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Jets, WR Garrett Wilson Agree To Extension

July 20th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 20: Wilson secured $38.3MM fully guaranteed, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes. That includes a $13.75MM signing bonus and $15MM in total compensation for 2025. The remaining locked in money – included in the pact as injury guarantees – is scheduled to vest one year early for the 2026 and ’27 campaigns. Wilson’s compensation for the final two years of the deal is not guaranteed. His cap charges, per Breer, range from $4MM this year to $38.5MM in 2030.

JULY 14: One of the Jets’ major offseason priorities has been taken care of. An extension agreement has been reached with wideout Garrett Wilson, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

Wilson’s new pact is four years in length and carries a value of $130MM with $90MM guaranteed, per Schefter. That works out to an average annual value of $32.5MM; the former first-rounder is the first to reach that figure after three seasons in the NFL. Given New York’s decision to pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option this spring, he is now on the books through 2030. This marks the first Jets extension for a former Day 1 pick ahead of their fourth season in the rookie wage scale era (h/t Schefter).

Adding further details on this mega-extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes Wilson will receive a $13.75MM signing bonus. The pact also contains a $20MM option bonus in its second year as well as a $10MM option bonus in Year 3. As expected, the 24-year-old is therefore due to collect on a large scale in the near future.

In terms of both total value and average compensation on a per-year basis, this deal moves Wilson to fifth at the receiver spot. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year has proven to be a focal point on offense in spite of the Jets’ level of play at the quarterback position over the past three years. To no surprise, Wilson was thus a high priority for the team on the extension front. In time for training camp, team and player worked out an agreement.

Part of the Jets’ highly successful 2022 draft class, Wilson made an immediate impact. The Ohio State product has been consistent to say the least even with New York cycling through multiple quarterbacks. Wilson has yet to miss a game in his career, and he has managed no fewer than 1,042 yards each season. Having seen his receptions total climb from 83 to 95 to 101, he will be expected to continue operating as the team’s top option in the passing game for years to come.

The Aaron Rodgers addition resulted in only four snaps played in 2023, but this past season saw the future Hall of Famer play a full campaign. Wilson and Rodgers did not mesh as well as many hoped, and the midseason arrival of Davante Adams notably altered the receiver pecking order. In the wake of that phase of his career (and the Jets’ continued inability to reach the postseason), Wilson’s future in New York became a talking point. This spring, however, he made it clear he hoped to remain in place as part of the post-Rodgers future.

Of course, the Jets’ decision to install a new coaching staff (led by Aaron Glenn) and general manager (Darren Mougey) has marked a turning point in addition to the fact Rodgers and Adams are not in place moving forward. Contract talks with Wilson have been taking place for some time now, and as of last month at least one offer was on the table. Without much issue (in terms of a potential holdout or other training camp drama), Wilson and the new decision-making regime have managed to hammer out a deal.

Now, Gang Green will turn their attention towards their ongoing negotiations with cornerback Sauce Gardner. His contract is likely to eclipse the $30MM per year mark set this offseason by Derek Stingley, who was selected one pick ahead of Gardner in the 2022 draft. Extending the two-time All-Pro would give the Jets’ new regime clear cornerstones on both sides of the ball for the foreseeable future.

Bengals Sign QB Desmond Ridder

July 20th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals have agreed to terms with free agent QB Desmond Ridder, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ridder was eligible for restricted free agency this offseason but was non-tendered by the Raiders. A planned Broncos workout did not take place, and a workout with the Colts did not produce a deal.

Ridder, who will turn 26 next month, entered the league as a third-round pick of the Falcons in 2022. He earned a starting job by the end of his rookie year, and he was named the starter in advance of the 2023 campaign. Despite a brief demotion in favor of Taylor Heinicke that year, Ridder started 13 games, winning six of them.

His performance was generally underwhelming — and was certainly not enough to prevent Atlanta from signing Kirk Cousins in free agency last offseason — and he was traded to the Cardinals shortly after Cousins came aboard. Ridder ultimately lost Arizona’s backup quarterback battle to Clayton Tune, and after he spent several months on the team’s taxi squad, he signed with the QB-needy Las Vegas outfit.

