Tag: 2025 NFL Draft

15 free agents the Ravens can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks

We’re looking at 15 free agents the Baltimore Ravens can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks for 2025

The NFL’s new league is less than a week away. With the legal tampering period scheduled to start on Monday, Baltimore will look to retool on defense while making cost-effective decisions.

All-Pro pass defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is the biggest concern this offseason after getting the franchise tag, but the Ravens must also navigate 26 looming free agents.

GM Eric DeCosta has clarified that he’s prepared to lose several key starters and retool via the draft with a handful of 2025 compensatory picks.

The formula is simple.

If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.

DeCosta and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.

According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.

Here are 15 players Baltimore could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.

15 free agents the Eagles can sign that don’t count against 2025 compensatory picks

We’re looking at 15 free agents the Philadelphia Eagles can sign that don’t count against compensatory picks for 2025

The NFL’s new league is less than a week away. With the legal tampering period scheduled to start on Monday, Philadelphia will look to retool on defense while making cost-effective decisions.

All-Pro pass rusher Haason Reddick is the biggest concern this offseason, but the Eagles must also navigate 20 looming free agents.

GM Howie Roseman has clarified that he’s prepared to lose several key starters and retool via the draft with a handful of 2025 compensatory picks.

The formula is simple.

If you lose more unrestricted free agents than you sign, you are eligible for that many compensatory selections. What round they come is determined by how big their contract is.

Roseman and other general managers can take advantage of the rule by signing players released before their contract expires. Those players don’t count toward the formula.

According to Over The Cap, plenty of players who can help the team and not detract from the formula will be available.

Here are 15 players Philadelphia could sign that wouldn’t count against 2025 compensatory picks.

Three Longhorns in top 16 picks of way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft

Texas could have three early first-round draft picks in 2025.

We’re still roughly two months away from the 2024 NFL draft, but it’s never too early for some to begin looking at prospects for next year. Continue reading “Three Longhorns in top 16 picks of way-too-early 2025 NFL mock draft”

Pair of Ducks listed as top potential draft picks for 2025 NFL Draft

A pair of Ducks are projected to garner a lot of attention from NFL scouts for the 2025 draft.

The 2024 is still about four months away, but some are beginning to think about the 2025 NFL draft.

According to CBSsports.com writer Tom Fornelli, there are two Ducks that NFL scouts are going to pay close attention to. Transfer wide receiver Evan Stewart via Texas A&M and offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. are two of the 20 best players who will be draft eligible for 2025.

This is what Fornelli had to say about Oregon’s newest receiver.

Stewart was one of the top receivers in the 2022 class. Unlike (Missouri’s Luther) Burden, Stewart performed slightly better as a freshman than in his sophomore season. Still, most of that can likely be attributed to circumstances beyond Stewart’s control. Stewart has since transferred to Oregon, where he’s seen as the replacement for Troy Franklin in the Ducks’ offense. If Stewart puts together a big year in (green and yellow), he could play his way into the first round.

One of the reasons Stewart came to Oregon no doubt was to catch passes from Dillon Gabriel. The Ducks expect Gabriel to have an impact on the receivers similar to what Bo Nix had and Stewart should benefit greatly.

As for Conerly, the former five-star recruit will be a junior and should be one of the top offensive linemen in the Big Ten next season.

“Much like the QB class for next season, I’m not confident about who will be seen as the top tackle in next year’s draft,” Fornelli said. “Last year, it was Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Notre Dame’s Joe Alt. Several candidates could step up this year, and Conerly is one of my favorites. Oregon’s offensive line was a significant strength last season, and Conerly was excellent in pass protection. He has the production and the traits to garner NFL attention.”

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Athlon Sports names Barrett Carter one of the top 15 players who passed on the 2024 NFL draft

Barrett Carter is one of the best returning players in college football.

Clemson’s football squad is thrilled to welcome back a standout defender from the impactful 2023 season.

Barrett Carter, a crucial figure for the Tigers and a potential early selection in the 2024 NFL draft, surprised everyone by opting to stay with the team. Despite the initial shock, Carter is dedicated to advancing his skills within the program.

