| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAJordan Schultz of FOXSports.com says the Vikings and QB SAM DARNOLD are discussing a “short term” extension: The Minnesota Vikings chose not to use the franchise tag on Sam Darnold before Tuesday’s deadline, but sources say both sides remain in contact regarding a potential short-term extension. According to sources close to the situation, the $40.2 million franchise tag was too steep for Minnesota, which believed it would complicate negotiations for a new deal while also limiting its ability to build out the rest of the roster. The Vikings still want Darnold back, but the financials must align. The question remains whether the two sides can find common ground on a Baker Mayfield-type deal that would be front-loaded for the 27-year-old Darnold and allow the Vikings to get out after one year provided there are no injuries. After signing with Minnesota last spring, Darnold registered career highs in every major statistical category and earned his first Pro Bowl selection while leading Minnesota to 14 wins. The timing of his career year was fortuitous, as he’s the most coveted QB in free agency and will likely have multiple suitors in the coming week. He’s one of several key free agents Minnesota could see depart this offseason, along with cornerback Byron Murphy, safety Cam Bynum and running back Aaron Jones, among others. A franchise tag for Darnold wouldn’t just require $40 million in cash — it would also immediately count against the Vikings’ salary cap, making it difficult for them to retain other players. The club traded up to select Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 draft and remain fully confident in him after a preseason meniscus tear claimed his entire rookie season. The injury required two procedures — the latter being a cleanup. McCarthy lost some weight during recovery but is nearing a full return, per sources. If Darnold departs, the Vikings are expected to add a veteran alongside McCarthy — with Daniel Jones, who spent the end of last season in Minnesota, being a strong possibility. Charles Robinson of YahooSports.com implies part of the reason is Darnold is not drawing as much interest as anticipated: Matthew Stafford decided to compromise and stay put with the Los Angeles Rams. Now league sources are predicting a similar outcome with the Minnesota Vikings and Sam Darnold, who may be facing a weaker set of free agency options than anticipated. Multiple sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports following the conclusion of the NFL scouting combine — including a handful of team executives and agents with interest in the quarterback market — believe Darnold is going to lack the robust free-agent market that was anticipated for much of his 2024 breakout season. Instead, there is growing consensus that Darnold’s best option will be to work out a one- or two-year contract with the Vikings for $25 million to $30 million a season, giving the two sides an opportunity to either do a new deal next offseason or for Darnold to re-enter free agency in 2026. “You’d think the supply and demand is on the side of the quarterbacks this offseason because there really aren’t enough good ones to go around, but the landing spots aren’t really very attractive, either,” said one prominent NFL agent with a history of doing big quarterback deals. “I just think Darnold’s market is a lot softer than people realize, and his best setup is going to be staying in Minnesota another year.” Two general managers shared a similar opinion, pointing to Darnold’s shaky end to the season as having a chilling effect that could be remedied with another strong year in Minnesota. With that in mind, this is how the sources shaped up Darnold’s potential destinations … Staying with the Vikings?There has been some uncertainty about where Vikings 2024 first-round QB J.J. McCarthy is in his rehab process from offseason surgeries to repair his meniscus — including weight loss that occurred in the wake of that repair. However, a source said McCarthy has already improved his weight and should be available for the offseason passing program and ready to go in June’s minicamp. Despite that, the Vikings have left the door open for a potential Darnold return on an economical short-term deal that would give the franchise another year of runway to evaluate both Darnold and McCarthy. That option would only materialize if Darnold’s free agency options are weak. One source believes Darnold could end up back in Minnesota on a fully guaranteed one-year, $25 million deal. Another believed it could be a two-year $60 million deal with some guaranteed money also in the second year, but not enough to remove the option of the Vikings either trading or cutting Darnold next offseason if the team wants to move in another direction. While there’s still a lot of speculation injected into Darnold going back to Minnesota, what’s clear is that it is legitimately a viable option. An unknown team like … the SeahawksTwo league sources believe there is a possibility that the Las Vegas Raiders could pursue a trade for Seahawks QB Geno Smith after striking out on Stafford. That would reunite Smith with Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and open up a quarterback slot in Seattle, potentially putting Darnold in play for the Seahawks. It’s an intriguing scenario that comes out of two developments: First, the Raiders missing on Stafford and then having reportedly soft interest in Darnold; and second, NFL teams now operating with the knowledge that Darnold wasn’t tagged and will indeed be an unencumbered free agent. That latter point is important, because it’s possible that some teams didn’t have legitimate interest in Darnold until they knew he was actually going to hit free agency. Now that he’s a real option on the table, it could lead a team like Seattle or another unknown club to reassess its own quarterback room … and potentially make a player available for calls. Thumbs down on Raiders?As I said in the aforementioned section, it’s been reported that the Raiders’ interest in Darnold is not as strong as has been speculated, with two league sources advancing a potential trade for Geno Smith as being on the radar. Little clarity on the SteelersRight now, the Steelers appear more likely to give Justin Fields a short-term quarterback deal, although Fields could go elsewhere if he sees a clear path to a starting job. But there is not any consensus that Darnold is at the top of the Steelers’ list of quarterback priorities. Giants sound like they’re in playThis is the one intriguing team that could end up being Darnold’s landing spot, if he’s willing to live the New York football experience again. That said, there’s a lot of noise around the Giants right now. I’ve heard they aggressively want to move to the No. 1 overall pick for Cam Ward, but I’ve also heard that Russell Wilson has emerged as a fallback option after the Giants failed to land Matthew Stafford, and that there is still interest in Darnold as well. When you consider their due diligence on Aaron Rodgers as well, it’s starting to feel like every available quarterback is having their name attached to the Giants. The desperation to land a quarterback who can win games immediately and also energize the franchise is real. If the Giants can’t find a path to drafting Ward, this could be where Darnold gets the franchise QB deal that was expected over the course of last season. The TitansThis should be an option for Darnold, but nobody believes the Titans are willing to pay blow-out money for any of the veteran quarterback options. Instead, they’d start considering options at a low end of the QB contract spectrum, which would be in the $25-$30 million range. If that’s where the Vikings are willing to land on a short-term Darnold deal, there would have to be other reasons for Darnold to walk away from Minnesota for a far worse situation in Tennessee. The BrownsCleveland is salary cap-strapped to the max. I don’t see how it could work, even if the Browns wanted Darnold rather than taking a rookie quarterback in the draft. The JetsAfter the last go-round, I think Darnold is more likely to pitch for the New York Mets than be a Jets quarterback again. |
