The new deal could be worth $85.5 million with incentives and includes $66.5 million guaranteed, per the reports.

Smith, 34, will be under contract through the 2027 season. He had the 2025 season and $31 million remaining on the $75 million pact he signed while with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023.

The Seahawks traded Smith to Las Vegas last month for a 2025 third-round draft pick after being unable to come to terms on an extension.

A full-time starter in Seattle the past three seasons with two Pro Bowl nods, Smith was reunited with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders hired this offseason. Carroll, 73, was out of coaching last year after mutually agreeing with the Seahawks to step down as head coach. He stayed on as an adviser.

Smith was Carroll's starting quarterback his final two seasons, piloting the Seahawks to matching 9-8 records after taking over for Russell Wilson, who was traded away before the 2022 season.

That year, his first as a full-time starter in Seattle, was Smith's most successful, as he threw for 4,282 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs. He also completed a NFL-leading 69.8 percent of his passes and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

The follow-up year netted fewer passing yards (3,624) and touchdowns (20) as Smith missed two games to a groin injury. Last year, under new coach Mike Macdonald, Smith rebounded to throw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns (albeit with 15 interceptions) while leading Seattle to a 10-7 record.

Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round in 2013 after a highly productive college career at West Virginia. He started 29 games over his first two seasons before being relegated to the bench, bouncing to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.

Maguranyanga, 22, is listed as a defensive end. The Zimbabwe native played in the French Top 14 rugby league before heading to the football development camps at the IMG Academy in Florida in December.

He will not count against the Commanders' 90-man offseason roster. Per NFL guidelines, teams are allowed an additional spot in training camp and on the practice squad for designated players with international backgrounds.

Edwards, 28, played for the Chiefs' Super Bowl championship team during the 2023 campaign. He split last season with the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

A third-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2019, Edwards has recorded 247 tackles, eight interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in 83 games (30 starts) with the Buccaneers (2019-22, 2024), Chiefs and Bills.

He won Super Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and Super Bowl LVIII with Kansas City.

Per ESPN, the Cowboys are sending their compensatory fifth-round pick to the Patriots and a seventh-round pick.

Milton, 25, will serve as the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas after Cooper Rush signed with the Baltimore Ravens last month. Trey Lance, the Cowboys' third-string quarterback the past two seasons, is a free agent.

Making his NFL debut, Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5. New England selected Milton in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tennessee.

The Patriots feature Drake Maye as their starting quarterback. They also have Josh Dobbs on the quarterback depth chart after signing the veteran to a two-year, $8 million deal last month.

Blank said at the NFL annual meeting in Florida that he understands the situation and peripheral concern around paying a longtime starter more than $2 million per month in 2025 to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Michael Penix Jr. As of his most recent one-on-one meeting with Cousins, Blank maintained that's precisely what he plans to do.

"I think Kirk will do what he needs to do. He'll show up when he needs to show up," Blank said two days after head coach Raheem Morris informally dismissed Cousins from voluntary workouts. "I think he'll do what his heart and spirit allows him to do. I never see him as being a divisive individual. I don't think it's in him to be that way. With certain personalities, you might worry a little bit. I'm not really worried about that."

Cousins turns 37 in August and, in addition to $100 million in guarantees, the Falcons gave him a no-trade clause to sign who was considered the marquee free agent in the 2024 offseason cycle. But suitors are unlikely to part with assets to pick up Cousins' albatross contract -- unless an injury or unexpected turn of events leads to desperation.

Among the potential landing spots for Cousins are the Minnesota Vikings -- as a backup or competitor to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, selected two picks after Penix by the franchise Cousins abandoned in free agency -- and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh is changing starting quarterbacks for the third consecutive season, opening the door for Justin Fields (Jets) and Russell Wilson (Giants) to bolt in free agency after both posted winning records for the team last season. The Steelers are on hold for another greybeard free agent, Aaron Rodgers, to decide if he'll join the team for 2025. Minnesota also kicked the tires on bringing in Rodgers, an option that could be revived.

Blank claims Atlanta's commitment to Cousins as a No. 2 quarterback, as expensive and rare as the arrangement might be, works for the team for at least another season. He said the Falcons are comfortable paying Cousins a premium rate as insurance behind Penix, who had a significant history of major injuries in college and has only started three games in the NFL.

"When you have a starting quarterback, God forbid, even with all the protection the league affords with rules and equipment, etcetera, players get hurt on occasion. And it could be the quarterback," Blank said.

Warren made the assertion at the NFL's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

The Bears bought a 326-acre property in Arlington Heights in 2021 that was expected to include a multibillion dollar stadium project with restaurants, retail space and real estate. Over the summer of 2023, however, the team said those plans were "at risk" due to stalled negotiations over property taxes.

Instead, in April of 2024 the Bears unveiled plans for a new state-of-the-art domed stadium with the intention of building it on the museum campus in Chicago near the team's current site at Soldier Field.

On Wednesday, Warren said the final decision will include both of those locations.

"The focus now is both downtown and Arlington Heights," Warren said Wednesday. "One thing about Arlington Heights, I always try to look for the positive elements. To have that beautiful piece of land that has great topography -- you can actually see downtown from there. To have the Salt Creek that runs in between it, it's almost split equally from an acreage standpoint. And you think of the Metra spots, it has an Arlington Park location there."

"... Arlington Heights is, I keep going back to it, it's an absolutely fantastic piece of land. I thank George and his family for having the foresight."

Although the team has said construction of the stadium will be privately funded, concerns arose in Arlington Heights regarding how much of the cost of the infrastructure around the stadium would be put on taxpayers.

Warren noted "progress" in Arlington Heights, where in December the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to settle the annual property tax bill for the Bears' potential stadium site at $3.6 million.

