Josh Sweathad a strong end to his 2024 season, posting 2.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIX. His attention will now turn to free agency, where he will have the option of remaining with the Eagles or joining a new team for the first time in his career.
Sweat racked up eight sacks during the regular season, the second-highest total of his seven-year career. Combined with his play on Sunday, the 27-year-old could therefore be in line for a notable payday on the open market. Sweat recently changed agents in preparation for his free agency.
One year ago, the former fourth-rounder’s Eagles future was uncertain. Short-term clarity emerged in the form of a restructured deal, though, which made 2025 a walk year and saw Sweat reduce his base salary. Given the guarantees present in the new pact, Philadelphia will be hit with a $16.39MM dead cap charge once it voids next week. That figure is separate from the cap charges which will be present from any new Eagles contract, something Sweat has not ruled out.
“Money’s important, sure, but I want to be in the right situation,” the Florida State product said (via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I don’t know what it looks like for me now, but I’m happy.”
Sweat is one of the top options amongst pending free agent edge rushers considering his age and consistent production (at least six sacks in each of the past five years). The Eagles could look to keep him in the fold considering Brandon Grahamis a strong candidate to retire and Milton Williamsis also a pending free agent. Losing those two in addition to Sweat would leave the Eagles in need of finding multiple replacements along the defensive front.
Nolan Smithtook on a starting role this season, and the 2023 first-rounder will be expected to be a key figure along the edge moving forward (especially given the poor return on investment seen from last year’s signing of Bryce Huff). It will be interesting to see if Sweat remains in the fold for the Eagles in 2025 and beyond or if free agency presents him with a strong fit elsewhere.
February 13th, 2025 at 11:51am CST by Adam La Rose
As the Cowboys searched for Mike McCarthy‘s replacement, Jason Witten emerged as a potential candidate. The All-Pro tight end will not be with the team in 2025, though, and he recently confirmed a position on Dallas’ staff was never discussed.
“I did not talk to [owner] Jerry [Jones] about it,” Witten confirmed (video link via All DLLS). “I think they went through a thorough process for them and got to a place where they felt like Brian [Schottenheimer] was the guy. I never worked with Brian or any of that, but I’ll always pull for the Cowboys,”
Witten spent the first 16 years of his decorated career with the Cowboys, and he has been mentioned as a candidate to return to the organization at some point on the sidelines. The 42-year-old was reported to be a head coaching contender last month, something which raised eyebrows given his complete lack of experience at the NFL and college levels. Witten has worked as head coach for Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas for the past four years; that span has included two straight state championships.
A move to other coaching opportunities in the future will be possible whenever Witten chooses to take a new challenge. That could eventually take the form of a role with the Cowboys; the possibility of a non-head coach title for 2025 was floated before the Schottenheimer hire which would have paved the way for Witten to become an heir apparent. Such a scenario is something Witten would entertain down the road.
“Of course that’s a long-term goal of mine to one day get back there, when the right opportunity comes,” he added. “I think for me to be able to coach my son and take over a program and win back-to-back state championships at that level, it’s been really, really special and memories that I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life. When that right time and the right opportunity comes, I’m excited to embark on that next chapter.”
Schottenheimer will call plays on offense for Dallas this season, one in which Klayton Adams will be in place for his first career OC gig. An agreement sending Witten back to the Cowboys (presumably working on the offensive side of the ball to start) could be in play at some point in the future, but for now nothing on that front is in the works.
February 13th, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Adam La Rose
FEBRUARY 13: The Jets have announced that Rodgers will not return in 2025. A parting of ways with Adams can also be expected, but at a minimum it is now confirmed that team will have new starter under center next season. How strong of a market Rodgers generates – if he continues playing – will become a interesting storyline in advance of free agency.
FEBRUARY 9: As most anticipated, the Jets appear ready to move on from quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Per FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer, the 41-year-old passer flew to New Jersey last week to talk with the club, only to be told that Gang Green will be parting ways with him.
In the wake of the Jets’ decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh and then general manager Joe Douglas midway through the campaign, it became clear a parting of ways was likely in this situation. Uncertainty loomed as a new regime was brought in, but the organization will indeed start over at the quarterback spot in 2025. Rodgers’ New York tenure will thus end after only two years.
