| NFC EAST |
| DALLASFrank Schwab of YahooSports.com on another minimalist Cowboys offseason: The Dallas Cowboys clearly trust their pre-draft evaluations. The theme of this offseason for Dallas has been acquiring former first-round draft picks who failed elsewhere. That’s not new — it’s a team that wasted selections by trading them for quarterback Trey Lance two years ago — but the Cowboys leaned hard into that strategy this offseason. It’s typically not a successful plan for any team, but that didn’t keep Jerry Jones from trying. The Cowboys added four former first-round draft picks whose careers have not panned out as hoped. They traded for former Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam and former Chargers and Titans linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. They signed former Saints defensive end Payton Turner and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas, who has played for three teams since the 49ers took him with the third pick of the 2017 draft. At least the Cowboys are adding players, unlike last year’s very quiet offseason following Jones’ “all in” proclamation. It’s just hard to see how the moves are getting them closer to overtaking the Philadelphia Eagles, or even the Washington Commanders, in the NFC East. The Cowboys have a problem, and it got worse this month. They have to pay Micah Parsons, and the price keeps going up. The Las Vegas Raiders signed Maxx Crosby to an extension worth $35.5 million per season. Then Myles Garrett, who requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns, got $40 million per year. This is the downside of the Cowboys waiting to do big contracts, as they often do. The price for someone like Parsons was never going to go down. He’ll be asking for at least Crosby money now, and maybe Garrett money. The Cowboys have to budget for that, and that meant another quiet free agency. They retained defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, which was important and costly. He got $80 million over four years. That’s a smart move for a good player. As for outside additions, it seems like the Jones family was happy to scour old draft big boards and figure out who could be had cheap. It’s unclear if the Cowboys watched what those former first-round picks have done in the NFL, but they are high on draft pedigree. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Commanders are actually hitting on draft picks, not just hoping recycling jobs turn up some diamonds. The Cowboys might not be far off from being a playoff team, as hard as that is to believe given the negativity over their lack of free agency activity the past two offseasons. The Cowboys won the NFC East two seasons ago, though it seems like a couple decades ago. They won 12 games three straight seasons before everything went sideways last season. The Eagles ascended to Super Bowl champions and the Commanders came out of nowhere with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to make the NFC championship game. The Cowboys were pushed further away from being a contender. The Cowboys added some linebackers in Murray and Jack Sanborn, which was needed. Help on the line is always beneficial, and Thomas and Turner could add to the depth. Former Broncos running back Javonte Williams, signed to a modest one-year, $3 million deal, might be an upgrade over Rico Dowdle who left to the Panthers. It’s not like much was invested in taking a shot on Elam, as Dallas did a fifth-/sixth-round pick swap with the Bills to get the cornerback. The same can be said for Murray, who cost a sixth-round pick and a swap of seventh-round picks with the Titans. But it’s hard to see any of the additions as making a huge impact, even if they were cost effective. We’ll have to see if new head coach Brian Schottenheimer can do better than Mike McCarthy with what amounts to a very similar roster. That roster finished seven games behind the Eagles last season, though injuries played a big part. There’s also still time to make a much-needed addition at receiver or an impact player at any position. Either way, it has been a quiet March for Cowboys fans. They’re getting used to that. But, as Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com reports, they are making a move for WR COOPER KUPP. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones downplayed the idea that the team will be aggressive in free agency this offseason, but they are reportedly making a play for one of the biggest names still on the open market. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Cowboys are pushing to sign wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp was released by the Rams earlier this week. The Cowboys did not have a strong complementary receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb during the 2024 season and signing Kupp would allow them to avoid the same fate this time around. Several other teams have been mentioned as potential landing spots for the 2021 offensive player of the year and Dianna Russini of TheAthletic reports the Seahawks are also interested in signing him. Schefter added that a decision about his next team could come as soon as Friday, so we may not need to wait long to learn where Kupp will be catching passes in 2025. Kupp grew up in Yakima, Washington and went to Eastern Washington so the Seahawks and QB SAM DARNOLD may also hold appeal. |
