HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/12/25

February 12th, 2025 at 6:32pm CST by Ben Levine

One minor move to pass along:

New England Patriots

JaQuae Jackson spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve thanks to an ankle injury, but the team showed faith in the rookie by not releasing him via an injury settlement. The Patriots will now have the option to keep Jackson around for the 2025 season.

An undrafted rookie out of Rutgers, Jackson showed some promise during the preseason when he hauled in a 38-yard touchdown. The wideout displayed that same big-play ability during his time in college, as he averaged 16.4 yards on his 22 receptions during the 2023 season.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/12/25

February 12th, 2025 at 6:24pm CST by Ben Levine

One exclusive rights free agent has already signed his deal:

ERFAs

Tendered:

The Bills slapped Alec Anderson with a reserve/futures deal last month, a no-brainer considering it would only lock the lineman in for the minimum salary. Anderson didn’t take a whole lot of time to put pen to paper, as the impending third-year player is now officially under contract with Buffalo for the 2025 campaign.

A 2022 undrafted free agent, it took Anderson until the 2024 season to make his NFL debut. He ended up getting into all 17 games for the Bills this year, appearing in 291 snaps (which mostly came via four starts). Anderson will remain an important depth option for the Bills moving forward.

Kadarius Toney Arrested, Accused Of Strangling Woman

February 12th, 2025 at 6:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Kadarius Toney was arrested last week on counts of aggravated assault — strangulation and obstructing/harassing 911 calls, according to a report from TMZ.com.

The incident took place in Georgia on January 14. According to police reports obtained by the outlet, Toney was accused of putting his hands around a woman’s throat “with enough force to cause her to be unable to breathe.”

Toney also allegedly took the woman’s phone when she attempted to call 911. According to the documents, the alleged assault left red marks on the woman’s throat and caused “petechial hemorrhaging” in her eyes.

An arrest warrant was issued the next day, and Toney was officially booked on February 6. A judge set bail at $25K for each count. ESPN reports that Toney wasn’t listed as in custody on February 7.

A former first-round pick by the Giants, Toney lasted only a year-plus in New York before getting dealt to the Chiefs. He hauled in 41 receptions for Kansas City across a year and a half, earning a pair of Super Bowl rings along the way. The 26-year-old was cut last August and landed on the Browns practice squad, where he spent most of the 2025 season. He was released by Cleveland in December following a one-game cameo where he muffed a punt and earned a taunting penalty.

Jaguars Interview James Gladstone For GM, Schedule Meeting With Jon Robinson

February 12th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jaguars’ general manager search process continued apace on Wednesday with an interview of Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone, per a team announcement. Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown interviewed for the job earlier in the day.

Gladstone has spent eight seasons with the Rams and overlapped with new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during both of his stints in Los Angeles. As director of scouting strategy, Gladstone oversees the Rams’ pro and college scouting operations. He has helped the team consistently find talented prospects outside of the first round after trading their top picks away for most of his tenure.

The Jaguars also plan to meet with with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Robinson interviewed for the Jets’ GM vacancy in December and was considered an early favorite for the Jaguars job shortly after Trent Baalke‘s firing.

Robinson has been out of the NFL since December 2022, when he was fired by the Titans despite a 7-5 start to the year and back-to-back division titles in preceding seasons. He finished with an overall record of 66-48 as general manager, but received little interest in the previous two coaching cycles. Now, Robinson is set to meet with the Jaguars regarding his return to the AFC South.

Here are the rest of Jacksonville’s GM candidates:

  • Chad Alexander, assistant general manager (Chargers): Interview requested
  • Brandon Brown, assistant general manager (Giants): Interview requested
  • Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interviewed 2/12
  • Ian Cunningham, assistant general manager (Bears): Interview requested
  • James Gladstone, director of scouting strategy (Rams): Interviewed 2/12
  • Terrance Gray, vice president of player personnel (Bills): To interview 2/12
  • Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Declined interview
  • Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interview scheduled
  • Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations (49ers): Interviewed 2/11

Jaguars Interview Trey Brown For GM

February 12th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jaguars have completed an interview with Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown for their general manager vacancy, per a team announcement.

