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Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Offense

July 1st, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last offseason brought about a record-breaking jump in the salary cap. This year, the ceiling rose to $279.2MM, another notable spike. The market at a number of positions will benefit from the ongoing surge in spending power available to teams, with quarterbacks obviously the largest standout in that respect.

In 2024, a pair of signal-callers surpassed the $50MM mark in terms of cap charges for the season. That will not be the case this time around, but to little surprise quarterbacks once again lead the way in terms of representing the largest share of many teams’ financial commitments for 2025. Positions such as receiver and offensive tackle have also generally not reached the same peak in terms of cap commitments as last year.

Leading up to training camp, are the NFL’s top 25 cap charges for offensive players:

  1. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $50.52MM
  2. Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $47.47MM
  3. Joe Burrow, QB (Bengals): $46MM
  4. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $43.5MM
  5. Kyler Murray, QB (Cardinals): $43.33MM
  6. Kirk Cousins, QB (Falcons): $40MM
  7. Geno Smith, QB (Raiders): $40MM
  8. Tua Tagovailoa, QB (Dolphins): $39.18MM
  9. Justin Herbert, QB (Chargers): $37.35MM
  10. Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $36.34MM
  11. Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $35.97MM
  12. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $32.6MM
  13. Taylor Moton, RT (Panthers): $31.35MM
  14. Jordan Love, QB (Packers): $29.69MM
  15. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $28.06MM
  16. Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans): $28MM
  17. Tyreek Hill, WR (Dolphins): $27.7MM
  18. Jawaan Taylor, RT (Chiefs): $27.39MM
  19. Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers): $26.48MM
  20. Terry McLaurin, WR (Commanders): $25.5MM
  21. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $25.36MM
  22. D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $24.9MM
  23. Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals): $24.06MM
  24. Ja’Marr Chase, WR (Bengals): $23.57MM
  25. Trey Smith, RG (Chiefs): $23.4MM

Prescott’s last-minute 2024 Cowboys extension made him the first player in NFL history to carry an AAV of $60MM. That pact will have lasting impacts well beyond the coming campaign, as the team looks to also fit in the big-ticket extension CeeDee Lamb inked last summer and the one Micah Parsons is in position to sign at some point before Week 1.

Once again, Stafford and the Rams entered the spring with plenty of uncertainty. Retirement was a consideration quickly done away with in the case of the 37-year-old, but it remained to be seen if he would remain in Los Angeles. Trade offers came in from numerous suitors, and the chance existed for Stafford to land a more lucrative deal elsewhere. In the end, though, team and player reached agreement on another reworked pact. Stafford is now in line to receive $84MM over the next two years, including guaranteed money in 2026. A bit of continuity will thus be in place under center for the Rams.

2020 draft classmates Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are understandable top-10 players on this list given their respective deals. All three are on the books for years to come as they look to unseat the Chiefs atop the AFC. Burrow spoke about restructuring his pact to create the cap space necessary for the Bengals to retain or extend each of their key in-house players this offseason. That has yet to take place, and it will be interesting to see if a reworking is explored while talks on the Trey Hendrickson front continue.

The Ravens have worked out a few extensions on offense already (Derrick Henry, Rashod Bateman) but Jackson looms as a candidate for a new deal. Three years remain on his pact, but starting in 2026 his cap charge is scheduled so spike well past its current figure. The two-time MVP has discussed a new arrangement this offseason, and a bump in guarantees and overall compensation similar to what the Bills did with Allen would come as no surprise.

Cousins’ figure stands out, of course, given the fact he is slated to operate as Atlanta’s backup this season. With no release coming and no trade imminent, the four-time Pro Bowler is set to stay in place behind Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has made progress in his rehab from shoulder and ankle injuries suffered prior to his benching midway through his debut Atlanta season. With $10MM already guaranteed for next year, it will be interesting to see if a trade market develops in the coming months in his case.

With the exception of Watson – whose second Achilles tear is set to sideline him for most or all of the coming campaign – the remaining quarterbacks on the list are positioned to serve as starters for their respective teams. Only Geno Smith will be suiting up for a new organization after he was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders. That swap was followed up by a two-year, $75MM extension and allowed him to reunite with head coach Pete Carroll. A short-term upgrade under center will be key as Vegas looks to find stability on the sidelines and in the front office.

Moton’s cap figure was a talking point earlier this offseason, but the Panthers are content to avoid a fourth restructure in his case. The pending free agent hopes to finish his career in Carolina, but an extension would have helped ensure that while lowering his immediate cap charge. In the absence of such an agreement, it will be interesting to see if Moton, 30, can deliver another strong showing in 2025.

