NFL Player News

Ekeler entered the concussion protocol after taking a hit during the Commander’s loss to the Cowboys in Week 12, and he’s now missed two straight practices while recovering. If Ekeler can’t go in Week 13 against the Titans — and it seems likely at this point — it will be Jeremy McNichols as Brian Robinson’s backup against Tennessee.

Greenlaw played in just two games last season, suffering from Achilles discomfort stemming from a torn Achilles that occurred during Super Bowl LVIII last year. The 27-year-old has spent the first six seasons of his career with the 49ers, starting the majority of his games next to Fred Warner. He is one of the team’s upcoming free agents and Lynch indicated the team is interested in having him back, though Greenlaw may still test free agency as the start of the league year rolls around.

This is first and foremost a Myles Garrett question. The current Brown has requested a trade and the Lions make sense for several reasons. They are a contending team with a reasonable amount of cap space and saw their defense crumble over the second half of the season, largely because of injuries. Adding Garrett would supercharge a unit that was devastating when healthy. Holmes mentioned all of the obvious reasons Detroit may not end up with Garrett or any other big-name EDGE this offseason. He noted the scarcity of the position and the cost to both acquire and keep such a player. While the Lions will certainly make some calls for potential pass-rush additions, it doesn’t sound like they will be making any splashy moves this offseason.

Jackson signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams last offseason after spending the first four years of his career in Detroit. He suffered a shoulder injury before the season and re-aggravated it early in the year, causing him to miss roughly two months. Jackson started one game at center upon returning but was benched for the remainder of the season, save for a Week 18 start at right guard. The Rams can save $9 million in cap space by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation this offseason. Jackson, wanting to play out his current contract, is now searching for a team willing to foot the bill.

Godchaux was reportedly available at the trade deadline last year but nothing materialized. The Pats have since fired their head coach and hired Mike Vrabel as the team’s next boss. As Rapoport notes, the shift in defensive scheme is a reason for both Godchaux and the Pats to find a trade partner this time around. Godchaux logged six pressures and one TFL last year in his age-30 season. Given his age and lack of production, the Pats aren’t likely to get much in return for him in a trade.

Wiliams missed the final seven games of 2024 with ankle and heel injuries. While he didn’t mention retirement last year, it’s a reasonable speculation for a 36-year-old tackle who has already locked up his spot in the Hall of Fame. He also held out for much of the offseason program last year in search of more guaranteed money. The 49ers eventually obliged, though Williams could soon be eying a new deal entirely. He has two years left on his current contract. Luckily for San Francisco, that doesn’t appear to be an issue at the moment and Williams will be back protecting Brock Purdy’s blindside next season.

Lynch said “It probably makes sense” and the team is allowing Samuel to look for trade partners. He also briefly mentioned Samuel’s contract. The 49ers will eat a $31.6 million dead cap charge if they trade Samuel, reducing their cap space by $15.2 million. That means the team needs to be reasonably compensated by a trade partner for the cap hit they will incur, creating a potential hurdle in negotiations. Still, Lynch seemed understanding of Samuel’s desire to leave and does appear willing to move on from the former superstar wideout. Coming off a frustrating season that amounted to just 806 yards from scrimmage, the second-lowest mark of his career, a mutual split may be best for both sides at this point.

No surprises here as both Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have said they want to keep Purdy around long-term. Even owner Jed York has publicly stated his desire for Purdy to be in San Francisco for a long time. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini previously speculated that Purdy’s deal could be worth $55 to $60 million per season. That would make him one of the five highest-paid quarterbacks if it comes to fruition. While Purdy may not be a top-five quarterback, he’s put up top-five efficiency numbers since entering the league three years ago. It’s also to be expected that any young quarterback getting a new contract will be one of the highest-paid passers for at least a year or two. Purdy’s extension is ultimately a matter of when, not if, it happens.

Whitehead began his career with the Bucs and signed with the Jets after his rookie deal expired. He returned to Tampa Bay last season but only lasted one year on what could have been a two-year deal if the Bucs picked up his option. Whitehead missed time late in the season with a torn pec. Just as he was nearing a return, Whitehead got in a car accident and injured his neck, ending his season. Garafolo noted that he is expected to be recovered “well ahead of the season.” That recovery could delay a new contract, but Whitehead, only 27 years old, should be able to find another starting role elsewhere.

As NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill notes, new head coach Kellen Moore said the Saints feel fortunate to have Carr. Cutting Carr this offseason would saddle the Saints with $21.5 million in dead cap. Trading him could be impossible as Carr has a no-trade clause in his contract. He could waive the clause but would likely prefer to be cut and hit the open market. That was the road he took out of Las Vegas and is likely the only way he winds up on a new team this offseason. Underhill’s read of the situation has Carr on the team for 2025. Carr played well last year when healthy but only appeared in 10 games. Giving him one more chance makes sense for Carr and the front office given the cap implications of moving on from him right now.

The 2024 second-round pick struggled out of the gate and spiraled throughout his rookie season. Billed as an NFL-ready receiver, Polk was anything but prepared for the pros. He consistently dropped passes and ran poor routes while also committing more than his fair share of penalties. The Patriots tried to treat Polk as a starter early in the year but eventually scaled his snaps back as the mistakes piled up. By all accounts, Wolf’s assessment of the situation is correct. A full offseason under a new coaching staff may be what Polk needs to get back on track after the disastrous debut season.