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Transactions News & Rumors

Panthers To Release LB Josey Jewell

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:16pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers are releasing Josey Jewell, per team writer Darin Gantt, clearing a roster spot as the veteran linebacker continues his recovery from a concussion suffered last December.

The two sides did try to find common ground on a revised contract, per Joe Person of The Athletic, but a release was determined as the best path forward. A team spokesman said (via Gantt) that Jewell is focusing on his health and consented to the release so that the team did not have to waste a roster spot on a player with an uncertain return timeline. However, the Panthers are leaving the door open for a reunion if Jewell manages to complete his recovery.

In the meantime, Carolina will need to decide on their starting inside linebackers moving forward. Veteran signing Christian Rozeboom and 2024 third-round pick Trevin Wallace are the most likely duo. Rozeboom started 11 games for the Rams in 2024, while Wallace impressed with 13 appearances and eight starts as a 21-year-old rookie. Claudin Cherelus and Jon Rhattigan will provide depth, but neither profiles as a likely Week 1 starter. The Panthers could look at the remaining free agent linebackers, but getting Wallace more experience would seem to be a better use of the team’s available snaps.

Jewell’s release will save $3.375MM against the Panthers’ 2025 cap, per OverTheCap, with $4.3MM in dead money this year and $2.3MM in 2026. The former fourth-round pick is unlikely to receive any interest until he is fully recovered from last year’s concussion, but he has been a steady contributor over the last three years with 333 total tackles and 9.0 sacks.

Raiders, S Jamal Adams Agree To Deal

July 22nd, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jamal Adams has his next NFL opportunity lined up. The veteran safety is signing with the Raiders, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

Moments before news of the signing broke, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted Adams was present for a free agent visit. Things have clearly gone according to plan on this front. By taking a Raiders deal, Adams will reunite with head coach Pete Carroll.

The two worked together in Seattle for four years. Adams came to the Emerald City amidst major expectations based on the price paid to acquire him from the Jets via trade. The former top-1o pick exceled with 9.5 sacks during his debut Seahawks campaign, but things did not go according to plan from that point on. A decline in play (especially in coverage) along with multiple significant injuries ultimately led to a release last March.

As a free agent, Adams joined the Titans but wound up logging only 20 defensive snaps. The team granted his request to be released, and a Lions deal soon followed. The three-time Pro Bowler made just a pair of appearances, though, and to no surprise he remained on the open market deep into the summer this year. Adams expressed interest in a Jets reunion this spring, but with nothing taking place in that regard he will prepare for another season working with Carroll.

Seattle’s $17.5MM-per-year pact proved to be a problematic investment for Adams, and to no surprise he has not managed to land a deal near that value since his release. That will no doubt be the case as well with this Raiders agreement. The 29-year-old will join a safety room featuring free agent addition Jeremy Chinn and returnee Isaiah Pola-Mao in position to operate as starters. Adams could offer experienced depth and, with 83 starts to his name, step into a defensive role if needed.

In other Raiders news, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports cornerback JT Woods is being signed. The former third-rounder has made a total of 13 appearances in the regular season, each coming with the Chargers between 202-23. After a season without logging any game time, he will join Adams in looking to secure a roster spot in the secondary.

Cowboys, DE James Houston Agree To Deal

July 22nd, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys are among the teams making free agent moves just ahead of training camp. Veteran defensive end James Houston has a deal in place, as first reported by Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Houston was one of three edge rushers who recently conducted a workout with the team, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. His visit obviously went well with an agreement being reached in short order. As the Micah Parsons extension situation drags on, Houston will spend camp looking to earn a roster spot.

The Houston signing is now official, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, fellow defensive end Luiji Vilain has been released. The former UDFA spent time on Dallas’ practice squad last season, and he landed a futures deal after the campaign. Vilain has only made four regular season appearances to date in his career, and he has yet to manage a season like Houston’s 2022 campaign in terms of production.

As a rookie with the Lions, Houston recorded eight sacks. Considering that figure came about with a defensive snap share of just 32%, expectations were high moving forward for the former sixth-rounder. Instead, he made just two appearances the following year and then split his time between the Lions and Browns last season. Houston has managed only one sack since his impressive rookie campaign.

