holding Up Steelers’ Watt Negotiations? Along with a number of other notable edge rushers, T.J. Watt is in talks for a new deal. He and the Steelers have a mutual desire to remain together past 2025, but a raise is in store on a third contract. To little surprise, it appears the matter of guarantees are a sticking point in negotiations. Making another massive investment regarding locked in compensation for Watt, 30, could be a trickier decision on Pittsburgh’s part now compared to when the team made him the league’s highest-paid pass rusher in 2021. That negotiation process took well into the summer, whereas this time around an agreement in time for training camp is the goal.
- Mosley Retires: On his 33rd birthday, C.J. Mosley announced his retirement from the NFL. A Butkis Award winner and two-time national champion at Alabama, the linebacker entered the league with high expectations. Mosley enjoyed a productive five-year stint with the Ravens, collecting four Pro Bowl nods. He then reset the LB market with an $85MM Jets deal, a pact which did originally yield the desired results (with only two games played from 2019-20). Mosley was a productive starter when healthy in New York, but few were surprised when he was released this offseason. The five-time second-team All-Pro intended to continue his career, but his attention will now turn to his post-playing days.
- Second-Round Rookies Seeking Fully Guaranteed Deals: Players selected in the first round of the NFL draft have long seen their four-year pacts guaranteed in full. A new precedent was set this offseason when the No. 33 (Carson Schwesinger, Browns) and 34 (Jayden Higgins, Texans) selections received full guarantees for every year of their respective deals. Fellow round two draftees are understandably waiting to sign in the hopes of receiving the same terms. That includes Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who came off the board 40th overall. Locking in all of his contract would mark a notable jump compared to last year’s selection in that slot. Nearly every other member of the 2025 draft class is on the books by now, but it could take until training camp (or longer) for agreements covering the remaining rookies to be worked out. A resolution to the second-round stalemates will be key in that regard.
Release Candidates: Shelby Harris, Ogbo Okoronkwo
For the Browns, a key talking point through training camp and the preseason will of course be the team’s quarterback competition. Other position battles will be taking place this summer, though, and the defensive line will be a position group to watch. 
Cleveland has free agent addition Maliek Collins set to occupy a starting role along the interior after he inked a $20MM deal to join the Browns. Having selected Mason Graham fifth overall in this year’s draft, it can also be safely assumed the All-American will be counted on as a key contributor early and often in his career. 2024 second-rounder Mike Hall is another defensive tackle attached to a rookie contract in Cleveland’s case.
Given the nature of the Browns’ depth chart along the D-line, Shelby Harris could find himself on the outside of the roster bubble. The Athletic’s Zac Jackson writes Harris is in danger of being cut this summer (subscription required). Jackson also notes that the same is true of veteran edge rusher Ogbo Okoronkwo.
Harris has spent time with four teams over the course of his NFL career. The 33-year-old played for the Seahawks in 2022 after being acquired as part of the Russell Wilson trade. That was followed by a free agent deal with the Browns. Harris has logged 31 games and 20 starts to date in Cleveland, and his snap share jumped from 42% in 2023 to 59% last year.
In spite of that workload, the Browns’ moves along the defensive interior this spring would leave Harris lower on the depth chart in the event he were to be retained. One year remains on the former seventh-rounder’s contract. If the Browns were to release or trade him, they would see $1.68MM in cap savings while incurring a slightly lower dead money charge.
Okoronkwo has also been in Cleveland for the past two years. After showing potential with the Texans in 2022 (five sacks, 17 QB pressures) the former fifth-rounder joined the Browns to operate as a complementary option to Myles Garrett. Over the course of his time with the team, however, Okoronkwo has only totaled five starts (each of them coming late last season after Za’Darius Smith had been traded away). In all, he has managed 7.5 sacks.
Garrett is still in the fold for years to come thanks to his new market-resetting deal. The Browns also have recent draftees Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire in place as No. 2 and 3 pass rush options along the edge. As a result, Jackson notes Okoronkwo, 30, could find himself on the outside looking in. That comes as little surprise given a report from April which stated he was among the players Cleveland was shopping in a potential trade.
