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USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
T.J. Watt, Terry McLaurin, and 3 other 2025 NFL minicamp holdouts
T.J. Watt, Terry McLaurin, and 3 other 2025 NFL minicamp holdouts There's little useful information to glean from the first round of mandatory NFL minicamps. These practices are more of a mixer than a reveal of any real regular season insight. Rookies and free agent additions get the opportunity to kick the tires on their new team. Players on the cusp of the roster limit have the chance to jostle for position amidst a series of dynamic depth charts. These minicamps won't shed too much light on how a team's 2025 will go, but it can diagnose some problems early on. Notably, it gives the world at large an understanding of which important veterans are upset enough with their contract situations to incur some (relatively) modest fines by holding out. Missing one day of mandatory minicamp will cost a player $17.462. Missing all three days of camp will rack up more than $100,000 in fines. Some of these negotiating tactics will prevail and aging stars will get the last mega-deal they deserve. Others will merely dock their paychecks and create hard feelings between player and franchise. Let's look at who's skipping mandatory minicamp in 2025. EDGE T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers Watt is in the final season of a $112 million contract that has no guaranteed money remaining. While he's in no danger of being cut, he's also reaching his last opportunity to lock down a massive deal as his 31st birthday approaches. That could be enough to give the Steelers pause; while Watt is the center of a defense tasked with the herculean effort of covering for an anemic offense, he could be nearing an age-related decline. EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals Hendrickson accounted for 17.5 of the Bengals' 36 sacks last season. He's also, like Watt, in the final year of his contract and approaching his 31st birthday. Cincinnati has invested heavily in its offense, leaving the defensive end to shoulder a massive burden for a depleted defense. While the Bengals have an estimated $55 million in salary cap space for 2026, they may be concerned about their star player's ability to continue to wreck havoc up front on the wrong side of 30. That could also scare off suitors in trade talks -- though Hendrickson's monster 2024 could help his team recoup low-cost draft assets in any deal. WR Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders McLaurin was vital to Jayden Daniels' rookie of the year campaign. He was the Heisman Trophy winner's huckleberry in the red zone (an NFL-best 10 touchdowns from inside the 20) and pushed his young QB to a 133.0 passer rating when targeted. But despite using Daniels' inexpensive rookie contract to add veteran talent, the All-Pro wideout hasn't been a priority entering the final year of a three-year, $69.6 million extension that made him a bargain in the nation's capital. EDGE Shemar Stewart, Cincinnati Bengals Stewart is an unusual case. Rookies don't tend to hold-in to offseason workouts. But the first round pick isn't happy with the language of his rookie contract and refuses to sign until that's settled. He won't practice until he's got a signed deal. Thus, the Bengals could be without their prospective top two pass rushers this summer. Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey Ramsey won't attend minicamp as the Dolphins continue to search for a trade partner willing to pony up for a 30-year-old, seven-time Pro Bowler. Players who aren't holding out/in
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jeff Hafley's Packers defense led NFL in pressure percentage on blitzes in 2024
Jeff Hafley's Packers defense led NFL in pressure percentage on blitzes in 2024 Jeff Hafley's Green Bay Packers defense had to resort to blitzing and games up front to pressure the quarterback during the 2024 season, but the first-year defensive coordinator got terrific production out of both concepts even as the Packers struggled to get home with a traditional four-man rush. According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers led the NFL in pressure percentage on blitzes and were fifth in pressure percentage on stunts in 2024. Per PFF's charting, the Packers generated pressure on an NFL-best 48.3 percent of blitz attempts and 46.7 percent of stunts. PFF pointed to linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and cornerback Keisean Nixon as successful blitzers who helped Hafley generate pressure -- both Cooper and Nixon had elite pass-rush grades over 90.0 in 2024. The Packers planned to rush four and play coverage behind the front in Hafley's scheme, but an inconsistent front four required a transition, and Hafley -- in his first season an NFL coordinator -- successfully found ways to dial up pressures. Cooper, a dynamic player moving downhill, produced 12 pressures on only 56 pass-rushing attempts. The Packers also got pass-rushing production from linebacker Quay Walker (14 pressures), Nixon (nine pressures), linebacker Eric Wilson (nine pressures) and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (eight pressures), highlighting how second-level defenders were able