The longtime Packers star had a rocky end to his tenure in Green Bay, with the Jets emerging as a destination he was interested in as part of his efforts to continue his career. A deal was ultimately worked out – with New York sending a package consisting of a pair of second-round picks in addition to the teams swapping Day 1 selections in 2023 – and expectations were therefore high for the Jets to find short-term stability under center. Rodgers’ debut campaign ended after only four snaps, though, with an Achilles tear leaving him sidelined the rest of the way.
Douglas, Saleh and former offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett received a mulligan from ownership this past offseason, and Rodgers did manage to play all 17 games in 2024. Still, the team fell well short of expectations and wound up outside the postseason. Retirement is still under consideration in Rodgers’ case, but in any event the Jets will move on. Remaining together was something new head coach Aaron Glenn was open to, but he and first-time general manager Darren Mougey stopped short of making a commitment one way or another when speaking about the team’s QB setup for 2025.
Earlier on Sunday, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (the latter of whom has since confirmed the expectation is that the Jets and Rodgers will part ways) reported a decision on this front was likely this coming week. A formal announcement should thus be expected shortly, but nevertheless the Jets will now turn their attention to finding a new short- and/or long-term QB solution. The failure of the Sam Darnoldand ZachWilson selections drove the Rodgers acquisition, and it will be interesting to see if the draft is again pursued this April or if the new regime will take a different route.
Glazer’s colleague Jordan Schultz – who also reported on Sunday a Rodgers split was likely – adds this move was influenced more by the nature of his contract than his up-and-down level of play this past season. The four-time MVP is due $37.5MM in 2025, with none of his base salary guaranteed. Teams which view Rodgers as a viable option could look to swing a trade at a reduced price, but it would come as no surprise if the Jets proceeded with a release. Doing so with a post-June 1 designation will be required to avoid incurring a massive dead cap charge.
Tyrod Tayloris under contract for next year at a reasonable cap hit of $6.8MM, and he would welcome the chance to again operate as a starter. New York will be in the market for another passer this offseason, though, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini namesKirk Cousinsas a potential option. The Falcons are likely to move on from Cousins, who is familiar to new front office exec Rick Speilman given their time together in Minnesota. In any case, how the Mougey-Glenn pairing operates at the quarterback spot will be critical moving forward.
Rodgers and Davante Adamsreunited with the Jets ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, but the latter’s future was clouded by uncertainty based on the former’s tenuous hold on a New York roster spot for next season. Now that Rodgers is known to be on the way out, it would come as no surprise if Adams were to change teams once again; a return to the west coast could be in order. Another Rodgers-Adams pairing could be in store, but only if Rodgers elects to continue playing. If that proves to be the case, he will need to suit up for a third NFL team in the closing chapter of his decorated career.
The Jaguars are the lone team in the NFL with a general manager vacancy at the moment. The interview process is underway, and as a result the list of finalists amongst external candidates will soon be narrowed down.
It was recently learned that at least one internal staffer was set to receive strong consideration, though. It appears that candidate is interim GM Ethan Waugh. Waugh is a “strong” candidate to receive the gig on a full-time basis, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.
Waugh had a lengthy tenure in the 49ers’ front office alongside Trent Baalke. The pair worked together from 2005-16, and Waugh worked his way up to vice president of player personnel for the 2021 and ’22 campaigns. He joined Baalke in Jacksonville in May 2022, taking on his current AGM title. Over the past three seasons, things have not gone according to plan for the team; Waugh is nevertheless in contention to oversee the front office as things stand.
Baalke was not dismissed alongside head coach Doug Pederson after the season ended, something which came as a surprise to many. The Jags’ head coaching search was seen as being impacted by Baalke’s ongoing presence, however, and the timing of a secret second interview with eventual hire Liam Coen coincided with the decision to make a change in the front office. Despite being a first-time HC, Coen is playing a central role in the search for Baalke’s replacement.
Coen’s top choice looked to be former Buccaneers colleague Mike Greenberg, but he withdrew from Jacksonville GM consideration. Several other external candidates have since received an interview request, with some virtual meetings having taken place already. It will be interesting to see if Waugh also winds up interviewing for the full-time gig.
