Category: NFL News

Salary cap and contract considerations are taking center stage as all NFL teams have entered the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles beating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Choices made in the early part of the offseason can have long-lasting ramifications for teams.

Here’s a look at key offseason dates running through the first 10 days of the 2025 league year, which begins on March 12. Some dates have league-wide importance. Other dates can potentially affect specific player contracts and the salary cap of individual teams because they are crucial to the timing of contract restructures, pay cuts and players being released. The NFL’s most notable players have been highlighted on the appropriate date with how the event is specified in their respective contracts. Less-heralded players are only mentioned on dates without a lot of activity.

Feb. 10 (First day after 2024 league year Super Bowl)

1. The waiver system for 2025 began. Players with fewer than four years of service for benefit purposes are subject to waivers and their contracts can be claimed by other teams. Players with four or more years of service become free agents when released and can be immediately signed.

2. Two key Bills had guarantees vest. The remaining $6.571 million of offensive tackle Spencer Brown’s $18.971 million 2025 base salary became fully guaranteed. The $18.971 million was guaranteed for injury at signing, of which $12.4 million was completely secure when the contract was executed. Brown’s 2025 base salary will reduce to a fully guaranteed $2.971 million if the Bills exercise an option for his dummy 2030 contract year. This can be done as early as the first day of the 2025 league year on March 12 but no later than the seventh day (March 18). A $16 million payment is required to pick up the option. Exactly $8.75 million of tight end Dawson Knox’s $9.25 million 2025 base salary was guaranteed for…

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Raheem Mostert is a free agent after being released by the Dolphins. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

The Miami Dolphins released former Pro Bowl running back Raheem Mostert on Friday as part of a series of salary-cap saving cuts.

The Dolphins also announced they released cornerback Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe.

They made the moves as they enter an offseason with one of the worst salary-cap scenarios in the NFL. As of Friday, the Dolphins were $15.9 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac — the fifth-worst cap number in the NFL. By comparison, the Patriots have the best salary cap situation, with $121 million in estimated cap space, per Spotrac.

Mostert was due to make $4.065 million next season and carries a dead cap hit of $1 million. By releasing him, the Dolphins opened $3.065 million in cap savings.

Mostert, 32, joined the Dolphins from the 49ers in 2022 and was one of the league’s most productive running backs in his first two seasons with the team. He tallied 1,093 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in 2022, then had a career season in 2023 with 1,187 yards from scrimmage and an NFL-best 21 total touchdowns as part of a dynamic 1-2 punch alongside rookie running back De’Von Achane. Mostert made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.

In 2024, Mostert took a secondary role to Achane, who led the Dolphins with 1,499 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns in 17 games, including 16 starts. Mostert started just once and posted 439 yards and two touchdowns in 13 appearances.

Achane projects to continue as Miami’s feature back in his third NFL season. Mostert will hit free agency as a soon-to-be 33-year-old veteran.

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The Super Bowl just wrapped up in New Orleans, and already the NFL has locations lined up for its next three championships. After that, however, the big game could return to a site that just recently hosted its first Super Bowl, with the Sports Business Journal reporting Friday that the NFL is preparing to return to Allegiant Stadium in the Las Vegas area for Super Bowl LXIII in 2029.

Many have expected Nashville to be in the mix for an upcoming Super Bowl, per the Journal, given that the Tennessee Titans’ new Nissan Stadium, a domed complex due for opening in 2027. And yet the NFL was so pleased with how Super Bowl LVIII festivities unfolded in Paradise, Nevada, and around the Las Vegas Strip, that the area could get its next Super Bowl just five years later.

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R.J. White

Officially, such a decision likely wouldn’t take place until the fall or winter of 2025, according to the Journal. The NFL has made no statements regarding Super Bowl host sites beyond 2028, but internally, among those in the know, the Journal indicates that Allegiant Stadium and California’s SoFi Stadium — which is set to host Super Bowl LXI in 2027 — “sit alone” in the league’s top tier of Super Bowl host sites.

After Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans this year, the big game is set to go to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, next season. After SoFi in 2026, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is booked for 2028.

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The Jaguars have completed an interview with Chargers assistant General Manager Chad Alexander, the team announced Thursday.

