HEADLINES

Transactions News & Rumors

Jaguars Exercise DE Travon Walker’s Fifth-Year Option

April 7th, 2025 at 9:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft will remain in place for at least two more years. The Jaguars announced on Monday that defensive end Travon Walker‘s fifth-year option has been exercised.

As a result of today’s decision, Walker will remain under team control through 2026. The Georgia product qualifies for the playtime (or second-highest) tier regarding fifth-year options, meaning he is now in line to collect $14.75MM during the ’26 campaign. With that said, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes an expectation exists a long-term extension will ultimately be worked out in this case.

Over the course of his college career, Walker flashed considerable potential but managed only 9.5 sacks across three seasons. That stood in contrast to the production of Aidan Hutchinson, viewed in advance of the ’22 draft as more of a known commodity and thus a prospect with a higher floor. Jacksonville gambled on Walker’s athletic upside, though, while Hutchinson wound up being selected second overall by the Lions.

Walker operated as a full-time starter during his rookie campaign, one in which he managed 3.5 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures. Since then, the 24-year-old has taken a step forward in terms of production. Walker posted 10 sacks in 2023, and added another 10.5 to his career total last season. Over the past two seasons, his 59 pressures and 23 tackles for loss illustrate his disruptiveness at the NFL level. Continued growth can be expected, and if that proves to take place Jacksonville will have a strong tandem along the edge.

The Jags made Josh Hines-Allen one of several core players who received an extension last offseason. The former first-rounder is attached a $28.25MM-per-year deal which runs through 2028. If a long-term investment is to be made in Walker, Jacksonville will have one of the league’s most expensive pass-rush groups. Especially with quarterback Trevor Lawrence attached to one of the NFL’s most lucrative deals at that position, Walker’s situation will be key in determining the team’s financial outlook for several years.

The edge rush market has already seen both Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett secure record-breaking deals from their respective teams. The likes of Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, T.J. Watt and Hutchinson are eligible for new contracts this offseason. As a result, the top of the pecking order could move past the $40MM AAV mark it currently stands at. Walker will not approach that figure on a second Jaguars accord, but he could certainly stand to benefit from the upward movement of the market.

Jacksonville has a new coaching and front office staff in place from the end of last year. Liam Coen and James Gladstone will be tasked with helping the team rebound from 2024’s disappointing performance, and Walker will play a role in that effort now and (quite likely) for several years to come.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/25

April 7th, 2025 at 7:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

Panthers Sign Former College Basketball Player Colin Granger

April 7th, 2025 at 5:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers are turning to the hardwood for some help at tight end. The team announced today that they’ve signed former Division I college basketball player Colin Granger as a TE.

Granger spent five seasons playing basketball at Ohio, Western Carolina and Coastal Carolina, where he totaled 414 points and 322 rebounds. As ESPN’s David Newton notes, Granger was eligible to sign with any team since he’s five years removed from high school.

Granger hasn’t played football since the eighth grade, but he has the size to compete at the tight end spot. The rookie is listed at 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, and he’s instantly the tallest player on the Panthers roster. Considering his size, it shouldn’t be a surprise that plenty of teams considered adding Granger as a prospect.

According to Tony Pauline of Sportkeeda.com, there was “legitimate interest in his talents,” and six teams attended Granger’s Pro Day last Friday. In addition to the Panthers (who actually hosted Granger on an official-3o visit), the attendees included the Falcons, Texans, Eagles, Seahawks, and Vikings, per Pauline.

Ultimately, the Panthers’ efforts worked out, and Granger will now join a growing list of former basketball players who are hoping to follow the successful paths laid out by Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, and Jimmy Graham. As Newton points out, Panthers head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan had success with a previous project when George Fant made the Seahawks as a tackle/tight end. According to Newton, Fant has worked with Granger and informed the Panthers leadership of his ability.

The Panthers have plenty of depth at tight end, but the team will presumably consider all of their options as they look to squeeze any production out of the position. The team’s current grouping includes the likes of Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews, James Mitchell, and Dominique Dafney.

Steelers Re-Sign T Calvin Anderson

April 7th, 2025 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Calvin Anderson debuted with the Steelers in 2024, and he will remain in the fold moving forward. The veteran offensive tackle re-signed with Pittsburgh on a two-year deal Monday, per a team announcement.

Anderson began his career with the Broncos, spending three seasons in Denver. During that stretch, he made 41 appearances and 12 starts. The former undrafted free agent was with the Patriots in 2023, though he was limited to just five games played. As a result, it came as little surprise a lengthy wait in free agency ensued last offseason.

