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Ravens Extend S Kyle Hamilton

August 29th, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 29: Hamilton’s fully guaranteed money includes a signing bonus, his 2025 and ’26 base salaries, and a 2026 option bonus, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. More significantly in the long term, Hamilton secured a rolling guarantee structure. His $17MM 2027 base salary shifts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in 2026. His $17MM 2028 base salary makes that shift in 2027, providing advanced security for the young standout.

While Hamilton’s 2029 base salary ($17.9MM) is nonguaranteed, he will collect a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the ’29 league year, Florio adds. Since the deal tacks four years onto his through-2026 rookie contract, Hamilton is signed through 2030. There is also a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2030 league year. This marks the second time (in the fifth-year option era) the Ravens have paid a first-rounder with two years left on a rookie contract; they did the same with Marlon Humphrey in 2020.

AUGUST 27: The Ravens have eyed a Kyle Hamilton extension for a lengthy stretch. As the season nears, Baltimore has one of its 2022 standout first-rounders locked in long term.

Hamilton has agreed to a deal that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid safety, the team announced (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). While fellow 2022 first-rounder Tyler Linderbaum remains on his rookie deal, Hamilton has reset the safety market.

This extension will move the bar far north at safety, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the Ravens are giving Hamilton a four-year, $100.4MM deal. Of that amount, $82MM is guaranteed, including $48MM in fully guaranteed money, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. While this is a significant increase over the top of the safety market – set earlier this year by Kerby Joseph just over $21MM – it’s also somewhat reflective of increase in cornerback pay this offseason.

More than anything, of course, Hamilton’s contract is a reflection of his status as one of the best – if not the best – safeties in the NFL. He’s coming off back-to-back Pro Bowls and a ninth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting after turning around Baltimore’s pass defense with his move to a more traditional safety role in 2024. His versatility and impact can be felt at all three levels of the field, similar to the Chargers’ Derwin James.

Appropriately, Hamilton’s deal is essentially James’ 2022 extension adjusted for cap inflation. James received $19MM per year, which accounted for 9.1% of the salary cap at the time, per OverTheCap. Hamilton’s $25MM APY represents just under 9.0% of the 2025 cap. Though it’s an expensive deal, the 24-year-old has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Adding four years and $100.4MM to that deal will keep Hamilton in Baltimore through the 2030 season for $20.3MM per year, which could become a steal as the cap continues to rise in the coming years.

The Ravens drafted Hamilton 14th overall in 2022 and have seen him soar to the All-Pro tier. With two original-ballot Pro Bowls on his resume, Hamilton secured the top fifth-year option price at safety ($18.6MM). His new deal checks in well north of that in terms of per-year average, and it will give future impact safeties a price to target.

The recent CB boom — which Patrick Surtain reset last year only to see the deal topped a few times over since — illustrates how quickly a market-setting contract can be eclipsed by others using it as a benchmark. After all, Antoine Winfield Jr. became the NFL’s first $20MM-per-year safety barely a year ago. That said, safety value has fluctuated over the years. As a result, Hamilton’s AAV may top the market for a while — particularly given the Notre Dame alum’s versatile skillset that is so pivotal to Baltimore’s defensive blueprint.

Hamilton is now the second-highest-paid Raven — behind only Lamar Jackson — representing rare status for a safety. The Ravens will now turn their attention to Linderbaum, who did not see his fifth-year option exercised due to the option formula grouping all O-linemen together. The Ravens want to pay their All-Pro center before season’s end.

Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.

Javon Baker To Join Eagles’ Practice Squad

August 29th, 2025 at 8:46am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, Javon Baker found himself on the wrong side of the Patriots’ roster bubble earlier this week. The second-year wideout has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity, though.

[RELATED: Recapping Eagles’ Offseason]

Baker plans to sign with the Eagles on their practice squad, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports. The 2024 fourth-rounder considered multiple options, per Reiss. One of those was a return to the Patriots on their taxi squad. Instead, a change of scenery will take place.