Ridley is perhaps a surprising figure to lead the way in terms of cap charges at the receiver spot. He will operate as a key member of the Titans’ offense, a unit whose success will of course depend in large part on the play of rookie Cam Ward. Ridley has two more years left on his deal beyond 2025, but with limited guarantees owed over that span his Tennessee future could be greatly impacted by who this season plays out.

The likes of Hill, Evans and Moore are not currently the subject of speculation regarding their future. McLaurin, however, was absent from much of the Commanders’ spring practices with little progress being made at the negotiating table. Plenty of work is still required at this point to avoid a potential free agent departure next spring. Coming off a career-high in touchdowns while thriving alongside Jayden Daniels, the two-time Pro Bowler is in line for a raise which will likely lower his cap hit this season.

Chase and Higgins inked their deals simultaneously, putting an end to questions regarding where the latter in particular would play on his second contract. Those two, together with Burrow, will serve as foundational players for years to come in Cincinnati. It will be interesting to see how long Chase (with an AAV of $40.25MM) remains the league’s top earner in that respect for non-quarterbacks.

Kansas City’s offensive line faces questions entering the season. Despite his big-ticket contract, Taylor is not a lock to remain a starter at this point. With no guaranteed left on the final year of his deal (2026), a parting of ways could be in store next spring if a backup gig ensues. Trey Smith, meanwhile, remains attached to the franchise tag although an extension is among the team’s remaining offseason priorities.

Chargers Owner Congratulated Cardinals Owner On Kyler Murray Extension

June 24th, 2025 at 9:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this offseason, we learned an independent arbitrator concluded that NFL owners (and the league office) did not collude in an effort to reduce contract guarantees, especially in regards to quarterback contracts. A recent investigation by Pablo Torre led to the release of a 61-page document that detailed the arbitrator’s findings. While the investigation was inspired by the fallout from Deshaun Watson‘s contract, anecdotes surrounding other notable QBs have started coming out in the laundry.

[RELATED: Russell Wilson Asked Broncos For Fully Guaranteed Deal]

Following a peek behind the curtain surrounding Russell Wilson‘s past negotiations with the Broncos, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has uncovered some notable correspondence following the Kyler Murray extension. Specifically, two owners may have hinted that Murray’s deal influenced Justin Herbert‘s eventual extension with the Chargers.

Four months after Watson inked his fully guaranteed extension, Murray signed a new deal with the Cardinals that guaranteed $160MM of the $230.5MM total. When word of this extension got leaked to the media, Chargers owner Dean Spanos texted Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill to congratulate him on the specific terms of the deal. Per Florio, Bidwell noted that his front office managed to limit “the fully guaranteed money and have some pretty good language,” with Spanos responding that the Murray contract would “[help] us for our QB next year.”

“I think many teams will be happy with it once they have a chance to review,” Bidwell responded. “Cleveland really screwed things up, but I was resolved to keep the guaranteed [money] relatively ‘low.’”

As Florio notes, this exchange would seem to contradict the findings of arbitrator Christopher Droney. The Cardinals and Chargers are intended to operate as competitors, leading Florio to question why the duo may be coordinating. Florio believes the smoking gun is Spanos admitting that the Murray contract will have an influence on Herbert’s eventual deal. On the flip side, Droney opines that a QB extension would naturally influence future deals, and the correspondence between the two owners doesn’t constitute any circumstantial evidence.

“These communications are more in line with ‘independent response to common stimuli, or mere interdependence unaided by an advance understanding among the parties,’ rather than participation in a collusive agreement,” Droney wrote (per Florio).

Herbert signed his extension almost exactly a year after Murray. The Chargers QB temporarily reset the QB market, and he got $218MM of his $262MM total guaranteed.

For what it’s worth, Droney did note that “the NFL Management Council, with the blessing of the Commissioner, encouraged the 32 NFL Clubs to reduce guarantees in veterans’ contracts” following the signing of Watson’s extension. While players likely have little recourse, there may be some eventual fallout following this recent investigation.

Checking In On 2025 Fifth-Year Option Performers

June 21st, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey Prefers Trade To West Coast?

June 20th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

With minicamps wrapped up around the NFL, player movement is set to quiet down until training camps begin next month. In the case of Jalen Ramsey, therefore, his post-Dolphins future could remain uncertain for several weeks.

Team and player have mutually decided to part ways in this case, with a falling out between Ramsey and the coaching staff driving the decision. The 30-year-old has been on the trade block for months, and since June 1 Miami has been in position to facilitate a trade with preferable cap consequences. Little movement has taken place, though, as a small number of suitors have been connected to a Ramsey pursuit.