Anderson remained on the open market past the start of the 2025 campaign. After the Steelers saw first-round rookie Troy Fautanu go down with a knee injury (one which led to an IR stint and limited him to just one game), though, depth was needed. That led to an Anderson agreement being worked out in September, and the 29-year-old played in four games shortly upon arrival.

Anderson was placed on injured reserve not long after, however, and he remained unavailable for the rest of the regular season. The Rice and Texas product was activated in time for the playoffs, and he played in the Steelers’ wild-card loss. None of his five total appearances included starting duties, but Anderson clearly made a strong enough impression with Pittsburgh’s staff to remain in place for 2025 and ’26.

The offensive tackle position has been a point of emphasis for the Steelers in recent years. The team used a first-round pick on Broderick Jones in 2023, then added Fautanu during Day 1 last spring. Especially with veteran Dan Moore Jr. no longer in the picture (after he took a lucrative Titans deal in free agency), Jones is in position to move from right to left tackle next season. That will leave Fautanu to occupy the RT spot in the starting lineup, but Anderson will be an option to fill in if required.

Falcons Re-Sign CB Dee Alford

April 7th, 2025 at 2:24pm CST by Adam La Rose

Dee Alford did not receive an RFA tender from the Falcons this offseason. That decision left the former undrafted free agent in line to join a new team, but instead he will remain in Atlanta for 2025.

[RELATED: Falcons Likely To Prioritize Defensive Draft Additions]

The team announced on Monday that Alford has been re-signed. He has spent the past three years with Atlanta, taking on a larger defensive workload with each passing campaign. In 2024, Alford handled a snap share of 69%, a factor which made it somewhat surprising he was non-tendered. The least expensive RFA tender checked in at $3.26MM this offseason, so this pact will likely carry a price tag lower than that figure.

Alford made five starts in 2023 and another 11 this past campaign, operating almost entirely in the slot during that time. The 27-year-old set a new career high with 11 pass breakups in 2024, and his 83 tackles were by the most in his NFL tenure. Alford surrendered eight touchdowns in coverage as the nearest defender, however, and his PFF evaluation for 2024 was worse than that of the previous two campaigns.

As a result, a first-team spot is not assured entering training camp. Atlanta has 2023 fourth-rounder Clark Phillips in place as a candidate to handle starting duties on the inside. His playing time dropped last season compared to his rookie campaign, but a rebound could take place depending on how the summer unfolds. Alford has previously seen return duties, but aside from that he does not have a track record of special teams experience.

The Falcons already have A.J. Terrell on the books as their top perimeter corner, and they re-signed Mike Hughes on a three-year deal last month. Those two will continue to see time as boundary cover men, while Alford could once again find himself occupying a notable role in the slot.

Raiders To Cut CB Jack Jones

April 6th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Rory Parks

Jack Jones started more games at cornerback than any other Raider last season, but he will not be back with Las Vegas in 2025. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Las Vegas is cutting Jones, which follows a report from Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal indicating the club was first attempting to trade him. Bonsignore said the Raiders would cut Jones if they could not find a trade partner by tomorrow, and it appears no suitor emerged.

A fourth-round pick of the Patriots in 2022, Jones entered the league with a history of disciplinary issues dating back to his time at college. However, he delivered a promising rookie season, logging a 54% snap share and recording a pair of interceptions, six passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He also allowed a modest completion percentage of 54% as the nearest defender in coverage.

A July 2023 arrest for trying to bring a loaded gun onto a plane foreshadowed a difficult 2023 slate for Jones. Although the criminal charges were later dropped as part of an agreement with prosecutors, Jones started that season on IR due to a hamstring injury, and he fell out of favor with then-HC Bill Belichick halfway through the campaign (thanks in part to a missed curfew). He was subsequently waived and attracted interest from at least two teams on the waiver wire.

Las Vegas had the highest waiver priority among the Jones claimants, so the team was able to reunite the player with then-head coach Antonio Pierce, who also coached Jones in high school at Long Beach Poly High and then in college at Arizona State. Jones played well in a seven-game audition with the Raiders to close out the 2023 season, and he won a starting job last summer.

In his first season as a full-time starter (16 starts, 94% snap share), Jones struggled. In the estimation of Pro Football Focus, he finished as the 102nd-best corner out of 116 qualified players, and he yielded a 62.8% completion percentage and 98.5 QB rating as the nearest defender. Plus, with Pierce having received his walking papers this offseason, there were no personal ties that might have allowed Jones to stick around.

After the impending Jones departure, Jakorian Bennett, Decamerion Richardson, and free agent addition Eric Stokes comprise the top of the Raiders’ CB depth chart. Of course, the club could look to bolster that group in the draft.

Because Jones’ $3.4MM salary for 2025 is not guaranteed, his departure will result in the full amount of that salary being credited back to Las Vegas’ cap.

