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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.

Bills To Trade CB Kaiir Elam To Cowboys

March 12th, 2025 at 2:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

After three seasons with the Bills, Kaiir Elam is on the move. Buffalo has agreed to trade the former first-round corner to the Cowboys, as first reported by The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Dallas will send Buffalo a fifth-round pick in 2025 along with a future seventh-rounder in exchange for Elam and a sixth-round selection, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. This will give Elam a fresh start after struggling to carve out a starting role on the Bills’ defense. Presuming the Cowboys intend to decline his fifth-year option this spring, 2025 will represent his walk year. Confirming the deal, the Bills announced the seventh-round pick will be in 2026.

Elam had a strong three-year college career at Florida, and expectations were high upon arrival in Buffalo as the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft. He made six starts and 13 appearances as a rookie, collecting a pair of interceptions. That showcased his potential to an extent, but since then Elam has not developed as hoped.

The 23-year-old tore an ankle ligament prior to the start of his second Bills season, and after attempting to play through the injury he was on injured reserve for an extended stretch. Elam appeared in only three games that year, finding himself passed on the depth chart by Christian Benford (who has set himself up well to be one of the next Bills to secure a lucrative extension). Even without Tre’Davious White in the fold in 2024, Elam only handled a 35% snap share on defense, something which further fueled trade speculation.

The latter’s departure will clear up $2.57MM in cap space for the Bills. That figure represents Elam’s 2025 salary as he looks to build his value during the final year of his rookie contract. Earning at least a rotational role in a secondary which is set to lose longtime slot starter Jourdan Lewis would give the Cowboys a cost-effective option at the cornerback spot. Dallas still has Trevon Diggs on the books through 2028 (as his knee rehab continues), while fellow perimeter cover man DaRon Bland is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Last August, the Cowboys made a similar move in trading for cornerback Andrew Booth. The former Vikings second-rounder had a modest role on defense with Dallas in 2024, and he too is set to see his rookie deal expire after the coming campaign. It will be interesting to see if the buy-low approach with Elam pans out and leads to a long-term commitment from his new team.

Giants Sign OT Stone Forsythe

March 12th, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Giants are signing offensive tackle Stone Forsythe, according to his agency and confirmed by a team announcement.

The Seahawks traded up in the 2021 draft to select Forsythe in the sixth round. He only played 14 offensive snaps as a rookie, but emerged as a key swing tackle over the next three years as Seattle weathered injuries to Abraham Lucas and Charles Cross.

Forsythe appeared in 34 games with nine starts and 623 offensive snaps across the next two years, lining up at both left and right tackle. He opened the 2024 season as the Seahawks’ starting right tackle with Lucas rehabbing from an injury suffered in 2023.

Forsythe then landed on injured reserve in October and remained sidelined until Week 16. By that time, Lucas was back at right tackle in Seattle and Forsythe finished the season on the bench. He left Seattle with 53 total appearances and 14 starts, 13 of which came in 2023 and 2024.

Forsythe could compete for a starting job in New York. Andrew Thomas is locked in as the Giants’ left tackle, but 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal has struggled with injuries and consistency on the right side. If he can’t win a starting gig, he will likely return to his role as a swing tackle that can step in at left or right tackle in case of injury.

Packers, Patriots Did Not Make Offers For D.K. Metcalf

March 12th, 2025 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite reports of interest from the Packers and the Patriots, neither team submitted offers to the Seahawks for D.K. Metcalf, per The Athletic’s Matt Schniedman and NBCS Boston’s Phil Perry

Seahawks general manager John Schneider spent 2002 to 2009 in Green Bay when Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was a scout with the team. That led to rumblings that the Packers would trade for Metcalf to add a proven WR1 to their receiver room. However, such a deal was “never a realistic possibility,” per Schniedman.

The Patriots were linked with several available wide receivers who could bolster Drake Maye‘s group of pass-catchers, but they did not make an effort to acquire Metcalf, according to Perry. New England was expected to pursue Chris Godwin, but he opted to re-sign with the Buccaneers instead.

Reports also indicated that Metcalf preferred to play in a warm climate, but he did not express that desire to his agent, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Instead, he ended up in Pittsburgh where his 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame will fit with the physical playing style of the AFC North.

Metcalf’s new team better aligns with his priority of winning, per Pelissero. Mike Tomlin has led the Steelers to the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. Metcalf has just two postseason appearances in that span and three in his entire career.

Commanders To Re-Sign QB Marcus Mariota

March 12th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marcus Mariota will remain in Washington for the 2025 campaign. The journeyman quarterback has a new Commanders agreement in place, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

This will be a one-year pact worth $8MM, Pelissero adds. That marks a slight raise compared to Mariota’s first Commanders contract. After a successful year backing up Jayden Daniels, he will do so again next season.

Pelissero notes Mariota drew interest from outside teams, but he turned that down to remain in the nation’s capital. The former No. 2 pick bounced around the league following his five-year run with the Titans, spending time with the Raiders, Falcons and Eagles before signing with the Commanders last offseason. Mariota made just three appearances in 2024, but he gave the team a veteran mentor for Daniels as he put together an exceptional rookie campaign.