Ridder started just one game for the Raiders (in Week 15), and he completed 23 of 39 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions in a 15-9 loss. The new Vegas regime is moving forward with Aidan O’Connell as its backup to new acquisition Geno Smith, leaving Ridder to search for his next opportunity elsewhere.

As he battles for his NFL future, Ridder will at least be in familiar environs, as he excelled as a collegian with the University of Cincinnati (leading the Bearcats to the college football playoff semi-finals against Alabama in 2021). Bengals HC Zac Taylor worked as the Bearcats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016 and played a significant role in recruiting Ridder, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Nonetheless, Conway says Ridder will be competing for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Logan Woodside. That indicates Jake Browning’s job as Joe Burrow’s top backup is safe. 

Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike Out For Season

July 20th, 2025 at 7:15am CST by Adam La Rose

July 20: During the Lions’ first day of training camp Sunday, head coach Dan Campbell addressed the media. He told reporters, including Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, that Onwuzurike tore his ACL and is out for the year.

This is obviously difficult news for the player, who will have no momentum when he becomes eligible for free agency again in 2026, and the team, which is not expecting McNeil to return until late October or early November. The club’s defensive tackle depth will be tested immediately, and Williams will face increased pressure in his rookie season.

July 17: Levi Onwuzurike will be sidelined for at least the first month of the 2025 season. The veteran defensive tackle was placed on the reserve/PUP list Thursday, per a team announcement.

At the onset of training camp, several players around the league are placed on the active/physically unable to perform list. That move is generally made in the case of short-term ailments, and players can be (and almost always are) activated at some point during the summer. This case is different, however.

Onwuzurike’s placement on the reserve/PUP list guarantees he will miss at least the Lions’ first four games. His absence will be felt along the defensive interior regardless of how long it lasts. Onwuzurike has not been linked to a specific injury this offseason, but he has dealt with lingering back injuries dating back to his college career.

That issue resulted in the entire 2022 campaign being missed. Onwuzurike managed to play 10 games the following year, though, and in 2024 he logged by far the heaviest workload of his career. The 27-year-old played 635 snaps while starting 10 games; to no surprise, an uptick in production followed. Onwuzurike notched 28 tackles while adding 22 quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks.

The former second-rounder was on track for free agency until a new Lions pact was worked out just before the start of the new league year. Onwuzurike took a one-year, $4MM deal to remain in the Motor City. It will be interesting to see what his prognosis is once further details emerge.

In the meantime, the Lions will move forward with a defensive line group led by Alim McNeill, D.J. Reader and first-round rookie Tyleik Williams. Onwuzurike will look to regain his role from last season whenever he returns to full health and is activated.

Saints, QB Tyler Shough Agree On Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal

July 19th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Once thought to be the first domino that would fall in the second-round standoff, Louisville second-round quarterback Tyler Shough has finally signed his four-year, entry-level contract. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms that Shough got the fully guaranteed four-year, $10.8MM contract many expected, but it comes with a few more benefits, as well.

It was 49ers defensive tackle Alfred Collins, picked three slots after Shough, who actually broke through the impasse, and the pick after Shough, Bills defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, signed yesterday with 94.6 percent of his contract guaranteed, meaning Shough’s 40th draft slot now stands as the lowest pick in modern draft history to receive full guarantees. His contract also, according to Schefter, is the only for non-first round picks that includes annual roster bonus structure, with which Shough receives the majority of his compensation each year during the first week of training camp.

Coming out of football powerhouse Hamilton HS (Ariz.), Shough committed to Oregon as the top recruit in the state and a consensus top-seven quarterback recruit. With Justin Herbert firmly entrenched in the starting spot behind center, Shough redshirted and served as a backup in Year 2. After Herbert moved on to the NFL, Shough got his chance to start for the Ducks, winning his first three contests. Back-to-back unexpected losses to Oregon State and Cal forced then-head coach Mario Cristobal to start splitting series between Shough and Anthony Brown down the stretch of the COVID-19-shortened season

With Brown ending the season with more momentum than Shough, the latter made the decision to transfer to Texas Tech. In his first season in Lubbock, Shough won the starting job over an incumbent senior and three freshmen but broke his collarbone in the fourth game of the season. He won the starting competition the following year, as well, but missed a few games after exiting the season opener with a shoulder injury. When he returned late in the year, he won every one of his starts, assuring that he would start again in 2023. Once again, though, injury forced Shough off the field after only four games when a broken fibula required surgery.

