Transactions News & Rumors

Packers, LB Isaiah McDuffie Agree To Deal

Isaiah McDuffie was on track to hit the open market, but that will no longer be the case. Packers have a new deal in place with one of their starting linebackers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This will be a two-year deal with a base value of $8MM, Fowler adds. The pact has an upside of $9.5MM. McDuffie’s rookie contract was set to expire at the start of free agency, but he has now secured a raise and ensured that he will remain a key figure on Green Bay’s defense moving forward.

McDuffie joined the Packers as a sixth-round pick in 2021, and over the course of his first two years with the team he primarily handled special teams duties. He then saw his defensive snap share rise to 48% and logged eight starts, a trend which continued this past campaign. The 25-year-old handled first-team duties every game in 2024, and his 699 defensive snaps were by far the most of his career. McDuffie registered 97 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble and he will be counted on to remain a notable contributor next season.

That production came during Jeff Haffley‘s first season as the Packers’ defensive coordinator. Haffley coached McDuffie at Boston College, and the pair will now continue working together as a result of this new pact. If McDuffie’s production can remain consistent, he will provide the team with a cost-effective starter (although his work in coverage could stand to improve moving forward).

Green Bay’s linebacker setup also includes Quay Walker, who is unlikely to have his 2026 fifth-year option picked up. Walker has previously faced an uncertain future, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has indicated a long-term deal could very well be in the works. The Packers could ensure continuity at the second level by working out a Walker pact (and continuing to increase Edgerrin Cooper‘s role, of course) now that McDuffie is set to remain in place.

Bengals Release G Alex Cappa

After three seasons with the Bengals, Alex Cappa‘s time with the organization has come to an end. The veteran guard was released on Monday, per a team announcement.

Cappa was added in 2022, the offseason in which Cincinnati aimed to rebuild much of its offensive line in very short order. He played out his rookie contract with the Buccaneers, spending three seasons as a full-time starter. That helped Cappa land a four-year, $35MM free agent pact with the Bengals.

No guaranteed salary remains on that deal for the 2025 campaign, however, a factor which made the 30-year-old a release candidate. This move thus comes as little surprise as a cost-cutting measure. The Bengals will generate $8MM in cap space with this release while incurring a dead money charge of $2.25MM.

Cappa handled starting right guard duties during his Bengals tenure, and he only missed one regular season game along the way. After producing a PFF evaluation roughly in line with his Buccaneers seasons, though, the former third-rounder saw his grade plummet to 50.5. That represents by far the worst mark of his career as a starter. In addition to gaining additional financial flexibility, the Bengals’ decision to move on will be aimed at finding an upgrade along the interior.

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. noted before the Combine both guard spots could be targets for the Bengals during this year’s draft (subscription required). With Cappa now out of the picture and Cody Ford a pending free agent, attention will increasingly turn to Cordell Volson. The 2022 fourth-round has started 48 of his 50 appearances to date, but as he approaches the final year of his rookie pact Cincinnati could look to find a replacement this offseason.

With the team’s latest cost-shedding move having been made, the Bengals now find themselves with nearly $69MM in cap space. They have work to do with the likes of pending free agent Tee Higgins along with extensions for Ja’Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, but today’s news means they have even more financial wiggle room in their bid to keep all three members of that trio in the fold.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/2/25

Teams will navigate their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents over the next several days. Here are the latest decisions on the tender front:

RFAs

Non-tendered: 

Even the low-end tender is now past $3MM, checking in at $3.26MM. The Bills look to be eyeing a reunion with Morris at a lower rate, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the team wants to re-sign him. A backup behind Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, Morris has played 45 games over the past three seasons. The 2022 UDFA has 15 career receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

Blackshear served as Carolina’s regular return man on kickoffs and punts. He has also logged 203 career carries, scoring three TDs. Blackshear and Morris will become unrestricted free agents once officially nontendered.

49ers To Trade Deebo Samuel To Commanders

The 49ers finally found a trade partner with whom they came to an agreement on terms to trade star wide receiver Deebo Samuel. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Commanders will acquire the versatile offensive veteran for draft compensation. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the trade compensation as a fifth-round pick. Schefter adds that the trade will not be processed until the start of the new league year on March 12.

