Our national NFL reporters have spent the past week in Indianapolis at the annual NFL combine. Of course, the focus was on top 2025 NFL draft prospects working out and running their 40-yard dashes, but the event is also a hotbed for news around the league. Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano talked to execs, coaches, agents, scouts, players and other team sources to learn more about what could happen this offseason.

The franchise tag deadline is on Tuesday, and free agency kicks off in a week’s time. We’ll see a handful of trades, a ton of signings and even a few extensions in the coming month or so. Then all 32 teams will add young prospects at the draft in April. We have the latest intel on all of it, as Jeremy and Dan empty their notebooks.

What are sources saying about the best free agents, and where might those players land? Where do things stand on the QB landscape after Matthew Stafford‘s deal was restructured in Los Angeles? Could Myles Garrett get traded? Which stars are set for extensions? And what’s the early word on what some teams might do at the draft? Here’s everything we heard in Indy.

Jump to the latest on:
Giants’ QB plan | Darnold’s next team
Other QB-needy teams | Garrett trade talks
Teams seeking defense | Sleeper FAs
Emptying the notebooks

Giants’ search for a QB continues

Graziano: The Giants’ plan at QB after losing out in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes feels a little unsettled. They could use the No. 3 pick on either Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders if still on the board, or they could move up to No. 1 to take one of them. A lot of folks believe the Titans are interested in trading out of the top pick, and the Giants and Jets are among the teams believed to be interested in moving up.

And even if they draft a signal-caller, the Giants could still add a veteran in case the draft pick needs time to develop. I know they’ve looked into Aaron Rodgers, but I’m not sure how likely that is to happen. I believe the Giants would have some interest in Kirk Cousins, too, once he’s released by the Falcons and is available on a veteran minimum deal. But Cousins comes with health concerns that would have to be addressed first. There was also at least some chatter about them looking into Sam Darnold after the news broke Friday that Stafford was staying in Los Angeles.

And while the Giants have done extensive work on the quarterbacks at the top of the draft, there are still people in their building who wouldn’t mind staying at No. 3 and picking either Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. Teams like Ward and Sanders, but they’re not viewed as surefire franchise-changers the way some of the top quarterbacks in recent years were.

Fowler: Yeah, the Giants will be looking at all options at quarterback. They haven’t narrowed their focus yet, but expect them to gauge the market of all available QBs. Russell Wilson considers the Giants a potential option for him, should he fail to re-sign with Pittsburgh. And yes, the Rodgers possibility is out there. But some around the league are skeptical. I’m putting this in the “we will see” category.

Aftermath of Stafford’s return to L.A.

Fowler: The Stafford saga dominated this week’s combine. The quarterback dominoes could not start to fall without clarity on his future. I go back to what a source close to Stafford told me earlier in the week: He wanted to remain a Ram but needed to feel appreciated and respected. He ranked 16th among quarterbacks in 2025 cash owed ($27 million). That wasn’t commensurate with his skill set as a top-10 passer. But Stafford had a great situation in Los Angeles and trading him made little logical sense. That’s why some around the league felt any Stafford pursuit was, in the end, futile.

But the trade talks appeared very real. The Giants, in particular, made a spirited run at this. As sources told me, the Giants spent a better part of the past month on this and felt at times that Stafford would be a Giant. They worked very hard to put together an enticing package for both the player and the team, until GM Les Snead notified them that Stafford was staying. (And of course, the Raiders were heavily involved, too.)

play

Schefter: Matthew Stafford and Rams agree to run it back

Adam Schefter reports on Matthew Stafford agreeing to a restructured contract that keeps the quarterback with the Rams.

Cousins’ next move

Graziano: Kirk Cousins’ $10 million 2026 roster bonus becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year, but I was told that isn’t a factor in the Falcons’ timetable for moving on from him. They’ve already sunk $90 million into Cousins for less than one year’s worth of games, and if they truly believe there’s a trade market for him, the extra $10 million won’t deter them from hanging on past March 17. Odds are much stronger, however, that they won’t find much of a market and will end up releasing Cousins at some point soon.

Darnold’s potential return to Minnesota

Fowler: While the Vikings are open to Sam Darnold returning, I continue to hear they won’t mortgage the future to keep him. There’s not much momentum coming out of the combine that the Vikings will franchise tag Darnold, who should have multiple suitors if available. The Giants, Raiders and Titans are among the logical options. And I’m not totally discounting the Steelers here — not yet, at least. As one high-ranking official with a QB-needy team pointed out to me, Darnold won 14 games for the Vikings in 2024 and is the best option on the market by a wide margin.