Just likes Harris, Okoronkwo is a pending 2026 free agent. None of his scheduled base salary for the year is guaranteed, but the Oklahoma product is owed a $1.5MM option bonus on August 30. That represents a logical deadline for a decision to be made on keeping him in the fold or moving on. In Okoronkwo’s case, a release or trade would yield $3.67MM in cap savings while generating $1.95MM in dead money.
As things stand, the Browns have just over $18MM in cap space. That figure can and will change once final roster cuts are made, and Harris and Okoronkwo are among the notable names to watch with respect to a potential parting of ways in the near future.
5 Key Stories: 6/8/25 – 6/14/25
Most teams around the league have completed their minicamps, ending their offseason programs. Plenty of unanswered questions remain with respect to extensions and the fate of two high-profile corners at this point on the calendar, though. In case you missed any of the top developments from this week, here is a quick recap:
- Packers Release Alexander: After an offseason filled with uncertainty over his Packers future, Jaire Alexander has been let go. The two-time Pro Bowler was the subject of trade discussions multiple times this spring, but the two lucrative years remaining on his contract proved too cumbersome for suitors. Green Bay attempted to work out a restructure agreement, but with that falling short the team proceeded with a release. Alexander, 28, will count just over $17MM against the cap this season and then come off the books in 2026. The oft-injured corner has drawn immediate free agent interest and it will be interesting to see where he lands. A one-year deal should be in store but Alexander could prove to be an impactful summer addition on his next team.
- Cousins Preparing For Second Falcons Season: Once the Aaron Rodgers domino fell, no obvious suitors remained for a quarterback addition. As a result, Kirk Cousins appears set to handle backup duties with the Falcons despite his long-running efforts to find a new opportunity. Michael Penix Jr. enters 2025 as Atlanta’s starter, but the team is set to move forward with Cousins as an expensive backup. The Falcons have made clear their willingness to keep the 36-year-old in the fold, turning aside trade offers and declining to retain any notable portion of the guaranteed money he is owed to facilitate a deal. Cousins said during minicamp his attention has turned to managing his situation, one which will see him spend a second season in Atlanta barring an unforeseen development.
- Parsons Aims To Become Highest-Paid Non-QB: The top of the EDGE market currently sits at $40MM per year, but the likes of Trey Hendrickson and especially T.J. Watt could move the benchmark even higher. If/when that takes place, Micah Parsons is positioned to move to the top of the pecking order on his Cowboys extension. With little to no traction being gained since an informal agreement was reached with owner Jerry Jones, Parsons is intent to become the league’s top earner among non-quarterbacks. That would involve an AAV above $40.25MM at this point, but the two-time All-Pro anticipates his asking price rising in relation to Watt’s in particular. Jones has developed a reputation for waiting too long during high-profile negotiations, and this situation could be another illustration of that point. Parsons, 26, will attend training camp but does not plan on participating without a deal in hand.
- Texans Add Chubb: As expected, Nick Chubb will not be back with the Browns in 2025. With his productive Cleveland tenure in the rearview, the Pro Bowl back endured a lengthy free agent spell before agreeing to join the Texans. Chubb will play in Houston on a one-year, $2.5MM pact with the potential to double his earnings via incentives. Uncertainty lingers over how well the 29-year-old will be able to return to his previous form, given the underwhelming nature of his play when healthy last season. Joe Mixon is positioned to once again lead Houston’s backfield, but Chubb could earn himself a strong payday next spring with an effective showing as part of a tandem.
- Ramsey Still Awaiting Dolphins Departure: It has long been understood Jalen Ramsey will not play for the Dolphins again, but he is still in the organization. The seven-time Pro Bowler was an excused absence from Miami’s minicamp while a trade continues to be sought out. Ramsey’s relationship with head coach Mike McDaniel has been a talking point, and members of Miami’s staff have confirmed the parting of ways is not based on performance. At the age of 30, continuing to perform at an All-Pro level may not be expected by an acquiring team, although expectations will be high given the term and money (including $24.24MM in guaranteed salary) left on his deal.
