The Los Angeles Rams and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson have agreed to a three-year, $57 million contract, with $37 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Friday.

Jackson had been slated to enter free agency next month, but instead will stay in Los Angeles, where he’ll continue to protect Matthew Stafford. The star quarterback agreed to a restructured deal with the Rams earlier Friday.

Jackson, 26, started 14 games for the Rams last season. He was suspended for the first two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and was also inactive for the season finale after Los Angeles clinched the NFC West.

The left tackle was tied for the 26th-best pass-blocking grade among all offensive linemen (79.2) and ranked 20th among all offensive tackles in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jackson was playing on a one-year deal during the 2024 season after signing his restricted free agent tender for $4.89 million.

Jackson, who signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2021, has played in 41 games, starting 35, in his first four NFL seasons.

ESPN’s Sarah Barshop contributed to this report.

The post Source: Rams, OT Jackson agree to 3-year deal appeared first on The Sports Affiliate.

• 

  Jordan RaananFeb 28, 2025, 02:00 PM ET

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  Jordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016.

INDIANAPOLIS — After striking out in talks with Matthew Stafford, the New York Giants are including Aaron Rodgers in their search for a veteran quarterback, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday.

Rodgers is set to be a free agent after the New York Jets announced earlier this month that they would be moving on from the quarterback after two seasons. Sam Darnold is also expected to be among the options, a source said, after his breakout season last year with the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants had interest in Darnold last season as a free agent before he landed in Minnesota. New York signed Drew Lock to be its backup on a one-year deal worth $5 million guaranteed.

Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson also considered New York among his options at the start of this offseason. The Giants, meanwhile, are currently on track to have exclusive rights free agent Tommy DeVito as the only quarterback on the roster. The team holds the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft, but general manager Joe Schoen said this week at the NFL scouting combine that it would “look under every rock” to add a franchise quarterback.

Regardless, the Giants want to add a veteran in free agency who can serve as a mentor and/or reliable option if they can’t get their future signal-caller in the draft.

“In theory, yeah, you take the rookie quarterback, they’re on the rookie deal for five years. Where we are salary cap-wise, you can build around them. You’ve got to make sure that one of those guys are going to be there or they’re even in the draft,” Schoen said. “Having a vet in place — I’ve told you guys this before, where when you go into draft day, you could go play a game. Is your team going to be as good as you want it to be? No, but you’ve still got the draft. So prevent some of the draft-for-need and being able to take the best player available.”

The Giants’ search now appears to include Rodgers, a 41-year-old four-time NFL MVP whose first New York run produced a 6-12 record as the Jets’ starter, a torn Achilles tendon and tension throughout the Jets franchise.

The Jets are likely to release Rodgers with a post-June 1 designation. To do that, they must carry him on the roster until March 12, the start of the 2025 league year.

The Giants were among the teams to meet with Stafford over the past week about contract parameters, but the Rams announced Friday that they had agreed to a restructured contract that keeps the quarterback in Los Angeles.

The post Sources: Giants talk possible addition of Rodgers appeared first on The Sports Affiliate.

• 

  Sarah BarshopFeb 28, 2025, 01:33 PM ET

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  Sarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Green Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cover the Texans. She came to ESPN after working as a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated.

The Rams and Matthew Stafford have agreed to a restructured contract that keeps the quarterback in Los Angeles, the team announced Friday.

The adjusted contract came after the Rams gave Stafford’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, permission to speak to other teams about his value in the quarterback market. After discussions with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants about contract parameters, Stafford and the Rams were able to come to an agreement on a reworked contract.

With Stafford remaining with the Rams, the Giants are investigating all veteran quarterback options, including Aaron Rodgers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Raiders, meanwhile, are now to look into veteran options that include Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Sam Darnold, sources said.

ALLOW ME TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF pic.twitter.com/0uaAiGsWTa

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 28, 2025

The Rams also reached a deal with one of Stafford’s offensive linemen, as the team and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson reached a three-year, $57 million contract ($35M guaranteed) ahead of free agency, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Earlier in the week, Rams coach Sean McVay said on the “Fitz & Whit” podcast that the team’s “first goal” was to have Stafford remain the starting quarterback but that the organization was trying to balance the short-term and long-term roster decisions that come from an adjusted contract.

“There is no dispute — and let’s not get it twisted in regards to anybody wanting him to be our quarterback,” McVay said. “Now, there’s layers to it. You have to be able to say, ‘Hey, how do we continuously build? How do we support him? How do we make sure that he’s getting what is his worth relative to those things?'”

Stafford, who signed a contract extension with the Rams in March 2022, had two seasons left on the extension with $4 million guaranteed in 2025 and no guaranteed money in 2026.

Last offseason, Stafford agreed to a reworked contract, an adjustment that took until the day the Rams reported to training camp. McVay said after the season that he hoped the team and Stafford would have clarity on the situation “sooner than later.”

“I’m sure proud of the body of work and really proud of the way that he’s played,” McVay said during his end-of-season news conference. “The coolest thing you can say about Matthew is he shines the brightest on the biggest stages. When you look at the seven playoff games that he’s played in since he’s been a Ram, he certainly gives you a chance every time you step out on the field, and for that I’m sure appreciative.”