Dolphins LT Terron Armstead To Retire

April 5th, 2025 at 10:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins will indeed be without Terron Armstead for 2025 and beyond. The veteran left tackle is retiring, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Armstead’s playing future has been in question this offseason, with many indications pointing to him hanging up his cleats. Miami entered free agency with the presumption that would be the case, and today’s update confirms the team will need to make other plans on the blindside. Armstead’s NFL career will end after 12 seasons.

The most recent comments on the subject from Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted the Dolphins were unaware of Armstead’s intentions. This development will not come as a surprise, though, and with plenty of time remaining before the draft Miami will be able to look even more closely into left tackle prospects. Whichever option – in-house or otherwise – takes on a starting gig, replacing Armstead will prove to be a challenge.

The 33-year-old managed to play 15 games in 2024, but as usual he dealt with a number of ailments along the way. Injuries were a constant issue for Armstead, whose three-year Dolphins tenure was preceded by a strong run with the Saints. When at (or even near) full strength, he was among the top left tackles in the league, as illustrated by his five Pro Bowl nods. Rather than trying to manage nagging ailments once again in 2025, though, Armstead will turn his attention to his post-playing days.

One non-void year remains on the former third-rounder’s contract, one which included a pay cut last offseason. Armstead was reported in February to be prepared to once again reduce his base pay, a helpful move given the Dolphins’ cap constraints. None of his base salary (set to check in at the veteran minimum) was locked in as of the 2024 restructure.

In spite of that, Armstead’s pro career proved to be quite lucrative. Starting all but four games (during his rookie year) across his Saints tenure, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff product secured $13MM per season on a five-year New Orleans extension in 2016. While playing out that deal, Armstead remained a consistent performer in terms of PFF evaluation, earning a stellar 90.4 grade in 2018. At no point was he able to log a full season, however, something which informed his free agent departure.

Miami added Armstead on a five-year, $75MM pact in 2022. Expectations were high as a result, and he delivered strong performances when on the field; this past campaign, Armstead registered the fourth-highest PFF grade amongst offensive tackles. Miami will be hard-pressed to enjoy that level of play with a replacement (likely Patrick Paul) next year, but a run of durability will nevertheless be welcomed.

Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Paul made three starts and logged a 30% snap share. The Houston product could be in line for a much heavier workload in 2025, although Miami could look to this month’s draft to add a starting-caliber option early on. By this point in free agency, few veterans capable of stepping into a first-team role remain on the market.

Overall, Armstead will hang up his cleats after playing 146 combined regular and postseason games. He accumulated roughly $115MM in career earnings.

Chargers To Sign QB Trey Lance

April 4th, 2025 at 10:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Lance will receive another chance in the NFL. The former No. 3 overall pick is signing with the Chargers, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

This will give the former North Dakota State star an opportunity to become Justin Herbert‘s backup, though Taylor Heinicke also re-signed last month. Lance will join the Bolts on a one-year deal worth up to $6.2MM. This now takes all four of the 2021 first-round QBs who hit free agency off the board, as Justin Fields (Jets), Zach Wilson (Dolphins) and Mac Jones (49ers) had found homes already.

Talk of a potential Cowboys-Lance reunion did commence, but the team made other plans post-Cooper Rush. Dallas let the 2023 trade acquisition hit free agency and has since traded for Joe Milton. Lance came up as a Colts option, but Indy paid up for Daniel Jones on a one-year deal to push Anthony Richardson.

Lance’s career arc has doubled as one of the strangest in modern QB history. His breakthrough college season occurred back in 2019 — a stupendous 28-touchdown, zero-interception slate that brought another Bison Division I-FCS title — but the COVID-19 pandemic nixed the FCS 2020 fall slate. Lance declared for the 2021 draft and commanded considerable interest, leading to a 49ers misstep. Amazingly, San Francisco did not lose much ground thanks to the Lance trade-up — a move that cost two first-round picks and a third — but the dual-threat QB’s fall in San Francisco was certainly a notable development for one of the 2020s’ top teams.

Lance is still just 24, and even after seeing some time following Dak Prescott‘s 2024 hamstring injury, he has thrown just 143 passes in four seasons. Considering how light his college workload was, Lance has simply not seen much action since a dominant season at just 19. The 49ers gave Lance their Week 1 starting job in 2022 but did so after regrouping with Jimmy Garoppolo — a player who spent months on the trade block as Lance readied for stater work. Lance’s ankle fracture in Week 2 of that season moved Garoppolo back into action, and after Brock Purdy‘s stunning emergence, Sam Darnold beat out Lance for San Francisco’s QB2 job in 2023, leading to the Dallas trade.

