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.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/3/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Caden Prieskorn
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Mitch Van Vooren
Prieskorn is a 6-foot-5, 255-pound rookie out of Ole Miss who initially signed with the Lions after the draft. He was waived on May 12 and now lands in Denver, where he will likely serve as depth during training camp with a slim chance of making the 53-man roster. Prieskorn recorded 850 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 receptions over his final two seasons in college.
Almost a decade after he announced a seventh-round draft pick (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero), Van Vooren will make the jump to the NFL himself. The former St. Norbert tight end will be the latest Division III college player to ply his trade in the pros.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/29/25
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Sam Brown Jr.
- Waived: DL Jeremiah Martin
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Anthony Campbell
- Waived: DT DeMeco Roland
The Packers added a wideout to their squad today, as the team signed UDFA Sam Brown Jr. The receiver bounced around during his collegiate career, with his best showing coming during his time in Houston. Between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Brown hauled in 103 catches for 1,286 yards and seven touchdowns. He transferred to Miami (FL) for the 2024 campaign and proceeded to catch 36 passes for 509 yards and a pair of scores.
The Most Lucrative ILB Contract In Each Franchise’s History
The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job.
The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.
Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jordan Hicks; March 12, 2019: Four years, $34MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Atlanta Falcons
- Deion Jones; July 17, 2019: Four years, $54MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Roquan Smith; January 10, 2023: Five years, $100MM ($60MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- Matt Milano; March 12, 2023: Two years, $28.33MM ($27.15MM guaranteed)
Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly; September 10, 2015: Five years, $61.8MM ($33.36MM guaranteed)
Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees
Chicago Bears
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 13, 2023: Four years, $72MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Logan Wilson; August 4, 2023: Four years, $36MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Cleveland Browns
- Jamie Collins; January 23, 2017: Four years, $50MM ($26.4MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Jaylon Smith; August 20, 2019: Five years, $63.75MM ($35.41MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Brandon Marshall; June 14, 2016: Four years, $32MM ($20.1MM guaranteed)
Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee
Detroit Lions
- DeAndre Levy; August 5, 2015: Three years, $33.74MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Benardrick McKinney; June 14, 2018: Five years, $50MM ($22.16MM guaranteed)
Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees
Indianapolis Colts
- Shaquille Leonard; August 8, 2021: Five years, $98.5MM ($52.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Foye Oluokun; March 14, 2022: Three years, $45MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Nick Bolton; March 9, 2025: Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Cory Littleton; March 17, 2020: Three years, $35.25MM ($22MM guaranteed)
Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Donald Butler; February 28, 2014: Seven years, $51.8MM ($11.15MM guaranteed)
Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal
Los Angeles Rams
- James Laurinaitis; September 8, 2012: Five years, $41.5MM ($23.62MM guaranteed)
Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee
Miami Dolphins
- Jerome Baker; June 13, 2021: Three years, $37.5MM ($28.41MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr; March 12, 2019: Five years, $67.5MM ($33MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)
Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money
New Orleans Saints
- Demario Davis; September 13, 2020: Three years, $27MM ($18.35MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Bobby Okereke; March 13, 2023: Four years, $40MM ($21.8MM guaranteed)
Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee
New York Jets
- C.J. Mosley; March 12, 2019: Five years, $85MM ($51MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Zack Baun; March 5, 2025: Three years, $51MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Patrick Queen; March 12, 2024: Three years, $41MM ($20.51MM guaranteed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Fred Warner; May 19, 2025: Three years, $63MM ($56MM guaranteed)
Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wagner; July 26, 2019: Three years, $54MM ($40.25MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Lavonte David; August 9, 2015: Five years, $50.25MM ($25.56MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Cody Barton; March 10, 2025: Three years, $21MM ($13.33MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- London Fletcher; March 3, 2007: Five years, $25MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/20/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: WR Hal Presley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR T.J. Luther
- Waived/injured: WR Moose Muhammad III
Houston Texans
- Signed: DB Keydrain Calligan
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: G Lecitus Smith
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Nate McCollum
- Waived: G Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu
Moose Muhammad III was a notable UDFA signing by the Panthers considering his connection to the organization. The wide receiver’s father is Muhsin Muhammad, who is in the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the younger Muhammad suffered an undisclosed injury that cost him his roster spot, although he’ll likely pass through waivers and land on the team’s IR.
First Round Fallout: Giants, Dart, Sanders, Steelers, Broncos, Alexander
The Giants, heavily connected to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders throughout the pre-draft process, used the No. 3 overall in last month’s draft – a pick once seemingly ticketed for Sanders – on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. The club ultimately got the player it hopes will become its franchise passer when it struck an agreement with the Texans to trade up from No. 34 to No. 25 and select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.