In the last season, Carter made his mark in 11 games, clinching the second position on the team with 59 tackles and the third position with nine tackles for loss, accompanied by three sacks. This development is noteworthy and fans are thrilled to have him back.

Of late, a lot of outlets have been discussing the top players who opted to return to college football instead of taking their talents to the NFL. The latest to do so is Athlon Sports, who named Carter one of the 15 top returning players who opted to return for another season.

Carter’s decision to return in ’24 was a mild surprise, but coordinator Wes Goodwin and coach Dabo Swinney certainly aren’t complaining about one of the top linebackers in the nation coming back to Death Valley.

Carter finished second on the team with 62 stops (9.5 TFL) and registered 3.5 sacks in ’23, which brought his career total to 151 tackles.

Per PFF, Carter’s missed tackle rate jumped from 12.8 percent in ’22 to 20.5 in ’23, so there is certainly room for the Georgia native to improve. With fellow running mate at linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. opting for the NFL, Carter should be one of the leaders for a standout defense next year.

Clemson’s defense will look different in 2024, but the Tigers are in good hands. Carter will step into the Jeremiah Trotter Jr. role in this defense and we expect him to excel as the focal point of the defense.

ESPN’s Matt Miller names Barrett Carter the No.1 LB to watch for the 2025 NFL draft

While we haven’t had the 2024 NFL draft yet, Matt Miller is already looking at Barrett Carter as a top player in the 2025 NFL draft.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football program got incredible news when Barrett Carter announced he would return for another season with the Tigers.

Carter, one of the Tigers’ stop players and a possible first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, shocked many with this decision. Yet, he remains with the program as he looks to develop further.

Carter played in 11 games this season for the Tigers, ranking second on the team with 59 total tackles and third with nine tackles for loss while adding three sacks. It was huge news, and one fans should be thrilled with.

Even though we haven’t had the 2024 NFL draft yet, ESPN’s Matt Miller is already looking to the 2025 NFL draft. Miller recently released an article naming the top prospects to watch for 2025 ($$$), with Carter being the top linebacker.

Carterwas widely considered a Round 2 player for 2024 when this past season began, but he’ll return to Clemson and enter the 2025 draft process as my top-ranked linebacker. A true weakside player, Carter has nine sacks, three interceptions and 12 pass breakups over the past two seasons. At 6-1 and 230 pounds, he’s a superstar with three-down ability at the next level.
A first-round prospect for some and a second for others, Carter is going to solidify his draft stock in 2024. A big reason for his return revolves around development, but the Tigers linebacker also has an opportunity to raise his stock further and further as Clemson’s defensive cornerstone.

Giants trading Leonard Williams to Seahawks for multiple picks

The New York Giants are trading DL Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for two draft picks — one in 2024 and one in 2025.

The New York Giants fell to 2-6 with a Sunday loss to the New York Jets, and that essentially triggered their need to sell at the NFL trade deadline.

With precious little cap space remaining and no hope at the playoffs, the Giants have agreed to trade defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks.

In exchange for The Big Cat, the Giants will receive a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

The two picks — and more specifically, the second-round pick — are an astronomical amount to receive for Williams and likely why general manager Joe Schoen couldn’t say no.

The trade comes almost four years to the day after the Giants acquired Williams from the New York Jets.

With the Seahawks, Williams will reunite with former Giants safety Julian Love and former Jets safety Jamal Adams.

Before the trade can become official on Tuesday at 4:01 p.m. ET, the Giants will have to re-work Williams’ deal. He’s currently in the final season of a three-year contract that pays him $18 million in base salary with a $32.26 million cap hit.

The trade could save the Giants as much as $18 million this season but account for a dead cap hit of $5.96 million next season, which was already a void year. However, it’s likely the Giants will eat more of that money (if not most of it) here in 2023 to help facilitate the deal.

Although Williams’ numbers are down statistically, he was still playing well within his role for the Giants, earning a 67.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus through eight weeks.

The Giants ultimately receive more for Williams in this trade than what they spent to acquire him under Dave Gettleman.

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Another 2025 draft pick has been traded already

Several 2025 NFL draft picks have already been traded before the 2023 NFL season begins

Another trade involving a draft pick that is nearly two years away took place in the NFL this week. The New York Jets and Detroit Lions agreed to a deal that involves not one but two selections in the 2025 NFL draft.

