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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.

Eagles Sign Second-Round S Andrew Mukuba, Complete Draft Class Deals

July 21st, 2025 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles are the latest team to wrap up their rookie deals in time for training camp. Second-round safety Andrew Mukuba inked his contract on Monday, per a team announcement.

Like 29 other players taken in the second round of April’s draft Mukuba was unsigned at the start of last week. Round 2 picks have received a notable uptick in guaranteed compensation this year, with a number of players taken at the top of the round seeing all four years of their deals locked in (something which was previously only the case for Day 1 draftees). As the 64th pick, Mukuba is not in line to have his entire deal guaranteed, but his agreement no doubt represents a step in that direction compared to previous years.

During three seasons at Clemson, Mukuba operated as a key member of the team’s secondary. He recorded only one interception within that span, but things changed in 2024. After transferring to Texas, Mukuba notched five picks while adding seven pass deflections. That production helped his draft stock considerably, and he now enters the NFL with a chance to carve out a starting role on defense.

Philadelphia’s offseason has included a number of defensive departures, including the trade which sent C.J. Gardner Johnson to the Texans. The Eagles informed Gardner-Johnson of their decision to move on from him during the opening stages of free agency, and the trade created a vacancy at the safety spot. Reed Blankenship is set to return for 2025, and the same is true of Sydney Brown.

Those two could operate as Philadelphia’s starting safety tandem in 2025, although the Super Bowl champions could also find themselves in the market for one of the veterans still on the free agent market. Barring an addition, Mukuba should at least be able to occupy a special teams role during his rookie season. With Blankenship entering the final year of his contract, a path could exist down the road to a first-team defensive gig.

Here is a final look at the Eagles’ 2025 draft class:

Chiefs, George Karlaftis Agree To Extension

July 21st, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 21: The $1.25MM in annual incentives included with Karlaftis’ deal (which is now official) run from 2027-30, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. His cap charges range from as low as $5.1MM this year to as high as $25MM in 2029.

JULY 20: George Karlaftis is the latest member of the Chiefs to secure a big-ticket extension. Team and player have agreed to terms on a new deal, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Providing details on the accord, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this four-year contract is worth $93MM; it includes $62MM in guarantees. The value of this pact is therefore almost identical to the extension guard Trey Smith signed in advance of the recent franchise tag deadline. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated clarifies the pact has a base value of $88MM and can top out at $93MM via incentives. $32MM is locked in at signing with the other $30MM in place as injury guarantees.

To no surprise, Karlaftis had his fifth-year option picked up this spring. That decision kept him under team control for the next two seasons, leaving team and player plenty of time to work out a long-term extension. In time for training camp, though, one has already been taken care of. The 24-year-old is now on the books through the 2030 campaign.

Karlaftis now ranks 11th amongst edge rushers with respect to AAV at $22MM. A number of pass rushers have received attention in recent months, but Karlaftis has flown under the radar by comparison. Of course, the market has shifted recently (with T.J. Watt moving the bar to $41MM annually) and further mega-deals are expected later in the summer. This accord could look rather team-friendly in the near future.

The Purdue product was not as high as Smith on the extension priority, but he joined fellow 2022 first-rounder Trent McDuffie in discussing a second contract at least as far back as April. As a result, it comes as little surprise an agreement has been reached ahead of the 2025 campaign. Karlaftis has taken on a larger workload with each passing season to date, logging 831 defensive snaps during the regular season last year. He has also been a mainstay in Kansas City’s three trips to the Super Bowl during his career.

Karlaftis flashed potential with six sacks as a rookie and took a step forward with 10.5 the following year. While his sack total dropped to eight in 2024, he remained consistent in terms of quarterback pressures (37 after recording 35 the previous year). Kansas City will be counting on continued production in that respect for several years while keeping Karlaftis in place as a strong run defender.

One year after taking Karlaftis in the first round, the Chiefs made another Day 1 selection along the edge in the form of Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The latter was only a rotational contributor during his rookie campaign, but he took on a larger workload last year and should continue to develop into a regular on defense. He and Karlaftis will give the Chiefs a young pass-rush tandem for several years with Chris Jones still in the fold as the team’s defensive line anchor.

