Changes Coming To Eagles QB Room?
As a rookie second-round pick out of Oklahoma, to which he transferred after losing his starting job at Alabama to Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts was tasked with starting the final four games of the regular season after former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz was benched as the starter. Hurts debut as a starting passer in the NFL provided a mixed bag in those final four contests of the year, but Hurts has not relinquished the starting job from that point on.
This offseason, though things haven’t progressed far enough to threaten Hurts role as a starter this year, questions and concerns have been raised that could result in a number of changes to Philadelphia’s handling of the quarterback position. A joint report from ESPN’s Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler in early April revealed that some blame for the team’s offensive struggles, though spread to several factors, is being placed on Hurts’ shoulders.
Specifically, sources with the team seem to indicate that Hurts’ unwillingness to diversify the offensive scheme has hamstrung the offense from progressing into something more. Pushing back on ideas as simple as going under center more, Hurts has been reluctant to rely on his arm in some zone-coverage situations and will “(divert) from the game plan and (change) playcalls to what some feel is an excessive degree.” It’s limited the team’s passing offense from progressing into a more complete passing attack and forced the unit to rely on the legs of star running back Saquon Barkley.
In the face of some recent struggles and losses, Hurts has been able to maintain a cool head, a useful attribute when one is in the heat of battle but one that can come off another way when the season is over. Sources in the building claim that some teammates read Hurts’ demeanor as “poor body language” or a sign that he’s “not always bought in” and “not the most coachable.” It’s something players are reportedly noticing, and now that it’s been made public, it’s become something he will need to actively work on.
Some of the blame that gets shifted off of Hurts goes to the lack of consistent coaching around him throughout his tenure in Philadelphia. Since taking over the starting job, Hurts has had five offensive coordinators in six seasons. The only season in which Hurts saw any consistency was when Shane Steichen got to be his play-caller for a second year in 2022. That season saw Hurts win 14 of his 15 starts and finish second in MVP voting, losing the award to the. quarterback of the team that would defeat them in the Super Bowl that year.
Steichen left the team for a head coaching opportunity, and his successor, Brian Johnson, was fired when the team lost five of their last six games following a 10-1 start and lost their first playoff game. Kellen Moore found more success in Philadelphia, leading the team to its second Super Bowl victory, but it required him to implement some new offensive concepts. Per McManus and Fowler, sources with the team “described the relationship between Moore and Hurts…as ‘tense’ at times,” but the two were able to find compromise as Hurts agreed to run some plays with more pre-snap motions and shifts.
Moore’s successor, Kevin Patullo, was fired after his only year with the team saw the offense take a major step backwards. While Patullo was “well-liked and respected in the building,” players reportedly “lost faith” in the play-caller. New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has been tasked with un-sticking his unit. According to Zach Berman of The Athletic, Hurts will be expected to make quite a few more compromises in Mannion’s attempts to ‘blend’ the offense, and that will likely mean more work under center for the six-year veteran
Another change in the QB room could concern the number of players in the room. Per Geoff Mosher of the PhillyVoice, “the Eagles are keeping four quarterbacks no matter what” in 2026. Already returning backup Tanner McKee alongside Hurts, the team traded for veteran backup Andy Dalton and drafted North Dakota State’s Cole Payton in the fifth-round. Initially, it was thought that Dalton was being brought in to be an overqualified QB3, but Berman noted that Dalton had been taking some QB2 reps over McKee in Organized Team Activities.
2026 will be a big season for Hurts as it appears more scrutinous eyes will be on him moving forward. Per McManus and Fowler, “there are no signs” that Hurts and the Eagles have begun working towards a new contract extension. Though there’s still plenty of time before that becomes a priority, there’s no much guaranteed money left on Hurts’ contract past this year. The combination of an uncertain financial future and increased bodies in the position room behind him may just be enough to push Hurts to make the necessary changes to jump start the Eagles offense moving forward.
Saints Approaching Decision On RB Alvin Kamara
MAY 31: With June nearly here, it doesn’t seem like any decisions have been made in regard to Kamara. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “there hasn’t been a lot of traction yet on the Saints’ direction with Kamara, but there is some interest” in Kamara potentially coming back, perhaps on a revised deal. Cutting or trading him before June 1 was always out of the question as it would do little to alleviate his cap impact.