| NFC EAST |
| PHILADELPHIABrooke Pryor wonders if the fact that since the signing of RB SAQUON BARKLEY was probably the biggest single reason the Eagles hoisted Lombardi, maybe free agent RBs will get more love this time around. ON A SATURDAY in late July 2023, the NFL’s top running backs joined a Zoom call. The call, organized by Austin Ekeler, included Saquon Barkley, Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Christian McCaffrey. In a gallery of their peers, they aired grievances about a depressed market for players at their position and brainstormed ways to increase their value and compensation. Barkley and Jacobs had been franchise-tagged for $10.1 million — lowest among all offensive and defensive positions — until their organizations applied a temporary financial band-aid to avoid a holdout with short-term deals slightly higher than the franchise tag valuation. Still, the prospect of changing league attitudes about compensating veteran running backs — a position at which many teams view players as interchangeable because of their success in using late-round draft picks or free agents making veteran minimums — felt bleak. By the next offseason, though, with the New York Giants unwilling to break organizational precedent and sign their running back to a blockbuster extension, Barkley hit free agency and garnered major interest. He ultimately signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract that included $26 million guaranteed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Eleven months after inking the deal, Barkley hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Super Bowl victory capped a season in which, including the playoffs, he broke the single-season rushing record and earned Offensive Player of the Year. On Tuesday, the Eagles rewarded him with a blockbuster two-year, $41.2 million contract that made him the highest-paid running back in league history. But even with Barkley’s accomplishments in his first year as an Eagle and subsequent payday, a free agency running back renaissance isn’t necessarily imminent. Conversations with nearly a dozen league officials revealed that while the free agent running back market appears stronger than the one that prompted the July 2023 call, the 2025 free agents aren’t projected to continue the trajectory of the record-setting 2024 class. Instead, last year’s financial and on-field success were the product of a “confluence of events,” according to one league source. While league executives don’t expect Barkley & Co.’s success to significantly impact contracts of 2025 free agent running backs, offensive and defensive trends could increase demand at the position. But, NFL decision-makers cautioned, the market might be less robust because of a deep running back draft class. “At the end of the day, your team has to fit whatever player it is, running back, receiver, whatever, within your structure and the confines,” Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “And you do have to pay attention to the current market.” BARKLEY BECOMING THE highest-paid running back — and first to be paid at least $20 million per year — underscored a consensus opinion among league executives, coaches and agents: He is an exceptional talent, and exceptional talents create exceptions to the rule. While Barkley’s impact might not improve the value of the position as a whole, league sources said his success could lead to greater compensation for top-tier free agent running backs and in-house extension candidates. “It’s going to give pause to folks who maybe haven’t invested in running backs to rethink that,” one AFC talent evaluator told ESPN. “But I’m not sure it’s going to move the needle so much that you see a real sea change across the entire position.” Another league source familiar with player negotiations said he doesn’t foresee a massive jump in the market. “Good players are going to get paid well,” he said. “But I don’t think the trend is all of a sudden to pay running backs because of Saquon.” In a class anchored by Barkley, Henry and Jacobs, the top seven 2024 free agent running backs averaged $12 million in guaranteed money, up from $7.1 million in 2023, $4.8 million in 2022 and $4.5 million in 2021. The top 2025 free agent running backs include Aaron Jones, Najee Harris and J.K. Dobbins, who fall short of an unprecedented 2024 group that boasted four combined All-Pro nods and three rushing titles. As Barkley rushed and hurdled his way into MVP contention, the rest of the class also outperformed recent free agent classes. In his first year with the Ravens, Henry ran for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, while Jacobs racked up 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry, per ESPN Research. Stacked with significant star power, the top seven free agent running backs of the 2024 class far outpaced the top seven of the previous three classes, combining for 8,868 rushing yards, 64 rushing touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry. Five of the seven, which also included D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, Devin Singletary and Jones, finished among the top 12 in rush yards. By comparison, the top seven running backs in the 2023 free agent class combined for 3,093 rush yards. Only David Montgomery (9th) finished among the league’s top 30 rushers. The top seven in the 2022 class rushed for 2,433 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson (39th) ranked the highest among those seven in rushing yards. And in 2021, the same sample size combined for 2,475 rushing yards. The 2024 class is undoubtedly an outlier, but some in the NFL believe their success as a group helps strengthen a market that lagged behind other skill positions just a couple of years ago as supply outpaced demand. “I was just talking to an agent who had a couple running backs coming up, and I said if you’d asked me a few years ago, I wouldn’t have been as optimistic,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “But with the years some of the guys that signed last year had … [and] especially when you have those unique guys that have a full skill set where they can run, catch and block, I think you’ll start to see those guys coming back up to where they should be in the market.” WHILE BARKLEY AND the 2024 free agent running backs might not significantly factor into the overall positional value for the 2025 class, leaguewide schematic trends could boost running back compensation. Though teams will always covet cannon-armed quarterbacks and game-breaking wide receivers, some organizations are shifting their focus to building stronger ground games. Team rushing averages have steadily increased in the past 10 years, including a 7 yards per game jump from 112.7 in 2023 to 119.8 in 2024. “Everything kind of comes full circle,” Veach said. “It goes in flows where it’s a run league, then it’s a pass league, then it gets a little bit more balanced.” And in recent years, there’s been a correlation between strong run games and successful seasons. Teams that finished with the best records in 2023 and 2024 had an average league rushing yards per game ranking of ninth, and six of those teams finished in the top 10. From 2021 and 2022, however, the best teams had an average league ranking of 15th, and five teams finished in the top 10, per ESPN Research. “These defenses today are not geared towards stopping the run the way they were a few years ago,” the AFC talent evaluator said. “So there is value there to running backs.” The most valuable of those running backs, other league executives said, are versatile talents such as Barkley, McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson. As offenses shift to capitalize on