"These are not linear processes or projects. They take time, they take a lot of energy and effort," Warren said. "I am very, very pleased with where we are. I think we, collectively as a group, are where we thought we would be."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was not concerned at how long the Bears' stadium decision is taking.

"It's an important issue for the community and the team," Goodell said from the annual meetings, per the Chicago Sun Times. "It's not uncommon for it to be a two-year discussion. They started very early -- their lease isn't up (until after the 2033 season). Those discussions, you expect are going to be thorough. There are going to be twists and turns through that process. And then you get to the process of having to actually build once you make those decisions, ultimately. There's a lot to do."

The Raiders announced his passing on social media. No cause of death was given.

"The Raiders Family mourns the passing of John Vella, a standout on the dominant Raider offensive lines of the 1970s and a starter on Oakland's Super Bowl XI Championship team," the team said in a statement. "The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with the Vella family at this time."

The Raiders selected Vella in the second round of the 1972 draft out of Southern Cal. He played in 92 career games (48 starts), all but eight of those games coming with the Raiders. He finished out his career in Minnesota in 1980.

Vella started 14 games at right tackle during the 1976 season, culminating with three starts in the postseason as the Raiders defeated the Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI.

Much like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, the Chiefs wish to become a permanent staple on the Dec. 25 holiday.

Kansas City played games on Christmas in 2023 and 2024, with last year's win at Pittsburgh drawing 24.1 million viewers across Netflix and local CBS stations in the participating markets.

The NFL confirmed earlier this week that three games will be played on Christmas (a Thursday) in 2025, two on Netflix followed by the nightcap on Amazon Prime.

According to The Athletic, the Chiefs are expected to be part of that tripleheader.

The report also identified Kansas City as the "No. 1 franchise in consideration" to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 5 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Terms were not disclosed by the Broncos. Multiple outlets reported it's a one-year contract.

Ehlinger, 26, had spent his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Texas.

He has played eight games in his NFL career, none last season. Ehlinger played in four games in 2022, making three starts and going 0-3 with 64-of-101 passing (63.5 percent) for 573 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also had 17 rushing attempts for 87 yards.

Ehlinger joins starting quarterback Bo Nix and seventh-year veteran Jarrett Stidham on the depth chart. The Broncos' third quarterback last season, Zach Wilson, signed with the Miami Dolphins in March as a free agent.

A league spokesperson confirmed the bid to the league's request for proposal. The bid comes on the heels of Williams' attendance at the NFL owners meetings last week as part of a panel conversation on women's sports.

FOS reported that the NFL is looking to invest in the leagues but have other partners operate them. The NFL eyes selling media rights for the leagues once they're operational.

Ten companies so far have approached the NFL about investing in the venture, per Sports Business Journal.

"It's clear that there's a lot of interest in a pro flag league," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters. "We've been getting bids on people who want to invest in that either financially or invest in the operations of that. So, we're hard at work, and I expect there'll be progress soon."

The deadline for submissions is this week. However, there's no timeline for launch of the leagues or franchise locations, per SBJ.

A source close to the 25-year-old former sixth-round pick said Milton would prefer to be on a roster where he can compete for the starting job rather than serve as one of Drake Maye's backups in New England.

The Patriots also have Josh Dobbs on the quarterback depth chart after signing the veteran to a two-year, $8 million deal last month.

Milton caught the league's attention in Week 18 last season. Making his NFL debut, the rookie completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 win against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5.

First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was asked Monday at the NFL owners meetings about Milton being a potential trade asset.

"We'll see as the draft approaches, or where Joe is on April 7 to start our offseason program," Vrabel said. "But you have to give Joe credit for being ready to go, going from the third quarterback to being able to win that football game and stay ready and stay hungry."

The Cardinals did not confirm financial terms, but ESPN and NFL Network reported the deal is for $5.5 million with a max value of $7.5 million.

Campbell, 38, was a second-round draft pick of the Cardinals in 2008 and played his first nine seasons there, followed by stints with Jacksonville (2017-19), Baltimore (2020-22) and Atlanta (2023).

He spent the 2024 season with the Miami Dolphins and posted 52 tackles (12 for loss), 12 quarterback hits and five sacks.

In his 261-game career (242 starts), Campbell has amassed 917 tackles, 266 quarterback hits, 110.5 sacks, 18 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and three interceptions. His 187 tackles for loss rank most among all active players.

Campbell was also the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for the 2019 season and a first-team All-Pro in 2017.

Goodell said discussions with franchises and the NFL Players Association about NFL participation in the Olympics are on the horizon.

He said he's heard from several players enthusiastic about playing in the 2028 Games, when flag football will make its debut as an event.

"I think that's something that we'll continue discussions with not just the union, but also the clubs," Goodell said. "I think both of those are things that will probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."

Goodell had also floated the idea of the NFL establishing a professional flag football league when speaking at the Super Bowl in February. There were no concrete updates Tuesday on the development of such a league, but the topic was tied back into the Olympics.

"I do think that the Olympics is a critical moment for us in the flag development on a global basis," Goodell said. "Listen, the Olympics are the pinnacle of international sport, and for us to be able to participate in that, to have both men's and women's flag teams participating from around the world, is a significant moment for us.

"So there is a lot of lead-up to that in the qualifications and how that happens, so that is clearly inspiring some of the work."

In the near term, one league rule change that didn't pass but could gain traction was the Detroit Lions' proposal to change playoff seeding. The Lions wanted wild-card teams to be seeded above division winners with inferior records.

Goodell called it a "very healthy proposal" and said he could see a world where division winners with sub-.500 records do not receive home-field advantage for the first round.

"There's great data to show that we should really look at some form of this," Goodell said.

