Friday’s minor moves across the NFL:
Cincinnati Bengals
New England Patriots
Pittsburgh Steelers
Seattle Seahawks
Brown and Jacobs were both tendered by the Patriots yesterday and have agreed to their tenders today. As exclusive rights free agents, their options were to accept the tender offered to them or not play football in 2025.
The Seahawks paused extension talks with Ernest Jones at the end of the regular season, but they’re still looking to re-sign the 25-year-old linebacker for 2025 and beyond.
“Obviously we want Ernest back,” said general manager John Schneider (via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic). “Some guys, at some point you can get too close to the end of the season where they want to see what free agency looks like. So, now they can go out and see what their market is, and understandably so.”
Schneider’s comments indicate that Jones is intent on testing a linebacker market that also features Nick Bolton and Zack Baun, both of whom played key roles in their teams’ respective runs to the Super Bowl. If their demands skyrocket due to their postseason pedigree, Jones would likely be a less expensive option while still earning a top-10 linebacker contract.
However, after a tumultuous 2024, Jones may prefer to stay in Seattle where he knows he is wanted. He was traded twice last year: first from the Rams to the Titans in August, then to the Seahawks at the trade deadline. In Seattle, Jones “immediately meshed with teammates and coaches and was an obvious part of the team’s defensive turnaround,” per Dugar. He took over wearing the green dot and calling plays for the defense, demonstrating his long-term potential in Mike Macdonald‘s scheme.
Most signs indicate that both sides would benefit from continuing their partnership, but, as usual, the decision will come down to the dollars and cents.
Current projections from Dugar and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) estimate that Jones will receive a three-year contract with an APY around $12MM. That would make him the seventh-highest-paid linebacker in the NFL, though contracts for Bolton and Baun could certainly push Jones down to ninth. That’s still solid value for a former third-round pick who was traded twice in his contract year. If another team comes in with a bigger offer – perhaps similar to Patrick Queen‘s three-year, $41MM contract – Jones may opt to chase the money and roll the dice on playing for his fourth different team in the last calendar year.
FEBRUARY 18: In addition to the Outten hire, the expected move of bringing in Dennison is now official. The former will have the title of assistant offensive line coach in addition to his run-game specialist role, while the latter will work as Seattle’s run-game coordinator.
FEBRUARY 13: Two former offensive coordinators are joining Klint Kubiak in Seattle. The Seahawks are adding Justin Outten to their coaching staff, and Rick Dennison is believed to be joining him.
This will be a reunion among ex-Broncos, as Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak during both the latter’s Denver coaching stints (the latter of which involving Klint). Outten and Klint Kubiak were together on a rather memorable 2022 Broncos staff. Outten is coming aboard as a run-game specialist, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
[RELATED: Seahawks Hire Klint Kubiak As OC]
Dennison, who is following Klint from New Orleans (per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), received Saints permission to interview with the Seahawks, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo add. Teams can block contracted assistants from leaving, but with the Saints changing coaching staffs, it is not too surprising they let Dennison explore other options.
Although coordinators regularly have leeway to bring in assistants, the Seahawks signing off in reuniting the two right-hand men on offense during Nathaniel Hackett‘s disastrous Broncos season is interesting. Both Kubiak and Outten called plays at points that season, with Hackett initially going around Outten to give play-calling duties — as the Broncos struggled mightily in Russell Wilson‘s debut — to his QBs coach. After the Broncos fired Hackett, Outten called plays during the team’s final two games.
A former Packers staffer, Outten spent the past two seasons on the Titans’ staff. He served as Tennessee’s running backs coach and run-game coordinator in 2023 and was retained under new HC Brian Callahan last season, when he coached tight ends. The Titans had planned to move on this offseason. It appears this Seattle role will be closer to his 2023 position, as the Seahawks look to generate more from their run game after Mike Macdonald expressed concern about it upon firing OC Ryan Grubb.