Daniels’ strong play ensured Mariota would have needed to head elsewhere if he intended to compete for a starting gig. The 31-year-old’s last stint atop a depth chart came with the Falcons in 2022, when his passer rating (88.2) fell short of his career average. Failing to secure a long-term opportunity as a starter in Atlanta set Mariota up for a one-year spell as the Eagles’ backup prior to his intra-divisional move to the Commanders last spring.

That signing was seen as an indication the Commanders’ preference was to select Daniels with the No. 2 pick in the draft given Mariota’s mobility. Washington did indeed go in that direction, and the team’s success on offense led to renewed head coaching interest for OC Kliff Kingsbury. The former Cardinals coach ultimately withdrew from the 2025 hiring cycle, citing his satisfaction of working with Daniels. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024, Daniels will have both his offensive coordinator and QB2 back with him next season.

As expected, the first two days of the negotiating window brought about considerable movement at the quarterback position. That has continued into Wednesday, with the official start of free agency looming this afternoon. Mariota’s decision to remain in place has taken one more veteran passer off the market.

Chargers Re-Sign LB Troy Dye, WR Jalen Reagor

March 12th, 2025 at 12:20pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chargers are re-signing veteran linebacker Troy Dye, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Dye’s contract is worth $5.5MM over two years with a maximum value of $8.5MM with incentives, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. Multiple other teams were interested, but Dye opted to stay on the West Coast after growing up in California and playing college football at Oregon.

Dye appeared in all 17 games (five starts) for the Chargers in 2024 with a rotational role on defense and an 80% snap share on special teams. He finished the season with career-highs of 57 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two tackles for loss.

The 28-year-old was originally a fourth-round pick by the Vikings in 2020. He primarily played special teams in Minnesota with eight starts on defense across four years. He signed a one-year, $1.79MM deal with the Chargers in 2024 and is now under contract with the team through the 2026 season.

The Chargers also announced the re-signing of wide receiver Jalen Reagor. The 26-year-old appeared in eight games with seven receptions for 100 yards, but could be in line for a bigger role in 2025 after the departure of Josh Palmer.

Reagor was an Eagles first-round pick in 2020 who struggled to live up to his draft billing in Philadelphia. He was traded to the Vikings ahead of the 2022 season and waived after another disappointing year. Reagor spent 2023 with the Patriots, but couldn’t make the 53-man roster in 2024. He then joined the Chargers’ practice squad in September and was promoted to the active roster in November.

Seahawks To Add Marquez Valdes-Scantling

March 12th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett‘s departures have brought a significant retooling effort at receiver in Seattle. While the team will need to add at least one starter-level receiver to complement Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it is adding a likely depth piece now.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling will sign with the Seahawks, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The well-traveled wideout agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $5.5MM. After the Chiefs and Bills both cut Valdes-Scantling last year, he caught on with the Saints and played a regular role. He will follow 2024 New Orleans OC Klint Kubiak to Seattle.

Valdes-Scantling made some memorable contributions with the Chiefs, but they moved on from his three-year, $30MM contract after a disappointing 2023 season. The 2022 JuJu Smith-Schuster complementary piece signed with the Bills after the draft but did not see much playing time before an in-season release. With the Saints, however, he became a regular part of a battered receiving corps.

Kubiak used MVS as a downfield threat, as the ex-Packer draftee caught 17 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns during a half-season in New Orleans. With Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed out, Kubiak needed to find other producers. Although MVS had been trending downward and has enjoyed an inconsistent career, he produced during the short Saints stint. This included a 109-yard, two-TD day in a Saints win over the Falcons. MVS also cleared 50 receiving yards on three other occasions with the Saints to close his age-30 season.

The former fifth-round pick is still better known for his Green Bay and Kansas City stays. The 6-foot-4 receiver totaled a career-high 690 yards for the 2020 Packers, leading the NFL with a 20.9-yard average per catch and adding six TDs during Aaron Rodgers‘ third MVP season. Given a $10MM-per-year deal as the Chiefs pivoted to a cheaper receiving group after Tyreek Hill extension talks turned into a Dolphins trade, Valdes-Scantling amassed 687 yards for the Super Bowl champions that year.

The Chiefs depended on MVS in the 2022 AFC championship game, as a few other among their receiving corps battled injuries. He came through with a six-reception, 116-yard showing to help the Chiefs stave off the Bengals. In 2023, Valdes-Scantling caught two deep balls in a Chiefs divisional-round win over the Bills and added the game-clinching grab against the Ravens. He then caught a third-quarter TD pass in Super Bowl LVIII. Of course, that came after a 315-yard season that featured a costly deep-ball drop in a November loss to the Eagles.

