2025 February - Pro Football Rumors

Month: March 2025

Commanders’ Martin Mayhew Retires; Marty Hurney’s Contract Expires

February 25th, 2025 at 12:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite both Martin Mayhew and Marty Hurney having been key Ron Rivera lieutenants in Washington, both stayed on following the HC’s 2024 firing. Mayhew and Hurney were part of the staff that assembled the franchise’s first NFC championship game entrant since 1991, but both are moving on.

Mayhew, who was part of that famed 1991 Washington team as a cornerback, has announced his retirement, GM Adam Peters confirmed Tuesday. The former Lions and Commanders GM, who will turn 60 later this year, has been an NFL exec since 1999. He was in place as a senior personnel executive in 2024.

In place as an advisor to the GM, Hurney is no longer with the team after his contract expired, ESPN.com’s John Keim tweets. This is not necessarily a firing, as Keim adds this was the expected path for Hurney, who twice served as Panthers GM before rejoining Rivera in Washington.

As for Mayhew, he arrived for his second GM role in 2021. Rivera had operated as coach/GM, effectively, in 2020 but brought in Mayhew for a Washington reunion. Mayhew played four seasons with Washington (1989-92), starting 48 games for the team and collecting a Super Bowl ring in the process. He signed with Tampa Bay during a 1993 offseason that introduced full-fledged free agency to the NFL. Mayhew wrapped his career after four Buccaneers seasons, transitioning to the personnel side not long after.

Serving under ex-teammate Matt Millen for eight years in Detroit, Mayhew succeeded him as GM and held the role for seven-plus years. The Lions fired Millen during their winless 2008 season, and Mayhew helped guide them out of the abyss. The team’s 2009 Matthew Stafford draft choice helped key playoff appearances in 2011 and ’14, with Mayhew’s Jim Caldwell hire also leading to a 2016 playoff cameo. Though, the Lions had fired Mayhew by then. Mayhew served as one of ex-Bucs teammate John Lynch‘s lieutenants in San Francisco, being part of the 2019 staff that turned the team from 4-12 to an NFC champion.

While Mayhew’s Washington GM tenure did not produce a steady contender, he will retire after spending 26 seasons as a personnel man. Hurney, 69, began in the personnel ranks near the outset of Mayhew’s cornerback career.

A former Bobby Beathard staffer in San Diego, Hurney worked his way up to Panthers GM by 2002. Hurney had worked in Carolina previously and was in place as GM when the Panthers booked their Super Bowl XXXVIII trip — a last-second loss to the Patriots. That GM stay lasted 11 years but ended after the 2012 season. Following their Dave Gettleman firing, the Panthers circled back to Hurney, whose second stint in the GM role ran from 2017-20.

Rivera hired Hurney as executive VP of player personnel in 2021. It is not known if Hurney is retiring for good, but he has spent more than 30 years as an NFL exec. The last of which came helping Peters, along with Mayhew, construct an unlikely Super Bowl contender.

As Peters builds his second Commanders team, the coaching staff will include Jesse Madden, who is the grandson of legendary coach/announcer John Madden. Jesse is certainly young in this profession, having recently graduated from Michigan. He was part of the Wolverines’ roster that won the national championship in 2023.

Packers’ Christian Watson Expected To Miss Time In 2025

February 25th, 2025 at 11:47am CST by Adam La Rose

Christian Watson suffered an ACL tear in Week 18, and as a result he was unavailable for the Packers’ wild-card game. His injury could keep Green Bay shorthanded at the receiver position into the start of next season.

“Obviously Christian is going to miss some time, probably, at the beginning, more than likely,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Tuesday (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “That’s going to create opportunities for some guys on the roster that I’m excited for. We’ll see how that shakes out.”

The receiver position was a talking point entering 2024 for the Packers as the team lacked a true No. 1 option. Watson has shown the potential to occupy that role when healthy, although he has missed time in each of his three NFL campaigns to date. Being without the former second-rounder for a period could prompt Green Bay to pursue an addition in the near future.

The likes of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Malik Heath and Dontayvion Wicks are all under contract as part of the Packers’ highly inexpensive receiver room. Green Bay will have the cap space to make a notable addition at the WR position (or others) during free agency, although Gutekunst may turn his attention to reserving funds for retaining in-house players over the coming years. Still, the veteran market could provide the opportunity for a short-term addition aimed at providing a temporary Watson replacement.

