HEADLINES

Transactions News & Rumors

Bears Sign CB Nick McCloud

March 24th, 2025 at 1:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Nick McCloud has lined up his next NFL opportunity. The veteran corner has signed with the Bears, his agency announced on Monday.

McCloud made a pair of appearances with the Bengals during his rookie season, but most of his 48 career games have come with the Giants. The former UDFA was in New York from 2022 to the midway point of this past campaign, one in which he was waived. McCloud made five starts in 2024, but it was clear the Giants were interested in moving on after a request to take a pay cut to the veteran minimum was turned down.

No teams put in a claim, but it did not take McCloud long to find a new home. He signed with the 49ers to close out the season, one in which the team fell short of expectations and missed the playoffs. During his eight San Francisco contests, the 26-year-old played sparingly on defense and made more of an impact on special teams. That could prove to be the case in Chicago.

The Bears have Jaylon Johnson attached to a lucrative long-term deal, while Kyler Gordon has proven to be an effective slot corner. He too could soon have an extension in place soon, creating the need for inexpensive options elsewhere on the depth chart. Chicago has Tyrique Stevenson attached to his rookie deal for two more years, and after starting 14 games last season he can be expected to handle a heavy workload moving forward.

As a result, McCloud’s path to earning a roster spot during training camp will likely consist of carving out a backup role on defense in addition to his third phase contributions. The Notre Dame product has posted only one interception and 10 pass deflections in his career, but he has logged nearly 1,200 special teams snaps to date. He will look to use that experience with the Bears in 2025.

Chiefs Re-Sign DT Mike Pennel

March 24th, 2025 at 12:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last March, Mike Pennel re-signed with the Chiefs on a one-year pact. The veteran defensive tackle will remain in Kansas City for 2025 as well.

[RELATED: Chiefs Re-Sign Charles Omenihu]

Pennel has a new Chiefs deal in place, the team announced on Monday. The 31-year-old’s first stint in Kansas City took place from 2019-20, and he returned in 2023. Pennel was limited to only three games during his first season back with the team, but the decision to keep him in place last spring proved to be a fruitful one.

Logging a full 20-game slate (between the regular season and playoffs), the former UDFA logged a 30% snap share on defense in 2024. In spite of that usage rate, Pennell set a new career high in sacks with three; he added 25 tackles and a forced fumble. Given that level of production, it comes as little surprise Kansas City has again elected to keep him in the fold.

Tershawn Wharton was among the top free agents along the defensive line this spring, and he took a deal with the Panthers on the open market. The Chiefs lost a five-year D-line contributor in the process, one who made 10 starts and handled a career-high 62% snap share last season. Pennel could be in line to help fill the void generated by Wharton’s departure as a low cost Chris Jones partner.

Kansas City ranked eighth against the run last season, and expectations will be high to repeat that success next year. Pennel does not offer the same pass-rushing upside that Wharton does, though, so next month’s draft could be used for the Chiefs to add in that regard along the defensive line.

Titans Sign K Joey Slye

March 24th, 2025 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

With Nick Folk unsigned, the Titans are bringing in a veteran kicker. Joey Slye has agreed to a Tennessee deal, per his agent (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

Slye has seen regular season game action with five teams during his career. He finished the 2021 campaign as the Commanders’ kicker, and his success in that brief stretch allowed him to continue in the role for another two seasons. Slye departed in free agency last offseason, joining the Patriots in May shortly after his Jaguars release.

That move set up a competition between the Virginia Tech product and Chad Ryland for training camp and the preseason. Slye won out, and as a result he served as New England’s kicker for the campaign. He connected on 26 of 33 field goal attempts, yielding a success rate under 80% for the second year in a row. For his career, the 28-year-old has converted 81.7% of his field goal tries and connected on 89.6% of his extra point attempts.

Folk’s seven-year New England run came to an end in the 2023 offseason when the Patriots (having drafted Ryland) traded him to the Titans. That move gave Tennessee a strong option in the kicking game, as Folk missed only one field goal during his debut campaign with the team. The 40-year-old re-signed last March, and he led the NFL in field goal percentage once again in 2024 with a 95.5% conversion rate. Folk is still a free agent; he intends to continue playing next season and would welcome another Titans contract.

In addition to Slye, though, Tennessee also has Brayden Narveson in the fold at the kicker position. The latter was waived by the Titans and began the 2024 campaign in Green Bay, but he was quickly let go once again. That led Narveson back to Tennessee on a practice squad deal, and he made one regular season appearance before signing a new deal in December. Today’s move means Slye and Narveson will be in place to compete during the offseason while it remains to be seen where Folk will play in 2025.

Panthers Re-Sign S Nick Scott

March 22nd, 2025 at 3:43pm CST by Ely Allen

After reports earlier today that free agent safety Nick Scott was considering offers from his former team and a mystery bidder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tells us that the Panthers will be re-signing the veteran safety. Scott will be back in Carolina on a one-year deal.

A former seventh-round pick in 2019, Scott saw the most defensive responsibility during his four years in Los Angeles. This culminated in a 2022 season in which he started all 16 of his game appearances while compiling career highs in total tackles (86) and interceptions (2). This big performance in a contract year led to Scott inking a three-year, $12MM deal with the Bengals in 2023, but he only started 10 of his 17 appearances in his first season in Cincinnati before getting cut.