After Stafford spent his first 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, the Rams traded for him before the 2021 season. In his first season in Los Angeles, Stafford and the Rams won Super Bowl LVI.

In 16 games last season, Stafford completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Stafford is 191 yards shy of 60,000 career passing yards, a milestone nine other quarterbacks have reached.

The post Stafford agrees to restructured deal with Rams appeared first on The Sports Affiliate.

• 

  Adam TeicherFeb 27, 2025, 02:16 PM ET

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  Adam Teicher has covered the Kansas City Chiefs for more than 30 seasons. He joined ESPN in 2013 for the launch of NFL Nation.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs have informed Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith that they will use the franchise tag on him, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday.

The move will effectively keep Smith off the free agent market. By franchising Smith, the Chiefs are obligated to offer him a one-year contract worth about $23.4 million.

The highest-paid guard in the NFL is the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Landon Dickerson at $21 million per year so the tag essentially makes Smith the highest-paid guard in football.

The deadline for teams to use the franchise tag is Monday at 4 p.m. ET.

The Chiefs and Smith will have until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract. If no deal is reached by that date, Smith will play the 2025 season on his franchise tender.

Smith, 25, joined the Chiefs as a sixth-round draft pick in 2021 out of Tennessee.

Like many teams, the Chiefs had a much higher draft grade on Smith but didn’t select him until the sixth round because of concerns over a blood-clot issue in his lungs while in college. But Smith immediately took over at right guard for Kansas City, starting 67 of a possible 68 regular-season games in his four years. He also hasn’t missed a start in 13 postseason games.

In 2024, Smith ranked 13th among guards in pass block win rate (93.9%) and sixth in run block win rate (career-high 75.1%). He allowed just 1.5 sacks, per NFL Next Gen Stats, and committed only two penalties. He was rewarded with his first Pro Bowl nod.

The previous three seasons, Smith finished in the top four in pass rush win rate among guards, including second in both 2021 (96.0%) and 2023 (96.6%).

The post Chiefs to franchise tag guard Smith, source says appeared first on The Sports Affiliate.

Travis Kelce plans to play in the 2025 season, Pat McAfee confirmed Thursday with the Kansas City Chiefs‘ star tight end.

McAfee read a text from Kelce on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.

“I’m coming back for sure. Gonna try to get into the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop,” Kelce wrote in the text. “Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and with how I got the guys ready for battle. I can’t go out like that!!!!”

Later Thursday, the “New Heights” podcast, hosted by Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce, posted a confirmation on X: “From the desk of @tkelce : ITS TIME FOR YEAR 13.”

Travis Kelce will discuss his decision to return for a 13th season on the next episode, which will be released next week.

Kelce was held to four catches for 39 yards in the Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX that denied Kansas City a chance at a three-peat. That ended a season in which he posted career lows (not counting his rookie season, when he appeared in just one game) in receiving yards (823) and touchdowns (3). He did lead the Chiefs in receptions, however, with 97.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis that he expected the veteran tight end to play for the Chiefs this coming season, based on his last conversation with Kelce.

Kelce, 35, said in multiple interviews the week of the Super Bowl that he intended to play again in 2025. But he was less definitive about his future in the days after the game on his podcast.

Kelce has an $11.5 million roster bonus on March 15 that would trigger in the final year of his contract. But Veach said this week that there is no deadline for Kelce to make his decision.

One of the most popular players in franchise history, Kelce endeared himself to Chiefs fans with more than just his play. He solidified his icon status in Kansas City when he shouted to fans at Arrowhead Stadium and a national television audience, “You’ve got to fight for your right to party!” after the Chiefs beat the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game after the 2019 season to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 seasons.

The saying remains a rallying cry for the Chiefs and their fans to this day. Many Chiefs, from Veach to coach Andy Reid to quarterback Patrick Mahomes have credited Kelce for being the energy behind the Chiefs’ recent run of success.

Kelce has been selected to play in the Pro Bowl 10 times. He was a first-team All-Pro pick four times and a second-team choice three times.

Late last season, Kelce became the 15th NFL player to catch 1,000 career passes and only the third tight end. In addition to being third among players at his position with 1,004 regular-season receptions in his career, he is also third in yards at 12,151.

ESPN’s Adam Teicher contributed to this report.

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• 

  NFL NationFeb 27, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

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  NFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.

Sometimes change is just needed, and NFL players are not exempt from this philosophy.

There are plenty of examples of players flourishing with new teams, with Saquon Barkley‘s record-setting season and Sam Darnold‘s resurgence in 2024 being some of the highlights.

Now, we turn to 2025, when the offseason is once again sure to bring change for several players. We asked our NFL Nation reporters to name one player from each team who might benefit from a fresh start and to explain why the move could benefit the player and/or team.