Cutting Kamara post-June 1, though, could have a potential two-year effect. His cap hit in 2026 would only be reduced $376K, but his 2027 void year cap hit would reduce from $16.26MM to $5.13MM. Trading Kamara post-June 1 has the most benefit if New Orleans is looking to unload Kamara’s contract, providing $3.38MM in cap savings this year and $11.13MM next year. If Fowler is correct and a restructure remains on the table, Kamara may have to agree to a pay cut in order to stay and compete with Etienne for touches.
MAY 18: Alvin Kamara‘s place with the Saints became cloudy after the team shelled out a big contract to Travis Etienne, who received a hefty guarantee to join Kellen Moore‘s roster in March. Kamara drew trade interest soon after Etienne’s commitment, but he remains on New Orleans’ offseason roster.
Mickey Loomis said Kamara does not currently have a decision to make on his contract, which points to the Saints not yet insisting on a pay cut. But uncertainty still exists here. The longtime Saints GM said the team is moving toward a decision on the decorated dual-threat back.
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“We’re just trying to see how he’s going to fit in our roster, and obviously there’s a resource management element to it, and we’ll get to that over the next week or two,” Loomis said, via NewOrleans.football.
The 25th-year Saints front office boss said OTAs provides “a little bit” of a deadline but cautioned the voluntary workouts — which Kamara has not attended in years — do not serve as the endpoint for the sides’ latest chapter. New Orleans’ OTAs begin May 27. Kamara would see his base salary reduced by $358K if he does not attend every Saints OTA workout, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell notes.
Kamara, 31 in July, is entering the final season of a two-year, $24.5MM extension. He is due a $1.35MM base salary but secured $3MM in guaranteed 2026 compensation in March 2025. Being that this is the Saints, a sizable dead money hit would come if Kamara is traded or released.
Loomis’ timeline seemingly aligns with the pivotal June 1 date. The Saints likely will not act before that point, as making a move after that date would be a more cost-effective solution (with regards to 2026). Parting with Kamara after June 1 would allow the Saints to spread the dead cap charges over the next two years. Cutting him after that date would take away around $900K in cap space, whereas a summer trade would save the Saints approximately $456K.
The Saints would be hit with $24.4MM if they cut Kamara, but making that move after June 1 would allow them to spread that penalty between their 2026 and ’27 payrolls. Four void years being included in this deal represents the primary dead money source if Kamara is jettisoned.
Loomis’ team was in the strange position of not carrying the NFL’s worst cap situation entering the offseason, which deviates from several years of the restructure-crazed franchise’s winter situations. The Saints hold $8.29MM in cap space. Nearly 12 months from the 2027 league year, New Orleans is projected to hold more than $48MM in cap space in 2027. Though, many variables between now and then will change the equation.
Etienne signed a four-year, $48MM deal that includes $24MM guaranteed. The ex-Jaguar’s fully guaranteed figure ranks sixth among running backs, matching Christian McCaffrey‘s 2024 extension. The Saints also have holdovers Kendre Miller and Devin Neal rostered; Neal was drafted to play in Moore’s system while Miller — who is in a contract year — arrived under Dennis Allen. Former Vikings backup Ty Chandler is also on the Saints’ roster.
It would seem the Saints could get by without Kamara, given Etienne’s presence. Kamara’s five-year run of Pro Bowls stopped after the 2021 season — Sean Payton‘s New Orleans finale — and he averaged a career-low 3.6 yards per carry last season. This came after a bounce-back 2024, when the ex-Payton chess piece tallied 1,493 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. Kamara missed the team’s final six games last season with an MCL sprain. He also missed time to close the ’24 season, battling a groin injury. Altogether, Kamara has missed 19 games since 2021.
Teams will undoubtedly be interested in a free agency agreement if the Saints move on via release. Kamara came out against a trade before last year’s deadline, indicating he would potentially retire rather than be dealt away from New Orleans. With Etienne in the fold, it is worth wondering if the Pro Bowl RB’s stance has changed. We should find out soon, with the June 1 date — even as the A.J. Brown situation overshadows other NFL matters pertaining to the pivotal point on the NFL calendar — will provide some clarity.
