1 week agoESPN's Jeremy Fowler states that free agent quarterback
Justin Fields wants to test the free agency market in an attempt to make an informed decision. However, a reunion with the Pittsburgh Steelers is still on the table. Reportedly, both sides are open to a reunion, but Fields wants to "truly see how teams view him." Fowler also mentioned that the New York Jets' interest has "percolated" since before the combine. The 26-year-old led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record through six weeks in 2024, though he only eclipsed 156 passing yards twice and tossed just five touchdowns before being replaced by
Russell Wilson to close out the season. Whether Fields will start in 2025 remains to be seen, but there are still a few quarterback-needy teams, and this year's draft class does not feature as many strong QB prospects as the prior offseason. Even if Fields does land in a favorable spot, there's no guarantee he'll be given the reigns of an offense.
--Alex CiullaSource: Jeremy Fowler
1 week agoPer the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Pittsburgh Steelers are trading for wide receiver
DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. The Steelers are forfeiting their 2025 second-round pick in return and are signing Metcalf to a brand new, five-year, $150 million contract. Pittsburgh may not know who their next quarterback will be, but they're doing their best to surround him with standout talent. The 27-year-old will presumably slot in as the team's No. 1 wideout and, at worst, the 1A or 1B across from standing No. 1 pass-catcher
George Pickens. It's an intriguing turn of events for Pittsburgh, though a necessary move for a team that's ranked in the league's bottom half in points per game since 2021. Metcalf started 2024 hot but fell off after a knee injury coincided with former teammate
Jaxon Smith-Njigba's breakout. Still, at 27, the Ole Miss product should help bolster Pittsburgh's WR corps.
--Alex CiullaSource: Tom Pelissero
1 week agoThe Buffalo Bills have reached an agreement with quarterback
Josh Allen on a record-breaking deal. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the news. Allen's new contract is a six-year $330 million deal, including $250 million in guaranteed money -- the largest guarantee ever given to an NFL player. Wow. The 28-year-old is fresh off an MVP season -- his first -- and undoubtedly deserves the contract. In addition to 4,262 yards of total offense and 40 combined touchdowns, Allen tossed the fewest interceptions of his career (six). In fact, the Wyoming product accrued the lowest percentage of plays resulting in a sack or turnover (4.17%) since 1970, besting Peyton Manning's mark of 4.21% from the 2006-07 season. This move by Buffalo resets the market and firmly entrenches the star signal-caller where he belongs -- at the top of the list.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
1 week agoPer NFL Insider Josina Anderson, the Philadelphia Eagles expect at least a fourth-round pick for tight end
Dallas Goedert in a potential trade. Anderson reports the team would be willing to accept a pick from the 2026 or 2027 draft. Furthermore, a lower pick and salary adjustment from some teams could get the job done. Health has been a knock on Goedert. The 30-year-old veteran missed seven games in 2024 while battling through knee and hamstring injuries and has played just one full season -- his first -- despite seven years in the league. However, he's been productive when healthy and even had a ten-catch, 170-yard performance as recent as Week 3 this past season. Trades in the NFL don't typically go at the asking price, but a fourth-round pick seems reasonable for a player who still has some juice left in the tank. Additionally, several teams could use a dynamic receiving tight end.
--Alex CiullaSource: Josina Anderson
1 week agoAccording to ESPN's Adam Schefter, former New York Jets wide receiver
Davante Adams is signing a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams. The contract is worth up to $46 million, with $26 million guaranteed. Wow. Adams is coming off an up-and-down season that started in Las Vegas but ended in New York with the Jets after a mid-October trade that reunited him with long-time teammate and quarterback
Aaron Rodgers. The sentiment was that the veteran wideout would follow Rodgers to his new destination; however, it appears the Rams got to him first. It's excellent timing for LA, who is preparing to move on from star WR
Cooper Kupp. Adams will now line up across from
Puka Nacua, spelling a formidable duo for any defensive backfield to run with. With the news that
Matthew Stafford is returning to the team, too, the Rams' offense just got a whole lot more interesting for 2025.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
1 week agoPer The Athletic's Dianna Russini, defensive end Joey Bosa is expected to "garner strong interest" from the Miami Dolphins. It is known that the Ohio State alum is looking to play with his brother, Nick, in San Francisco. However, the veteran could help any number of teams if he can stay healthy, and the Dolphins certainly qualify, as they recorded the sixth-fewest sacks of any team in 2024. Health is the question, though, considering Bosa has played just 28 of a possible 51 games since the 2022 season while dealing with a litany of injuries. Still, the long-time Charger is capable of providing some juice on the front seven, and not many teams require pass-rush help like the Dolphins. Stay tuned.
--Alex CiullaSource: Dianna Russini
1 week agoDianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to make an offer to free-agent quarterback
Sam Darnold. Per Russini, many around the league believe that the 27-year-old will wind up landing in Seattle with the Seahawks. However, the Steelers are exhausting every option in search of their next field general. Darnold is coming off his best season as a pro -- setting career highs across the board en route to a 14-3 record with Minnesota. While some may be left with a bad taste in their mouth due to his meltdown at the end of the regular season that continued into the playoffs, the former USC Trojan was mainly stellar in 2024 and finished as a top-ten fantasy quarterback. Whether he can repeat his success outside Minnesota remains to be seen, but he's undoubtedly drawing strong interest around the league.