A report from yesterday named the Texans and Commanders as the teams which were making the strongest pushes to acquire Samuel. In short order, a deal has been reached which will send the former All-Pro to the nation’s capital. Washington had recently been linked to the pursuit of a receiver capable of complementing Terry McLaurin, and if healthy Samuel will be able to fit the bill.

The 29-year-old spent spent his first six years with San Francisco, serving as a key figure on offense and establishing himself as a unique skill-position weapon. Samuel’s most productive season by far came in 2021, when he racked up over 1,400 receiving yards and led the NFL in yards per catch (18.2). The former second-rounder also scored eight rushing touchdowns while succeeding in his ‘wide back’ role.

The 2022 offseason was defined in large part for the 49ers by the protracted negotiating process on a Samuel extension (something the team has become increasingly familiar with). The South Carolina product requested a trade at one point, but a three-year, $71.55MM agreement was ultimately worked out. One year remains on the deal, and Schefter notes the Commanders are taking on the full amount of the outstanding compensation.

As a result, Washington will pay Samuel roughly $17.55MM in 2025 barring an extension or restructure being worked out upon arrival. Given his injury troubles and decline production since signing his deal, this will be a critical campaign for the one-time Pro Bowler. On the 49ers’ end, this transaction will save $15.68MM on the team’s cap but generate $31.55MM in dead money.

In spite of that financial impact, this move comes as no surprise from San Francisco’s perspective. Samuel was the subject of trade talk at the draft last spring, and the 49ers’ monster extension for Brandon Aiyuk (and, to a much lesser extent, their new deal for Jauan Jennings) represented commitments to other wideouts for the post-2024 future. Once Ricky Pearsall was added in the first round of the draft, expectations increased that Samuel would be on the move after this past season. General manager John Lynch recently confirmed the 49ers would honor Samuel’s most recent trade request.

Commanders general manager Adam Peters previously worked in the 49ers’ front office, a factor which helps explain how he and Lynch managed to work out a trade well in advance of free agency. Anthony Lynn – who joined the Commanders’ coaching staff under Dan Quinn last offseason – has also worked with Samuel in San Francisco, so he represents another familiar face. If all goes according to plan, this trade could result in a long-term partnership between team and player via a new contract.

Washington traded away former first-rounder Jahan Dotson shortly into the beginning of the Peters-Quinn regime, something which left team short on WR2 options. Veteran Noah Brown played a notable role on offense before being lost to injury, and he has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Commanders. It will be interesting to see how the team’s in-house plans at the receiver position change in the wake of the Samuel acquisition.

As for the 49ers, their passing attack will continue to be centered on Aiyuk (presuming, of course, the latest round of trade interest in his case his rebuffed), Jennings, Pearsall and extension candidate George Kittle. Talks with the latter, along with quarterback Brock Purdy, have begun. Working out a long-term extension which will keep Purdy in place represents the top priority for the 49ers, but the offense he will be at the helm of in 2025 and likely beyond will not include Samuel.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Rams To Retain Matthew Stafford

Speculation about Matthew Staffords future is now over. The decorated quarterback will remain with the Rams for at least one more season.

A new, restructured deal was first reported to be agreed upon by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since announced the news that Stafford is staying put. He will play a fifth season with the Rams.

Financial details have not yet emerged, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes this new Rams deal will be worth less than Stafford could have landed on a pact with a new team. A trade remained a distinct possibility once his camp received permission to find a trade partner, a development which came about amidst challenges with respect to working out another short-term arrangement. Team and player avoided a training camp holdout last year by increasing Stafford’s 2024 pay without adding new years (or future guarantees) to his pact.

As a result, the Super Bowl winner approached the new league year with $27MM in base pay scheduled, including a $4MM roster bonus due next month. Finding a resolution before that point represented a logical goal for all involved, and an agreement has in fact been made. The most recent reporting on this storyline – the dominant topic of conversation at the Combine – noted Stafford was set to speak with the Rams today.

To say the least, that summit has gone over quite well. Stafford will continue his tenure in Los Angeles, which has included a Super Bowl win and one of his two career Pro Bowls. He has continued to deal with a number of ailments during the second chapter of his NFL tenure, however, and in 2022 he was limited to only nine games played. The Georgia product has remained generally durable since then, but questions of availability will remain moving forward.

