The Athletic's Jon Machota writes that the Dallas Cowboys' safety position stands out as one that cut see a cut for salary cap purposes this offseason. It's likely that safety Donovan Wilson stays with the team, but another option would be safety Malik Hooker. Wilson has a base salary of $6.5 million in 2025, and cutting him would leave $3.3 million in dead money. The 30-year-old started all 17 games last year, finished third on the team in tackles (82) and fifth in sacks (4.5), and ranked 61st among all safeties on Pro Football Focus. Hooker, meanwhile, also played every game in 2024, ranking fourth in tackles (81) and tied for the team lead in interceptions (two). He has a $5.5 million base salary this year and $6.5 million in 2026. He'd leave behind $4 million in dead money if he was cut. Machota thinks the Cowboys will keep both safeties.

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The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that the Cleveland Browns could save $3 million by designating edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo as a post-June 1 cut this offseason ahead of his age-30 season. The Browns have plenty of important decisions coming and also have to decide on the futures of veteran defensive tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris. Of course, the elephant in the room is dealing with the trade request from All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett. The 29-year-old Okoronkwo's production was down across the board for the Browns in 2024, as the former fifth-rounder of the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 out of Oklahoma had only 23 tackles (15 solo), three sacks, five tackles for loss, six QB hits and a forced fumble in 16 games (five starts) in his second year in Cleveland. The rotational D-lineman is entering the final year of his three-year, $19 million deal.

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The Cincinnati Bengals have several veterans that are likely to be salary cap casualties this offseason, including defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness), offensive lineman Alex Cappa, defensive lineman Sam Hubbard and linebacker Germaine Pratt, but The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. writes that Rankins is the most certain cut of the group. When healthy, Rankins only had one sack and four QB pressures and then missed the second half of the season with an illness. The Bengals signed the 30-year-old to a two-year, $24.5 million deal last offseason but will save $9.6 million against the 2025 cap if they cut him. Rankins isn't going to see a roster bonus that he's due on March 17. In addition to just his one sack recorded in 2024, Rankins had only 18 tackles (10 solo) over his seven games played.

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The Los Angeles Chargers agreed to a three-year contract extension with safety Elijah Molden (leg) on Thursday, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. In his first year with the Chargers in 2024, Molden played in 15 games (12 starts) before suffering a fractured fibula on Dec. 28 in the win over the New England Patriots. In his 15 starts, the 26-year-old defensive back had a career-high 75 tackles (43 solo), a career-high three interceptions, seven pass breakups and two fumble recoveries for the Bolts. The former third-round selection (100th overall) by the Tennessee Titans in 2021 out of the University of Washington will now continue his career in L.A. and be a staple of their secondary under head coach Jim Harbaugh. In his three years in Tennessee, Molden had 140 tackles (94 solo), two picks returned for TDs, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a TD).

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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that seven-time All-Pro offensive guard Zack Martin has informed the Dallas Cowboys that he plans to retire, according to sources. Martin is one of the greatest linemen of his era and will surely get into the Hall of Fame down the road. The 34-year-old stepping away and hanging up his cleats will obviously be a big blow to a Cowboys offense that will be run by new head coach Brian Schottenheimer in 2025. In addition to being a seven-time All-Pro, Martin was named to nine Pro Bowls in his 11 seasons in Dallas. His seven first-team All-Pro selections are tied with Hall of Famers Randall McDaniel and John Hannah for the most among guards all time, according to ESPN Research. Martin was a first-rounder back in 2014 and ended up starting 162 games and missing more than one game in a season just twice (2020, 2024). He was named to the NFL's All-Decade team from 2010-20.

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The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain writes that it's hard to see Chicago Bears tight end Gerald Everett sticking around in 2025 to be part of new head coach Ben Johnson's offense after he fell into the team's No. 2 TE role behind Cole Kmet in 2024. Everett signed a two-year, $12 million contract last offseason and caught just eight of 13 targets for a career-low 36 yards and no touchdowns in 17 games (four starts). The 30-year-old veteran carries a $6.5 million salary cap hit for the 2025 season and only $1 million in dead money if he's cut. Everett played in just three snaps in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Heading into his age-31 season, Everett is unlikely to attract much interest on the open market if he's cut, although he did have at least 408 receiving yards in five straight seasons before joining the Bears.

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Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers before the 2023 season, but his biggest supporters, head coach Frank Reich and assistant coach Duce Staley, were fired 11 games into that season. Sanders then took on a backup role behind Chuba Hubbard. The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that the Panthers will create $5.23 million in salary cap space this year by cutting Sanders. Jonathon Brooks is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after a second ACL surgery, but Carolina should be able to find cheaper RB options than Sanders to serve in a backup role to Hubbard. The 27-year-old was a first-time Pro Bowler in his final season with the Eagles in 2022, but he was not the same back in Carolina, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while racking up 637 rushing yards and only three touchdowns on 184 rushing attempts in 27 games (seven starts).

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Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller had a bounce-back season in 2024, but he carries the second-largest salary cap hit on the team for 2025 at $23.8 million as a rotational player. The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia writes that the Bills must do something about Miller's contract, and without taking a pay cut, he's likely to be released. If Miller is cut, Buffalo would save $8.4 million on this year's salary cap while accounting for a $15.4 million dead-cap hit. Buscaglia suggests the Bills could negotiate a pay cut with Miller equal to or greater than how much they'd save on the cap by releasing him. He turns 36 next month and is under contract for three more years, but none of his remaining money is guaranteed. The eight-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP did have six sacks last year but totaled only 17 tackles (13 solo) in 13 regular-season games for the Bills.

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The Athletic's Josh Kendall writes that the Atlanta Falcons releasing defensive tackle David Onyemata would save $16 million on the 2025 salary cap while incurring an $8.8 million dead-cap hit. Cutting fellow defensive tackle Grady Jarrett might make more sense, but he seems untouchable. Atlanta is in need of getting younger up front on their defensive line. Onyemata hasn't been anything special since joining the Falcons as a free agent before the 2023 season, but he's been serviceable with seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He and Jarrett are both heading into their age-32 seasons in 2025. Onyemata, a fourth-rounder in 2016 out of Manitoba by the New Orleans Saints, had 45 combined tackles (second-most in his career), three sacks, eight tackles for loss and five QB hits in all 17 games (16 starts) in Atlanta last year.

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Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams being cut this offseason is viewed as a formality after he was benched in 2024 and made a healthy scratch for the final seven games, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec. The 28-year-old will likely be a post-June 1 cut. Williams restructured his deal last month to make it easier for both sides to move on. The Ravens have a tight salary-cap situation this year, which means that veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet is another potential cap casualty in 2025. In his three seasons with Baltimore, Williams recorded 149 tackles (105 solo), four tackles for loss, five interceptions, 18 pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in 32 games played (30 starts). He had a career-low 33 tackles (26 solo) and two pass breakups in 11 games (nine starts) for the Ravens in 2024 before he was benched in favor of Ar'Darius Washington.

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The Athletic's Doug Haller writes that the Arizona Cardinals don't have an obvious potential salary cap casualty on their roster this offseason with the fourth-most available cap space ($71.3 million), per Over The Cap, but safety Jalen Thompson could be a possibility. Thompson has been a starter for most of his six seasons and has been dependable, but he's also entering the final year of his current contract, and the Cardinals locked up Budda Baker last December. In addition, Arizona drafted Dadrion Taylor-Demerson in the fourth round in 2024. Releasing Thompson would save the Cardinals almost $6.6 million in cap space this year. The 26-year-old was pretty productive in 2024 in his sixth year in the NFL, recording 98 tackles (61 solo), three tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in 15 starts, but he didn't have an interception for the first time since 2020.

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Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Sports Radio 610 on Wednesday that the team is open to bringing impending free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee) back. "I had a good relationship with Stef and his representation. We enjoyed having Stef in the building, so the door is always open," Caserio said. The 31-year-old's 2024 season with the Texans was cut short due to a torn ACL, and he finished with 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games played. Fellow wideout Tank Dell also suffered a serious knee injury that could keep him out for all of 2025, so the Texans will surely be looking for additional help for top wideout Nico Collins this offseason. Diggs' days of being a No. 1 fantasy wideout are likely gone, especially coming off a torn ACL, but he could still put up solid numbers if he returns to Houston as the No. 2 behind Collins.

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ESPN's Brady Henderson writes that the franchise tag isn't an option for the Seattle Seahawks to use on impending free-agent linebacker Ernest Jones IV this offseason, and the team has only used the tag twice since general manager John Schneider took over in 2010. Inside linebackers, which is what Jones is, and pass-rushing outside linebackers are all viewed the same for tag purposes, and Over The Cap projects the tag number for all linebackers in 2025 to be north of $27 million. That's well beyond what the 25-year-old would fetch on the open market on a per-year average. Jones played for the Seahawks and Tennessee Titans in 2024 and finished with 100-plus combined tackles for the third straight year, which is why it's likely that he and Seattle figure out a new deal before he actually hits the open market in early March.

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ESPN's Katherine Terrell writes that New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (leg), who is coming off a broken femur last year that required surgery, is a long shot to be franchise-tagged this offseason. Not only is Adebo coming off a pretty serious injury, but it wouldn't be the best financial move for the organization with other young cornerbacks already on the roster. Additionally, the Saints have one of the worst salary cap situations in the entire league, so using the franchise tag for the first time since 2021 doesn't make much sense. The 25-year-old had 52 tackles (43 solo), three interceptions and 10 pass breakups in seven games before suffering his season-ending injury in 2024 in his fourth year with the Saints. Adebo was on pace to shatter his career-highs but will now become an unrestricted free agent next month.

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The New England Patriots announced on Wednesday that they released linebacker Sione Takitaki. The 29-year-old former third-round pick (80th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in 2019 out of BYU, Takitaki played in 11 contests (four starts) with New England last season and had just 21 tackles (seven solo) for the Patriots in a rotational role. The Patriots will save around $2.8 million on the 2025 salary cap with the move to release Takitaki. He'll hit the free-agent market a bit early and will hope to latch on with another team to provide linebacker depth. In his six seasons in the NFL, Takitaki has produced 289 tackles (164 solo), four sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight QB hits, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 83 games played (40 starts).

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ESPN's Courtney Cronin writes that it's more likely that the Chicago Bears let both wide receiver Keenan Allen and offensive guard Teven Jenkins walk in free agency this offseason. Allen and Jenkins are Chicago's top two free agents this year, but neither are candidates to be slapped with the franchise tag. Allen will turn 33 this year and has clearly declined, while Jenkins missed 23 games over four seasons due to injuries. Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, predictably disappointed in his first and potentially only year in the Windy City with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams struggling in 2024. In 15 starts, he caught 70 of 121 targets for 744 receiving yards (his fewest in a season since 2016). However, he was money in the red zone with seven touchdowns for the second straight season. Allen developed chemistry with Williams, but he could have more bounce-back appeal in fantasy if he goes elsewhere in free agency.

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The Baltimore Ravens re-signed veteran wide receiver Keith Kirkwood to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday, according to the league's personnel notice. Kirkwood spent the entire 2024 season on Baltimore's practice squad and will now return to workout with the team this offseason and through training camp this summer. The 30-year-old pass-catcher made his NFL debut in 2018 with the New Orleans Saints and spent two years in the Big Easy before playing two seasons with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 and 2021. He then returned to New Orleans in 2022 and 2023. Kirkwood's best season was his rookie year, when he caught 13 of 21 targets for 209 yards and two touchdowns. He has accumulated only 24 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns on 43 targets in his six seasons in the NFL.

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Wide receiver Darius Slayton is the New York Giants' top free agent this offseason, but ESPN New York's Jordan Raanan writes that Slayton isn't a candidate to be franchise-tagged with the number being well over $20 million in 2025. Raanan compares Slayton more to Darnell Mooney, who got $13 million per year in free agency last year. The 28-year-old has proven that he's not a No. 1 receiver type that would typically command a franchise tag, and the last time New York let him test the market, they ended up re-signing him on a two-year, $12 million deal after the 2022 season. In his sixth year with the G-Men in 2024, Slayton had just 39 catches on 71 targets for 573 yards (the second-lowest total of his career) and only two touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts). Given the Giants' uncertainty at the QB position, Slayton is probably better off going elsewhere in 2025.

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ESPN Dallas' Todd Archer writes that defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa is the only impending free-agent candidate that the Dallas Cowboys would even consider using the franchise tag on this year, but they are unlikely to do so because of the projected cost of more than $23 million against the 2025 salary cap. However, the Cowboys could still make an attempt to sign him before the new league year starts in March. Odighizuwa's position should be very important in new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus' scheme, and the 26-year-old managed to set career-highs in sacks (4.5) and QB pressures (54) in 2024. The former third-rounder started all 17 games for Dallas last year and played a career-high 816 defensive snaps. If the Cowboys are unable to re-sign him, Odighizuwa should attract plenty of interest on the open market.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will not face discipline from the NFL for carrying an unlicensed gun, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter. The 23-year-old avoided criminal charges after a gun was discovered by police during a traffic stop for speeding. Williams possessed a gun without a concealed pistol license to carry but later obtained one. Williams has been suspended by the NFL in the past for gambling, but he will not face any suspension for this incident. Williams, a former first-round pick, posted career highs in receptions (58), receiving yards (1,001), and receiving touchdowns (seven) in 2024.

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