Month: January 2025

Aaron Jones Wants To Re-Sign With Vikings

Aaron Jones‘ seven Packers seasons featured regular roles but saw the talented running back cede plenty of carries to the likes of Jamaal Williams and AJ Dillon. Despite having just turned 30, the veteran back has held an unquestioned starting post with the Vikings.

The eighth-year performer has already surpassed his career high in carries (245), producing his fourth 1,000-yard rushing season. Although the Packers were not exactly proven wrong for their Josh Jacobs signing, Jones has fared well with a division rival — one that has soared to a 14-2 record. Jones has joined Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in one of the NFL’s best skill-position armadas.

[RELATED: Vikings Likely To Receive Calls On J.J. McCarthy]

Agreeing to a one-year, $7MM deal, Jones joins Sam Darnold as key Vikings cogs unsigned for 2025. With Darnold perhaps not quite as likely to see free agency thanks to his strong performance this season, Jones is not interested in testing the market again, preferring to stay in the Twin Cities and conclude an NFC North-only career.

I hope to be here until the end of my career,” Jones said, via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. “Honestly, this is an excellent place.”

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst had said Jones was in the Packers’ 2024 plans, but that was contingent on the former fifth-round find taking a substantial pay cut. Jones balked and hit the market, landing in Minnesota soon after Green Bay’s Jacobs agreement. Jones had already accepted a Packers trim in 2023, playing a central role — via five straight 100-yard rushing games to close out last season — in the team journeying to the divisional round and pushing the eventual NFC champion 49ers once there. Jones is all set to play in another playoff game, perhaps after a first-round bye — which would be the Vikings’ first since 2017 — should the team upend the Lions on Sunday night.

The Vikings are projected to hold plenty of cap space come March, sitting on more than $76MM. That ranks sixth leaguewide. Though, if the Vikings truly entertain franchise-tagging Darnold, their roster math changes considerably. A quarterback tag would cost upwards of $40MM, and although the Vikes’ cap-space number will look different by the start of the new league year than it does now, that is a significant chunk of space that would disappear in the event Minnesota keeps its surging quarterback off the market.

Even post-30, Jones would presumably have suitors elsewhere as well. He has amassed 1,093 rushing yards (4.5 per carry) and added 378 through the air. With 22 receiving yards against Detroit, Jones will produce just the second 400-yard receiving season of his career. While he has also matched his career high in fumbles, with five, the former Packers regular also will draw interest on a market depleted by the recent extensions given to Chuba Hubbard, Rhamondre Stevenson and James Conner. Alvin Kamara also being off the board, thanks to a Saints re-up that ensured he will not be cut (which had loomed as a likely scenario on his previous deal), also stands to benefit Jones.

The Vikings have Ty Chandler signed for one more season, but the team has used Cam Akers — acquired via trade for the second straight season — over the homegrown back in recent weeks. Akers is unsigned beyond this season. It will be interesting to see if Jones receives an offer to stay or is allowed to test the market once again.

Mike Hilton Wants To Re-Sign With Bengals

For the past four seasons, Mike Hilton has been a regular presence in the Bengals’ secondary. The pending free agent is looking to continue his career, but it remains to be seen if that will happen in Cincinnati.

“I’ve been here for a long time and really watched this place change a lot,” Hilton said (via Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison). “Obviously I would love to finish my career here. But the nature of the business is you never know. When that time comes, we’ll figure it out.”

The former UDFA spent four seasons in Pittsburgh, including the 2020 campaign in which he played on a restricted free agent tender. Hilton hoped to sign a long-term pact, but securing one required an intra-divisional move. The Bengals inked him to a four-year, $24MM deal and he has gone on to provide sold value since then.

Hilton will be playing his age-31 season in 2025, though, and the Bengals could look to younger options as potential replacements. The team has recent draftees Dax Hill, Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner in place as perimeter corners (although Taylor-Britt is a pending free agent), but Hilton has been a mainstay in the slot throughout his time in Cincinnati. As Morrison notes, that has included a lighter workload on third downs in particular this season, a potential signal the team could go in a different direction this offseason.