Who could be on the move? Here’s what our reporters had to say:

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

CB Kaiir Elam

It just hasn’t worked out for Elam with the Bills. The 2022 first-round pick has largely served as a backup in his three seasons with the team. Though the Bills could be searching for a new starter at outside cornerback with Rasul Douglas set to hit free agency, Elam hasn’t shown enough on field to be in early contention for that role. It’s a sign that it may be time to move on. — Alaina Getzenberg

OL Liam Eichenberg

Eichenberg is a versatile player who has played every position on the line for Miami in his four seasons with the team. But the jack-of-all-trades has been plagued by inconsistent and poor play. He ranked 60th out of 64 qualifing offensive guards last season in pass block win rate and allowed the 10th-most sacks of any guard. As the Dolphins look to rebuild their offensive line, the free agent Eichenberg could likely use a fresh start elsewhere — his versatility should keep him employed in the NFL. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

QB Jacoby Brissett

The well-traveled veteran, set to enter his 10th season, opened 2024 as the starter before passing the torch to rookie Drake Maye in Week 6. Brissett would seemingly like the chance to compete for a starting job once again, but that won’t happen in New England. Maye is locked in to the top spot on the depth chart and 2024 sixth-round pick Joe Milton III had a strong enough performance in the season finale to show he might be worthy of the No. 2 spot. Brissett is scheduled for unrestricted free agency. — Mike Reiss

WR Allen Lazard

Lazard, part of the FOR (Friends of Rodgers) who joined the team in 2023, is a likely salary-cap casualty ($13.2 million cap charge). Most of Lazard’s career production has come with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. Lazard himself admits he’s a better player when Rodgers is on the field. Now that Rodgers is gone, it makes sense to part ways with Lazard — and it’ll save $6.6 million in cap space. — Rich Cimini

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AFC NORTH

FS Marcus Williams

Williams went from being the Ravens’ highest-paid free agent in 2022 to becoming a healthy scratch midway through the 2024 season. In nine starts, quarterbacks recorded a 148.4 passer rating when throwing at Williams, averaging 18.4 yards per completion. Baltimore is expected to release Williams with a post-June 1 designation, “You never pin it on any one thing; there’s no way to pin it on any one thing,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said at the end of the season. “You have to kind of look at it as a whole, and there are a lot of factors in there.” — Jamison Hensley

RG Alex Cappa

Cappa was the first big post-Super Bowl LVI addition the Bengals made to boost their offensive line. However, Cappa has struggled the past two years. In 2024, Cappa ranked last (64th) among qualifying players in pass block win rate as a guard, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. The year before that, he was 60th out of 62. By moving on from Cappa, the Bengals would save $8 million in salary cap space while incurring $2 million in dead cap. — Ben Baby

LT Jedrick Wills Jr.

Wills has started 57 games since the Browns selected him with the 10th pick in 2020, but injuries cut into his availability the past two seasons. He was demoted to a backup role in 2024 as he dealt with a nagging knee injury and appeared in only five games before landing on injured reserve. Wills’ contract voids this offseason, which would leave the Browns with $8.7 million in dead cap. With Dawand Jones‘ emergence at left tackle last season, both Wills and the Browns could use a fresh start in 2025. — Daniel Oyefusi

RB Najee Harris

The Steelers declined the 2021 first-round pick’s fifth-year option, making him a free agent when the league year turns over in March. While the durable Harris surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Pittsburgh, he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in his Steelers career. Harris is a powerful, bruising back and has an underutilized ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. An offense that allows him to be versatile could help him surge in a second act. — Brooke Pryor

AFC SOUTH

LG Kenyon Green

Last season was a make-or-break year for Green after missing 2023 with a shoulder injury. But he struggled in pass blocking last season, allowing seven sacks — second most on the team — and a pressure rate of 11.3, the most among Texans offensive linemen who started multiple games. The biggest indictment on Green was after being activated off a four-week IR stint (shoulder) the Texans did not play him again for the rest of the season. Green hasn’t had much success since being selected in the first round in 2022. — DJ Bien-Aime

QB Sam Ehlinger

Ehlinger enters free agency for the first time but has started just three games in his career. The Colts haven’t given him a shot to be anything more than the No. 3 QB in each of the past two seasons, and it’s possible that was the appropriate approach. But is there a team out there that might give him a shot at being a primary backup? Ehlinger has come a long way since he entered the league in 2021, undersized and with questionable arm strength. But he’s a diligent worker and has improved significantly, even if he doesn’t have the tools of some of the league’s more talented QBs. — Stephen Holder

S Andre Cisco

Cisco, who is scheduled to become a free agent, never developed into the consistent playmaker the Jaguars hoped when they drafted him in the third round in 2021. He did intercept eight passes and force three fumbles in four seasons, but he forced just one turnover and had multiple coverage breakdowns in 2024. The Jaguars gave up 23 pass plays of 30 or more yards last season — three shy of the New Orleans Saints, who had the most — and he was part of the problem. — Michael DiRocco

RT Nicholas Petit-Frere

Petit-Frere won the starting job in 2022 after being selected in the third round by the Titans and allowed only five sacks in 16 games. Despite missing part of training camp last season, he started 10 games and appeared in 15. Last season, Petit-Frere played 65.2% of the snaps and allowed a team-high 14 sacks — ultimately landing him on the bench and being inactive on game days. Maybe a change of scenery could spark something in Petit-Frere, who was once heralded as a top offensive line prospect. — Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

