HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Penn State’s Abdul Carter Will Enter Draft

January 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Penn State’s run toward the national championship came to an end Thursday night. As a result, the team’s underclassmen are now able to turn their attention to the draft; as expected, one of the top prospects in the 2025 class will turn pro.

Edge rusher Abdul Carter has decided to enter April’s draft, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The junior has long been expected to take that route once his season ended, and he is now on track to be one of the first players selected on either side of the ball. Carter enjoyed a stellar 2024 campaign, the first in which he transitioned from inside linebacker to defensive end.

The 6-3, 260-pounder racked up 11 sacks across his first two seasons but he surpassed that total this year. His sack during last light’s CFP semifinal loss to Notre Dame was his 12th of the campaign; Carter also registered 24 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles during the season. Those totals helped him win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award in addition to consensus All-American honors. He is the first Nittany Lion to earn the latter honor since Saquon Barkley in 2017.

Several edge rushers are considered locks to go in the first round but Carter has long been considered the best option at the position. He sits at the top of ESPN’s Scouts Inc. board, while Mel Kiper slots him second overall behind only two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter. No shortage of teams will show interest over the coming months as they evaluate this year’s top prospects.

With the Titans, Browns and Giants occupying the top three spots in the 2025 draft order, quarterback figures to be a position of interest at the top of the board. Both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders may hear their names called before Carter does, but once teams without an immediate QB need are on the clock – the Patriots and Jaguars respectively own the fourth and fifth selections – he will certainly be a name to watch.

Raiders Fire GM Tom Telesco

January 9th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders are giving quick hooks to both their 2024 power brokers. Two days after Antonio Pierce‘s ouster, Tom Telesco is gone. The Raiders announced the veteran GM’s firing Thursday.

Telesco was believed to be safe after Pierce’s firing, as teams almost never make GMs one-and-dones. That will happen to Telesco, whose Brock Bowers draft choice did not prove enough for the Raiders to justify a second season. As Las Vegas searches for a new head coach, the team will clear the decks to pair that to-be-determined leader with a front office boss.

[RELATED: Pete Carroll To Interview For Raiders’ HC Job]

The team’s HC search is directly tied to Telesco’s dismissal. A search for two leaders at the same time appealed to the Raiders more than potentially forcing a head coach on an incumbent GM, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini notes. This will be a tough blow for Telesco, who has now been fired twice since December 2023.

Given tremendous power as a minority owner, Tom Brady‘s fingerprints are involved here. The broadcaster/part-owner discussed the situation with Mark Davis, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, and those conversations pointed the team in the direction of a full-on new start. Telesco, 52, was also not involved in the decision to fire Pierce, Tafur adds. Considering Brady’s influence now, Telesco was set to have his power curbed had he been retained for a second year. But this firing likely closes the book on his GM career. Trent Baalke is the only second-chance GM remaining, and his Jaguars standing is murky right now.

Last year, the Raiders brought in Telesco shortly after removing Pierce’s interim tag. Telesco had been the Chargers’ GM from 2013-23. While GMs infrequently receive second chances, Telesco’s experience brought Davis to sign off on an arranged marriage of sorts, with the owner wanting to pair his unseasoned HC with a veteran exec. Telesco-Pierce friction developed early, particularly about the quarterback position, last year. As the team attempts to solve that issue, neither will be part of it.

Pierce had supported a trade-up move to land a potential long-term QB option in the 2024 draft, while Telesco was in the camp of retaining assets and making the pick at No. 13. Having roster control, Telesco won out and Bowers delivered a historic season. Likely en route to a first-team All-Pro honor, Bowers broke Mike Ditka‘s longstanding record for receiving yardage by a rookie tight end. Bowers’ 1,194-yard year aside, the Raiders still have a glaring need at the most important position. A new GM will now tackle that from the No. 6 spot in the draft.

The Raiders had pursued Jayden Daniels, but a climb from No. 13 to No. 2 to reunite the ex-Arizona State passer with Pierce was never viewed as likely. The Commanders shot down the one offer they received for the pick; that proposal likely came from the Raiders. Michael Penix Jr. emerged as a fallback plan, but the team was not high enough on the left-handed prospect that a trade-up was strongly considered. After the Broncos chose Bo Nix at 12, the Raiders were effectively cut off. This significantly hampered Pierce, who did not warm up to Gardner Minshew. Pierce benched the free agent signing on a few occasions. More Pierce-Telesco friction developed during the season, and Brady’s outsized influence appeared to affect the GM.