Brown has been one of the league’s hottest GM candidates over the last two cycles. He received interest from the Raiders and the Patriots in 2024 and interviewed with the Jets twice this year. Now, he finds himself on Jacksonville’s radar after they fired Trent Baalke to secure the services of new head coach Liam Coen.

Brown began his front office career as a scout with the Patriots (2010-2012) and the Eagles (2013-2014). He rose up the ranks in Philadelphia to become the director of college scouting in 2016, a position he held for three years before joining the AAF’s Birmingham Iron as executive vice president of football operations in 2019. Brown then moved to the XFL as the St. Louis Battlehawks’ director of player personnel in 2020 before returning to the NFL in 2021.

Brown spent one year as a scout in Cincinnati before his promotion to senior personnel executive. During his tenure, the Bengals added Orlando Brown in free agency and signed Joe Burrow to a long-term extension. However, their 2024 season was marred by poor defense and a struggling rushing attack, though Burrow still led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns.

Brown has no direct connections with Coen, though Bengals head coach Zac Taylor worked closely with Coen in Los Angeles in 2018. If hired, he would seek to provide Trevor Lawrence with additional pass-catching options outside of rookie receiving leader Brian Thomas while upgrading one of the league’s worst defenses heading into 2025.

Here are the rest of the Jaguars’ candidates for the job:

Ohio State To Hire Matt Patricia As DC

February 12th, 2025 at 12:06pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ohio State University Buckeyes are expected to hire former Lions head coach Matt Patricia as their next defensive coordinator, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Patricia was in Columbus on Monday to discuss the job, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. He will replace Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes in January to take the defensive coordinator job at Penn State.

Patricia was a longtime assistant under Bill Belichick in New England. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator in 2012, a post he held until 2018, when he was hired as the Lions’ head coach. Patricia’s time in Detroit was disastrous on and off the field, marked by a 13-29-1 record and several instances of conflict with players. He was fired 11 games into the 2020 season after a 4-7 start and quickly found himself back on Belichick’s staff in New England in 2021. Patricia served as a senior advisor for the next two seasons, which included a stint as offensive play-caller in 2022.

In 2023, the Eagles hired Patricia as a senior defensive assistant. He took over as defensive play-caller by the end of the season, but he was not retained after a lack of improvement from Philadelphia’s defense.

Like his mentor Belichick, Patricia spent the 2024 season away from coaching before taking a job in the college ranks. He will join the Buckeyes as they attempt to weather the loss of several starting defenders – including defensive linemen Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, and Tyleik Williams – and defend their national championship title.

Davante Adams Open To Packers Reunion?

February 12th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

As Matt LaFleur set out to annoy fantasy GMs with his wide receiver setup over the past two years, the Packers have seen some growth from their array of young talent. Jayden Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft have emerged as quality targets, with the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs showing flashes as regulars.

The Packers, however, have not featured a 900-yard receiver since the 2021 season. Their 2022 Davante Adams tag-and-trade move ended a run of Pro Bowl seasons at the position. Reed’s 857-yard 2024 represents the highwater mark over the past three years. The Packers have ranked 12th in passing yards in each of Jordan Love‘s two seasons, and Josh Jacobs recently suggested the team should pursue a true No. 1-level wide receiver this offseason.

Although Tee Higgins is expected to reach free agency, the bidding for the five-year Bengals target will run hot. As LaFleur also has pushed back against the idea his offense needs a defined WR1, Adams is likely to be available again. And he is believed to be open to a Packers reunion, according to Madison.com’s Jason Wilde.

This, of course, does not mean the Packers would automatically be interested in adding the off-and-on Aaron Rodgers weapon. They already cashed out via the 2022 Raiders swap, fetching first- and second-round picks. That said, Adams confirmed Green Bay offered a better deal compared to Las Vegas’ (five years, $140MM) in 2022. The Packers were unable to complete an extension with Adams ahead of his 2021 contract year, an All-Pro showing, and the Fresno State alum ended up preferring a reunion with Derek Carr over staying with the Packers. That would make an about-face involving Green Bay rather interesting, especially with Rodgers long gone.

Adams has also been tied to heading back to the west coast. It is not certain the Jets bail via release, as a third Adams trade could conceivably occur. It would likely take the Jets eating some salary to move on. As it stands, Gang Green will not pay Adams $35.64MM in 2025. If they move on via release, cap savings of $29.9MM would come the retooling team’s way. The Jets are also expected to cut Rodgers, representing a clean break after a two-year period in which the team centered around the aging QB.

