Newsstand News & Rumors

Patriots, Milton Williams Agree To Deal

March 10th, 2025 at 11:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers looked to be the frontrunners to secure Milton Williams, but that will no longer be the case . The Patriots are adding Williams instead, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report.

Williams will head to Foxborough on a monster deal that averages $26MM per season over four years. After the Cowboys kept Osa Odighizuwa off the market, Williams — PFR’s No. 3 overall free agent — will benefit from being allowed to speak with multiple suitors.

Carolina was deep in talks with Williams, who will parlay a big contract year into a seismic second contract. The Panthers were close to a deal, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Patriots then upped their price — on a deal that includes $63MM guaranteed — to end the derby. After Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins reset the D-tackle market last year, Williams will benefit. Assuming the $63MM represents Williams’ guarantee total (as opposed to the amount fully locked in at signing), that still ranks sixth among DTs.

The Eagles had re-signed Zack Baun, but the Super Bowl champions had left Williams, Josh Sweat and Mekhi Becton unattached as the legal tampering period began today. Williams represents the first defection, and Sweat has since committed to the Cardinals, rejoining Jonathan Gannon.

Williams’ contract year produced career-high numbers in sacks (five) and QB hits (10). Used as a part-time starter, the Louisiana Tech product totaled 18 pressures as well, ranking sixth in DT pass rush win rate. Pro Football Focus ranked the former third-round pick as the No. 1 interior pass rusher last season, and the Patriots will buy in while the Eagles will predictably build their DT future around Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.

The Patriots extended Christian Barmore last year but saw him miss most of the season due to blood clots. Barmore returned late in the year and will now pair with Williams to round out a pricey D-tackle duo. Williams joins Harold Landry, Carlton Davis and Robert Spillane as additions aimed at restoring the Patriots to an upper-crust defense. After two-plus decades carrying such chops, New England plummeted to 22nd in yards and points allowed despite Christian Gonzalez‘s All-Pro ascent.

Coming into free agency with the most cap space in the NFL, the Patriots are delivering on Mike Vrabel’s push to both spend in free agency and bolster their lines. Williams will be the biggest bet any team makes on the D-line during this free agency period, and the Pats will expect him to build on a breakout season.

Williams showed flashes before, having supplied a career-high nine tackles for loss during the Eagles’ 2022 NFC championship season. Although his Super Bowl LIX sack-strip-recovery sequence introduced the former third-round pick to the casual fans — ones that were still watching by that point — Williams will be out to prove he is not a one-year wonder.

Jets To Sign QB Justin Fields

March 10th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets are indeed prying Justin Fields from the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s long-rumored top option had been connected to Gang Green for several days now, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report a deal is done.

Fields is joining the Jets on a two-year, $40MM contract that comes with $30MM guaranteed at signing. While the Steelers will look for another starter option, their 2024 backup secured a big raise to replace Aaron Rodgers. The latter is now a potential Pittsburgh option.

Linked to ramping up their Fields pursuit at the Combine, the Jets will land the youngest of this free agent crop’s starter-level options. Fields was unable to hold off Russell Wilson for the job last year, as Mike Tomlin overruled some staffers by turning to the veteran who had won the job out of training camp, but his going into an age-26 season created natural interest. Fields has roughly 3 1/2 seasons of starter work, and the Jets will attempt to mold him.

A Friday report pegging the Fields-Pittsburgh fit as a bit shaky, citing Tomlin’s decision to yank him from the starting lineup as a factor. Fields did not impress as a passer in 2024 and has never been among the league’s better options here, but the 2021 first-rounder does bring all-time rushing skills from the QB position. The Jets will need to coax improved play from the Ohio State alum through the air, but Tanner Engstrand’s offense does bring a bit of familiarity — personnel-wise, at least — for its new centerpiece.

Fields will reunite with Buckeyes target Garrett Wilson. The two overlapped as Ohio State regulars in 2019 and 2020, and after Wilson clashed with Rodgers last year, he will have his former college passer targeting him in 2025. The Jets again need a Wilson complement, after a few Rodgers-driven moves ultimately did not translate to wins, but they are checking the QB box off their list. While Fields may not be a set-it-and-forget-it option that keeps the Jets out of the mix for a rookie, they are at least covered for Aaron Glenn’s first season.

