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Colts To Sign RB Khalil Herbert

March 12th, 2025 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts are signing veteran running back Khalil Herbert to a one-year deal, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. After backing up Chase Brown down the stretch last year, Herbert will move to a Jonathan Taylor RB2 role.

Having flashed at points in Chicago, Herbert will bring more to the table than the Colts’ array of 2024 backups did. Indianapolis did not opt to do much to replace Zack Moss, whom Cincinnati eventually acquired Herbert to fill in for last season. Herbert could provide more cover for Taylor, who has battled injuries after a healthy start to his career.

Working in what amounted to a role as Justin Fields‘ ground-game sidekick, Herbert impressed in 2022 by gaining 731 rushing yards — at a slick 5.7 per carry — and helping the Bears lead the NFL in that category. The former sixth-round pick managed to get there despite starting only one game. Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric placed Herbert fourth that season, but he gradually fell out of favor with the Bears as his rookie contract progressed.

Herbert, who had played behind David Montgomery that year, made nine starts in 2023. He saw his YPC number drop to a still-respectable 4.6, but the team signed D’Andre Swift last year, giving the former Lions and Eagles starter $14MM fully guaranteed. Herbert entered the Bears’ 2024 training camp on the roster bubble and was ultimately shipped out for a sixth-round pick weeks after the Bengals lost Moss for the season.

After Moss fared well as a Taylor 2023 fill-in — during his contract impasse and later amid the starter’s injury absence — the Colts saw backup Trey Sermon average just 2.8 yards per tote. Sermon is unsigned for 2025, but Tyler Goodson, who performed a bit better as a third-stringer, remains under contract. Herbert will be positioned to spell Taylor, and he should be fairly fresh. The ex-Bears and Bengals contributor has accumulated just 400 career carries.

Titans To Trade Kenneth Murray To Cowboys

March 12th, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kenneth Murray‘s Tennessee stay looks set to end after one season. The Titans and Cowboys have a deal in place that would send the former first-round linebacker to Dallas.

The teams closed out a negotiation that appears to be a pick swap, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting the clubs are expected to exchange late-round choices. The Cowboys will be taking on Murray’s two-year, $15.5MM deal. Murray is due a $5.99MM base salary — well north of his 2024 paragraph 5 number — next season. A classic pick-swap structure wrapped this deal, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adding the Titans will receive a sixth-rounder in exchange for Murray and a seventh.

This qualifies as a midlevel contract, as Murray did not justify his draft slot in Los Angeles. While teams annually pass on off-ball linebacker fifth-year options, Murray’s was not exactly a complex decision for the Bolts. They had benched the Oklahoma product at points, though a market still formed. Murray had fans in Tennessee last year, but after one season, he is out.

The Titans signed Cody Barton in free agency but also did not tender Jack Gibbens as an RFA. This comes a year after Tennessee did not extend its partnership with Azeez Al-Shaair past one year. Last season, the team also shipped August trade pickup Ernest Jones to the Seahawks for Jerome Baker, who has not re-signed. As of late, Nashville has not been a hub for linebacker continuity. The Cowboys, however, also have issues to sort out on their defensive second level.

While Pro Football Focus has never been remotely high on Murray, he was productive last season. The 2020 No. 23 pick finished with 95 tackles (eight for loss), 3.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. PFF still labeled Murray as the third-worst full-time linebacker (among off-ball regulars). PFF has graded Murray outside the top 70 at his position in four of his five seasons. The Cowboys will take what amounts to a flier here, as they have Eric Kendricks — after ex-Vikings HC Mike Zimmer‘s second Cowboys stint was a one-and-done — unsigned and DeMarvion Overshown rehabbing a serious injury.

The Chargers had benched Murray in 2021, but by his contract year, he teamed with Kendricks and played 93% of the Bolts’ defensive snaps. Murray, 26, saw action on 94% of Tennessee’s defensive plays last season. That came in a 3-14 campaign that led to GM Ran Carthon‘s ouster. Nevertheless, Murray will have a clear path to first-string work to start Dallas’ 2025 season.