Working with stopgap options at QB, Pierce finished 4-13 in his only full season as HC. He had gone 5-4 as Las Vegas’ interim coach. At that time, Davis was linked to potentially hiring an exec to check in above a GM. No such hire happened, but NFL owners approving Brady this past fall may vault the all-time QB great into such a role. Brady is on track to be a central figure in the team’s search for a quarterback answer, and the high-profile FOX staffer has already been heavily involved in the Raiders’ coaching search. Thursday’s firing will clear the way for a high-end coaching candidate to have a say in the team’s GM hire.

Telesco’s two-year, $25MM Minshew contract did not do much for the Raiders, beyond a Week 2 upset of the Ravens. Minshew may well be cut soon. The other notable Telesco free agency pickup cost far more, but Christian Wilkins — given a four-year, $110MM deal that checked in behind only Chris Jones‘ among D-tackles — suffered a Jones fracture that knocked him out after five games. The Raiders’ decision to let Josh Jacobs walk in free agency may not have been as costly as the Giants’ apathy regarding Saquon Barkley, but the defection hurt Vegas’ run game as well. Jacobs said he did not speak with Telesco before he left for Green Bay.

Telesco’s short Raiders tenure also included a trade of Davante Adams, who had run out of patience with the Raiders’ quarterback situation. Telesco landed a third-round pick from the Jets, who took on all of the wideout’s remaining 2024 salary. That pick will now help Brady and the to-be-determined GM, as the team may need ammo to trade into Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward territory, as the Titans (No. 1), Browns (No. 2) and Giants (No. 3) need signal-caller help as well.

Vegas may not end up holding a special place for the twice-fired GM, as a 63-21 Raiders rout of the Chargers led Telesco and Brandon Staley out the door in Los Angeles. Telesco’s Chargers teams had received steady praise for their roster construction, and the Raiders viewed the GM as having assembled better rosters than the results ultimately yielded. That influenced the team’s GM pick, even as Telesco only went 3-for-11 in playoff berths as the Bolts’ front office boss. The next Raiders GM search committee will have a prominent new voice in Brady.

Brady has already contacted ex-Patriots boss Bill Belichick about potentially bailing on North Carolina and coming aboard, but the new Tar Heels coach is not believed to be considering a return to the league. A GM opening would clear a potential path, however. The Raiders also secured a meeting with Lions OC Ben Johnson, one of the hottest HC candidates in recent memory. Johnson is meeting with three other teams this week as well. Having an open GM slot would stand to appeal to Johnson, who has been selective during his time on the HC carousel.

The Raiders have now fired two GMs since October 2023, having canned Dave Ziegler at the same time of Josh McDaniels‘ ouster. The team had given Jon Gruden personnel power upon hiring him, with Mike Mayock riding shotgun. Neither setup lasted long. Brady and Co. will attempt to find a long-running HC-GM tandem for a franchise that has not enjoyed that in ages. The heavy turnover among the Raiders’ staff could certainly hurt the team’s chances at landing a quality GM. How that factors into the team’s upcoming pursuit will be worth monitoring.

Vikings-Rams Wild-Card Game Moved To Arizona

January 9th, 2025 at 10:45pm CST by Ben Levine

As the California wildfires continue, the NFL has moved the upcoming Wild Card Round game between the Rams and Vikings. The NFL announced that Monday’s game, which was intended to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, has been relocated to State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals. The game is scheduled for the same start time.

In the statement, the NFL said the move was made “in the interest of public safety.” The statement also said the decision was made “in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA.”

As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero passes along, this will mark only the second time in league history that the NFL has had to change the location of a playoff game (excluding Super Bowls). The other instance happened in 1936, when the NFL had to move the Championship Game matchup between the Boston Redskins and Green Bay Packers from Fenway Park in Boston to the Polo Grounds in New York. This was due to owner George Preston Marshall’s dissatisfaction with local fan support, and it preceded the team’s move to Washington in 1937.

The NFL revealed their contingency plan earlier this week, with State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona representing the league’s targeted venue.

“The NFL’s priority is the safety of the Los Angeles community,” that previous statement read. “We are grateful for the tireless efforts of the first responders. Our hearts are with Los Angeles and everyone affected by the fires.”