Davante Adams is expected to be released by the Jets, and a Packers reunion could be in play as a result. Adding the All-Pro would certainly mark a notable move as it pertains to the receiver depth chart and the pecking order in Green Bay’s passing attack. Failing that, a more modest addition could be on the Packers’ radar with Watson on track to miss time.

The North Dakota State product is a pending 2026 free agent, and his production will be key in determining his market value on a new Packers deal or one sending him to a new team. Watson’s 2025 debut will likely have to wait, however, something which will no doubt hurt his stock.

NFL Begins Justin Tucker Investigation

February 25th, 2025 at 10:34am CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 25: When speaking about Tucker’s situation at the Combine, general manager Eric DeCosta said the Ravens will wait until the league’s investigation has concluded before making a decision (h/t Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). DeCosta has spoken with Tucker as well as with the NFL (as noted by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). Until a final report from the league’s investigators is produced, Tucker will thus remain in the organization.

FEBRUARY 21: NFL investigators have begun interviewing women who have accused Justin Tucker of inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions, the Baltimore Banner’s Brenna Smith, Julie Scharper, Jonas Shaffer and Giana Han report.

A league investigation became known when the first report of alleged sexual misconduct against the Ravens kicker surfaced. After the latest round of accusers surfaced, it became a given the accomplished special-teamer would be under an NFL probe soon. It is not known how many accusers have met with the league thus far, but the Banner reports the investigation began this week and will continue with at least two more accuser meetings on tap in the next few weeks.

Sixteen women at eight spas and wellness centers have accused Tucker of sexual misconduct during sessions, with reports of the accusations coming out shortly after the Ravens’ season ended last month. Tucker has denied any wrongdoing. The women who have spoken with NFL investigators have done so after being made available by their lawyers, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports.

The initial report in January, also from the Banner, alleged that inappropriate conduct took place at four high-end Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers. Tucker was accused of “exposing his genitals,” touching two of the therapists with his erect penis, and leaving “what they believed to be ejaculate” on massages tables after three of the sessions. Two spas reportedly banned the seven-time Pro Bowler, while several of the therapists either ended sessions early or refused to work with him again.

A woman who is part of the second round of known Tucker accusers produced an internal report about her interaction with the kicker. The claims the massage therapists have lodged range from encounters beginning in 2012 up until 2016. While the lack of any criminal or civil lawsuits separate this Tucker matter from the Deshaun Watson situation earlier this decade, the increasing volume of accusers reminds of what became a career-defining issue for the former Pro Bowl quarterback.

Whereas Watson’s talent and positional value landed him another chance — via a historic trade with the Browns — Tucker is now 35 playing a position much lower on the NFL totem pole. He also struggled to match his All-Pro-level form in 2024. The news of alleged inappropriate behavior threatens the All-Decade kicker’s status with the Ravens and in the NFL, at this point.

Titans Have Received Calls On No. 1 Pick

February 25th, 2025 at 10:17am CST by Adam La Rose

With the Combine set to take place, conversations related to the draft will soon intensify with discussions about movement near the top of the board likely to pick up. In the case of the Titans, conversations on that front have already taken place.

New general manager Mike Borgonzi said on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport) Tennessee has received calls about the No. 1 pick. The possibility of a trade down the order is not new, of course; Borgonzi said not long after he was hired that selling off the top selection is something which will receive consideration. President of football operations Chad Brinker has control of the Titans’ 53-man roster, but it will be Borgonzi running the operation with respect to the draft.

Will Levis has not developed as hoped during his two years in the NFL, and competition for the starting spot will be added this offseason. That could include the Titans using their top pick on a signal-caller, but a decision on that front is complicated by the fact Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are not held in the same regard as the top passers from last year’s class. Borgonzi said he would not pass up the chance to add a “generational talent” through the draft, a presumed reference to two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter. When speaking on Tuesday, the former Chiefs exec said he feels a shortlist of prospects meet the “generational” standard, so only a small move down the order could be in store if an agreement were to be made.

To no surprise, Borgonzi made it clear (via TitansInsider’s Terry McCormick) the Titans are prepared to take a quarterback first overall; as Davenport notes, Tennessee’s free agent approach at the position will not – at least publicly – affect the team’s plan for the draft. For now, attention will remain aimed at the willingness of other top-10 teams to move up in a draft class which is believed to be lacking in star power. The Browns are set to select second overall, but they too could be interested in moving down the order.