A recent episode of Giants Life, which is worth a watch for any NFL fan and for Giants fans in particular, offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the trade-up with Houston materialized (video link). As New York GM Joe Schoen confirms, rival teams knew that Big Blue, after having used its first selection on a non-quarterback, was still in the market for a QB. As such, when the draft proceeded to the No. 18 pick (at which point the Seahawks were on the clock), Schoen began getting calls from other GMs looking to trade down to No. 34.
When the draft moved into the 20s, Schoen himself became proactive and began making calls to determine who was interested in trading down. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post observes, Schoen believed he could swing a deal with the Broncos to acquire Denver’s No. 20 overall pick, which would have allowed him to leapfrog the Steelers and their No. 21 choice. Schoen knew Pittsburgh was in need of a quarterback as well, though he had intelligence indicating the team was also looking to trade back, which suggested the Steelers were not prepared to take a signal-caller at that point.
He nonetheless considered offering the Steelers the same deal that apparently had been discussed with multiple clubs. However, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Giants were banking on the belief that Pittsburgh would select a defensive player with the No. 21 pick, thereby obviating the need to trade for No. 20 or No. 21. This is despite Schoen’s concern, as he voiced in Giants Life, that the QB-needy Browns or Saints could also move back into the first round (though he knew division rivals Pittsburgh and Cleveland would not come together on a trade of that magnitude). Fowler also says New York did not want to part with its No. 65 selection, which the Texans were willing to exclude from a trade package.
Ultimately, the Giants and Texans agreed to a trade that sent the Nos. 34 and 99 picks of the 2025 draft, along with a 2026 third-rounder, to Houston in exchange for the No. 25 pick and the right to select Dart. As Schoen admitted, no one will remember the third-round picks that went to the Texans if he got the Dart pick right. Interestingly, right before Houston GM Nick Caserio called Schoen to formally accept the deal, it looks as if Schoen received a call from Rams GM Les Snead. Los Angeles originally held the No. 26 pick, one spot behind the Texans, so Schoen naturally put Snead on hold to talk to Caserio and finalize a trade. Ultimately, Snead found a taker for his No. 26 selection, which he dealt to the Falcons in exchange for a package fronted by a 2026 first-rounder.
Dunleavy highlighted the portion of Schoen’s war room conversations in which he told head coach Brian Daboll, “you guys are convicted in [Dart]. You believe in him. We did the process. He checked all the boxes. Let’s roll the dice.” That exchange leads Dunleavy to believe the Dart pick, as previously reported, was indeed driven by the coaching staff.
Earlier reports also indicated Daboll was one of the coaches who did not see eye-to-eye with Sanders, and while the Giants reportedly still would have entertained a trade-up for Sanders if Dart had been taken off the board, multiple Daboll-Dart connections formed in the run-up to the draft. It became clear that Dart was Daboll’s preferred target, and Sanders himself acknowledged that he “didn’t hit it off with Giants coaches,” according to Fowler.
The No. 65 pick that the Giants did not want to include in a trade-up maneuver was used to select Toledo defensive end Darius Alexander. Though New York had already added the high-ceiling Carter to a group that includes Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the club further leaned into its defensive front with Alexander, whom many scouts viewed as an ascending prospect. One team source told Fowler, “when you think of the New York Giants, you think of how they are built up front.”
Seahawks GM Discusses D.K. Metcalf Trade
In March, the Steelers and Seahawks swung a blockbuster trade in which Seattle sent two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh in exchange for a package headlined by a second-round pick. The Steelers and Metcalf hammered out a lucrative extension upon completion of the trade, a transaction that precipitated a later deal that saw the Steelers send former WR1 George Pickens to the Cowboys.
Seattle, meanwhile, will move forward with 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba and free agent signee Cooper Kupp at the top of its depth chart. In a recent interview on The Rich Eisen Show, ‘Hawks GM John Schneider indicated Smith-Njigba’s breakout 2024 campaign informed the Metcalf trade to a degree, but it was ultimately Metcalf’s desire for a new employer that carried the day (video link).
Seemingly confirming recent reports that the trade request Metcalf made shortly before the Steelers deal is not the first time the Ole Miss product asked out of Seattle, Schneider said, “DK and I had very open conversations the last couple years about his future, and what that looked like and what he wanted. … And it was apparent that he wanted to move on” (h/t Mike Masala of Sporting News).
The conversations between the long-term GM and Metcalf picked up again following this year’s scouting combine.