In the wake of the Rams’ divisional round loss, Stafford took time to contemplate his future. He quickly made it known he intended to continue playing in 2025, and Sean McVay and the Rams have repeatedly stated their desire to keep him in the fold. That will be the case in spite of numerous conversations taking place between Stafford’s camp and interested teams. In particular, the Raiders and Giants made pitches to work out a contract agreement in the hopes of then attempting to generate a suitable package of draft capital to send to Los Angeles.

Both Las Vegas and New York were believed to be prepared to make a two-year offer including between $90MM and $100MM in guarantees. That comes as little surprise considering Stafford was known to be angling for an AAV of $50MM on his next pact. The Rams were reportedly unwilling to meet that asking price, so it will be interesting to see how this new arrangement takes shape. If additional void years are included as part of today’s arrangement, Stafford’s 2025 cap hit ($49.67MM) could be reduced.

The Raiders and Giants will now be forced to look elsewhere at the QB position. Stafford represented a massive offseason domino at the position, and the effect today’s news has on the other experienced passer set to reach the market will be notable. With an underwhelming draft class looming, teams could move with urgency in March to secure short-term fixes under center.

Veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo is a pending free agent, and his departure could lead to the Rams leaning on 2023 fourth-rounder Stetson Bennett (who has yet to play in the regular season) to handle QB2 duties. A Stafford successor is not in place in the organization, and his regression in statistical output from 2024 offers a warning sign that more could be coming in that regard moving forward. Nevertheless, McVay and the Rams will enjoy continuity atop the depth chart next season.

Rams To Re-Sign LT Alaric Jackson

Alaric Jackson will indeed be avoiding a trip to free agency. The fourth-year left tackle was known to be making progress on a new deal, and one is now in place.

Jackson and the Rams have agreed to a three-year contract, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. This will be a $57MM pact including $35MM in guarantees. Instead of hitting free agency, Jackson will now be on the books through the 2027 campaign.

The former UDFA took over from Joe Noteboom as the Rams’ preferred left tackle ahead of the 2023 campaign. Noteboom’s efforts to serve as Andrew Whitworth‘s long-term successor did not go according to plan, opening the door for Jackson to step in. The latter has started all 29 of his appearances across the past two campaigns.

Jackson earned a PFF grade of 66.6 during his first full campaign atop the depth chart. That left plenty of room for improvement, but the Rams made a short-term commitment to him via the second-round RFA tender last offseason. That move allowed him to collect $4.89MM during the 2024 campaign; the 26-year-old’s play certainly allowed him to command a much more lucrative pact this time around.

Showing improvement in pass protection in particular, Jackson graded out as PFF’s 18th-best tackle in 2024. It thus comes as no surprise he represented a key offseason priority for the Rams. Shortly after an agreement was reached which will keep quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fold for at least 2025, the team has additional cost certainty on offense.

12 offensive tackles are currently attached to an AAV of at least $20MM. Jackson’s deal checks in at $19MM per season, confirmation that he does not have the track record of many of the blockers ahead of him in the financial pecking order but also a strong commitment on the part of the Rams that he will continue developing over the life of the deal. Details on Stafford’s new pact are not yet known, but it is safe to assume Jackson will remain in place through the team’s transition to a new starting QB.

The right tackle spot could be a question mark in the future for the Rams since Rob Havenstein‘s $11.5MM-per-year deal will expire after the 2025 campaign. Regardless of whether or not the 32-year-old is retained past the coming season, though, Jackson’s medium-term future is now secure. The Windsor, Ontario native will look to justify this lucrative investment while remaining a key figure up front for Los Angeles.

The Rams can now turn their attention to sorting out their interior O-line situation. 2024 free agent signing Jonah Jackson has been given permission to seek a trade, having been benched midway though his debut Los Angeles season. A parting of ways could be on tap in that situation, but Alaric Jackson will remain a mainstay on the blindside for years to come.

Chiefs Place Franchise Tag On Trey Smith

The NFL’s top pending free agent amongst offensive linemen will not reach the market. The Chiefs plan to use the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

The franchise tag groups all offensive linemen together, something which often makes using it on interior blockers a cumbersome endeavor for teams. Smith has long been known to be a key priority for Kansas City, though, and this move will ensure he remains with the team for at least one more season. If no long-term deal is worked out, the Pro Bowler will earn $23.4MM next year.