According to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry, the Rams canceled their post-practice locker room scrum today so players could tend to their families and homes. Several players and coaches live in the area of the active Kenneth fire.

Falcons GM: Team Fine Keeping Kirk Cousins As Backup

January 9th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Falcons benched a struggling Kirk Cousins, the expectation has been for a release to commence. Cousins does not look to have a route back to Atlanta’s starting job, especially after No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. showed promise in his three starts.

A release will remain the expectation, but Terry Fontenot attempted to craft an alternative solution — one that may not be taken at face value. The fifth-year Falcons GM said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall) the team would be fine keeping Cousins as its backup.

Fontenot, who has survived in his post despite four straight losing seasons, oversaw a widely criticized plan that featured the Falcons both giving Cousins $90MM guaranteed at signing and then drafting Penix in the top 10 six-plus weeks later. This historically unusual route led to a benching after 14 games, with Cousins not showing the form that had made him a steady option in Minnesota. This led to retirement rumors, but the 36-year-old passer will aim to play in 2025.

Players in Cousins’ contractual neighborhood are not backups, as the immobile QB will be due a $27.5MM base salary in 2025. No quarterback with a salary north of $12.5MM is a current backup. Cousins is due to count $40MM against the Falcons’ cap this year. The Falcons keeping the 13-year veteran would also leave them on the hook for an additional $10MM guaranteed, due March 17. The Falcons also included a no-trade clause in Cousins’ contract, which all but ensures he will hit free agency.

The team will almost certainly look to escape that final payment by designating the QB as a post-June 1 cut. That measure would split a monster dead money bill over two offseasons, helping the Falcons after their 2024 mistake. The $65MM penalty would check in second all time — by a substantial margin — in terms of a single-player dead money hit. Russell Wilson still leads the way, with part two of his $83MM-plus dead money charge set to hit the Broncos’ payroll soon.

Any hopes the Falcons would have in trading Cousins’ $27.5MM salary would need to involve the NFC South club paying most of it to facilitate a deal. Given Cousins’ concerning play before his benching, the Falcons will have a near-impossible task of convincing a team to take on the contract. Though, this year is not on track to feature a promising QB market — either in free agency or the draft. This would help explain why the Falcons will attempt to dangle their sunk cost a bit longer.

Cousins cannot be cut until after Super Bowl LIX, and no post-June 1 releases can take place until the start of the 2025 league year (March 12). This gives Atlanta some time, even though the odds are against a trade coming to pass.

Cousins did elevate Atlanta’s passing attack compared to where it was with Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder, but a difficult late-season stretch prompted Raheem Morris to bench a player the team hoped would start for two seasons. That was the party line, anyway. In reality, top-10 QB investments do not sit for two years. Penix will now have a full offseason to develop as a starter, with Cousins likely to hit free agency for a third time.

Mike Vrabel ‘Heavy Favorite’ For Patriots Job; Josh McDaniels In Mix To Return As OC?

January 9th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Vrabel‘s Patriots interview will take place today, and with the Patriots having satisfied the Rooney Rule, they could make a hire soon. Though, both Lions coordinators — Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn — have received requests as well. Johnson’s interview is set for Friday.

Nothing, however, has emerged suggesting Vrabel’s pole position here has been threatened. The former Patriots linebacker and Titans HC is viewed as the “heavy favorite” for the New England job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. It will be interesting to see how eager Vrabel is here, as he has also come up in just about every other search during this year’s cycle. But a Patriots offer could be on tap soon.

[RELATED: Aaron Glenn Declines Patriots HC Interview]

The Pats passed on a Vrabel pursuit last year, which certainly represented a risk since a proven HC with close ties to the team could have been scooped up shortly after his Titans dismissal. A year later, though, Vrabel is still available. This probably played into Robert Kraft‘s decision to fire Jerod Mayo so soon. Vrabel, 49, turning the Patriots down could throw this search off axis; though, Johnson’s immediate interest in taking an interview here is notable in the event the team pivots from what appears a Vrabel-centric plan.

Before the New England job became available, Vrabel connections to Josh McDaniels emerged. The northeast Ohio natives and former Patriots coworkers have stayed close, to the point OC rumors regarding McDaniels are still coming out. Buzz indeed is connecting McDaniels to being Vrabel’s OC with the Pats or another team, Fowler adds. That scenario would be the most interesting in Foxborough, as it would mean a third go-round in the role for the polarizing coach.