Extension Candidate: Tyler Linderbaum
The Ravens declined the fifth-year option of center Tyler Linderbaum in May, making 2025 a contract year for the 2022 first-round pick.
Typically, that decision means that a team doesn’t want to sign a player to a long-term extension. The Ravens, for example, didn’t pick up Patrick Queen‘s fifth-year option in 2023 and let him walk in free agency the following year.
Linderbaum’s situation is a little different. The NFL calculates fifth-year option values based on the top salaries at each position, but the formula groups all offensive linemen together. With two Pro Bowls under his belt, Linderbaum’s fifth-year option reached the highest tier at $23.4MM; effectively, the Ravens would have been paying their starting center like a premium left tackle in 2026. That figure would have also set a high bar in long-term contract talks as players rarely sign extensions with an average value below their fifth-year option.
As a result, a new deal for Linderbaum is still firmly in play in the coming months. The Ravens confirmed as much in a statement when they announced their fifth-year option decisions, though general manager Eric DeCosta said the same thing about Queen on a team podcast in 2023. At that time, the Ravens had recently traded for Roquan Smith and used a third-round pick on Trenton Simpson, but this year, they have no clear successor for Linderbaum on the roster. (A franchise tag for 2026 is likely out of the question. Thanks to the same positional designation quirk, Linderbaum is projected by OverTheCap to cost $24.7MM on the transition tag and $27.603MM on the franchise tag.)
Even if Baltimore could find a replacement by next season, he likely will not offer the same elite level of play as Linderbaum. The 25-year-old center has been one of the league’s best since he was drafted in 2022 with the No. 25 pick, which the Ravens acquired as a result of the Marquise Brown trade. Linderbaum immediately stepped in as Lamar Jackson‘s starting center and put together a solid rookie year before making a leap in 2023 after the arrival of offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
Improvements in Linderbaum’s anchor in pass protection and Monken’s creative use of his athleticism in the run game has brought out the best in Linderbaum over the last two seasons. In that time, he reached two Pro Bowls and hasn’t allowed a single sack, per PFF (subscription required), and the Ravens have dominated opponents on the ground.
The former Iowa Hawkeye has also been durable in his career thus far, starting 54 of the Ravens’ 56 games since he was drafted (including the postseason). Jackson struggled with consistency at center before Linderbaum’s arrival in 2022, so the team has reason for wanting to lock the position down for the foreseeable future.
Given Linderbaum’s pedigree and durability, an extension is likely predicated on making him the highest-paid center in the NFL. Currently, that title belongs to the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year, $72MM deal last August with $35MM guaranteed at signing and $50.315MM in total guarantees, per OverTheCap. That should get Linderbaum above $18MM per year with a commensurate increase in guaranteed money.
He may even push to join the ranks of the highest-paid interior offensive linemen with the guard market above $20MM per year. That may prove difficult for the Ravens, who are working on an extension for Jackson with several other key players in the last year of their contracts. Baltimore would likely prefer to make Linderbaum the league’s most expensive center at a more symbolic $18.25MM or $18.5MM APY rather than resetting the market at $19MM or more. They could rely on a familiar strategy to accomplish that.
DeCosta has kept a lid on the team’s major contracts by offering significant guarantees at signing in exchange for a discount on APY. For example, Ronnie Stanley could have signed for more than $20MM per year on the open market, but he took $60MM over three years from the Ravens, in part because his $44MM in fully guaranteed money ranks third among NFL left tackles.
As a result, a four-year, $74MM extension with a stronger guarantee structure than Humphrey’s deal could offer a middle ground between Linderbaum and the Ravens. He has been present for all but one practice during Baltimore’s OTAs, indicating that he has no intention of holding out (or in) this year as the team works on a new contract.
Poll: Which WR Trade Will Prove Most Beneficial?