A veteran of 122 games and 55 starts, Hilton has remained consistent during his Bengals run. The Ole Miss product has recorded one or two interceptions in each of his past four seasons, adding between four and eight pass deflections each year along the way. Hilton’s coverage statistics and evaluation from PFF has also remained steady for the most part, although 2024 (a season in which the Bengals have collectively struggled on defense) has seen a regression.

Cincinnati is currently projected to be near the top of the league in cap space for the offseason, but the team has a number of pending financial priorities. A monster extension for Ja’Marr Chase and (if possible) a long-term deal for fellow receiver Tee Higgins are among them, but the Bengals will also need to make a decision on retaining Hilton or allowing him to depart. It will be interesting to see if the team reciprocates his desire for a new agreement. In any case, though, Hilton is not considering retirement at this point.

“I’ve still got two or three [years] in me,” he added. “That’s my honest opinion. I feel like there’s really not anybody who can do what I do. And I feel like that brings a lot of value to some teams.”

Tua Tagovailoa Uncertain For Week 18

JANUARY 2: McDaniel’s latest update on Tagovailoa’s situation notes that Huntley remains on track to start (h/t ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). Changes could take place over the coming days, but an increased practice participation on Tagovailoa’s part will likely be needed for him to suit up in Week 18.

DECEMBER 30: Although the Bengals kept their season alive by beating the Broncos in overtime Saturday, the Dolphins are ahead of the AFC North team in the wild-card pecking order. It will still take the Broncos losing to a Chiefs team prepared to sit starters in Week 18, but the Dolphins would advance if they won and Denver’s losing streak hit three.

Miami’s chances of winning in Week 18 do involve a Jets team that did not account itself well in Buffalo on Sunday, but the Dolphins are far from certain to have their quarterback available in their regular-season finale.

Tua Tagovailoa missed Week 17 with a hip injury, and although the Dolphins navigated a Browns team starting the potentially overmatched Dorian Thompson-Robinson at QB, the AFC East club may have secured a playoff spot by now had Tagovailoa not landed on IR earlier this season. Mike McDaniel‘s club fared poorly while its starter missed time due to a concussion, and the hip injury he sustained recently is not healing as the team hoped.

McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s status is in a “gray area” for Week 18 and that he was not medically cleared to play in Cleveland, via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. The Dolphins started Tyler Huntley against the Browns. After a 22-for-26 performance that included 225 yards and a touchdown, he may hear his number called once again.

Miami is now 2-4 in games Tagovailoa did not finish due to injury this season, falling toward the bottom of the league in offense during the starter’s initial absence. Huntley started both wins, with Skylar Thompson also at the controls in a Dolphins loss this season. The former multiyear Ravens backup, Huntley has enjoyed more time to get up to speed in McDaniel’s offense since Tua’s concussion-generated IR trip. But this is becoming all too familiar territory for the Dolphins, who are now committed long term to their southpaw starter.

Tagovailoa has missed five games this season, this coming after he missed six (counting a wild-card game) in 2022. The former No. 5 overall pick also missed time due to injury in 2020 and 2021, and his draft status was affected by the significant hip injury he suffered to close out his Alabama career. Tua played all 18 Dolphins games last season, helping him secure a four-year extension that came with $93.2MM guaranteed at signing and $167.2MM guaranteed in total. This season, however, has not brought the Dolphins much comfort on the availability front.

If the Broncos do slip up against a diminished version of the two-time defending champs, the prospect of Tagovailoa’s playoff ability would stand to come up. For now, the fifth-year passer has some time to recover. But the nature of this injury brings cause for concern given his past.

Tyler Lockett Plans To Play In 2025; WR’s Seahawks Future In Doubt

Tyler Lockett has spent his entire 10-year career with the Seahawks, and his tenure with the team will include at least one more game. The veteran wideout is aware he could be on the move this offseason, but he has given no thought to retirement at this point.

Lockett and the Seahawks agreed to a restructure last March which upped his earnings for 2024 but left him on track to carry a cap hit of nearly $31MM next season. Without any guaranteed salary on the books for 2024, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic notes the strong possibility remains Lockett will be let go in a cost-cutting move this offseason (subscription required). D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are on track to remain in Seattle for years to come, but Lockett recently acknowledged Week 18 could mark his Seahawks finale.