Goodell also declined to discuss the league's investigation into Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who stands accused by 16 massage therapists of inappropriate sexual conduct.

"I haven't gotten an update but I know the review is ongoing," Goodell said. "We won't be giving updates but when we have something, we'll certainly share it with everyone."

Front Office Sports reported last week that the sides were engaged in "serious talks," and ESPN made the official announcement Tuesday.

Schrager, 42, is well known for his role as the co-host of "Good Morning Football" on the NFL Network along with his pre-game and sideline work for Fox Sports' NFL broadcasts. His final day with GMFB was Monday.

Schrager is expected to contribute to numerous programs across the network, including "SportsCenter," "NFL Live," Stephen A. Smith's "First Take," "The Pat McAfee Show" and "Get Up" with Mike Greenberg. He will also contribute to ESPN's coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft later this month.

"Peter will have an instant impact at ESPN combining his charismatic style and deep knowledge of the NFL," ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said in a statement. "His versatility is an asset and will be on display across our shows and platforms as he becomes a signature voice of our NFL coverage. He is a tremendous addition to our roster."

Schrager began his career writing for ESPN.com before joining FoxSports.com and steadily expanding his role as an NFL insider to include "Good Morning Football." He has also authored two books: "Strength of a Champion" with former NFL linebacker O.J. Brigance, and the New York Times best seller "Out of the Blue" with former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.

Schrager joined for the launch of GMFB in 2016.

"I'm incredibly excited for this amazing opportunity with ESPN," he said in a statement. "Beyond their fantastic year-round, wall-to-wall, coverage of the NFL, ESPN is personally special to me in that I grew up watching SportsCenter three or four times every morning before school and swore by that NFL Primetime music with Chris Berman and Tom Jackson doing the highlights on Sunday nights.

"I can't wait to be a part of it all and am thrilled to be joining this incredible team."

Two games will air on Netflix on Dec. 25 followed by a Thursday nightcap on Amazon Prime, the league confirmed Tuesday at the owners meetings in Florida.

The NFL broadcast two games on Netflix last Christmas, which fell on a Wednesday. The Baltimore Ravens beat the Texans 31-2 in Houston, with Beyonce providing the halftime entertainment, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Steelers 29-10 in Pittsburgh.

Both games averaged more than 24 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. Nielsen and Netflix said that 65 million people watched at least a minute of the streaming service's nine-hour presentation.

The teams participating in this season's Christmas trifecta will be revealed when the NFL schedule is released in May.

The official use of Sony's Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system, consisting of six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the ball's position, was announced at the annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

The technology is "an efficient alternative to the process of walking chains onto the field and manually measuring whether 10 yards have been met after the official has spotted the ball," the league said in a news release.

The traditional chain crew will remain on the sidelines in a secondary capacity.

"The NFL and Sony are integrating world-class on-field officiating with state-of-the-art technology to advance football excellence," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "Combining the art of officiating with Sony's trusted Hawk-Eye system is a healthy recipe for success in our commitment to raising the standards of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Replay technology and data-driven insights from Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations aid us in advancing our efforts toward the future of football."

The system notifies on-field officials of the measurement's outcome, with virtual recreations of the measurements produced in real time for the in-stadium crowds and broadcast audience. The total process takes about 30 seconds, saving up to 40 seconds over measurement via chains.

The Hawk-Eye system will be operated from the NFL's Art McNally GameDay Central Officiating Center in New York and integrated with the league's existing replay system.

"Sony's longstanding relationship with the NFL is built upon our joint desire to innovate and bring audiences closer to the action, and Sony's Hawk-Eye virtual measurement system further activates on those commitments," said Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics, North America. "We look forward to providing more excitement to passionate fans as we help transform the game in ways that are only possible through the power of creativity and technology."

Team owner Art Rooney II told reporters Tuesday at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., that there are indicators that Rodgers, a free agent, will sign with the Steelers.

"We keep hearing that he's, I guess, headed in our direction," Rooney said. "And so that seems to [mean] all signs are positive so far."

Among the signs are a meeting with the Steelers as well as a throwing session at UCLA with newly acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf.

Rodgers has been weighing his options for next season since his release by the New York Jets last month. Rooney implied the team hasn't run out of patience and will continue to wait on Rodgers.

"Not forever, but a little while longer," he said.

Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were the starters in Pittsburgh last season and both signed free agent deals to play in New York -- Wilson with the Giants, Fields with the Jets.

Quarterbacks currently on the roster are Mason Rudolph, a former Steeler who is returning after a season with the Tennessee Titans, and Skylar Thompson, the former Miami Dolphins backup.

Rodgers passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the Jets in September 2023.

The 10-time Pro Bowl selection ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

Daboll emerged from the film room on Tuesday morning at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., one of the first times this offseason anyone spotted him without a clicker in his hand.

Daboll said he personally watched every snap in 13-year veteran Russell Wilson's career -- over 10,000 and more than 7,400 pass plays -- to become familiar with exactly where he excels and what the Giants' playcaller might need to avoid as Wilson gets to work with his fourth NFL team.

"Did a lot of work on him," Daboll said. "He makes good decisions with the football. He's athletic. He's a little bit older -- so maybe not as athletic as '13 and '14 -- but certainly has ability to use his legs, extend plays, create explosive plays."

The Giants brought back Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen with a stern directive to fix the QB position. It's a hard reset that began last November, where Daniel Jones' six-year run with the franchise ended with his outright release. Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito didn't fare well behind a line besieged by injuries and weren't fully healthy themselves.

The Giants are still addressing the QB depth chart, even after Wilson and Jameis Winston signed, and Daboll doesn't rule out the possibility of selecting a prospect with the No. 3 pick in the draft. He doesn't expect the Giants to trade out of the No. 3 slot, even to move up for Miami's Cam Ward, but with three more weeks to go, Daboll also said there are numerous questions left to answer.