“I know everybody wants to know whether or not I’m playing next year. Right now, I’m just kicking everything down the road.” said Kelce on his New Heights podcast after the Super Bowl (via Around The NFL’s Nick Shook).
Kelce is entering the final season of his contract with the Chiefs and will count for $19.8MM against the salary cap. Most of that comes from a $11.5MM roster bonus due on March 15, per OverTheCap, setting up a potential deadline for his decision. Kelce, however, doesn’t seem to be in a rush.
“I think I’m gonna take some time to figure it out,” continued the 35-year-old tight end. “I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, it’s going to be something that it’s a wholehearted decision.”
Kelce mentioned the “wear and tear” on his body over the last 12 years as a key consideration as he mulls his future. The 2013 third-round pick has proven to be a durable player throughout his career, appearing in at least 15 games for the last 11 seasons. His only major absence was due to knee surgery as a rookie; since then, Kelce has consistently played through minor injuries and ranks 26th among all active players in career starts.
The 10-time Pro Bowler also leads active players with 25 career playoff starts, something he alluded to on the podcast.
“I’ve been fortunate over the past five, six years, I’ve played more football than anybody,” said Kelce. “It’s because the people that are in that building and the fact that we keep going to these AFC championships, these Super Bowls, that means I’m playing an extra three games more than everybody else in the entire league.”
If Kelce elects to return, Kansas City may want to sign him to an extension to lower his 2025 cap hit. Such a deal would not signal that Kelce is committed to playing beyond 2025; it would simply be a way for the Chiefs to push more of his cap burden into the future.
February 12th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson
With the Saints making their post-Super Bowl Kellen Moorehire official, the NFL’s 2025 HC carousel has stopped. Nearly a fourth of the league has now changed coaches. Who fared the best with their hire?
Starting in Chicago makes sense, as the Bears convinced picky candidate Ben Johnson to sign on. Johnson was squarely on the Jaguars and Raiders’ radars, to the point it is safe to assume the three-year Lions OC was the favorite for both AFC teams. Johnson expressed concern about the Jaguars’ then-Trent Baalke-centered front office setup, and the Raiders could not entice the highly valued play-caller with a rumored big offer.
The Bears are believed to be giving Johnson a $13MM-per-year deal — more than twice Matt Eberflus‘ salary — to develop Caleb Williams after an uneven rookie season. After Johnson played the lead role in reviving Jared Goff‘s career and turning the Lions’ offense into a dominant attack, this is the most anticipated Bears hire in decades. Johnson will work with holdover GM Ryan Poles, who is expected to receive an extension, and team president Kevin Warren.
As this marks a third straight instance of the Bears drafting a first-round quarterback then firing their HC one season into that player’s career, the Patriots are in the same boat. They jettisoned Jerod Mayo one year into Drake Maye‘s career, capping a tough year for Robert Kraft, who passed on a head coaching search in 2024 due to having identified Mayo as Bill Belichick‘s long-term successor years ago. Kraft’s initial plan was for Belichick to coach through the 2024 season, giving Mayo more on-the-job training. But the Pats’ 4-13 2023 record scuttled that aim. After Belichick’s firing, Mayo did not prove ready — in the eyes of Kraft and most other observers.
Enter Mike Vrabel, who will make his return to Foxborough 16 years after being included in the Matt Cassel tag-and-trade transaction. The 2021 NFL Coach of the Year made sense as an option in 2024, when the Pats had a vacancy, but the team had inserted language in Mayo’s contract naming him the HC-in-waiting. New England has Vrabel set up to have the final say moving forward, though both he and de facto GM Eliot Wolfwill report to Kraft. Vrabel was viewed as having overachieved in Tennessee, leading the Titans to their first AFC championship game since 2002 and following that up with two more playoff berths — including a No. 1 seed in 2021.
The Jaguars enjoyed a much more complicated route to complete its HC hire. After favorite Liam Coeninitially rejected a second interview, Shad Khan fired Baalke — who was again viewed as a hindrance in a coaching search — and conducted stealth negotiations with Coen to reconsider. He ultimately did, and despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not having worked for the same team in back-to-back years since a three-season Rams tenure that ended in 2020, he is believed to be tied to a Johnson-level contract and will effectively pick the next Jaguars GM.