RB Javonte Williams

Williams, a former second-round pick scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, got caught in the wash of the Broncos’ struggling running back rotation in 2024. He finished second on the team in receptions (52) but had his second consecutive season with fewer than four yards per carry (3.7). Since a devastating 2022 knee injury, Williams hasn’t looked as explosive. He finished with just 12 carries over the last three games of the season, including the playoff loss in Buffalo. Some in the league wonder how close Williams can get to his pre-injury form, but he’ll likely need to move elsewhere to answer that question. — Jeff Legwold

OT Wanya Morris

Morris washed out in his bid to become the starting left tackle in 2024. An expected competition between Morris and rookie Kingsley Suamataia never developed at training camp and Suamataia became the starter. Then Morris struggled so badly after replacing Suamataia early in the season that he too was benched. Morris, a 2023 third-round pick, was healthy but inactive for all three postseason games. The Chiefs should be wary of giving up on a young player too early, but if Morris doesn’t show more during the offseason and training camp this year, it’s best for all parties if he moves on. — Adam Teicher

QB Gardner Minshew

The Raiders need to make a change at quarterback. Part of that process could include moving on from Minshew, who signed a two-year, $25 million contract with $15 million guaranteed last offseason. Minshew beat out Aidan O’Connell for the starting job in a close training camp battle, but struggled in the role during the season. He threw for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games (nine starts) before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone against the Broncos in November. Minshew is expected to have a cap hit of $14 million in 2025, and Las Vegas could save $9.3 million by making him a post-June 1 cut. — Ryan McFadden

OG Trey Pipkins III

The Chargers drafted tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, bumping Pipkins from right tackle to right guard. Pipkins struggled at the guard position, particularly as a run blocker. He ranked 188th among offensive linemen, the worst grade on the Chargers’ offensive line. Pipkins has no guaranteed salary next season, and the Chargers would save $6.75 million in cap space by releasing him. A release could also give Pipkins a chance to return to his natural tackle spot with a new team. — Kris Rhim

NFC EAST

LB Damone Clark

If Mike Zimmer remained as defensive coordinator, this would be a no-brainer. But with Matt Eberflus taking over, things change and it might be best for Clark to find another place to play to further his career. After leading the Cowboys in tackles in 2023 with 115 while playing 784 snaps, he had only 35 tackles in 163 snaps in 2024. He was inactive three times and there were five games when he did not play a defensive snap. The Cowboys are thin at linebacker with DeMarvion Overshown dealing with a major knee injury and veteran Eric Kendricks set for free agency, but Clark has not taken the jump the Cowboys had hoped for as an every-down contributor. — Todd Archer

WR Jalin Hyatt

The 2024 season was a disaster for Hyatt. He started the summer as the No. 2 receiver behind Malik Nabers (ahead of Darius Slayton) and finished with eight catches on 19 targets for 62 yards and no touchdowns. That was in 16 games with three starts. It was clear from watching Hyatt that he was unhappy with the situation. This is a 2023 third-round pick with incredible speed who averaged over 16 yards per catch as a rookie. Considering his discontent, it might benefit everyone for him to have a fresh start elsewhere. — Jordan Raanan

DB James Bradberry IV

Bradberry, 31, has one year left on his three-year, $38 million contract but it would be no surprise if he and the Eagles parted ways. He lost the starting corner job following a down 2023 season and the subsequent drafting of rookie standouts Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Seeing the writing on the wall, Bradberry transitioned to safety this summer and made the 53-man roster, but he injured his leg in August and spent the season on injured reserve. The former All-Pro will look to reestablish himself in ’25, likely with a new team. — Tim McManus

DT Jonathan Allen

Allen was granted permission to seek a trade this week. He wasn’t necessarily looking to leave, but the Commanders are not inclined to extend his deal. Allen would count $23 million against the salary cap in 2025 — his final year under contract. He also has no more guaranteed money left on his deal. If traded or cut — the two most likely options — the Commanders would save $16.3 million against the salary cap. Allen, who turned 30 last month, recorded 16.5 sacks and 26 tackles for a loss in 2021 and 2022 combined — both Pro Bowl seasons. But he has posted just 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss over the past two — though he missed nine games with a torn triceps in 2024. — John Keim

NFC NORTH

DE DeMarcus Walker

Walker is a starter (29 games since 2023, including all 17 last season) who has averaged 3.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons along with 16 quarterback hits and eight tackles for loss. The Bears need to upgrade their edge rusher spot opposite Montez Sweat in order to create a more effective pass rush, so parting ways with Walker makes sense. Walker’s release would save Chicago $5.25 million against the cap. — Courtney Cronin

DL Brodric Martin

Martin didn’t log much action last season, appearing in just two games. He was on injured reserve until late November after suffering a knee injury in the preseason finale, but the former third-round pick in 2023 failed to make an impact in limited opportunities, recording one tackle. In his two seasons with the Lions, Martin has played in five games, making one start. Though a new defensive staff will take over in 2025, a change of scenery could be best. — Eric Woodyard