Fields matched his 2023 yards-per-attempt figure (6.9) and finished with a 5-1 TD-INT ratio during his six-start run in Pittsburgh. The former 1,000-yard Bears rusher also ran for five scores in 2024. He ranked 23rd in QBR in 2023 with the Bears, who had passed on drafting Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud first overall in 2023. Chicago’s effort to build around Fields ended largely because of the Panthers’ 2023 freefall, which gave the Bears Caleb Williams access.

Resurfacing in Pittsburgh after being traded for only a sixth-round pick, Fields had closed the gap on Wilson during the latter’s training camp calf injury and had supporters in the building when Tomlin benched him in October. Fields also was believed to have backers in Pittsburgh this offseason, and while it is unclear if he gave the team a chance to match the New York proposal, the Steelers need a new plan quickly.

Unlike the Giants, Browns or Titans, the Steelers sit nowhere close to the top of the draft. A trade-up for one of this year’s starter-level passers would be incredibly costly for Pittsburgh, which could certainly pivot back to Wilson as a stopgap as well. After so much Fields momentum, it is worth wondering how motivated Wilson would be to stay with his 2024 team — even as the decorated veteran expressed interest in re-signing before the offseason rumor cycle heated up.

As for the Jets, this marks a bit of a course change. They had tabbed top-three draft choices (Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson) and a trade pickup (Rodgers) to start over the past seven seasons. The organization had also turned to draft choices (Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith) previously. This agreement reminds of the Ryan Fitzpatrick fit, though Fields and the current Amazon analyst’s skillsets certainly differ. The Jets, who have now seen two blockbuster Packers trades at the position backfire, will hope Fields can show upside that would prevent yet another first-round QB from stopping through in the near future.

Buccaneers To Re-Sign Chris Godwin

March 10th, 2025 at 11:15am CST by Sam Robinson

The Buccaneers keep investing at receiver. A year after agreeing to terms with Mike Evans on a third contract, Tampa Bay will bring back Chris Godwin.

They have agreed to a three-year, $66MM deal to retain Godwin, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported during an NFL Network appearance. Godwin will see $44MM guaranteed on this accord.

Godwin is believed to have left some money on the table to stay in Tampa, and the Bucs will keep Baker Mayfield‘s receiving corps intact. The cap-rich Patriots were believed to be readying a pursuit, but Godwin rejoined the Bucs shortly after the legal tampering period began. The second-leading pass catcher in franchise history continues to follow Evans. Tampa Bay, however, has the younger of its two receiver staples potentially in place to succeed Evans as the No. 1 option — as Evans is back in a contract year.

Although Godwin suffered a dislocated ankle seven games into last season, he did not see a chilled market. A report last week indicated the eight-year veteran could have approached $25MM per year. Godwin’s new deal will check in just south of that number, but he once again betters Evans’ contract.

Godwin, 28, had previously done so when he inked a three-year, $60MM deal as Tampa Bay’s franchise player. The Bucs tagged Godwin twice earlier this decade, and despite drafting Jalen McMillan in Round 3 last year, their commitment to the Evans-Godwin partnership persists.

When Godwin went down last season, he ranked second in the NFL in receiving yardage (576 yards). Godwin had made it back from the ACL and MCL tears sustained in December 2021, but he did not quite look himself during the 2022 and ’23 campaigns. Still, Godwin surpassed 1,000 yards in each season, helping Mayfield rebound in 2023. The Bucs will give Godwin a chance to rebound and will pay plenty for this opportunity.

This takes the top wide receiver option, per PFR’s Top 50 Free Agent list, off the market. Godwin being three years younger than Davante Adams made him the top prize this offseason, with Tee Higgins again off the market. Tampa Bay again proves it can retain talent despite imminent free agency. Godwin’s deal follows the re-signings of Shaquil Barrett, Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean after each had entered a legal tampering period unattached.