the systematic weakness of defenses designed to stop passing attacks, the perception of running backs is shifting, too. “People were not looking at [running backs] as weapons,” Beane said. “I kind of look for ’em as anyone you add to your offense, what do they bring? What is their skill set? Is it a mismatched player? Saquon, McCaffrey, any of those guys, they can line up and play wide receiver. They can line up in the backfield.” Receiving yards by running backs, though, have decreased throughout the past decade. They accounted for 14.05% of all receiving yards in 2024, marking the lowest share in more than two decades. That share has steadily decreased since the statistic was first recorded at 19.8% in 2000. But teams still put a premium on running backs capable of contributing in multiple areas, whether as a pass catcher or in pass protection, in addition to their primary run game duties. And that versatility is a significant factor in positional valuation. “The running back position has changed as much or more than the market,” Beane said. “No longer is it 3 yards and a cloud of dust. [Some of] these guys are weapons on all three downs.” WHILE THE DEMAND for versatile running backs is undoubtedly increasing, so, too, is the supply. Instead of a flush free agent market, the bulk of the increase this season figures to come from a loaded running back draft class. The influx could well decrease the demand for veteran free agent running backs, especially ones who have significant mileage. “It’s a solid group in free agency, but it’s a rare year with running backs in the draft,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said. “I can’t remember this number of legit prospects at the running back position in the draft, and I usually don’t talk about depth in the draft, but it’s sticking out this year.” ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid projected five running backs to go in the first two rounds in his post-combine mock draft, headlined by Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty at No. 6. “It’s not an overly great free agent class, and it’s a deep running back [draft] class,” Reid said. “I think that’s going to have a negative effect on the free agent class.” Reid has 32 draftable grades at running back this year. The last time at least 30 running backs were selected in the same draft was 2017. Before that, it had last happened in 1998. “It’s very similar to what we saw in 2017,” Reid said, comparing the 2025 class to a group that included Leonard Fournette, McCaffrey and Joe Mixon. “… I think we could get over 30 drafted this year. That just goes to show you how deep this running back class is. It’s not as star-studded at the top as that 2017 group, but four to five years from now, I definitely think it could be mentioned in the same breath.” One team’s initial position group evaluation, a league source familiar with their scouting process said, also identified nearly 30 running backs who could be drafted. Twenty running backs were drafted in 2024, 18 in 2023 and 23 in 2022. Although two running backs went in the first round of the 2023 draft, none came off the board until the second round in 2024 and 2022. An analysis by ESPN Research revealed the top seven rookie running backs of the past four classes have been largely more impactful than the top seven free agents — with the exception being the 2024 free agent class, which outgained the rookies by more than 5,000 yards. In 2023, the top seven rookie running backs outgained the veteran free agents by 1,349 yards, scored 12 more rushing touchdowns and averaged 1.5 more yards per carry. Another factor working against free agent running backs is the success of rookies selected late in the draft. Isiah Pacheco, a 2022 seventh-round pick, anchored the Chiefs’ backfield in two Super Bowl-winning seasons, but when Pacheco missed significant time with an injury, the Chiefs turned to a pair of free agents in Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine to help get them to a third straight Super Bowl. Still, the high hit rate on less expensive, late-rounds running backs factors into the weak free agent market. “Corners, tackles, defensive linemen — when their tape’s good, they go high, and when their tape’s average, they’re still going to go in the middle rounds,” Veach said, citing the general scouting and team-building philosophy of many in the league. “Whereas the running backs, you can have a running back that rushes 4,000 yards for three years and still go into the sixth, seventh round.” But just because this year’s free agent running back market isn’t likely to reach the heights of the 2024 group doesn’t mean it’s a trend. Many in the league agreed, the market value of any given free agent running back is as individualized as that player’s skill set. “It’s about the person that is up in the discussion,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said, adding that a surplus of running backs created a short-term market inefficiency where the position’s compensation was less than its on-field value. “Long term, they’ll typically get to their right water [level], but that’s a position that, obviously, if you have the front to be able to block for them, they can change games.” Though Barkley’s success might not turn into an immediate boon for the batch of free agents set to hit the market in less than a week, attitudes are slowly starting to shift around what was once considered one of the most disposable positions. And for those who met on that frustration-filled Zoom call nearly two years ago, that’s progress. |
| WASHINGTONLB BOBBY WAGNER is going to run it back with the Commanders in 2025. Linebacker Bobby Wagner, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, is returning to the Washington Commanders on a one-year deal for $8 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The deal could be worth up to $9.5 million, sources told ESPN. In 2024, Wagner was named second-team All-Pro — the 11th time in his career he made an All-Pro team — and was again voted to the Pro Bowl. He also recorded 100 or more tackles for a 13th consecutive season, tying former Washington linebacker London Fletcher for the second-longest streak in NFL history. Wagner, 34, finished with a team-high 132 tackles and two sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He became a key leader for Washington, which went 12-5 and reached the NFC Championship Game. Wagner, a second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, spent his first 10 seasons with Seattle, where he won a Super Bowl and also was voted to eight Pro Bowls and named to 10 All-Pro teams, including six on the first team. He spent the 2022 season with the Los Angeles Rams before returning to Seattle in 2023. In Washington, he reunited with two of his former coaches from Seattle — Dan Quinn and Ken Norton Jr. In 13 seasons, Wagner has 1,838 tackles, 35 sacks, 102 quarterback hits and 13 interceptions. |
| NFC WEST |