Dennison, 66, has spent much of his career working with the Kubiaks. A teammate of Gary’s in the 1980s and ’90s with the Broncos, Dennison coached on Mike Shanahan‘s staff alongside his former teammate from 1995-2005. Dennison stayed in Denver after Kubiak landed the Houston HC job in 2006, replacing his colleague as Broncos OC. Kubiak then hired him as Texans OC in 2010. Dennison coached with Gary Kubiak again in Baltimore and back in Denver, where he reprised his role as Broncos OC from 2015-16. While Denver’s Super Bowl-winning team is best remembered for its defense, Dennison was a key presence during the one-year Kubiak-Peyton Manning overlap.
Dennison worked with both Kubiaks in Minnesota and then rejoined Klint as part of the 2024 Saints’ staff, serving as a senior offensive assistant. Dennison has been an NFL staffer for 28 years. While the Seahawks have 30-somethings at HC and OC, they now have two 60-somethings (Dennison, Leslie Frazier) as key advisors.
Additionally, the Seahawks are adding Michael Byrne to their staff as an offensive assistant. Byrne is also following Klint Kubiak from New Orleans and also worked with the new Seattle OC at Texas A&M during the early 2010s. An analytics-geared staffer, Byrne also spent time with Pro Football Focus.
Free agency is roughly one month away, and teams are preparing for the first major roster-building checkpoint on the offseason calendar. In several cases, of course, the lead-in to the start of the new league year will require cost-cutting measures.
Teams expect the 2025 cap ceiling to check in somewhere between $265MM and $275MM, providing a general target to aim for before the final figure is unveiled by the NFL. Using a projected cap of $272.5MM, here is a look at where all 32 teams currently stand (courtesy of Over the Cap):
These figures will of course change based on where the final cap ceiling winds up for the year, but they take into 
account each team’s carryover amount for 2025. Even with those savings in play, more than one quarter of the league finds itself in need of cost-shedding moves to simply achieve cap compliance by mid-March.
With the Patriots leading the way in terms of spending power, they will be a team to watch closely once free agency begins. The team’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make major free agent additions last year was a talking point, and it will be interesting to see if the regime featuring de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and new head coach Mike Vrabel takes a different approach in 2025. A serious push for Tee Higgins – by far the most sought-after wideout set to hit the market – can be expected.
Aside from Higgins, the Bengals have a number of financial priorities. Working out a monster extension for fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a new deal (and accompanying raise) for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are key goals for the franchise. Quarterback Joe Burrow is prepared to restructure his own pact to create cap space for this offseason, but the team will no doubt need to break with tradition in terms of contract structure and guarantees to keep its core intact.
The Colts’ offseason has been defined in large part by a focus on retaining in-house players during recent years. That approach has not paid off as hoped, and general manager Chris Ballard said last month he plans to oversee a shift in roster-building philosophy this year. With the finances to make at least a modest addition or two on the open market, Indianapolis could be a suitor for some of the middle-class free agent options.
Over the coming weeks, many teams will proceed with extensions and restructures to free up cap space; the Seahawks recently took the latter route with defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Teams like the Steelers (in the case of edge rusher Preston Smith) and Dolphins (with running back Raheem Mostert as well as corner Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe) have already begin cutting veterans to free up cap space. That will increasingly continue in the near future with respect to the teams currently slated to be over the cap in particular.
Geno Smith‘s efforts to hammer out a new Seahawks contract during the summer were unsuccessful. Uncertainty has loomed since then regarding Seattle’s quarterback outlook for 2025 and beyond. 
The former Comeback Player of the Year has one year remaining on his contract, but none of his $14.8MM base salary is guaranteed. Smith is set to collect a $16MM roster bonus next month, and with a scheduled cap hit of $44.5MM a decision will need to be made before then regarding the Seahawks’ willingness to keep him in the fold. Head coach Mike Macdonald hopes a new agreement will be reached, and signs continue to point in that direction.
Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network write the Seahawks are likely to “address” Smith’s contract in the near future. A restructure could help lower his 2025 cap hit, but only if void years were to be added to the pact. An extension would be a more suitable route for team and player to take, and Smith is eyeing a new commitment from Seattle. The team is, on the other hand, expected to explore the market before granting the 34-year-old’s desire for another deal.
Sam Darnold headlines the list of pending free agents at the QB spot, but the Seahawks are not in a position with respect to cap space to win a bidding war for his services. Other veteran options include the likes of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and (in the event the Falcons trade or release him) Kirk Cousins. Without an obvious successor in place – offseason trade acquisition Sam Howell played just 25 snaps in his debut Seattle campaign and did not demonstrate an ability to serve as a long-term solution with his Commanders play in 2023 – keeping Smith in the fold is a reasonable path for the Seahawks to take.
The former Jet, Giant and Charger has been in Seattle since 2020, having taken over from Russell Wilson as the team’s QB1 for the past three years. A long-term pact moving Smith near the top of the quarterback market (which includes nine passers averaging at least $51MM per year) would be a surprise, but a new short-term commitment would allow for continuity under center. Smith inked a three-year, $75MM contract in 2023; new figures could soon be in play allowing him to remain in place for the time being.
The West Virginia product has named playing to age 40 as a goal, so his career is set to continue for the foreseeable future. It appears that will consist of an extended tenure in the Emerald City, but the Seahawks will likely need to work out a new deal relatively soon if that is to be the case.
With Super Bowl LIX in the books, the 2024 campaign has come to a close. The final first-round order for April’s draft is now set as a result.
All 32 teams currently own a Day 1 selection, leaving the door open to each one adding a prospect in the first round for the first time since expansion in 2002. Any number of trades will no doubt take place between now and the draft, though, and it will be interesting to see how teams maneuver in the lead-in to the event. Of course, Tennessee in particular will be worth watching closely with a move to sell off the No. 1 pick being seen as a distinct possibility.
A weak quarterback class will leave teams like the Titans, Browns, Giants and Raiders with plenty of key offseason decisions. The free agent and trade markets do not offer many short-term alternatives which are seen as surefire additions, and teams which do not make moves in March will rely on the incoming group of rookies as part of their efforts to find a long-term solution under center. The two prospects seen as the clear-cut top options in 2025, however, are two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2024 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is a final look at the first-round order:
The Rams are hiring former Ravens, Giants, and Patriots defensive assistant Drew Wilkins as their next defensive pass-game coordinator, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Wilkins started out as an intern in Baltimore in 2011 and worked his way up John Harbaugh‘s staff. When Don ‘Wink’ Martindale took over as defensive coordinator in 2018, he promoted Wilkins to outside linebackers coach. The Ravens parted ways with Martindale in 2022, and Wilkins followed his mentor to the Giants, where he continued in the same position. However, Wilkins did not follow Martindale to Michigan in 2024, instead choosing to join Jerod Mayo‘s staff in New England.
Like Martindale, Wilkins is known for his blitz packages that prioritized pressure over sacks. In his seven seasons coaching outside linebackers, only one reached double-digit sacks in a season (Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2023). The Patriots’ pass rush struggled under Wilkins in 2024, but he will have access to a more talented defensive line in Los Angeles. Wilkins will seek to get the most out of the Rams’ young, athletic quartet of Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Braden Fiske.
With the new league year approaching, teams on currently on pace to be over the 2025 salary cap have work to do on the cost-cutting front. The Seahawks are among them, and they have manufactured some breathing room through simple means. 
Seattle has restructured defensive lineman Leonard Williams‘ contract, as detailed by Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald. The team converted $18.75MM in base salary into a bonus while adding two void years to the pact. As a result, Williams’ 2025 cap charge has been lowered from $29.1MM to $14.06MM.
The Seahawks pulled off a midseason trade for Williams in 2023, and he had a strong 10-game run to close out the campaign with his new team. That resulted in a three-year, $64.5MM deal being worked out last offseason to keep him in the Emerald City. The former Jet and Giant delivered a strong season in 2024, racking up 11 sacks and 16 tackles for loss en route to the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.