Adams is now 32, but he showed in New York he remains capable of quality play. Though, Adams probably is not capable of production on the level of his previous Packers form any longer. That could dissuade a team from giving up assets to land his through-2026 contract. Considering the Packers’ stance on their receiver room, it would be borderline farfetched for Green Bay to dive back in — especially now that Love is already on a $55MM-per-year contract.

Breaking through in 2016, Adams has totaled at least 997 receiving yards in each of the past eight seasons. Six 1,000-yard campaigns are mixed into that run, as the former Green Bay second-rounder has made a Hall of Fame case. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions in 2020, and he boosted Rodgers to his fourth MVP a year later with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards. Rodgers’ attempts to convince Adams to stay in 2022 did not work out, though the duo reunited in New York two years later.

The Packers have run into a health issue at receiver as well, as Watson is likely to begin the 2025 late due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Watson and Doubs are going into contract years, with Reed and Dontayvion Wicks signed through 2026. It will be interesting to see if the Packers do add a notable receiver piece this offseason, even though Adams appears likelier to end up elsewhere.

Dolphins To Meet With Terron Armstead, Plan To Invest In O-Line

February 12th, 2025 at 9:59am CST by Sam Robinson

As Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury issues resurfaced, the Dolphins exited the 2024 season with major questions along their offensive line. Chief among them: Terron Armstead‘s future. After matching his career high with 15 games played, the veteran left tackle once again is undecided about sticking around.

Armstead has not determined if he will play a 13th NFL season, and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates the decorated left tackle will soon meet with Dolphins brass about his future. Armstead’s five-year, $75MM contract runs through the 2026 season, but the ex-Saints draftee has taken a year-to-year approach recently.

By this time in 2024, Armstead had not yet decided to play, and Grier said last April the Dolphins had to prepare as though last season would be the five-time Pro Bowler’s finale. It appears the team still wants to extend the partnership with the oft-injured tackle.

Pro Football Focus slotted Armstead as the No. 4 overall tackle last season, though ESPN’s win rate metrics did not place the veteran blocker in the top 10 in run blocking or in pass protection. Armstead, 33, is due a $13.3MM base salary this coming season. That money is nonguaranteed, but the two void years Miami inserted into this contract would result in an $18MM-plus dead money bill if Armstead retires this year.

Armstead retiring would open a spot for 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul at LT, but Miami has more questions along its interior O-line. The team did not re-sign Robert Hunt or Connor Williams in 2024, and while Aaron Brewer is tied to a three-year deal, the team has guards Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Isaiah Wynn due for free agency. Wynn experienced a setback during rehab from his 2024 quad injury, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and only played in three games (103 total snaps). As could be expected, the Dolphins will make moves to address their front soon.

“We had some players that were very confident in [O-line coach] Butch [Barry] and Mike [McDaniel],” Grier said, via Louis-Jacques. “Those guys, I thought, deserved some praise because of what they had done the year before. And they started out the year well and unfortunately, injuries got to us, we didn’t finish well … We’re going to have to invest in the offensive line now.”

Kendall Lamm is not expected back, and would-be swing tackle Kion Smith is also unsigned after suffering an ACL tear during the preseason. The Dolphins still have Austin Jackson tied to a $12MM-per-year accord that runs through 2026, with he and Brewer — PFF’s No. 8 center last season — providing some stability for the team.

As was the case last year, the Dolphins need to make moves to reach cap compliance before the start of the league year next month. OverTheCap projects Miami to be more than $11MM over the to-be-determined 2025 salary ceiling. A Trey Smith push appears unrealistic, and the money allocated at tackle, center, wide receiver and quarterback may require a measured approach at guard in free agency — before a likely draft investment at the position.

Saints Hire Kellen Moore As HC

February 11th, 2025 at 10:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Kellen Moore hire is moving forward. He is finalizing a deal to become the next head coach of the Saints, as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The agreement is now in place, per Rapoport.

Moore’s tenure as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator will wind up lasting only one year. The 35-year-old returned to Philadelphia after the team’s Super Bowl win (at the Superdome), but he will now fly back to New Orleans to sign a contract. This will mark Moore’s first head coaching opportunity at the college or NFL levels.