Panthers Extend CB Jaycee Horn

March 10th, 2025 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Jaycee Horn and the Panthers have managed to work out a deal keeping him in place for the foreseeable future. Talks on that front have produced a record-setting agreement.

Horn has agreed to a four-year extension, as confirmed in a team announcement. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the pact is worth $100MM and includes $70MM guaranteed. The $25MM annual average value of the pact is the most for any defensive back in NFL history.

The locked-in money comprises a practical (not full) guarantee, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer adds to no surprise. A rolling structure is in place like many big-ticket deals around the league. Still, this represents a major investment on Carolina’s part to prevent a potential 2026 free agent departure.

Team and player were known to be negotiating a long-term pact, and Horn remaining mostly healthy in 2024 (en route to a Pro Bowl) helped his leverage. In two of his four career campaigns, the former No. 8 pick has been able to play close to a full campaign and operate as Carolina’s top cover man. Considering the fact Horn played a combined nine games between the 2021 and ’23 seasons, though, the extent of this commitment is notable.

The most recent update on the matter noted that a deal at or near the top of the cornerback market was the target in this case, so in that respect today’s news comes as little surprise. Jalen Ramsey previously held the top spot in annual compensation at $24.1MM, but Horn has now moved past that mark. Importantly, this agreement has been reached before the likes of Sauce Gardner (Jets) and Derek Stingley (Texans) ink monster deals of their own.

Adding on defense is a clear priority for the Panthers this offseason, and the team entered Monday with roughly $26MM in cap space. The 2025 figure for Horn (who was already on the books thanks to his $12.47MM fifth-year option) could be lowered as a result of the pact, but in any case funds will be available for outside secondary additions. Even if Carolina makes a splash at cornerback or safety, though, the 25-year-old will of course be counted to anchor the unit.

Horn posted 13 pass deflections along with a career-high 68 tackles and the first two sacks of his NFL tenure in 2024. The 53.2% completion percentage he allowed was the lowest since his abbreviated rookie campaign, a sign he will be capable of operating as a true No. 1 for years to come. That will be key as Carolina looks to turn to younger option at the CB spot in particular and on defense in general as the unit prepares to move on without linebacker Shaq Thompson.

Carolina ranked last in total and scoring defense in 2024. As the team looks to build off the momentum showed by quarterback Bryce Young‘s showings in the latter stages of the season, taking a major step forward on the other side of the ball will be needed for 2025 and beyond. Horn will play a central role in that effort for years to come.

Browns Extend DE Myles Garrett

March 9th, 2025 at 11:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite seemingly being at an impasse, the Browns and defensive star Myles Garrett have reportedly found their way back together. After trade demands rang loud not long ago, ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Garrett will now remain in Cleveland on an extension that will pay him $40MM per year with $123.5MM in guaranteed money. The four-year extension will keep the 29-year-old in Cleveland through the 2030 season and makes Garret the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the six years left on the contract have a total value of $204.8MM, including $100MM paid out in the first three years, $88.8MM fully guaranteed, and $122.8MM in total guarantees.

The biggest addition to the contract drawing attention from the league media: a no-trade clause. Garrett had two years remaining on his previous deal, but a lack of guaranteed money in those years was a major sticking point for the former Defensive Player of the Year.

A little over a month ago, Garrett sent NFL rumors flying in every direction by requesting a trade. Just over a week ago, Garrett seemingly closed the door on a return to Cleveland, with reports coming out that he was “not open” to an extension with the Browns. Even two days ago, we got reports that team owner Jimmy Haslam declined to even meet with Garrett. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Garrett had made it clear that it wasn’t about the money, that he was adamant about leaving Cleveland because of a lack of belief in the Browns’ direction. Clearly, offering Garrett $40MM per year was the correct direction.

ESPN’s John Keim adds that, when Garrett first made his trade demands, the rest of the league felt it was just about working leverage for the extension. Cleveland never seemed to have any desire to trade their star defensive end. Regardless, the offers came flying in from around the league, with many first-round picks being made available to the Browns. The Browns brass was reportedly “confident all along,” per Mike Jones of The Athletic, that they would work out an extension rather than trade Garrett. They were right.

