Lions Unlikely To Extend S Brian Branch In Offseason
Already extending a handful of players drafted under GM Brad Holmes, the Lions have another glut of key starters approaching extension-eligible status. Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch will be up for new deals in January.
LaPorta and Branch, because they were drafted in the second round, will be in contract years; the Lions can move former first-rounders Gibbs and Campbell’s contracts through 2027 via the fifth-year option. Our Adam La Rose covered this rich man’s problem in a recent mailbag, but Branch’s Achilles tear occurred soon after. That offers a complication for Detroit.
Branch going down brings unfortunate timing, but he does have one more season on his rookie contract. That gives him time to build up and show top form once again. But any plans for a near-top-market extension coming before next season likely ended when the tear was confirmed.
The Lions should not be expected to extend Branch during the 2026 offseason, the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes. Instead, the team will likely make the standout safety show he has returned to form before making the decision to pay him.
Detroit has experience proceeding down this road, extending Aidan Hutchinson this season after he showed dominant form once again. Though, the Lions were interested in paying Hutchinson before Week 1; the Micah Parsons Packers contract brought a delay. Detroit also extended Alim McNeill in-season, showing an openness to completing big-ticket deals outside of the offseason. Branch would make sense for such a move, provided he recovers from the Achilles injury.
The Lions introduced a complication with Branch by giving Kerby Joseph a then-safety-record extension in April. Joseph was in a contract year at the time, but rather than risk the situation leading to a franchise tag (with a Branch payday in mind for 2026) or a free agency exit, the Lions paid up via a four-year, $85MM accord. Joseph, however, has run into a knee injury that has kept him off the field since Week 6. While Joseph has vowed to come back before season’s end, he has not returned to practice as of Wednesday. Joseph is not on IR, a shutdown could commence. That clouds the Lions’ safety situation.
Branch’s injury stings a secondary that also lost Terrion Arnold for the season, and it could conceivably impact how Detroit proceeds with its 2023 draftees. Gibbs is a priority, while LaPorta — also out for the year — may well take precedence over Campbell. The latter should be considered unlikely to have his fifth-year option exercised; no team has picked up an off-ball linebacker’s option since the Buccaneers exercised Devin White‘s in 2022. All linebackers being grouped together under the franchise tag and option formulas makes tagging them or exercising options tricky. The Packers passed on Quay Walker‘s option for this reason. This will accelerate Campbell’s clock if/when the Lions pass on his 2027 guarantee.
Branch, 24, earned a Pro Bowl nod last year; Pro Football Focus slots him ninth among safeties this season. Showing quality form post-surgery next year would open the door to the Alabama alum pushing to eclipse Joseph’s $21.25MM AAV to bridge the gap closer to two-time All-Pro Kyle Hamilton — whom the Ravens gave a market-shifting $25.1MM per year. A resolution on this matter may be tabled until at least next fall. The Lions have exclusive negotiating rights with Branch until March 2027.
Elsewhere on the Lions’ roster, Dan Campbell said (via Birkett) he hopes left guard starter Christian Mahogany can return from IR in Week 16. Mahogany has missed the past six games with a knee injury. The Lions designated him for return last week. The first-year starter’s IR-return clock will not expire until December 31, but with the Lions at 8-6 and stationed on the “in the hunt” line in playoff graphics, time is running out for a third straight playoff berth.
NFL Minor Transactions: 12/13/25
Here are today’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for Week 15’s Sunday slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: T Christian Jones
- Elevated: WR Jalen Brooks, WR Trent Sherfield
- Placed on IR: DT Bilal Nichols
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Dane Jackson, DE Andre Jones Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Simmons
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: OL Garrett Dellinger
- Elevated: S Chris Edmonds, DT Maurice Hurst
- Waived: WR Jamari Thrash
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: LB Jordan Turner
- Elevated: WR Michael Bandy, QB Sam Ehlinger
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: TE Shane Zylstra
- Elevated: S Erick Hallett, TE Giovanni Ricci
- Placed on IR: S Brian Branch (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Pierre Strong
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: TE Harrison Bryant
- Elevated: RB Jawhar Jordan, S K’Von Wallace
- Waived: RB Cody Schrader
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: G C.J. Hanson
- Elevated: T Chukwuebuka Godrick, DT Zacch Pickens
- Placed on IR: T Wanya Morris (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Shedrick Jackson, G Atonio Mafi
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Dalevon Campbell, S Marcus Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: S Tanner Ingle
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: RB D’Ernest Johnson
- Elevated: DT Leonard Taylor
- Placed on IR: RB Terrell Jennings
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Kevin Austin, K Charlie Smyth
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: WR Dalen Cambre, OLB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: DT Elijah Chatman, P Cameron Johnston
- Placed on IR: OLB Victor Dimukeje, CB Nic Jones
- Waived: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Cam Jones
- Elevated: CB Tre Brown, QB Adrian Martinez
- Placed on IR: CB Azareye’h Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Andre’ Sam
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: DE Rylie Mills
- Elevated: RB Velus Jones
- Placed on IR: TE Elijah Arroyo
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: T John Ojukwu
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Darius Rush
Nichols began the year on the reserve/PUP list. The eight-year veteran has been hampered by injuries since signing with the Cardinals in 2024. After playing just six games last year, Nichols’ 2025 campaign will end after only four appearances.
