NFL Player News

Parsons discussed a potential extension with the Cowboys on The Stephen A. Smith show, saying “If they call my number and say ‘Hey, we ready,’ we’re ready, but if not, I’m going to put another Pro Bowl year.” Parsons seems to be exercising patience, emphasizing he’ll continue his high-caliber play until the Cowboys get to contract talks with him. He’s in line for one of the more expensive linebacker deals in the league after finishing his third season in the NFL with 40.5 career sacks and three straight Pro Bowl appearances. The Cowboys will first turn their attention to extending All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb, who was the team’s first-round pick the year before Parsons. They can exercise Parsons’ fifth-year option in the meantime, though an extension would likely make his cap hit easier to swallow ahead of a potential franchise-tag.

The Vikings reportedly made a run at keeping Jones for 2025 but the allure of a starting job in Indy lured Jones to the Colts. He’ll compete with Antony Richardson for Week 1 starting duties as Richardson undergoes biometrics training this offseason designed to clean up his terribly inaccurate passing and mechanically unsound throwing motion. Richardson since the start of 2023 ranks 42nd out of 42 qualifying QBs in completion rate over expected. Only four quarterbacks have a lower drop back success rate than Richardson over that two-season stretch. The Athletic’s James Boyd said in February Jones’ “abilities on the ground mean the offense won’t have to change much should Richardson miss more time due to injury” if A-Rich starts the year under center. The Colts are likely to flail between QB options in 2025, just as they did in 2024 with Richardson and Joe Flacco.

Both picks won’t land until the 2026 NFL Draft. Gardner-Johnson started 20 games for the Eagles including the postseason. He played well in his return to Philly and totaled 12 pass breakups and six interceptions, one of which was a pick-six. Still, the Eagles had some hard decisions to make with their cap and CJGJ was a possible cap casualty before this deal materialized. Now Gardner-Johnson locks up a starting spot in Houston and the Eagles get a former first-round pick in Green.

Both picks are from the 2026 NFL Draft. The Eagles are getting younger in the secondary and CJGJ was a potential cut candidate. Instead, Garnder-Johnson finds a home with a contending AFC team and the Eagles land some extra offensive line depth plus a slight draft capital upgrade. Green was a first-round pick in 2022 but hasn’t panned out with the Texans, receiving disastrous blocking grades from Pro Football Focus in both of his full seasons. The Eagles, however, made the most of a similar situation last year by installing former Jets tackle Mekhi Becton at right guard. Becton played well in the role and is likely headed for a big contract on the open market. Green should get a shot at the starting right guard job in Philly.

An eight-year veteran, Thomas will head to Dallas after three seasons with the Jets. Thomas only missed one game over three years in New York and totaled 9.5 sacks along with 83 tackles over that span. He’ll join a Cowboys defensive line that last season pressured the passer at the NFL’s highest rate and was graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s fourth best pass-rushing defensive line.

Jones is reportedly holding up the quarterback market as he vacillates between staying in Minnesota or signing with the Colts and competing with fledgling QB Anthony Richardson for the team’s Week 1 starting job. NFL Network has reported the Vikings are intent on bringing back Jones after he played for the team over the second half of the 2024 season, learning the offense and functioning as Sam Darnold’s backup. It remains to be seen whether Jones would have a chance to compete with JJ McCarthy for the Minnesota starting job if he remains with the Vikings. Since the start of the 2022 season, Jones ranks 25th out of 36 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per drop back.

The former fourth-round pick was cut by the Patriots in the middle of the 2024 season. Cincinnati claimed him off waivers and used him primarily on special teams for six games. The one-year deal gives him a shot to earn more work as a depth option at corner while still contributing on special teams if he makes the Bengals’ 53-man roster.

The Vikings are pouring resources into the defensive line in free agency, adding Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, who inked a three-year deal with the Vikings on Tuesday morning. Hargrave, who logged 21.5 sacks from 2021-2023, missed most of the 2024 season with a serious triceps injury. He’ll be an immediate upgrade for a Minnesota defensive line graded by PFF as last season’s eighth worst pass rushing unit.

The 27-year-old was a former 2nd-round pick out of UCF back in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s a special teams ace and has proven to be incredibly durable, not missing a single game in his four seasons. In those 67 games (33 starts), he has posted 177 tackles, three sacks, 17 pass breakups, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. He should provide competition for Ji’Ayir Brown.

The former seventh-round pick took over as the Colts’ starting right guard midway through his second season. He held the job into year three and was putting his best work on film over the first five weeks of his fourth and ultimately final season with the Colts. His season was then ended prematurely by a broken tibia that required surgery. Fries was on pace for a top-five overall grade at guard by Pro Football Focus before going down with the injury. The massive contract indicates his recovery won’t be an issue in 2025.

The Dolphins will keep Campbell in 2025 after he recorded 11 tackles over 17 games last season, operating mostly as a special teams player. Campbell, 29, who has played for Miami since 2021, should remain in that role in 2025.