[RELATED: Raiders Not Pursuing Dolphins CB In Trade]

The Cowboys, Panthers and – most recently – Raiders have each come off the list in terms of potential landing spots for the seven-time Pro Bowler. The Rams, by contrast, have been a team to watch throughout the Ramsey sweepstakes. Head coach Sean McVay has made it clear Los Angeles is interested in a reunion, something which stood in stark contrast to the team’s stance on Jaire Alexander. The latter signed with the Ravens earlier this week, taking one high-profile cover man off the market. Ramsey remains as a notable option still available deep into the offseason.

During a Friday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link), ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided an update on this situation. To little surprise, Schefter predicts the Ramsey trade will take place in time for the start of training camp in mid-July. In terms of a landing spot, he added the three-time All-Pro’s preference appears to be a West Coast team. In addition to the Rams, that would obviously leave the Chargers as a potential suitor.

Ramsey spent considerable time with the Rams, helping to lead the team to victory in Super LVI. A return to McVay and Co. would thus come as no surprise. The Bolts, by contrast, have not yet been mentioned as an interested party regarding Ramsey. They have been busy at the CB this offseason, adding the likes of Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency. Tarheeb Still enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, and he is in line to remain a key member of the Chargers’ secondary in 2025 and beyond.

With Asante Samuel Jr. still unsigned, though, the Bolts could stand to make another move in the secondary this offseason. General manager Joe Hortiz has over $27MM in cap space to work with at this point, meaning the Chargers would be able to absorb the $21MM in remaining guarantees on Ramsey’s pact with more ease than many other teams (including, to a small extent, the Rams). It will be interesting to see if a strong push emerges in the near future connecting Ramsey to Los Angeles’ AFC franchise.

Until and unless that happens, the Rams will no doubt remain the favorite in this case. Finances will be key in facilitating a Ramsey swap, and the Dolphins’ willingness to retain money will go a long way in determining the value received in return. With his intentions regarding a destination fitting what many already expected, the big-ticket trade target will continue to be linked to a return to his second career team.

AFC Staff Updates: Chargers, Texans, Jaguars, Colts, Ravens, Patriots

June 20th, 2025 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Chargers announced two promotions and two new hires earlier this month in their front office. In the scouting department, Mike Jasinski was promoted to national scout, Jaylen Bannerman-Oden was promoted to area scout, and Kevin Weidl was hired as a national scout. In analytics, Maya Harvey was hired as a football systems developer.

Jasinski has been with the Chargers since 2018, when he joined the team as a combine area scout after recruiting roles at Purdue and Northwestern. In two years, Los Angeles promoted him to an area scouting role, in which he covered the northeast area for two years and the plains area for the past three. The son of Titans pass game coordinator & cornerbacks coach Tony Oden, Bannerman-Oden entered the NFL as a video intern and external scouting game charter for the Browns in 2020. He joined the Chargers the next year as a pro scouting/operations intern and worked two years after that as a scouting assistant before getting promoted to college & pro scout last year.

Weidl reunites with second-year general manager Joe Hortiz, coming from Hortiz’s old team in Baltimore. Weidl ended an eight-year stretch with the Ravens, in which time he served as a southeast/southwest area scout for four years and a southeast/midwest area scout for the other four. Before arriving in Baltimore, Weidl spent 10 years with ESPN Scouts Inc.

Harvey earns her new job after working as a fellow for the Chargers during the final year of her computer science degree program (with a concentration on human computer interaction) at Stanford last year. In addition to her computer science background, Harvey was an athlete for the Cardinal, lettering all four years in beach volleyball.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC:

  • The Texans were the other team to make multiple additions in the month of June. In the front office, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Mack Marrone has joined the staff as a scouting and administration assistant. The son of Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone, Marrone debuts in the NFL after finishing a collegiate playing career as a linebacker at Colgate. The second addition in Houston was Will Stokes who joins the analytics department as a football data analyst, according to Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Stokes worked last summer as a football data analyst with the Commanders.
  • Jon Dykema can’t seem to keep away from the NFL. Four months after leaving the Lions to serve as Michigan State’s executive senior associate athletic director and assistant general counsel, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reports that Dykema is expected to be hired by the Jaguars. His role in Jacksonville is not year known, but his 14 years in Detroit were spent as the team’s director of football compliance.
  • Per Stratton, the Colts have promoted Greg Liverpool III to midlands area scout. He began in football working recruiting internships throughout his education at Coastal Carolina and served internships for the Colts doing operations during training camps in 2021 and 2022 and for the NFL Scouting Combine in 2022. In 2023, he joined Indianapolis in a full-time role, serving as a scouting assistant until this promotion.
  • The Ravens have hired Ramon Ruiz away from Rutgers, according to Zenitz. Most recently serving as the Scarlet Knights director of recruiting, Ruiz has reportedly been a key contributor to head coach Greg Schiano‘s turnaround of the Rutgers football program, helping the team to winning records in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 12 years. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic adds that Ruiz’s title with the team will be player personnel assistant.
  • Lastly, ESPN’s Seth Walder tells us that the Patriots have hired Max Mulitz as personnel analytics coordinator. Mulitz came to the NFL as a full-time intern in the Eagles’ data research department in 2015. Three years later, the Dolphins hired him as a football analyst and promoted him to manager of coaching analytics after just a year. He held the position for four seasons before parting ways with Miami in March. Mulitz joins Ekene Olekanma as the second analytics hire for New England this month.