"The face of a franchise is a quarterback, and it's not an easy position to evaluate. It's not an easy position to coach. It's not an easy position to play," Daboll said. "You do the best job you can to try to find the right one for your team."

Daboll won't be on the road -- Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is among the top prospects in the draft and has a pro day Friday -- but said he's hosted a number of private workouts with quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class. And he's been seeing plenty of Ward and Sanders in the film room, scratching notes and creating reports that could be useful if the Giants opt to add to the QB room.

"We've got three weeks to keep grinding on them. They're good players. They're good people," Daboll said.

His film study of Sanders includes throws to a player Daboll can't hide his affinity for: Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. A wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, Hunter has piqued the Giants' interest and is the No. 1 prospect in the draft, according to ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.

Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver to go with four interceptions and 11 passes defensed at cornerback.

But would New York dare to double up on top-10 picks at wide receiver with 2024 sixth overall pick Malik Nabers on the roster?

Well, the answer to that question lies at the end of a few thousand more plays, Daboll said.

"There's a lot of tape. It's really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level not really getting a rest," Daboll said. "He's been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with. He's a heck of a player."

The Green Bay Packers had proposed a ban on the play, which the Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts, especially, run with great success in short-yardage situations. The Packers' proposal sought "to prohibit any offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap."

The decision not to vote now does not mean the issue won't be put before owners in the future. It means the owners could hold further discussions and the proposal could return with modifications.

Concerns about player safety -- particularly the possibility of neck injuries because of the way both offensive and defensive players must position their bodies during the play -- has fueled the thought of a potential ban.

"I think certainly the medical professionals at the league have high concerns about putting players in positions that could lead to catastrophic injuries," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said, per The Athletic. "I think this is something that needs to be discussed and we need to be proactive with it rather than be reactive on that.

"I think we owe it to our players. It's not about success. It's about safety here."

Not everyone agrees, including Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen.

"I'm not in favor of taking it out. I think it's good for the game," Steichen said, according to The Athletic. "What (the Eagles) do, they do it better than anyone. Other teams are doing it. Buffalo's doing it. I think it's been around for a long time, to be completely honest, because when you're on the half-yard line and backed up, you gotta run a QB sneak. People (are) usually back there pushing."

The workouts begin Monday.

The Dallas Morning News reported late last week that Parsons was seeking a record-setting $200 million contract extension that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. And while there had been thoughts that the pass rusher would hold out of team activities until a deal is done, Schottenheimer said at the NFL annual meeting in Florida that he didn't think so.

"Hey, look, at the end of the day this is a business and when you're dealing with the money that's being tossed around, not just with Micah but with the big-name players, negotiations sometimes take time," the first-year coach said, per ESPN. "I feel very comfortable. Micah said he's going to be around. I think that he wants to be. I think we're all very comfortable with that."

With the departure of longtime defensive leader DeMarcus Lawrence, Parsons has a chance to fill that void.

"Micah's excited about the opportunity to step up in a leadership role," Schottenheimer said. "There's no reason he shouldn't. The best teams I've ever been around, their best players are their best leaders, and so again, I think the more you're around, the more you have a chance to influence the guys, and not just the guys that are back but there's a bunch of new faces. We've added the free agency group. We're going to add some guys in the draft. That's a part of the puzzle. But I know he's excited about that. I think that's one of the reasons why he will be around."

Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

Franchise owner Robert Kraft made the announcement Tuesday in a news release.

Parcellls guided the Patriots to a 32-32 regular-season record from 1993-96. While the .500 mark pales by comparison to what was to come for the franchise under Bill Belichick, it marked a turning point for New England, which was 14-50 in the four seasons before his arrival.

"In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray," Kraft said. "But the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise. We had never had a head coach with his credentials. He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players. In my first season as owner, he led us on that unforgettable seven-game win streak to qualify for the playoffs.

"Two years later, he accomplished something Patriots fans had never seen before, leading us to our first two home playoff wins in franchise history, and another trip to the Super Bowl. Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor. As a five-time finalist for our Hall of Fame, I am sure he would have been voted in eventually, but I wanted to expedite the process so he can enjoy the ceremony. I look forward to welcoming Bill back to Foxborough and celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame."

The Patriots' honor comes 12 years after Parcells, now 83, was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the only coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs and three different teams to a conference championship game.

Parcells had a career 172-130-1 record with the New York Giants (1983-90 with two Super Bowl wins), Patriots, New York Jets (1997-99) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06).

Raheem Morris said Tuesday the Falcons are still comfortable keeping Cousins as the backup to Michael Penix Jr., but after those meetings the likelihood of Cousins playing in Atlanta remains unlikely at best. There's even less of a chance Cousins will attend offseason voluntary workouts, Morris said.

"I'm not going to be foolish to think that he's going to show up for voluntary work," the coach said Tuesday at the NFL's annual league meeting. "Right now, we're dealing with a businesslike mode. ... We're dealing with that type of feel. I don't think he'll be there. If he is, we'll welcome him with open arms. But I'm not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts."

Cousins is not expected to waive his no-trade clause until after the 2025 NFL Draft later this month to avoid finding himself back in the same position he encountered in Atlanta. After signing a four-year, $180 million contract in March 2024, the Falcons surprised the former Washington and Minnesota Vikings starter by drafting Penix with the No. 8 overall pick.

The Falcons started the season 6-3, but a nosedive Cousins told NFL Network coincided with a shoulder injury prompted Morris to turn the offense over to Penix with three games left in the regular season. Penix went 1-2.