Garrett’s big payday comes only three days after the Raiders made defensive end Maxx Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL with an average annual value of $35.5MM. Garrett’s mark blows that out of the water, but even that might not last long. Elite pass rusher paydays continue to be on the way with the likes of Trey Hendrickson, T.J. Watt, and Aidan Hutchinson all in or approaching a period in which extensions will be considered.

Specifically on the hotseat are the Cowboys and Bengals, both of whom have made recent claims that they are prepared to make a star player the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Cincinnati would be doing so for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase at a position which set a high, new bar when Justin Jefferson set the mark with $35MM per year last year.

Dallas has now backed themselves into a corner for the third time in a row on paying a big player. Last year, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys waited too long to extend both quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. By the time they finally worked out terms, several other players at those positions had continually pushed up the market price, forcing Dallas to settle for even more in their deals with Prescott and Lamb. Similarly, the team’s insistence on waiting until the last second to extend a star player has seen the price they would need to pay to hold on to Micah Parsons rise significantly.

As for Garrett, the price is well-deserved. With four first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro selections, and six Pro Bowl selections, Garrett is widely recognized as a top pass rusher in the game. In the last four seasons, he’s finished as the top pass rusher, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), three times, finishing second this year. He has the most sacks in the league over the last three years (44.0) and the second-most in the league since he was drafted in 2017 (102.5) behind only Watt (108.0). His 102.5 sacks are also a franchise high for the Browns.

Garrett will continue to be an anchor on the Browns defense. Rumors that he wanted to join a contender will fall by the wayside for now as he returns to a defense that finished 28th in points allowed and 13th in sacks. The offense may be headed in another direction, though, as the team seems ready to move on from their last huge contract, given to quarterback Deshaun Watson, perhaps in pursuit of a rookie option. Regardless, Garrett will continue to do his job and dominate.

Rams Sign WR Davante Adams

March 9th, 2025 at 11:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

11:40pm: Adams’ deal contains an $8MM 2025 base salary and a $16MM number in 2026, per ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop, who adds a more notable number due in March 2026. Adams will be due a $6MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. While Adams’ 2025 base salary is guaranteed, the Rams would appear to have something of an out in 2026.

Though, Barshop adds Adams landed a $12MM signing bonus. Half of that would account for dead money if the Rams cut him in 2026. This still looks like a wait-and-see situation, as SI.com’s Albert Breer adds only the $20MM from the signing bonus and 2025 base is guaranteed.

5:55pm: Davante Adams‘ West Coast aspirations are coming true. The Rams are bringing in the All-Pro wide receiver, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The team has announced the signing.

The Rams are giving the decorated receiver a two-year, $46MM deal, Rapoport adds. He will see $26MM guaranteed. This is quite the haul for a player who will be 33 by year’s end. But Adams was by far the most productive receiver who changed teams last season, outshining Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Williams. Adams posted 854 yards in 11 Jets games and has secured another big payday.

Officially releasing Adams last week, the Jets made the three-time All-Pro a street free agent. That allowed him to speak with teams before the legal tampering period, which starts Monday. The Rams, who have not yet separated from Cooper Kupp, are spending big bucks to help Matthew Stafford after his recent recommitment to the team.

Linked to a West Coast landing spot weeks ago, the Fresno State alum sought at least $20MM per year and indeed was looking to return to his home state, Rapoport adds. Adams will now pair with Puka Nacua, coming in as a hired gun as the Rams — after losses in the wild-card and divisional rounds over the past two years — attempt to book a third Super Bowl berth in the Sean McVay era.

McVay told Kupp early this offseason the Rams were moving on, and Sunday night’s news cements it. Three years after giving Kupp a three-year, $80MM extension following his triple-crown season, the Rams are adding a bigger name. Adams is a year older than Kupp, but he has been much healthier than the 2021 All-Pro. The former Packers, Raiders and Jets star has missed only four games over the past four seasons. One of those (in 2021) came due to rest, and the three others were during a period in which Adams wanted to leave Las Vegas. Although Aaron Rodgers will not be coming with him, Adams will link up with one of the NFL’s most reliable offenses and attempt to make a difference.