After his playing career came to an end, the former quarterback joined the Cowboys’ coaching staff. One season as Dallas’ QBs coach was followed by a four-year run as the team’s offensive coordinator. Moore’s success in that capacity helped his stock, although then-head coach Mike McCarthy elected to take over play-calling duties in the 2023 offseason. Moore found himself on the move for the first time in his brief coaching career as a result.

The Chargers brought Moore in as their OC for 2023, the only season in Justin Herbert‘s career in which he missed time due to injury. Overall, Los Angeles ranked just 18th in yards and 21st in scoring, and the arrival of new head coach Jim Harbaugh led to Moore changing teams once again. The Eagles – having replaced Shane Steichen with Brian Johnson at the offensive coordinator spot in 2023 – were again in the market for a hire at that position.

Moore helped lead the Eagles to a strong showing on the ground in particular, with the free agent signing of Saquon Barkley proving to be a sound offseason investment. Philadelphia’s passing attack was inconsistent during the campaign, but Moore’s unit was stellar in the postseason. The Eagles scored an NFL-record 145 playoff points en route to winning the Super Bowl, something which helped cement him as the favorite for the Saints’ HC position.

New Orleans was unable to attract serious interest from some of the top candidates in this year’s cycle, with Kliff Kingsbury withdrawing to remain with the Commanders. Aaron Glenn – who previously coached with the Saints – lined up a second interview, but his top choice on that front was the Jets and he ultimately landed the gig with New York. McCarthy was seen as a strong contender for a time, but once he elected to step away from coaching in 2025 Moore moved into pole position.

The latter has drawn head coaching interest in the past, and this deal is expected to come with a considerable raise compared to his Eagles earnings. Still, Moore will face a tall task in his new gig considering where the Saints find themselves. New Orleans has not managed to remain a Super Bowl contender in the wake of Drew Brees‘ retirement and Sean Payton‘s departure, and returning to that level will be challenging. Dennis Allen was promoted to head coach as Payton’s replacement, but he went 18-25 before being dismissed midway through the 2024 campaign.

Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi took over from Allen on an interim basis, and he interviewed for the position on a full-time basis. Rizzi’s fate – along with that of Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver – remained undetermined leading up to the Super Bowl with Moore looming as a potential hire. By rule, teams cannot make a head coaching hire with a staffer taking part in the Super Bowl until after the game is played. Now, in Rizzi’s case, a reunion with Payton on the Broncos’ staff can be expected.

The Saints have Derek Carr atop the quarterback depth chart for the time being, but on the whole his two-year New Orleans tenure has not gone according to plan. General manager Mickey Loomis made it clear the team’s head coaching hire would have a role in deciding how to proceed with Carr, 33. The four-time Pro Bowler is set to have his base salary guaranteed at the start of the new league year in March, and he is not prepared to take a pay cut. If New Orleans elected to move on, a trade market would likely exist.

Moore and Co. could prefer to keep Carr in the fold for 2025, but in either case adding cost-effective talent and managing yet another case of salary cap gymnastics will be needed this offseason. Still, expectations will be high from a big-picture perspective for Moore to guide the team through a transition back to efficiency on offense given his track record as a coordinator. He will look to move quickly in filling out his staff while the Eagles prepare to use a fourth different OC in as many years.

Philadelphia quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier could be a strong internal candidate to replace Moore, but he is seen as a leading option to join Moore in New Orleans. Brandon Staley – who worked alongside Moore during their time together with the Chargers – is also a staffer to watch closely over the coming days as a potential defensive coordinator hire. In any case, the final head coaching vacancy of the 2025 hiring cycle has been filled and the Saints aim to have found a long-term answer on the sidelines.

Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Glenn Had Multiple Meetings; Jets Also Likely To Separate From Davante Adams

February 11th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Mougey may soon be tied to the two largest single-player dead money hits in NFL history. Mougey worked with Sean Payton and George Paton as the Broncos signed off on an astonishing $83MM-plus in Russell Wilson dead cap, and he is now in charge of a Jets team prepared to move on from Aaron Rodgers. The expected release would come with a $49MM dead money charge, which figures to also be spread out into two offseasons via a post-June 1 designation.