As a result, expectations will be tempered upon arrival in Dallas. The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency, but they still have Parsons in the fold (once his extension is finalized) along with the likes of Dante Fowler, Sam Williams and Marshawn Kneeland. Those three, along with second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku, will enter camp with a stronger grip on a roster spot than Houston. The 26-year-old could nevertheless offer his newest team a depth option along the edge during the summer as he looks to survive roster cuts ahead of Week 1.

Eagles Sign DE Ogbo Okoronkwo

July 22nd, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Late last month, Ogbo Okoronkwo was released. The veteran edge rusher has managed to line up a new gig in time for training camp, though.

Okoronkwo is signing with the Eagles, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. After two years in Cleveland, he represented a cut candidate based on his production and financial situation. With one year remaining on his pact, Okoronkwo was indeed let go in late June.

This signing is now official, per a team announcement. Defensive tackle Jacob Sykes has also been added. In corresponding moves, defensive end K.J. Henry and running back Lew Nichols have been waived. Henry is the only member of that group with any regular season experience, and he and Nichols will look for a new opportunity around the league if/when they clear waivers and become free agents.

Okoronkwo, 30, began his career with the Rams before a single Texans campaign in 2022. In Houston, the former fifth-rounder logged the first eight starts of his career and registered a career-best five sacks. Investing in future development, the Browns inked him to a three-year deal which had the potential to see him handle a complementary role to Myles Garrett as a starter. Instead, that was handled by Za’Darius Smith for the duration of his Cleveland tenure.

Overall, Okoronkwo managed just 7.5 sacks in 30 Browns games. Nevertheless, he will look to find a spot in Philadelphia as the team attempts to rebuild along the edge. Nolan Smith remains in place, but Josh Sweat‘s free agent departure created a vacancy for a starting spot while the trade dealing away Bryce Huff left the Eagles further short on depth. Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche were added on the open market and first-round pick Jihaad Campbell could see time along the edge in addition to linebacker work.

As the Eagles sort out their depth chart amongst that group, Okoronkwo will look to carve out a rotational role. The AAV ($6.3MM) of his Browns pact will surely not be duplicated on this deal, but a strong showing in 2025 could generate a strong free agent market next spring.

Giants Sign S K’Von Wallace

July 22nd, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants have added some safety depth ahead of training camp. K’Von Wallace has a deal in place, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Wallace himself has since confirmed the pact. Today’s move comes as little surprise since he conducted a workout with the Giants last month. Wallace, 27, has a familiarity with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen as the two worked together in Tennessee.

After starting his career with the Eagles, Wallace made a total of 12 starts during the 2023 campaign. That included seven with the Titans, where Bowen was at the time. The Clemson product logged a 60% defensive snap share in Tennessee upon being claimed off waivers from the Cardinals. Wallace spent last season in Seattle, and in nine appearances he chipped in on defense while logging a regular special teams role.

A first-team defensive spot will not be available for the former fourth-round pick upon arrival in New York pending injuries further up the depth chart. Free agent addition Jevon Holland and 2024 second-rounder Tyler Nubin are in position to operate as the team’s starters this season. Dane Belton – who has seen part-time defensive duties along with a heavy special teams workload during his three seasons – projects as the No. 3 safety. Entering camp, however, the Giants faced questions about their depth beyond that trio.

Wallace’s addition will give New York additional experience as a backup/special teams option. The team entered Tuesday with only $3.8MM in cap space, limiting the value of any free agent signings at this point in the offseason. Wallace’s pact is no doubt one year in length, though, and it should check in at or near the veteran minimum. With an agreement in place, his attention will turn to earning a roster spot over the coming weeks.

Packers Give T Zach Tom Four-Year Extension

July 21st, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Packers are signing right tackle Zach Tom to a four-year, $88MM extension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Packers had been working on Tom’s extension throughout the offseason, and with training camp starting this week, the team managed to get it across the finish line. The 26-year-old tackle is now under contract through 2029 and will continue to be a key part of Green Bay’s offensive line. Originally a fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2022, Tom played every position except center as a rookie before settling in at right tackle for the last two years.