The 2025 offseason has seen a number of high-profile receivers change teams via free agency. The likes of Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp and DeAndre Hopkins have undertaken a change of scenery so far. The same will also soon be true of Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper. 
This spring has also provided notable moves at the position via trade, however. A total of four swaps including wideouts have taken place in 2025; in three of those cases, the player included in the deal changed teams for the first time in their career. For all squads involved, the outcome of the trades will be key in determining their success this season and beyond.
March began with the 49ers sending Deebo Samuel to the Commanders. That deal – which yielded a fifth-round pick in return – came when team and player mutually agreed a parting ways was in order. Samuel had previously requested a trade, but his 2022 extension allowed him to remain in San Francisco. The 29-year-old has been unable to duplicate the production from his All-Pro campaign in 2021 when he showcased his receiving and rushing abilities.
Between a downturn in output and the massive extension which was (eventually) worked out with Brandon Aiyuk last offseason, many expected 2024 would be Samuel’s final year in the Bay Area. Shortly after the season ended, it became clear the Commanders were among the teams pursuing the former Pro Bowler. For at least one year (since he is a pending 2026 free agent), Samuel will offer the Commanders a veteran secondary WR option to complement perennial 1,000-yard performer Terry McLaurin.
Samuel saw his base salary for this year guaranteed via a restructure upon arrival in Washington. $3MM in incentives are present as well, adding to his earning potential on a Commanders team looking to replicate its surprising offensive success from 2024. The 49ers, meanwhile, will move forward with Aiyuk. Jauan Jennings and a number of younger options capable of handling at least a depth receiver role.
Christian Kirk initially appeared to be a cap casualty for the Jaguars this offseason. Instead of cutting the former Cardinal, however, the team’s new regime traded him inside the division to the Texans. A seventh-round pick in next year’s draft prevented Houston from having to win a bidding war for his services. Just like Samuel, Kirk restructured his contract shortly after being acquired.
The 28-year-old is also a pending free agent, so he too could prove to be a rental. Nico Collins will remain WR1 for the Texans in 2025, but the loss of Stefon Diggs and the likelihood of Tank Dell missing considerable time while recovering from multiple knee surgeries will give Kirk a notable role on his new team. Mentioned as a Steelers trade deadline target last fall, the former second-rounder saw his production decline over each of his three Jaguars seasons. Kirk should nevertheless be able to operate as a useful deep threat as the Texans transition to new offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
The skill positions have undergone many changes in Jacksonville this offseason. Kirk’s trade was accompanied by the decision to cut wideout/returner Devin Duvernay, along with Gabe Davis. With Pro Bowl tight end Evan Engram also no longer in the picture, first-year head coach Liam Coen will have a number of new pass catchers in place for 2025. The success of that new group will be a key talking point.
Even before March, D.K. Metcalf’s Seahawks future was uncertain. A desire to land a second extension (putting him near the top of the position’s market) paved the way for a trade request. General manager John Schneider later said finances were not at the heart of the decision to pull off a trade, noting the two-time Pro Bowler’s strong desire to move on. Seattle’s asking price originally included a first-round pick, but that was soon lowered. 
In the end, a second-round selection (in addition to a swap of Day 3 selections) proved to be sufficient for the Steelers to acquire Metcalf. The trade was immediately followed by a four-year, $132MM extension agreement. As a result of that pact, Metcalf, 27, met his known goal of joining the list of receivers earning at least $30MM per season on average. His AAV of $33MM ranks fourth at the position.
As Seattle moves forward with a receiver group centered on Kupp (who was added on a homecoming deal following his Rams release) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Pittsburgh will rely heavily on Metcalf for 2025 and beyond. Questions loom about Pittsburgh’s 2025 quarterback starter and his upside, but expectations will be high for in Metcalf’s case as a player who has posted no fewer than 900 yards in each of his six NFL seasons.
At first, the Metcalf addition seemed to put the Steelers in place to pair him with George Pickens for at least one campaign. The latter found himself on the move one month ago, however. Pickens was dealt to the Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick in next year’s draft (with late-round selections in the 2027 event being exchanged as well).