The demand for franchise quarterbacks is on track to outweigh the supply, meaning the draft could see multiple teams in need of an aggressive approach. The Raiders will be a team to watch on that front, meaning they could be a potential trade partner for the top selection. Things can and will change over the coming weeks, but for now there is an expectation around the league Tennessee will ultimately opt to move down the board.

The QB landscape will take shape as free agency unfolds, and the direction the Titans take on that front will no doubt impact the nature of trade discussions for the No. 1 pick. It will be interesting to see if serious conversations pick up as the draft draws nearer.

Steelers Have Been In Contact With Russell Wilson, Justin Fields

February 25th, 2025 at 9:13am CST by Adam La Rose

As free agency approaches, the Steelers have yet to sort out their quarterback situation. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, general manager Omar Khan said finding clarity under center is the team’s top priority.

Khan noted (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) nothing has been ruled out at this point with respect to how the team will proceed at the quarterback position. A new deal for one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields – but almost certainly not both – can be expected. During his remarks at the Combine, Khan added to no surprise that the team has been in contact with both of its 2024 passers.

The Steelers’ goal remains to have a new deal in place with Wilson or Fields before free agency begins in mid-March. Khan noted (via Pryor) that he feels both signal-callers have a desire to remain in Pittsburgh (something which would entail handling starting duties for 2025). Wilson has made it clear on multiple occasions that his preference would be a re-up with the Steelers, and that is his focus with interest from other suitors a possibility on the open market.

Wilson took over top spot on the depth chart once healthy midway through the season, but his play took a downward turn as Pittsburgh finished the year on a combined five-game losing streak (between the regular and postseason). Fields had support in the Steelers’ building on that back of his 4-2 start to the season, and he is still viewed by some in the organization as the preferred option to retain. Fields is nearing his 26th birthday, whereas Wilson will turn 37 midway through the 2025 campaign.

Age will no doubt be a factor which Khan and Co. consider as they weigh their options. Time remains for a deal to be worked out on the Wilson or Fields fronts, and assurances of the QB1 gig will be key for both passers. If the rest of the Steelers’ offseason plans hinge on finding an in-house quarterback solution, traction at the negotiating table will need to be generated relatively soon.

Commanders Grant Jonathan Allen Permission To Seek Trade

February 25th, 2025 at 8:10am CST by Adam La Rose

Jonathan Allen‘s future in the nation’s capital is increasingly uncertain. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle has been granted permission to seek a trade by the Commanders, as first reported by CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

Allen has spent his entire eight-year career with Washington, serving as a mainstay along the defensive front during that span. The 30-year-old has only one year remaining on his contract, however, and none of his base salary ($15.5MM) is guaranteed. Set to carry a 2025 cap charge of $21.44MM as things stand, Allen is a candidate to be released in the near future.

As a result, it comes as little surprise he and his camp have received permission to find a trade partner. As Jones notes, teams have contacted the Commanders in recent days about Allen. Talks on that front will no doubt intensify at the Combine. Cutting or trading the former first-rounder would yield $16.47MM in savings for the team while generating a dead money charge of $6MM.

Allen was limited to five games during his rookie season, but after that he had a run of durability which ended in 2024. The Alabama product suffered a pectoral tear which appeared at first to be season-ending. Allen managed to return in time for the end of the campaign as well as all three of Washington’s playoff games, but the team is set to move on at this point. Daron Payne remains attached to the four-year, $90MM extension he signed upon receiving the franchise tag in 2023, while 2024 second-round pick Johnny Newton is in place as a candidate to replace Allen (a 108-game starter with 42 sacks to his name) in the starting lineup.

After showcasing his potential on his rookie contract, Allen landed an extension averaging $18MM per year in 2021. His Pro Bowl nods came in back-to-back campaigns upon signing that deal, something which pointed to a long-term run in Washington. Now, his time with the franchise is nearing an end. With the option of signing Allen after a release still a distinct possibility, it will be interesting to see if any of the interested parties are willing to part with draft capital to work out a trade agreement.

Matthew Stafford Seeking $50MM Per Year; Multiple Teams Showing Trade Interest

February 24th, 2025 at 11:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The future of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford continues to dominate the news cycle as the new league year approaches. The Super Bowl winner will manage to secure a new pact ahead of the 2025 season, but whether or not it comes from Los Angeles remains to be seen.