Traded Draft Picks For 2026

June 18th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Many months remain before teams know where they are picking in the 2026 draft, but many clubs have made moves to acquire 2026 draft capital. Headlined by the Browns and Rams’ efforts, here are the 2026 picks to have changed hands thus far. When more deals involving picks are made (or conditions on moves already completed become known), that information will be added.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

NFL Minor Transactions: 6/17/25

June 17th, 2025 at 7:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

  • Waived from IR: WR Ja’Seem Reed

Los Angeles Chargers

Elijah Ellis went undrafted after starting all 13 games for Marshall last season. The offensive lineman played a major role in his team’s top-20 rushing attack, and there’s hope he can use his six-foot-four, 336-pound frame to succeed in the NFL. He’ll be replacing Tyler McLellan, who joined the Chargers as a UDFA last year.

Extra Points: Hill, Lyles, Bolts, Bears, UFL

June 17th, 2025 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Tyreek Hill-Noah Lyles race will not happen, after all, this year. The Olympic 100-meter champion and three-time 200-meter world champion said the event was slated to take place this coming weekend in Times Square, a setup that would have come not long after a boxing event in the same location. But the race is off, per Lyles, due to unspecified complications and personal reasons. A high school track standout who was a sprinter at Oklahoma State before being kicked off the football and track teams (following a much-discussed domestic violence arrest), Hill made a return to the sport last week. The All-Pro wideout clocked a 10.15-second 100-meter dash at a meet in Sherman Oaks, Calif. (This time marked a personal best, as Hill clocked a 10.19 in high school.) Although Hill had run a 60-meter dash since joining the Dolphins, this was his first 100 since becoming an NFLer.

“We were very deep into creating the event,” Lyles said, Instagram link via the New York Post. “Unfortunately, there were some things, complications, personal reasons that it just didn’t come to pass, but we were full on. We were gonna have a big event, we were going to shut down New York Times Square and everything. We were gonna have all the billboards for the event; it was going to be a lot of fun.”

This may end up boosting Hill’s stock as an all-time NFL speedster, as Lyles (27 in July) would have been a heavy favorite in a race. While Hill’s 10.15-second sprint is certainly impressive at 31, it is tied for 121st in the world this year. Lyles’ personal-best time is 9.79. Not confused with Usain Bolt in terms of dominance in the 100, the Team USA superstar has 24 sub-10-second 100-meter clockings (including 11 sub-9.9-second performances) in his career.

The Dolphins are likely not too disappointed about this race’s cancellation, as Hill is coming off an injury-plagued 2024. The 10th-year veteran, who had dropped early 15 pounds this offseason, is coming off two offseason wrist surgery and will now focus on a fourth Dolphins training camp. Here is the latest from around the pro football world:

  • Jim Harbaugh needed to leave the sideline during a Chargers-Broncos game last October, enduring a heart episode. An atrial flutter, an arrhythmia that leads to an accelerated heart rate, led to the brief exit. Harbaugh returned to coach in that game but underwent heart surgery this offseason. The second-year Bolts HC said (via ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim) he underwent a cardiac ablation procedure, along with a hip replacement surgery, this year.
  • The Bears drafted tackles on Day 2 in each of the past two years, following their Kiran Amegadjie third-round choice with a second-round selection of Ozzy Trapilo. In the meantime, contract-year left tackle Braxton Jones is recovering from an ankle surgery expected to sideline him into training camp. Chicago could move Darnell Wright, who split time at left and right tackle at Tennessee before becoming entrenched at RT with the Bears, to the blind side. But Ben Johnson threw cold water on an extended LT look for Wright. The Bears HC said (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the team is “pretty comfortable” keeping Wright at RT. Chosen 56th overall out of Boston College, Trapilo has worked with the Bears’ first-stringers at LT, per Cronin. Naturally, this will be a storyline to monitor as Jones — a three-year LT starter — enters a walk year.
  • The UFL wrapped its second season Saturday, and the spring/summer league does not appear in danger of folding. In fact, an expansion could commence. The league trademarked four names — the Oakland Invaders, the Philadelphia Stars, the New Jersey Generals, and the Tampa Bay Bandits, all part of the original USFL in the mid-1980s — according to UFLNewshub.com. Combining XFL 3.0 and USFL 2.0 franchises, the UFL features eight teams. It would be interesting to see expansion become a legitimate topic, as the XFL twice folded and then merged with a rival league. Attendance and viewership for the minor-league product of sorts was down this season, per SportsBusinessJournal.com’s Ben Fischer, who indicates ratings dropped by 20% from 2024. Attendance declined 5% from Year 1.

