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Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/25

March 10th, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL moves that may have been missed during an otherwise extremely busy first day of the tampering period:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Chiefs, RB Elijah Mitchell Agree To Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 11:42am CST by Sam Robinson

Known to be interested in making a free agent running back addition, the Chiefs have moved quickly in doing so. Elijah Mitchell has a one-year deal in place worth up to $3.5MM, as first reported by Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Kansas City is taking a flier on an injury-prone back, one who missed all of last season after San Francisco played the Christian McCaffrey backup on IR before setting its 53-man roster. Mitchell had previously sustained setbacks as a rookie and in 2022, when the 49ers used two IR activations on the sixth-round pick.

Mitchell memorably usurped Trey Sermon, a third-round pick presumed to be the 49ers’ lead back going into the 2021 season, ahead of his first game and led the ’21 49ers in rushing (963 yards). The mid-major product missed six games that season and 12 in 2022, going down with two MCL injuries in the latter season. When Mitchell returned from the first of those, the 49ers had traded for McCaffrey. As McCaffrey zoomed to the 2023 rushing title, Mitchell totaled 75 carries for 281 yards and two scores in 2023.

The Chiefs won a bet on a previous injury-prone 49ers castoff, seeing Jerick McKinnon shake off two full-season absences and play three years as a passing-down back alongside the likes of Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Isiah Pacheco. Edwards-Helaire is now with the Saints, and Pacheco is coming off a season in which a broken leg slowed his momentum. Kareem Hunt, added in the wake of Pacheco’s leg break, is again a free agent.

Losing Samaje Perine to the Bengals on Monday, the Chiefs have only Pacheco and 2024 UDFA Carson Steele on the roster as RB holdovers. Mitchell, 27, will vie for a backup job, but the Chiefs should be expected to make another addition — perhaps in the draft — to round out their group.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Chiefs To Sign T Jaylon Moore

March 10th, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Sam Robinson

After a host of left tackle plans eventually ended with a Super Bowl loss that magnified that issue, the Chiefs are spending to add a potential upgrade.

Jaylon Moore is relocating from San Francisco to Kansas City, with FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reporting the Chiefs are adding the former 49ers swing tackle. Moore will sign a two-year, $30MM deal the Chiefs.

This still represents a bit of a gamble on the Chiefs’ part. Moore does have 12 career starts on his resume, but he has never operated as a preferred starter. The 49ers had stationed him as their swingman behind Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz over the past two seasons, as McKivitz was the swing player behind Williams and Mike McGlinchey previously. Moore, however, was rumored to be drawing extensive interest on the market.

Williams’ late-season ankle injury opened the door, however, for Moore’s first extended audition. Pro Football Focus graded Moore just outside the top 25 among tackles last season, though the four-year veteran did not have enough snaps (271) to qualify as a regular. That is the central part of the Chiefs’ gamble, and their recent efforts to staff this position should induce some pause before declaring this signing a win.

Kansas City let Orlando Brown Jr. walk in 2023, after failing to extend him at the 2022 franchise tag deadline, and used Donovan Smith as a stopgap in 2023. That was a more effective plan than the team’s 2024 route, which featured second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia benched in Week 2 and then 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris parked later in the season. The Chiefs’ in-season D.J. Humphries addition preceded another injury for the ex-Cardinal, who went down in his first game with his new team. Joe Thuney then relocated to LT and fared reasonably well — until a poor Super Bowl showing reminded of the Chiefs’ blowout loss to the Buccaneers.

The Chiefs have traded Thuney to the Bears, making Trey Smith their high-priced guard. Suamataia has been rumored to be the team’s initial choice to replace Thuney at LG. Kansas City also has embattled RT Jawaan Taylor locked into his $19.5MM 2025 salary, thanks to his guarantee vesting a year ago. As the team will build around Smith and Creed Humphrey, it will hope Moore (27) will provide some elusive blindside stability for Patrick Mahomes.

Trey Smith Signs Chiefs Franchise Tender

March 9th, 2025 at 8:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

It does not appear Trey Smith will consider a holdout. He signed his franchise tender Sunday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This will guarantee the Pro Bowl guard’s $23.4MM salary.

The Chiefs naturally want this to be a placeholder, and an extension would reduce that $23.4MM cap hold. Kansas City did trade Joe Thuney to Chicago, but the team agreed to terms with Nick Bolton earlier today. This will still leave the Chiefs with work to do on the cap front.