That's the thrust of the conundrum for Cousins -- and the Falcons, who are on the hook for $27.5 million guaranteed in 2025 with $10 million more due as a roster bonus in 2026. He turns 37 in mid-August and a team with an opening at the position would need to rewind his 2024 game film to before a dismal five-game stretch in November and December where Cousins had a record of 1-4, was sacked 11 times and threw nine interceptions and one touchdown pass.

Even the most QB-needy teams are not expected to knock on Fontenot's door and take on Cousins' deal as comprised. That's why the GM and Morris have taken a position that they'll go into the season with Cousins as a backup.

"I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point," Morris said. "That's definitely been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I'm not sure. But we have to figure those things out. We have to get to that process."

ABC News reported that the break-in occurred on Sunday evening, Sherman's 37th birthday.

"House being robbed at gun point with my family in it isn't what anyone wants for a birthday gift," Sherman posted on X.com. "Scary situation that my wife handled masterfully and kept my kids safe. If anyone has any info that can help find these people please reach out."

The security footage shows three armed men breaking through a window in Sherman's home.

Per ABC, no arrests have been made.

The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro currently works as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Seattle, Sherman went on to star for the Seahawks for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2014. He also played three seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2018-20) and one season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021).

However, general manager Joe Schoen made clear he isn't going to "force" taking a quarterback that early in the draft, setting a high bar for such a selection.

"Yeah, if you're talking about where we're picking, you'd like that guy to be able to be a franchise quarterback that you can win with, you're winning the NFC East every year," Schoen said. "The ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl if you're taking a guy that high, so they have to be able to check (all) those boxes."

Schoen added that the Giants are in a position to take the best player available at No. 3, regardless of position.

The Giants are picking behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, two quarterback-needy teams, and Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders are the two QB prospects universally projected to be high picks.

Giants owner John Mara said at the start of the offseason that finding a "quarterback of the future" was their No. 1 priority. Since then, New York signed ex-Super Bowl champion Wilson, 36, and former No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Winston, 31.

Wilson said in his introductory press conference that he expects to be New York's starter. Schoen said Monday that the team didn't guarantee to Wilson that it wouldn't also draft a quarterback.

"I didn't tell him what we're going to do at (Pick) 3, but I said we're open to everything," Schoen said. "So yeah, you can't give a promise that you're not going to take a certain position or something like that. That's not fair.

"We can go any which direction. We can go play a game right now. So, it doesn't force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on needs, so gives us optionality to go many different directions."

Winston met with reporters Monday and said he was looking for a team that could offer a starting or "bridge" quarterback role. The Giants signed him before adding Wilson.

"My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we're looking forward to getting better at," Winston said. "I signed up for that because I'm looking forward to getting better and being my very best self myself.

"So that's how was it. I didn't get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I've played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I'm ready for anything."

Winston said he had a good relationship with Wilson, revealing that Wilson once let him have a look at how "Russ ran his enterprise, ran his businesses, how he took care of his body and how he trained and what did he do to go into his mental approach."

If the Giants add a quarterback in the draft, at No. 3 or in a later round, Winston will be happy to play the mentor.

"Me having that experience, being in rooms with great veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, being in rooms with ... Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson last year, having the chance to mentor Dorian Thompson-Robinson when he had a chance to get back in his starting role with the Cleveland Browns. I've been able to learn so many different things from my time, my career," Winston said.

"So catering to a young quarterback and serving them would be something that I would definitely take on with a great responsibility and cherish it."

"We really look forward to having him not just this year, but for the years to come," Spytek told reporters at the NFL's annual spring meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Smith, 34, was traded to Las Vegas earlier this month after being unable to come to terms with the Seattle Seahawks on an extension. He has one year and $31 million remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal signed in March 2023.

A full-time starter in Seattle the past three seasons with two Pro Bowl nods, Smith was reunited with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders hired this offseason. Carroll, 73, was out of coaching last year after mutually agreeing with the Seahawks to step down as head coach. He stayed on as an adviser.

"We're working on it," Carroll said of an extension for Smith.

The Raiders are not ruling out taking a quarterback with their nine picks in the upcoming NFL draft, but the acquisition of Smith takes away some of the pressure.

"We could take one anywhere, but I feel like we got a guy that can go play football right now," Spytek said of Smith. "So, the need and anxiety at that position is not as high as it was a month ago."

Smith was Carroll's starting quarterback his final two seasons, piloting the Seahawks to matching 9-8 records after taking over for Russell Wilson, who was traded away before the 2022 season.

That year, his first as a full-time starter in Seattle, was Smith's most successful, as he threw for 4,282 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs.

The follow-up year netted fewer passing yards (3,624) and touchdowns (20) as Smith missed two games to injury. Last year, under new coach Mike Macdonald, Smith rebounded to throw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns (albeit with 15 interceptions) while leading Seattle to a 10-7 record.

Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round in 2013 after a highly productive college career at West Virginia. He started 29 games over his first two seasons before being relegated to the bench, bouncing to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.

Las Vegas was 4-13 under former head coach Antonio Pierce last season. Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder each started games at quarterback.

Steichen said Monday the QBs will share first-team practice reps starting in the offseason.

"Who's the most consistent, who's the most productive will be the starter," Steichen said at the NFL annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract as the hand-selected competitor to Richardson. Jones spent six years with the New York Giants and finished last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

New York benched Jones in November and then waived him at his request before he joined the Vikings' practice squad.

In Indianapolis, the sixth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft will battle it out with the fourth overall selection of 2023, Richardson, who's had two tumultuous years with the Colts.

Jones has thrown for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 70 career games (69 starts). He's also racked up 2,179 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

"If you look at (Jones') skillset, he can run the football with the zone read game, obviously can throw the football as well," Steichen said. "Career completion percentage is 64 percent, which is pretty good, has had some production, won a playoff game, high football IQ -- really high football IQ -- which is really good."