49ers DE Nick Bosa ‘Pretty Far Along’ In Recovery From Torn ACL
The 49ers overcame a rash of injuries last year to go 12-5 and advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Defensive end Nick Bosa was among 49ers cornerstones who couldn’t get through 2025 healthy. The five-time Pro Bowler’s season ended when he tore his right ACL in Week 3, but he is trending in the right direction roughly eight months later.
Speaking with reporters this week, Bosa said he is “pretty far along” in his recovery (via Nick Wagoner of ESPN). Bosa also expressed optimism that he will be ready for the start of training camp in late July. That would not come as a surprise, as Wagoner notes the 49ers have been anticipating either a late-July or early August return. There was no damage to other ligaments or his meniscus, leading to a less arduous rehab process.
A couple of months after Bosa’s season ended, fellow defensive end Mykel Williams went down with a torn ACL in Week 9. The 2025 first-round pick is also on the right track in his recovery.
With limited contributions from Bosa and Williams, the 49ers totaled the NFL’s fewest sacks (20) and finished a similarly poor 29th in pass rush win rate. Bryce Huff and Clelin Ferrell tied for the team lead with four sacks apiece, but the former retired and the latter has gone unsigned since free agency opened in March. Nevertheless, the 49ers have not taken any home run swings at the position this offseason. They signed former Bengal Cameron Sample to a cheap deal in April and then spent a third-round pick (70th overall) on Romello Height a couple of weeks later.
If healthy, Bosa and Williams will top a depth chart that also includes Keion White and Sam Okuayinonu. White was shot in the ankle in a scary incident in February, but he quickly underwent successful surgery. However, it is unclear whether he will be good to go for the beginning of camp.
“They’re coming along,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said of his recovering pass rushers (via Wagoner). “They’re all in there rehabbing with a number of other guys. A couple of those guys will have chance of training camp. We’ll see with Mykel as he goes.
As if losing Bosa in September wasn’t enough of a blow, the 49ers took another severe hit when superstar linebacker Fred Warner dislocated his ankle in a Week 6 loss to the Buccaneers in October. It initially looked as if Warner had no chance to return in 2025. The 49ers advised him to focus on 2026 at first, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic, but changed their tune when they saw how well he was coming along. They went on to designate Warner to return from IR on Jan. 13, four days before they faced the Seahawks in the second round. Warner did not end up playing in Seattle, which beat San Francisco in a 41-6 rout, but may have taken the field had the 49ers gotten to the NFC title game.
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Bosa and Warner should be in the starting lineup when the 49ers’ season kicks off in Australia on Sept. 10. They will take on the NFC West rival Rams in a battle of teams with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Chiefs Restructure George Karlaftis’ Deal
The Chiefs kept defensive end George Karlaftis around for the long haul on a four-year, $93MM contract extension last July. Less than a year later, the Chiefs have restructured the deal, according to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti.
Kansas City converted $9.685MM of Karlaftis’ salary into a signing bonus earlier this week. In doing so, the team opened up $7.7MM in cap space. The Chiefs now have around $13MM to work with, which may be enough room to upgrade their roster in a meaningful way this summer.
Wide receiver is one position the Chiefs could address, especially with temporarily jailed No. 1 wideout Rashee Rice recovering from knee surgery. Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Deebo Samuel and former Chiefs Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins are among the notable veterans still on the open market.
A recent report connected Diggs to the Chiefs, who have avoided sizable investments at wideout this offseason. Their biggest moves have been re-signing Tyquan Thornton to a two-year, $11MM pact and drafting former Cincinnati Bearcat Cyrus Allen in the fifth round (176th overall). Allen is joining holdovers in Rice, Thornton, Xavier Worthy and 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals.
As for Karlaftis’ position, Kansas City added to its defensive end group when it drafted ex-Oklahoma Sooner R Mason Thomas in the second round (40th overall). The Chiefs grabbed Thomas after saying goodbye to Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna earlier in the offseason. Karlaftis, who remains the Chiefs’ No. 1 DE, easily led the position in defensive snap share (73.37%) last season. Over 16 games and 15 starts, he recorded 43 tackles, 23 QB hits, a personal-best 10 TFL and six sacks. The Purdue product has racked up an even 30 sacks over four years since the Chiefs drafted him 30th overall in 2022. He is under contract through 2030.