CB Jaire Alexander

All signs point to the Packers releasing Alexander this offseason, and it might be the very definition of a mutual breakup. The two-time All-Pro cornerback has seemingly become discontent with the organization, saying during the final media availability of last season that he didn’t want to talk because he didn’t have anything good to say. Meanwhile, the team has grown frustrated by Alexander’s availability — or lack of it. Alexander has not played in more than seven games in each of the past two seasons. It would be hard to pay him the $17.5 million he’s scheduled to make this coming season if they think he can’t play more than that. — Rob Demovsky

RB Ty Chandler

A fifth-round draft pick in 2022, Chandler has entered the past two seasons as the Vikings’ No. 2 running back. In both cases, however, the team traded for veteran Cam Akers to supplant him on the depth chart, making its limited faith in him clear. Chandler has good speed and has been productive when forced into action, especially during the second half of the 2023 season, when he rushed for 419 yards in the Vikings’ final eight games. There’s enough skill and ability there to project that things could go differently in a new environment. — Kevin Seifert

NFC SOUTH

DT David Onyemata

Once a stalwart run stuffer with pass-rushing chops, Onyemata’s production dipped sharply in 2024. Onyemata had 36 quarterback pressures for an 11% pressure rate in 2023. This past season, those numbers dropped to 17 quarterback pressures and a 5.8% pressure rate — in three more games. His run stuffs went from 12 in 2023 to six in 2024. Onyemata will turn 33 next season and can free the Falcons of a little more than $8 million of cap space if they release him. Atlanta is over the cap right now and flexibility is a need this offseason. — Marc Raimondi

C Austin Corbett

Corbett has been limited to nine starts the past two seasons because of injuries. He wants to play for a team where there really isn’t a competition for the position. That’s now happening at Carolina, where Cade Mays is a younger and less expensive version who did a solid job replacing Corbett this past season. For a team in rebuild mode it just makes sense to spend money elsewhere. — David Newton

DE Cameron Jordan

Jordan is the franchise sack leader (121.5) and a longtime team captain. He has been a staple of the organization since the Saints drafted him in 2011. But even he admitted recently he doesn’t know what the future holds. Jordan will turn 36 in July and is due $12.5 million in salary. His playing time was limited in the first half of last season under Dennis Allen but ticked back up after Allen was fired midseason. He finished with four sacks in the final eight games. Jordan said he is not retiring and wants to continue his career with the Saints, but his age, salary and production could make that a complicated decision. — Katherine Terrell

CB Jamel Dean

This is less about a change of scenery and more about Dean’s inability to stay healthy with a giant $15.2 million salary cap hit in 2025. Dean has been called a great teammate and a hard worker, and it’s rare to find a player with his length and speed. But he has missed 18 games in six seasons — missing nine in the past two years. Plus, he’s had one interception the past two years, which is an area where the team has been trying to improve. The Bucs’ defense is better when Dean is on the field, but he’s not contributing if he’s sidelined. The team already parted with CB Carlton Davis III last year, and that trade to Detroit served him well. — Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

LB Zaven Collins

Depending on what Arizona does this offseason at edge rusher, Collins may end up being the odd man out despite signing a two-year extension in August. With BJ Ojulari set to return from an ACL injury and Arizona likely in the market for another pass rusher, Collins, who made the switch from inside linebacker to outside in 2023, could be better off on a different team from a playing-time standpoint. — Josh Weinfuss

WR Cooper Kupp

The team informed the longtime Rams receiver in early February that they are planning to trade him. Kupp, who was one of coach Sean McVay’s first draft picks in 2017, has a cap hit of nearly $29.8 million in 2025, with just $5 million guaranteed. Kupp’s best season came in 2021, when he led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns during the regular season and then was named Super Bowl LVI MVP. That was the last time he played a full season. He has dealt with injuries in the past three seasons, playing 33 games. — Sarah Barshop

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WR Deebo Samuel Sr.

After another down year, Samuel has requested a trade and the Niners have granted him permission to seek his next destination. The cap ramifications ($31.55 million in dead money) combined with coach Kyle Shanahan’s affinity for Samuel will undoubtedly make this tough, but it seems the time is right for both parties to go their separate ways. For Samuel, it would be the chance to go somewhere he can again be a focal point in the offense while the Niners can find more polished route runners capable of consistently beating man coverage after struggling in that area in 2024. — Nick Wagoner

WR Tyler Lockett

The second-most prolific wide receiver in franchise history may have played his last game with the Seahawks. The writing has been on the wall for 11 months, with Lockett taking a $4 million pay cut to return to the team in March, then getting relegated to the No. 3 role when Jaxon Smith-Njigba broke out in 2024. Lockett is set to make a non-guaranteed $17 million next season while carrying a cap hit of nearly $31 million, so taking another pay cut is the only way Lockett would be back with Seattle for an 11th season. — Brady Henderson

The post 32 NFL teams, 32 players who could use a fresh start in a new city: Jaire Alexander, Tyler Lockett, more appeared first on The Sports Affiliate.

If the 2025 NFL combine participants feel like this week is like a runaway train, Quinnen Williams can empathize.

It was the night before the 2019 combine in Indianapolis, and Williams, a 6-foot-3, 303-pound defensive lineman out of Alabama, was trying to get some sleep.