| NEW YORK GIANTSDan Duggan of The Athletic thinks the Giants have picked a really bad time to be desperate for a quarterback. As the hours tick by with the New York Giants awaiting word from a 41-year-old who quarterbacked a 5-12 team last season, there’s an inescapable feeling that they picked a terrible time to be on the hunt for a QB savior. The Giants are in a particularly perilous position this offseason. The Daniel Jones experiment was a colossal failure, leaving them without a quarterback under contract aside from Tommy DeVito. DeVito’s most notable contributions in two years have been a celebratory gesture and an improbable three-game winning streak in 2023 that pushed the Giants out of range of landing a franchise quarterback in last year’s loaded draft. Things went so far off the rails with Jones and everything around him the past two seasons that general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll are on the hot seat entering Year 4. Co-owner John Mara’s postseason edict for an immediate turnaround has echoed for the past two months as Schoen has pursued every possible quarterback option. “It better not take too long because I’ve just about run out of patience,” Mara said. With that declaration removing any thought of a measured approach to the offseason, Schoen first applied the full-court press on Matthew Stafford when the Rams allowed the Super Bowl champ to explore his market value. The Giants were all-in on Stafford, prepared to sign the 37-year-old to a contract believed to be worth at least $50 million per year and to part with the necessary draft compensation to complete a trade. But Stafford elected to remain in Los Angeles, which forced the Giants to pivot to Plan B. Aaron Rodgers, the aforementioned 41-year-old quarterback, has come into focus as that backup plan. Unsurprisingly, the courting of Rodgers has been shrouded in mystery. First, some of the seats had to be claimed in the league-wide game of quarterback musical chairs. Geno Smith was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders; Sam Darnold left the Vikings for the Seahawks; Jones left the Vikings for the Colts; and Justin Fields left the Steelers for the Jets. Those moves provided some clarity, narrowing Rodgers’ options to the Giants and Steelers, with the Vikings looming as a dark horse. Rodgers officially became available Wednesday when the Jets released him at 4 p.m ET. But he had been free to negotiate with other teams since new Jets general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn announced their intention to move on from Rodgers on Feb. 13, as well as a willingness to eat $49 million in dead money over the next two years. The new regime didn’t want to hitch its fortunes to Rodgers after his two seasons in New York were a total flop. Rodgers tore his Achilles four snaps into his much-hyped debut in the 2023 season opener after a blockbuster trade from the Packers. He returned last season and posted respectable numbers, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome a dysfunctional environment that led to the firings of coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas. That Schoen and Daboll are willing to attach their fate to the mercurial Rodgers after his flameout with the Jets demonstrates how desperate they are to find a quarterback. It’s impossible to know how long Rodgers’ deliberations will take — he famously embarked on a four-day darkness retreat in 2023 to determine if he wanted to continue his Hall of Fame career. Once Rodgers announces his intentions, the Giants will have a road map. Either they’ll roll with Rodgers for at least one season, or they’ll direct their energy toward landing Russell Wilson, who visited the team last year before signing with the Steelers because he was informed he’d serve as Jones’ backup in New York. The Giants aren’t sitting on their hands. They’re scheduled to host Wilson for a visit on Friday, according to a team source. Perhaps complicating matters for New York, the Browns will host Wilson for a visit on Thursday, league sources told The Athletic. The drawn-out process involving big names has inflated the stakes of this quarterback search. Whether it’s Rodgers, Wilson or — gulp — someone further down the list of options, the Giants still need to accomplish Mara’s stated top priority: Finding the quarterback of the future. Schoen and Daboll may be able to save their jobs by showing progress should Rodgers or Wilson lead the Giants to, say, seven wins in 2025. But neither is the long-term answer. That solution will have to come via the draft. And the path to landing a quarterback there isn’t any clearer than this murky search for a suitable bridge QB. The Titans hold the No. 1 pick, and all signs point to them taking Miami quarterback Cam Ward with that selection. The Titans haven’t been linked to any of the veteran quarterbacks on the market, and Will Levis, who went 2-10 last season, is the only QB on their roster. The