Extension Candidate: Tuli Tuipulotu
Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz told reporters back in mid-April that he was discussing contract extensions with two cornerstones, safety Derwin James and edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu. Hortiz has since hammered out an agreement with James, who signed a three-year, $75.6MM pact this week. The five-time Pro Bowler now tops his position in average annual value ($25.2MM).
While the 29-year-old James is a more established player than Tuipulotu, 23, the latter has been a highly productive player at a premium position. Between that and his age, Tuipulotu will reel in a larger extension than James. That’s assuming the Chargers lock up Tuipulotu, which seems like a strong possibility for a team that lacks long-term certainty at the position.
The Commanders lured Odafe Oweh out of Los Angeles with a four-year, $100MM offer in free agency, though the Chargers were able to retain the revered Khalil Mack for a guaranteed $18MM. While Mack remains a force, he is 35 and taking his career on a year-to-year basis. Bud Dupree, 33, will also be a free agent in a year, and he is coming off a career-low two sacks over 16 games in 2025.
With the goal of adding a strong prospect to the cupboard in this year’s draft, the Chargers spent the 22nd overall pick on former Miami standout Akheem Mesidor. If Mack is gone in a year, they could turn to an extended Tuipulotu and Mesidor as their top edge defenders in 2027 and beyond.
Tuipulotu, a Southern California native who attended USC, made a seamless transition to the pros after the Bolts drafted him in the second round in 2023. As a rookie, the 54th overall pick played a full 17-game season, made 11 starts and recorded a 73.96% defensive snap share, trailing only Mack among Chargers edge players. The oft-injured Joey Bosa missed eight games, but Tuipulotu stepped up with 53 tackles (eight TFL), 12 QB hits, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Bosa was healthier during a 14-game 2024, though the Chargers continued to rely heavily on Tuipulotu. Although his total starts dropped to nine, he played a second straight 17-game campaign and led Chargers edge defenders in snap share (66.97%). Tuipulotu’s QB hits and sacks increased to 17 and 8.5, respectively, and he also chipped in 11 TFL. Along with his quality traditional numbers, he ranked 17th among all edge defenders in pass rush win rate.
The Chargers released Bosa in March 2025, and Mack went on to miss five games with a dislocated elbow. Their absences did not faze Tuipulotu, whose production exploded en route to his first Pro Bowl nod. Despite missing one game, the 6-foot-3, 266-pounder easily notched career bests in QB hits (23), TFL (20) and sacks (13). In addition to logging the league’s ninth-highest pressure rate, Tuipuloto showed off his prowess in the running game. Household names Maxx Crosby, Jared Verse and Byron Young were the only edge defenders to post a higher run stop win rate than Tuipuloto (31%).
Like Tuipulotu, Young is scheduled to become a free agent next March. Kayvon Thibodeaux, YaYa Diaby, Nick Herbig, Jermaine Johnson and Myles Murphy are a handful of other notable pass rushers who could hit the open market looking for multiyear deals. As the youngest of the bunch, Tuipulotu will likely have the highest potential earning power if he is still without a contract then.
Oweh, Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson each signed four-year deals worth between $24MM and $30MM per annum in free agency this offseason. Phillips is now one of nine edge defenders averaging $30MM per year, but Tuipuloto figures to add to the list this summer if an extension comes together. With the salary cap continuing to rise, something in the annual range of $32MM to $34MM may be in store for Tuipuloto, according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic. That would represent a massive increase over the $5.77MM he is on track to make this year, but he has made a legitimate case for that type of raise.
Commanders Acknowledge CB Need
The Commanders ranked dead last in terms of total defense in 2025 and were the fifth-worst team with respect to passing defense. While Washington added CBs Amik Robertson and Ahkello Witherspoon in free agency this year, the team’s cornerback room still looks as if it could use a quality addition or two. Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (subscription required) believes that is the case, and she says assistant GM Lance Newmark has conceded as much.