McDaniels has failed twice as a head coach, being fired during his second season by both the Broncos and Raiders. The unpopular leader’s days as a head coach are probably over, but he has proven to be a quality coordinator in New England. McDaniels, 48, served as Patriots OC from 2006-08 — a period that featured Tom Brady go from three-time Super Bowl winner complementing a stout defense to the All-Pro tier after a record-setting 2007 — and again from 2012-21. The latter period brought the Pats three more Super Bowl wins and elevated Brady to an unassailable perch. McDaniels’ work with Mac Jones in 2021 has also aged well, given the events of the former first-rounder’s career since, and it would stand to reason the Patriots would be interested in another reunion.

Vrabel overlapped with McDaniels throughout his playing days with the Pats, with the Bill Belichick assistant joining the team in 2001 — when Vrabel signed as a free agent — and then leaving for Denver shortly before the Matt Cassel trade sent Vrabel to Kansas City. McDaniels also has continued to communicate with Belichick, discussing potential landing spots for his former boss. He was tied to following Belichick to another NFL destination, but after the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC chose the college route, McDaniels remains unattached.

The Tar Heels kept Freddie Kitchens onboard, with a potential OC role in play, and hired ex-Raiders staffer Matt Lombardi — the son of new North Carolina GM Michael Lombardi — recently, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. The younger Lombardi may be joining the ACC program as QBs coach, teaming with Kitchens. McDaniels has not worked since his Raiders ouster, so it will be worth monitoring a potential North Carolina trip if he is shut out of this year’s NFL hiring cycle. Though, Vrabel could certainly see to it that he isn’t.

Tyreek Hill Committed To Dolphins?

January 9th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, Tyreek Hill generated a wave of headlines after checking out of the Dolphins-Jets game and then indicating postgame he was done playing in Miami. Days away from that incident, the parties are circling back to one another.

After Chris Grier said Hill had not issued a trade request, Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, indicated during a Pat McAfee Show appearance his client is “committed” to the Dolphins. This comes after Hill had a productive meeting with Grier and Mike McDaniel. While Hill has displayed some erratic behavior over the course of his career, this situation appears to have settled for the time being.

Hill, 30, checked out of the game without permission — an act McDaniel said would not be tolerated again — and after his postgame stance about leaving the Dolphins both thanked Miami fans regarding his time with the team and changed his Twitter profile picture to Antonio Brown‘s infamous 2021 walk-off sequence at MetLife Stadium. As this went well beyond the wide receiver performing an elaborate bit, Dolphins management needed to step in to defuse the situation.

Until this season, Hill had justified his high-maintenance status. The future Hall of Famer is one of the best deep threats in NFL history, and he cinched up eventual Canton entry with back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods following 1,700-plus-yard Dolphins seasons. Hill’s move from Kansas City to Miami correlated with Tua Tagovailoa‘s upswing after two rocky years. The quarterback’s development played into the Dolphins’ decision to adjust Hill’s contract, despite three years remaining on the 2022 agreement, via a significant guarantee update.

This season, Hill only totaled 959 yards in 17 games. The Dolphins’ quarterback shuffle, amid more Tagovailoa injury trouble, played a central role in this modest number. Rosenhaus also said a broken wrist caused the shaky season. Hill, per Rosenhaus, broke his wrist during a joint practice with the Commanders and opted to play through it rather than undergoing a recommended surgery. Hill said previously his wrist was impacted by the pregame arrest that took place before Week 1.

A December report classified the injury as a torn ligament. A November offering indicated no surgery was on tap. Either way, Hill was hampered by the balky wrist this season. He will look to rebound in 2025, and the Dolphins gave him plenty of incentive to do so via the reworked contract. Seeing other receivers sign contracts with better structures in the years since his $30MM-AAV accord, Hill lobbied for a new deal this past offseason. The Dolphins, as they did with Xavien Howard years ago, gave in and approved $54MM in additional guarantees. Hill’s deal still runs through 2026.

The Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls since trading Hill, relying more on a defensive blueprint. Stats-wise, Hill has won out, with both Patrick Mahomes‘ production dipping and Kansas City not coming remotely close to replacing the two-time MVP’s former top weapon. Though, that was never expected. The Dolphins are also not on the same plane competitively as Hill’s former team, causing frustration for the one-time Super Bowl champ. Hill appears to have cooled down, but this situation will be worth monitoring during the months leading up to training camp.