One possibility that shouldn’t be overlooked in Minnesota is re-signing Daniel Jones to pair with J.J. McCarthy, whenever he’s ready off his knee injury. People I’ve spoken to believe that’s a real consideration for the team. As was told to me, McCarthy has already proven to the staff he’s the franchise quarterback, but the team won’t rush his timeline; they want the process to unfold organically, whether he’s ready now, in camp or in a future year. Jones would be a potential bridge to that and a cheaper alternative to Darnold.

One more interesting nugget that might mean nothing but is at least noteworthy: The Vikings interviewed Cam Ward at the combine.

play

Darnold or McCarthy? Schefter details Vikings’ QB decision

Adam Schefter joins Pat McAfee to discuss how the free agency market is affecting the Vikings’ quarterback decision of Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy.

Browns’ future under center

Graziano: The overwhelming belief of the people I spoke to this week is that the Browns plan to stay put at No. 2 in the draft and take one of the top quarterbacks. Their preference between Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders is unclear, but if one goes at No. 1, I believe they’d be OK with taking the other.

Deshaun Watson has two years left on his contract at $46 million fully guaranteed each year, but he has had his Achilles tendon repaired twice in the past five months and is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season. There’s a strong chance Watson has played his final game as a Brown. Cleveland is thinking about what comes next at the position.

Fowler: The Browns will consider cost when it comes to the quarterback market, given they still owe injured Watson that $92 million over the next two years. People I’ve talked to expect Daniel Jones to be on their radar, along with Kirk Cousins if he becomes available (though, surprisingly, not every team official is buying that the Falcons will just cut him outright, despite the significant money owed to him). Another name to watch here is Carson Wentz.

Steelers’ QB options

Fowler: The sense I get is that Justin Fields has an edge over Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh’s pecking free agent quarterback order. There is sentiment for Fields in the building, and both sides would be open to a return. The Steelers have at least another week to crystallize those plans, and they certainly haven’t ruled out Wilson at this point.

Regardless, Fields should have options. The Jets, for one, are expected to gauge his market. His skill set would fit in Chip Kelly’s scheme in Las Vegas, too.

Colts looking to add to QB room

Fowler: As the Colts look for veteran quarterback options, names on their radar include Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Jacoby Brissett. This is a mix of quarterbacks who can support Anthony Richardson and guys who will be looking to start games somewhere. I’ve heard Jones’ name more than once in regards to the Colts.

Indianapolis has not given up on Richardson, but how the team approaches the free agency period will be telling.

Garrett’s trade market

Graziano: Teams that have checked in with the Browns about edge rusher Myles Garrett are still being told there’s no conversation to be had. The Browns continue to insist they won’t trade Garrett, and functionally they’d have a really hard time doing so prior to June 1 anyway. A trade would jump his 2025 cap number from its current $19.7 million to a dead-money charge of $36.2 million. Waiting until after June 1 would allow the Browns to spread that charge out over two seasons.

The best solution for Cleveland remains working something out to make Garrett happy and keep him in the fold, but he has so far been adamant that’s not possible. The Browns may not feel compelled to honor Garrett’s trade request until they become convinced he won’t play for them, and it’s going to be hard for him to convince them of that before they get to the regular season and see whether he’s truly willing to miss real games. If the Browns do ever get serious about trading Garrett, I’d expect Buffalo and Philadelphia to be two of the most aggressive pursuers.

Fowler: After my talks here in Indy, I believe Cleveland is very dug in and willing to wait him out and show resolve. It’s not just a “no” to any prospective trades, but an emphatic one. And the Browns haven’t received many trade calls, in part because teams know it makes no sense to trade him.

Others around the league are skeptical, though, suggesting the Browns should capitalize on the multiple first-round picks available to them in order to move on. I just get the impression that the Browns are not moving off their stance any time soon.

NFC South teams getting active

Graziano: Two NFC South teams that I expect to be fairly aggressive in pursuing defensive upgrades in the draft and free agency are the Falcons and Panthers. Carolina is in better shape cap-wise than Atlanta, largely because the Panthers didn’t just spent $100 million and the eighth pick in the draft on the same position a year ago. The Falcons are likely to use most, if not all, of their early-round picks on defensive players and has some interest in trading their No. 15 pick to collect more draft capital, depending on how the first half of Round 1 shakes out.

Expect the Panthers to be seeking big-name players in free agency. I think Carolina could be in on the top safeties — Jevon Holland, Camryn Bynum, etc. — and might be one of the teams willing to spend big to lure defensive tackle Milton Williams away from the Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Panthers will also look to add edge rush help, with Chase Young being one of the intriguing options there.