Leading up to this week’s round of roster cuts, it was clear Baker and fellow 2024 draftee Ja’Lynn Polk were in danger of being waived. Polk has since landed on season-ending injured reserve, preventing a decision on keeping him or letting him go from needing to be made. After making New England’s initial 53-man, meanwhile, Baker was waived on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old made 11 appearances with the Patriots as a rookie, but in that time he made just one scoreless catch. Baker joins veteran Kendrick Bourne as a receiver New England – now led by head coach Mike Vrabel – has parted ways with in advance of the season. As the team moves forward with an altered WR group, Philadelphia will take a flier on Baker.

The Alabama and UCF product will join a receiving corps led once again by A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson. Philadelphia lost Johnny Wilson last week to season-ending surgery, hindering the team’s depth. Trade acquisition John Metchie is in position to operate as a backup, but Baker will give the Eagles another option on the practice squad. It will be interesting to see if he receives a gameday elevation early in the campaign.

Cowboys Trade Micah Parsons To Packers

August 28th, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

Trade chatter surrounding Micah Parsons has proven to be substantive. Not long after a Thursday report indicated the star edge rusher could be on the move, a blockbuster trade has indeed been worked out.

The Cowboys have an agreement in place to send Parsons to the Packers, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater. The package heading back to Dallas includes two first-round picks. Rapoport adds defensive tackle Kenny Clark is also going to the Cowboys as the final part of the trade agreement. The move is now official.

As part of this massive deal, Parsons has worked out a Packers extension. A four-year, $188MM accord has been agreed to, per the NFL Network report (which has since been confirmed by others). The deal contains $136MM in total guarantees. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds Parsons will receive $120MM fully locked in at signing, including $62MM paid out in 2025. Those figures – along with a $47MM average annual value – easily mark a new high point in compensation for non-quarterbacks.

In recent days, the possibility of a trade has gained steam. Yesterday, it was reported the Packers were among the teams showing interest; as such, it is reasonable Green Bay is where Parsons is now headed. Still, today’s move is a massive development for all involved and marks a departure from standard operating procedure in the Packers’ case. The team has a reputation as a draft-and-develop franchise, and that includes recent first-round investments along the edge in Rashan Gary (2019) and Lukas Van Ness (2024).

Both of those players will remain in place even with Parsons arriving. Green Bay’s defensive front has nevertheless been dealt a blow with Clark heading the other way. The three-time Pro Bowler has spent his entire nine-year career with the Packers, and he will provide the Cowboys with a needed upgrade at the DT spot. Clark, 29, has three years remaining on his contract. The former first-rounder posted a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2023, but that figure fell to one last season. Even without a bounce-back in that department, stable play against the run would be welcomed by the Cowboys.

Dallas has a reputation for dragging high-profile negotiations deep into the offseason. Many observers viewed the Parsons situation as the latest example of that, but relations between the 26-year-old and owner Jerry Jones have taken a turn for the worst this summer. Informal talks between the two produced a handshake agreement during the spring, one Jones maintained a desire to stick to in the process of finalizing an extension. When Parsons went public with his trade request at the start of the month, though, he stated he did not want to be held to the terms mentioned in that conversation. No formal offer is known to have been made by Dallas, and negotiations came to a halt in the wake of Jones’ comments on agent David Mulugheta.

Per Rapoport, this trade was agreed to earlier this week. Negotiations then turned to the matter of an extension, with Mulugheta negotiating this monster accord. The Packers’ financial outlook will be altered considerably with this deal in place, especially since quarterback Jordan Love is attached to one of the league’s most expensive accords. The team’s window to contend for a Super Bowl is obviously viewed as being open given this trade.

Dallas, meanwhile, still has a core headlined by Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. They both signed major extensions of their own last offseason, and Clark joins Osa Odighizuwa (re-upped this spring on a $20MM-per-year deal) as a key figure on defense for 2025 and beyond. The Cowboys are thus not in a position to turn away from contention in the near future, but with one week remaining in the offseason they have moved on from arguably their best player.

The Cowboys lost DeMarcus Lawrence during free agency, so today’s blockbuster means both of their starting edge rush spots will have new occupants. Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, Marshawn Kneeland, James Houston and second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku are in position to handle pass rush duties moving forward. How that group fares will be key in determining the success of the post-Parsons Dallas defense.