With Smith and Karlaftis now on the books for the foreseeable future, attention will turn to McDuffie. If an extension can also be worked out in his case before Week 1, another central figure in the team’s success will locked up for years to come. Regardless, recent days have ensured Kansas City will have key (and young) contributors on both sides of the line of scrimmage in the fold for 2025 and well beyond.

Seahawks Release TE Noah Fant

July 20th, 2025 at 10:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Roster moves continue as teams prepare for the start of training camp. In the case of the Seahawks, that includes parting ways with a notable veteran.

Tight end Noah Fant has been released, per a team announcement. One year remained on his contract with a nonguaranteed base salary of $8.49MM owed. Rather than keeping Fant in the fold for 2025, Seattle will move on.

This decision will result in $8.91MM in cap savings for the Seahawks while incurring a dead money charge of $4.5MM. Fant will now look to find a new opportunity during training camp. The team, meanwhile, will give its other tight ends a larger opportunity during practice before deciding if an addition is required ahead of Week 1.

A first-round pick of the Broncos in 2019, Fant totaled 1,400 yards on 130 receptions during his time with the team. He was included in the Russell Wilson blockbuster, though, so he spent the past three years in Seattle. The Iowa product was unable to reach the same level of production in Seattle that he managed in Denver; his 500 yards in 2024 were the most in the Emerald City but fell short of any of his three Broncos campaigns.

Seattle moved on from both D.K. Metcalf (via trade) and Tyler Lockett (via release) this offseason. Those decisions will leave the team with a noticeably different receiver room in 2025. Returnee Jaxon Smith-Njigba and free agent signing Cooper Kupp will lead the way at that spot moving forward. Fant will not reprise his role as the Seahawks’ primary pass-catching tight end, however.

The 27-year-old will be a name to watch in free agency as teams sort out their depth charts over the coming weeks. Fant would give any number of suitors a starting-caliber presence at the position or at least a strong pass catcher to complement another tight end best suited to run blocking. It will be interesting to see how his market takes shape.

In the meantime, Seattle will move forward with a depth chart including second-round rookie Elijah Arroyo. AJ Barner is set for his second year with the team, and veteran Eric Saubert is a depth option. By releasing Fant, the Seahawks are (barring another move) committing to that trio to handle tight end duties for at least the 2025 season.

Bengals Sign 3, Cut 2 Days Before Training Camp

July 20th, 2025 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

We saw reports earlier today that, following a large workout including such players as C.J. Beathard, Tyler Huntley, and more, the Bengals signed quarterback Desmond Ridder. When the team announced the move later on in the day, they disclosed several other transactions, as well, including the release of a player Ridder was expected to compete with this summer.

While it was initially thought that Ridder would be battling incumbent quarterback Logan Woodside for the QB3 role behind Joe Burrow and Jake Browning, Woodside was one of the players released today in Cincinnati. A seventh-round pick for the Bengals back in 2018, Woodside failed to make the initial 53-man roster in his rookie year and opted to sign to the Titans’ practice squad. In five seasons with the Titans, two with the Falcons, and last year back with the Bengals, Woodside has only attempted seven passes in his NFL career. With Woodside out, if Ridder is competing for anything, it’s the QB2 role.

The other player removed from the roster was offensive guard Tashawn Manning, an undrafted player that originally signed with the Ravens out of Kentucky in 2023. He spent his rookie season on the practice squad in Baltimore, and after getting waived in final roster cuts again in 2024, he opted to sign to the Bengals’ p-squad. After failing to make it to a gameday roster for the second year in a row, Manning signed a reserve/futures deal with Cincinnati, but today he heads back to the waiver wire.

Of the three new players joining Ridder as signees today, the most notable is veteran defensive tackle Taven Bryan. The Bengals’ defense largely cost them in 2024, as they missed the playoffs despite huge performances from Burrow and the offense. With uncertainty continuing to surround the situation with No. 17 overall pick Shemar Stewart, the addition of Bryan and fellow defensive tackle McTelvin Agim could be a form of insurance.

Bryan, a first-round pick for the Jaguars back in 2018, has had an up-and-down career through seven years in the league. After limited time off the bench in his rookie season, Bryan looked the part in his sophomore campaign, starting eight games and logging career highs in total tackles (33), tackles for loss (5), and quarterback hits (9) that still stand today, along with two sacks. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him that year as the 23rd best interior defender out of 116 players graded at the position.