But there was one problem.

“The train station hotel,” Williams said, referring to the downtown Indianapolis hotel where the players stay. The hotel is connected to the Indianapolis Convention Center, which hosts the combine, and it’s also adjacent to Union Station. “Throughout the night, trains would come through and they’d wake you up in the middle of the night.

“One night I heard a train going by, and I actually thought that the bed I was sleeping in was on a train. I woke up freaking out, the night before the combine, and that’s just crazy. It kept me up all night.”

.@QuinnenWilliams is MOVIN’ 👀

📺 #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/srraMgeaDf

— New York Jets (@nyjets) March 3, 2019

This year’s prospects will try to block out the distractions as they try to focus on a variety of physical tests, interviews and other aspects of the combine, which is now underway. Those who excel could climb draft boards — as Williams did when the New York Jets drafted him No. 3 overall after he ran a 4.83 in the 40-yard dash, the fourth-fasted time for someone over 300 pounds since 2003 — while others may be left wondering what went wrong.

“I didn’t have a combine because of COVID [in 2021],” Denver Broncos All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II said. “I would have definitely liked to go for the experience. I know a lot of guys had memorable experiences there.”

It’s true players have had memorable experiences, but not all of them were good. Here are some stories from combine week, one of the most important parts of a prospect’s pre-draft process.

Combine: 2014

The Detroit Lions drafted Van Noy No. 40 overall. The Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl winner just concluded his seventh season.

Van Noy’s most vivid combine memory is one that could have derailed his draft process.

“I almost broke my [left] arm on a camera,” he said. “I was doing linebacker drills, and I was in the catching segment and was coming across, and the ball was thrown a little out of reach.

“I went for it, missed it, and then slid on the turf into the camera and jammed my arm. The camera was moved after, of course.

“I kept going. I probably should have stopped, but kept going.”

Combine: 2024

While standout receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers opted not to participate in the testing portion of the combine last year, Odunze made a point of embracing every drill. In fact, despite being projected as a top-10 pick, Odunze did the three-cone drill five times because he wasn’t satisfied with his first four. That dedication resulted in him being the last player on the field that day.

“My goal was just to get the correct time that I wanted,” Odunze said. “They said I had cheated in a way or done the drill wrong a couple of times, so I didn’t agree with that. But my goal was to go out there and do everything in the combine, compete in every single event.

.@RomeOdunze won’t leave the field until he hits his target of 6.6 on the 3 cone drill.

Total dedication. #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/vIxbd3V52k

— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2024

“I trained for it, so I wanted to go see what I can put out there. When they kept not giving me a time, and I got a time that I was like, that’s not even close to what I can do, I had to continue to keep going.”

The Bears selected Odunze No. 9 overall, and he turned in a strong rookie season with 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns.

“[The combine is] a high-pressure situation,” Odunze said. “A lot of different parts, a lot of different things going on.

“It’s fun to be able to go out there and compete against generations of football players that have gone through the combine, but I also don’t agree with it being the biggest measure of what a player’s potential is. The [idea] that if you have a good combine performance, that you’re the best player ever, I don’t agree with that.”

Combine: 2014

The Browns drafted the seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro with the 35th pick.

Bitonio has a theory as to why some prospects find it hard to get their rest at the combine.

“My memory of it was just how busy it was,” he said. “You’re interviewing somebody, drug tests, all types of — to me — crazy things that don’t really relate to football that much, but they had you doing so many interviews. After those four days, I was exhausted.

“I remember going to bed at 10 or 11 at night and being woken up at 5 or 6 in the morning. And the funny thing is you would think that they would want guys to be at their best when they’re performing, but it’s almost like they want you a little bit down to see how you’re going to perform when you’re not quite at your peak.”

Ryan Hoag, retired, wide receiver

Combine: 2003

Hoag played at Division III Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. What he remembers the most about the combine was being the “most stressed out I’ve ever felt in my entire life.”

“I was the first ever Division III player to be invited to the combine,” he said, “so I feel like whether I was cognizant of it at the time, I felt like all of Division III was kind of counting on me.

“I knew that speed was the reason that I was noticed from a small school, and I ran 4.33 prior to the combine, so I had an expectation that I was going to do better. I moved to New Orleans and trained with Tom Shaw, the world renowned speed guy, and I was like, alright, I’m going to run 4.2 and I’m going to turn everybody’s heads.”

But there was a big problem.

“[I had] Asics marathon shoes,” he said. “Back then it was on the hard AstroTurf in Indy. I should have had little nubs almost that you wear on an indoor surface, but I didn’t know if they were allowed. I got these light shoes, and I was like, oh, that’s what’s going to separate me and I’m going to run the fastest, and then I realize they have no lateral support and there’s no grip because they’re meant for a marathon, not sprinter shoes. And I didn’t even take them out of the box until I got to Indy.

“So I ran the first 40 and I slipped and realized really quickly that I can’t sprint with these. So I went to my buddy who was also at the combine and I borrowed his high-top Jordans and did the rest of my drills with high-top Jordans. I wonder what I would’ve got had I actually had legit shoes. I think they were around the right size, but I didn’t care.”