Bryant makes his return to the Texans’ offense to replenish a thinned out tight ends group, while in Seattle, the Seahawks place their second-round rookie tight end, Arroyo, on injured reserve with a knee injury.
In Buffalo, this will be Jackson’s third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation. If the team wants to see him in another game this season, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster. The same is true for Strong in Green Bay, Jackson and Mafi in Las Vegas, Smyth in New Orleans, Sam in Philadelphia, and Jones in Seattle.
On the flip side of that, in Denver, Turner has been signed to the 53-man roster after running out of elevations last week.
Thomas suffered a shoulder injury in Week 14 and it will end his season. The third-round rookie confirmed on social media today he is set to undergo surgery in the near future. Thomas made five starts in 2025, totaling 22 tackles and seven pass deflections.
Lions S Brian Branch Suffers Torn Achilles
The Lions fear that star safety Brian Branch suffered a torn Achilles in the team’s Thursday night win over the Cowboys, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
It was reported earlier this morning (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero) that Branch had been diagnosed with an Achilles injury pending further tests, stirring fears of a tear that would end his season. That will indeed be the case, as it is far too late in the season for Branch to rush back to the field.
The third-year safety limped off the field late in Thursday’s game and was carted back to the locker room. The Lions initially announced that Branch injured his ankle. After the game, he was seen in a walking boot and crutches (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press), and head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that the injury was believed to be serious.
Branch’s absence will be a huge loss for the Lions defense, especially considering the myriad of other injuries in their secondary. Cornerback Terrion Arnold is out for the season after shoulder surgery and safety Kerby Joseph has not played since Week 6. Two other cornerbacks, D.J. Reed and Ennis Rakestraw, have also missed a significant amount of time.
Branch was one of the few reasons the unit stayed afloat as long as it did. Though the Lions have given up at least 325 passing yards twice in their last three games, they also held their previous three opponents to under 200 yards through the air. Detroit only won three of those six games, putting them at 8-5 and in third place in the NFC North. They trail the Bears (9-3) and Packers (8-3-1) with one win against the former and two losses against the other. The Lions will go to Chicago in Week 18 for a game that could have huge playoff implications.
They will have to make that trip without Branch, who has started all but one game this year. Here are his ranks on the Lions defense: second in passes defended (nine), third in tackles (75) and fifth in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (five). In addition to his official counting stats, Branch also has a career-low 4.9% missed tackle rate, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and he has done all of this playing a demanding, versatile role with 282 snaps as a free safety, 236 in the box, and 149 in the slot.
With all of that in mind, it is clear that no one player can replace Branch’s multidimensional contributions. The Lions will have to do so in the aggregate, but with so many other defensive backs missing, it could get complicated. Second-year safety Thomas Harper took on Joseph’s more traditional free safety role for six games before he was supplanted by Avonte Maddox on Thursday night. Branch’s injury will likely bring Harper back into the mix. The Lions can use more three-linebacker looks to take care of Branch’s box snaps, and Amik Robertson could slide into the slot when needed. However, with Arnold down, Detroit would then need a No. 2 outside cornerback for nickel looks. That will likely be Rock Ya-Sin.
Branch will now face a long road to recovering, likely with the hopes of returning by the start of the 2026 season. Achilles recoveries have gotten shorter and shorter in recent years with some players opting for a SpeedBridge procedure to accelerate their return timeline. But a major December injury could make it difficult for an athletic, physical player like Branch to get back to full strength in time for the regular season.
Lions To Continue Exploring Extensions For Core Talent
The Lions recently authorized a record-setting extension for defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. In addition to keeping one of the league’s best pass rushers in the fold for the foreseeable future, the deal also created some cap clarity as Detroit pursues second contracts with other members of its core.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter hears the Lions intend to retain as many of their remaining rookie-contract players as possible, which is not surprising considering how GM Brad Holmes has operated. Over the past two years, Holmes has entered into notable extensions with players like QB Jared Goff, WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, RB David Montgomery, OTs Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, S Kerby Joseph, and DT Alim McNeill, handing out nearly $1 billion in the process.