Granted a seventh year of eligibility, Shough transferred to Louisville and finally delivered a full season of work. Starting all 12 games for the Cardinals, Shough went 8-4, completing 62.7 percent of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Perhaps, cautioned from his injury-riddled history, the at times mobile quarterback showed a much lower propensity for taking off with the ball in his final collegiate season.

With a 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, Shough looks the part of an NFL quarterback. He also does a lot of things that offensive coordinators love to see at the NFL level. He boasts a quick delivery, an ability to throw from different arm angles, the touch and arm strength to cover all areas of the field, and good accuracy when throwing on the run. The red flags are a bit obvious, having only completed one full season in seven years of college and entering the NFL at 26 years old, but he also has a tendency to throw up some prayers, which can result in big plays but also potential disasters.

After Derek Carr‘s mid-offseason retirement, there is no question what his role will be in New Orleans. Shough will be coming in with the hopes that he can beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting job behind center in 2025. He proved time and again in college that he can win out in position battles, but now he’ll be competing with a couple of passers who have a head start in NFL experience. “NFL experience” is specified there, since Shough is the oldest quarterback to enter the NFL since Brandon Weeden, who was 28 years old when he was selected, encroaching a bit closer to Weeden than last year’s 24-year-olds, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.

With one of the three biggest dominoes having now fallen, only nine rookies still need to sign their contracts. The Shemar Stewart situation has been covered in great detail, and the Browns want Quinshon Judkins focusing on his legal situation. Aside from those two, there are three groups of picks later on in the second round that should put pen to paper in the coming days.

With Shough closing out the Saints’ rookie class signings, here’s a final look at New Orleans’ nine-man draft class:

Panthers Sign Second-Round OLB Nic Scourton, Complete Rookie Deals

July 19th, 2025 at 9:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers are the latest team to wrap up their rookie deals in time for training camp. Edge rusher Nic Scourton agreed to terms Saturday, per a team announcement.

Scourton was selected with the No. 51 pick in April’s draft. That slot saw guarantee rates of 54.8% and 66.4% over the past two years, Jason FItzgerald of Over the Cap notes. This pact is highly unlikely to be fully guaranteed like a number of other second-round deals signed this year, but Scourton no doubt moved that mark upward like all other players taken around him in the 2025 draft.

During his first two college seasons, Scourton played at Purdue. After not logging any starts as a freshman, he stood out the following year with 10 sacks (most in the Big Ten) and 15 tackles for loss. Last offseason, the second-team all-conference performer transferred to Texas A&M. During his lone campaign with the Aggies, Scourton saw his sack total drop to five (which nevertheless led the team) while adding 14 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

That production landed him first-team All-SEC honors as well as a second-team All-American nod. Scourton drew plenty of attention during the pre-draft process and it came as little surprise when he came off the board midway through the second round. The Panthers were seen by many as a strong candidate to select a pass rusher with their first pick, but they instead went the receiver route on Day 1 (Tetairoa McMillan) before turning their attention to pass rushers.

Scourton’s selection was followed by that of Princely Umanmielen in the third round. Both rookies should feature on at least a part-time basis as members of an edge rush group which lost Jadeveon Clowney due to his release this spring. Scourton’s strength against the run should allow him to carve out a role fairly early with Carolina as the team looks to take a needed step forward on defense in 2025.

With Scourton’s pact taken care of, here is the full breakdown of the Panthers’ draft class:

Texans Agree To Terms With Second-Round T Aireontae Ersery, Complete Rookie Deals

July 19th, 2025 at 8:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

A deal has been worked out with each member of the Texans’ draft class. Second-round offensive linemen Aireontae Ersery agreed to terms with Houston on Saturday.

The four-year pact is worth a total of $9.21MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. While it is unclear at this point how much Ersery secured in terms of guaranteed money, he is likely among the second-round rookies from the 2025 class who have moved the bar considerably in terms of locked in compensation. Ersery was taken with the No. 48 selection in April.