The Packers went 9-8 during Love’s first season as their starting quarterback, and they improved to 11-6 last season. A step toward the NFL’s elite was targeted in their roster moves this offseason, and that process has extended deep into August. Parsons was already on the books for 2025 due to his fifth-year option (the value of which is yet to be finalized). The All-Pro is now under contract through 2029.

“I never wanted this chapter to end, but not everything was in my control,” a statement from Parsons reads in part. “My heart has always been [in Dallas], and it still is. Through it all, I never made any demands. I never asked for anything more than fairness. I only asked that the person I trust to negotiate my contract be part of the process.

“Thank you, Cowboys Nation, for every cheer, every moment, and every ounce of love you showed me. Wearing the star has been the honor of my life.”

As Schefter notes, 29 players drafted since 1970 have been named to the Pro Bowl in each of their first four seasons. Parsons will be the first name on that list to play for a different team in their fifth NFL campaign. Dallas and Green Bay will meet in a Sunday Night Football matchup in Week 4. It goes without saying what the top storyline for that contest will be.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 8/28/25

August 28th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Teams around the NFL continued to adjust their practice squads as new players came free from Wednesday’s transactions. Here are all the latest updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Falcons

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: CB Jalen Kimber, DE Andre Jones Jr.
  • Released: CB Daequan Hardy

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos:

  • Signed: TE Patrick Murtaugh (international exemptin)

Detroit Lions: 

Green Bay Packers:

Houston Texans: 

  • Signed: OT Reid Holskey, WR Josh Kelly

Indianapolis Colts: 

Jacksonville Jaguars: 

Kansas City Chiefs:

Los Angeles Chargers:

Miami Dolphins:

  • Signed: RB JaMycal Hasty

Minnesota Vikings:

New England Patriots: 

New York Giants: 

  • Signed: TE Qadir Ismail

New York Jets: 

  • Signed: OL Marquis Hayes, DB Korie Black

Philadelphia Eagles:

  • Signed: WR Britain Covey, OT Luke Felix Fualalo (international exemption)

San Francisco 49ers: 

Seattle Seahawks: 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 

Tennessee Titans: 

Washington Commanders: 

Signed: RB Donovan Edwards, CB Darius Rush

Ismail was one of 17 players to work out for the Giants on Thursday, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. He won the practice squad spot over more notable players like former Broncos safety Caden Sterns and former Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Canadian quarterback Taylor Elgersma also attended the workout, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, suggesting that the Giants might be looking for extra depth at the position.

Wallace worked out for the Vikings on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It must have gone well, as he was signed to the practice squad hours later as extra depth both in the secondary and on special teams.

Griffin returned to the Seahawks this offseason, eight years after they made him a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. He did not make Seattle’s 53-man roster, but as a vested veteran, he was able to re-sign to the practice squad without going through waivers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/25

August 28th, 2025 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

As rosters continue to be sorted out, here are Thursday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DT Eric Gregory

Dallas Cowboys

Las Vegas Raiders

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Bears Place DE Austin Booker On IR

August 28th, 2025 at 6:59pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Austin Booker was available to the Bears for all 17 games during his rookie season. That will not be the case in 2025, however.

Booker, 22, was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement. A knee injury will sideline him for a minimum of four games to start the season, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. With a Bears’ bye in Week 5, Booker won’t play until at least Week 6.

The 2024 fifth-rounder was set to backup starting defensive ends Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo after a relatively quiet rookie season. Booker’s 2025 expectations surged after a league-high 4.0 sacks in just two preseason games, but a potential second-year leap will have to wait for a while.

Booker was able to overpower the generally-lower level of competition in the preseason, but translating that success to the regular season is no guarantee. His injury could make things more difficult, though the IR stint will help him get back to full health instead of rushing a return.

In the meantime, the Bears will turn to 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson and offseason signing Tanoh Kpassagnon to rotate in behind Sweat and Odeyingbo.