Chargers To Re-Sign LB Denzel Perryman

March 12th, 2025 at 4:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Denzel Perryman served as a full-time starter in 2024, his return season with the Chargers. The veteran linebacker will remain in place for 2025.

Perryman plans to re-sign on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This will be a $3.65MM pact. The former Pro Bowler was limited to 11 games last season, but he operated as a key figure on defense during that time while also chipping in on special teams.

Perryman began his career with the Chargers as a second-round pick out of Miami while the team was still in San Diego. Injuries were a limiting factor for Perryman back then, as well, as he only played in 69 of a possible 96 games in his six seasons with the team.

Perryman departed Los Angeles in 2021 as a free agent, signing with the Panthers, but he was traded to Las Vegas before the season even started. With the Raiders that season, Perryman had the healthiest season of his career, starting in all 15 game appearances.

Finally able to put together a full season, Perryman showed what he could do when healthy, earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection with 154 total tackles (6th in the league that season). Despite only appearing in 12 games the next year, Perryman put forth another strong performance, with 83 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. He signed a one-year deal to join the Texans in 2023, starting 11 of 12 game appearances for the second straight year.

Last season, he made his return to Southern California. In his age-32 season, Perryman’s contributions were average as he served more importantly as a veteran leader for young linebackers like Troy Dye and Daiyan Henley. Dye joins Perryman as a re-signed linebacker, while Nick Niemann departed for Houston in free agency and Shaquille Quarterman, another depth/special teams piece is a free agent, as well. Henley and Perryman should continue to work as starters with Dye spelling Perryman in obvious pass situations.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Panthers, Christian Rozeboom Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Christian Rozeboom enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, and he has landed a new contract early in free agency. The veteran linebacker has agreed to a one-year deal with the Panthers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Rozeboom, 28, signed with the Rams as a UDFA in 2020. He was waived during final cutdowns that year and ultimately spent the entire season on Los Angeles’ practice squad, though the club saw enough potential to keep him in the fold via a reserve/futures deal once the 2020 campaign ended. A similar fate awaited him in 2021, as he was waived before the start of the regular season and joined the Chiefs’ taxi squad shortly thereafter.

The South Dakota State product would go on to appear in one game for Kansas City in 2021 before the Rams poached him back by signing him to their active roster. He saw action in nine games for LA that year, with all of his snaps coming on special teams. He continued operating almost exclusively in the third phase in 2022 before getting his first real chance on defense in 2023.

That season, Rozeboom appeared in 17 games (five starts), and he enjoyed a 49% snap share. In 2024, he appeared in 17 games (11 starts), converting a 74% snap share into 135 total tackles — a top-20 figure — five tackles for loss, an interception, and a sack. Despite the high tackle totals, the advanced metrics were not high on his work, as Pro Football Focus considered him the 72nd-best LB out of 84 qualifiers and assigned him a roughly average grade against the run with subpar marks in the passing game.

There is some familiarity here, as Panthers DC Ejiro Evero was on the Rams’ defensive staff during Rozeboom’s first two years in the league. He will presumably compete for reps at the middle linebacker spot with incumbents Josey Jewell and Trevin Wallace, and he represents another part of the club’s plan to fortify its defense in free agency.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Steelers, CB Darius Slay Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darius Slay‘s Steelers agreement is now final. After being rumored to be close to landing the veteran cornerback, Pittsburgh will indeed bring in the two-time Super Bowl starter.

The team is adding Slay on a one-year, $10MM pact, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. The deal comes fully guaranteed for Slay, who turned 34 shortly before the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. Slay will join running back Kenneth Gainwell in changing Pennsylvania addresses this week. Slay will also rejoin ex-Lions DC Teryl Austin in Pittsburgh.