One of just two players tagged this year (along with Tee Higgins), Smith now has a clear path to an extension. The Chiefs broke up their highly paid guard tandem — shortly after it became a high-priced duo — by sending Thuney to the Bears. Smith will be in line to join Creed Humphrey and Jawaan Taylor as a starting O-lineman on a high-end contract. Taylor may well be going into his final year with the team, as the RT has not justified his $20MM-per-year contract, pointing to Smith and Humphrey being the Chiefs’ pillars up front moving forward.

While the Chiefs viewed Bolton as a high priority, they have plenty of work left to do. Before the Bolton money is factored in, OverTheCap lists Kansas City as being more than $9MM over the cap. Even the Saints, who restructured Derek Carr‘s deal yet again, have passed them for available funds. Kansas City could turn to a Patrick Mahomes restructure for a fourth time, though. Regardless of how the Chiefs get there, they need to reach cap compliance by 3pm CT Wednesday. They will also need to carve out spending room to add talent, as left tackle is expected to be an area of emphasis.

Smith, 25, has been the Chiefs’ starting right guard since his 2021 rookie season. He climbed from sixth-round pick, who fell in the draft because of a blood clot issue, to Pro Bowl level. Well regarded by both Pro Football Focus and ESPN’s win rate metrics, Smith is positioned to enjoy his prime protecting Mahomes in Kansas City. The Chiefs will need to be ready for a monster payday to make that happen, and the Thuney trade will arm Smith’s camp with more leverage.

The Chiefs could not come to terms with Orlando Brown Jr. by the July 2022 tag deadline, as the now-Bengals LT declined a six-year offer he deemed light on guarantees. Kansas City gave Humphrey a center-record (by a wide margin) $18MM per year last summer. Smith is positioned to outdo Landon Dickerson‘s $21MM-per-year guard record. The Chiefs will have until July 15 to work out a deal.

Chiefs To Re-Sign LB Nick Bolton

March 9th, 2025 at 1:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

The top remaining linebacker in the 2025 free agent class will not reach the market. Nick Bolton has a new Chiefs agreement in place.

This will be a three-year, $45MM pact, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The deal includes $30MM guaranteed and ensures Bolton will remain a focal point on Kansas City’s defense for the foreseeable future. One major piece of offseason business has been taken care of before the start of the new league year.

Bolton checked in at No. 10 on PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent List, finding himself as the top linebacker even when Zack Baun was on track to test the market. The latter re-signed with the Eagles after his stellar Philadelphia debut, and Bolton has now landed a lucrative new contract which will keep him in place. One day before his 25th birthday, he has secured a deal which ranks fourth at the position in average annual value.

A second-round pick in 2021, Bolton has started all but four games in his career. The Missouri product entrenched himself as a productive figure right away, notching 112 tackles as a rookie. Bolton has reached triple digits twice more since then, with his 2023 campaign being limited to eight games. With six pass deflections this past campaign, he demonstrated a playmaking ability against the pass as well as his run-stopping production.

As a result, it appeared as though a departure would be necessary for Bolton to secure a notable payday. Willie Gay left in free agency last offseason (albeit on a one-year deal), and losing Bolton this spring would have dealt another blow to the second level of Kansas City’s defense. Even with Trey Smith being retained via the franchise tag, though, the Chiefs have managed to keep the two-time Super Bowl winner in the fold.

Today’s news further limits the number of inside linebackers who will be available once free agency begins. Baun and Bolton are off the market, while Bobby Wagner (Commanders) and Lavonte David (Buccaneers) have re-upped with their respective teams on one-year deals. That could help the asking price for the remaining members of what is generally viewed as an underwhelming free agent class as the rest of the LB market takes shape.

The Chiefs were among the teams which entered Sunday above the salary cap, and with Joe Thuney set to be traded at the start of the new league year multiple questions loom along the offensive line. Kansas City’s attention will no doubt increasingly turn in that direction now that Bolton’s future has been worked out.

Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy Will Not Be Charged In Domestic Violence Case

March 8th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:16pm: Worthy will not be charged in this case, Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick said (via Tyler Davis and Claire Osborn of the Austin American-Statesman). This case has been declined after discussions with multiple witness along with Worthy and his attorneys. Barring the arrival of new information which could lead to prosecution being sought, the matter will be therefore be closed.

9:01am: Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy was arrested Friday night in Texas on a charge of assault against a family or household member by impeding their breathing or circulation, Fox26’s Will Kunkel reports. Worthy, 21, is currently in the Williamson County Jail, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Kirk Bohls. This is a felony domestic violence charge, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.