Following the Metcalf trade and Lockett release, the Seahawks have Jake Bobo and fourth-year performer Dareke Young as Smith-Njigba complements. While adding a second wideout with a hyphenated name reminds of a recent Chiefs setup, Seattle will undoubtedly be seeking more help for Sam Darnold soon.

Bills To Sign S Darrick Forrest

March 12th, 2025 at 11:49am CST by Sam Robinson

Already carrying Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop on their roster going into free agency, the Bills have used Day 3 to add two more safeties. After re-signing Damar Hamlin, Buffalo is bringing in a former NFC East starter.

Ex-Washington draftee Darrick Forrest is heading to Buffalo on a one-year deal, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz tweets. Forrest is a 17-game Commanders starter, with most of those opportunities coming during the 2022 season.

Washington drafted Forrest in the 2021 fifth round and made him a primary 2022 starter. That season included 88 tackles and four interceptions. The Cincinnati alum, however, did not grab any INTs outside of that 2022 season. A starter during the ’22 campaign’s second half, Forrest saw his momentum stall in 2023. A shoulder fracture ended his season five games in, and the Commanders changed plans soon after.

Hiring Adam Peters as GM, the team signed Jeremy Chinn to pair with 2023 second-round pick Quan Martin. Even with Kamren Curl leaving in free agency last year, Forrest did not earn his starting job back. He made one start and played only 74 defensive snaps. Washington has lost he and Chinn this offseason; two years remain on Martin’s rookie deal. The team has since signed former Lions and Saints DB Will Harris as a potential option alongside Martin.

Forrest, 26 in May, graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 42 overall safety (out of 88 qualifiers) in 2022. While avenues to the Buffalo starting lineup appear closed, the Bills at least have secured another experienced depth piece a year after their Mike Edwards pact did not work out.

Ravens DT Michael Pierce Announces Retirement

March 12th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Nikhil Mehta

After a nine-year career, Ravens defensive tackle Michael Pierce announced that he is retiring (via the Sports Spectrum podcast hosted by former NFL running back Matt Forte).

Pierce expressed appreciation for his time in the NFL and specifically thanked former Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and former defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who brought Pierce to Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of Samford University in 2016. He made the Ravens’ 53-man roster as a rookie and never looked back, quickly becoming one of the league’s stoutest nose tackles.

“They gave me a chance when not many people were willing to take a chance on me,” said Pierce. He also thanked “big brothers” Terrell Suggs and Brandon Williams, who mentored him during his first stint in Baltimore.

Pierce played in 60 games (30 starts) for the Ravens from 2016 to 2019 with 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, earning him a three-year, $27MM deal from the Vikings. With a history of asthma and other respiratory problems, Pierce opted out of the 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. He finally debuted in Minnesota in 2021, but played in only eight games due to an elbow injury. He still put up a career-high 3.0 sacks, but the Vikings opted to move on before the 2022 season.

The Ravens then swooped in to reunited with Pierce on a three-year, $16.5MM deal. He played in just three games due to a torn bicep in 2022, but starting all 17 games the following year as a core part of Baltimore’s league-leading defense. Another injury limited Pierce to just 11 games in 2024, but returned by the end of the regular season to end his career with a highlight. In Week 18 against the Browns, Pierce became the heaviest player since at least 2000 to record an interception at 355 pounds. He was also the NFL’s biggest active defender before his retirement.

Pierce’s size made him an effective run-stuffer who could absorb double-teams in the middle of the defensive line. He remained a solid defender until his retirement, but stints on injured reserve in three of the last four seasons made retirement a serious possibility before his age-33 season. The Ravens are currently set to return Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, and Broderick Washington to their defensive line in 2025, but they will need to add depth over the next few months.

Pierce had an option year set to trigger on March 17 that included an additional $2MM option bonus if he remained on the roster, per OverTheCap. Instead, his retirement will leave $2MM in dead money, $1.33MM of which can be pushed into 2026 with a post-June 1 designation. That would save the Ravens $2MM against the 2025 cap with just $667k of dead money this year.

Bucs To Re-Sign DT Greg Gaines

March 12th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Buccaneers are re-signing defensive tackle Greg Gaines for another season, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

2025 will be Gaines’ third year in Tampa Bay. He is expected to sign a one-year, $3.5MM contract, the same length and APY as his last two deals with the Buccaneers.

Gaines began his career as a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2019. He carved out a rotational role in his first two years before moving into a starting job in 2021 and 2022. He started 25 games with more than 1,500 snaps in that span, which featured 9.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

The former Washington Husky was not retained by the Rams after his rookie contract expired and crisscrossed the country to sign with the Buccaneers in 2023. He played well enough in his debut season in Tampa Bay to earn another one-year deal for 2024. Across both seasons, he played in 32 games (five starts) with a snap share around 40%. He wasn’t as productive as he was in Los Angeles, though, totaling just four combined sacks and tackles for loss.

The 312-pound lineman will return to his rotational role in Tampa Bay in 2025 backing up Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey. Gaines will need to improve on his recent production to earn a significant raise in the NFL, but the Buccaneers were clearly satisfied with his value over the last two years.

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