This deal comes minutes after the 2025 league year starting greenlit Slay’s official Philadelphia exit. The Eagles had planned to cut Slay for a bit, but teams cannot designate players as post-June 1 releases until 3pm CT today. The Steelers waited a bit, but they have added a boundary starter opposite Joey Porter Jr. The player who primarily worked in that role last season, Donte Jackson, joined the Chargers this week.

While this transaction will officially end the biannual Darius Slay-Darius Slayton divisional matchup, Slay did well to secure an opportunity quickly at an age when most corners are long retired. The batch of corners that topped this year’s free agent market were in their late 20s, scoring nice third contracts after smartly inking two- or three-year deals previously.

This is Slay’s fourth contract, illustrating the talent the ex-Eagles and Lions defender has displayed. He played two seasons on a three-year, $39MM Eagles accord, but after Philly drafted first- and second-round CBs last year, they bid farewell to Super Bowl LVII starters Slay and James Bradberry.

Bradberry missed all of last season, but Slay was in place as the veteran corner giving the Eagles experience while Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean acclimated. Slay started all 14 games he played last season and logged an 81% snap rate. That was slightly down from his previous seasons, though given Slay’s age and the Eagles’ deep CB depth chart last season, it makes sense. Slay, however, played at least 85% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in each of their four playoff games — including an 88% Super Bowl LIX rate.

Pittsburgh had given Patrick Peterson a chance to play an age-33 season in 2023; the Steelers will bet on Slay having one more good year in the tank. Slay has planned for 2025 to be his finale. If so, he will work in a familiar system, as the six-time Pro Bowler began his ascent under Austin in Detroit. Austin coached the Lions’ defense from 2014-17; Slay’s issues with the Lions came after Matt Patricia‘s 2018 arrival. Patricia played a central role in the Eagles’ defensive descent in 2023, but Slay had signed off on a reunion. After the Eagles moved back on track with Vic Fangio, Slay reestablished momentum to gain a shot at a rare age-34 CB season.

Falcons To Re-Sign WR KhaDarel Hodge

March 12th, 2025 at 3:38pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Falcons are re-signing wide receiver and special teams ace KhaDarel Hodge, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Hodge was named to the Pro Bowl as a special teamer in 2024, the first of his career. He cashed in with a two-year, $6MM deal in Atlanta, a solid raise over his $1.3MM contract last year.

The 30-year-old originally signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster, but appeared in 14 games as a rookie by demonstrating the special teams prowess that would come to define his career.

Hodge was waived by the Rams during final roster cuts in 2019 and was claimed by the Browns. He played 16 games in Cleveland and was re-signed for another year as an exclusive rights free agent. In 2020, Hodge carved out a larger role on offense, but only appeared in nine games due to injuries. The Browns placed an RFA tag on him after the season, but moved on during final roster cuts before the 2021 season. Hodge spent the season with the Lions, playing 16 games with most of his involvement coming on special teams.

Hodge then found a long-term home in Atlanta, signing a one-year deal in 2022 and re-upping in each of the last two offseasons. Now, he’s set to continue playing for the Falcons through the 2026 season.

Cardinals To Sign LB Mykal Walker

March 12th, 2025 at 3:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are signing veteran linebacker Mykal Walker, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Walker appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 with more than 80% of his playing time coming on special teams. In Arizona, he will likely compete for a role on defense while serving as a core special teams contributor.

Walker was originally a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2020 out of Fresno State. He started eight games across his first two seasons before carving out a full-time role in 2022 with 12 starts.

His 107 tackles ranked third on Atlanta’s defense, but the team waived him during training camp the following summer. Walker then spent time with the Bears and the Raiders before receiving his next playing opportunity with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh signed Walker to their practice squad in October 2023 and earned a promotion to the active roster in November. He appeared in the Steelers’ last eight games of the regular season with five starts and even started their wild card loss to the Bills.

Despite earning a starting job, Walker was not retained by the Steelers and instead hit free agency last spring. The Commanders signed him to a one-year deal, but also chose not to re-sign him this offseason.