Pickens – who did not request to be moved – has one year remaining on his rookie contract. The 24-year-old is not aiming to sign a Cowboys extension at this point, so much will depend on his performance with his new team. Of course, this situation will also contain plenty of scrutiny in terms of maturity and locker room fit in Dallas. Issues on those fronts led to an ambivalence among many Steelers with respect to Pickens’ departure.
The Cowboys did not draft a first-round receiver as many thought they would, but adding Pickens will provide the team with a high-potential CeeDee Lamb counterpart. A strong showing from that tandem will help Pickens’ market value on a re-signing or a long-term arrangement with a third team. For Pittsburgh, meanwhile, Metcalf’s supporting cast faces questions (although another pass-catching addition is being explored). The Steelers’ decision to make one lucrative investment at any given time in a receiver is common enough, but the impact of replacing Pickens with Metcalf will be felt in 2025 as well as future years.
Keeping in mind the prices paid in these trades and the other receiver-related moves made by the teams who parted ways with those involved in the swaps, which do you think will work out the best? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section below.
2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team
This week started with a point on the NFL calendar that has been important for decades. Although teams have not needed to wait until June to make their most expensive cuts in many years, they do not see the funds from post-June 1 designations until that point.
With June 1 coming and going, a fourth of the league has seen the savings from post-June 1 releases arrive. That has affected the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy. Here is how every team stands (via OverTheCap) following June 2 changes:
- New England Patriots: $67.34MM
- San Francisco 49ers: $53.49MM
- Detroit Lions: $40.12MM
- New York Jets: $39.8MM
- Las Vegas Raiders: $36.16MM
- Arizona Cardinals: $32.11MM
- Dallas Cowboys: $32.11MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers: $31.88MM
- Seattle Seahawks: $31.21MM
- Tennessee Titans: $30.16MM
- Green Bay Packers: $28.94MM
- Cincinnati Bengals: $27.08MM
- Los Angeles Chargers: $26.83MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $26.63MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars: $26.54MM
- Philadelphia Eagles: $25.79MM
- New Orleans Saints: $22.62MM
- Washington Commanders: $21.13MM
- Indianapolis Colts: $20.09MM
- Los Angeles Rams: $19.44MM
- Baltimore Ravens: $18.95MM
- Carolina Panthers: $18.69MM
- Minnesota Vikings: $18.49MM
- Cleveland Browns: $18.2MM
- Houston Texans: $16.3MM
- Denver Broncos: $16.23MM
- Chicago Bears: $14.76MM
- Miami Dolphins: $13.81MM
- Kansas City Chiefs: $10.75MM
- Atlanta Falcons: $5.02MM
- New York Giants: $3.82MM
- Buffalo Bills: $1.69MM
The Jets saw their situation change the most from post-June 1 designations, as $13.5MM became available to the team after its Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosley cuts. Teams have up to two post-June 1 designations at their disposals. Five clubs — the Jets, Browns, Ravens, Eagles and 49ers — used both slots. Only three other teams made a post-June 1 cut before that seminal date. The eight that made these moves will have dead money split between 2025 and 2026.
Baltimore used the cost-defraying option to release Marcus Williams and Justin Tucker, while Cleveland — in Year 4 of the regrettable Deshaun Watson partnership — used it to move on from Juan Thornhill and Dalvin Tomlinson. As the Eagles’ option bonus-heavy payroll included two hefty bonus numbers for Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the reigning Super Bowl champions released both 30-something cornerbacks. Together, Slay and Bradberry will count more than $20MM on Philadelphia’s 2026 cap sheet. As for this year, though, the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and 49ers respectively saved $9.85MM, $9.4MM, $6.3MM, $6.4MM and $5.6MM, according to Spotrac.