The expectation is that Holmes will continue his efforts to keep the band together, efforts that will now include 2023 draftees like RB Jahmyr Gibbs, LB Jack Campbell, TE Sam LaPorta, and S Brian Branch. All four of those players will be eligible for new deals after the season.
We had already heard that Holmes is looking ahead to a second contract for Gibbs, and we suggested at the time that the other three members of that talented quartet of draftmates could also be part of the GM’s agenda in the near future. Schefter highlights Gibbs’ case as particularly interesting.
As Schefter notes, the Lions can keep Gibbs (like Campbell) under club control through 2027 by virtue of the fifth-year option and could utilize franchise tags to extend the relationship beyond that. Plus, as a running back, Gibbs’ price under the option and tag will be fairly reasonable, especially considering his talent and importance to the team.
Despite that, and despite the fact that clubs have been reluctant to green-light extensions for RBs too early, Schefter confirms Holmes will consider one for his Pro Bowl back. Assuming he does, Gibbs could take aim at the top of his position’s market, which is presently topped by Saquon Barkley’s $20.6MM AAV and $36MM in full guarantees.
Still, Holmes could have a little more urgency with respect to LaPorta and Branch since they are not eligible for fifth-year options and could become free agents after the 2026 campaign. The tight end market has not exploded like the market for some other positions, so LaPorta may be relatively affordable, whereas Schefter says Branch could become one of the NFL’s highest-paid safeties (there are now three safeties earning at least $21MM per year, while no tight end has hit the $20MM threshold).
As an inside linebacker, Campbell’s second contract should also be manageable. Given all of Holmes’ other completed and prospective commitments, he may need to make some difficult choices in the near future, but for now, the plan is to keep the Lions’ full championship-caliber foundation intact.
Lions S Brian Branch Issued One-Game Ban
OCTOBER 15: Michael Signora, the NFL’s senior vice president of football & international communications, announced on X today that Branch’s one-game suspension has been upheld. The hearing officer jointly appointed by the league and the NFL Players Association was former long-time Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson. Branch will be unavailable for Detroit’s Week 7 matchup against the Buccaneers.
OCTOBER 13, 11:06pm: Branch is indeed appealing his one-game suspension, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. However, the NFL’s language in their letter informing Branch of his suspension makes it seem unlikely that he will succeed.
“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players,” the statement read (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
OCTOBER 13, 4:30pm: Brian Branch will be unavailable to the Lions in Week 7. The third-year safety was issued a one-game suspension on Monday, per a league announcement.
After last night’s Lions-Chiefs game, Branch slapped Kansas City wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster (video link). A brief skirmish ensued, leading to the expectation supplemental discipline would be handed down. The NFL reviewed the incident and issued the ban.
Branch has already been fined 13 times in his career despite only playing 41 combined regular and postseason games to date. Given his history in that regard, issuing a suspension does not entirely come as a surprise from the league’s perspective. The 2023 Pro Bowler can appeal the ban; if he does so, one of the jointly-appointed hearing officers will oversee the matter.
When speaking to reporters Sunday night, Branch admitted he should not have initiated the altercation with Smith-Schuster but added he felt the Chiefs were attempting to “bully” him during the game (video link via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard). Head coach Dan Campbell termed Branch’s actions “inexcusable,” meaning team discipline of some kind may have been forthcoming anyway.
Regardless of what happens on that front, the Lions are now set to be without a critical member of their secondary pending a successful appeal. Branch has operated as a full-time defensive starter for most of his career, and the former second-rounder recorded 109 tackles in 2024 while adding double-digit pass deflections for the second year in a row. Branch had enjoyed a productive start to his season, but he will now miss the final game before Detroit’s bye week.
The Lions’ secondary is already shorthanded with D.J. Reed on injured reserve and fellow cornerback Terrion Arnold out of the lineup as well. Branch has experience as a slot corner but his ideal position is safety, where he has formed an effective tandem with Kerby Joseph (who has himself battled injuries as well despite playing every game this season).
Detroit’s loss last night dropped the team to 4-2 on the year. The team’s secondary will face a strong test against the Buccaneers in Week 7, but that unit will be without a key figure.
Lions Could Lose Derrick Barnes For Rest Of Season
The Lions could be playing the rest of the 2024 without inside linebacker Derrick Barnes, who was placed on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 3.