Hoag actually turned in the best three-cone time of any position at 6.72, but the 40-yard dash did not go as planned.

“I remember [former Vikings director of college scouting] Scott Studwell looks at me and is like, ‘So what happens when you run a 4.5?’ And I was like, ‘That’s not going to happen,'” Hoag recalled. “And he looks at me, he’s like, ‘So what happens when you run 4.5?’ I was like, ‘That’s not even in my vocabulary.’ And he looks at me again, he’s like, ‘So what happens when you run 4.5?’ I was like, ‘I’ll do better next time’ or something like that. And I ran 4.5.”

The Oakland Raiders drafted Hoag with the last pick of the draft, but Mr. Irrelevant did not play in a regular-season game. He did earn some acclaim by being a member of the fourth season of “The Bachelorette,” but he didn’t make it past Week 2.

Combine: 2023

The Lions drafted the Pro Bowler with the 45th pick, but at least one of his combine results was so bad he wants to run it back even two years later.

“It was rough,” he said. “I thought I was going to run at least a high 4.4 in the 40, and then I ended up running way higher than that [4.58].

“Sometimes I still feel like I want to run it again, but I know everything happened for a reason.”

Combine: 2018

The Chargers drafted the four-time Pro Bowler and former first-team All-Pro with the 17th pick.

James recalls how the line of questioning at combine interviews didn’t always pertain to football.

“You’ve got to be mentally locked in, because it’s a lot of different questions,” he said. “They may ask you about football, they may ask you about life. I had one team asking me about an algebra equation. It’s just part of the game, though. They’re just trying to test your mental fatigue and test your mental strength.”

Combine: 2024

With Caleb Williams a lock to go No. 1 to the Bears last season, the debate was over who would be picked second: Jayden Daniels or Maye.

The Washington Commanders chose Daniels at No. 2, but one of Maye’s most vivid combine memories was sitting in front of coaches like Washington’s Dan Quinn.

“Walking into a room and feeling like everybody’s looking at you, seeing how you act and just being really the elephant in the room,” Maye said. “They’re all watching you and looking at you and [you’re] just answering questions.

“I was sitting in front of Sean Payton, Dan Quinn. I was sitting in front of head coaches all across the league. It’s kind of surreal and it was kind of different and more intimidating.”

DJ Moore, Bears, wide receiver

Combine: 2018

Moore had a solid combine, leading receivers in the broad jump (11 feet) and finishing with the second-best vertical jump (39½ inches).

The Carolina Panthers used their 24th pick to draft Moore, who would become one of the most prolific receivers in franchise history. Carolina traded him to the Bears in 2023.

“It was pretty easy,” Moore said. “The longest part is the formal interviews, and then the train station [where they do informal, speed-dating-type interactions with teams] is annoying, but it’s worth it at the end of the day.

“And then the Wonderlic Test, that’s annoying, too. Because you have to sit there and take a test. You just got out of college. Nobody wants to take another test, but I get what it’s there for.”

ESPN NFL reporters Courtney Cronin, Michael DiRocco, Stephen Holder contributed to this report.

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Potential No. 1 NFL draft pick Abdul Carter has a stress reaction in his right foot, tests revealed Wednesday, and the Penn State standout will need to decide soon whether to have surgery, agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.

“There are mixed opinions on whether he needs surgery, and we will figure that out in the near future,” Rosenhaus said Wednesday night in Indianapolis, site of this week’s NFL’s scouting combine.

According to Rosenhaus, Carter has two options:

One, he could have pre-emptive surgery, have a screw inserted in his right foot, and return to working out and running in about eight weeks.

Two, he could bypass the surgery, conduct his pro day at Penn State on March 28 and prove to NFL teams that he doesn’t need a procedure.

Carter, his family and agents Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey spent Wednesday consulting with doctors to gather more information. A decision about what to do is expected this week, Rosenhaus said.

“Either way, worst-case scenario, we don’t expect this to impact where he is drafted,” Rosenhaus said. “After visiting with teams this week, I believe he’s going to be the No. 1 overall pick.”

Carter already wasn’t expected to work out at this week’s combine, but that was because of a shoulder injury that he suffered against Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals in December.

The star pass rusher instead was scheduled to undergo medical exams and participate in interviews with teams in Indianapolis. Defensive linemen and linebackers were among the first players to arrive at the combine, and those players started their team interviews Monday, with medical exams scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday and on-field workouts set for Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Carter met with the media Wednesday morning and made his case for going No. 1 in April’s draft.

“I feel like I’m the best player in the country and the best player should be picked first,” he told reporters. “It’s the work I put in with my dad, who trained me, and all the sacrifices I made, I know I’m the best.”

He was asked about his health overall, saying he’s “probably about 90% right now,” but nothing specifically about his foot came up during the session.

Carter is the No. 2-rated prospect on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest big board, the No. 1 prospect in ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller‘s latest rankings and No. 2 in ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid’s rankings.

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  Nick WagonerFeb 26, 2025, 04:18 PM ET

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  Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga.

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch doesn’t know when a contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy will be done but he said Wednesday that discussions toward that outcome have already begun.