Robinson recorded 1.5 sacks in his first game as a Bear and 0.5 in 33 games since, while Kpassagnon, an eight-year veteran, missed the entire 2024 season due to an Achilles tear. He followed Dennis Allen from New Orleans to Chicago this offseason but has never produced like an impact edge rusher. Booker arguably has more upside than both, so the Bears will be anxious to get him back on the field as a rotational pass rusher.

Third-stringer and 2022 seventh-round pick Daniel Hardy has primarily played special teams in his first two years but could see some defensive snaps with Booker out.

Cardinals Place DL Justin Jones On IR

August 28th, 2025 at 3:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Jones was limited to just three games during his debut Cardinals campaign. The veteran defensive lineman will miss time once again in 2025.

Jones was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old has been dealing with a knee injury since July. As a result of today’s move, Jones will be sidelined until at least Week 5.

After four seasons with the Chargers and two with the Bears, Jones established himself as a full-time starter. The former third-rounder was largely durable during that period, playing a full 17-game slate in both of his Chicago seasons. Things have not gone according to plan in Arizona, however. Jones suffered a triceps tear in Week 3 last year, ending his campaign early.

Now, the NC State product is set to miss the first month of the campaign. Jones is under contract for the next two years, but none of his scheduled base salary for 2026 ($7.5MM) is guaranteed. Whether or not he remains in the Cardinals’ plans next season will depend in large part on when he is able to return to the field and his performance once healthy. In the meantime, Arizona will move forward with a defensive line group which will also be without first-round rookie Walter Nolen in September.

If/when Jones is brought back into the fold, he will account for one of the Cardinals’ eight IR activations. Two were used during the team’s Tuesday roster moves. In a corresponding transaction, long snapper Aaron Brewer was re-signed to the active roster. Brewer was released as part of the team’s roster maneuvers, but Jones moving to IR opened up a spot for him to return as expected.

Bengals Sign G Dalton Risner

August 28th, 2025 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 28: The deal is now official. When speaking to the media on Thursday, head coach Zac Taylor declined to say which guard spot Risner will spend time at. As ESPN’s Ben Baby notes, though, there is optimism he will be available to Cincinnati in time for Week 1.

AUGUST 27: Dalton Risner has secured another opportunity late in free agency. Making a habit of signing well after the market opens, the veteran guard is joining the Bengals, veteran reporter Jordan Schultz tweets.

The former Broncos and Vikings guard had visited the Bengals recently. He will look to fill a void as a starter on an O-line that has four other locked-in first-stringers.

Both the Seahawks and Steelers showed interest in Risner, whose market once again did not form after he spent a season as a primary starter. Underperforming in free agency has perhaps defined Risner’s career, but the former second-round pick has continued to bounce back from those disappointments to extend his run as an NFL starter. The Bengals are adding a guard with 81 starts on his resume.

Back in April, the Bengals were on the Risner radar. They will add him after an underwhelming guard audition. Cody Ford and Lucas Patrick joined Cordell Volson in competing for the team’s right guard job. Third-round pick Dylan Fairchild is set to take over at left guard, and the Bengals have yet another veteran option for the other spot. Ford joined Risner in the 2019 second round, while Patrick arrived as a 2017 UDFA.

Risner started 19 games for the Vikings over the past two seasons. He waited until September 2023 to sign with Minnesota but re-signed in June 2024. Pro Football Focus graded Risner as the No. 22 overall guard last season. Risner replaced Ed Ingram in the Vikes’ starting lineup midway through last season. The team dropped Ingram via trade (to the Texans) this offseason and once again let Risner linger in free agency. The Vikes overhauled their interior O-line — via the signings of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries and first-round investment in Donovan Jackson — and Risner will spend his age-30 season in Cincinnati.

The Bengals retained Patrick and Ford on their active roster but waived Volson — a three-year starter who was benched late last season — with an injury designation. Volson reverted to IR today. Risner has experience replacing starters in-season, having done so in 2023 (after the Ezra Cleveland trade) and 2024. The Bengals may need him earlier, however.

Falcons Place Bralen Trice On IR; Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman In Line For Starting Roles

August 28th, 2025 at 12:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Bralen Trice missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear, and he will not be available at the start of the coming campaign. The 2024 third-rounder was placed on injured reserve Thursday, per a team announcement.