Seahawks Request OC Interview With Saints’ Klint Kubiak

January 9th, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks quickly kicked off their search for a new offensive coordinator, as the team has already set up interviews with Thomas Brown and Hank Fraley. We’ve got another candidate for the job, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Seahawks have requested permission to interview Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak for the same role.

Kubiak joined New Orleans’ staff last offseason and had to endure a season where the Saints turned to three different starting QBs. Derek Carr went 5-5 as a starter and tossed 15 touchdowns vs. five interceptions, but the team was otherwise winless with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener under center. Further, Alvin Kamara was the only player to top 600 yards from scrimmage (the RB finished with 1,493). Still, the Saints offense was more middle-of-the-road than bottom-of-the-pack, solidifying Kubiak’s place as one of the more intriguing offensive minds in the game. Fowler notes that beyond Seattle, Kubiak could be an option for the Browns offensive coordinator vacancy.

The son of Gary Kubiak, Klint got his NFL coaching start working under his father in Denver. When Gary was named assistant head coach in Minnesota, Klint caught on as the team’s QBs coach, and he succeeded his dad as offensive coordinator in 2021. The Vikings cleared house following Mike Zimmer‘s firing, and Klint landed back in Denver, where he spent a year as the passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Following that one-year stop, he worked as Kyle Shanahan‘s passing game coordinator in San Francisco.

While this would represent a lateral move for Kubiak, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald believes the Seattle gig is plenty enticing. Macdonald recently touted the opening, highlighting the team’s list of young offensive players. While the organization doesn’t currently have a long-term plan at QB, they’re positioned to bring back a steady veteran in Geno Smith.

The Seahawks made Ryan Grubb a one-and-done OC, with the team’s drop in rushing efficiency reportedly playing a role in his demise. After poaching Grubb from Alabama’s staff, it’s been thought that Macdonald may pivot to a more experienced option to help guide the offense in 2025.

Raiders To Interview Pete Carroll For HC Job

January 9th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

After failing in their (potential) Hail Mary attempt to lure Bill Belichick to Las Vegas, the Raiders will now take a look at another long-time NFL coach. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are set to interview Pete Carroll for their coaching vacancy next week.

Carroll spent this past year out of the NFL following his divorce with the Seahawks last offseason. It didn’t take long for the former Super Bowl winner to reemerge in this year’s hiring cycle. The 73-year-old met with the Bears about their head coaching vacancy earlier today.

The long-time coach would bring 18 years of HC experience to Las Vegas. He most recently spent more than a decade in Seattle, where he helped guide the Seahawks to 10 playoff berths, including two Super Bowl appearances. However, the organization decided to move on after Carroll and the Seahawks went 25-26 with a single one-and-done playoff appearance between 2021 and 2023.

Even before Carroll was ousted, there were rumblings that the coach was considering retirement or a transition to the front office. Shortly thereafter, we heard that Carroll always intended to stick around as Seattle’s HC for at least one more year, and his recent appearance in the interview circuit clearly indicates that he’s not ready to step away from the NFL.

While Carroll was tasked with guiding competitive teams in his time with Seattle and New England, he’ll be eyeing a rebuilding situation in Las Vegas. The Raiders are armed with the sixth-overall pick and will be one of the main suitors for the draft’s top QB prospects. Carroll once guided the Seahawks to contention with third-round pick Russell Wilson, and his defensive pedigree could help speed up the franchise’s turnaround.

The Raiders are now seeking their fourth full-time HC since the 2021 campaign. While Antonio Pierce avoided a Black Monday firing, he was handed his pink slip the following day. Carroll represents the sixth definitive candidate for the job. We heard earlier today that former Jets head coach Robert Saleh had joined the list with Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, Ravens OC Todd Monken, and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo. Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have also been mentioned as potential options for the organization, but neither candidate has scheduled a reported interview.

As for Belichick, we heard that Tom Brady — who is playing a central role in the Las Vegas HC search — recently contacted his former coach to see about a reunion. It was quickly reported that Belichick didn’t have any interest in reneging on his UNC commitment. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes that Brady was merely picking his former coach’s brain as he prepares for a HC move, and Mark Maske The Washington Post says the Raiders haven’t given “serious consideration in recent days” to a Belichick pursuit.

It’s already been a busy day in Las Vegas. The Raiders kicked off a GM search after moving on from Tom Telesco.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/9/25

January 9th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players through the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Dallas Cowboys

Kansas City Chiefs

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