“I think we will be fortunate to get him at any point this year,” said head coach Dan Campbell on Monday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t want to say it’s not going to happen, but I think we would be pretty fortunate if it does.”
The Lions have been evaluating Barnes’ knee he sustained the injury in Week 3 to decide if the fourth-year linebacker will require surgery. While no determination has been made, Campbell’s comments indicate that Barnes will need a lengthy recovery period, surgery or not.
2022 sixth-rounder and former Hard Knocks fan favorite Malcolm Rodriguez has taken over Barnes’ spot in Detroit’s defense, recording 10 tackles and a sack across Weeks 3 and 4. Rodriguez will look to further solidify his starting role after the Lions’ Week 5 bye in their upcoming matchup with the Cowboys.
The Lions did get some positive injury updates this week with center Frank Ragnow and safety Brian Branch both returning to practice after one-game absences. Detroit’s bye week gave both players additional time to get healthy: Ragnow from a partially-torn pectoral muscle and Branch from an illness. Both players are key starters for the Lions, who had to shuffle on both sides of the ball in Week 4.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/24
Wednesday’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Reverted to IR: OL Carter O’Donnell
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Zack Bailey
- Waived: G Ryan Coll, P Ryan Sanborn
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DE Jeremiah Martin, T Chim Okorafor
- Waived: LB Caleb Johnson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB Carlton Davis, T Giovanni Manu, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, CB Amik Robertson, WR Tre’Quan Smith
- Activated from active/PUP list: S Brian Branch, DE Marcus Davenport
- Waived (with failed physical designation): G Matt Farniok
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Jayden Reed
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Laquon Treadwell
- Placed on active/NFI list: DT Raekwon Davis
- Placed on active/PUP list: CB Chris Lammons
- Waived: WR Xavier White
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Keelan Doss, OL Corey Luciano
- Waived (with injury designation): G Jake Johanning
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR DeWayne McBride
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from active/NFI list: WR Chris Olave
- Activated from active/PUP list: DE Chase Young
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Gottlieb Ayedze, WR Shaquan Davis
- Placed on active/PUP list: S Sydney Brown
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on active/NFI list: RB Cordarrelle Patterson
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Cole Holcomb, DE Dean Lowry
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Drake Jackson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: G Ilm Manning
- Activated from active/NFI list: CB DJ James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett
- Released: G Tremayne Anchrum
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/NFI list: DT Johnny Newton
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Efe Obada
In New Orleans, Young has officially made the comeback from offseason neck surgery, passing his physical today alongside Olave, who is no stranger to offseason injuries.
Treadwell will join his eighth team in nine years after only making one catch in five games with the Ravens last season.
Brown is working his way back from an ACL tear that he suffered in the final game of his rookie season last year, so it’s no surprise that he will start the offseason on PUP.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/24
Today’s minor transactions to wrap up this final weekend before training camps begin:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: S Jordan Toles
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Javin White
- Activated from active/NFI list: TE Gerald Everett
Denver Broncos
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Drew Sanders, S Caden Sterns, S Delarrin Turner-Yell
Detroit Lions
- Placed on active/NFI list: T Giovanni Manu
- Placed on active/PUP list: S Brian Branch, DE Marcus Davenport, DT D.J. Reader
Green Bay Packers
- Placed on active/NFI list: CB Corey Ballentine, T Caleb Jones, WR Jayden Reed
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Izaiah Gathings
- Activated from active/NFI list: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Waived (with injury designation): TE Gerrit Prince
Lions S Brian Branch To Have Bigger Role On Defense
Coming out of Alabama, Brian Branch was broadcasted as one of the top safeties available in the 2023 draft class, which became realized as he was the top safety off the board in the second round last year. During his rookie season in Detroit, though, Branch saw very little time at safety, something that is likely to change in 2024, according to Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman.
Though Branch wasn’t playing in his assumed role as a rookie, he was still a very significant factor on the defense in 2023. In nine starts over 15 games played, Branch racked up 74 tackles, 13 passes defensed, and three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) working almost exclusively as a nickel cornerback. Those rookie efforts earned him a ranking as the 14th-best cornerback in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and the second-best pure slot corner behind New York’s Michael Carter II; Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie and Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon also saw significant time in the slot but played a decent amount on the outside, as well.