Adams will go from leading a receiving corps housing Garrett Wilson to one including Nacua, as the veteran — after some squandered years from a contention standpoint — will return to a Super Bowl threat. Adams still posted a third straight first-team All-Pro season during his Derek Carr reunion season, but the Raiders had begun to decline. Adams showed visible frustration with the Raiders’ ensuing Jimmy Garoppolo plan the next season, calling for a benching of the 2023 FA signing. With Adams tied to Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell last year, the fit predictably ended quickly.

Even with the Jets going 5-12 during Rodgers’ comeback season, Adams played well. His 2023 season with Garoppolo and O’Connell also produced a 1,000-yard year. Adams will head to Los Angeles on the heels of six 1,000-yard seasons in his past seven. We ranked Adams as our No. 15 overall free agent, as only Chris Godwin came in ahead of the off-and-on Rodgers target. The $26MM guaranteed effectively justifies that placement, as the Rams will pay Adams while Nacua is still on a rookie deal. Nacua does not become extension-eligible until 2026.

Rodgers has not committed to even playing in 2025, but that is the expectation. It would appear his days of playing with Adams are over. Adams helped Rodgers to two MVPs, playing a tertiary role in his 2014 honor (Adams’ rookie year). Rodgers was briefly linked to the Rams, as they were sorting out their Stafford situation. Now, Rodgers is being connected to the Giants, who aggressively pursued Stafford during his trade talks. As the Giants and Raiders fell short, Stafford will play a fifth Rams season and have one of this era’s best pass catchers to target alongside Nacua.

Ravens To Re-Sign LT Ronnie Stanley

March 8th, 2025 at 11:25pm CST by Ely Allen

It looks like Ronnie Stanley‘s time in Baltimore is not over quite yet. Surprisingly, the Ravens were the first to announce the deal on X. Diana Russini of The Athletic quickly followed to inform us that Stanley is signing a three-year, $60MM extension with $44MM guaranteed at signing. Stanley was the fourth-ranked player on our list of the Top 50 Free Agents in 2025.

Returning Stanley to the fold is huge for the Ravens, as this is not the year to be wanting for a left tackle. In free agency, after Stanley, the top options at left tackle are now Dan Moore, Cam Robinson, and an aging Tyron Smith, who has been reportedly mulling retirement. In the draft, a concern has been raised about needing tackles as many of the graduating tackles in the draft have been seen as better fits for the interior line by many evaluators.

Another reason this is huge for Baltimore is that it helps them to avoid doing a full offseason overhaul of their offensive line for the second year in a row. Last year, the team went to work in the offseason in order to replace both starting guards (John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler) and their starting right tackle Morgan Moses.

They attempted to fill the guard spots with Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees, with their sixth-man of the offensive line Patrick Mekari filling in at right tackle. When Vorhees struggled, they shifted Mekari into the left guard spot and started rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle for the rest of the season. Mekari is still currently on track for free agency, but the team has shown how much they value his versatility in the past. Even if he does leave, filling an interior lineman spot will be a much less Herculean task than if they had let Stanley walk.

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have extended Stanley, and they are likely praying that this time goes much smoother. After picking up Stanley’s fifth-year option back in 2019, the team made Stanley the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL following an All-Pro season in which Pro Football Focus graded him the second-best tackle in the league and named him the best pass blocking tackle in the NFL. The five-year, $112.8MM extension came partway through the 2020 season.

Two days later, Stanley was carted off the field with a season-ending ankle injury. The next season, after playing in the season-opener, Stanley was once again placed on injured reserve after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. He wouldn’t return until Week 5 of the 2022 season, after having missed 29 of the 30 games since he signed his extension. After shaky seasons in 2022 and 2023, Stanley started every game last year, making his first Pro Bowl appearance since that All-Pro season in 2019.