--Alex CiullaSource: Dianna Russini
1 week agoThe Minnesota Vikings are re-signing running back
Aaron Jones, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones' new agreement is a two-year $20 million deal, including $13 million guaranteed. The UTEP product is fresh off his first season with the team, in which he set career-highs in touches (306), carries (255), and rushing yards (1,138) -- totaling seven touchdowns. It was just the third time he'd participated in a full slate of games in his career. The move makes sense for the Vikes, as the 30-year-old was still productive despite dealing with rib, hip, and quad injuries during the 2024 season. It will be interesting to see who the team's signal-caller will be, as
J.J. McCarthy (knee) is slated to begin practicing in the spring, though to what extent is unknown. Still, Minnesota has their lead back locked up, and he'll likely be among the first 15-20 backs taken off the board in fantasy drafts this summer.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
1 week agoNFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that the San Francisco 49ers are releasing defensive tackle Maliek Collins after one season with the club. The move frees up $10 million in cap space for the team. San Francisco was the 29-year-old's fourth squad, and he matched a career-high five sacks during the 2024 season. However, the 49ers are reshuffling their defensive front, perhaps to make room for edge rusher Joey Bosa. On the other hand, Collins will enter free agency and could be sought after by a team looking for a versatile asset on the defensive interior. He'll slot in near the top of the list of available defensive tackles between former Bengals B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins in terms of previous average annual value.
--Alex CiullaSource: Mike Garafolo
1 week agoPer ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Detroit Lions are releasing veteran pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith after one season with the team. The 32-year-old kicked off the 2024 season with Cleveland and was traded to the Lions in mid-November in an effort to boost their pass rush after star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (leg) went down with a season-ending injury. Smith recorded nine sacks and 35 tackles across 17 games played. While he may not be the disruptive force he once was in years past, many teams in the league could use veteran help on the defensive edge. The ten-year veteran will now join a long, impressive list of edge rushers in free agency. Smith is no stranger to changing teams and could very well find himself on another squad come the start of the free agency period on Monday.
--Alex CiullaSource: Jeremy Fowler
1 week agoThe Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle Jarran Reed have agreed on a three-year deal worth up to $25 million. The former Alabama Crimson Tide was set to become a free agent this week, but Seattle opted to nip it in the bud and get a deal done ahead of time. Reed, drafted by Seattle in 2016, is on his second stint with the club after bouncing between Kansas City and Green Bay from 2021-2022. In 2024, he accrued the fourth-most sacks on the Seahawks' defense while racking up 45 tackles and five tackles-for-loss -- the fifth-most on the squad. Seattle was middle-of-the-road last season in terms of stopping the run (120.8 YPG) and can still use a little help on their defensive front. However, locking up a space-eating defensive tackle is a good start.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
1 week agoThe Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed linebacker Nick Bolton to a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million fully guaranteed at signing. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the news. Bolton was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has led the Chiefs' defense in tackles in three of four seasons, including a whopping 180 total takedowns in 2022. The 24-year-old, who turns 25 on Monday, was an integral part of a Kansas City defense that ranked sixth in points per game (20.5) and 10th in yards allowed per contest (328.2) in 2024. He'll now anchor the Chiefs' front seven for at least the next three seasons and should continue to rack up tackles at an impressive pace.
--Alex CiullaSource: Adam Schefter
1 week agoTim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard reports that defensive end Joey Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers are having "good conversations" and it feels like it's "headed toward a deal." The Los Angeles Chargers recently released the 29-year-old after he spent his entire nine-year career with the team. While nothing is set in stone, reports have swirled that the former third-overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft wanted to play alongside his brother, Nick Bosa, and it appears that this could become a reality. Furthermore, San Francisco has been on the search for a complement to their star pass-rusher, and due to age and injury concerns -- with Joey Bosa appearing in just 28 games since the start of the 2022 season -- they'd likely get him on a discount. The Ohio State product has registered 72 sacks in 107 career games and was once a feared game-wrecker on the Chargers defensive front. If he can put the health concerns behind him, it stands to reason that 2025 could be a resurgent season for the veteran.
--Alex CiullaSource: Tim Kawakami
1 week agoESPN New York's Jordan Raanan writes that after talking to people around the NFL, soon-to-be free-agent quarterback
Aaron Rodgers joining the New York Giants in 2025 hardly seems like a slam dunk at this point. While Rodgers wouldn't have to go far once the New York Jets release him, the Giants aren't considered the most desirable situation. In addition, a new potential destinations for the future Hall of Famer opened up this weekend in the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings after the Seahawks traded QB
Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. The 41-year-old tore his Achilles in 2023 and then disappointed last year by throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, so it remains to be seen how many QB-needy teams will even be interested in taking him on as a bridge starter for a year. Rodgers will come cheap, but he won't be much more than a low-end QB2 in fantasy.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
1 week agoThe Washington Commanders are one of many NFL teams exploring a potential trade for Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson, sources tell The Athletic's Dianna Russini. The Bengals granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade last Thursday as he seeks a long-term contract extension as he heads into the final year of his deal in 2025. An NFL executive said the Bengals are looking for "significant trade compensation in return." The 30-year-old veteran led the league with 17.5 sacks last year and also recorded 17.5 sacks in 2023, so it's certainly going to take a lot to pry him away from the Bengals. Cincy would love to sign Hendrickson to a long-term extension, but they are also trying to do the same with both star receivers
Ja'Marr Chase and
Tee Higgins. Washington has plenty of salary cap space this year and is expected to make a splash on the defensive side of the ball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The Athletic - Dianna Russini
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