This is quite the coup for Coen, after he helped Baker Mayfield to a 41-touchdown pass season, and the exit — after Coen had agreed on a Bucs extension — certainly ruffled feathers in Tampa. But the Jags were desperate for an offense-minded coach to boost Trevor Lawrence, whom the team gave a $55MM-per-year extension ahead of a 4-13 season.
The Raiders pivoted to Pete Carroll, who is set to become the oldest HC in NFL history. Carroll, who will turn 74 in September, profiles as a short-term option. The Raiders gave the former Seahawks Super Bowl-winning leader a three-year deal, which is shorter than the typical HC contract. Carroll will work with powerful minority owner Tom Brady in aiming to turn the Raiders around. The Raiders have gone through four HCs and four GMs (John Spytek the latest) this decade, and they will hope Carroll can calm things down. Carroll was linked to conducting his interviews with a potential successor in mind. The team, however, hired 61-year-old OC Chip Kelly and kept Josh McDaniels‘ DC choice (Patrick Graham); this points to Carroll’s successor not yet being with the team.
Like Vrabel, Aaron Glenn is returning to the team with which his playing career is best identified. The former Jets first-round CB is being given more power than Robert Saleh held, being set to report to ownership. Woody Johnson went so far as to label GM Darren Mougey as Glenn’s sidekick, illustrating both a tremendous opportunity for Glenn and the state of a Jets organization that had trouble attracting candidates (Vrabel and Johnson among them) after a turbulent year.
Glenn, who comes over after elevating the Lions into a top-10 defense despite Aidan Hutchinson‘s injury, is already making his voice heard. Aaron Rodgers is not expected back, with Glenn and Mougey believed to have pressed the QB on ditching his Pat McAfee Showsegments in an effort to focus on football. After two years of the Jets catering to Rodgers, they are in the hunt for a new passer — one Glenn will have a significant say in identifying.
Prior to his Cowboys meetings, Brian Schottenheimer had not conducted a head coaching interview since PFR launched in 2014. The second-generation NFL coach has made the stunning leap from off-radar candidate, who had been Mike McCarthy‘s non-play-calling OC, to Jerry Jones‘ next sideline leader. The Cowboys again conducted a strange HC change, waiting a week to ditch McCarthy — after term length proved a negotiating sticking point — before being tied to Deion Sanders, who never officially interviewed.
Schottenheimer beat out three candidates, as Dallas’ past three HC changes have now featured an interim promotion (Jason Garrett), a two-candidate pool (McCarthy) and now an off-grid option. Schottenheimer has, however, been a four-time NFL OC, dating back to 2006. He was in place for some strong Russell Wilson Seahawks showings, albeit having been fired from that post after three seasons.
The Saints saw McCarthy, Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury bow out, as their perennially bad cap situation — one featuring an onerousDerek Carr contract — certainly may have deterred some candidates. But Moore stuck with the team, agreeing to terms despite Super Bowl LIX having raised his stock considerably. The three-time OC will call plays in New Orleans, which will aim to find a post-Carr answer during Moore’s tenure.
Although the new Saints HC’s staff has yet to take shape, Moore will aim to elevate New Orleans after four straight non-playoff seasons. He comes to Louisiana after helming an Eagles offense that peaked at the right time, as the team overpowered the Commanders and Chiefs to claim the championship.
Which teams did the best (and worst) this year? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the 2025 HC carousel in the comments section.
Pratt set a career-high with 143 total tackles in 2024, which led the Bengals and ranked 11th among all defenders. Cincinnati’s defense was less successful as a unit, finishing in the bottom 10 in points and yards allowed. Those struggles culminated in the firing of longtime defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was replaced by Al Golden.
With a new DC and two major wide receiver contracts to negotiate, the Bengals are expected to move on from several veteran players on the defensive side of the ball. That includes Pratt, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner, who is entering the final year of his contract with a $8.18MM cap hit, per OverTheCap. A trade would net the Bengals some draft compensation while clearing $5.85MM from their 2025 salary cap with $2.33M in dead money. An acquiring team would take on Pratt’s $5.25MM base salary along with $250k in per game roster bonus, a $100k workout bonus, and $250k in likely-to-be-earned incentives.