The 32-year-old has been a staple in the passing game since his arrival and early seasons as a complement to Doug BaldwinLockett has since gone on to form a strong tandem with Metcalf, but the decision to add Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 draft signaled Seattle’s trio at the WR spot would soon become a tandem. Indeed, Lockett has failed to see triple-digit targets for the first time since 2018 this season, and his 572 yards and two touchdowns fall well short of his previous production. The former third-rounder knows his role has been reduced in 2024 (something which could impact his free agent market), but he is content with that as his Seattle tenure likely draws to a close.

“If there’s any way that I want to win as a person, I want to win as a team,” Lockett said (via Dugar). “When it comes to me getting the ball, I want it to be something that’s natural and not forced or not me having to say, ‘Hey, man, give me the ball.’”

Metcalf drew trade interest leading up to November’s deadline, but to no surprise the Seahawks did not consider moving him. The Ole Miss product is only under contract for 2025 as things stand, and with no locked in salary and a similarly high cap hit on tap an extension could be in store relatively soon. Smith-Njigba’s rookie contract runs for another two seasons, meanwhile, and the fifth-year option could keep him under team control through at least 2027.

Lockett could have value to any number of suitors eyeing a receiver addition in the offseason, although his declining production will limit his earning potential on his next contract. It will be interesting to see if he and the Seahawks attempt to work out a new arrangement after the campaign, but in the event he is released he will soon need to turn his attention to his first trip to free agency.

Aaron Rodgers Unlikely To Have Strong Free Agent Market?

At least one more game remains in Aaron Rodgers‘ Jets career, but it would come as no surprise if he were to be let go after the season ends. Retirement could ensue after that, but if the future Hall of Famer were to continue playing he may not have a long list of suitors.

Rodgers tore his Achilles in his Jets debut, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. He (along with head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas) remained in place for the start of the current season. Both members of the previous regime have since been fired, though, and on the whole Rodgers’ play has not matched expectations. A new pair of decision-makers will be in place well before the start of the 2025 season, and a reset under center would be an understandable approach leaving Rodgers with an uncertain outlook. He and the team have not discussed what will happen once the season ends, but he is well aware a trip to free agency could be looming.

If that turns out to be the case, Rodgers would certainly be a notable name on the market. Given his age (41) and underwhelming output this season, however, teams could prefer to look elsewhere at the position. As Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes, some around the league believe a tepid market could be in place for the four-time MVP given his level of play and the off-the-field matters which have increasingly become an aspect of his career.

“No way are [the Jets] bringing him back,” an anonymous general manager told La Canfora. “And I don’t see anyone signing him to be their starter. The Giants won’t do it. The Saints won’t do it. The Raiders have to go young. Does he take a huge pay cut and fight for a job somewhere? Can you see him doing that? Where’s the fit?”

As usual, several teams are in position to make notable moves at the quarterback spot this offseason, and a number of veterans will no doubt be on the move shortly. With questions over the upside of many passers in the upcoming draft class, more emphasis could be placed on finding short-term answers under center. Any number of teams could show interest in Rodgers as a result, but a short-term pact with a value well below the top of the QB market would be expected in that case.

The longtime Packer has made it clear his preference would be to remain with the Jets for 2025, but a post-June 1 release would yield considerable cap savings (next year in particular) while allowing New York to start over at the quarterback spot. It is uncertain at this point if the team will take that route, but if so Rodgers’ future would consist of hanging up his cleats or attempting to find a new team for the second time in his career.

Teams Expected To Call Vikings On QB J.J. McCarthy

As Sam Darnold has become the latest quarterback to bounce back after an underwhelming stretch, the Vikings have both enjoyed the benefits while finding themselves in a bit of a predicament from a long-term sense. As Darnold may be less likely to hit free agency due to the season he has put together, J.J. McCarthy continues his rehab from a summer knee injury.