The Jaguars made a mid-offseason decision to release Gabe Davis, doing so not long after trading up to draft Travis Hunter — with the plan to primarily play him at wide receiver — at No. 2 overall. Off-field issues, coupled with a down 2024 season, made Tucker expendable — after the Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in Round 6. The Vikings moved off Garrett Bradbury‘s contract and will replace him with free agency addition Ryan Kelly, while Mason lasted two seasons paired with C.J. Stroud‘s rookie deal. The 49ers made it known early they were moving on from Javon Hargrave, while 2024 trade addition Maliek Collins also exited the team’s D-tackle room.
Derek Carr‘s retirement being processed Tuesday also changed the Saints’ funding. The team will spread the dead money ($50.13MM) across two years. Even with the number being reduced this year, the Saints will be hit with the second-highest single-player dead money hit (behind only the Broncos’ Russell Wilson separation) in NFL history as a result of the Carr exit. The Saints will only be responsible for $19.21MM of that total in 2025. As they did with Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox‘s retirements last year, the Eagles will also process Brandon Graham‘s hit this way.
Eight of this year’s post-June 1 releases remain in free agency. The Patriots added Bradbury to replace the now-retired David Andrews, while the Vikings scooped up Hargrave. As the Steelers await Rodgers’ decision, they added two other post-June 1 releases in Slay and Thornhill. Tomlinson joined the Cardinals not long after his Browns release.
Extension Candidate: Garrett Wilson
The NFL’s wide receiver market hit a new high-water mark this offseason with Ja’Marr Chase receiving $40.25MM per year from the Bengals less than a year after Justin Jefferson became the first WR to reach a $35MM APY. D.K. Metcalf also negotiated a strong deal with the Steelers worth just under $33MM per year.
A rising tide lifts all boats, so the boom in wide receiver pay should benefit a talented 2022 draft class that became extension-eligible this offseason. Leading the pack with 279 receptions for 3,249 yards in the last three season is former No. 10 pick Garrett Wilson, who has started negotiating a long-term deal with the Jets.
Wilson has been New York’s top receiver since he joined the team and projects to play a foundational role in their new offense under offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Wilson will also reunite with Ohio State teammate Justin Fields and should be his most trusted target off the bat with little competition for targets. That could position the 24-year-old receiver for a strong 2025 that could significantly raise his price tag if the Jets don’t get an extension done before the season.
Right now, negotiations will likely start around $30MM per year, the low end of the NFL’s WR1 market. Brandon Aiyuk, Tyreek Hill, and Amon-Ra St. Brown are making the same amount, per OverTheCap, and five more wideouts have an APY of $32MM or more.
Wilson seems to belong to the first group. He ranks eighth in receptions and 10th in receiving yards among WRs since 2022 with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each year. However, his career-best 2024 numbers don’t come close to Aiyuk, Hill, or St. Brown in their best seasons, so Wilson may have trouble arguing that he deserves a bigger contract than all three. Though he won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, he has yet to receive Pro Bowl or All-Pro recognition, another factor that will likely keep him from a top-dollar deal.
Wilson can still construct a strong case out of his age, durability, and adaptability and argue that he’s an ascending player who has yet to play his best football. He will turn 25 this year after appearing in all 51 of the Jets’ regular-season games since being drafted despite his slight 185-pound frame. He has also demonstrated clear growth into a WR1 role with 83, 95, and 101 receptions in his first three years with noticeable improvements at the catch point last season. (Wilson posted a 56.5% catch rate in 2022 and 2023; in 2024, it jumped to 65.6%.)
However, Wilson has not been especially efficient in the pros. He ranks 19th among all WRs in yards per game (63.7) since 2022 with a pedestrian 6.93 yards per target. He has also struggled to reach the end zone with just 14 career touchdowns on 469 targets.
Advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) tell a similar story. Wilson’s 51.7% contested catch rate in 2024 was a career-high, but only ranked 20th among receivers with at least 85 targets. His 1.69 yards per route run ranked 32nd in that same group, though he did lead all WRs with 25 missed tackles forced after the catch.