One of the many recent developments in this situation indicated Stafford is seeking a raise from what he is currently set to collect. As a result of last offseason’s stopgap financial compromise between team and player, the two-time Pro Bowler is owed $32MM as things stand (without much of it being guaranteed). With respect to how much of a pay bump Stafford is seeking, further clarity has emerged.

The 37-year-old is looking to join the signal-callers earning $50MM per year or more, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager reports (video link). That list currently sits at nine, and each of the players on it are younger than Stafford; only Dak Prescott and Jared Goff are QBs over the age of 30 who find themselves in the upper echelon of compensation. On the other hand, Jalen Hurts is the only $50MM-per-year passer whose resume includes a Super Bowl title.

In the wake of the Rams’ victory in Super Bowl LVI, Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Aaron Donald received new contracts cementing their status as the team’s core moving forward. The latter retired after the 2023 season, while Kupp is known to be on the trade block (and in danger of being released if no suitor is found). Moving on from Stafford would allow for the Rams to reset under center and complete the transition to a much younger – and much less expensive – nucleus.

Stafford and his camp have permission to gauge the trade market, and the upcoming Combine will no doubt result in all parties learning more about how much (in terms of draft capital and finances) teams are willing to pay. Any number of suitors could emerge given Stafford’s potential to serve as a short-term quarterback upgrade, and some teams are known to have made contact so far. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the Giants, Browns, Steelers and Raiders are among those which have expressed interest.

The Giants are known to be in the market for a veteran passer as well as a long-term solution brought about via the draft. A deal for Stafford would meet the first of those goals, and if healthy he could prove to be a worthwhile addition over a short period. New York owns the No. 3 pick in April’s draft, capital the team will not be willing to part with. Whether or not the Rams can work out a trade built around second- (rather than first-)round compensation will be key in determining if a deal can be finalized.

The Browns are set to be without Deshaun Watson for most or potentially all of 2025, and another restructure to his pact will help create the space needed for an inexpensive veteran addition. Provided he is released by the Falcons, Kirk Cousins will be a name to watch on that front based on his history with Kevin Stefanski and the offset language in his contract. Stafford, by contrast, would be a far more expensive target.

At least one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will likely be retained by Pittsburgh this offseason, and a mutual interest exists for a new deal in both cases. A commitment from the Steelers to operate as the clear-cut starter will be an obvious sticking point whichever way the team goes, though, and adding Stafford via trade would leave Wilson and Fields on the move this spring. Pittsburgh would be better placed financially than New York or Cleveland to absorb a raise, but the same holds true of other teams as well.

One of those is the Raiders. Vegas entered Monday with the second-most spending power in the NFL, and quarterback is a clear area of need. As a result, it came as no surprise when a report from yesterday noted the Raiders could be a Stafford suitor. New general manager John Spytek would no doubt avoid trading away the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, so another package or one centered on a 2026 Day 1 selection (a possibility Breer mentions) would be required for talks to yield progress.

Schrager adds no animosity exists between Stafford and Rams head coach Sean McVay, and the door is open to another Rams restructure ending speculation on this front. Still, given the extent to which a trade is receiving consideration, a reconciliation between the parties would be at least somewhat awkward at this point. Los Angeles will look for a long-term successor under center in the near future regardless, but it remains uncertain if that will be necessary in 2025.

Raiders Contender To Trade Up For Cam Ward

February 24th, 2025 at 11:16pm CST by Ben Levine

While a recent report indicated that the Raiders were focused on Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado QB may not truly be the organization’s top choice at the position. According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, there’s a general belief around the NFL that the Raiders are a prime contender to move up in the draft in pursuit of Miami QB Cam Ward.

This year’s top tier of quarterback prospects only consists of Ward and Sanders. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Miami product has separated himself as QB1. In other words, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the QB-needy Raiders would pursue the top positional prospect.

It is noteworthy that they’d be willing to give up the prerequisite trade haul vs. just settling with Sanders. For what it’s worth, Pauline says there are plenty of league sources who believe the Raiders will just take Sanders at No. 6 if they can’t work out a trade for Ward. Still, it sounds like the front office has a preference, and it seems to match the general sentiment from around the NFL.