Centering their offseason around finding a long-term quarterback to succeed Kirk Cousins, the Vikings both acquired a second first-round pick (from the Texans) and traded up one spot — without using that second first-rounder — for McCarthy at No. 10 overall. McCarthy has undergone two knee surgeries to address the meniscus tear he suffered during the preseason. While the Michigan alum recovers, the former No. 3 overall pick taking Minnesota’s snaps has been a revelation in Kevin O’Connell‘s offense.

Early-December reports suggested Darnold was unlikely to remain with the Vikings beyond this season, but a subsequent offering indicated the team does hope to keep its current starter. The latter avenue would seemingly close off McCarthy’s future in the Twin Cities — or at least significantly alter it — months after it began. Days after that report, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter noted during an ESPN Radio appearance teams will “definitely” inquire about McCarthy’s status.

Pegging McCarthy as a talent who could have been the top-rated QB prospect in the 2025 draft class, Schefter adds the Vikings could not only recoup a first-round pick in a trade but also collect additional assets. As our Ely Allen reminded Tuesday, evaluators are not viewing the ’25 group of QBs in the same way they assessed 2024’s. The supply-and-demand problem that grips the NFL annually at this position figures to be a bigger storyline in 2025 than it was in 2024.

This is still at the hypothetical stage, as it would effectively mean bailing on a high-end prospect one year into his career. But Darnold has changed the equation this season. His performance in O’Connell’s offense has driven the Vikes to 14-2 — their best record since a record-setting 1998 season — and it would be easier for the franchise to justify a second contract that perhaps it would another team who bets big on the ex-Jet, Panther and 49er in free agency. Throwing 35 touchdown passes, Darnold sits fifth in that category and fifth in passer rating. He checks in fourth in yards per attempt (8.2), though QBR slots him 13th. A robust free agent market would await, should the Vikings pass on franchise-tagging the 27-year-old arm.

Having already seen Darnold in O’Connell’s system, the Vikings could hope for more of the same due to the weaponry — perhaps beyond Aaron Jones, who is on a one-year deal — expected to remain in place in 2025. This would differ from another team sinking upper-middle-class — at the very least, given where Darnold’s trajectory now points — free agency money into Darnold, who would then be thrust into learning a new system and meshing with perhaps a less talented set of weapons.

A scenario in which Minnesota keeps Darnold — perhaps on the tag — but slots McCarthy behind him as a developmental option could also loom. That was the plan for 2024, as McCarthy was not expected to take over as the Vikings’ starter immediately. It was widely expected the former national championship-winning QB would take the reins at some point in 2024, but the way Darnold has played, it now would have seemed likely if McCarthy would have sat the full season had he stayed healthy.

The Vikings still figure to have a sense of McCarthy’s worth as a trade chip soon, though a commitment to Darnold would change the team’s roster blueprint. A tag would cost upwards of $40MM. McCarthy is on a rookie deal through at least the 2026 season; a Darnold tag or extension would change the math for a team that has Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson on top-market deals.

As the Vikings prepare for one of the biggest regular-season games in NFL history, their long-term QB plan will be of great interest around the NFL.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Diontae Johnson

Diontae Johnson’s first five seasons in the NFL saw him serve as a key figure in the Steelers’ passing attack. Receiving no fewer than 87 targets each campaign, it was not difficult to envision him remaining a central aspect of Pittsburgh’s offensive blueprint for years to come.

Johnson inked a two-year, $36.71MM extension in 2022 in a surprisingly short-term commitment on the part of team and player. The receiver market has erupted in recent years, with four-year pacts checking in at much higher annual rates in many cases. Johnson – one of several players on the offensive side of the ball who have been involved in incidents related to attitude and effort for the Steelers – requested a trade from Pittsburgh, though, and was dealt to Carolina ahead of the 2024 campaign.

That fresh start provided him the opportunity to work as a No. 1 option with the Panthers, a team which made several offseason moves aimed at improving on offense around quarterback Bryce Young. Johnson, 28, delivered relatively strong numbers (considering Carolina’s offensive woes) earlier in the year with three touchdowns and an 11.3 yards per catch average. The former Pro Bowler soon found himself involved in another change of scenery, however.