to help Hafley's defense speed up and disrupt quarterbacks on creative and well-timed blitzes. This offseason, Hafley admitted the Packers will need to "evolve" in their pressure packages to stay ahead of offenses entering the 2025 season. "We need to evolve," Hafley said. "We can't just do the same thing. Say here's the play book, this is what we're running. No, we're a different team. It's a different year. Offenses are going to evolve, we have to evolve." The Packers are hoping new defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington will help get the most out of the defensive line in 2025, which would -- in theory -- create less pressure on Hafley to use blitzes to disrupt pockets and passing games. It's no coincidence that a few of the NFL's best defenses -- like the Eagles and Broncos -- were among the best at pressuring the quarterbacks with four or fewer rushers.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 97
Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 97 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New Orleans Saints are only 97 days away from the official start to their 59th NFL season. On September 7, the Saints will host the Arizona Cardinals in their 2025-26 regular season opener. Advertisement Sporting uniform number 97 for the Saints this year is defensive tackle Khristian Boyd, who is in his second season with the team and in the league. Here's a look back at the other players that have worn 97 during a regular season game for the Saints. Saints History of 97 Jan 8, 2023; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is pressured by New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach (97). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images • Jumpy Geathers, DE (1984-89) • Renaldo Turnbull, LB/DE (1990-96) • La'Roi Glover, DT (1997-2001) • Jonathan Sullivan, DT (2003-05) • Josh Cooper, DE (2006-07) • Jeff Charleston, DE (2008-11) • Glenn Foster, DE (2013-14) • Sam Barrington, LB (2016) • Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE (2017) • Mario Edwards, DE (2019) • Malcolm Roach, DT (2020-23) • Khristian Boyd, DT (2024-present) New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Jumpy Geathers tackles Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson. Credit: The first to wear 97 in Saints history was Geathers, an underrated pass rusher for one of the league's outstanding defenses in the 1980s. Geathers had 26 sacks in his six years with New Orleans, including 21.5 in his first three years. Advertisement New Orleans selected Turnbull in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He had 9 sacks as a pass rush specialist in his first season, then succeeded the iconic Pat Swilling after a trade three years later in 1993. Turnbull had a team-high 13 sacks that season to earn a Pro Bowl berth, but never had the same fearsome impact of Swilling. In seven years with New Orleans, the longest to wear 97 in team history, Turnbull totaled 44.5 sacks and forced 9 fumbles. Oct 3, 1993; New Orleans Saints linebacker Renaldo Turnbull (97) sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jim Everett (11). Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK Glover joined New Orleans in 1997 and would be a key cog in one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive lines. In his five years with the Saints, he had 50 sacks, including an NFL-best 17 in 2000 that ties him with Swilling for the single season franchise record. Advertisement Over his last three seasons with New Orleans, Glover had an eye-popping 42 tackles for loss. Glover was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2013. The sixth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Sullivan is considered one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history. He played only three seasons for the Saints before being completely out of the league. In that disappointing span, he had only 1.5 sacks and 5 stops for loss. New Orleans Saints defensive tackle La'Roi Glover (97) pressures Carolina Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins (12). Credit: After Geathers, Turnbull, and Glover, the Saints had little success with the number 97. Charleston, Foster, and Edwards all had decent stints but were unable to significantly develop. Muhammad is the forgotten member of the Saints outstanding 2017 draft class. He spent only one year with the team before having success in other stops. Advertisement Roach was a nice undrafted addition in 2020. In his four years with the team he didn't fill up a stat sheet. However, he was a solid rotational player and extremely underrated run defender. After Roach departed, the Saints plummeted to an abysmal 31st against the run last season. Now in his second year with the team, Boyd will need to showcase his interior power to improve that rush defense if he hopes to make the squad. Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 98 Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With The History Of Number 98 Related: Saints Countdown To Kickoff With History Of Number 99 Related: Pro Football Focus Snubs Saints In Under-25 Rankings Related: Saints Quarterback Ranking According To Pro Football Focus Related: Trevor Penning May Have A New Home On Saints Offensive Line Related: Most Underrated Saints Player Highlighted By PFF This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears 2025 offseason: Experts hand out grades for Chicago