He quickly caught on with the Panthers on a one-year, $1.29MM contract. In Carolina, he was intended to play a backup role to Xavier Woods and Jordan Fuller. Scott saw an increased role, though, when Fuller went down with an injury, including a four-week stretch in which he didn’t miss a defensive snap. Unfortunately for Scott, a hamstring injury resulted in a nearly two-month stay on injured reserve, and Scott exclusively saw special teams work following his late-season return from IR.

With Woods signing a two-year, $10MM deal with the Titans and Fuller departing in free agency for Atlanta, Scott should be able to slide into a starting role again. Carolina also signed former Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig to a three-year, $51MM deal which suggests that he’ll occupy the other starting spot.

Demani Richardson, an undrafted rookie last season out of Texas A&M, should push for a big role, as well. Richardson was pushed into his first two career starts when Scott was placed on IR last season, and in the three games that saw Scott relegated to only special teams snaps, Richardson was tabbed as the starter and played nearly every defensive snap in the three contests. The former UDFA could end up competing with Scott for a significant role in the secondary.

The familiarity of both Richardson and Scott will be crucial for a team that is replacing two starters. Combined with Moehrig, the Panthers will hope to see some improvement to the secondary in 2025.

Giants To Sign WR Zach Pascal

March 22nd, 2025 at 12:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Zach Pascal is continuing his career in New York. The veteran wide receiver is signing with the Giants, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. It’s a one-year deal for Pascal, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The move is pending a physical.

[RELATED: Giants Sign WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey]

A former UDFA, Pascal made a name for himself in Indy, where he ended up spending four seasons. He was especially productive between the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, hauling in 85 catches for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns in 32 appearances with the Colts.

Following a one-year stop with the Eagles, Pascal spent the past two seasons with the Cardinals. He’s mostly transitioned to a special teams role, with the veteran garnering 480 ST snaps vs. 27o offensive snaps during his stint with the team. He hauled in four catches for the Cardinals in 2023.

Pascal will likely be competing for a special teams role with the Giants. The team already added Lil’Jordan Humphrey to a receivers room of Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt. Dan Duggan of The Athletic believes Pascal could be competing with Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who beat out Miles Boykin for a similar spot last year.

Giants To Sign QB Jameis Winston

March 21st, 2025 at 11:44pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants have secured a quarterback option for the 2025 NFL season. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, the team is finalizing a deal with veteran quarterback Jameis Winston. The contract is for two years and $8MM, though it could be worth up to $16MM with incentives.

Ever since New York waived long-time quarterback Daniel Jones midseason, it’s been clear that their quarterback future was up in the air. The team finished out the season with Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito behind center, going 1-6 down the stretch with their backups. With Lock’s contract expiring, DeVito was the only passer remaining on the roster, limiting the Giants options moving forward.

Coming into the offseason, the two options were clear: acquire a veteran quarterback via trade or free agency or use the No. 3 overall pick to select a quarterback for the future. New York threw their name in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes, but while they’ve waited for his decision, the Giants have hosted the likes of Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, and Winston. While it seems that signing Winston should take them out of the running for Rodgers, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network posits that Winston’s presence just gives them a few more options.

The former No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 NFL Draft has slowly seen a demotion in his NFL career, going from a full-time starter in Tampa Bay to part-time starting roles in New Orleans and Cleveland. During a five-year stint to start his career with the Buccaneers, Winston had started most every game that he was available, aside from a short period in 2018 as he served a suspension for allegedly groping a female Uber driver and had to win his job back from Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In 2020, he signed with the Saints as a backup to Drew Brees but took over the starting job the next year, before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. The following two years saw him serve in New Orleans as a backup to Andy Dalton and Derek Carr. This past season, he signed on with the Browns to serve as a backup to Deshaun Watson, ultimately finding himself in the starting lineup once again when Watson was ruled out for the season with an Achilles tendon tear. Winston expressed interest in returning to Cleveland while staying open to conversations for backup jobs with the 49ers and Chargers.

Winston provides the Giants with an upgraded backup over DeVito with the potential to start and win some games if needed. Last year, what Winston did with the Browns was the perfect example of what Winston offers to the roster, basically ensuring that, even if the Giants miss out on Rodgers, Wilson, or their preferred draft pick, New York will have a player who can start throughout the season, if necessary.

While Winston could easily serve as a dependable backup behind Rodgers or Wilson, Winston sets up better as a potential bridge quarterback for a team drafting a rookie, much like we saw with Sam Darnold in Minnesota last year. Whether New York moves up to draft a passer or allows a prospect to fall to them at No. 3 overall, Winston could serve as a starter until the rookie is ready to take over, allowing the Giants to not rush their quarterback of the future onto the field before he’s ready.

Whatever their future plans, signing Winston certainly provides the Giants with more options. Whether they still aim to bring in a veteran like Rodgers or Wilson or a rookie like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, rostering Winston gives them plenty of flexibility in exacting their plans for the future.