“And so, when we got back from the combine, we had some real, clear, direct conversations,” Schneider added. “And at that point, we decided it was probably best for both of us to move forward.”
Metcalf, 27, was entering the final year of the three-year, $72MM deal he signed in July 2022, and in light of the exploding wide receiver market, it was a given that he would soon be receiving a new contract and a significant raise. It was the Steelers who authorized a four-year, $132MM accord – thus topping Metcalf’s previous AAV by $9MM – but Schneider says finances also took a backseat to the simple fact that Metcalf wanted out.
“No, it really wasn’t [salary-related], and it was interest[ing] because it wasn’t like animosity either,” Schneider said. “It was like, he really, really wanted a fresh start. And it’s not like we went into the offseason thinking this would be a possibility, but he was just, he was pretty dug in on it.”
It seems clear that Schneider was willing to go into the 2025 season with Metcalf and Smith-Njigba as his top WR tandem and only parted ways with the former due to the player’s wishes. Initially reported to be seeking a package including a first- and third-round choice, Schneider eventually lowered his demands and settled for the second-rounder and a Day 3 pick swap. He ultimately packaged Pittsburgh’s second-round choice (No. 52 overall) with his original third-round pick (No. 82) as part of the deal to acquire No. 35 from the Titans, which he used to select South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.
In addition to Kupp, the Seahawks signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency and added rookie wideouts Tory Horton and Ricky White on Day 3 of the draft. That group will be tasked with replacing Metcalf’s production, which amounts to a per-season average of 77/1,108/8 over the course of his six-year career.
Pete Carroll Addresses Seahawks Departure
Shortly after the 2023 season ended, Pete Carroll made it clear he intended to spend at least one more year as the Seahawks’ head coach. That did not prove to be the case, however, with the organization electing to move in a different direction. 
Just two days after Carroll publicly stated his goal of coaching a 15th season in Seattle, it was learned that would not be the case. In the end, Mike Macdonald was brought in as head coach with John Schneider remaining in place as general manager. The latter assumed final say on roster moves as a result of the transition, something Carroll recently confirmed as a key factor in his departure.
“It came to me that there was a time that we probably were about to face one of the bigger changes, shifts, in the time of the program, and I had really been dedicated, as John had been dedicated too… to doing this thing in great fashion together,” Carroll said during an appearance on Seattle Sports radio (video link). “We had done that, I thought, and it was really John’s turn, it was his turn to take over.”
As Carroll noted, owner Jody Allen‘s preference was for Schneider to become Seattle’s top decision-maker during the 2024 offseason. The 53-year-old joined the Seahawks in 2010 along with Carroll under the GM title, but this past campaign marked his first in his new capacity. Carroll, meanwhile, said last August he was content to stay out of coaching in the wake of his Seattle tenure coming to an end.
That stance changed over the course of this year’s hiring cycle, though. The 73-year-old became the NFL’s oldest head coaching hire when he joined the Raiders. That decision was influenced in no small part by the presence of minority owner Tom Brady, and that duo along with general manager John Spytek is now in place to oversee a roster transition. The exact power structure in Vegas is unclear, but the Spytek-Carroll tandem is expected to jointly oversee day-to-day operations.
In the case of the Seahawks, Schneider and Macdonald will look to build off last year’s 10-7 campaign and reach the postseason. Most of Schneider’s work for this offseason is done by now, but he has several more on the horizon as the leading figure in the organization.
Seahawks Informed Sam Darnold Prior To Jalen Milroe Selection
The Seahawks have their quarterback of the present in the form of Sam Darnold along with a familiar face in the QB2 spot (Drew Lock). That did not stop the team from adding a signal-caller fairly early in last month’s draft, though. 
Seattle selected Jalen Milroe with the No. 92 pick, adding the Alabama product to the mix. Given the decision to trade away Sam Howell, Milroe is in line to operate as the team’s third-string quarterback with no thought being given to a position change or a hybrid role. Nether Darnold nor Lock were caught off guard by the selection.
“Yeah, [head] coach Mike Macdonald gave Sam a heads up,” general manager John Schneider said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (video link). “It was kind of in that period just coming down the pike, like, ‘Hey, this isn’t about you. This is about acquiring an impact player, in our opinion.
“So, Mike talked to Sam. I was able to communicate with Drew. And, obviously, we were communicating with Sam Howell all throughout the weekend as well.”