Since then, though, Bryan has never graded higher than 60th, per PFF. He started eight games again in 2020 before the Jaguars made him strictly rotational in the final year of his rookie contract. He signed a one-year contract with the Browns after that and started 16 games in Cleveland, posting a new career high with three sacks. He played the last two seasons in Indianapolis starting 13 of 34 game appearances for the Colts.

Agim is a former third-round pick for the Broncos that never really panned out. In his third year in Denver, he failed to make the 53-man roster and was released from the practice squad in December. Though he’s found practice squad spots throughout the AFC South in the years since, Agim has only appeared in one game over the past three seasons. Bryan’s signing has a chance to improve the team’s defense, and Agim adds some depth, but it’s hard not to read more into the signing of two defensive tackles amidst the Stewart controversy.

The last player added to the roster today was center Andrew Raym. An undrafted center out of Oklahoma last year, Raym made the Panthers’ initial 53-man roster as a rookie but was waived after appearing in only one game and signed to Carolina’s practice squad. He signed a reserve/futures deal with the team in January but was waived again in May. With undrafted rookie center Seth McLaughlin still working his way back from a late-season torn Achilles tendon in 2024, Raym will assist in camp as a third center behind Ted Karras and Matt Lee.

Buccaneers Close Draft Class Signings; Ink CB Benjamin Morrison

July 20th, 2025 at 6:29pm CST by Ely Allen

The Buccaneers are the latest team to close out their rookie draft class signings today after getting Notre Dame second-round cornerback Benjamin Morrison to put pen to paper. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Morrison’s deal includes full guarantees for the first two years and 96 percent of the third year guaranteed.

A four-star recruit coming out of Brophy College Prep (AZ), Morrison had offers from a number of big programs. After taking official visits to Notre Dame, Oregon, and Washington in back-to-back-to-back weekends, Morrison committed to the Fighting Irish. He found his way onto NFL radars as a true freshman despite enrolling just two months before the start of the season. Making nine starts in 13 games, Morrison led his team with six interceptions, including one returned 96 yards for a touchdown, and added 10 passes defensed for good measure.

He continued his excellence in his sophomore year, starting 11 of 12 contests and missing one game with a quad injury. Despite added caution from opposing quarterbacks after his freshman year acclaim, Morrison still made plenty of plays on the ball, recording three interceptions and 13 passes defensed. He also showed a strong ability to blow up plays on the perimeter with 3.5 tackles for loss.

Scouts everywhere were licking their chops to see what film Morrison would put up in 2024, now that he was finally going to draft eligible. Through six games, Morrison hadn’t recorded any interceptions, but his four passes defensed were on track for his usual rate of deflections. Unfortunately, a hip injury took Morrison off the field for the remainder of his junior year. Feeling he had put up enough film to warrant a high draft pick, he decided to forego his senior season and declare for the draft.

The Buccaneers return much of a secondary from 2024 that allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL. Part of that can be attributed to injuries as safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead missed a combined 14 games, pushing Christian Izien into the starting secondary. Whitehead is the only one absent from last year’s roster in 2025 with Winfield and Izien back at safety, Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum back at outside cornerback, and Tykee Smith returning at nickelback.

Early reports suggested that Morrison is expected to be ready to return to the field after his hip injury in time for training camp, which starts this week. While the Buccaneers will surely be happy to see him back on the field, they likely won’t attempt to rush him back. If he gets onto the field and plays at a high level as a rookie, great. If not, the team’s plans for him may be much increased in 2026. 2025 is a contract year for McCollum, and Dean’s cap hits over the next two seasons — $15.14MM in 2025 and $15.78MM in 2026 — are high enough to speculate at his candidacy for release. If the team can’t justify bringing both back after this year, then Morrison will be there an additional year removed from his hip injury.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see what Morrison is able to do in 2025. With the early displays he put on at Notre Dame as evidence, the 21-year-old could be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate if his play resembles anything close to what he displayed pre-injury. With Morrison being the last Tampa Bay rookie to sign his entry-level deal, here’s a final look at the Buccaneers’ completed six-man draft class:

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