It is notable that Mike McCarthy did not turn to Lance following Prescott’s injury, instead going with a known commodity (Rush) for most of the season’s second half. Lance started just one game last season, a Week 18 encounter against Washington. Facing a playoff-bound Commanders team, Lance completed 20 of 34 passes for 244 yards. This did involve a fourth-quarter go-ahead drive against a Washington team playing defensive starters (and the Cowboys resting CeeDee Lamb), but Lance had thrown just seven 2024 passes prior to that game.

It appears Lance will have another chance to win a backup gig, one Heinicke (32) held after the Bolts were not satisfied with Easton Stick‘s work during the summer. Heinicke re-signed on a one-year, $2.5MM deal, so it will be interesting to learn the base value of Lance’s pact.

Lance brings upside still, but his ceiling has certainly caved in after underwhelming rookie-contract work. Lance, who rushed for 1,100 yards and 14 TDs during his redshirt-freshman performance, already made $34.1MM on his rookie deal. Jim Harbaugh and Co. will now take a look at the depressed asset on what amounts to a flier.

Julio Jones Announces Retirement

April 4th, 2025 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Julio Jones bounced around the NFL during the 2020s, but the former Falcons first-rounder authored one of the most productive careers in the history of the wide receiver position. After not playing in 2024, Jones is retiring.

The 13-year veteran confirmed his NFL exit Friday via social media. Rivaling Hall of Fame defensive end Claude Humphrey and perhaps Matt Ryan as the greatest players in Falcons history, Jones retires after earning All-Decade honors for the 2010s. His prolific stretch from 2014-19 remains unmatched at the position in terms of receiving yardage.

A five-time All-Pro with two first-team honors (2015, 2016), Jones rivaled Antonio Brown as the top receiver of the 2010s. From 2014-19, the all-around great accumulated 9,388 receiving yards. That is the most during a six-season stretch in NFL history. While hamstring injuries slowed Jones in the early 2020s, he finished his career with 914 receptions for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns. Jones’ yardage total ranks 16th in NFL annals.

It took a blockbuster trade package for the Falcons to obtain Jones in the first place. Then-Atlanta GM Thomas Dimitroff sent Nos. 26, 59 and 124, along with 2012 first- and fourth-rounders, to Cleveland for No. 6. The Browns did not make out well in that trade, but the Falcons gave Roddy White a wingman who eventually became their aerial ace. Jones played a lead role for a Falcons team that booked the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2012 and was even better two years later, when the franchise assembled one of the greatest offenses in NFL history.

Kyle Shanahan‘s second season as OC produced 33.8 points per game; that remains tied for eighth in the Super Bowl era. After a career-best 1,871 yards in 2015, Jones posted 1,409 in just 14 games to rocket the ’16 Falcons to the NFC’s No. 2 seed. Along with MVP Ryan, Jones powered that squad to Super Bowl LI with a 180-yard, two-TD showing in an NFC championship game romp over the Packers. Jones added 87 yards in the Super Bowl, including a marvelous sideline reception, but that game is obviously better known for the Falcons’ 25-point collapse.

During Atlanta’s dominant 2016 offensive run, the 6-foot-3 dynamo delivered a 300-yard receiving game against the Panthers. This came two years after he scorched a playoff-bound Packers team for 259. He added a 253-yard outing against the Buccaneers in 2017.

Jones again led the NFL in receiving in 2018, with 1,677 yards, and reset the market at his position just before the ’19 season. Lengthy extension talks produced a three-year, $66MM deal (which came with $64MM guaranteed), making Jones the first $20MM-AAV receiver. He was unable to play out that contract — his second lucrative re-up — after suffering hamstring injuries in 2020 and ’21. The Falcons traded Jones to the Titans for a second-round pick in 2021, soon seeing Calvin Ridley leave the team due to mental health reasons, and dealt Ryan a year later. Jones contributed to Tennessee’s No. 1 seed that year but only totaled 434 yards in 10 games. The Titans designated him a post-June 1 cut in 2022.

Venturing to Tampa in 2022 and Philly in ’23, Jones was unable to show much of his pre-injuries form. He combined for just 373 yards over his final two seasons, and no team signed him last year. That said, Jones will earn Canton induction; by not playing in 2024, he will be eligible for the 2029 class.

Over the course of his career, the Alabama alum earned $147.3MM. Much of this came on his first extension, a five-year, $71.25MM deal agreed to just before the 2015 season. The Falcons employed a White-Jones-Tony Gonzalez aerial armada from 2011-13, but Jones was alone as the team’s receiving anchor by 2016. White’s 63 receiving TDs still rank first in franchise history, but Jones surpassed his former mentor in receptions and yardage with Atlanta.

Load More Posts