The team is seeking to replace Trent Baalke, who they fired Jan. 22, to pair with head coach Liam Coen.

Alexander just finished his first season with the Chargers and previously worked for the Jets and Ravens.

He was the Jets’ director of player personnel from 2019-23. In Baltimore, Alexander was a player personnel assistant (1999-2002), an area scout (2003-08) and assistant director of player personnel (2009-18).

The Jaguars also have interviewed former Titans General Manager Jon Robinson, Giants assistant General Manager Brandon Brown, Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown, Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone and 49ers director/scouting and football operations Josh Williams.

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Aaron Rodgers may well return for a 21st NFL season in 2025. He just won’t be playing for the New York Jets, the team announced on Thursday, with the quarterback set to be released ahead of free agency. It’s debatable, of course, how much Rodgers has left at age 41, coming off two underwhelming seasons in New York, but provided he does return, which clubs could come calling?

Here are some pros and cons of potential Rodgers destinations:

Pros: The Colts probably aren’t ready to fully give up on Anthony Richardson, so renting Rodgers would enable the former first-rounder, who’s still just 22, to learn behind a proven veteran. With a solid line, perhaps Rodgers could also get them back in the playoff conversation in an iffy division. Oh, and Pat McAfee would almost certainly have nicer things to say about the team!

Cons: Richardson may not be reliable at this stage of his career, but adding Rodgers would delay his on-field opportunities for growth. And would it really improve the Colts as a whole? This team hasn’t made the playoffs in five years, and even if Rodgers was decent, he’d be a short-term Band-Aid at best.

Pros: The Raiders need someone — anyone — under center, and they’ve got loads of cap space to spend on potential upgrades up front and out wide. New coach Pete Carroll insisted Las Vegas is focused on winning immediately, and that makes sense, considering he’s 73. Rodgers, whose sheer volume of experience could attract new minority owner Tom Brady, could make for a perfect short-term partner.

Cons: Even if it required a trade up, the Raiders are decently positioned to address quarterback in the draft, owning the No. 6 overall pick. And while they’ve got money to spend, young tight end Brock Bowers is one of their few Grade-A building blocks on offense. Is this the right time to go all in on an aging passer?

Pros: They seem prepared to let Sam Darnold test the market after…

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The Ravens are hiring Chiefs safeties coach Donald D’Alesio as their defensive backs coach, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports.

D’Alesio just completed his fourth season with the Chiefs, his third as the safeties coach. He was a defensive analyst in his first season with the Chiefs in 2021.

He worked with safeties Justin Reid and Bryan Cook with the Chiefs, and he will inherit safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Marlon Humphrey with the Ravens.

D’Alesio was a defensive analyst at LSU in 2020 after spending five seasons on the Youngstown State football coaching staff (2015-19). At Youngstown State, he worked as a defensive quality control coach, the defensive line coach and as defensive coordinator.

D’Alesio won two Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs.

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Sam Darnold resurrected his career with the Vikings, putting up big numbers and leading them to the playoffs. But he fizzled in his final two games, including a playoff loss, and that has some personnel people concerned. Even so, in a quarterback-needy league, he will get action if the Vikings don’t keep him off the market. I’d look for a deal near $40 million per season.2

At 26 years old, Tee Higgins is in the prime of his career. He has been the No. 2 receiver in Cincinnati but now has his chance to show he’s a true No. 1. He is big and coming off a season with 10 touchdowns in 12 games. His market will be robust.3

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With their 40-22 win at Super Bowl LIX, the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles finished a playoff run in which they scored more points than any team has ever scored in a postseason.

The Eagles also beat the Packers 22-10 in the wild card round, the Rams 28-22 in the divisional round and the Commanders 55-23 in the NFC Championship Game to total 145 points in the playoffs, the most in NFL history.

The previous record was set by the 1994 49ers, who scored 131 points during their postseason run. The Eagles’ average of 36.3 points per game in the playoffs does not break the per-game record set by those 49ers, who averaged 43.7 points per game during their three-game postseason run.

The Eagles’ 145 points came from five touchdowns each from Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, two from A.J. Brown and one each from Cooper DeJean, Jahan Dotson, Dallas Goedert, Will Shipley and DeVonta Smith. They also got 10 field goals and 13 extra points from Jake Elliott.

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