Knowing this injury history and seeing as how Stanley is set to turn 31 before the 2025 season, Baltimore was reportedly hesitant to get to $20MM per year, according to Russini’s colleague Jeff Zrebiec. But seeing the other options, and the likely overpayment that is sure to occur for those secondary options, the Ravens will likely feel pretty good about the price they paid for their tried-and-true blindside blocker, especially as the negotiating period starting Monday was sure to bring in much higher offers. Stanley’s pact will see $44MM paid out over the first two years, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, those other options, namely Moore and Robinson, could both command up to $15MM per year in the open market now. For tackles that PFF (subscription required) graded out as the 42nd- and 53rd-best tackles in the league, respectively, that’s a steep price to pay.

Stanley was reportedly drawing significant interest from the Patriots, Chiefs, and Commanders. With the Ravens keeping Stanley off the open market, New England, Kansas City, and Washington will likely be duking it out for the Moore, Robinson, and perhaps Jaylon Moore, who’s started 12 games for the 49ers in the four years of his rookie deal.

With Stanley putting pen to paper, the Ravens have officially checked off perhaps the biggest task on their to-do list for the offseason. Key free agents like Mekari, fullback Patrick Ricard, and cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Tre’Davious White are set to hit the open market soon, and the team still would like to improve at the cornerback, pass rusher, and interior offensive line positions. With free agency and the draft looming, the Ravens are set up well to make a push next season in an effort to get Lamar Jackson that elusive Super Bowl with his blindside tackle beside him.

Bills Extend DE Gregory Rousseau

March 8th, 2025 at 10:58am CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills are checking several items off their to-do list before free agency. After extending Khalil Shakir and Terrel Bernard, they have a deal in place with Gregory Rousseau.

Buffalo’s top pass rusher agreed to terms on a four-year, $80MM extension Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Rousseau will see $54MM guaranteed. The Bills have announced the extension. This will keep a cornerstone piece in Buffalo through 2029, which coincides with the timelines Shakir and Bernard’s contracts created. Rousseau was going into his fifth-year option season.

Although the Bills looked to have Von Miller humming as their top pass rusher during his 2022 season, the future Hall of Famer’s Thanksgiving ACL tear changed the equation. Miller has not closely resembled his pre-tear form, but Rousseau coming along gave the Bills vital support during that period. With Miller’s future in Buffalo uncertain, Rousseau is staying on what could be a team-friendly deal.

Rousseau’s $20MM AAV checks in 13th among edge rushers. His $54MM total guarantee comes in ninth. While Rousseau has yet to make a Pro Bowl roster or post a 10-sack year, he is only going into his age-25 season. The Miami product is likely only coming into his prime. It is quite possible the Bills will generate considerable value on this pact, which was agreed to after another cap spike ($24MM).

In terms of rate as his position, Bernard has fared the best among the three early Bills extension recipients. James Cook is asking for a high-end running back contract, and Christian Benford will command an upper-crust CB salary. But Rousseau and Shakir did not approach the top tier at their respective positions.

Rousseau matched his career high with eight sacks last season but established a new personal standard with 24 QB hits and 16 tackles for loss. Even as Miller returned to usable form, after a woeful 2023, Rousseau remained the Bills’ D-end anchor. The team still has A.J. Epenesa signed as well and has been mentioned as a Myles Garrett suitor (in the event the Browns relent on their no-trade stance), but this extension shows faith in Rousseau.

The Bills now have both their cornerstone D-linemen on what look like favorable contracts. They inked Ed Oliver to an extension in 2023; the former first-rounder’s deal now checks in 17th among D-tackles. Rousseau opted to avoid a contract year and potential 2026 franchise tag by taking a $20MM-per-year deal now. That might not have been the best value play, but it will ensure he is a long-term Buffalo cog. The $54MM guarantee is not anything to scoff at, either.

Seahawks To Trade Geno Smith To Raiders

March 7th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to be still looking into trades after the Matthew Stafford push failed, the Raiders have found a solution. Pete Carroll will be reuniting with a QB — just not via free agency.