Richardson made 11 starts in 2024 and threw for 1,814 yards, eight TDs and 12 picks, adding 499 yards and six TDs rushing.

General manager Chris Ballard wouldn't put a timeline on naming a starter and said he envisions a 50/50 split within a practice, rather than rotating who is the No. 1 quarterback in practice day by day.

"I think it'll be pretty seamless," Ballard said. "I think with any competition, you gotta spend the reps evenly and then everybody make a decision on who's going to be the guy."

"Brock wants to be with us," Lynch said. "We want Brock to be with us."

Purdy, 25, has taken the 49ers to the playoffs twice in three seasons, finishing his rookie year with a loss -- and an elbow injury -- in the 2023 NFC Championship game before piloting San Francisco to the Super Bowl in his second season.

After San Francisco missed the playoffs and posted a 6-11 record in 2024, Purdy enters the final year of his rookie contract with both sides stating their interest in completing a deal likely to bring the 2022 seventh-round pick a raise equal to about 10 times his current base salary. Because of his on-field performance, his pay for next season is up from $985,000 in 2024 to $5.346 million in 2025.

Purdy said at the end of the season he hoped for a no-drama negotiation that would be wrapped up before training camp. Lynch suggested a deal could reasonably be finished before the draft.

"I don't think it's too optimistic," Lynch said of signing Purdy in the next month. "I think I understand why Brock wants that, and we'd like that, very much so. We just got to find that right place for both sides and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case."

Lynch said he knows there are no guarantees in contract negotiations but has no plan to delay contract talks because of Purdy's modest salary.

"I think we are going to get the deal done," Lynch said. "That's what I believe, so I'll just leave it at that."

Head coach Mike McDaniel dismissed suggestions the Dolphins might part with Hill, who was adamant he wanted out of Miami when the 2024 season ended with the team outside the playoff picture at 8-9. It was the first season in Hill's nine-year NFL career with the Chiefs and Dolphins that ended without at least one playoff game.

Hill played through a wrist injury and had surgery after the season. He followed up an All-Pro campaign in 2023, when he had 1,799 receiving yards, with 959 in 2024.

McDaniel said he would be fine with Hill coming back -- and serving as a captain, if he can prove to teammates he's dedicated to making sure the Dolphins return to their winning ways.

"I think that's what Tyreek's up for ... up for the challenge, because Tyreek wants to set the standard of what type of competitors we have," McDaniel said.

"I think in that scenario, I would be pumped if he was voted captain. Because I think that Tyreek, being accountable for who he is as a competitor and what he's learned from in his journey, I think that means that his teammates have seen him completely ... embraced the whole process of, ‘Hey, I'm a human being. This is wrong. This is right. This is how we want to do things.'"

McDaniel said the Dolphins are encouraged Hill was recently cleared to begin running, but they'll take their time asking him to do much more than that during offseason workouts.

"We'll gradually work him into catching the football and going through that process so that at the end of the offseason program, we should be able to get that work that we were unable to this season before," McDaniel said.

"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun," he said at the league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. "We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee (Haslam, Jimmy's wife and franchise co-owner) and I, so hold us accountable."

The Browns acquired Watson from the Texans in March 2022, despite the quarterback being accused of committing sexual improprieties with multiple massage therapists in the Houston area. Cleveland sent Houston first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, along with a 2023 third-round pick, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 in exchange for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

After the trade, the Browns signed Watson, who then had three Pro Bowl selections to his credit, to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. He is still owed $92 million.

In return, Watson has compiled a 9-10 record while starting only 19 of 51 possible regular-season games due to injuries and an 11-game suspension related to the sexual assault allegations. In those games, he has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

After tearing an Achilles in January for the second time in less than a year, the 29-year-old is expected to miss most or all of the 2025 season.

The Browns finally have a first-round draft pick and own the No. 2 overall selection in the draft, to be held April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

With only Watson and Kenny Pickett on the roster, the Browns need a long-term solution at quarterback. But Haslam said the Browns won't draft a quarterback if there isn't one available whom they believe is the QB1 of the future.

"It would be great if we could get ‘the quarterback,' but we're not going to force it," Haslam said. "We're going to be patient and we're going to try to accumulate as many really good football players as we can."

"I don't see us getting something done anytime soon. We're onto the draft. Just because we don't get something done this year doesn't mean we can't get something done before he's a free agent," general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

A deal for $15 million per season would rank Cook third among NFL running backs behind the Philadelphia Eagles' Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million per season) and the San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey ($19 million).

Cook is due to make $5.3 million in the fourth and final season of his rookie deal in 2025. He would become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn't get a new deal with Buffalo.

Cook, 25, made the Pro Bowl and rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the second straight season in 2024, leading the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns.

He has rushed for 2,638 yards and 20 TDs and caught 97 passes for 883 yards and seven scores in 49 games since being drafted in the second round in 2022.

Peter O'Reilly, the league's executive vice president, confirmed there is "strong interest" in hosting a game in Dubai or Abu Dhabi during a news conference on Monday at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

"We don't know the timing, and it's really an ‘if' in terms of whether we'll play a game there. What I will say is that's a market where there's strong interest in our game on a year-round basis. ... It's a market we'll continue to explore," O'Reilly said.

"We've done some exploratory trips there to understand the viability of a potential regular-season game in the market, but we've got more work to do there in terms of what that looks like over this next stretch."

As part of the NFL International Series, games were played in Brazil, England and Germany in 2024. All three nations are on the schedule again in 2025, along with Spain and Ireland. Australia will host a game in 2026.

The league expanded its global markets program on Monday by granting international marketing rights in the UAE to the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders.