Wilson’s production alone would likely place his next contract just outside the top 10 at his position (and therefore under $30MM per year), but context is important. The Jets’ offense around him has been terrible with three straight bottom-10 finishes in yards per game, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello also pointed out that Wilson has caught passes from eight different quarterbacks on plays called by three different coaches; his best passer was a clearly aging Aaron Rodgers in 2024 playing some of the worst football of his career. (It’s still worth noting that Wilson’s production remained largely the same with Rodgers under center, partially due to expanded competition for targets from Davante Adams.)
Fields certainly isn’t a more proven quarterback than Rodgers, but he already has a rapport with Wilson that Rodgers was never able to establish. Wilson should also benefit from Engstrand’s schematic influence after he coached Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams to breakouts in his last role as the Lions passing game coordinator.
As a result, a long-term contract in the neighborhood of $30MM per year could end up looking like a steal if Wilson takes his game to the next level in 2025. He may recognize that and adjust his demands accordingly, but the Jets have some leverage after picking up his $16.8MM fifth-year option for 2026. Wilson cannot earn more than $20MM in the next two years unless he signs a long-term extension, which should also come with upwards of $50MM in guaranteed money. The former first-round pick may still choose to bet on himself with the hopes of breaking into the upper echelon of WR contracts next offseason.
How Will Packers Proceed With Suddenly Crowded Receiving Corps?
In 2022, the Packers attempted to get by with multiple rookie-contract cogs arriving in the wake of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s departures. The result: a season that began Aaron Rodgers‘ decline. However, the team has continued to stockpile rookie contracts at the position — with the most notable move coming last month. Even as Matt LaFleur minimized the need for a true No. 1-level wide receiver, the team snapped a 23-year drought by choosing Matthew Golden at No. 23 overall.
A roster that still includes the two players added to supplement a post-Adams receiver cadre — Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs — received another youth infusion via Golden and third-round addition Savion Williams. If these four were all healthy and the only notable parts in Green Bay’s receiving group, no front-burner issue may have appeared. But the team also has two 2023 draftees as WR regulars. As a result, the Golden and Williams arrivals create big-picture questions.
While delayed QB ascents (amid a succession that dates back to 1992) define the Packers’ roster-building philosophy, the franchise’s reluctance to draft a wideout in Round 1 had become a core component as well. As the likes of Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Adams revealed, the Pack regularly got by without selecting a receiver in the first round. After the Packers cut ties with 2002 first-rounder Javon Walker via a draft-weekend trade in 2006 (to the Broncos), they moved out of the first-round receiver business.
It could be argued the Pack did not do enough to supplement Rodgers during his heyday — one filled with playoff shortcomings following Super Bowl XLV — but a team once known for free agency avoidance managed to support four MVP seasons for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Entering Jordan Love‘s third season at the controls, however, the team deemed receiver a high enough priority — after no 900-yard seasons have occurred since Adams’ departure — to use two of its first three picks on the position.
The Jets sent the Packers two second-round picks for Rodgers in 2023. Jayden Reed did not arrive via one of those picks, as the Packers used their original second-rounder to trade down two spots (via the Buccaneers) for him. Dontayvion Wicks arrived in the 2023 fifth round. This already created a glut of Packers rookie-contract receivers, as backup Bo Melton and free agent signing Mecole Hardman are rostered as well. Hardman’s Super Bowl LVIII-winning reception notwithstanding, he provides more return-game value. But the Packers adding the seventh-year veteran and two more rookies creates a situation where notable changes are coming.
Reed is under contract for two more seasons, and he has seen Golden’s rookie terms ($17.58MM fully guaranteed) dwarf his. On a $7.18MM (4MM guaranteed) pact through 2026, Reed cannot discuss an extension until next year. Packers brass is believed to have met with Reed to clarify his situation recently. With Watson battling injuries before his Week 18 ACL tear, the Packers have turned to Reed as their nominal No. 1 receiver. The slot presence has totaled 1,650 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons. He now profiles as the team’s top veteran in a group now headlined by Golden, but what will happen to the other experienced presences?