Bears 2025 offseason: Experts hand out grades for Chicago The Chicago Bears are in the middle of their offseason program, where OTAs are underway under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. It's been an eventful offseason for general manager Ryan Poles, who made a splash with the hiring of Johnson and the subsequent moves that followed. That included trading for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, landing some more linemen in free agency (with center Drew Dalman, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo) and some impactful additions in the 2025 NFL draft (with tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III). Poles also inked some key players to contract extensions, including cornerback Kyler Gordon, linebacker T.J. Edwards and Thuney and Jackson. With that in mind, here's a collection of grades for the Bears' 2025 offseason from various media outlets, where experts overwhelmingly agree that Chicago had one of the best offseasons. Looks like the Bears locked down that third consecutive offseason championship. Pro Football Focus: A+ Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikemma: "It was an ideal offseason for the Bears. They made huge splashes in their coaching staff, not just with Ben Johnson as head coach but also with Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator. They then traded for or signed Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman to solidify their starting offensive line. That allowed them to take a 'best player available' approach in the draft, which yielded Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and Ozzy Trapilo, among others. Chicago didn't really address running back this offseason, but if the team was to put a lower priority on any position, that was the one." CBS Sports: A CBS Sports' Garrett Podell: "Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, got smoked as a rookie: his 68 sacks taken were tied for the third most in a season in NFL history. New head coach Ben Johnson, the most coveted coaching candidate this hiring cycle and whose Detroit Lions offenses averaged an NFL-best 29.0 points per game when he was the offensive coordinator from 2022 to 2024 made sure that changed. Johnson's Detroit offenses, especially last season, were powered by Pro Bowlers up and down the offensive line, namely left tackle Taylor Decker, center Frank Ragnow, guard Kevin Zeitler and right tackle Penei Sewell. "Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles went to work beefing up Williams' offensive line: they traded for Rams right guard Jonah Jackson and then subsequently dealt for two-time first-team All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney from the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Bears pounced in free agency snapping up the best center available in ex-Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million contract with $28 million guaranteed. They then gave Williams more playmakers to work with in the passing game in the draft, selecting Michigan tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III with each of their first two picks. That's a great way to maximize your first overall pick quarterback on his rookie deal." Bleacher Report: A+ Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox: "It's hard not to love what the Chicago Bears have managed to do this offseason. A year after using the No. 1 pick in the draft on quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears have formed a cohesive and sensible plan for getting the most out of the USC product. Let's be honest, Williams did not play up to his potential or his draft status as a rookie. However, he was saddled with a poor offensive line and a head coach in Matt Eberflus who frequently struggled with simple things like clock management and situational planning. "Chicago kicked off its offseason by hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be its new head coach. Will he succeed as a first-time head coach where Eberflus failed? That remains to be seen. However, he's a proven offensive mind who used creative formations and blocking schemes to field a balanced and potent offense in Detroit. Williams should show improvement as a player under Johnson. The Bears then threw multiple darts at their offensive line to rebuild its entire interior before drafting pass-catchers Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. With playmakers like D.J. Moore, D'Andre Swift, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet already in the fold, Chicago now boasts one of the more impressive skill groups in the NFL. "With more weapons, better blocking and improved offensive game-planning, Williams will have an opportunity to make a significant jump in 2025. While that should be the most important result of Chicago's offseason, the Bears didn't focus on offense alone. New additions Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo should immediately boost a defense that ranked 29th in yards per carry allowed, 31st in net yards per pass attempt allowed and 27th overall last season." Pro Football Network: A- Pro Football