Tom’s deal has a maximum value of $92MM, per Pelissero, which includes a $30.2MM signing bonus, the biggest for any offensive lineman in league history. The previous record holder was David Bakhtiari, another Packers offensive tackle.

That’s no coincidence: Green Bay typically does not guarantee any money outside of the signing bonus, so they regularly hand out large signing bonuses (and roster bonuses that vest early in the offseason) to address players’ cash flow and guarantee concerns. That makes it likely, though not certain, that Tom’s guarantees top out at $30.2MM as well, which would trail the rest of the OT market.

However, the overall value of Tom’s deal reflects his ascension from versatile fourth-rounder to one of the league’s best right tackles. His $22MM APY is the fourth highest among right tackles and tied with Jordan Mailata for 10th among all offensive lineman, fitting for a player who graded out as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best tackle in 2024 (subscription required).

Tom’s extension will likely put pressure on the Packers to address Elgton Jenkins‘ contract. The 2019 second-round pick entered the league as a left guard, where he has played a vast majority of his snaps, with multiple starts at center and both tackle spots. He is expected to move to center – a lesser-paid position – this offseason, so he has requested an adjustment to the extension he signed in 2022. That deal runs through 2026, when Jenkins has a $24.8MM cap hit that the Packers might find untenable for a center, especially with no remaining guaranteed money. (In 2025, the highest cap hit for a center is Lloyd Cushenberry at $14.255MM, per OverTheCap.)

Green Bay’s precedent will make it very difficult for Jenkins to add guaranteed money to his deal, so he may have to pursue an outright extension. That route will be complicated by the pending free agency of left tackle Rasheed Walker, a late seventh-round pick in 2022 who took over for an injured Bakhtiari in 2023 and never looked back. With significant capital already invested in both guard spots – a $77MM contract for Aaron Banks and a first-round pick on 2024 draftee Jordan Morgan – Jenkins might be the odd man out if the Packers ultimately prioritize Jordan Love‘s blind side over his snapper.

No matter how Jenkins’ contract situation shakes out, Love will be able to count on Tom to protect his strong side for the foreseeable future.

RB Nyheim Hines To Make NFL Return With Chargers

July 21st, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran running back Nyheim Hines is returning to the NFL with the Chargers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Hines has not played since the 2022 season after tearing his ACL in a freak jet skiing accident in July 2023. He signed with the Browns last offseason and practiced for three weeks in October before being shut down for the year. Now, he will finally get back on the field in Los Angeles.

“It’s been a long road back,” said Hines (via The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson). “I’ve watched [the Chargers] my whole life because of Philip Rivers, and always have liked the team. I also think I’ve fit their system for years, so I’m excited for this opportunity.”

Originally a 2018 fourth-round pick by the Colts, Hines immediately carved out a third-down role as a rookie and became one of the most consistent receiving backs in the league, logging at least 40 receptions and 300 receiving yards in each of his first four season. He signed a three-year, $18.6MM extension with the Colts in 2021 before being dealt to the Bills at the 2022 trade deadline. Hines did not have much of an impact in Buffalo, and his offseason injury has kept him on the sidelines since.

Now, Hines will join a young Chargers running back room as its oldest player. Veteran free agent signing Najee Harris is set to lead the group – once he recovers from a freak injury of his own – and the team hopes first-round pick Omarion Hampton can be an effective change-of-pace back and build on his impressive 2024 season as a ballcarrier and pass-catcher.

However, Harris’ receiving numbers in Pittsburgh were inflated by constant checkdowns by a rotating cadre of Steelers’ quarterbacks, and Jim Harbaugh may not trust a rookie to protect Justin Herbert on third downs. In addition to his desire to contribute as a returner, Hines could have a path to a role in Los Angeles as a pass-catching back who, in his career, has more targets (309) than carries (306) and more yards through the air (1,778) than on the ground (1,202).

First, he will have to prove that he is all the way back from his knee injury. Hines was healthy enough in May to work out for the Texans, and his signing in Los Angeles indicates that his medical passed muster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/25

July 21st, 2025 at 9:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Training camps are underway around the league, bringing more and more roster adjustments every day. Here are the latest minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: WR Will Sheppard
  • Released: K Alex Hale

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn

Minnesota Vikings

  • Placed on active/PUP: TE Gavin Bartholomew, LB Chaz Chambliss

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: CB Kam Alexander, DT Justin Rogers
  • Waived/NFI: CB Zy Alexander

Martin, a 12-year veteran who signed with the Panthers this offseason, is dealing with a minor hamstring injury, per Joe Person of The Athletic.