Titans entered free agency among the league leaders in cap space, but they have spent judiciously. Their only major investment was a four-year, $82 million contract for left tackle Dan Moore. They added veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler on a one-year, $9 million contract to fortify their offensive line. The Titans are building an ecosystem to nurture a young quarterback. If they are sold on Ward, it could be a repeat of last year, when the Giants were unable to trade up from No. 6 to No. 3 because the Patriots were set on taking quarterback Drake Maye. That’s where things could get really interesting. The Browns are a total wild card at the No. 2 pick. They could take a quarterback, as they need an off-ramp from the disastrous Deshaun Watson era. Even if the Browns pass on a quarterback, there are questions if any other QBs in this class are even worthy of a top pick. The Giants showered attention on Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders during the fall, but it’s unclear if the twinkle in their eye has dimmed as the polarizing quarterback has been further dissected. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart’s stock appears to be going in the opposite direction, but taking him with the third pick would be a major reach. And if the Giants were sold on Sanders or Dart, would they be chasing aging quarterbacks so aggressively? The Giants have the next six weeks to sort through their quarterback evaluations and chart a course of action for the draft. In the meantime, they await word from Rodgers. Unfortunately for them, they don’t have any other choice. |
| WASHINGTONThis from Adam Schefter: @AdamSchefterSources: Free-agent WR Noah Brown — who caught the Hail Mary touchdown pass that ignited the Commanders’ season — is retuning to Washington on a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million. The other Commanders WR named Brown from the 2025 team, DYAMI BROWN, has signed with Jacksonville. He took a one-year deal for $10 million. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| CAROLINAThe Panthers have signed RB RICO DOWDLE – and Seth Walder of ESPN.comapproves at the price stipulated: Panthers sign RB Rico DowdleThe deal: One year, $3 million Grade: A-If you told me before free agency that Dowdle had signed with Carolina and nothing else, I’d prepare to be quite critical. This is a team that burned a second-round selection on Jonathon Brooks in last year’s draft then signed Chuba Hubbard to an extension during the season. Why bring in another free agent running back? It turns out that there was a good reason: They got a bargain! Dowdle recorded 61 rush yards over expectation last season for the Cowboys, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s more than Aaron Jones (plus-41), Najee Harris (minus-3) or Javonte Williams (minus-83). Dowdle caught 39 passes for 249 yards (1 receiving yard over expectation) and was a shade above average in pass block win rate for a running back. But those are solid numbers — certainly better than those of Harris or Williams. Yet Harris got a couple of million dollars more, and Williams got Dowdle’s same contract from Dowdle’s old team. The Panthers are spending this offseason, which means they might not be spenders next offseason. As a result, they might give Dowdle some run this season, let him walk in free agency and pick up a late-round compensatory pick for him. This deal is cheap enough that they can think about that type of thing. Or it might be worth having Dowdle inked at this rate just to flip him at the deadline. A bargain is a bargain, and there are ways the Panthers can turn that into a little value, even if they didn’t need a running back. But Kevin Patra of NFL.com questions the Panthers wave of defensive signings, calling it among the “Riskiest Moves” of the free agency period: Carolina PanthersDefensive signingsIt was clear Carolina needed to upgrade a defense that got bulldozed on the ground and diced up through the air in 2024. The Panthers allowed a woeful 3,057 rushing yards, the third-most in a season all time. The unit generated a league-low 25.5 percent quarterback pressure rate and recorded a 32nd-ranked 152 total pressures. Reinforcements were needed, but my word, did GM Dan Morgan shell out cash this offseason. The Panthers made Jaycee Horn the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL, a semi-surprising move, considering he’s never played a full slate of games. With Horn coming off by far his best season, Carolina is paying a premium for a player it believes will continue to ascend. Getting ahead of future deals for Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. was smart, but giving Horn a bigger contract than Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II? Meh. Morgan wasn’t done shelling out cash, handing $17 million per year to safety Tre’von Moehrig, making him the fifth-highest paid at the position. I liked the ballhawk’s improvement over the past two seasons, but that’s a hefty price. And Patrick Jones II got two years, $20 million, despite a 6.7 percent pass-rush win rate. Carolina responded to missing out on Milton Williams by spending $54 million ($30 million guaranteed) on Tershawn Wharton, a rotational interior defender in Kansas City. Wharton is coming off a career year with 6.5 sacks, nearly doubling his career total. Paying a player after one year of meaningful production is the definition of risk. We knew the Panthers needed to spend to upgrade a woeful defense. But let’s put it this way: I like the New England Patriots’ overpays better. |