Network's Brandon Austin: "The biggest change the Chicago Bears made this offseason was at head coach. Chicago fired Matt Eberflus midseason, and now they've replaced him with a familiar face — former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Poaching the offensive mastermind from their NFC North foes was a great move. Ushering in this new era couldn't come at a better time, as Chicago is hoping to see improvement from last year's No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams. Johnson is one of the league's top play-callers, and his presence could help maximize Williams' potential in the NFL. General manager Ryan Poles also made it a priority to set his young quarterback up for success. The Bears' offensive line finished last season as a middle-of-the-pack unit (14th in OL+), but Poles added three new starters on the interior, which should help elevate this offense. "Chicago also added a couple of big-time offensive playmakers through the draft in tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. Loveland has the tools to be an instant upgrade over Cole Kmet. Johnson worked his magic with Sam LaPorta in Detroit, and it would be unsurprising to see him have similar success with the explosive Loveland. Burden is also a dynamic weapon who could be a nice complement to DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. The Bears' defense faltered down the stretch in 2024, but they were strong for most of the year. The secondary has the potential to be elite, but Chicago was unimpressive against the run, ranking 29th in yards per rush (4.8) and 21st in rush success rate (59.8%). Adding Grady Jarrett and Shemar Turner to the fold beefs up their front." Yahoo! Sports: A Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab: "Caleb Williams should be happy. The offensive line was overhauled in free agency and trades, allowing the Bears to use their first two draft picks on TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden III. The defense got some help too. Winning offseasons will eventually pay off for Chicago." Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Fox Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
10 highest-paid NFL QBs after Brock Purdy's big-money extension
The San Francisco 49ers locked down their franchise quarterback earlier this week, agreeing to a five-year, $265 million extension with quarterback Brock Purdy. This continues the trend of the 49ers keeping their offensive core intact, as they've extended Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle over the past calendar year. This extension also continues the trend of NFL teams signing their quarterbacks to long-term deals at least one year before they hit the open market, with the average quarterback salary continuing to rise. With Purdy's extension now in the bag, here are the 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL — once Purdy's deal kicks in. 10. Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens Contract: Five-year, $260 million deal ($52 million per season) Date signed: April 2023 What's happened since the contract was signed: Baltimore signed up for the best version of Jackson, and that's precisely what it has received. Granted, the Ravens are yet to win the AFC with him, but over the last two seasons (2023-24) Jackson has averaged 868 rushing yards, earned All-Pro honors in both years and was the 2023 NFL MVP. Just last season, Jackson totaled a career-high in passing yards (4,172), passing touchdowns (41) and an NFL-best in passer rating (119.6) while throwing just four interceptions. 9. Justin Herbert – Los Angeles Chargers Contract: Five-year, $262.5 million deal ($52.5 million per season) Date signed: July 2023 What's happened since the contract was signed: It has been a seesaw two years for Herbert and the Chargers. After reaching the playoffs for the first time with Herbert under center in 2022, the quarterback's 2023 campaign was cut short due to a fractured finger in what became a 5-12 season. Then, Los Angeles hired Jim Harbaugh as its head coach, and Herbert posted a career-best 101.7 passer rating and threw just three interceptions. However, the Chargers lost to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round with Herbert throwing four interceptions. T-7: Brock Purdy – San Francisco 49ers Contract: Five-year, $265 million deal ($53 million per season) Date signed: May 2025 What's happened since the contract was signed: Purdy is a year removed from a tremendous 2023 season, his first full year as a starter. In 2023, Purdy threw for a 49ers-record 4,280 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, while posting an NFL-high 113.0 passer rating and completing 69.4% of his passes. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LVIII. Last season, Purdy's production dipped, with him throwing for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games. Still, San Francisco is 23-13 in the regular season and 4-2 in the postseason with Purdy under center. T-7: Jared Goff – Detroit Lions Contract: Four-year, $212 million deal ($53 million per season) Date signed: May 2024 What's happened since the contract was signed: Goff has been reborn with the Lions. One season after helping them reach the NFC Championship Game (2023), Goff helped the Lions win a franchise-record 15 games, claim the NFC North for a second consecutive year and earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC. In the regular season, Goff threw for a career-high 37 touchdowns, posted a career-best 111.8 passer rating and completed a career-high 72.4% of his passes, while the Lions averaged a league-best 33.2 points per game. However, Detroit lost in the NFC divisional round to the Washington Commanders. 6. Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins Contract: Four-year, $212.4 million deal ($53.1 million per season) Date signed: July 2024 What's happened since the contract was signed: The Dolphins paid Tagovailoa after he threw for an NFL-high and career-best 4,624 yards in 2023, but then he suffered a concussion in 2024 — his fourth head injury dating back to his college career at Alabama — forcing the signal-caller to miss four games, and he missed two more due to a hip injury. Miami went 6-5 in the games that Tagovailoa started but ultimately missed the playoffs. In the games that he did appear in, though, Tagovailoa completed an NFL-high 72.9% of his passes, has completed 68.1% of his passes for his career and has posted a passer rating of at least 100 in each of the past three seasons (2022-24). T-2. Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills Contract: Six-year, $330 million deal ($55 million per season) Date signed: March 2025 What's happened since the contract was signed: Allen has been the face of Buffalo since 2020, and he will be that for the foreseeable future, signing a six-year extension with the franchise in March. Last season, Allen won his first career NFL MVP Award, while helping the Bills win the AFC East for a fifth consecutive season and reach the AFC Championship Game. Though, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game. Allen, a three-time Pro Bowler, threw for 4,385 yards per season from 2020-23 and 36 touchdowns per season from 2020-22. The Bills are 76-34 in the regular season and 7-6 in the postseason with Allen under center. T-2: Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers Contract: Four-year, $220 million deal ($55 million per season) Date signed: July 2024 What's happened since the contract was signed: After sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for three seasons (2020-22), Love became Green Bay's starting quarterback in 2023, threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns, led the Packers to the NFC divisional round and got a $55 million per season extension for his play. In the first season after signing that deal (2024), Love totaled 3,389 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 96.7 passer rating, while completing 63.1% of his passes in 15 games. Green Bay won 11 games but was eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC wild-card round. T-2: Trevor Lawrence – Jacksonville Jaguars Contract: Five-year, $275 million deal ($55 million per season) Date signed: June 2024 What's happened since the contract was signed: After three seasons in the league, Jacksonville extended its quarterback and the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for all, Lawrence's 2024 campaign was one to forget, as he totaled just 2,045 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and an 85.2 passer rating, while completing 60.6% of his passes in 10 games; Lawrence missed seven games due to shoulder and head injuries, respectively. He helped Jacksonville reach the AFC divisional round in 2022 and threw for 4,000-plus yards in both 2022 and 2023. T-2: Joe Burrow – Cincinnati Bengals Contract: Five-year, $275 million deal ($55 million per season) Date signed: September 2023 What's happened since the contract was signed: As the 2023 NFL regular-season opener was in progress, news broke that Cincinnati had locked up its superstar quarterback for years to come. Burrow's 2023 season was cut short after 10 games due to a wrist injury, however. He bounced back in emphatic fashion in 2024, throwing for an NFL-high in both passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) while posting a career-best in both passer rating (108.5) and completion percentage (70.6%). Burrow, a two-time Pro Bowler, led Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI and the AFC Championship Game in both 2021 and 2022. That said, the Bengals have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. 1. Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys Contract: Four-year, $240 million deal ($60 million per season) Date signed: September 2024 What's happened since the contract was signed: Prescott signed a deal that featured the highest average annual salary in NFL history on the morning of the Week 1 slate for the 2024 season. Then, the Cowboys got out to a 3-5 start, and Prescott's year ultimately ended early due to a hamstring injury, with the team going on to miss the playoffs. In 2023, Prescott, a three-time Pro Bowler, threw for an NFL-high 36 touchdowns, and he owns a career 98.1 passer rating. Of course, while Dallas is 76-46 in the regular season with Prescott under center, it's also 2-5 in the postseason with the veteran at the wheel. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! 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