The Cowboys’ trio of cornerbacks were all expected to be placed on their respective lists given where they are in the rehab process, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The same is true of Overshown, who recently shared a positive update on social media (via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk).

An eye injury will sideline Hale for several weeks, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, forcing the Packers to release him. Hale was not expected to push Brandon McManus for the starting job in Green Bay, but the team will need another kicker for training camp.

The Seahawks swapped undrafted cornerbacks, adding Alexander out of Oregon and waiving Alexander with a non-football injury designation. Rogers, meanwhile, was signed after a successful tryout.

Titans Complete Draft Pick Signings With Second-Round OLB Oluwafemi Oladejo

July 21st, 2025 at 7:43pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Titans have reached an agreement with second-round pick Oluwafemi Oladejo, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, completing their 2025 draft class signings.

Oladejo’s deal is worth $8.415MM over four years, the first three of which are fully guaranteed along with a $2.76MM signing bonus. That represents a massive jump from last year’s No. 52 pick, Adonai Mitchell, who only received guarantees on 47.7% (700k) of his Year 3 salary, per OverTheCap. Oladejo received 52.3% more guaranteed salary in Year 3, which will push him well above Mitchell’s overall guarantees worth 65% of his rookie deal.

Though Oladejo’s contract is significantly stronger than past players in the same draft slot, it is somewhat weak compared to the rest of the 2025 second-round pick market. 85% of No. 54 pick Anthony Belton‘s Year 3 salary was fully guaranteed by the Packers, per OverTheCap; a few days later, No. 53 pick Benjamin Morrison reached 96% on his Year 3 guarantees in his deal with the Buccaneers. Initial reports of Oladejo’s contract did not mention any guarantees past the third year, so a mere 4% increase over Morrison in Year 3 guarantees seems disappointing after Morrison received 11% more than Belton in the same category.

Regardless, Oladejo’s rookie contract completes an impressive year for the 21-year-old. After spending his first three college seasons – two at Cal and one at UCLA – as an off-ball linebacker, he moved to the edge in 2024 and finished the season with 4.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Oladejo surged up big boards throughout the draft process and was consistently pegged as a Day 2 pick before the draft. He will now have an opportunity to compete for a starting role in a Titans defense that lost Harold Landry this offseason and did little to replace him in free agency. Seven-year veteran Arden Key will likely be one of Tennessee’s starting edge defenders, and Oladejo should push Lorenzo Carter to be the other.

Oladejo was the final Titans draft pick to sign his rookie deal;

Texans, CB Arthur Maulet Agree To Deal

July 21st, 2025 at 4:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Arthur Maulet endured an injury-shortened season in 2024, and he had a lengthy wait in free agency as a result. The veteran corner has lined up an opportunity in time for training camp, however.

Maulet told NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe on Monday that he has agreed to terms on a one-year Houston pact. He will look to rebound on his latest team after only playing three games last season. In 2023, Maulet played a key role in the Ravens’ secondary, handling slot corner duties and having success as a blitzer.

The former Saint, Colt, Jet and Steeler has made 85 appearances and 23 starts during his career. Maulet will join the Texans while aiming to occupy at least a part-time role (particularly in the slot). Houston’s perimeter spots are accounted for with Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, but the team lost Ronald Darby to retirement earlier this offseason.

Playing on a series of short-term deals during his career, it took until 2022 for Maulet to secure a deal carrying a seven-figure AAV. The former UDFA reached that mark on two separate Steelers contracts as well as his Ravens accord. Financial terms of his Texans agreement are not known, but it would come as no surprise if it were to check in at or around the veteran minimum.

Maulet, 32, has only recorded four interceptions in his career but he posted strong coverage numbers during his time in Baltimore. If he manages to do the same with his latest team, a shorter wait on the free agent market should be in store next year. For the time being, attention will turn to Maulet’s ability to carve out a role with Houston during training camp.

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