If the Jets are to take that route, they must wait until March 12 to release Rodgers. The Jets communicated with their high-profile quarterback late last week, with SI.com’s Albert Breer reporting the team flew Rodgers in for that meeting. This was not the only time Rodgers and new Jets HC Aaron Glenn spoke this offseason, as ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indicates the two had multiple conversations since the hire.

[RELATED: Jets Aiming To Pair Rookie, Veteran QBs]

The Broncos had faced a deadline on Wilson’s 2025 salary becoming guaranteed had he not been released before the 2024 vesting date, whereas Rodgers’ 2025 salary is nonguaranteed right now. The Jets could also be prepared to cut the at once, with OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald pointing to the more likely scenario being Rodgers is released soon and thus not set to carry a post-June 1 designation. Rather than the Jets taking on $14MM in dead cap this year and $35MM in 2026, a standard release would tag them with the entire bill in 2025.

New regimes generally care less about dead money charges associated with previous staffs, but given the high turnover rate (especially in the coaching ranks) in the modern NFL, it would stand to reason Glenn would not want $49MM clogging the Jets’ 2025 salary cap. Despite Glenn having a high opinion of Rodgers’ abilities during the latter’s final Packers season and the two being amenable to working together with the Jets, the AFC East team has been widely expected to move on from a failed experiment for several weeks. The Sunday report offered some finality, and the timing of the official move will clear up the financial component.

Rodgers, 41, was open to reworking his deal yet again, SNY’s Connor Hughes offers. Rodgers took a significant pay cut in reworking his deal upon arriving in New York, and the polarizing QB did not insist on a new deal during his Packers standoff in 2021. (The Packers did give him one in 2022, designing the contract to help facilitate a 2023 trade.) Rodgers has earned more than $380MM in his career; fit figures to be his primary concern if he plays a 21st season.

It is not yet known if that will happen, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance that he does expect a 21st season to commence (video link). We asked readers in December where Rodgers would end up. Retirement won out, and the Raiders checked in as the top non-Jets option. While I suggested the Titans in a Trade Rumors Front Office piece, that came before Tennessee obtained the No. 1 overall pick. As of now, DraftKings has the Steelers as a slight favorite for Rodgers, with the Raiders and 49ers checking in at second and third here.

Rodgers has enjoyed a weekly spot on McAfee’s show for a while, frequently using the platform to levy various criticisms and make a number of interesting statements — many not pertaining to football. Had Rodgers been asked to stay with the Jets, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said during her Scoop City podcast (via Awful Announcing) Glenn and Mougey would have wanted him to ditch the McAfee segments and focus on football. This follows a Glenn introductory presser where he seemed to draw a line from a period where the Jets constantly catered to Rodgers, whose relationship with Woody Johnson also deteriorated during this span.

As fun as a Rodgers-Mike Tomlin pairing would be, Pittsburgh has been closely connected to re-signing either Wilson or Justin Fields; Fields may be the more likely candidate to be retained. Rodgers would be a passing upgrade on both, but pivoting from a 25-year-old Fields for a 41-year-old Rodgers would be an interesting route. Fields staying in Pittsburgh would place Wilson and Kirk Cousins as veterans competing with Rodgers for jobs, adding intrigue to a QB market that may or may not include Sam Darnold — depending on the Vikings’ franchise tag call. A robust Rodgers market may not be too likely, but teams figure to show interest.

If Rodgers is out in New York, it should come as no surprise that Davante Adams is likely gone too. The Jets will not keep Adams on his Raiders-designed contract, per Breer, who notes the All-Pro receiver is almost certainly to be jettisoned soon.

Adams is tied to no guaranteed money on his through-2026 deal, but a Jets October restructure added two void years to his deal. Still, cutting the 32-year-old wideout would create more than $29MM in cap space. The team has not been in contact with the Taco Bell pitchman, who has since been linked to west coast teams like the Rams, Chargers and 49ers.

The Rodgers-Adams pairing leaving town may be good news for the Jets’ hopes of appeasing Garrett Wilson, who was believed to be clashing with the QB and taking issue with his targets following the Adams trade. The Jets will pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option by the May deadline, putting him under contract through 2026. If/when Adams is out, the Jets will again need to address their No. 2 receiver post — a common issue for Gang Green in recent years.

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