| SEATTLEBill Barnwell of ESPN.com looks at WR DK METCALF’s trade request in every way. It’s Barnwell, so we did some editing: Seahawks fans were prepared for changes this offseason. It was no surprise when the team released defensive linemen Dre’Mont Jones and Roy Robertson-Harris, safety Rayshawn Jenkins and offensive tackle George Fant on Tuesday, moves that freed up $27 million in cap space. And while Tyler Lockett is a franchise icon, fans probably expected the organization to move on from the wideout Wednesday, creating $17 million in additional savings. What happened next was much more surprising. Less than an hour after the Lockett news broke, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf also wanted out. Entering the final year of his contract, the 27-year-old wide receiver has requested a trade out of Seattle, hoping to be sent to a contender. What was a big three with Lockett, Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be down to a big one if Metcalf gets his wish. Is this it for Metcalf in Seattle? What can the Seahawks expect to get in return? And, given his desire to play for a contender and what would likely include a new contract, which teams should be in the market for a Metcalf deal? Let’s answer these three questions to evaluate what’s next. There’s one more question, though, and it seems like the right place to start from Seattle’s perspective: Should the Seahawks trade Metcalf?No, I’d argue they shouldn’t. Now that they’ve cut wideout Tyler Lockett (and a handful of defenders), the Seahawks have both a clear need for Metcalf and the financial flexibility to get their star receiver a new contract. In fact, they would almost certainly free up more cap space by signing him to an extension. Metcalf has an $18 million unguaranteed base salary due for the final year of his deal in 2025, but owing to how Seattle structured his extension and then restructured the deal in later years, he has a $31.9 million cap hit this year. Whether it comes from the Seahawks or another team, Metcalf is going to land a new contract over the next 12 months. Any team trading for him would probably sign him to a deal at the time of the trade, while the Seahawks could get a new contract done this offseason or after the 2025 season. General manager John Schneider could also use the franchise tag next year to keep Metcalf through 2026 and even in 2027, although Metcalf is surely hoping to avoid the tag. I would be surprised if Metcalf landed a market-resetting deal north of the $35 million-per-year pact Justin Jefferson signed with the Vikings last June. He just hasn’t been that caliber of player. He has a high floor, but he has topped 1,115 yards once in six years and made two Pro Bowls. I can respect an argument that Metcalf might have produced better numbers in a different offense or with a more spectacular set of quarterbacks, but it’s tough to make the case he’s worth a deal approaching $40 million per year. Now, $30 million per year doesn’t seem out of the question. Tyreek Hill’s three-year, $90 million extension seems like a logical comparable, while former college teammate A.J. Brown signed a three-year, $96 million deal with the Eagles. Both of those contracts came a year ago, when the cap was $255.4 million. With the cap jumping to $279.2 million in 2025, it seems reasonable for Metcalf to expect something in this ballpark on a new contract. A four-year, $128 million deal would make sense, with $75 million guaranteed at the time of signing between 2025 and 2026. In addition to the $18 million Metcalf is due in 2025 and the various bonuses the Seahawks have to account for, his cap hit would drop by $7.5 million in 2025, creating a little more room for the franchise in which to operate: What DK Metcalf’s New Deal Could Look LikeYear Salary Signing Bonus Option Bonus Prior Bonus Proration CapHit2025 $2.5 million $8 million $0 $13.875 million $24.375 million2026 $12.5 million $8 million $5 million $0 $25.5 million2026 $18 million $8 million $5 million $0 $31 million2028 $23 million $8 million $5 million $0 $36 million2029 $30 million $8 million $5 million $0 $43 million This would be a reasonable deal for both sides. Metcalf’s camp hinted that he wants to play for a contender as part of the trade request, but shouldn’t the Seahawks be considered contenders? They went 10-7, missing out on the divisional title with the Rams because of a tiebreaker. (Admittedly, they won that 10th game against a Rams team that was sitting its starters in Week 18.) They don’t have an elite quarterback, but Geno Smith has greatly exceeded expectations in his two seasons as the starter. How much could the Seahawks get for Metcalf?Not as much as Seahawks fans might hope. There have been wide receivers who have landed first-round picks in trades over the past few years, including Stefon Diggs (with a seventh-round pick for first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks) in 2020, Davante Adams (first- and second-round picks) in 2022, and Tyreek Hill (five picks, including first- and second-round selections) in 2022. It’s difficult to imagine Seahawks fans being satisfied with anything short of a first-round pick for Metcalf, if not more. Those comps might be aggressive. Diggs was entering his age-27 season when the Bills acquired him from Minnesota, and he was in the middle of a team-friendly contract. Metcalf is entering his age-28 season and will require a new contract in the next 12 months. Hill was at the same point of his career, but the fleet-footed wideout had been named first-team All-Pro twice with Kansas City before he joined the Dolphins. And while Adams was two years older, he was coming off back-to-back first-team All-Pro nods in Green Bay when he was sent to the Raiders.– – –Combining the performance with Metcalf’s age and need for a new deal, it’s tough to see the Seahawks landing a first-rounder and multiple other selections as part of a trade. There are just going to be too many veteran wideouts available in free agency as more cap casualties come in over the next week, and the gulf between the top of the receiver market and rookie contracts has never been wider. Rookie deals aren’t a sure thing, but the bar for success when trading significant draft capital and handing out a new deal for a player is extremely high. Forgoing those picks and not getting access to cost-controlled talent is a subtle way to hurt a franchise. Let’s say the Chargers sent the No. 22 and No. 121 picks to the Seahawks for Metcalf and signed him to a four-year, $128 million contract. Per Ben Baldwin’s draft chart, those two selections alone are worth $12.1 million per year. Add that to the value of the proposed Metcalf contract and acquiring him would cost the Chargers more than $44 million per season, significantly more than the Jefferson deal and well ahead of any other non-quarterback. It’s not impossible to imagine Metcalf being worth it if he’s a superstar wideout, but anything short of first-team All-Pro appearances would make the deal a disappointment. As with any potential trade, the draft compensation would have to be adjusted for the team in question and where it picks in Round 1. It’s a lot easier to envision a trade in which the Commanders (who own the No. 29 selection) send a first-round pick to the Seahawks for Metcalf than it would be for the Patriots (who own the No. 4 selection). My best estimation is the Seahawks would be able to land something close to the draft capital of a pick in the 40s as part of a trade. That might mean getting a first-round pick and sending something back alongside him in return or landing a selection toward the top of the second round. Metcalf is a special enough talent to justify teams treating him as more valuable than Kirk and Cooper Kupp in free agency, but he’s not as young as Diggs and A.J. Brown or as productive as Adams and Hill were when they were traded for first-round picks. Metcalf’s potential landing spots in a tradeIt takes just one team to see Metcalf as a transformative talent to decide it’s going to be comfortable offering much more. There will undoubtedly be several teams that have internal conversations about whether they should make a move. Given his desire for a new contract and to play for a contender, though, there will be only a handful of teams that lend themselves to making a meaningful offer. Let’s run through the 10 teams (in alphabetical order) that should be most interested in a potential Metcalf deal and why it would make sense for them to pick up the phone: Buffalo BillsOne year after trading away Diggs, the guy who was supposed to be their No. 1 receiver, the Bills could restore that sort of player to their roster by trading for Metcalf. Adding him would give Buffalo a physicality it doesn’t have in its receiving corps, a role it tried to fill by trading a third-round pick for Amari Cooper at midseason. Cooper never found his footing, but Metcalf would have a full offseason to bed into the Bills’ lineup. The problem for the Bills might be financial. General manager Brandon Beane just signed Khalil Shakir to a four-year, $53 million contract last month, locking the 25-year-old into the starting lineup for the next couple of seasons. The franchise is on the hook for nearly all of Curtis Samuel’s $6.9 million base salary in 2025. And even after it designates edge rusher Von Miller as a post-June 1 release, it will be only about $7.7 million under the cap while still needing to address the defensive line and the secondary. The Bills also still hold plenty of optimism for 2024 second-round pick Keon Coleman, who averaged 1.9 yards per route run as a rookie and won’t turn 22 until May. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Schneider asked for Coleman as part of the potential return in a Metcalf deal. A one-for-one swap probably would be weighed too heavily toward the Seahawks, but Coleman and a Day 3 pick might be fair value. After the Shakir extension, I’d be surprised if the Bills made a move for a wide receiver who will make as much as Metcalf will on his next contract. But stranger things have happened. Denver BroncosUnlike the Bills, the Broncos have the sort of roster that would more easily accommodate Metcalf. They have a quarterback on a rookie deal in Bo Nix, who is in the middle of a four-year, $18.6 million contract. The only playmaker on the offense who isn’t on a rookie contract is 30-year-old wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who is entering the final year of his extension and is due $14 million in non-guaranteed money. Coach Sean Payton has almost always had a receiver in his offenses who thrived with physicality and catch radius. In New Orleans, that guy was Marques Colston, Jimmy Graham or Michael Thomas, who won so often on in-breaking routes that former Bucs corner Carlton Davis derogatorily referred to him as “slant boy.” Nix went just 33-of-65 for 691 yards with a touchdown, two picks and a 61.8 passer rating on slants and in routes last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Metcalf has the potential to play that role and give Nix a playmaker over the middle of the field. The issue for the Broncos, instead, is draft capital. They didn’t have first-round picks in 2022 or 2023, had to trade up to get into the second round of the 2023 draft, and didn’t have a second-rounder in 2024, all as a result of the trades for Payton and Russell Wilson. They’ll be out from under the cap implications of the Wilson trade after this season, but they are going to be feeling the impact of the missing draft picks on their roster for years to come. Would they be aggressive in shipping off more draft capital to the Seahawks to land Metcalf? The 2021 Raiders are an example of a team that made an unexpected playoff run, cashed in their draft chips to add a star wide receiver (Adams) in the hopes of competing with the Chiefs, and ended up regretting the move. Green Bay PackersWell, you can guess how Josh Jacobs feels about the possibility. The former Raiders running back, who was on that very team that traded for Adams, said this offseason that the Packers need “a guy that’s proven to be a [No. 1 receiver] already.” That exact decision didn’t exactly work out great for Vegas when Jacobs was there, but it’s fair to say that last year’s Packers were a much better team than Las Vegas’ 2022 and 2023 squads. Metcalf would give the Packers an immediate replacement for Christian Watson, who has seen his promising career hampered by injuries, most recently a torn ACL suffered in the Week 18 loss to the Bears. Watson, comfortably the biggest wide receiver on Green Bay’s roster at 6-foot-4, might not be ready to start the 2025 season on the active roster. With the 25-year-old entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Packers might also try to trade him as part of a Metcalf deal, which would leave them with Metcalf and Romeo Doubs on the outside and Jayden Reed in the slot. They could also look to involve cornerback Jaire Alexander, who could be traded and might appeal to Macdonald. On the other hand, a Metcalf move would be entirely out of character for Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.Houston TexansIf you don’t succeed, try again? The Texans tried to make a big move for a veteran wideout last offseason, as general manager Nick Caserio sent a second-round pick to the Bills to acquire Diggs. Houston voided the rest of his deal to keep him interested and motivated in a contract year. Diggs was efficient during his stint with the Texans, but a torn ACL ended the four-time Pro Bowler’s season in October. It’s unclear whether Diggs, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent, will return. Tank Dell’s long-term status is also sadly uncertain after the second-year wideout suffered a multi-ligament injury in December. With Dell sidelined indefinitely, there’s an opening next to star wideout Nico Collins (and new acquisition Christian Kirk, whom Houston traded for on Thursday). We’ve seen the Texans get aggressive in attempting to add talent for C.J. Stroud, who still has two more years on his rookie deal and a fifth-year option to come. Even if they sign their quarterback to an extension after the 2025 season as expected, the runway afforded by the rookie deal should allow them to spend more on their roster in 2026 and 2027. A year ago, though, the Texans were wildly optimistic about what their offense could be. A year later, with Collins having earned a significant (but still team-friendly) extension, it feels as if Caserio needs to focus his efforts and resources elsewhere Kansas City ChiefsThis would be juicy. The Chiefs also have offensive line issues after trading away guard Joe Thuney earlier this week, but general manager Brett Veach might be confident he can draft and develop linemen on the interior and add a veteran tackle in free agency. With Travis Kelce dropping to last in ESPN’s Receiver Scores and additions such as Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins failing to sustain their impact, the Chiefs were essentially down to rookie first-rounder Xavier Worthy as their only reliable receiver in the Super Bowl. You saw how that went. The forgotten man here is Rashee Rice, who injured his knee in October and missed the rest of the season. His presence would seem to render a Metcalf move unlikely. Rice and Worthy could be a dynamic one-two punch and would cost peanuts, given that they’re both on rookie deals for a couple more years. It seems clear the Chiefs have deliberately attempted to find low-cost options at receiver in the years after trading Hill, preferring to spend money on their offensive line and at tight end. Of course, coach Andy Reid is entirely capable of changing course if he thinks it’s worth a swing. He knows the impact of adding a star receiver, having made it to the Super Bowl in 2004 after the Eagles acquired Terrell Owens. Reid sent a first-round pick to the Bills in 2009 for Jason Peters and landed a cornerstone left tackle. And when nobody suspected that the Chiefs were up to something big in 2017, they moved up from No. 27 to No. 10 and drafted Patrick Mahomes. That turned out OK. Think back to the 2007 Patriots. After a frustrating end to their 2006 season at the hands of the Broncos, Bill Belichick could have stayed the course and tried to make that version of his team better. Instead, the Pats changed philosophies: They traded for Randy Moss and Wes Welker, signed Donte’ Stallworth, leaned into the spread, and had one of the best offensive seasons the league has ever seen. Could the Chiefs do that with Metcalf, Rice, Worthy and Brown, with Kelce playing in a part-time role? Probably not, but it’s fun to think about. Las Vegas RaidersIf Metcalf wants familiarity, he’ll find it in Las Vegas. It’s easy to link any former Seahawks player to the Raiders after they hired Pete Carroll as their new coach. They have nearly $96 million in cap space pending the terms of