| TAMPA BAYKevin Patra of NFL.com has the re-signing of WR CHRIS GODWIN as among his “best moves” of the free agency period: Chris GodwinTampa Bay BuccaneersCONTRACT: Three years, $66 million with $44 million fully guaranteed at signing.General manager Jason Licht doesn’t garner enough national credit for continuing to keep his core together. Forecasts of doom following Tom Brady’s retirement proved inept. Coaching changes, including multiple offensive coordinator swaps, haven’t sunk the ship. The Bucs simply keep chugging along, winning four consecutive division titles. I don’t care that the NFC South has mostly been a dumpster fire; that’s an impressive streak, particularly when most teams crater amid quarterback changes. Retaining Godwin on a team-friendly deal is an absolute coup. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the wideout left about $20 million on the table. Not many people on the planet overlook that sort of coin. Godwin’s reasons seemed genuine — he didn’t want to uproot his family and is comfortable in Tampa. That commitment speaks to the type of club Licht has fostered. From a strictly on-field perspective, keeping Godwin, even as he comes off another significant injury, will be a boon as the Bucs transition to new coordinator Josh Grizzard. Godwin was on a heater before suffering the Week 7 ankle dislocation — on pace for a career-high 1,399 yards. Keeping the 29-year-old paired with the ageless Mike Evans ensures Barker Mayfield plenty of weapons. Add an ascending Jalen McMillan, and the Bucs have a trio to match any in the league. After Godwin spent more time out wide early last season, I expect the veteran to man the slot more following McMillan’s emergence as a boundary wideout. Not only does retaining Godwin for relatively cheap keep the trio together in 2025, but if Evans decides to retire in the next couple of seasons, the Bucs have an excellent transition in place with Godwin and McMillan. |
| NFC WEST |
| ARIZONAThe Cardinals are making a move for free agent CB ASANTE SAMUEL, Jr. per Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. took a trip to Arizona on Thursday. The Cardinals hosted Samuel on a visit, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Samuel has spent his entire career with the Chargers, who selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. When healthy he has been a starter, but last year he played in only four games because of a shoulder injury. That shoulder may be why the interest in him hasn’t been as strong as expected since free agency started this week. Samuel is the No. 32 player on our list of the Top 100 free agents, and the fourth-best player who is still available as of Friday morning. |
| SEATTLENow in Seattle, DE DeMARCUS LAWRENCE throws some shade at Dallas. Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com He may have a deep affinity for Dallas, but DeMarcus Lawrence apparently doesn’t have much love for his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, who employed him during his first 11 NFL seasons. Lawrence, a four-time Pro Bowler who recently signed with the Seattle Seahawks, wasted no time throwing shade at the Cowboys upon joining the Seahawks while alluding to the team’s 30-year championship drought. “Dallas is my home. Made my home there,” Lawrence said. “My family lives there. I’m forever gonna be there. I know for sure I’m not gonna win a Super Bowl there. So, yeah, we here.” One can assume that Lawrence’s comments won’t sit well with Jerry Jones, who undoubtedly takes the team’s championship drought more personally than anyone on the planet. Jones, after all, is the team’s owner, president and general manager whose hands are virtually on every aspect of “America’s Team.” The Cowboys own the fourth-best winning percentage in the NFL since Jones purchased the team in 1989. Jones’ run with the Cowboys includes the quickest turnaround in NFL history (the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl under Jones three years after going 1-15 during his first season in Dallas) and a then-record three Super Bowl wins over a four-year span. But since their last Super Bowl win (a 27-17 win over the Steelers at the end of the 1995 season), the Cowboys have not been back to an NFC Championship Game, let alone a Super Bowl. The Cowboys now have the longest NFC title game drought after the Commanders’ surprising run this past season. Dallas hasn’t been back to a Super Bowl despite having several talented players over the past 30 years, including Lawrence, who will look to get to the mountaintop with Seattle after not being able to do so in his beloved Dallas. |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERSeth Walder of ESPN.com on Denver’s signing of LB EVAN ENGRAM: Broncos sign TE Evan EngramThe deal: Two years, $23 million ($16.5 million fully guaranteed) Grade: BQuarterback Bo Nix has himself a new playmaker. Engram was let go by the Jaguars after a down 2024 season in which he played only nine games because of a hamstring injury and a torn labrum. He compiled 365 receiving yards and only one touchdown. But assuming he can recover from that labrum injury, Engram should be able to help coach Sean Payton and Nix in Denver’s offense. Though Engram’s raw totals last season weren’t impressive, he maintained a decent 1.6 yards per route run off an exceptional 28% target rate. In 2023, he recorded 1.7 yards per route run and a 26% target rate. The route-running numbers don’t jump off the page, but consider that 1.6 also equaled Joshua Palmer’s yards per route run as a wide receiver, and he received a deal of $12 million per year from Buffalo. Engram will turn 31 in December, so there is some age-based decline risk here. But Engram should be a clear upgrade over Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, who ran the most routes at tight end for Denver last season. That’s the most important takeaway. Meanwhile, Kevin Patra of NFL.com has the signing of LB DRE GREENLAW as among the “Best Moves” of the free agency period: Dre GreenlawDenver BroncosCONTRACT: Three years, $35 million.Is it risky to sign a player who played a grand total of 34 snaps coming off an Achilles injury? Certainly. But it’s also how you get a reasonable rate. Greenlaw felt like a sure bet to ink a one-year deal to show he was fully healthy before hitting the market again. For that reason, it was smart of the Broncos to tack on extra years to entice Greenlaw to leave San Francisco. Turning 28 this offseason, Greenlaw remains one of the top linebackers in the NFL. His two-plus quarters played last year were some of the best any linebacker put on film. Question the injury? Sure. Question the film? Nope. If he’s healthy next season, this is a smashing move for Vance Joseph’s defense. Greenlaw is the type of patroller Denver needs behind Zach Allen, Johnathan Cooper and the up-field pass rushers. He can gobble up ball-carriers and is a premier cover linebacker. Greenlaw is an immediate upgrade against running backs and tight ends in the passing game, where the Broncos were peppered last season (179 total catches allowed between RBs and TEs). You’re telling me I can get a difference-making coverage linebacker for a shade over Azeez Al-Shaair money? Yes, please. I’ll worry about potential injury fallout later. |
| KANSAS CITYAndy Reid said all the right things about QB CARSON WENTZ last year – but in 2025 the Chiefs have picked someone else to back up QB PATRICK MAHOMES. ESPN.com: Free agent quarterback Gardner Minshew reached agreement Thursday on a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Minshew will replace Carson Wentz as Patrick Mahomes’ backup with the Chiefs. Wentz is a free agent. The Las Vegas Raiders released Minshew on Wednesday, one year after signing him to a two-year, $25 million contract. Minshew, 28, was in a tight quarterback competition with Aidan O’Connell during training camp last year before ultimately winning the starting job. But Minshew struggled in the starting role, passing for 2,013 yards, 9 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games — nine starts — before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone against the Broncos in November. The Raiders went 2-7 last season in the nine games Minshew started. Minshew has 68 touchdown passes and 34 interceptions in 59 career games — 46 starts — over parts of six seasons with the Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. His best season came in 2023, when he passed for a career-high 3,305 yards in 17 games — 13 starts — with the Colts as Indianapolis went 7-6 in the games he started. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIThe Bengals are not making it easy for another team to trade for DE TREY HENDRICKSON. Dianna Russini of The Athletic: @DMRussiniTeams are willing to pay Trey Hendrickson the contract that he desires but have found Cincinnati’s current asking price to be “ridiculous,” as one GM told me. The Bengals can adjust as the offseason progresses, but right now, teams aren’t willing to meet their terms. |
| PITTSBURGHNormani is going to become the bride of the Steelers new WR D.K. METCALF. The couple was introduced by Ciara. DK Metcalf’s whirlwind week just got even bigger — with an engagement announcement capping it off. During his introductory news conference Thursday, signifying his trade from the Seattle Seahawks to Pittsburgh Steelers becoming official, Metcalf revealed he’s engaged to R&B star Normani. The two-time Pro Bowler explained that he popped the question in Houston while both families were in town for his sister’s spring break. “Don’t know too many more words other than great. … Found a new home here, found a new fiancée and everything’s just falling in line, just the way God planned for it to be,” Metcalf said. The couple began dating in 2022 after being introduced by R&B singer Ciara, who is married to Metcalf’s former Seahawks teammate Russell