According to Pauline, some scouts are discouraged by Sanders’ lack of development in 2024, and the QB could require “a lot of coaching” to refine his throwing fundamentals. If push comes to shove, it sounds like the Raiders are at least willing to tolerate those growing pains, especially since Tom Brady has “a great amount of respect for Sanders’ focus on preparation, his ability to learn and adapt, his accuracy and determination in the pocket, and his toughness to take hits and still be resilient.”

The Raiders were positioned to land the first-overall pick in the draft before winning two of their final three games, dropping the organization to the sixth-overall selection. Despite the fact they won’t have their pick of the litter, it sounds like the Raiders can still walk away with one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects.

Cowboys Expect Trey Lance To Depart, Plan To Draft QB

February 24th, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

With Dak Prescott on the books for the foreseeable future, the top of the Cowboys’ quarterback depth chart is set. Dallas may well have a new backup in place for 2025, though.

Trey Lance is a pending free agent with his rookie contract set to expire. The former No. 3 pick’s brief time with the 49ers ended via trade in 2023, with the Cowboys acquiring him for a fourth-round selection. Lance did not not see any playing time during his first Dallas campaign, though, and this past season he made only one start despite Dak Prescott‘s missed time.

“We took a shot a Trey and wanted to do that,” COO Stephen Jones said on Monday (via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News). “We think the world of Trey. But us having Dak signed up for the long-term, I think he’s probably going to be looking for something different.”

Indeed, it would come as no surprise if Lance were to head elsewhere on the open market. The 24-year-old is unlikely to draw much in the way of free agent interest having only made 12 regular season appearances and five starts to date, but a team could allow him the opportunity to compete for a backup gig in the summer. The QB2 role has belonged to Cooper Rush for much of his Cowboys tenure, but he too is set to see his contract expire in March.

Jones spoke positively about Rush, 31, when asked about his situation. The former UDFA has made 13 starts across the 2022 and ’24 campaigns when Prescott has been sidelined through injury. Rush’s last contract (two years, $5MM) was the most lucrative one of his career, but Jones noted he could receive a raise by means of a free agent departure. Especially if that takes place, the Cowboys can be expected to draft Prescott’s next backup (something Moore notes new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Steve Shimko support).

“You know, I think one of our goals is to get a young quarterback in the draft,” Jones said. “I don’t know where that’s going to be. It seems like all the quarterbacks, even guys we have in the fourth round, go in the first. They always go so much higher than what you think.”

The Cowboys are currently projected to have 10 picks in April’s draft, including four in a stretch from Nos. 150-174. That range could give the team the opportunity to add an inexpensive backup while Dallas manages the cap implications of Prescott’s historic 2024 extension.

Browns Willing To Hear Offers For No. 2 Pick?

February 24th, 2025 at 9:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Titans have made it clear that they’re willing to move back from the No. 1 pick, but there could be a better chance that the No. 2 pick is ultimately moved. According to Josina Anderson of Bovada, the Browns are “most willing to listen” to offers among teams in the top-six of the draft.

Armed with the second-overall pick, the Browns are a clear suitor for a rookie quarterback. Unfortunately, this year’s draft doesn’t feature a blue-chip signal caller, and there’s a chance Cleveland could move back from No. 2 and still land one of the top positional prospects like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Of course, that would still require the Browns to hang around the top of the draft board, but the team may be tempted by a trade offer that pulls them out of that range.

Browns GM Andrew Berry may have already hinted that the organization was pivoting away from Ward or Sanders. Berry has opined that he can find a long-term starter in this year’s much-maligned crop of collegiate QBs, even beyond the top duo. If the organization is committed to spending their top selection on a QB, they could pick up some extra assets along the way vs. just reaching for a prospect with the No. 2 pick. Of course, the organization could also select Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick and figure out QB later.

Even if the Browns are willing to trade their top pick, they’d still have to find a willing trade partner. While the No. 2 pick would still assure a team a blue-chip prospect in Carter or Hunter, there’s a belief that this year’s lackluster draft quality could impact trades atop the depth board. As ESPN’s Matt Miller writes, we may see fewer trades in the top-10 and more towards the end of the first round or beginning of the second round due to a “a lack of league-wide consensus regarding the top players.”

There is some elevated pressure for the Browns to get this pick right. The team sacrificed a good portion of their future in the regrettable Deshaun Watson trade. As a result, the organization is positioned to pick in the opening round for the first time since 2021. If the Browns have any hopes of returning to relevancy, it’ll likely start with how the team handles the second-overall selection.

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