In 2023, that slot received 68.3% guaranteed; that figure rose to 71.1% last year (h/t Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap). It would come as no surprise if Ersery’s pact includes a larger portion guaranteed while falling short of a 100% rate in that regard. Of course, the Texans helped set a new precedent with respect to second-round guarantees by locking in all of No. 34 pick Jayden Higgins‘ pact in May.

That move created a long-running logjam amongst second-round rookies aiming to join Higgins in receiving a fully guaranteed pact. Not all managed to do so, but in recent days it has become clear players taken in that round will see notably more money locked in at signing moving forward. With Ersery’s deal done, he will be able to report to training camp alongside the rest of the Texans’ rookies along with their veterans on July 22.

Each of Ersery’s five college seasons were spent at Minnesota. He made only one appearance during each of the 2020 and ’21 campaigns, but after that he was a regular for the Golden Gophers who stood out as their left tackle. The second-team All-American was named the Big Ten’s top offensive lineman in 2024 and cemented his status as one of the draft’s top tackle prospects. In Houston, Ersery will look to occupy either the left or right tackle spot on an offensive line which has seen numerous changes this offseason and which enters training camp with a number of unanswered questions.

With Ersery ‘s deal finished, here is a final look at the Texans’ draft class:

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/19/25

July 19th, 2025 at 8:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

  • Placed on active/NFI list: T Timothy McKay

The Cardinals were one of the two teams Barrs visited yesterday. His free agent workout clearly went well, and he will look to carve out a roster spot during training camp. Barrs, a former UDFA, has yet to make a regular season appearance.

Every player on a PUP or NFI list can be activated at any time, but their designations mean they are not cleared to practice at the start of their respective training camps. Notably, the Patriots’ list of PUP players does not include Stefon Diggs. The free agent addition was a candidate to begin camp on the PUP list, but New England’s decision to keep him on the active roster is an encouraging sign regarding his ACL recovery.

The Jets are taking a cautious approach with Jermaine Johnson, as the former first-rounder confirmed on X. An Achilles tear limited him to two games last year, but the Pro Bowler said on Saturday he is ready for on-field work. Activation well in advance of Week 1 should be expected in his case.

49ers Release S George Odum

July 19th, 2025 at 7:23pm CST by Ely Allen

7:23pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Odom underwent offseason elbow surgery. That explains his recent NFI designation as well as the decision to release him. Odom should be sidelined for another six to eight weeks, per Rapoport; once healthy, he will be a candidate to re-sign with San Francisco.

4:58pm: Days after placing him on the active/non-football injury list with an undisclosed ailment, the 49ers have made the decision to release veteran safety George Odum, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Though, never a true starter in the San Francisco secondary, Odum earned second-team All-Pro honors as a special teamer in his first season with the team.

Odum’s special teams play was the reason that he found a home in the NFL to begin with. As an undrafted safety out of Central Arkansas in 2018, Odum signed with the Colts and made the initial 53-man roster because of his contributions on special teams. As a selfless, hard-working contributor, Odum was often called off the bench for spot starts and fill-in duty in the secondary. In his third season in Indianapolis, Odum was named as the first-team All-Pro special teamer in recognition of his contributions.

In the final year of his rookie contract in Indy, Odum started seven games due to injuries to starters Julian Blackmon and Andrew Sendejo. Still, when his contract expired, Odum signed with San Francisco because of his special teams abilities. In his first two years with the 49ers, he didn’t see any extended time on defense, almost solely working on special teams. Last year, though, Talanoa Hufanga‘s absence forced Odum into the starting lineup for the first two games of the season, and he got time in a Week 6 game in Seattle, as well, when Malik Mustapha exited early with an injury.

Odum hasn’t been immune to injuries himself, though, these past two seasons. His 2023 campaign ended after 11 games when he suffered a torn biceps injury, and he only played 12 games last year because of a knee injury late in the season.

Odum’s release continues an offseason of special teams changes under new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer. The team is already heading into the 2025 season with a new longsnapper and punter, and veteran kicker Greg Joseph was brought in as some offseason competition for Jake Moody, as well. Odum was just the latest special teamer to fall under the new position coach.