Shortly after Geno Smith was dealt to the Raiders, Darnold inked a three-year, $100.5MM pact in free agency. The one-year Vikings starter cashed in based on his strong play in 2024, but his Seattle deal leaves the door open to a parting of ways after the coming campaign. Specifically, a $15MM roster bonus is due five days after Super Bowl LX. A window of opportunity will exist for the team to cut bait – albeit by taking on $25.6MM in dead cap charges – if the 27-year-old’s debut season in the Emerald City does not go according to plan.
Lock returned to Seattle on a two-year pact, although his $2.25MM in guarantees only cover the coming season. Seattle could move on next spring with just a $500K dead money hit, something which could be informed in part by the team’s evaluation of Milroe. The latter drew praise in the pre-draft process based on his intriguing blend of size, athleticism and arm strength but questions linger about his upside as a passer at the NFL level.
While the Seahawks prepare for at least one year of Darnold atop the depth chart, the former No. 3 pick will enter the campaign without having been blindsided by the team’s draft approach at the position (as has been the case in other similar situations around the league, of course). It will be interesting to see how Seattle’s long-term plan under center takes shape.
NFC West Notes: Rams, Kittle, Hawks, Cards
Tyler Higbee has been the Rams‘ top tight end for many years, dating back to the team’s separation from Gerald Everett in 2021. Higbee, however, is now in Year 10 and coming off a three-game season. The Rams have attempted to install an heir apparent on multiple occasions, most notably failing in an attempt to trade up for Brock Bowers last year. Los Angeles then was tied to an effort to move up for Colston Loveland last month, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicates the team did discuss trades with teams holding top-10 picks.
Once Loveland went to the Bears at 10, the Rams regrouped and traded down, picking up a 2026 first-rounder (from the Falcons) to do so. Upon leaving Round 1, however, the Rams eyed the next wave of tight ends in this draft. Both Mason Taylor (LSU) and Terrance Ferguson (Oregon) were on the team’s radar, per Fowler, who notes Ferguson was rated higher despite Taylor going to the Jets four spots earlier. The Rams have Ferguson (591 receiving yards in 2024) readying to become the Higbee heir apparent.
Here is the latest from the NFC West:
- Ferguson is unlikely to unseat George Kittle as the NFC West’s top tight end anytime soon, as the 49ers extended their All-Pro dynamo recently. San Francisco’s four-year, $76.4MM deal includes $35MM guaranteed at signing. Beyond fully guaranteed money in 2025 and ’26, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes $2MM of Kittle’s 2027 pay ($17.15MM) is locked in at signing. The 49ers have also dived into the option bonus game, which will help keep Kittle’s cap hits under $19MM until 2029. Kittle can unlock $5MM more in 2027 guarantees by being a 2026 Pro Bowler or landing on the All-Pro first or second team that year; reaching a number of statistical benchmarks that year also could allow Kittle to cash in on that $5MM 2027 bump, Florio adds.
- Sam Darnold‘s three-year, $100.5MM Seahawks contract became classified as a pay-as-you-go pact, and ESPN’s Brady Henderson provided an important detail here. Seattle gave Darnold a $15MM roster bonus, but it is not due until February 13 — five days after Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks can cut bait during that window, reminding of the Raiders’ 2023 Derek Carr divorce, if the Darnold partnership does not pan out. Seattle would still pick up a $25.6MM dead money hit (due to signing bonus proration) by cutting Darnold after one season.
- DC Aden Durde pushed for Rylie Mills in Round 5 (via the pick obtained in the Sam Howell trade), but the Seahawks will wait a bit to see the Day 3 D-lineman in action. A torn ACL sustained in December is expected to keep the Notre Dame product out until at least midseason, John Schneider said (via Henderson). A late-season return is also in play for a player who will be more of a long-term option in Seattle.
- Not rostering a fullback in many years, the Seahawks had planned to add one to work in Klint Kubiak‘s offense. They did so in the draft, as Schneider confirmed (via Henderson) Alabama tight end Robbie Ouzts — a fifth-round pick — will begin his career at fullback. The 274-pound SEC product will compete with Brady Russell, who has played 26 Seahawks games (zero starts) since arriving in September 2023.
- A former South Carolina defensive back, Landon Grier made an early foray into the NFL scouting ranks. The Cardinals hired him straight out of college to be a scouting assistant. The son of Dolphins GM Chris Grier, Landon is not expected back with the Cards in 2025, with InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton noting the younger Grier is on track to return to the college ranks for a personnel role.
- The 49ers are also parting ways with a scouting staffer, with Stratton adding Michael Zyskowski is moving on after three years with the franchise. Late spring regularly serves as a point teams reshuffle scouting staffs, as contracts usually run through the draft in an effort to ensure continuity ahead of the event.