But as head coach Kevin O'Connell said at the NFL's annual spring meeting on Monday in West Palm Beach, Fla., that prominent distinction has yet to be earned.

"I feel really, really positive about the path we're going to take with J.J. from a development standpoint, from an acceleration of reps," O'Connell said. "And he's going to benefit from an offseason worth of reps from the offseason program to obviously training camp and being in a competitive situation when our quarterback room is all finalized."

Even as the Vikings entertained signing free agent Aaron Rodgers, O'Connell was in touch with McCarthy in "borderline real time" to apprise him of any developments. Rodgers, who remains unsigned, has maintained contact with O'Connell since their playing days and made the initial contact with Minnesota after he was released by the New York Jets.

O'Connell said the Vikings have high expectations for McCarthy but decided, as a franchise, they didn't want to resist vetting Rodgers as an option to safeguard McCarthy.

"... Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we've all had so much respect for competing against him," O'Connell explained. "And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to."

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it clear the preferred outcome of the offseason shuffling at the quarterback position would be McCarthy stepping into the starting role. He was essentially a professional redshirt in 2024 after being drafted 10th overall because of a post-draft knee surgery, and Sam Darnold went 14-3 to put the Vikings in the NFC playoffs as a wild card.

McCarthy took mostly "visual reps" but was in quarterback meetings and game-planning sessions to become intricately familiar with O'Connell's communication style, expectations and vast offensive playbook.

"I think it's a responsibility for me as the playcaller to make sure I'm building rapport in addition to demanding a standard of the position from a very early time here with J.J. that I think he's going to meet, and challenge himself to meet, on a daily basis," O'Connell said. "Very much excited to see him do that."

That's according to first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, who talked with reporters Monday at the NFL's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

Vrabel said he saw Barmore, 25, recently and could tell by the lineman's "energy and presence" that he was feeling better but that medical staff would continue to monitor him.

"It's something very serious. We take the health of our players extremely serious, especially when you're talking about something like blood clots," Vrabel said, adding the team would develop a plan for him.

Barmore, taken by the Patriots in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, missed the first 10 games last season. He played in four games, then missed the rest of the season due to a recurrence of the blood clots.

In 48 career games (11 starts), Barmore has 13.5 sacks, 139 tackles, 33 QB hits and one forced fumble. He signed four-year, $83 million contract extension with the franchise on April 29, 2024.

He just doesn't know exactly who will still be on the board.

"You tell me who goes 1, 2 and 3, and I'll tell you who goes 4," Vrabel said Monday at the NFL's annual spring meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

New England didn't add a left tackle in free agency and Vrabel confesses the "draft is a good option for us" to fill what is viewed as a glaring need. The Patriots signed 34-year-old Morgan Moses to play right tackle, and the Patriots plan to give Caedan Wallace an opportunity to compete for a starting job, Vrabel said.

While not ruling out a trade down from No. 4, the top offensive tackle prospects in the draft -- LSU's Will Campbell and Missouri's Armand Membou -- are names Vrabel has heavily studied.

"They're great young, talented players that have great film. Will has a lot of snaps at left tackle. Membou has played right, but there's a lot of guys that have played right and left and switched. Those are two good young players to talk about in that conversation," Vrabel said.

Campbell's wingspan of less than 78 inches was a red flag at the NFL Scouting Combine and his arm length of 32 5/8 inches is well under the prototype baseline most teams follow. Vrabel insisted Campbell's college film at LSU proved he can play left tackle in the NFL. He also indicated there are no doubts in the Patriots' building that Membou, a 332-pound freakish athlete who played right tackle at Missouri, can operate on quarterback Drake Maye's blindside.

Vrabel went out of his way to warn media to "be careful" projecting the Patriots to pick a player at the position because it's viewed as a dire need. He said personnel boss Eliot Wolf and the scouting staff are focused on adding premium talent regardless of position, which could include wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado.

The Patriots have Hunter ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in the draft. New England wouldn't insist on Hunter converting to offense full-time after he played both ways at Colorado, logging more than 100 snaps per game as a two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner. New England isn't joining the debate about how difficult the double workload would be in the NFL, because there is no true precedent, Vrabel said.

"We've never seen a player necessarily do it," Vrabel said. "There are some things that he can improve on by probably concentrating more on just one position, but never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player. We'd be open to playing everybody that we had at more than one position, anything that would help the football team."

Vrabel said defensive tackle Christian Barmore is cleared to participate in voluntary team workouts and would be closely monitored in his upramp to return from a blood clotting condition. Barmore, 25, experienced recurring symptoms in December after playing four games and his future was uncertain. Vrabel said Monday that the Patriots have "a great plan for him" now that he's feeling better.

Callahan pointed to plans on the team calendar for the Colorado pro day, where they'll finalize assessments of wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders as part of the final phase of their draft process.

"We're going to do our due diligence," Callahan said Monday at the NFL's annual spring meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. "Whatever we're doing doesn't have to do with any specific player. I wouldn't say it precludes anybody. We're just making sure the process is done the right way."

Miami quarterback Cam Ward is considered the most likely option for the Titans. Callahan, entering his second season with the Titans, was with the Cincinnati Bengals when the franchise picked Joe Burrow first overall in 2020.

"We're open to everything at this point," Callahan said. "If it's something you feel is beyond the value you ever thought you could get that's one thing. But you also have to look at what a potential quarterback could look like. Those guys, to me, are priceless."

Ward's pro day was his third known gathering with Titans' officials, who also met with him at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and hosted him in Nashville in March. Callahan said they've also scheduled another video call with Ward to exhaust all available options.

Even with Colorado's pro day ahead on Friday, general manager Mike Borgonzi disclosed at the combine that the Titans had already set their draft board with "only small moves" up or down likely because of the amount of film study and research the scouting staff had done on the class.