Still, Odum is an extremely talented special teams asset, and for teams in need of depth at safety, Odum’s three interceptions, nine passes defensed, and four forced fumbles in limited time are nothing to scoff at. Expect a few teams to kick the tires on Odum and evaluate his health in the runup to the 2025 regular season.

Chiefs Agree To Terms With Second-Round DT Omarr Norman-Lott

July 19th, 2025 at 6:38pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs have completed each of their rookie deals. Second-round defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott has agreed to terms, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Norman-Lott was selected with the No. 63 pick in April’s draft. Financial details have not emerged on his four-year rookie contract, but it is safe to assume it is not among those which are guaranteed in full (like a number of others for players taken at the beginning of the round). That slot saw guarantees of 52.7% and 52.5% over the past two years, Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald notes.

2025 has seen a notable upward shift in terms of a higher portion of second-round contracts being guaranteed at signing. That will no doubt be the case with Norman-Lott and future players taken at that spot. With the deal in place, team and player can turn their attention to training camp. Chiefs players report on Monday.

The Chiefs lost Tershawn Wharton in free agency, leaving them with a notable vacancy along the interior. All-Pro Chris Jones is still in place of course, but Kansas City entered the draft in need of a new pass-rushing presence along the defensive front capable of handling at least a depth role early on. Given the strength of the 2025 DT class, it came as no surprise the team targeted one early in the draft.

Norman-Lott spent his first three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to Tennessee. During his two years with the Volunteers, he totaled 9.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Questions were raised during the pre-draft process about his ability to anchor against the run, but Norman-Lott should at least be able to chip in as a pass-rushing contributor as a rookie. If he develops beyond that over time, the Chiefs will continue to have a strong presence along the defensive interior for years to come.

With the final rookie contract worked out, here is a final look at the Chiefs’ 2025 draft class:

Saints Agree To Sign DL Jonathan Bullard

July 19th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Ely Allen

The Saints are bringing in some defensive line help late in the offseason. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the team has agreed to terms with veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard, who is now set to join his sixth NFC team in 10 years, three days before veterans report for training camp in New Orleans.

Bullard started in the NFL as a third-round pick out of Florida in 2016, getting drafted to the Bears. After failing to secure more than a rotation role in three seasons in Chicago, Bullard was waived before the final year of his rookie deal. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers, and he finally found some sustained success in Arizona. Bullard started six of nine games in 2019 before getting placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

The Cardinals re-signed him for the 2020 season but, ultimately, decided to release him in final roster cuts, signing him to their practice squad. In October, Seattle signed Bullard off of Arizona’s practice squad, and he saw six games of action. As a free agent in 2021, Bullard signed with the Falcons, starting three of the first seven contests before missing eight of the 10 final games of the season.

In 2022, the Vikings took a chance on Bullard with a one-year deal. He took on a pretty significant role on the defense, starting seven of 12 contests and showing some ability to get into the backfield with five tackles for loss, the most in a season for him at that point in his career. Unfortunately, the injuries continued to bite him as he missed four of the last five games of the season on IR.

Still, the Vikings re-signed him, and he returned to his significant role while playing in every game of a season for the first time since his rookie contract. He started 14 of 17 games and put up career highs in sacks (2.0) and total tackles (44). Minnesota re-signed him for another one-year deal, and he started all 17 games of the 2024 season for the Vikings. While he didn’t grade out very highly as an individual, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he contributed to a defense that allowed the second-fewest rushing yards in the NFL last year.

That looks to be the main reason to sign the 31-year-old veteran. In 2024, the Saints gave up the second-most rushing yards in the NFL, and while Bullard’s PFF ranking of 73rd, out of 118 players graded at the position, isn’t outstanding, he graded out higher than four of the Saints who started games on the interior defensive line, namely Khalen Saunders (75th), Nathan Shepherd (106th), and Bryan Bresee (114th).

Adding Bullard isn’t likely to solve all of New Orleans’ defensive woes, but adding a veteran who has recently shown he can be healthy and contribute to a strong run defense is a step in the right direction. With Cameron Jordan entrenched at defensive end and Davon Godchaux being acquired to start at defensive tackle, Bullard will likely challenge Saunders and Shepherd for a starting role in 2025. The signing also reunites Bullard with defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who served as outside linebackers coach during two of Bullard’s years with the Bears near the start of his career.

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