🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

The 2025 NFL offseason continues as the sports calendar heats up with March Madness!

🔒 Bengals headline big contracts

The star trio of QB Joe Burrow and WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is staying together, with Chase and Higgins each getting four-year extensions with the Bengals.

• Chase, who wanted an extension last offseason but didn’t get it, notched a 2024 Triple Crown in receiving and is now the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history at $40.25 million pear year.

• Higgins is the highest-paid second WR on a team in league history at $28.75 million pear year.

• Add in Burrow’s $55 million, and the Bengals are paying $124 million per year to their three offensive headliners.

How it happened: Chase and Higgins share an agent and essentially negotiated together, and Burrow put pressure on the organization to get it done—now a lot is riding on the stars playing at an extremely high level.

The Texans are signing All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr. to a three-year, $90 million extension making him the highest-paid DB in league history.

The Eagles extended All-Pro OT Lane Johnson through 2027.

The other big WR move of last week was Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp staying in the NFC West, going from the Rams to the Seahawks on a three-year, $45 million deal. Kupp returns home after playing his college ball at Eastern Washington and gets to play the team that got rid of him while bringing in Davante Adams twice per year.

🤔 QB news and Aaron Rodgers watch

The Steelers and the Giants presumably continue to wait on Aaron Rodgers, as Rodgers himself waits on… the Vikings.

• According to multiple reports, Minnesota is seriously considering signing the four-time NFL MVP, with the decision coming down to HC Kevin O’Connell.

• Keep in mind that the Vikings tried to bring back QB Daniel Jones but then told him they were moving on—was it because they are considering Rodgers instead?

• There’s some talk that Rodgers might opt for retirement if the Vikings don’t want him, but we’d think the opportunity to play for a Steelers squad that just added DK Metcalf would be an appealing option.

Rodgers moves at his own pace, so there’s no telling when this might end. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson visited the Browns and Giants last week, and New York is hosting Jameis Winston for a visit today.

The aforementioned Jones signed with the Colts, as he’ll compete with Anthony Richardson for the QB job in 2025. Another Jones—Mac Jones—landed with the 49ers as Brock Purdy’s backup, an interesting landing spot with Kyle Shanahan after San Francisco looked poised to take Jones No. 3 overall in 2021 before pivoting to Trey Lance.

More likely backup QB moves: Steelers (Mason Rudolph), Cardinals (Jacoby Brissett), Chiefs (Gardner Minshew), Ravens (Cooper Rush).

QB Kirk Cousins was officially paid a $10 million roster bonus last Saturday, with the Falcons set to keep him for now until potential trade opportunities arise leading up to the season.

✍️ Trades, signings, and releases

There were a few trades last week, headlined by the Eagles trading S C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

• The Eagles traded CJGJ and a 2026 sixth-rounder to the Texans for former first-round G Kenyon Green and a 2026 fifth-rounder.

• The Cowboys acquired LB Kenneth Murray Jr. from the Titans.

• The Bills traded former first-round CB Kaiir Elam to Dallas.

• The Vikings acquired RB Jordan Mason from the Niners, and—fantasy owners take note—Mason is apparently set for a big role.

Free agent signings include WR Mike Williams returning to the Chargers, the Bills getting DE Joey Bosa, the Broncos adding TE Evan Engram, and the Ravens getting WR DeAndre Hopkins, among other moves:

• Vikings: G Will Fries and DT Javon Hargrave. Bills: DT Larry Ogunjobi and DE Michael Hoecht, who are both expected to be suspended six games for PED violations, and CB Dane Jackson. Chargers: G Mekhi Becton. Falcons: OLB Leonard Floyd. Chiefs: CB Kristian Fulton. Commanders: CB Jonathan Jones. Saints: S Justin Reid. Seahawks: DE DeMarcus Lawrence and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Eagles: OLB Joshua Uche, OLB Azeez Ojulari, and CB Adoree’ Jackson. Raiders: RB Raheem Mostert and CB Eric Stokes. Titans: G Kevin Zeitler and DL Dre’Mont Jones. Browns: DT Maliek Collins. 49ers: WR Demarcus Robinson and S Richie Grant. Patriots: OLB K’Lavon Chaisson. Cowboys: DE Dante Fowler Jr., DE Payton Turner, DT Solomon Thomas, and RB Miles Sanders. Steelers: RB Kenneth Gainwell and S Juan Thornhill

Players released include longtime Patriot stalwart C David Andrews, Jets captain LB C.J. Mosley, Vikings C Garrett Bradbury, Ravens S Marcus Williams, and Titans CB Chidobe Awuzie.

Players brought back to their teams during free agency: Bills S Damar Hamlin, Cowboys WR/returner KaVontae Turpin, Commanders QB Marcus Mariota, Bills RB Ty Johnson, Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike, Ravens WR/returner Tylan Wallace, Dolphins LB Tyrel Dodson

Nine-time Pro Bowl FB Kyle Juszczyk was brought back by the 49ers on a two-year deal after the team released him.

📰 More NFL news

Ravens DT Michael Pierce announced his retirement after nine NFL seasons—and he went out with a memorable play in his final regular season game.

After retiring before last season, G Saahdiq Charles is coming out of retirement.

The NFL announced the compensatory draft choices for the 2025 NFL Draft. Full complete draft order.

“What’s five more going to do for my life that I can’t already do right now?” Bills QB Josh Allen took (much) less money than he could have gotten on his new contract.

Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr.’s yearlong dispute with Fanatics has been settled, and his jersey is now available for purchase.

Number news: Rams WR Puka Nacua is switching to No. 12, paving the way for Davante Adams to take No. 17; WR DK Metcalf will wear No. 4 for the Steelers; and Bills LB Terrel Bernard is changing from No. 43 to No. 8.

Bengals TE Mike Gesicki comically said he was living a meme when he heard Joe Burrow say he had to get paid along with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Other Sports Updates

🏀 March Madness: The 2025 bracket has been unveiled, led by No. 1 overall seed Auburn.

🏒 Record watch: Capitals great Alexander Ovechkin is eight goals from tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record.

⛳️ Rory McIlroy won THE PLAYERS Championship for the second time, taking a three-hole playoff on Monday morning because of a weather delay.

🤕 Golf legend Tiger Woods ruptured his Achilles and had surgery, with a “full recovery” expected.

👀 “It’s been fun outfield… Just to be clear, I will be pitching.” MLB slugger Joey Gallo is making the transition to pitcher at 31 years old.

🐺 Found on wolfsports.com

• 2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

• Remaining NFL free agent fits

• Marshall EDGE Mike Green scouting report (🔒)

• Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo scouting report (🔒)

• Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson scouting report (🔒)

• Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson scouting report (🔒)

• UCLA EDGE Oluwafemi Oladejo scouting report (🔒)

• Texas S Andrew Mukuba scouting report (🔒)

• LSU CB Zy Alexander scouting report (🔒)

• Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku scouting report (🔒)