Wilson. After auditioning for “The X Factor” in 2012, Normani joined Fifth Harmony, a girl group formed from solo contestants on the show. The group went on to become one of the best-selling of all time. Since its split in 2018, she has pursued a solo career. Metcalf, 27, started the week by agreeing to a five-year, $150 million extension, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, following a trade between the Seahawks and Steelers that made waves in NFL free agency Sunday night. More background, from the view of the Seahawks, on why Metcalf was traded from Micahel-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic: Metcalf’s trade request did not come as a surprise to Schneider, who had been in talks with him about “personal” problems. “I thought we could fix it, handle it, whatever it was,” Schneider said. “At the end of the day, it was a no, and he wanted to be traded. So, we pivoted and moved forward. “We want guys who want to be here. We want guys who believe in what we’re doing. You’d have to ask him (for specifics). For one reason or another, he just wanted to move on and get a fresh start.” At his introductory news conference in Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon, Metcalf did not offer details on why he wanted to be traded. He said the Steelers showed immediate interest and that it felt “homey” and “welcoming” when he spoke on the phone with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, GM Omar Khan and owner Art Rooney II. Seattle sent Metcalf and a sixth-round pick (No. 185) to the Steelers in exchange for pick Nos. 52 (second round) and 223 (seventh round) in the 2025 NFL Draft. For those of you unfamiliar, Normani Hamilton was raised in New Orleans before her family was chased to Houston by Hurricane Katrina when she was 10 years old. She was a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, then went solo in 2018. She has worked with Khalid, Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, Cardi B and others and was an advisor on Season 17 of The Voice. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONKevin Patra of NFL.com questions how the Texans have handled their offensive line, calling it among the “Riskiest Moves” of the free agency period: Houston TexansOffensive line movesWe knew the Texans wouldn’t enter the 2025 season with the same offensive line that mightily struggled in 2024. One of the worst groups in the NFL rarely opened holes in the running game and left C.J. Stroud ducking for cover far too often. Trading Kenyon Green was an obvious move. He wasn’t improving in Houston, and the former first-round pick fluctuated from hurt to ineffective. That the Texans got more than a box of drywall screws back was an excellent return. I can also see the rationale in moving on from Laremy Tunsil, cashing out for draft assets. Releasing Shaq Mason was also necessary after his struggles. Starting from bare bones, however, comes with inherent risk. The only move Houston has actually made to bolster the unit was inking Laken Tomlinson to a low-cost deal. Tomlinson is on the clear downslope of his career but has consistently been available to play 1,000-plus snaps each of the past eight years. He’s better than what the Texans had at guard last year. However, he’s far from a stable answer. There are questions from left to right along the line. Will Tytus Howard play tackle or guard? Will Blake Fisher improve at right tackle after taking over for Howard last year? Can Houston find a legitimate plug-and-play answer in the draft? Multiple answers? With much of the free-agent pile picked over, will the Texans find starters that fit new offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s scheme? The changes aren’t horrific — in part, because I don’t think it was possible for the Texans to get worse along the O-line than they were last year. But there is risk involved in setting out toward Stroud’s third season with massive question marks in front of the young passer. EDITOR’S UPDATE: After publishing on Thursday, the Texans sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Vikings in exchange for offensive guard Ed Ingram. |
| TENNESSEESeth Walder of ESPN.com approves of the signing of grizzled G DAVID ZIETLER: Titans sign G Kevin ZeitlerThe deal: One year, $9 million Grade: AA year ago, I wrote that the Lions signing Zeitler at a value price — one year for $6 million then — was one of my favorite moves of their offseason. Well, it’s a new team but the same story, with the NFL overlooking Zeitler again because he’s a temporary solution. There’s no question that Zeitler is old; he just turned 35. But he also is the best pass protector in this free agent guard class. And offensive linemen age much better than players at most other positions. Zeitler ranked sixth in pass block win rate (94%) last season after ranking 12th the season before in Baltimore and 11th the season before that. That’s reliability! His run block win rate (72%) was a little above average. I understand that teams want to find solutions for years to come at this point of free agency, which is why younger players such as Aaron Banks and Will Fries got big money. But if I had to bet on whether one of Banks, Fries or Zeitler will be an above-average pass protector in 2025, I’m choosing Zeitler without hesitation! To get him signed for less than half the annual value of Banks (and without any guaranteed cost beyond this year) is so much better of a deal. I like what Tennessee is doing for its offensive line, especially if it drafts Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in April. The Titans are prioritizing getting his protection right and doing a very good job of it. |