Given his production, Williams represented a logical candidate for such a financial move aimed at creating immediate cap space. The downside to this reworking, of course, is the effect it will have next offseason. Williams is now set to carry a 2026 cap hit of $29.64MM, something which could lead the team down the restructure path once again or lend itself to an extension. A decision on that front will be informed by the 30-year-old’s level of play on a defensive line which also includes veteran Dre’Mont Jones and 2024 first-rounder Byron Murphy.
While this Williams move helps Seattle’s immediate financial outlook, the team is still projected to be more than $13MM over the cap for 2025. More maneuvering will therefore be needed, especially once the official cap ceiling for next season is unveiled.
Along with the hiring of new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel came the addition of two new coordinators, as well, in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams. Each coordinator went about building their new staffs, with lots of new names arriving in New England over the past few weeks. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported the final lineup today. 
On offense, we had already heard about the hirings of quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant, wide receivers coach Todd Downing, and offensive assistant Riley Larkin. We had also been informed that Thomas Brown, Doug Marrone, and Jason Houghtaling had been hired, but we weren’t yet made aware of their positions. Reiss’ report tells us that Brown will serve as tight ends coach and passing game coordinator, Marrone will be offensive line coach, and Houghtaling will be assistant offensive line coach under Marrone.
New information tells us that, joining Houghtaling as an assistant offensive line coach under Marrone, Robert Kugler has been retained from last year’s staff. Kugler held the same position with the Texans and Panthers before joining the Patriots as an assistant offensive line coach last year. We also learned that Tony Dews has been hired as running backs coach. Dews served the same position under Vrabel during his tenure in Tennessee (including one year as tight ends coach) before spending last year as running backs coach for the Jets. Lastly on offense, Chuckie Keeton‘s coaching journey continues in New England after he debuted for the Seahawks as an offensive assistant last year.
On defense, we had already heard of the hirings of Zak Kuhr, Scott Booker, and Clint McMillan, as well as the retention of Ben McAdoo, but thanks to Reiss, we now know that Kuhr will serve as inside linebackers coach, Booker as safeties coach, and McMillan as defensive line coach. McAdoo served last year as a senior offensive assistant for the team, and in 2025, he will switch sides of the ball as a senior defensive assistant. Reiss also informed us that defensive assistant Vinny DePalma was retained in the same role. Last year was his first year in the NFL — or coaching period — after finishing his collegiate playing career as a linebacker at Boston College.
Reiss also reported four defensive hirings. We had heard that the Patriots were targeting Colts assistant defensive backs coach Justin Hamilton, and Reiss has him listed as the team’s new safeties coach. Hamilton held a defensive quality control coaching role on the Titans during Vrabel’s last year in Tennessee before landing his role in Indianapolis last year. The Patriots have also hired Mike Smith as outside linebackers coach. Smith has held the same role previously with the Chiefs, Packers, and Vikings but spent last year away from coaching. Lastly, the Patriots announced the hirings of Milton Patterson and Kevin Richardson as defensive assistants. Patterson makes his NFL coaching debut after five seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Florida A&M. Richardson is likewise debuting as a coach in the NFL following two seasons as assistant defensive backs coach at Illinois.
Finally, on special teams, we learned that Tom Quinn has been retained as assistant special teams coach. We knew that special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer had been retained, and while we don’t know his exact fate, Coby Tippett, a special teams assistant coach last year, was not included in today’s staff announcements. We also learned that Deron Mayo was retained as strength and conditioning coach despite his brother’s dismissal as head coach.
There you have it: the Patriots 2025 coaching staff. There are lots of areas that need improvement in order for the Patriots to see success next season, but it all starts with the coaching staff. Vrabel returns with head coaching experience under his belt, and he will try to bring some of the success he had as head coach at Tennessee with him to New England.
Today’s reserve/futures contracts:
New England Patriots
Seattle Seahawks