The trade sent 2020 second-round pick Denzel Mims from New York to Detroit. The Jets dealt the disappointing wideout for the very low compensation of a pick swap in the late rounds of 2025. New York will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick from Detroit but only if Mims makes the Lions roster. The Jets sent back a 2025 seventh-rounder that is not conditional.

This deal joins a small but growing list of picks in the 2025 draft that have already been traded. Among the others:

  • The Panthers’ second-round pick belongs to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade for Carolina to move up to No. 1 overall in 2023 and select QB Bryce Young.
  • The Eagles’ fourth-rounder which was sent to the Lions as part of the trade for RB D’Andre Swift.
  • A deal between the Browns and Vikings that sent EDGE Za’Darius Smith to Cleveland. The Browns included a fifth-round pick in 2025 in the deal, while Minnesota sent back a sixth and a seventh in 2025

Trades of far future picks like this didn’t use to happen in the NFL.

NFL sets locations for ’25 draft, Super Bowl LX

NFL sets locations for ’25 draft, Super Bowl LX:

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A busy planning day on Monday for the NFL.

The owners were having their spring meetings and they made some decisions about the future.

The 2025 NFL draft will take place in Green Bay, Wi. That will follow the next selection process, which will call Detroit home.

“The Bay Area was an incredible host for Super Bowl 50, and we are thrilled to bring the Super Bowl back,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the 49ers and the Bay Area Host Committee to create an impactful Super Bowl LX in 2026 that showcases all the great things the region has to offer.”

Super Bowl LX — to take place in 2026 — will be played at the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium.

“The Bay Area was an incredible host for Super Bowl 50, and we are thrilled to bring the Super Bowl back,” Goodell said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the 49ers and the Bay Area Host Committee to create an impactful Super Bowl LX in 2026 that showcases all the great things the region has to offer.”

One other important item is there will be flex scheduling when it comes to Thursday Night Football.

Per NFL.com:

Thursday games can only be flexed between Weeks 13 and 17, with a four-week notice required. Only two Thursday night games can be flexed per year, and the resolution notes that the flexible scheduling for TNF is on “a trial basis.”

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Packers CEO Mark Murphy discusses impact of hosting NFL draft in 2025

“We are so excited and honored to be able to host the draft in 2025,” Packers CEO Mark Murphy said.

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It’s official. The Green Bay Packers have announced they will host the 2025 NFL draft.

Many thought this day would never come. After all, the Packers are the NFL’s smallest market and people questioned whether they had the infrastructure to support such a major event. However, with two years to plan, the league is excited to have the draft featured in a new city.

“The draft has become a prominent offseason event hosted in different cities with spectacular locations across the country, and we are excited to work with the Packers and Discover Green Bay to bring the 2025 NFL Draft to Green Bay and iconic Lambeau field,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Perhaps no one is happier than Packers CEO Mark Murphy, who has been working to bring the draft to Green Bay since 2016.

“We are so excited and honored to be able to host the draft in 2025,” Murphy said in an interview with Larry McCarren of Packers.com.

“I’m just really happy, not only for the organization but for the whole community. Actually, the entire state is going to benefit from it. It’s a huge event and it grows every year. It’s going to be spectacular.”

According to Murphy, the economic impact of the draft will have a lasting effect statewide. When you factor in the number of people traveling to the area and watching on TV, he estimates the draft will generate around $94 million, or six times more than a typical Packers home game.

Of course, getting the draft to come to Green Bay wasn’t easy. It’s a rigorous process not far behind trying to host a Super Bowl — something the organization has also never done, though this may get their foot in the door.

To win over the league, the Packers naturally sold them on the idea of hosting the draft at one of the most iconic venues in the NFL in Lambeau Field. They also have another major attraction in Titletown, which only just opened in 2017 and has been a great source of revenue.

While hosting the draft is an exciting new development, the hard part has only just begun. The league and Green Bay now have to go through an intense planning process to make sure everything runs smoothly. In the meantime, the City of Green Bay will reap the benefits from the build-up over the next couple of years, says Murphy.

“This is basically a two-year commercial on all the benefits and all that Green Bay has to offer.”