| AFC EAST |
| BUFFALOSeth Walder of ESPN.com thinks that the most likely outcome for the signing of DE JOEY BOSA is disappointment – but he likes the idea of rolling the dice on a one-year deal. Bills to sign Edge Joey BosaThe deal: One year, $12.6 million Grade: BIn signing the 29-year-old Bosa, the Bills are hoping to fight against two separate and powerful forces — injury risk and decline. Bosa has been able to play only 28 games over the past three seasons, though 14 of those came in 2024. But when he was when on the field, his numbers have not been like the Bosa of the past. In those past three seasons combined, Bosa has 13.0 sacks (5.0 coming last season). In 2023, his pass rush win rate at edge was a below average 14%. It dropped in 2024 to 12%. That’s a far cry from 2017, when Bosa was at 34%, the second-highest pass rush win rate at edge since the metric was introduced in 2017. He was at 25% in 2019 and 2020. The last time he was in that neighborhood was a five-game sample in 2022, when he hit 23%. Yet, it’s not impossible for him to get healthier and at least partially return to form. If he could manage to be something like what he was 2021, with a 19% pass rush win rate and 10.5 sacks, this deal would be a home run. The median outcome is that Bosa disappoints and can’t really help Buffalo. But the chances he turns in a big season are a lot higher than, say, Azeez Ojulari doing the same — right? I think it’s a gamble worth making given the one-year nature of the deal and the price. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| 2025 DRAFTWith much of free agency completed, Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com offers a Mock Draft: My word, the first wave of NFL free agency was bananas. I should know it’s a seismic wave by now, but we had the weekend leading into free agency with the DK Metcalf trade, Davante Adams signing in free agency and a few other sizable moves. Then, as soon as it was officially Monday, the lucrative deals starting flying in. We got some clarity at the quarterback position, and the largest of those moves, Sam Darnold signing with the Seahawks, is featured in this mock draft. Seattle no longer boasts Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in its receiver room, so it’ll be a top priority to get its new quarterback more offensive weaponry beyond Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was awesome down the stretch in his second season. Notably, the Bears and Vikings considerably beefed up their offensive and defensive lines, the Chiefs picked up their left tackle of the future, and the Patriots signed Milton Williams to be the anchor of their defensive front. What does it all mean for Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft? Plenty, as many previously clear-cut needs were addressed the moment it was allowable for new deals to be agreed upon. 1 – NY GIANTS (Mock Trade from Tennessee)Cam Ward QBMiami (FL) • Sr • 6’2″ / 219 lbsAfter a very active free agency, this is the last thing for the Giants to do: secure a quarterback. And this swap would be a win-win for both sides. The Giants FINALLY get a quarterback, and the Titans add extra picks at the beginning of their rebuild, but don’t move down too far, out of the elite prospect range in this class. 2 – CLEVELANDTravis Hunter ATHColorado • Jr • 6’0″ / 188 lbsThe Browns simply take who they believe is the best prospect in this class. And many agree with them. They at least have a serviceable-ish bridge quarterback on the roster now in Kenny Pickett. 3 – TENNESSEE (Mock Trade from NY Giants)Abdul Carter EDGEPenn State • Jr • 6’3″ / 250 lbsMoving on from Harold Landry and gaining some extra draft capital in the trade back makes this even sweeter for the Titans, who understand there’s some injury risk with Abdul Carter but love his film and athleticism. In the swap, they get the Giants’ second-round picks this year and next along with a fourth-round selection this year. 4 – NEW ENGLANDWill Campbell OTLSU • Jr • 6’6″ / 319 lbsThe Patriots pick Will Campbell in hopes of pairing him with free-agent signee Morgan Moses to solidify the edges around Drake Maye. 5 – JACKSONVILLEMason Graham DLMichigan • Jr • 6’3″ / 296 lbsThe Jaguars still need help inside on defense, and Mason Graham is the proper value here at No. 5 overall. 6 – LAS VEGASAshton Jeanty RBBoise State • Jr • 5’9″ / 211 lbsEverything is new and shiny in Las Vegas with the Raiders, and Pete Carroll gets another instant impact type in Jeanty to lead the way from the backfield. 7 – NY JETSTetairoa McMillan WRArizona • Jr • 6’4″ / 219 lbsThe Jets get a complementary wideout to Garrett Wilson in the towering Drake London-like McMillan. 