The safety spots in Detroit last year were manned by Kerby Joseph on one side and Tracy Walker and Ifeatu Melifonwu, who split time on the other side in 2023 after an injury held C.J. Gardner-Johnson out of 14 contests. With Gardner-Johnson back in Philadelphia and Walker being released back in February, a door has opened for Branch to get more work at a thinner safety position. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn reportedly prefers his nickelbacks to have experience at safety due to the physical demands of the slot in today’s game anyway.
We haven’t seen evidence of this newly expanded role for Branch yet this offseason in minicamp or organized team activities. A minor surgical cleanup procedure on the young defensive back’s ankle has held him out of early activities this offseason, per Justin Rogers of The Detroit News.
Once he returns to the field in camp, though, it will be interesting to see just how much the Lions intend to cross-train Branch on the defense this offseason. Branch should likely get an opportunity to start alongside Joseph at safety. Should the Lions prefer to utilize him in last year’s nickelback role at all, Melifonwu should be able to rotate in as an additional defensive back to cover the back end. While Detroit is still a bit thin at safety, Branch’s versatility should provide some potential solutions in 2024.
NFC North Notes: Bears, CJGJ, Vikings
The last time an NFL team used a franchise tag on a cornerback, the Bears were planning a Jay Cutler-to-Mike Glennon QB transition. Occurring back in 2017, Rams’ second Trumaine Johnson tag remains the most recent instance of a team tagging a corner. Mentioned as a possibility here when the Bears let Jaylon Johnson seek a trade, the contract-year defender being tagged adds up now that Montez Sweat is locked down via an extension. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs views it as likely the Bears tag Johnson to give them more time to work out an extension.
Receiving his first Pro Bowl invite this week, Johnson has put together a quality contract season — one he acknowledges has made him more money on his second contract. Johnson said in June he wanted that second accord to be with the Bears and reiterated that stance last month. Although the prospect of reaching free agency would understandably appeal to the former second-round pick, the Bears — the most recent team to use any tag on a cornerback, transition-tagging Kyle Fuller in 2018 — can keep Johnson in the fold via a one-year rental or attempt to hammer out an extension by the July deadline. The cornerback tag is expected to cost just more than $18MM.
Here is the latest from the NFC North:
- The Bears’ plan to move Cody Whitehair back to center did not take off. Snapping issues plagued the veteran, while Pro Football Focus rates 2022 free agency pickup Lucas Patrick 31st among centers this season. Chicago is expected to pursue a center upgrade this year, Biggs notes, with The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain also predicting the team will aim to stabilize this spot (subscription required). Whitehair, 30, profiles as a cut candidate; he is due a nonguaranteed $10.15MM base salary in his 2024 contract year. Patrick has one game left on a two-year, $8MM deal. The Bears have some wiggle room here, with three starting O-linemen — Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Darnell Wright — on rookie contracts. A handful of teams re-signed centers in 2023, but four-year starters Tyler Biadasz (Cowboys) and Lloyd Cushenberry (Broncos) are two months from free agency. Three-year Raiders center Andre James is as well.
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s return from a torn pec will give the Lions an unexpected boost for their playoff journey. It also could disrupt the team’s secondary. Ifeatu Melifonwu has been effective since usurping Tracy Walker as a starter alongside Kerby Joseph. The Lions initially stationed Gardner-Johnson in the slot, where he previously played under ex-Saints DBs coach Aaron Glenn, but the Lions DC moved him back to safety to accommodate rookie Brian Branch. Glenn said (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) the team is still determining its DB plan but confirmed Branch will remain the team’s slot corner. A safety rotation, then, seems likely to commence. Designated for return from IR last week, Gardner-Johnson is expected to return in Week 18.
- Danielle Hunter maxed out his incentive package this season, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noting the contract-year Vikings defender collected $3MM by reaching the 14-sack plateau. Positioning himself to do well as a first-time free agent, Hunter has registered a career-high 15.5 sacks. On what could be his final Vikings restructure, the 29-year-old edge rusher received $17MM guaranteed and added $3MM in incentives this season. This latest reworking prevents Hunter from being tagged this year, and the Vikings would be hit with a $14.9MM dead-money charge if they cannot re-sign their top sack artist the 2024 league year.
- In the strange position of seeing both its top free agents-to-be — Hunter and Kirk Cousins — not profile as tag candidates (due to Cousins having already been tagged twice by Washington), Minnesota has big decisions to make soon. Cousins is at least ahead of schedule on his Achilles rehab odyssey, Goessling adds. Cousins, 35, should be expected back for training camp at the latest and has expressed continued interest in another Vikings contract. If the Vikings cannot re-sign Cousins by March 13 — the last day of the 2023 league year — they will face a $28.5MM dead-money total due to the void years in the leverage maven’s contract.