Head coach Raheem Morris said Trice aggravated the same knee affected by last year’s ACL tear. It is not known if surgery will be required at this point, but a procedure could be deemed necessary. Landing on IR at this time ensures Trice will miss at least the first four games of the campaign.

Morris also said the best-case scenario for Trice would be a return after Atlanta’s bye week. That happens to fall on Week 5, the earliest point at which the 24-year-old could have his practice window opened anyway. Activating Trice at any point will use up one of the Falcons’ eight IR activations on the season. The team already spent two when designating Ta’Quon Graham and Storm Norton for return during roster cutdowns.

Today’s move marks another injury setback for Trice, who was drafted as a candidate to handle a notable workload off the edge early in his career. Pass rush production has been hard to come by for Atlanta in recent years, something the team aimed at addressing through free agency (by signing Leonard Floyd) and the draft (by selecting Jalon Walker and James Pearce in the first round) this offseason. The team’s new options will be relied on without Trice in place at least early in the season.

In other news regarding the Falcons’ defense, Morris also announced rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman will have starting roles. Watts, added in the third round, will operate as a first-team safety alongside Jessie Bates, while Bowman – taken one round later – will handle slot corner duties. Earlier this week, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted how Bowman (who was drafted as a safety) impressed upon transitioning to a slot corner during camp, surpassing incumbent Dee Alford on the depth chart.

Morris’ announcement thus comes as no surprise, and it confirms Watts, Bowman and Bates will be joined by AJ Terrell and Mike Hughes in the starting secondary. That unit will work in tandem with a heavily renovated edge rush group, one which will be shorthanded in the fall.

Patriots To Release WR Kendrick Bourne; 49ers Interested In Reunion

August 28th, 2025 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 28: John Lynch confirmed during a KNBR interview (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman) the 49ers are indeed discussing the prospect of reuniting with Bourne. The team is factoring in Bourne’s recent injury absence into this effort, but the eight-year veteran — the first four coming in San Francisco — is on the radar to return.

AUGUST 27: Kendrick Bourne‘s up-and-down Patriots stint is over. Despite being carried through to New England’s 53-man roster, the veteran wide receiver is being released, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports.

This will wrap a four-plus-year tenure for Bourne, who has been a trade-rumor mainstay. He will now seek a fresh start elsewhere. The Vikings had shown interest in Bourne before acquiring Adam Thielen, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds other teams expressed interest as well. Bourne should be able to find a new home fairly soon.

Unsurprisingly, the 49ers are interested in bringing Bourne back, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reports. Bourne played four 49ers seasons before joining the Patriots, and the teams discussed a trade during last summer’s Brandon Aiyuk saga. Bourne asked for his Pats release, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe adds. We mentioned Bourne as a release candidate earlier this summer.

The Patriots had kept eight receivers on their initial 53-man roster. Some teams keep five, six or even seven; eight is an unrealistic number for a team to devote to this position. And New England, which has made many changes in Mike Vrabel‘s first offseason, is cutting the cord. Bourne had re-signed with the Pats on a three-year, $19.5MM deal last March. No guaranteed money remained on the contract, and the Pats will escape it with just a $2.8MM dead money hit.

Although the 49ers discussed Bourne with the Pats last summer, he was not eyeing a move back to San Francisco at the deadline. Interest still came in for Bourne, who was no longer a centerpiece part in the Pats’ WR equation this year. The team added Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency. Bourne posted an 800-yard season in Josh McDaniels‘ previous Pats season (2021) but has not eclipsed 500 yards in a single campaign since. Still, he is entering an age-30 season and viewed as a solid auxiliary performer.

The 49ers have added Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. This comes after Aiyuk moved to the reserve/PUP list and Demarcus Robinson shifted to the reserve/suspended list. The 49ers had not seen Jauan Jennings practice in several weeks due to a calf injury (and contract matter), while Jacob Cowing is also hurt. Bourne, a UDFA who posted 667 yards in his 2020 San Francisco finale, would make sense as an option now that he’s available.

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