Khalil Mack Addresses Decision To Re-Sign With Chargers

June 17th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers’ edge rush group will be different in 2025 with Joey Bosa no longer in place. Khalil Mack is still in the fold, though, given his decision to re-sign on a one-year, $18MM deal.

That pact is guaranteed in full and ensures Mack will spend a fourth season in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old loomed as a candidate to retire at one point before it appeared he would test his value on the open market. The Bears and Buccaneers emerged as potential landing spots in the event Mack departed. Instead, he opted to remain in place for 2025.

“I had to be fair in the approach to things and not making it about just finances and all the different things,” the three-time All-Pro said when reflecting on his decision (via ESPN’s Kris Rhim). “I tried to make it more so just about winning ball games.”

The Chargers have reached the playoffs twice in Mack’s three years with the team. During that span, he has racked up 31 regular season sacks – including a career-high 17 in 2023 – en route to a Pro Bowl nod in each campaign. The 2010s All-Decade team member saw his sack total drop to just six last year, one in which he played through a groin injury. A repeat of the form shown during Los Angeles’ wild-card loss (two sacks, five QB pressures) over the course of the 2025 campaign would be a welcomed development for team and player in this case.

Mack has lost all five of his playoff appearances, so making a postseason run will be a central goal for his 12th NFL season. The former Defensive Player of the Year will remain in the AFC West, a division which sent three teams to the postseason last year and may very well do so again in 2025. If the Bolts are to enjoy a successful campaign, Mack will no doubt play a leading role along the edge.

Los Angeles has fellow veteran Bud Dupree in the fold, but especially with Bosa gone Tuli Tuipulotu will be counted on to provide consistent pass rush production. The latter upped his sack total from 4.5 to 8.5 in 2023, and a strong Year 3 could set him up for a notable extension next spring. In any case, Mack’s decision to remain with the Bolts will likely prove to be a key factor in determining their success this year.

AFC Workouts: Snead, Texans, Mims

June 15th, 2025 at 7:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Willie Snead hasn’t seen much success in the NFL since his departure from Baltimore following the 2020 season. The 32-year-old veteran receiver bounced around over the next two years, splitting his 2021 campaign between the Raiders and Panthers before spending two seasons in San Francisco. After an injury placed him on the Dolphins’ injured reserve in last year’s preseason, resulting in him getting cut and sitting out the entire season, Snead is attempting a comeback with a recent tryout with the Chargers.

Los Angeles attempted to improve their receiving corps this offseason through the draft with additions like Ole Miss’ Tre Harris in the second round and Auburn’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the fifth. Their top returning wideouts from last year include Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Derius Davis, and an aging Mike Williams has returned after a year away. The team hosted Snead for a veteran tryout earlier this week, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim.

Adding Snead would provide some veteran depth to the group. Though he had some resurgent seasons catching balls from Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, he was never able to reach the heights of his surprising first two campaigns in New Orleans. Since leaving the Ravens, his production has been minimal, so it will likely take a stellar tryout to convince the next team to sign him.

Here are a few more workout updates from around the AFC:

  • The Texans continue to work out cornerbacks as the offseason carries on. After the team hosted former Raiders first-round pick Damon Arnette on Monday, Houston welcomed Duke Shelley and Keenan Isaac in the days after, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Shelley, a six-year veteran, has 11 starts in his career over time with the Bears and Vikings. The last two years, though, have seen him relegated to specials teams with the Rams and the practice squad of the Giants. Isaac, a former undrafted signee for Tampa Bay in 2023, spent this past United Football League season with Arnette on the Houston Roughnecks.
  • Lastly, the Browns worked out former Saints running back Jordan Mims, per Wilson. With a deep, young group of rushers already on the roster, Mims potential signing would add some camp depth with the possibility of him contributing on special teams as a returner.
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