The Commanders did not add a CB in last month’s draft. Afterwards, Newmark said, “[i]t wasn’t that it was not considered. It was that, when we were picking, a player in those rooms (safety and cornerback) just didn’t make sense as the best decision at that point.”
As Jhabvala observes, LSU’s Mansoor Delane represented Washington’s best chance to acquire a starting-caliber corner in the draft, but the Chiefs took him off the board with the No. 6 pick, one spot ahead of the Commanders. Though Washington was viewed as a team willing to consider a trade down, there were no other CB prospects who merited a pick even in the middle of the first round, and the opportunity to select linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 was too good to pass up in favor of safety Caleb Downs, regardless of whether the Commanders could have traded back and still landed the talented DB.
After selecting Styles, Washington did not pick again until the third round, at which point Jhabvala says there were no CBs viewed as immediate upgrades over Robertson or incumbent Mike Sainristil. However, a depth chart topped by Sainristil (who was Pro Football Focus’s 95th-ranked corner out of 112 qualifiers last year), Robertson (106th), and 2025 second-rounder Trey Amos (80th) leaves much to be desired. Witherspoon, 30, did not see enough snaps to qualify for PFF’s 2025 season rankings, but his overall grade of 54.0 positioned him between Sainristil and Amos.
The problem, of course, is that premium corners are simply not available on the FA market at this time of year. Rasul Douglas quietly turned in a nice season for the Dolphins in 2025 and could be had for a modest price, and bounce-back candidates like L’Jarius Sneed and Trevon Diggs perhaps offer some level of intrigue (although there has been no publicly-reported interest in any of those three players this offseason aside from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst leaving the door open to a Diggs re-up). Tre’Davious White is another possible option after a decent showing with the Bills last year.
In theory, the Commanders could pursue a trade, but the failure of the Marshon Lattimore swap could make them gun-shy. Still, it would not be surprising to see the club add to the depth chart at some point in the near future.
Framework ‘In Place’ For A.J. Brown Trade?
MAY 31: While the term “framework” is a bit nebulous, and while Breer did concede the Eagles and Patriots still have to hammer out all of the trade details, a fundamental issue in these protracted talks appears to remain unresolved. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (video link), the Patriots are still not “overly crazy” about giving up a first-round pick (presumably, this refers to a 2028 pick as well as a ‘27 choice).
Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald spoke with various sources about fair compensation in a Brown swap and received differing opinions. One source called Brown a “declining asset” and argued a Day 1 choice was too rich, while another pointed out that the Broncos had to give up a first-rounder to acquire Jaylen Waddle, who is less than two years younger than Brown and who does not have the same history of production.
Fowler suggests attaching a condition to a draft pick or even an arrangement in which Philadelphia sends a pick back to New England could help push the negotiations over the finish line.
MAY 30: There has been no shortage of coverage for the situation concerning Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and a potential offseason trade. At this point, it’s become widely accepted that the team will ship Brown off to New England, but they will wait until after June 1 to do so. Well, in the latest development from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (via Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com), there’s belief that “the framework is in place” for the trade to occur this week.
To run through a brief timeline, following several incidents that seemed to paint a picture of an unhappy Brown in Philadelphia, reports emerged near the end of the 2025 NFL season that the Eagles would consider trading the three-time second-team All-Pro they had acquired four years ago after sending a first-round pick to Tennessee. By the time the season had ended and a new champion had been crowned, even Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni hinted at the future in telling the media that he couldn’t guarantee Brown would return for 2026.
One of the two teams that made it to Super Bowl LX — the one that fell just short of the season’s ultimate goal — expressed early interest in Brown, linking the former Titans wideout to his former head coach in New England. The Patriots were not alone in their pursuit, though, as the Bills, Ravens, and Rams emerged as teams to watch for the veteran pass catcher. The Bills seemed to remove themselves from the conversation, though, after successfully acquiring former Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore and a fifth-round pick in exchange for a second-rounder.
The Rams reached out to Philadelphia, and trade talks progressed to the point that Los Angeles began exploring the idea of trading away veteran wide receiver Davante Adams. It was rumored that talks with the Rams had progressed even further than the Eagles’ discussions with New England, but ultimately, Los Angeles was ruled out as a potential trade destination for Brown.