Rather than a Russell Wilson signing, the Raiders are trading for Geno Smith, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The Raiders will send the Seahawks a 2025 third-rounder for Smith, Seattle’s former Wilson backup-turned-three-year starter. Suddenly, it is the Seahawks who need a quarterback.

While we mentioned Smith as a prospective solution minutes ago, it is still fairly stunning the Seahawks are parting with a proven starter. One season remains on Smith’s three-year, $75MM contract. This trade will almost definitely bring a Smith extension, as the Raiders were on the cusp of giving Stafford a monster guarantee package.

Smith is not in Stafford’s skill class, but he is two years younger. Going into his age-35 season, Smith likely has secured another starter year without the threat of an immediate QB heir apparent coming in. Indeed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports Smith is likely to land a new deal in Vegas; he has been seeking a contract between $40-$45MM per year. The Seahawks came in at around $35MM per year, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. Smith entered the offseason as the NFL’s 19th-highest-paid QB, with no one really around his $25MM AAV.

The 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, Smith is due a $14.8MM base salary in 2025. That money is not guaranteed, but again, it would be quite surprising if the 12th-year veteran were still attached to that deal by Week 1. This represents a major swing by a Raiders team that has shuffled through QBs since benching Derek Carr in December 2022. Smith is one year older than Carr, but he has displayed durability since replacing Wilson in Seattle.

Smith stunned the football-following world by being far more than a mediocre Wilson successor, rising from longtime backup — a player who had drawn low-end salaries from the Seahawks for four years — to the NFL’s completion percentage leader. Smith broke Wilson’s single-season Seahawks passing yardage record in 2022, also throwing 30 TD passes, and then re-broke it this past season. He finished with 4,320 passing yards last season, though the 15 interceptions brought concerns for the Seahawks, who had passed on acquiring an heir apparent for multiple offseasons. Smith ranked just 21st in QBR last season, after coming in at seventh (2022) and 14th (2023) in his other Seattle starter years.

Talks had begun between Smith and the Seahawks, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the sides did not make much progress. This will end a six-season partnership, one that brought three winning seasons — including a 10-7 2024 season — and a playoff berth with Smith at the wheel. The Seahawks are now exploring a Sam Darnold addition, providing a tremendous shakeup to the QB market days before free agency. Smith had pushed for an extension in 2024, but the Seahawks did not greenlight one.

Seattle’s shocking Smith trade comes after John Schneider had said there was no doubt the QB would remain at the controls in 2025. The deal also comes two days after D.K. Metcalf requested a trade. The Seahawks, who cut Tyler Lockett minutes before the Metcalf news surfaced, are making wholesale changes after back-to-back playoff misses. Seattle had not previously missed two straight postseasons since the 2008-09 seasons — before Carroll and Schneider arrived.

Metcalf is believed to be targeting a deal to a warmer-weather team, with Russini indicating during a radio interview with Mike Golic and Mike Golic Jr. that the standout receiver also wants more QB stability. Metcalf has since seen the Seahawks deal a proven starter, as the team joins a handful of clubs in pursuit of a free agent. Effectively, the Raiders and Seahawks have swapped places. This is a long time coming for the Raiders, who have come off back-to-back seasons featuring struggles staffing the position.

The Raiders cut Carr and signed Jimmy Garoppolo. After Garoppolo became a post-June 1 release — following another injury-plagued season that involved a midyear benching — the team gave Gardner Minshew a two-year, $25MM deal. Also benched, Minshew sustained a season-ending injury and will follow Garoppolo in being a post-June 1 cut. Aidan O’Connell remains on the roster, but he no longer has a realistic path to the starting job. This will at least buy the Raiders time, as they could now — barring a renewed Cam Ward trade-up effort — wait for a better offseason to strike. This has widely been viewed as an unspectacular QB draft class.

Las Vegas picked up an extra third-rounder via the Davante Adams trade, closing the book on the wide receiver’s two-plus years with the team. The Raiders carried more than $80MM in cap space entering Friday; some of that figures to go to Smith’s extension, but the team will have necessary funds to improve around him, after a 4-13 season cost Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco their jobs. In stepped Tom Brady, who has been a central presence in the Raiders’ QB pursuit.