Maxx Crosby’s massive new extension and Gardner Minshew’s release, so money wouldn’t be an issue. Metcalf would get to sign a deal in a state with no income tax, which only adds more to the bottom line. On the field, he would fit perfectly on the outside alongside slot receiver Jakobi Meyers and star tight end Brock Bowers. All of this is great. The only problem? The Raiders don’t have a quarterback, which means they don’t fit the “contender” angle Metcalf is looking for as part of a trade. – – –Going to the Raiders would be a leap of faith. Maybe Metcalf believes Carroll can push the defense forward quickly. If they hit on a quarterback such as Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in the draft, there have been moribund teams that have turned things around quickly, with the 2023 Texans and 2024 Commanders as obvious recent examples. I’ve repeatedly argued that this organization needs to be realistic about how brutal the Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels eras were to their roster and commit to a serious retooling, but why would the Raiders start listening now? Los Angeles ChargersDoes Jim Harbaugh value receivers? More than you might think. His 49ers teams from 2011 to 2014 weren’t exactly throwing the ball around like they were the Chiefs, but he kept around Michael Crabtree, who was a valuable big body for quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick in the passing game. He signed a 35-year-old Randy Moss after the legendary wideout had spent a year out of football. If a receiver is physical and can make a difference, Harbaugh might think he can be a valuable part of his offense. The Chargers, to put it mildly, haven’t had that physicality on the outside since Mike Williams tore his ACL in 2023. Quentin Johnston took made some strides in 2024, but drops and inconsistency continue to plague the 2023 first-round pick. Ladd McConkey excelled in his rookie season, but he is primarily an option out of the slot. Metcalf would be the classic “X” receiver Justin Herbert doesn’t have in this offense as currently constructed. While Herbert is making $60 million next year, the Chargers have committed just $56.3 million in cash to the rest of their offense, the fifth-lowest figure of any team. They need to find a new interior lineman, a running back and a third wide receiver, but general manager Joe Hortiz & Co. haven’t invested a ton of cash around Herbert so far. A big swing on Metcalf would give him the most explosive receiver he has had and be a major upgrade on Johnston. It would be a little out of character for the former Michigan coach, but not as much as one might think. New England PatriotsLike the Raiders, the Patriots can’t satisfy the competitive prerequisite for Metcalf. They finished 4-13 last season, fired everyone and hired Mike Vrabel as their coach. They have the league’s worst offensive infrastructure, and just about anybody they add this offseason would qualify as an upgrade on the players they ran out at receiver and on the offensive line in 2024. Adding Metcalf would be like buying a great set of snow tires for a car with no engine. Unlike the Raiders, the Patriots have a quarterback who might be enticing to Metcalf (two, if you watched what Joe Milton did in Week 18). Drake Maye spent most of his rookie season running for his life, but the third overall pick showed plenty of promise. With Maye on a bargain deal for years to come, New England has plenty of resources to add talent around him. Nobody should or would outbid them financially on a Metcalf deal. The other guy who knows the value of having an alpha wide receiver is Vrabel, who was caught bemoaning life as the Titans traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles on draft day in 2022. The Titans never seemed to recover from losing their star wideout, as Treylon Burks wasn’t able to live up to expectations as Brown’s replacement… Vrabel is not going to be naive enough to make that mistake again. Pittsburgh SteelersIf Metcalf is going to leave Seattle, why not leave for its East Coast equivalent? Since 2017, the Steelers have gone 80-50-2 (.613) and won zero playoff games. Over that same time frame, the Seahawks have gone 77-55 (.583) and won one playoff game, which came when the Eagles lost Carson Wentz to an injury in the first quarter and had a 40-year-old Josh McCown playing quarterback with a torn hamstring for three quarters. The two teams have combined to post one losing season over that stretch. They are just good enough to be competitive and never good enough to seriously compete for a title. The Steelers would benefit more from Metcalf’s presence than their counterparts would. They have fielded a dominant defense for most of that stretch, only for the offense to repeatedly let them down. (Even when they have scored loads of points in playoff games, as they did against the Jaguars in 2017 and the Browns in 2020, it has come after the offense repeatedly turned the ball over early on to help gift the opposing team a lead.) With the organization looking at the quarterback position and seemingly shrugging its shoulders for the past few years, one way to try to improve the offense would be to add a key receiver on the outside in Metcalf, the sort of player who would make any passer better. This would also be out of character for the Steelers, who have spent the past 15 years thriving with middle-rounds picks such as Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Diontae Johnson and George Pickens serving as lead wideouts. When they have imported veteran wideouts, it has usually come in the form of low-cost additions such as Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson, not headline-makers like Metcalf. Of course, after eight years without a playoff win and a dramatic collapse at the end of 2024, it might be time for Pittsburgh to reconsider its philosophical choices. It seemed to grow sick of Pickens, who missed three games and struggled badly with drops at the end of the season. The 2022 second-round pick is now entering the final year of his rookie deal. Would the Steelers try to trade Pickens to the Seahawks in a challenge deal for Metcalf? And, given the success rate of Steelers wideouts after leaving coach Mike Tomlin, would the Seahawks be brave enough to take on that risk? Washington CommandersLet’s finish up with the Commanders, who might have loved to hear about this news a week ago. They traded a fifth-round pick to the 49ers for Deebo Samuel while taking on the veteran’s full $17.5 million commitment for 2025. I don’t mind the on-field fit, but it was a lot to pay for a player San Francisco was probably going to cut and one who has hit 900 receiving yards in a season once in six years as a pro. Metcalf has been at or above 900 receiving yards in each of his six seasons, and he is a little under two years younger than Samuel. Of course, he’s also going to be more expensive, in terms of trade compensation and his coming contract extension. But given that the Commanders had plenty of cap space and a clear need for another receiver alongside Terry McLaurin, I would have argued they would have been the best possible landing spot for Metcalf in a potential trade before the Samuel deal. Could they still justify it? Maybe. Samuel is in the final year of his contract, and the Commanders could simply choose to let him play out that deal and move on after the season, but I don’t think he would respond well to seeing them trade for Metcalf while giving the former Seahawks wideout a significant new pact in the process. It also seems as if Washington would be better off devoting most of its remaining resources to its defense, which was the weaker side of the ball a year ago. So, which team should trade for Metcalf?Again, I’d argue that the Seahawks should keep their star receiver and dare him to turn down a new contract. Letting him play out the final year of his existing deal and franchise-tagging him twice would cost them $81.3 