Johnson expressed an openness to working out a new Panthers deal, but the team did not show much urgency on that front. Ahead of the trade deadline, Carolina’s record led to calls on several pending free agents, and a willingness was shown to make changes at the WR spot with the Jonathan Mingo deal. Johnson was on board with a trade allowing him to join a contender, and one was worked out with the agreement which sent him to the Ravens. The Panthers absorbed most of his remaining compensation, but even a low acquisition cost did not yield a strong return Baltimore.

Making only four appearances with the Ravens, Johnson recorded just one reception. His refusal to enter a game in which starter Rashod Bateman was injured resulted in a one-game suspension. During the following week, the Toledo product was excused from the team before ultimately being waived. Johnson’s third team in 2024 will offer him the chance to produce in the playoffs and in doing so help recover his value to an extent.

In the wake of losing both Stefon Diggs – and, more recently – Tank Dell to ACL tears, the Texans put in a claim for Johnson. Nico Collins remains Houston’s top target, but a pathway exists for Johnson to carve out a complementary role in time for the wild-card round. He did not dress for a potential revenge game on Christmas Day against the Ravens, but Week 18 against the Titans will offer him the opportunity to get acclimated in advance of a home playoff contest soon after.

Regardless of how he fares in Houston, though, Johnson’s stock has clearly taken a major dive. As CBS Sports’ Joel Corry writes, the former third-rounder is likely on track for a ‘prove it’ pact in 2025. A one-year commitment from the Texans or another interested party will no doubt check in at a far lower rate than the $18.36MM AAV of his current deal. Diggs is a pending free agent given the removal of the post-2024 years on his contract upon arrival via trade from the Bills, but he could re-sign based on his strong showing before the injury.

Collins is on the books long term, while Dell remains attached to his rookie contract (although his availability for 2025 is in question). As a result, Johnson could very well find himself changing teams once again this spring. Even with an impressive outing this week and in the playoffs, it would be a surprise if he were to generate much interest given his multiple departures in 2024. Still, teams have shown a willingness to make notable commitments on one-year pacts at the receiver position.

As Corry notes, Mike Williams landed $10MM in base value on his Jets contract in free agency last year, while Marquise Brown secured $7MM guaranteed from the Chiefs. Both deals included incentives, although Williams’ performance in New York led to a deadline trade and Brown’s SC joint injury left him sidelined for most of the season. Those cases could lead to caution on the part of suitors this spring when Johnson hits the market.

Tee Higgins is on track to be the top free agent at the WR spot in March, and he and Diggs are joined by the likes of Chris Godwin, DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper as notable wideouts on expiring deals. Johnson will not garner as much interest as those options, an illustration of the extent to which his stock has fallen in very short order after his Pittsburgh days.

Patriots Still Expected To Retain Jerod Mayo; Mike Vrabel Interested In Job?

Mike Vrabel‘s Browns consulting gig is over; the six-year Titans leader is a coaching free agent again. Interviews with any team carrying a vacancy can commence, giving Vrabel a potential head-start on his top competition.

Regardless of what other candidates generate serious momentum, it is expected Vrabel will land a job during this cycle. After being shut out in 2024, the former Coach of the Year is being tied to several teams.

The Raiders and Saints are among them, but other clubs being connected to the experienced HC as well. The Giants, who may or may not be ready to fire Brian Daboll, have come up as a potentially interested team as well. They employ ex-Vrabel coworker Ryan Cowden, who has been mentioned as someone who could be in play as a GM alongside the former Tennessee HC.

The Jets came up early in connection to Vrabel, with a mid-December report pegging him as the team’s preferred candidate. That may still be the case, but Vrabel looks to have his eyes on another job in the AFC East. The Patriots have struggled under Jerod Mayo, as expected. More news has pointed to Robert Kraft giving his handpicked Bill Belichick successor more time, but the team also runs the risk of missing out on Vrabel for good if it passes on reopening its coaching job. Keeping Mayo could be costly from that perspective, as Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline indicates Vrabel is indeed interested in the Pats’ job.