With an affordable contract for a starting linebacker, there may be a trade market for Pratt’s services. The Bengals did not give into trade requests from Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson last year. However, since they seem likely to release Pratt anyway, other teams may wait for him to hit free agency rather than giving up a draft pick. Linebacker trades over the last two years have only involved players on their rookie contracts, with compensation maxing out at a Day 3 pick.
Pratt is not the only Bengal to signal his openness to a trade in recent weeks. Hendrickson said before the Super Bowl that he would prefer to be extended or traded as soon as possible. Other trade/cut candidates include defensive end Sam Hubbard, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, and safety Geno Stone, who would combine for $25MM in cap savings and just $5.5MM in dead money in 2025. Those moves would free up enough money for the Bengals to retain Higgins and sign Ja’Marr Chase to a massive extension, though the front office would have to find enough talent in free agency and the draft to field a competitive defense in 2025.
La Canfora spoke to multiple executives about Higgins’ impending free agency, with one GM stating that the Patriots “really want this guy.” The organization has continually been connected to the Bengals star wideout as they look to surround quarterback Drake Maye with as much talent as possible. Back in December, we heard New England would be “heavily involved” in the sweepstakes, and this latest report indicates that RobertKraft will be willing to open the checkbook.
As one executive told La Canfora, the Patriots owner “rightfully” took plenty of grief for his recent lack of spending, and there’s a belief Kraft will look to right his wrongs via Higgins. With a league-leading ~$131MM in projected cap room, the Patriots should have more than enough wiggle room to make a big splash. For what it’s worth, the organization was a main participant in last offseason’s Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, so the Patriots have already shown a willingness to spend at the position.
Many of the executives polled by La Canfora opined that Higgins will ultimately land a contract that pays him more than $30MM per season. This doesn’t come as a huge surprise considering five WRs (Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Brandon Aiyuk) joined Tyreek Hill at that AAV mark last year. That would also surely be out of the price range for the Bengals, who still have to navigate the upcoming Ja’Marr Chase extension.
There are fair reasons to question Higgins’ standing as a WR1 and/or one of the highest-paid players at his position. However, beggars can’t be choosers, and his spot in the free agent hierarchy means a bidding war should help him eclipse that $30MM AAV mark.
While there’s some belief that the Titans will move the No. 1 pick, they may not be the only team atop the draft board looking to make moves. Albert Breer of SI.com believes every team in the top five will at least entertain the idea of trading back.
All of these squads (which includes the Browns (No. 2), Giants (No. 3), Patriots (No. 4), and Jaguars (No. 5)) have plenty of reasons to justify a trade. Each of these teams won’t suddenly vault into contention (or even mediocrity) with just their first-round selection, and picking up additional assets may help them fill out their respective rosters. While these organizations may not be able to get a haul, they could still snag a foundational piece while picking up additional draft picks.
However, Breer also notes that this is partly an indictment on the draft class. Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are generally considered the draft’s only blue-chip prospects. Teams like the Patriots and Jaguars already have their answers at quarterback, and if those front offices believe they’re out of realistic range for Carter/Hunter, it may make sense to move back and pick up extra pieces.
Further, the draft’s QB depth may convince some teams to pivot. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders appear to be in their own tier among prospects, but neither of the impending rookies are believed to be generational, can’t-miss players. Instead of reaching for a QB they’re not enamored with, it could make sense for a team like the Giants to target a different position (or maybe a different quarterback) via a trade down the board.
Of course, each of those concerns will work against the teams picking in the top-five. As Breer notes, rival teams may not be as eager to trade up for any of the non-blue-chip prospects. There will surely be suitors, but the offers may not be lucrative enough to convince any of those top-five squads to move on.
It’s pretty common to see at least one top-five squad move off of their original draft position, but we’ve also seen a recent trend of front offices holding on to their best draft assets. Between 2019 and 2022, we only saw one top-five pick change hands (with the 2021 third-overall pick being swapped a few times before landing with the 49ers, who took Trey Lance). A handful of top-five 2023 picks were traded, but even the 2024 draft only saw the first-overall pick stray from its original team (which was a product of a trade involving the 2023 first-overall pick).
Anthony Firkser brings 78 games of NFL experience. His best run came with the Titans, including a two-year stretch between 2020 and 2021 when he hauled in 73 catches. After starting the 2024 season with the Jets, Firkser spent most of the second half on the Chiefs practice squad.