Carroll is on a three-year contract, coming in as a hopeful culture-resetting presence after tumult consumed the Raiders following Jon Gruden‘s forced resignation. Carroll had stumped for Smith during the months between the Wilson blockbuster and the 2022 season, and Smith beat trade pickup Drew Lock for the starting job. He was unchallenged for the position in 2023 and ’24, but Mike Macdonald and new OC Klint Kubiak will be working with a new passer in 2025. Kubiak had said Smith was a “huge draw” to bring him to Seattle; Smith will now get to work in Chip Kelly‘s offense.

Eagles To Extend Saquon Barkley

March 7th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 7: On his second Eagles contract, Barkley will see a whopping $36MM fully guaranteed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds. The full guarantees cover Barkley’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries and two loftier option bonuses. Barkley’s 2025 option bonus checks in at $15.08MM, his ’26 bonus at $15.45MM. Of Barkley’s 2027 option bonus ($14.41MM), $2.5MM is fully guaranteed. A $1MM roster bonus will be due on Day 3 of the 2028 league year. Barkley will not have a cap number above $10MM until 2027, but the Eagles would not see any cap savings from a release until 2028 because of this contract structure, which also includes four void years.

As the Eagles’ recent contract structure is present here, so are additional incentives. Surpassing 1,500 scrimmage yards will land Barkley $250K, with that number increasing to $500K if he reaches 2,000, Florio notes. The same structure is in place for first- and second-team All-Pro honors, with a first-team appearance bumping him to $500K. A 1,000-yard rushing season and an Eagles NFC championship earns Barkley $250K, with a 1,000-yard rushing year plus another Super Bowl title increasing that number to $500K.

MARCH 4: Saquon Barkley enjoyed one of the most productive running back seasons in NFL history during his debut campaign with the Eagles. That has resulted in a new contract and accompanying raise.

Barkley has agreed to a two-year extension worth $41.2MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Two years remained on the Offensive Player of the Year’s original pact prior to this news, but it will substantially increase his earnings. Barkley is now not only the league’s highest-paid running back in terms of annual compensation, but he is the first to sign a deal with an AAV above $20MM.

As part of the financial resurgence of the running back market last offseason, Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75MM deal. The $12.58MM average of that pact moved the former Giant into third in the position’s pecking order and its $26MM in guarantees represented a major investment on the part of the Eagles. Barkley proved to be a worthwhile signing, though, and an even larger commitment has been made. Schefter notes this latest deal includes $36MM locked in at signing, along with an additional $15MM in incentives and escalators.

It will be interesting to see the structure of this new contract. Barkley was set to carry a cap hit of just $7.36MM in 2025, a figure which could raise depending on how his new compensation is paid out. If much of his guaranteed money comes in the form of a signing bonus, though, the added cap charges could be spread out over time (especially if void years are used, which was the case when he signed last spring). Just like the 49ers did last summer with Christian McCaffrey, the Eagles will move forward with a renewed and lucrative investment in a veteran back after seeing him operate as the focal point of the their offense.

Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024 despite being rested for the Eagles’ regular season finale. That figure was sufficient to break the franchise’s single-season rushing record, and his 2,283 scrimmage yards for the regular season ranked 13th in NFL history. When taking into account the 28-year-old’s output in the playoffs, his 2,504 total yards on the ground represent an all-time record for combined regular and postseason production.

The Eagles will be counting on Barkley being able to replicate that level of success when attempting to defend their Super Bowl title. The team already has a offense featuring a quarterback (Jalen Hurts), two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) and a tight end (Dallas Goedert) each near the top of their respective markets on their current deals. Philadelphia also, course, has a number of notable commitments along the offensive line. The team’s financial planning will now take into account a major Barkley raise over the coming years.

The running back market has long lagged well behind that of other positions. 2024 saw a rebound to an extent, and McCaffrey’s pact (averaging $19MM per year) has now been surpassed in value. Whether or not this Barkley deal represents a turning point from a financial perspective will be an interesting league storyline to follow.

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