Saints, WR Brandin Cooks Agree To Deal

March 21st, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

Brandin Cooks is returning to where his career began. The veteran wideout has a deal in place with the Saints, as first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The pact (which is now official) is two years in length and is worth $13MM, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson adds.

Cooks spent his first three seasons with the Saints, quickly emerging as a focal point on offense. The former first-round pick topped 1,100 yards in 2015, then did so again the following year. His 20 touchdowns scored during his first New Orleans stint and status as a key deep threat did not produce a long-term arrangement with the team, however. Cooks was dealt to the Patriots during the 2017 offseason.

That marked the first of four times in his career the Oregon State product has been traded. The first two such deals brought back a first-round pick in return, a sign of his consistent production during his career. Cooks reached the 1,000-yard mark during his single New England campaign, and he matched the feat in one of his two Rams seasons. The deal which sent him to Houston resulted in a three-year Texans run, one which included a career-high 90 catches in 2021.

Cooks was dealt from the Texans to the Cowboys in 2023, and he operated as a full-time starter during his two Dallas campaigns. The 31-year-old expressed a willingness to re-sign in free agency, although he added he felt he was not used properly by the Cowboys. Dallas has been linked to the pursuit of veteran receivers this offseason (including Cooper Kupp), and Cooks’ departure will increase the team’s need for bringing in one of the other options still on the market.

The Saints still have Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in place at the receiver spot for next season. Both wideouts missed considerable time through injury last year, however, so adding an experienced option in the passing game was seen as a priority for the spring. Especially since Marquez Valdes-Scantling recently departed in free agency, adding a vertical threat in the form of a Cooks reunion comes as little surprise.

Limited to 10 games last year, Cooks recently said he is fully healthy. The Saints will hope that remains the case moving forward given their multi-year commitment to pull off this agreement.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/25

March 21st, 2025 at 8:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves in the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

LB Jerome Baker Signs With Browns

March 21st, 2025 at 7:22pm CST by Ely Allen

After moving around quite a bit in the last year, veteran linebacker Jerome Baker finds himself with another new team for the 2025 NFL season. Per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, Baker has agreed to a deal with the Browns.

A former third-round pick for the Dolphins out of Ohio State, Baker spent the first six years of his career in Miami. Out of a potential 99 games, Baker appeared in 94, starting 82 and only missing one game over his first five seasons. Baker stuffed the stat sheet during his time with the Dolphins, thrice recording triple-digit tackles while totaling 22.5 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, 46 quarterback hits, six forced fumbles, 21 passes defensed, and five interceptions.

Because of his impressive contributions, the Dolphins signed Baker to a three-year, $37.5MM extension in 2021. Prior to the final year of that extension, though, Miami released Baker in an effort towards cap compliance. He recently visited the Browns upon becoming a free agent, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Baker only found himself on the market for about two weeks as the Seahawks signed him as a free agent shortly after his release on a one-year, $7MM deal. An injury held Baker out of two games early in the season, but Baker started all five games in which he appeared for Seattle before the team traded him to the Titans in exchange for a younger model in Ernest Jones. Baker would miss more games than he would appear in for the rest of the year, only starting three of five appearances in Tennessee.

Now, the 28-year-old will make his way to Cleveland for Year 8 of his career. Cleveland doesn’t seem to be losing anyone from last year’s linebacking corps, which was led by Jordan Hicks, Mohamoud Diabate, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Devin Bush (once Owusu-Koramoah suffered a season-ending injury).

The team should get Owusu-Koramoah back to the starting lineup, and Hicks and Bush both graded out as two of the top four defenders on the team’s defense last year (out of players who played more than half the season), per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Baker may end up stepping up as a potential improvement over Diabate in 2025, or he may just add a bit more veteran depth to the linebacking corps that returns many contributors.

Bengals Sign OL Lucas Patrick

March 21st, 2025 at 5:43pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bengals have signed veteran offensive lineman Lucas Patrick to a one-year deal, per a team announcement.

Patrick visited the team today and quickly agreed to terms to join Cincinnati’s offense. He has experience at center and both guard spots and will likely compete for a starting job along the interior of the Bengals offensive line.

The 31-year-old started 10 games for the Saints in 2024 before landing on injured reserve in December. He mostly played left guard, though he did step in at center after an injury to Erik McCoy.

Patrick’s best shot at a starting gig in Cincinnati will likely be at right guard. Center Ted Karras and left guard Cordell Volson have started for the last three years, but the team moved on from Alex Cappa this offseason. That will open up his spot at right guard, though the Bengals are also bringing back Cody Ford, who started nine games in 2024.

If he can’t earn a starting role, Patrick will serve as a versatile backup who can slide into any of the three interior OL positions in case of injury. He has started 64 games over the last eight years, an impressive career for a player who went undrafted out of college.

Patrick signed with the Packers as a rookie and served as a backup guard with six starts over his first three seasons. He earned the starting right guard job in 2020 and moved to center in 2021 before leaving Green Bay for a two-year deal with the Bears. An injury limited him to seven games (five starts) in 2022, but he started 15 games in 2023 and signed with the Saints for the 2024 season.

Load More Posts