Mayo said this week (via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss) he and Pats ownership are “still on the same page,” and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo note the expectation remains for the Pats to give Mayo a second season to further prove himself. But doubts have lingered about the team’s Belichick successor for a bit, and the trio published this report before the Patriots endured a 40-7 home loss to the Chargers.

While the team did play the high-powered Bills close in Buffalo in Week 16, the Bolts loss continued to put New England’s upcoming decision under the microscope. After all, Mayo landed this job without a coaching search taking place. Kraft inserted language in Mayo’s contract that effectively circumvented the Rooney Rule, which requires two external minorities be interviewed. No Pats search commenced, keeping a Vrabel partnership — one mentioned during the time when it looked more like the Titans would dangle their HC in trades — off the table.

Vrabel, of course, enjoyed a decorated career with the Patriots. The 2001 free agent signee helped secure three Super Bowl titles for the Patriots, operating as a regular at linebacker and moonlighting as a Tom Brady red zone option. Brady’s past with Vrabel is again relevant, with the Raiders on the radar. Vrabel may not be too interested in that job, either, per Pauline. The Raiders have gone through a few HCs in recent years, with Mark Davis presently paying three (Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce). Vrabel and McDaniels are close, and the coveted candidate may not be too keen on taking a job not long after the Raiders fired McDaniels.

The Jets job also is not believe to appeal to Vrabel, with Pauline pointing to a scenario in which the free agent HC uses the team as leverage. With rumors of Woody Johnson engulfing the Jets, they have their work cut out for them as they begin their HC and GM searches. The team’s lack of a long-term QB also would hurt compared to where the Patriots now are.

Las Vegas’ setup also does not feature a quarterback like the one New England has, with Drake Maye showing flashes during this down Patriots season. The Raiders’ past two wins have also dropped them out of the top five in the projected draft order. With one week to go, the Patriots hold the No. 1 overall pick. Mayo said sitting Maye — which would hinder the team’s hopes of winning in Week 18 — is on the table, but has since pointed to the rookie QB playing against the Bills.

A Buffalo team locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed could throw a wrench in any New England hopes of obtaining the 2025 top pick, and Mayo coaching for a win to help ensure he returns will work against the Pats — through a long-term lens, at least — Sunday as well. The Vrabel matter will loom through that game or until Kraft confirms Mayo will return.

The Patriots keeping Mayo would prevent a Vrabel reunion, and that will bring scrutiny due to how the organization handled its 2024 HC search. Vrabel, 49, figures to have options, so the Patriots may need to be fairly certain — perhaps through backchannel communication — that Vrabel would strongly consider them in order to can Mayo. This fairly radical decision would also deem Kraft’s succession plan a failure, something that will undoubtedly come up as the team considers its HC future. Nevertheless, the next several days will be interesting in Foxborough.

Cardinals Place James Conner On IR

The Cardinals placed running back James Conner on injured reserve on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, sidelining him for Arizona’s regular season finale against the 49ers.

Conner has been dealing with a “lingering right knee injury” this season, according to Cardinals team reporter Darren Urban. The two-time Pro Bowler left the game in Week 6 and again in Week 17, though he did not miss a start in between. Conner will join two other Cardinals running backs – rookie Trey Benson and Emari Demercado – on injured reserve.

Arizona turned to Michael Carter after Conner went down in Week 17 and is set to do so again after promoting him from the practice squad to fill its vacant 53-man roster spot. Carter began his career as a Jets fourth-round pick in 2021 and arrived in Arizona via waivers last season. He recorded 70 yards on 13 carries last week and will be looking to repeat his efficiency as an audition for a 2025 roster spot, with the Cardinals or elsewhere.

The Cardinals signed Conner to a two-year extension at the beginning of December, so they do not want to risk further injury to their expected lead ballcarrier for 2025. He is under contract through the 2026 season, though he could be released for $8MM in cap savings after next season, per OverTheCap.

Conner will finish the 2024 season with a career-high 1,094 rushing yards, though his per-carry and per-game averages were lower than last season. His 414 receiving yards were his most as a Cardinals and the second-highest total of his career.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/1/25

Here are the latest practice squad moves from around the NFL:

Dallas Cowboys

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders