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League sources think that the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are the two likeliest landing spots for Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold, but the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers could also go after him. Tagging Darnold and trading him for premium draft capital would be the best-case scenario but that's unlikely to happen now that the Vikings aren't expected to use the franchise tag on the 27-year-old. The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that it only makes sense to re-sign Darnold if his free-agent market is more depressed than expected. It will be more of a luxury since they have plenty of other holes to fill on the roster and don't want to hinder quarterback J.J. McCarthy's (knee) progression after they took him in the first round of last year's draft. Lewis says that the Vikes think the better plan is paying Daniel Jones around $10 million instead of paying Darnold around $35 million.

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Dynasty | The Bengals have used the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins. Dynasty Analysis: Cincinnati was stuck on this one as Higgins was set to hit free agency. Instead, he gets the tag for the second year in a row and will make $26.2 million for the 2025 season if he's unable to agree to a long-term contract with the Bengals by the July 15 deadline. The two sides seem open to working out a deal, but Cincinnati also has the challenge of getting Ja'Marr Chase under contract as well. Higgins could still be traded as well, but it seems the Bengals are much more focused on getting him in the fold long-term. This is the first significant domino to fall and will keep Higgins on the WR1/2 line for the time being.

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Dynasty | The Bengals have used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, leaving the elite duo of Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase together. Dynasty Analysis: The Bengals seem dedicated to keeping both Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase together long-term and that's exactly what the doctor ordered for anyone with Joe Burrow as their dynasty QB1. After a career season, Burrow has cemented himself as an elite-level QB1 and keeping this group intact should ensure he has a chance to push for 5,000 yards and possibly even 50 touchdowns next season. In short, this is great news for Burrow.

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Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has high hopes for running back Trey Benson as he heads into his second NFL season in 2025. James Conner re-signed with the Cardinals after posting a career-high 1,094 rushing yards in 16 starts in 2024, but Benson is expected to take on a bigger role and be more productive in Year 2. "If (Trey) takes the necessary jump from Year 1 to Year 2, I think we have two starting backs," Gannon said. "That's how I view those guys. You see certain teams out there with two '1s,' I would say, and I think we should have two '1s' next year." The 22-year-old Benson finished with only 291 rushing yards on 63 carries in his rookie season, but he was playing at his best when he injured his ankle late in the year. Benson's fantasy ceiling will be limited as long as Conner stays healthy in 2025, but fantasy managers that select Conner should look to handcuff him with Benson.

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The Green Bay Packers re-signed linebacker Isaiah McDuffie to a two-year, $8 million deal on Monday, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. With incentives, McDuffie will have the upside to earn a total of $9.5 million. He will return to Green Bay after recording a career-high 97 tackles (46 solo), half a sack, three tackles for loss, three QB hits, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in 17 regular-season starts in his fourth year in the NFL with the Packers. The 25-year-old former sixth-round selection in 2021 out of Boston College is expected to serve as the team's top backup inside linebacker again in 2025 behind Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper. He has a total of 228 tackles (129 solo), one sack, eight tackles for loss, six QB hits, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 63 games (26 starts) in his four years in Green Bay.

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The Cincinnati Bengals announced on Monday that they released offensive guard Alex Cappa. While Cappa has been solid for the Bengals, starting all 50 games at right guard that he appeared in since joining the team in 2022, the team simply has too many other free agents they are trying to retain this offseason. In addition to trying to spend big money to keep star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Cincinnati has prioritized keeping offensive linemen B.J. Hill, Trent Brown and Mike Hilton. The 30-year-old was a third-round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2018 NFL draft out of Humboldt State and spent the first four years of his career with the Bucs before joining the Bengals in 2022. With seven years of NFL experience while playing at a high level, Cappa should generate plenty of interest on the open market.

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The Las Vegas Raiders are not tendering restricted free-agent wide receiver DJ Turner (knee) this offseason, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. While Turner will now be an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team, the Raiders are open to re-signing him. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent caught 16 of his 29 targets for 158 yards and a touchdown in 12 games (six starts) for Vegas in 2024 before landing on Injured Reserve with a knee injury. He added five carries on the ground for 33 yards and a touchdown. Although he didn't move the fantasy needle at all in his third year in the NFL, it was a notable increase in role for Turner after he had just a single target in 19 games (no starts) in his first two years with the Raiders. Regardless of where Turner ends up playing in 2025, he's likely to remain well off the fantasy radar.

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The Buffalo Bills have elected not to tender an offer to restricted free-agent tight end Quintin Morris, a source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, the Bills would like to re-sign Morris, who started three games in 2024. Without receiving a tender off from Buffalo this offseason, the 26-year-old will now become an unrestricted free agent and will be able to sign with any team. The Bowling Green product worked behind Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox in his third year in the NFL in 2024 and caught just five of his eight targets for 36 yards and one touchdown in 16 regular-season games. Morris has been well off the fantasy radar since debuting in 2022, and that should continue to be the case in 2025, even if he signs somewhere else. In his three seasons, he has 15 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns on 22 targets.

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Buffalo Bills reserve tight end Armani Rogers (Achilles) will require surgery after recently tearing his Achilles, according to a league source. The quarterback turned tight end signed a Reserve/Futures deal with the Bills in January after stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, but now he'll be forced to miss all of the 2025 season. The 27-year-old made his NFL debut in 2022 with the Commanders after going undrafted out of college, but he hasn't appeared in an NFL game since. In his 11 games (three starts) back in 2022, he caught just five of six targets for 64 yards and no touchdowns in D.C. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox remain Buffalo's top two tight ends, while Quintin Morris will be an unrestricted free agent after the Bills chose not to tender him. Zach Davidson is currently the No. 3 TE.

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The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that the New York Jets are unlikely to pursue an early contract extension with running back Breece Hall, who will be a free agent in 2026. It doesn't mean that won't change, but the Jets have to promising young backs in Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, who are both under contract through 2027. Hall, who tore his ACL in his rookie season in 2022, took a slight step back in 2024 with 876 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 209 rushing attempts in 16 starts, adding 57 receptions on 76 targets for 483 yards and three additional scores through the air. The 23-year-old running back still has RB1 upside in fantasy heading into his fourth NFL season, but he finished as the RB17 in half-PPR scoring a year ago, and the jury will be out on his 2025 fantasy value until we know who the Jets will be starting at quarterback.

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The New York Jets are expected to target Detroit Lions impending free-agent wide receiver Tim Patrick in free agency this offseason because of his ties to new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who was an assistant coach with the Lions last year, sources tell The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt. In addition to Patrick, Rosenblatt mentions Los Angeles Chargers impending free-agent receiver Joshua Palmer. The 31-year-old Patrick had a few injury-plagued seasons with the Denver Broncos before bouncing back with the Lions in 2024, when he caught 33 of 44 targets for 394 yards and three touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (nine starts). Palmer, 25, has averaged 15 yards per catch the last two seasons for the Bolts and is projected to receive a two-year, $13 million deal in free agency by PFF. Rosenblatt doesn't expect the Jets to go on a major spending spree in free agency.

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The Minnesota Vikings are not expected to place the franchise tag on impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold by Tuesday's deadline, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. However, all parties are working through their options to potentially keep him in Minnesota. Rapoport describes Darnold's situation as fluid with free agency right around the corner. Last year's first-rounder, quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) missed all of his rookie season after injuring his knee in the preseason, and then Darnold went on to have a career year, throwing for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. If the Vikings think McCarthy might need another full year of development, it would make sense that they're considering re-signing Darnold for 2025. The 27-year-old won't have a shortage of suitors in free agency, though, with the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders perhaps going after him the hardest.

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New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson is willing to discuss signing a long-term contract extension, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt. Wilson is expected to push for top-10 receiver-type money, which would mean something in the range of $26-30 million per year. While Wilson was one of the first calls that new head coach Aaron Glenn made when he got the job, the Jets won't be in a rush to sign him to a new deal. The 24-year-old is under team control for 2025 and will make $16.82 million on his fifth-year team option in 2026. After that, the franchise tag would be in play in 2027 if they can't come to an agreement on an extension. Wilson wasn't a fan of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, especially after the Jets traded for his best buddy, receiver Davante Adams last year. Now that both Rodgers and Adams are on their way out the door, Wilson should be the team's unquestioned No. 1 wideout again in 2025.

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The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reports that there is mutual interest between the New York Jets and linebacker Jamien Sherwood on getting a new deal done, potentially before Sherwood even hits free agency. Sherwood had a breakout season in 2024 in his first year as a full-time starter while filling in for the injured C.J. Mosley, recording 158 tackles (league-leading 98 solo), two sacks, 10 tackles for loss and three pass breakups in 17 games (16 starts) in his fourth year in the NFL. If the 25-year-old former fifth-rounder reaches free agency, he's likely to be coveted by at least the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers due to connections with former coaches Jeff Ulbrich and Robert Saleh. The expectation is that Sherwood will command a deal in the range of three years and $8-10 million per season. It could cause an interesting dynamic with fellow linebacker Quincy Williams, who has outplayed the three-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2023.

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The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that Minnesota Vikings impending free-agent quarterback Sam Darnold is not viewed as a realistic target for the New York Jets, both because of his projected price and the unlikelihood that he'd want to return to the team that drafted him. The Jets are expected to target a middle-tier QB and go into training camp with a competition between Tyrod Taylor, a veteran free agent and possibly a rookie. League sources believe Justin Fields will be a prime target, but other teams will be in on him, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may prefer keeping him over Russell Wilson. Rosenblatt also lists Wilson, Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins (if the Falcons release him) as options for New York this offseason. The Jets sit at No. 7 overall in the upcoming NFL draft, and if they are to trade up to first overall, it would be to select Miami QB Cam Ward. However, that would likely involve moving multiple first-round picks and/or players.

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The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar writes that Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider wants to select a quarterback in this year's NFL draft, but he won't force a pick because of how strongly the front office feels about current starter Geno Smith. Seattle also continues to hold out hope for backup Sam Howell, who will turn 25 in September and has a salary cap hit of only $1.1 million in 2025. Given the fact that this year's QB class isn't considered very strong, it could be a year where the better value picks at the position come in the second and third rounds. Dugar projects Seattle taking Texas' Quinn Ewers in the fifth round in his latest mock draft, and he also mentions Will Howard as another option later in the draft. Because of how shaky this QB class is, the Seahawks will likely focus more on other positions of need in the earlier rounds -- offensive line, defensive line and cornerback.

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The Athletic's Jeff Howe writes that it doesn't sound likely that the Seattle Seahawks would make wide receiver DK Metcalf available in a trade this offseason. There's been plenty of speculation that teams are already reaching out to Seattle, though, since Metcalf is entering the final season of his three-year, $72 million deal. The Athletic's Matt Schneidman shot down a report late last week that the Green Bay Packers have already made an enticing offer to Seattle for Metcalf, and it makes little sense for the team to trade away one of their best players. The Seahawks may be listening to calls on Metcalf, but all the messaging they've sent from the end of the 2024 season is that they failed to adequately involve him in the offense during Jaxon Smith-Njigba's breakout. Seattle is currently focused on making sure Metcalf is more involved in 2025, so a bounce-back season in fantasy is very much possible if he stays in town.

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The Athletic's Jeff Howe writes that if Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter isn't the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft, he will draw serious consideration from the Cleveland Browns at No. 2, according to league sources. Because of his elite athleticism and ability to play both cornerback and receiver, Hunter is the most electric prospect in this year's draft class with the highest ceiling, but teams are still split on how to use him. The most popular opinion has been to play him as a full-time corner who can also be a part-time receiver -- maybe up to 15 plays per game -- since it's more difficult for a cornerback to get into the rhythm of the game while being on a rotational basis. Hunter would have a more lucrative career financially if he stuck to receiver full time, but he's committed to being a two-way player and hasn't made any positional demands with teams as the draft approaches.

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ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler write that the Dallas Cowboys are making a play to re-sign defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa before March 10. Graziano thinks the Cowboys have done enough on an extension for Odighizuwa that he wouldn't be surprised if the team uses the franchise tag on him before Tuesday's deadline in order to give them more time to finish his extension. In addition to Odighizuwa, the Cowboys are hopeful of bringing back free-agent cornerback Jourdan Lewis and defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence. If Odighizuwa reaches the open market, he and Philadelphia Eagles' Milton Williams would be considered the top two interior defensive linemen available. The 26-year-old Odighizuwa had career-highs in tackles (47) and sacks (4.5) in 17 games this past season. If he's tagged and cannot reach a long-term extension, he'd make $25.1 million in 2025.

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Running back is one of the Dallas Cowboys' biggest needs in the upcoming NFL draft, but The Athletic's Jon Machota writes that it doesn't sound like they view it as their top priority at No. 12 overall. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, the consensus top running back in this year's class, could still be the pick for the Cowboys at 12th overall, but it's looking more likely that they will go in another direction. It makes sense because this year is considered to be a strong RB class, so the Cowboys could be better off targeting a back in the second or third rounds. Jeanty didn't have a formal interview with Dallas at last week's NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but there will be plenty of time for them to find a time to sit down with him before April. There are question marks about Jeanty's durability at the next level given the volume he saw in college, but he should be expected to have a major role in his first year in the NFL, depending on his landing spot.

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