Watson would carry considerable trade value, even with a past of soft-tissue maladies, but his knee rehab effectively ensures the North Dakota State product will not be going anywhere this year. Watson is expected to be sidelined until around midseason. This would leave Doubs and Wicks as potential options to be moved.
Wicks did not match his rookie-year yardage figure (581) in Year 2 (415), even as his snap share increased to 54% last season. Doubs, a 2022 fourth-rounder, has been more consistent; he enters a contract year riding back-to-back 600-yard seasons, playing 77% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. Doubs, 25, managed to clear the 600-yard barrier despite missing four games last season. A team-imposed suspension, as Doubs expressed frustration about his role, took place. He will profile as a quality 2026 free agent, but that episode represents an important chapter in his Green Bay career.
Wicks will need better production to become a higher-end FA target in 2027. But Golden and Williams’ arrivals complicate Wicks’ 2025 place in the offense and Doubs’ post-2025 Wisconsin future. As Reed makes sense as an extension candidate, Doubs trade rumors may be coming. Though, a Packers team that has hoarded these pieces may be reluctant to move a key performer before the November deadline — especially with Watson not healthy. But calls will undoubtedly come in for the Nevada alum.
Steelers connections, as Rodgers played with Doubs in 2022, have already emerged in the wake of the team’s George Pickens trade. As of now, however, waiting to see how its younger players look alongside D.K. Metcalf looks to be Pittsburgh’s party line.
Even if Watson lands on the reserve/PUP list as expected, the Packers have plenty of options — fast-emerging tight end Tucker Kraft should also factor into the extension pie — for Love entering training camp. Williams, who did not eclipse 650 yards in any of his five TCU seasons, would have the luxury of an extended developmental arc thanks to the Packers’ bevy of young veterans. But how the team rearranges its pass-catching group in 2026 — or before then — makes this one of the NFL’s most interesting position groups presently.
Examining Flag Football’s International Past
As expected, owners have paved the way for NFL players to take part in the 2028 Olympics. Several details are still to be worked out, with agreements including the NFLPA and International Olympic Committee (IOC) necessary for NFLers to suit up in Los Angeles. 
Plenty of time remains for that to take place, and a framework regarding playing surfaces, insurance against injury and adjustments to training camp schedules has already been voted on. Owners passed a resolution which would allow for one player per team per country to participate (with players classified as international roster exemptions also eligible). Six countries are slated to play in the event’s Olympic debut with 10-man rosters.
As preparations continue to take place, this is a good time to look back at the history of flag football at the international level. The 2028 Games will (presumably) be the first time active NFL players take part on a national scale, but they will carry on a trend of international competition in football (including the flag version) which dates back more than two decades.
IFAF – the International Federation of American Football, currently led by president Pierre Trochet – was founded in 1998. In the case of several countries, that development took place long after their own national federations were put in place (Canada’s, for instance, was more than one century old by that point). The first ever world championship for tackle football took place in 1999, and it is held every four years. Similarly, the world championship for the flag version of the sport began in 2002 – for both men and women – and it takes place every second year.
Austria won gold in each of the first two men’s world flag championships, winning the event again in 2012. France and Canada took home the prize in the intervening events. Team USA won the gold medal for the first time in 2010, and that feat has been repeated during each of the past five tournaments. In a similar fashion, the American women’s team has won each of the past three world championships after a total of five countries combined to win the first eight editions of the event.
As part of the ongoing development of flag football on a global level, IFAF received provisional status from the IOC in 2013 and recognized status 10 years later. The latter designation paved the way for flag football to be confirmed as an Olympic event, allowing for further growth on the world stage. The NFL played a leading role in that development, and the league has made a point to foster increased participation in flag football in recent years (with an NFL-sponsored league potentially on the horizon).
32 of IFAF’s 76 member countries qualified for the most recent men’s world flag championship, with six continents being represented for the first time. Continental championships serve as a qualifying path for the world championships, so it would come as no surprise if that were to also be the case in advance of the Olympics. A wide range of possibilities exist with respect to which countries will join the American hosts in Los Angeles.