The top of the guard market reached $21MM per season when Landon Dickerson inked an Eagles extension last year. Smith was in position to surpass that figure on a multi-year pact of his own in the event he reached free agency, something which at one point seemed likely given the report from last week which stated no franchise or even transition tag was expected in this case. Even if he were to play out the one-year tag in 2025, the 25-year-old would break the record for guard compensation given its value.

On Wednesday, it was learned the Chiefs were preparing a long-term Smith extension. Such a pact – should one be worked out – will represent a massive commitment up front on the team’s part, something which has already been witnessed by the free agent deals for left guard Joe Thuney and the extension for center Creed Humphrey. The latter reset his position’s market by a wide margin in August with a four-year extension averaging $18MM per season. If things go according to plan for Kansas City, the team will have the league’s highest-paid center as well as its top earner amongst guards playing alongside each other for years to come.

The tackle positions remain an issue for the Chiefs, as the Super Bowl illustrated. Smith has been a consistent presence along the interior, though, ranking between 10th and 15th in terms of PFF evaluation for guards in each of his four seasons. The Tennessee product will of course be expected on to remain a top blocker either on the tag or a new deal moving forward. Having missed only one game so far, Smith’s durability will no doubt help his case for an extension.

A number of teams in better cap shape than the Chiefs would have been in position to make a strong push for Smith on the open market; former Chiefs exec Ryan Poles and the Bears in particular may have been a suitor to watch on that front. A tag-and-trade could still be in order in the event the Chiefs cannot work out a deal (having taken that route with cornerback L’Jarius Sneed last year), but for now Smith is on track to play for the AFC champions once again.

A left tackle addition is a priority for Kansas City this offseason, so more developments can be expected up front in the near future. Regardless of what takes place on that front, though, Smith is in line to play out at least one more campaign with the team. Presuming no trade occurs, he and the Chiefs will now have until mid-July to work out a long-term extension.

Lions To Cut LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Better known now for his role as the NFLPA president, Jalen Reeves-Maybin remains an active player. He will likely be on the hunt for a new team soon. The Lions are prepared to move on.

Detroit is set to release the veteran linebacker/special-teamer once the league year begins, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Reeves-Maybin has spent seven of his eight seasons with the Lions, enjoying two stints with the team.

This move will save the Lions $1.89MM in cap space, as the team will pass on paying the 30-year-old defender a $2.75MM base salary in 2025. This move will bump the Lions’ cap-space figure past $53MM, which sits in the middle of the pack nearly two weeks ahead of the 2025 league year.

Arriving as a Bob Quinn-era draftee, Reeves-Maybin has settled in as a special teams presence on better-constructed Brad Holmes rosters. Reeves-Maybin’s only run as a starter came during the Lions’ 3-13-1 season in 2021, but the team was quick to bring him back after a short Texans stint.

The Texans cut Reeves-Maybin in March 2023; he landed back with the Lions two weeks later and signed another contract — a two-year, $7.5MM deal — last February. Reeves-Maybin then climbed to the top of the NFLPA ladder. As he will be one of the point men during negotiations on an 18-game season, a search for a new team appears imminent. Though, the Lions could certainly be open to retaining him on a cheaper deal.

Reeves-Maybin has played on at least 60% of the Lions’ special teams snaps in each of his seven seasons with the team. Over the past two, that usage floor climbed to 78%. A year after being a Texans one-and-done, the former fourth-round pick earned his second-team All-Pro nod. Should Reeves-Maybin want to continue playing into his 30s, there will likely be a market for his ST services.

49ers Re-Sign OL Ben Bartch

The 49ers aren’t letting Ben Bartch hit free agency. The team announced that they’ve re-signed the offensive lineman. It’s a one-year deal for Bartch.

A former fourth-round pick by the Jaguars, Bartch got into 41 games across three-plus seasons in Jacksonville. He landed with the 49ers midway through the 2023 campaign and has spent the past-year plus with the organization.

After getting into five games down the stretch with the 49ers in 2023 (plus another three playoff appearances), Bartch was limited to only three games (two starts) in 2024. He fared well in his brief look last year, allowing only one pressure in 65 offensive snaps. He likely would have been in line for more playing time during the final month of the season, but the lineman was sidelined thanks to a high ankle sprain.

With Aaron Banks also set to hit free agency, Bartch does provide the 49ers with some continuity at left guard. Depending on how the offseason plays out, the veteran could actually be penciled in atop the depth chart heading into the 2025 season.