Lions To Re-Sign DT Levi Onwuzurike

March 12th, 2025 at 3:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

Levi Onwuzurike will not be heading elsewhere as a free agent. An agreement has been reached which will keep him with the Lions.

Onwuzurike has a one-year deal in place with Detroit, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The pact is worth $5.5MM, he adds. After a career-year in 2024, the former second-round defensive tackle will earn a notable raise compared to his rookie contract.

Playing through a back issue during his rookie campaign, Onwuzurike managed to make 16 appearances but only managed one sack. He sat out the following season due to the issue, and as a result questions were raised about his NFL future. The Washington product has played in 26 games across this past two years, though.

That span includes 2024, in which Onwuzurike logged 10 starts a 61% snap share, by far the largest workload of his career. The 27-year-old posted only one sack but added 22 pressures, demonstrating his disruptive presence when healthy. The Lions will be counting on another campaign with that kind of performance as they prepare for at least one more season with both Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill in place.

The latter is attached to a four-year, $97MM extension and he will remain in place for the foreseeable future as a result. The Lions will increasingly depend on cost-effective players elsewhere on their defense, though, so Onwuzurike is in line to continue playing an important role for at least one more season. If he manages to duplicate or improve upon his output from 2024, it would come as no surprise if a long-term Detroit commitment (or one from an outside team) came to bear next spring.

Browns To Sign DT Maliek Collins

March 12th, 2025 at 3:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

Maliek Collins was let go by the 49ers earlier this week. The veteran defensive tackle did not need to wait long to find a new home, however.

Collins has agreed to a two-year deal with the Browns, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The contract is worth $20MM and includes $13MM fully guaranteed, he adds. Collins will now join a Browns D-line which no longer features Dalvin Tomlinson.

Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes the deal is still being worked on. Presuming it is finalized, though, Collins will be expected to handle a starting role on his fifth career team. The 29-year-old has operated as a first-team presence throughout his career, which has included time with the Cowboys, Raiders, Texans and 49ers.

San Francisco traded for Collins last offseason, and he started all 17 games with the team. The former third-rounder recorded five sacks along the way, but that production was not enough to keep him in place. The 49ers elected to cut Collins as part of their efforts to reset along the defensive interior. The same remained the case for Javon Hargrave, who was designated as a post-June 1 release.

The Browns used Tomlinson as a full-time starter for each of the past two seasons. The former Giant and Viking posted three sacks in each of his Cleveland campaigns, and halfway through his contract the Browns elected to move on. Tomlinson’s pact averaged $14.25MM per season; this Collins one checks in at a lower figure but it will still carry notable expectations on a Browns defensive front which will still include Myles Garrett in 2025.

The All-Pro’s saga saw a trade request replaced by a record-breaking extension on Sunday. Garrett will be counted on to remain an elite producer along the edge moving forward as a result. Collins will look to serve as a complementary pass-rushing presence along the interior.

Steelers, CB Brandin Echols Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

After four years with the Jets, Brandin Echols is set to be on the move this offseason. The veteran corner has a deal in place with the Steelers, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

Echols joined the Jets as a sixth-rounder in 2021. Over the course of his rookie contract, he racked up 19 starts (including 14 during his rookie campaign). Since that point, he has operated as a rotational defender while handling a notable special teams workload. That will likely remain the case with his newest team.

The Steelers will be working with a new-look cornerbacks group in 2025. They saw Donte Jackson leave for a deal with the Chargers, and Cameron Sutton, C.J. Henderson, and James Pierre all saw their contracts expire, as well. Joey Porter Jr. and Beanie Bishop return as impact players from last year, while Cory Trice returns in support.

The team also signed veteran Darius Slay today, and Slay will likely take over the starting job across from Porter, while Bishop should continue to take the majority of the reps in the slot. Echols spent most of his defensive snaps on the outside, so he’ll likely continue to contribute there behind Porter and Slay.

The Jets have seen Echols joined by D.J. Reed as free agent departures, but they were able to re-sign slot specialist Isaiah Oliver. They have signed former Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens, who should step into a starting role for New York.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

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