Fowler: I’m hearing the same sort of stuff on the Panthers, and they also want to complete an extension with star corner Jaycee Horn sooner rather than later. That market is due for an explosion, with looming deals for Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner. So the Panthers are working to get ahead of that.

Odighizuwa’s chances to return to Dallas

Graziano: The Cowboys have done enough work on an Osa Odighizuwa extension that I wouldn’t be surprised to see them use the franchise tag on him if a deal isn’t completed by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline — just to give them more time to complete that deal. They’re also hopeful of bringing back free agent cornerback Jourdan Lewis, and they haven’t totally ruled out a DeMarcus Lawrence return. However, regardless of how that shakes out, Dallas will be looking to get younger up front on defense.

Fowler: The Cowboys have had extensive contract talks with Odighizuwa. A few months ago, I would have said Dallas was out on him. But the Cowboys are making a play here to potentially sign him before March 10. Odighizuwa and Philadelphia’s Milton Williams are considered the two top interior defensive linemen.

Sneaky center market

Graziano: The Falcons are prepared to lose center Drew Dalman in free agency. They’d like to have him back but are concerned he can get more money elsewhere. They feel good, though, about tendering restricted free agent center Ryan Neuzil and making him the Dalman replacement, which he was during the 2024 season when Dalman missed time due to injury.

Fowler: Dalman will easily top the free agent center market and should post a strong number. While Creed Humphrey‘s four-year, $72 million deal is tough to top, Dalman will do very well.

Packers center Josh Myers has started 50 games for Green Bay since 2022, so he should have a strong market, too. While Myers went down for what appeared to be a significant injury in the playoffs, I’m told he came out of the game unscathed and has no injury from the play. He’s getting no treatment and is completely healthy entering free agency.

Extension talks for Stanley

Fowler: The sense out of Indy is that the Ravens and left tackle Ronnie Stanley can agree to terms on an extension in the coming days. That’s hardly a slam dunk, but there’s a sentiment to try to make that happen. Some inside the league are projecting that deal to land somewhere between $21-23 million per year.

With Alaric Jackson re-signing with the Rams, Stanley back to the Ravens would help free agent left tackle Cam Robinson, who would have several musical chairs from which to choose. I still suspect the Patriots will target tackles, and don’t sleep on the Chiefs, either. Many around the league are loosely expecting the Chiefs to entertain Stanley’s market, should he get free.

Shough set to rise in draft class

Graziano: Louisville’s Tyler Shough is a down-the-board quarterback name to watch as a potential riser ahead of the draft. Scouts love his ability and instincts, and they point out that his injury history is more bad luck-related than chronic condition-related. For example, he broke his collarbone and his ankle in separate seasons while at Texas Tech, so it’s not like he was consistently missing time with, say, hamstring injuries.

Shough’s problem is going to be that he turns 26 in September, which means he’d be almost 30 by the time his rookie contract runs out. Teams have long been hesitant to use high picks on guys that age. But don’t be surprised to keep hearing his name over the next couple of months. He is Mel Kiper Jr.’s eighth-best quarterback in the class.

Sleeper free agents getting buzz

Fowler: OK, time for my yearly batch of under-the-radar players who might do better than you’d think in free agency:

• Brandon Stephens: The Baltimore corner has length and competes. His name came up unprompted in multiple talks with teams.

• Dayo Odeyingbo: The Colts defensive lineman has the versatility and length that teams covet.

• Jaylon Moore: Once a San Francisco swing tackle, Moore should be in line for a starter’s role.

• Patrick Mekari: He has played all five spots along Baltimore’s offensive line over the years.

• Tershawn Wharton: He is in position to become the third interior rusher off the board behind Odighizuwa and Williams.

• Pat Jones II: Jones had seven sacks as a situational rusher in Minnesota, which should enhance his profile.

• Jamien Sherwood: He’s a missile in the middle of the field and could clear $10 million per year.

• Robert Spillane: Here’s another linebacker whose toughness and leadership should help him on the market.

• John Bates: Tight ends with blocking prowess in the run game can get paid. Bates appears to be the next one, though Washington will look to keep him.

• Darius Slayton: It’s a thin free agent WR class, and Slayton has put up respectable numbers in a bad New York offense for years. He also has raw speed. Slayton could be this year’s Darnell Mooney.

• Joshua Palmer: He’s a buzzworthy name among some teams as a sleeper receiver.

play

Schefter details Bengals’ possible plan for Tee Higgins

Adam Schefter joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and breaks down what the Bengals could look to do regarding Tee Higgins this offseason.