Speaking to reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Lynch confirmed that conversations between the Niners and Purdy are underway, and the focus continues to be on making Purdy the franchise’s quarterback for the long haul.

“We have started negotiations,” Lynch said. “We’re talking. I won’t go into negotiations like always is our stance. We want Brock to be our quarterback as long as we are here and beyond, and we’ll leave it at that. I think the final thing; there’s no guarantees that we’ll get something done but my experience has been when both sides are motivated there’s ample opportunity to do so and we’ve been able to do that.”

Indeed, the 49ers have had a lengthy track record of getting deals with their core players done. Since 2020, they’ve done contracts with players such as tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., defensive end Nick Bosa and, last year, wideout Brandon Aiyuk. Of course, all of those agreements weren’t struck until just before training camp, during it or just before the start of the regular season.

Both the Niners and Purdy would prefer to avoid a similar, drawn-out process in this instance. The day after San Francisco’s disappointing 2024 season ended, Purdy indicated he’d like to get something done before the team begins its offseason program in April.

That soft deadline would make sense given that it’s more difficult for a team to go through organized team activities and minicamp without its starting quarterback as opposed to other positions.

On Wednesday, Lynch characterized the early negotiations with Purdy as “good discussions.”

“They’ve got their thoughts, we’ve got our thoughts,” Lynch said. “We’ve just got to try to make it a reality. He’s played really well and we know that we have every intention of making him our guy. It’s just coming to an agreement.”

The Purdy contract is far from the only agreement the Niners are trying to get done as free agency approaches. The 49ers are still working to find a trade partner for Samuel, Lynch said Wednesday. Samuel formally requested a trade after the season and told ESPN’s Adam Schefter about it on Feb. 9, saying “I think it’s best that we find another team.”

In the team’s first public comments about the trade request, Lynch said the Niners would do their best to accommodate Samuel’s wishes.

“We’re on good terms with Deebo,” Lynch said. “He’s asked for a fresh start, and I think we’re going to honor that. He is a great player … I think often one of my favorite draft picks of my time. He makes plays and he makes game-changing plays. Everything is good. But I think at some point time happens and he asked for that. There’s contracts and things but it probably makes sense so we’re at least allowing him to look. We’re having conversations so we’ll see where that goes.”

Lynch declined to elaborate on why Samuel requested a trade now but said there’s a lot of love and respect that remains between both sides. Asked whether there was a scenario in which he could see Samuel returning, Lynch said he’s learned that there’s always a chance, perhaps a reference to Jimmy Garoppolo remaining with the team in 2022 after all signs indicated he was on his way out. If the 49ers can’t find a trade for Samuel, they could still release him. Either way, it’s a piece of business they’d like to wrap up before March 22 when he has a $15.4 million roster bonus due.

“Hopefully we find a great place,” Lynch said. “We’ll have to make a decision if we don’t. But I could say there’s been a lot of interest around the league.”

One other prominent player under contract whom the 49ers would like to keep is Kittle. Entering the final year of his deal, Kittle told ESPN in January that he wants to finish his career with the only NFL team he’s ever known.

Lynch said there have also already been discussions with Kittle’s agent, but that timing would play a key factor in when and how that gets done given all the other pieces of business the team has to handle.

“We want George to retire a Niner,” Lynch said. “He’s one of those guys. He’s a Niner through and through and so we want that to become a reality. I think the only thing on that is timing and that’s no different from what I’ve told George and his agent. [There are] some other things we’re focused on, and George is certainly there, but I think that’s something we want to all see become a reality.”

Among the other 49ers updates from Lynch on Wednesday:

• Aiyuk is scheduled to have an appointment with Dr. Neil ElAttrache in the next few weeks that will offer a better idea of how he’s recovering from the torn right ACL and MCL he suffered in October. There’s no timeline for a return on Aiyuk yet, Lynch said.

• Running back Christian McCaffrey is “doing great” in his recovery from a right PCL injury, according to Lynch, who said McCaffrey could be ready to participate in parts of the offseason program, though the team will be cautious with him.

• With linebacker Dre Greenlaw set to be an unrestricted free agent in a couple of weeks, Lynch said the team has been trying to get him re-signed before he hits the open market. “Hopefully we can come to an agreement,” Lynch said.

• As for Brian Griese’s decision to step away from coaching the 49ers quarterbacks, Lynch said it was a “family decision,” noting that Griese had committed to coaching for three years and that he “made a tough decision but one he thought was best for him and his family.”

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The Tennessee Titans have granted former Pro Bowl linebacker Harold Landry III permission to seek a trade, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.

Landry is getting the chance to look at his options after he led the Titans with nine sacks last season while starting all 17 games for a team that finished 3-14 and holds the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. Landry also had 71 tackles, nine sacks, 18 pressures, and four pass deflections.

He is due a $17.5 million base salary for the 2025 season.

Landry, 28, has 50.5 career sacks since joining the Titans as a second-round pick in 2018. He earned his only Pro Bowl honor in 2021 when he had a career-high 12 sacks. He then missed the 2022 season after tearing the ACL in his right knee that September.

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