With the Rams out, a few other teams were rumored with little substance, but interest out of New England remained a constant, even after the team made a strong move to improve its receiving corps by signing former Packers receiver Romeo Doubs. Veteran wideout Stefon Diggs also expressed interest in re-signing to stay with the Patriots as a free agent, but adding another big contract to that position room was something the Patriots were only willing to do if they missed out on Brown.
At first, the Eagles had intentions of completing some solution for the situation with Brown before the start of free agency, but as time went on, it became clear that the team intended to wait until after June 1 to make a trade happen in order to avoid incurring massive dead cap figures. Any trade before that date would shoulder the team with $43.45MM in dead money, and Brown would still account for $20.06MM of their cap space for the season. A post-June 1 trade would still leave Philadelphia with $16.35MM in dead money, but it would also clear $7.04MM in cap space.
With this realization, it was considered to be “inevitable” that Brown would be traded once June arrived. As if to emphasize that point, Philadelphia approached the 2026 NFL Draft with the mindset that it would not have Brown for 2026 and walked away from the first round having drafted USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, a clear replacement for the departing veteran. With the Eagles set, the only question that remained concerned Brown’s future home and compensation.
Expectations continued to point to the Patriots as the likeliest other participant in the inevitable exchange, but New England seemed to balk at the idea of utilizing a first-round selection to acquire Brown. The Eagles’ initial ask was for a first- and second-round package (specifically, with a first-rounder in 2027), though Brown’s value was perceived to be more like a packaged headlined by a second-round pick. Two days ago, it was reported that the Eagles and Patriots were still negotiating but that Philadelphia had opened its mind to accepting a 2028 first-round pick.
In our latest update from Breer, he clarifies that the exact terms and conditions of the deal may still need to be hammered out, but with the framework in place, he asserts that it “would take somebody backing out” for the trade not to occur. At this point, it would be a surprise if a team backed out, so all signs are pointing to Brown becoming a Patriot early in the coming week.
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Considered “Untradeable”
The 49ers want to extract some value for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk via trade, but the Commanders, who have been viewed as the likeliest Aiyuk destination, reportedly have no interest in trading for him. Washington would only be interested in Aiyuk if he were to be released, and the same is apparently true for other clubs who might consider a flier on the 28-year-old.
Two rival executives tell ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Aiyuk is simply “untradeable” (video link). At this point, the reasons for that are well-documented.
Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 of the 2024 season, less than two months after signing a four-year, $120MM extension. He landed on PUP to begin the 2025 campaign, and there was some belief he could make a late-season return to the lineup. But Aiyuk was described as “extremely distant” during his rehab, which led San Francisco to make the drastic decision to void the remaining guarantees on his contract.
More recently, we learned the Niners continue to have difficulties getting in touch with the Arizona State product, which Fowler confirmed. The fact that Aiyuk has been on the shelf since October 2024, the strange rift with his current club, and his contract situation have all conspired to make him an unappealing trade candidate.
Despite their decision to void Aiyuk’s remaining guarantees, the 49ers do owe him a ~$25MM option bonus in early September that, if exercised, would be prorated through 2030 (if declined, that money would be due all at once). Of course, an acquiring team would inherit that obligation, in addition to base salaries of $27.27MM in 2027 and $29.15MM in 2028. While those salaries are not guaranteed, the overall picture does not help GM John Lynch’s trade efforts.
However, the September option date does create a deadline that is still several months away, so Lynch can string the process along in the hopes that a WR-needy club decides to take a gamble. Fowler does not foresee that happening, though he does not completely foreclose the possibility that Lynch may still be able to salvage a trade here. Perhaps another team will deal with an injury or underperformance in training camp that will make the chance of Aiyuk replicating his stellar 2023 performance (75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven TDs) worth the risk.
As of Monday afternoon, Lynch will be able to release Aiyuk as a post-June 1 cut, thereby allowing him to spread a $35MM dead money charge over the 2026 and ‘27 seasons.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford Addresses Ty Simpson Pick
The Rams’ decision to select quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall in this year’s draft rather than pursue immediate help for a team with the reigning MVP under center and an open competitive window was one of the biggest surprises of the event. Post-draft reporting indicated head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead were in agreement on the pick, and Matthew Stafford has done his part to avoid fanning the flames of controversy.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (video link via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler), Stafford said he is “trying to share as much knowledge as I can” with his new protege.