What else are we hearing around the NFL?

Graziano:

• The Bills got their offseason started with an extension for wide receiver Khalil Shakir, and a lot of their focus is going to continue to be on extending their own players. That includes Shakir’s 2022 draft classmates Terrel Bernard and Christian Benford, as well as 2021 first-rounder Greg Rousseau, who’s entering his fifth-year option season and is currently on the books for $13.387 million. Buffalo hasn’t ruled out bringing back veteran edge rusher Von Miller, who turns 36 later this month. But the Bills have to find a way to rework his contract and get him to agree to a pay cut from his currently scheduled $17.5 million. One source I spoke to described Miller’s return to Buffalo as a “50-50” proposition.

• The Packers — who have been more aggressive free agent bidders in the Brian Gutekunst era than their reputation suggests — could be spenders this month. They’re looking to add a veteran wide receiver to their very young room. They’ll be looking for upgrades on defense, too, especially considering they are listening to trade offers for cornerback Jaire Alexander. And they’ll have to find a way to replace center Josh Myers if he leaves in free agency.

• The Cowboys will be in the market for a No. 2 receiver behind CeeDee Lamb. They have some hope that Jonathan Mingo, their trade-deadline acquisition from Carolina, can evolve into that, but obviously it’s too soon to know and they will be in the market to add at that position. They could end up being a Cooper Kupp suitor if his price drops far enough. Dallas also will look to add a dynamic player at running back to pair with Rico Dowdle, who finished the season strong for them.

• The Buccaneers continue to work to bring back wide receiver Chris Godwin before he hits the free agent market. It’s unclear at this point whether they can reach an agreement, but the hallmark of Tampa Bay’s 2024 free agency was its ability to retain its own, including Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield — so they’re optimistic about their chances of reaching a deal with Godwin.

• 49ers left tackle Trent Williams is training in anticipation of playing in his 15th NFL season. Williams missed significant time last season with a heel injury but is expected to be ready to go once training camp starts, according to the people I spoke with in Indy.

Fowler:

• Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was part of the trade discussion between the Commanders and 49ers this week as they executed the Deebo Samuel Sr. deal, per a source. Ultimately, Allen was not included, though, as Washington landed Samuel for a fifth-round pick. Allen is due $16.4 million this year, a possible hurdle.

• Star Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is lining up Top 30 visits, including the Bears and Cowboys. Jeanty did not perform drills at the combine, but he got encouraging results from his medical testing in Indy, I’m told. He had an elbow injury last season that shouldn’t affect him long term.

• Teams I’ve talked to are putting Chase Young high on the overall pecking order in the pass-rush free agency market. Part of the allure: There’s still big upside there (still only 25), and while he spent last offseason idle due to neck injury recovery, he’s completely healthy now and training vigorously for what he hopes is a breakout season. Expect the Saints to be involved in a potential re-sign.

• Don’t be surprised if the Bengals try to extend Mike Gesicki in the coming days. Cincinnati is trying to secure a trio of its stars — Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson — but Gesicki is another player they were very happy with last season and would like to pay. Teams are projecting the tight end market could tap out at around $8 million per year. If Gesicki can put up a decent clip in the next seven days, that helps Juwan Johnson, Tyler Conklin and others.

• The sense is Chicago will sign at least one interior offensive linemen. Drew Dalman, 49ers guard Aaron Banks and Colts guard Will Fries are among players on the radar. Like Dalman, Banks and Fries are in line for sizable contracts. Guards dominated free agency last year and will do well once again. The Giants, Cardinals and Seahawks are lurking in this market, too.

• While Jevon Holland did not have a great year in 2024, some inside the league believe his body of work should land him somewhere in the Xavier McKinney range (four years, $68 million).

• If Chris Godwin gets to free agency, don’t be surprised if the Patriots get involved. But the Bucs have made Godwin a priority, and the feeling around the league is the team will make him a Buc for life. With Tee Higgins expected to receive the franchise tag, Godwin would be far and away the top free agent receiver.

• The Vikings are hoping to re-sign corner Byron Murphy Jr., one of several third-contract corners in line for strong deals. And the Jaguars will gauge the market of veteran corner Carlton Davis III, another third-contract guy.

• Saints corner Paulson Adebo is believed to be well-positioned because he’s a 25-year-old, second-contract player with length and speed who is recovering well from the surgery on his femur in October. The feeling is the Saints will hope to re-sign him.

• The Browns are optimistic about guard Joel Bitonio‘s return for a 12th season, though he hasn’t made a firm determination yet. But the team is loosely planning for him to return and isn’t aggressively combing the guard market at this time.