Chosen in last year’s first round, Worthy impressed and played a central role in the Chiefs’ third straight Super Bowl appearance. However, he has run into what could be significant off-field trouble. This arrest comes less than a year after 2023 Chiefs second-round pick Rashee Rice‘s involvement in a street-racing incident, which brought eight felony charges. The Chiefs are gathering information on Worthy’s arrest, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds.

Worthy’s attorneys released a statement indicating (via the Austin American-Statesman’s Cedric Golden) indicated the victim was a woman who “was recently asked to leave Mr. Worthy’s residence upon discovery of her infidelity. She had made a number of extortive efforts prior to this baseless allegation.” The third-degree felony charge carries a penalty of between two and 10 years in prison, ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher notes. Even if the charge could be reduced to a misdemeanor, Worthy will be facing a potential NFL suspension.

Rice remains expected to face a suspension. The Chiefs have shown a tremendous tolerance for off-field problems; they have continually seen key players run into trouble. Wide receiver has been the most common roster spot to cause such problems for the Chiefs, dating back to Tyreek Hill‘s issues and involving Justyn Ross‘ placement on the commissioner’s exempt list after a 2023 arrest.

The ex-Texas Longhorn joined the Chiefs as last year’s No. 28 overall pick. The team traded up (via the Bills) to land the player who set the Combine 40-yard dash record. Worthy started slowly but became a more consistent piece of Kansas City’s offense down the stretch, totaling at least 40 receiving yards in each game he played from Week 11 on. Worthy finished his rookie season with 638 receiving yards and 104 more on the ground, producing nine touchdowns.

Worthy also scored two TDs in Super Bowl LIX. Aided by garbage time in the Chiefs’ blowout loss, Worthy set a rookie Super Bowl record with 157 receiving yards (on eight catches). He will be expected to team with Rice to give the Chiefs a better receiving corps than they trotted out in 2024, but Worthy’s charge provides a significant early-career impediment.

This familiar territory for the Chiefs comes days before free agency. As the three-time reigning AFC champions will need to consider veteran options as potential Rice stopgaps, as the SMU alum is rehabbing a season-ending knee injury. Worthy’s status may now factor into Kansas City’s plans.

Chiefs To Re-Sign WR Marquise Brown

March 8th, 2025 at 12:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two of the Chiefs’ wide receiver starters were set to hit free agency, but a Saturday agreement will chop that total to one. Marquise Brown is re-signing with the team, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

Brown agreed to a one-year deal that could be worth up to $11MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero add. This deal comes after Brown missed 15 regular-season games due to a shoulder injury. Although injury trouble has become a regular occurrence for Brown, the former Ravens and Cardinals wideout will attempt to bounce back in an offense he learned last year.

Free agency brought Brown to Kansas City last year, as the former first-round pick signed for just $7MM in base value. While incentives were part of the deal, Brown lost out on that route after suffering an SC joint injury that required surgery. Brown did make his return in Week 16, but he did not make much of an impact in the playoffs for a Chiefs team that saw its threepeat bid end with a blowout Super Bowl loss.

Brown, 28 this year, caught nine passes for 91 yards in his two regular-season games with the Chiefs. He added just five catches for 50 yards in the team’s three playoff games. The Chiefs will bet on the 5-foot-9 receiver showing better form next season, when the team will hope for better luck on the health front for the former Ravens and Cardinals starter.

Coming into the NFL with a first-round pedigree, the Oklahoma alum’s stock has trended downward since a 1,000-yard season in 2021. The Ravens managed to trade Brown for a package that included a first-rounder, but he missed eight total games with the Cardinals and did not clear 800 yards in a season. Brown was with Arizona during its period that brought Kyler Murray ACL rehab; the Cardinals lost Murray in December 2022 and did not have him back until November 2023. Brown also dealt with health trouble, suffering a foot fracture in 2022 and a heel injury that nagged him in 2023. Brown topped out at 709 yards during his two-year Arizona tenure.

The Chiefs have seen their post-Tyreek Hill receiver plans largely fail to pan out. The Chiefs have struggled at this position over the past two years, seeing injuries and underperformance reduce a former offensive juggernaut to a station-to-station offense that grew to rely more on a better defense and late-game escapes. Kadarius Toney did not pan out, and Rashee Rice suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 4 last season. DeAndre Hopkins largely did not impress after being a trade pickup. Although Rice and Xavier Worthy respectively came on down the stretches of the 2023 and ’24 seasons, both have been arrested over the past year. Worthy’s domestic violence arrest Friday places him on the suspension radar along with Rice.