8 – CAROLINAJihaad Campbell LBAlabama • Jr • 6’3″ / 235 lbsSurprise! Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, a damn good linebacker in his own right, drafts the speedy and physical Jihaad Campbell to be the leader of his defense. 9 – NEW ORLEANSArmand Membou OTMissouri • Jr • 6’4″ / 332 lbsBack-to-back first-round picks at offensive tackle for the Saints. Their new head coach Kellen Moore knows full well how vital it is to have a solid blocking unit at the foundation of the offense. 10 – CHICAGOTyler Warren TEPenn State • Sr • 6’6″ / 256 lbsThe Bears have added plenty of beef in free agency, mostly in the trenches. Now with Tyler Warren, they get more of it, and provide Caleb Williams another talented tight end. 11 – SAN FRANCISCOJames Pearce Jr. EDGETennessee • Jr • 6’5″ / 245 lbsJames Pearce Jr. has plenty of Leonard Floyd to him and enters the league with more upside because of the power he packs when flying around the corner. Ideal pick to be the bookend to Nick Bosa. 12 – DALLASJahdae Barron CBTexas • Sr • 5’11” / 194 lbsThe Cowboys pivot off running back in Round 1 and pick a local, instinctive, do-everything defensive back in Jahdae Barron. 13 – MIAMIKelvin Banks Jr. OTTexas • Jr • 6’5″ / 315 lbsThe Dolphins pick Kelvin Banks Jr. to play left tackle under the impression Terron Armstead is going to call it quits. 14 – INDIANAPOLISDarien Porter CBIowa State • Sr • 6’3″ / 195 lbsColts general manager Chris Ballard can’t resist elite-level testers with high-caliber measurements in the secondary. That’s precisely what Darien Porter is. 15 – ATLANTAMike Green EDGEMarshall • Soph • 6’3″ / 251 lbsWould you look at that — a defensive first-round pick from Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot. Green may take time to acclimate to the NFL from Marshall, yet his traits are through the roof. 16 – ARIZONALuther Burden III WRMissouri • Jr • 6’0″ / 205 lbsThe Cardinals smartly addressed the trenches in free agency, giving them the green light to go offense for Kyler Murray. 17 – CINCINNATIMalaki Starks SGeorgia • Jr • 6’1″ / 197 lbsThe Bengals get one of the cleanest prospects in the entire draft in Malaki Starks. 18 – SEATTLEColston Loveland TEMichigan • Jr • 6’6″ / 248 lbsThe Seahawks begin to build around Sam Darnold with the talented receiving tight end from Michigan. 19 – TAMPA BAYDerrick Harmon DLOregon • Jr • 6’5″ / 310 lbsThe Buccaneers get a towering, upfield pass rusher in Derrick Harmon to add more depth to their defensive front. 20 – DENVERMatthew Golden WRTexas • Jr • 5’11” / 191 lbsThe Broncos take the speedy wideout from Texas to give Bo Nix more options at all levels of the field. 21 – PITTSBURGHOmarion Hampton RBNorth Carolina • Jr • 6’0″ / 220 lbsThe Steelers replace a former first-round running back with another in the dynamic, big-bodied Omarion Hampton. 22 – LA CHARGERSNick Emmanwori SSouth Carolina • Jr • 6’3″ / 220 lbsChargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who was part of the staff in Baltimore that selected Kyle Hamilton, calls this pick in right away. Another fun, supreme athlete next to Derwin James. 23 – GREEN BAYDonovan Ezeiruaku EDGEBoston College • Sr • 6’3″ / 248 lbsDonovan Ezeiruaku doesn’t meet the Packers size prototype but has the length and has quality productivity. He’ll give Green Bay a boost up front and eventually attract some attention away from Rashan Gary. 24 – MINNESOTAWill Johnson CBMichigan • Jr • 6’2″ / 194 lbsEven though the Vikings re-signed Byron Murphy and added Isaiah Rodgers, this would be too talented of a prospect for Minnesota to pass on. 25 – HOUSTONJosh Simmons OTOhio State • Sr • 6’5″ / 317 lbsThe Texans have to make this selection even though Josh Simmons is coming off a serious injury. When healthy, he has franchise left tackle traits, and Laremy Tunsil is now a Washington Commander. 26 – LA RAMSCarson Schwesinger LBUCLA • Jr • 6’3″ / 242 lbsThe Rams stay local and get the super-rangy Carson Schwesinger to man the middle of their defense. 27 – BALTIMOREAireontae Ersery OTMinnesota • Sr • 6’6″ / 330 lbsThe tackle-guard flexibility will draw the Ravens toward Aireontae Ersery, and he had clean quality film at tackle over the past few seasons at Minnesota. Now we know he’s a supremely gifted athlete. 28 – DETROITKenneth Grant DLMichigan • Jr • 6’4″ / 331 lbsThe Lions get a serious nose tackle prospect with plus run-stuffing skills and a glimmer of pass-rush ability for the middle of their defense. 29 – WASHINGTONJosh Conerly Jr. OTOregon • Jr • 6’5″ / 311 lbsThe Commanders add more to the trenches with the high floor of Josh Conerly Jr., who can be a plug-and-play type at right tackle. 30 – BUFFALOTrey Amos CBOle Miss • Sr • 6’1″ / 195 lbsThe Bills desperately need more athleticism in the cornerback room, and Trey Amos can provide exactly that. 31 – KANSAS CITY Darius Alexander DLToledo • Sr • 6’4″ / 310 lbsDarius Alexander would provide Steve Spagnuolo even more blitzing creativity because of his positional flex. 32 – PHILADELPHIAShemar Stewart DLTexas A&M • Jr • 6’5″ / 267 lbsNo-brainer for Howie Roseman, who lands another premier athlete up front along the defensive line. |