Borgonzi, groomed by the Chiefs the past 15 years and part of the organization when Patrick Mahomes was selected, spoke highly of Ward and Hunter. He has not indicated the door is closed on holdover quarterback Will Levis. However, Callahan and Borgonzi have been careful not to commit to Levis, either.

The head coach and GM were part of the Titans' contingent that also included offensive coordinator Nick Holz at Ward's pro day.

Harbaugh said at the NFL annual spring meeting that Baltimore is in discussions with Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract in 2023. That fully guaranteed deal has salary-cap figures of $74.65 million in 2026 and 2027, and it's possible the two sides are eyeing the deal Bills quarterback Josh Allen signed as a benchmark.

"The value is the top," Harbaugh said. "When Lamar gets paid, he's going to be the highest-paid player in football, just like he was last time. I think every contract he signs till he decides to hang up his cleats, he's going to be that guy."

Jackson, 28, is a two-time NFL MVP and finished second to Allen in the 2024 MVP voting by a margin of four first-place votes. It was the tightest MVP vote since 2003, when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were named co-MVP.

Allen signed a $330 million deal with $250 million in guarantees. His annual average salary of $55 million is equal to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Dak Prescott's contract in Dallas averages $60 million per year.

At the moment, Jackson is ninth in the NFL in AAV at $52 million. Addressing his contract opens the Ravens to be able to do business with other soon-to-be free agents. Safety Kyle Hamilton and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews are high on that list.

"There's been conversations about that internally, I know. How far along that is or whatever, I don't know," Harbaugh said of the potential timing of Jackson's new contract. "That's going to continue to have to be addressed, really with all those guys. You have to manage that dance, the salary-cap dance. Lamar is the main part of that because he's the franchise player. That's a possibility, I think. Sooner or later, definitely it's going to have to happen."

The Steelers met with the 41-year-old Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player, on March 21 for a reported six hours. Tomlin met with media for the first time since then on Sunday at the NFL's annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Tomlin called it "a really good day" spent with a player he has known for some time. As far as a timetable, however, the coach said there's no deadline for Rodgers to work out a deal with the Steelers from the team's perspective.

"I really wanted to spend more of our time just getting to know him better, and things that he values as a player and a man, and what he might be looking for with his next stop," Tomlin said. "I don't know that we've approached it from a deadline perspective. Certainly, as I mentioned, you'd like to have settled circumstances, but deadlines can often bring that to a head."

Tomlin called free agency a process, which has led Pittsburgh to bring back former Steelers QB Mason Rudolph, who played last season with Tennessee, and another veteran, former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson.

The Steelers' 2024 quarterback room has emptied, as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were on one-year deals as they split starts, and Kyle Allen was a reserve. Wilson signed with the New York Giants and Fields went to Rodgers' former team, the New York Jets. Allen signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. The high turnover at the QB position has gone on for two seasons.

"Oftentimes, I say ‘Two is a pattern.' It's a cliche that I use in coaching, but I don't know that I'm alarmed by that as it pertains to this discussion," Tomlin said. "We're just simply trying to put together the very best team that we can put together for 2025. Last year, we had a group in that room that were on one-year deals, and so the possibility of what we're doing right now was a real thing. But that's just one isolated scenario. If we're having similar conversations next year at this time, it's probably more of a discussion for us."

Tomlin is not glossing over the addition of Rudolph, 29, as a potential starter, as he was signed to a two-year contract.

"We're optimistic about the room that we're constructing. Obviously, we're excited about having Mason Rudolph back," Tomlin said. "But certainly we're going to continue to explore all our options in terms of rounding that room out."

That includes adding another free agent or selecting a QB in the draft. Rodgers, who was released by the Jets on March 12 and has not said whether he wants to continue playing, has the decided edge in experience.

He passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the Jets in September 2023.

The 10-time Pro Bowl selection ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

"We're still evaluating the acquisition of a guy at that position, whether it's free agency and/or the draft, and so we're doing our due diligence, communicating with some free agents, also preparing for the draft," Tomlin said. "(GM) Omar (Khan) and I just got off on a nice tour here last week where we were at Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas, for example, our last three trips. I think all three of those institutions have quarterbacks that are draft-eligible, and so it's been a good process for us."

"We believe Justin is the starter," new Jets general manager Darren Mougey told reporters at the annual league meetings on Sunday. "We believe in Justin. We believe we can win with Justin, so we're excited about Justin."

In moving on from Aaron Rodgers, the Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed after he spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Chicago Bears (2021-23) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2024).

Though this will be Fields' third attempt to establish himself as a franchise quarterback, Mougey projects a specific path for the 26-year-old, citing recent turnarounds by Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold elsewhere in the league.

"We have seen some of that as of late and it did (play a factor) as we went through the process, and we think we could have the same" with Fields, Mougey said.

Fields showed flashes for the Steelers when he began the season as their starter while Russell Wilson rehabbed a calf injury. He went 4-2 in six starts and finished the season with 1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and just one interception along with 289 rushing yards and five rushing TDs in 10 games.

"You saw it last year," Mougey said. "He was 4-2 as the starter and probably had some of the best quarterback play of his career. We're going to do everything to support him when he gets here."

Overall, Fields has a 14-30 record as a starter.

The Jets' other options on the roster were journeyman Tyrod Taylor, 2024 fifth-round draft pick Jordan Travis and Adrian Martinez.

Mougey was hired this offseason to replace Joe Douglas, while head coach Aaron Glenn was tapped to take over for Robert Saleh. Both Saleh and Douglas were fired during a dreadful 5-12 season that saw the Jets and Rodgers fall flat despite playoff aspirations.