These issues leave the Chiefs in need of having available receivers. Brown is far from a beacon of availability, but the Chiefs may need to lean on him more when Rice’s likely suspension commences and if Worthy ends up facing a ban as well.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/25

March 7th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Ely Allen

More teams made tender/non-tender decisions on restricted and exclusive rights free agents today. Here are the latest updates:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Carolina has tendered Mays with an original-round tender worth $3.26MM. A former sixth-round draft pick, the third-year center will be able field offers from the rest of the league. If an offer comes in, the Panthers would have the chance to match it or let the team sign Mays in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Mays started eight games in 11 appearances last year.

Houston flashed early, particularly when he tallied eight sacks in seven games (only two starts) for the Lions as a rookie. Since then, injuries and inconsistency have kept him from sticking in Detroit or Cleveland.

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Travis Kelce On Decision To Play In 2025

March 7th, 2025 at 11:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Travis Kelce‘s future was a talking point leading up to Super Bowl LIX, and that remained the case after the game. It was learned during last week’s Combine, however, that the future Hall of Famer will remain with the Chiefs for at least one more season.

“I love playing,” Kelce said during an episode of his New Heights podcast (via NFL.com). “I still feel like I can play [football] at a high level and possibly at a higher level than I did last year. I don’t think it was my best outing. I think I let my guys down in a lot more moments than I helped them, especially if you look at my track record and how I’ve been in years past.

“I got a bad taste in my mouth in how I ended last year and how well I was playing and how accountable I was to the people around me… I just feel like there’s a responsibility in me to play out the contract that I initially signed, to give Kansas City and the Chiefs organization everything that I’ve got, and that’s what I’m going to do, man.”

One year remains on Kelce’s contract, and in the absence of an extension being worked out he will no doubt continue to face questions about his playing future. The 35-year-old remained a focal point of the Chiefs’ passing attack in 2024, drawing 133 targets in 16 games. Kelce saw his yards per reception average drop to 8.5, however, by far the lowest mark of his career (aside from his one-game rookie campaign).

Kansas City will likely look to make at least one notable receiver addition to complement Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy this offseason, something which could lead to a decrease in Kelce’s role on offense. The 10-time Pro Bowler is nevertheless set to remain atop a tight end depth chart which also features Noah Gray, who inked a three-year extension this past September. Kelce has already won three Super Bowls, but to no surprise he noted the manner in which the Chiefs lost to the Eagles in this year’s title contest played a role in his decision to come back.

The 2010s All-Decade Team member already has one of the most decorated resumes at the tight end position, and Kelce will continue to add to it in 2025. As the Chiefs aim for another Super Bowl berth, one of the most impactful players in franchise history will look to return to his previous form on at least a short-term basis.

C Mitch Morse Retires

March 6th, 2025 at 10:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Mitch Morse‘s career has come to an end after 10 seasons in the NFL. The veteran center announced his retirement on Thursday.

“The things I’ll cherish most about my career are the relationships and bonds I created with my teammates, both on and off of the field,” Morse wrote. “Nothing can replace that, and I will miss it dearly.”

A Chiefs second-round pick in 2015, Morse took on immediate starting duties upon arrival in Kansas City. That remained the case throughout his four-year tenure with the team, one which was marked in 2017 and ’18 by missed time due to injury. During his first trip to free agency, Morse inked a four-year deal with the Bills.

That pact allowed the Missouri product to continue operating as a key figure up front. Morse was a mainstay along the Bills’ O-line during his time with the team, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2022. A two-year deal was worked out in the wake of that success, but Morse only played one more year in Buffalo. Last offseason, he was one of several veterans the team released as part of its efforts to reset from a financial perspective.

Morse drew interest on the market, and he did not need to wait long to find a new home. The Jaguars signed him to a two-year pact, and in his debut campaign in Jacksonville Morse started all 17 games. $1.5MM in guarantees remained on his pact for the 2025 season, but he will walk away from that money to begin his post-playing days. Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald notes this decision will save the Jags $2.2MM (presuming it is processed immediately).

Morse made a combined 156 appearances between the regular and postseason during his career; he started all of them. Thanks in large part to his Bills contracts, his career earnings stand at just over $65MM.

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