million over the next three years without needing to commit to a long-term deal, albeit at the expense of upsetting one of the team’s best players and eliminating the leverage of using the tag on other players. The deal I posted earlier had Metcalf at $93 million over three years, most of which was fully guaranteed at the time of signing. Would Metcalf really turn that down? Running through the league, though, my two favorite landing spots for Metcalf are with the Broncos and Packers. Denver has a need for a more physical top receiver with a quarterback on a rookie deal. And in Green Bay, as talented as different elements of that receiving corps looked from week to week, the wideouts added up to something less than the sum of the parts. With Watson and Doubs a year away from free agency and Reed coming up the following season, the Packers are going to end up paying at least one of their pass catchers soon. Why not pay Metcalf and use one of those wideouts to help acquire him? Here is an update from SI.com on how things are progressing. Blake Silverman ofSI.com: According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Seattle wants both a first and a third-round pick for its top pass-catching option. While there are plenty of suitors who should be interested in Metcalf’s services, that’s a steep price. The Seahawks are fine waiting for the right deal, even if that means Metcalf returning to the team for the final year of his contract, according to general manager John Schneider. “We’re talking to a ton of teams, taking offers, seeing what that looks like,” Schneider said Thursday during a radio appearance on KIRO-AM via The Athletic. Schneider said that while the Seahawks will keep Metcalf’s best interests in mind during trade discussions, he was honest that the organization’s priority is doing what’s best for the team. “Hopefully both those things merge and it’s an ideal situation,” he continued. “Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. Hopefully in this situation it does, and that would be great. But worst-case scenario, we have an amazing, explosive, powerful athlete playing receiver for us again in 2025. So, we’ll see where this goes.” Although the organization wasn’t thrilled with the timing of Metcalf’s trade request, as it came while the franchise celebrated Tyler Lockett’s tenure in Seattle, Schneider says they’ll do their best to make both parties happy. While Metcalf clearly wants out, it’s clear his relationship with the organization is salvageable. And the team would welcome the return of their star receiver next season, trade demands aside. |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIThe Bengals are going to let EDGE TREY HENDRICKSON see if he can drum up a trade. Ben Baby of ESPN.com: For the second straight year, Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson sought permission to seek a trade. This time his request was granted. Cincinnati’s front office is allowing Hendrickson to seek out a new team. In a statement released to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hendrickson expressed gratitude for the ability to find a new club despite having one year left on his current contract. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to represent Cincinnati over the last four years,” Hendrickson said. “I love this city and organization. I appreciate the privilege of now being allowed to explore my options.” Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson has 35 sacks in the last two seasons, 4.5 more than the next closest player. Hendrickson, 30, is coming off his best season. In 2024, he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and was selected as a first-team All-Pro. Hendrickson and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase were the franchise’s first All-Pro selections since 2015. Hendrickson also reached the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight year. Two years ago, Hendrickson signed a one-year extension to the original four-year, $60 million deal he signed with the Bengals in 2021. In 2025, he is set to earn $15.8 million in base salary, along with a $200,000 roster bonus, and represent a cap hit of $18.7 million. Since signing with the Bengals, Hendrickson has been one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. He ranks third in pressure rate during that span, according to ESPN Research, and is third in total sacks (57), trailing fellow division rivals Myles Garrett (60) and T.J. Watt (58.5). However, his average annual salary ranks 11th among all edge rushers. Hendrickson was one of three players seeking a long-term deal from the Bengals this offseason. Chase is seeking to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history, a sentiment echoed by de facto general manager Duke Tobin, who said at the scouting combine that the Bengals plan to make that happen. Wide receiver Tee Higgins is also seeking a new contract following his fifth season in the league. Higgins has also been given the franchise tag for the second straight year. However, the team has indicated it still wants to sign the 2020 second-round pick to a long-term contract. Hendrickson’s granted request also comes one day after Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby agreed to terms on a three-year extension that pays him $35.5 million annually, which is the current record for a non-quarterback. Crosby ranks seventh in total sacks since 2021. Hendrickson foreshadowed a potential trade scenario when speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show” in February during Super Bowl week. “If it’s something that helps the Bengals win the Super Bowl, if they get picks or anything like that, I want to help win a Super Bowl for Cincinnati,” Hendrickson said on Feb. 5. “Whether I’m there or not.” And, after Cardiff City scored on Burnley, JJ Watt is not going to take Hendrickson’s place with the Bengals. Karl Rasmussen of SI.com: Former NFL star J.J. Watt teased the possibility of coming out of retirement when he revealed the details of a friendly wager he recently made with Burnley F.C. goalkeeper James Trafford. Watt, who is a minority owner of the English Championship tier soccer club, was asked by Trafford if he’d consider un-retiring to play for the Cincinnati Bengals, Trafford’s favorite NFL team. Watt told his goalie that if he didn’t concede another goal for the remainder of the season that he would be willing to return to the league (assuming the Bengals would want him) and play for Cincinnati. Trafford proceeded to go 13 consecutive games without surrendering a single goal, a streak which came to an end during this week’s matchup against Cardiff City, during which Trafford conceded one goal. Watt was watching the game and said on social media that the Bengals dream had officially been put to rest. During a Thursday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Watt claimed that he, a man of his word, fully intended to honor his side of the bet if Trafford had been able to pull off the near-impossible feat. Watt said that he sat down and had a conversation with his wife, in which he told her he would “absolutely” come out of retirement if Trafford maintained his streak of clean sheets throughout the remainder of the season. “I would’ve done it. It’s easy because I’m talking about it after the fact now, but I told her, I’ll play for vet minimum, I’ll go do it, because it’s that impressive and I said I’d do it,” Watt said. In the end, it remains nothing more than an intriguing “What if?” as Trafford, reasonably so, was unable to maintain what would’ve been a historic streak without surrendering a goal. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| HOUSTONWR CHRISTIAN KIRK will not be reaching the free agent market after all as the Jaguars trade him and his contract to the Texans. Nick Shook of NFL.com: Help is on the way for C.J. Stroud. The Houston Texans are acquiring receiver Christian Kirk from the AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday. Jacksonville will receive a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for the speedy receiver, per Pelissero. The deal cannot become official until the new league year begins on March 12. A second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2018, Kirk arrived in Jacksonville in 2022 with a target — or perhaps a dollar sign — plastered on his back. He signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Jaguars that was considered to be well beyond his expected market value, headlining a highly lucrative Jacksonville spending spree that dominated free agency in 2022. When folks mentioned the Jaguars’ willingness to open their wallets — or the rising price of receivers overall — they almost always pointed to Kirk. For one year, the money seemed to be worth it. Kirk caught 84 passes for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the Jaguars in receiving and helping Jacksonville jump from worst to first, winning the AFC South and defeating the Chargers in the Wild Card Round. Everything gradually fell apart from there, though. Kirk was limited to 12 games in 2023, catching 57 passes for 787 yards and three touchdowns, then saw just 47 targets in eight games in 2024, fading into the background just as rookie Brian Thomas Jr. rose to prominence as Jacksonville’s most promising receiver. By the time the 2024 season ended, it was clear Kirk wasn’t in Jacksonville’s future plans, especially after James Gladstone took over as general manager in early 2025. Jacksonville was expected to release Kirk, but instead shipped him to Houston in a deal that mirrors the trade that sent running back Joe Mixon from Cincinnati to Houston a year earlier. If he can fit into new coordinator Nick Caley’s offense, Kirk should see a higher usage rate in Houston. Nico Collins returns as the Texans’ top target, but Tank Dell is currently on a long road back to the field after suffering a second gruesome lower body injury (this time, a knee) in as many seasons, while veteran Stefon Diggs is headed toward free agency. Kirk should be able to provide Houston with another speedy option at the position for Stroud. The Texans still need to address the offensive line, which was their biggest weakness in 2024, but adding Kirk for the low price of a seventh-round pick — proper compensation, considering he comes with a contract that will pay him $16.5 million in 2025 — is a start. Seth Walder of ESPN.com likes the deal for Houston: Texans get: WR Christian KirkJaguars get: 2026 seventh-round pick Texans’ grade: A-Jaguars’ grade: C+Kirk was once the poster child for (what we thought was) NFL free agency overpay. Fast-forward a few years to Tutu Atwell landing a one-year, $10 million deal with the Rams, and suddenly Kirk’s scheduled $16.5 million in cash — which was apparently too rich for the Jaguars since they were preparing to release him — looks like kind of a bargain? Kirk’s value is depressed because of injuries — including a collarbone injury that cut his 2024 season short — which have limited him to 19 games over the past two seasons. But his per-route numbers are solid. Over the past two seasons, he’s averaging 2.1 yards per route run and 2.4 against man, which ranks 23rd and 19th, respectively, among wide receivers with at least 500 routes run in that span. Not bad! Over the past two years combined he has a 65 open score in our receiver tracking metrics (good), though poor catch and YAC scores (29 each). Houston had a real need at wide receiver with Stefon Diggs becoming a free agent and Tank Dell recovering from a serious knee injury that just required another surgery. Kirk played mostly in the slot in Jacksonville, but that’s just fine working alongside Nico Collins (Diggs played from the slot 43% of the time last season). Meanwhile, the Jaguars must hang on to Gabe Davis and his $11.5 million in guaranteed money this season, but he’s a downgrade as a WR2 behind Brian Thomas Jr. |
| JACKSONVILLEAfter 10 seasons with Kansas City and Jacksonville, we believe we are mentioning C MITCH MORSE for the first time – as he announces he is leaving the stage. Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com: Jaguars center Mitch Morse announced his retirement Thursday morning, ending a 10-year NFL career that began with the Chiefs in 2015. “The things I’ll remember and cherish most about my career are the relationships and bonds I created with my teammates, both on and off of the field,” Morse said in a statement. “Nothing can replace that, and I will miss it dearly. “I want to thank the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars for 10 unforgettable seasons. Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Caitlin, and my children Kennedy and Deacon for their constant love and support on this journey. I look forward to spending more time with them as I navigate retirement.” The Jaguars signed Morse to a two-year contract worth $10.5 million last March, which included a $4 million signing bonus and $7 million guaranteed. He started all 17 games in 2024 and ranked fourth among centers in pass block win rate (96.1%), per ESPN Research. Kansas City drafted Morse, 32, in the second round in 2015 (49th overall) and he started 15 games as a rookie. He signed with Buffalo in 2019 and made the Pro Bowl in 2022. Morse has started 143 games in his 10-year career. Morse’s retirement leaves the Jaguars with holes at center and right guard because the team is not expected to re-sign right guard Brandon Scherff. Morse was signed to be an upgrade over Luke Fortner, the team’s third-round pick in 2022 who started every game in his first two seasons but struggled as a pass blocker (37th in pass block win rate in 2022-23). |
| THIS AND THAT |
| SKATTABO SKEDADDLESA process server is trying to find former Arizona State RB CAM SKATTEBO, as a teammate tries to get cash for hijinks that went wrong nearly two years ago. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: While former Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo has been at the Scouting Combine and preparing for pre-draft meetings with NFL teams, process servers have been trying to find him to serve him with a lawsuit from a former teammate. Former Arizona State teammate Mattheos Katergaris is suing Skattebo, saying that while Katergaris was in a golf cart on the Arizona State practice field, Skattebo jumped on the back of it, causing it to collapse and leading Kategaris to suffer a serious injury. Katergaris’ attorney, Neil Udulutch, told the Arizona Republic that after repeatedly trying and failing to find Skattebo to serve him with the lawsuit, the judge allowed Skattebo to be served with a notice in a local newspaper. “He’s been hard to pin down,” Udulutch said. “I have reason to believe he was in Florida preparing for the combine and then I know he was in Indy. I don’t know if he even lives in Arizona anymore. Maybe he’s bouncing around hotels. I just don’t know, so I was done chasing him. My hope is that he or his family will retain an attorney and help us out here, but otherwise we’ll have to go that route. It’s kind of an archaic procedure. It is definitely a last resort.” Katergaris says he and another player were sitting in the golf cart on July 31, 2023, when Skattebo jumped on it, causing it to collapse and leading Katergaris to suffer a ruptured triceps tendon from which he has still not fully recovered. Katergaris initially sued Arizona State but only added Skattebo to the lawsuit recently, after Skattebo had a breakout final season at Arizona State and became a well-known prospect in the 2025 NFL draft. “I’m aware of the speculation and how that looks, but I can’t comment on the rationalization,” Udulutch said. “All I can say is that we became aware that it was actually him that was on the back of the golf cart, jumping up and down, according to my client.” Skattebo was a first-team All-American last season and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting. |