“Listen, I was a big fan of Ty when he was playing at Alabama. … I sent him a text after he got drafted and said, ‘I really enjoyed watching you play, just you were in the wrong jersey,'” Stafford remarked, referring to the rivalry between his and Simpson’s alma maters. “He’s a talented kid, I’m going to do everything I can to get this team ready to play, to win, but at the same time share some of the knowledge that I’ve gained throughout my career because I wouldn’t be in the seat that I am right now … if I didn’t have people helping me out along the way too. So I’m happy to do that, but he has been a sponge, he’s looking to get better.”
When addressing the media after he inked a new deal that will tie him to the Rams through at least the 2027 season, Stafford echoed those sentiments.
“I think my job, first and foremost, is to get myself and our team ready to play as best I possibly can,” the 38-year-old said (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com). “[Simpson is] a part of that team, there’s no question about it. We’re in a unique position in the fact that we play the same position. I have a ton of experience, and he’s just now starting his journey as an NFL player. So, listen, I know he’s gonna watch, not only me, but other guys, you know?”
McVay did call Stafford before the draft to tell him the team may select Simpson, a courtesy the Falcons did not extend to Kirk Cousins before they chose Michael Penix Jr. in 2024. Stafford did not disclose the details of his conversation with his HC, but he did express gratitude for the heads up.
“I’m not gonna get into much of what our conversation was,” he said. “I appreciate him talking with me about those kind of things. We have constant dialogue and a great relationship, so I appreciate that. I understand where the team’s coming from. Listen, I’m not 25 years old, and I get that. So, we’re doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it.”
Speaking specifically about his contract extension, Stafford said he is pleased to have wrapped up the negotiations.
“Happy to have next year taken care of if I decide to play and they still want me back,” he said (via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry). “But just excited to get that behind me because I just want to come out here and play and not think about that kind of stuff.”
Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez Absent From OTAs; Extension Before Week 1 Likely?
Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has not been present for the team’s recent voluntary work, including the Wednesday OTA session that was open to the media, as ESPN’s Mike Reiss relays. Gonzalez is now eligible for an extension and is likely eyeing a top-of-the-market deal, so it is fair to consider this a contract-related absence, particularly since the 2023 first-rounder had participated in the voluntary portion of the Pats’ offseason program in each of his first three NFL seasons.
The fact that Gonzalez is under club control through the 2027 campaign by virtue of his fifth-year option means the Patriots still have some leverage here, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Gonzalez may well set a new high-water mark for corners in terms of average annual value on the new money portion of his second contract, but the remaining seasons on his rookie accord will limit his overall AAV (for instance, as Volin observes, Derek Stingley Jr.’s three-year, $90MM extension with the Texans was tacked on to the final year of his rookie deal and his fifth-year option season, giving him a five-year, $112MM commitment in practice).
Nonetheless, Volin does anticipate New England and Gonzalez will come to terms on an extension before Week 1. In addition to the usual benefits of wrapping up a deal of this nature well before an elite player starts to sniff free agency – even if the CB market has not skyrocketed like other premium positions – the Patriots likely will have their hands full with Drake Maye negotiations in 2027.
Gonzalez, who will turn 24 next month and who recently expressed a desire to remain in Foxborough for the long haul, has submitted back-to-back standout seasons after being limited to four games as a rookie due to a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2024, and despite missing the first three contests of the ‘25 season due to a hamstring ailment, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
As a key member of the Patriots’ AFC-winning outfit, Gonzalez was awarded a strong 75.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which made him the site’s 14th-best corner out of 112 qualified players. He was also one of New England’s lone standouts during their Super Bowl LX loss, making some timely stops while allowing just one catch.
Fellow 2023 first-rounder Devon Witherspoon is also seeking an extension, and as we have noted on several occasions, the Seahawks’ star and Gonzalez share the same representation. They know the second member of the duo to put pen to paper will likely get the better deal, and as Volin suggests, neither of them wants to be the first to blink.
Witherspoon and Seattle reportedly are not close to finalizing an agreement.