Boston Celtics reserve guard Payton Pritchard is the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Pritchard averaged a career-high 14.3 points for the Celtics, led the NBA in points off the bench with 1,079 in 80 games and set an NBA single-season record for most 3-pointers off the bench with 246. He was third among reserves in assists (257) and had the league’s best plus-minus of any reserve at plus-428.

Pritchard shot a career-high 47.2% from the field and made 40% of his 3-point attempts for the third time in six seasons with the Celtics, who had one of the league’s top benches. Hs 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists 28.4 minutes per game were also career highs.

“Payton is one of the most dedicated players I’ve ever been around,” Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a news release. “He truly loves the game and is committed to the work that goes into being great. In addition, he’s driven by winning and doing whatever it takes to help the team.’

He had two games with at least 30 points this season, including a career-high 43 points against Portland on March 5. He 24 games with at least 20 points and 22 games with at least five made 3s, including 10 against the Trail Blazers making him the eighth NBA reserve to make 10 or more 3s in a game.

Pritchard, a first-time winner of the trophy named after Celtics great John Havlicek, received 82 of 100 first-place votes, 13 second-place votes and five third-place votes and finished with 454 points ahead of Detroit’s Malik Beasley (279 points) and Cleveland’s Ty Jerome (81 points).

‘Payton is a baller – and his teammates know what they are getting every single day in terms of effort, care, and commitment,’ Stevens said. ‘For him to be honored with the award named after the great John Havlicek is a credit to all that he brings to the table for our team.’

The 6-1 guard has turned into a valuable contributor and played a significant role in Boston’s championship last season.

Boston leads the Orlando Magic 1-0 in their first-round playoff series, and Pritchard scored 19 points and was 4-for-6 on 3s in the series opener. Game 2 is Wednesday in Boston (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

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Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk returned to action with two goals and an assist, and the Stanley Cup champs swiped home-ice advantage by thumping the host Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-2, to start their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.

Sidelined in the season’s final 25 games with a lower-body injury, Tkachuk tallied on two power plays in Game 1 of the Battle of Florida. Defenseman Nate Schmidt added one on the man advantage and another at even strength as Florida went 3-for-3 on the power play.

Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist apiece for the Florida Panthers. Aleksander Barkov posted two helpers. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves.

Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel and Brayden Point scored, but star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy surrendered six goals on just 16 shots.

Game 2 of the series is Thursday night in Tampa.

The Panthers quieted the frenzied home crowd when Mackie Samoskevich, playing in his first playoff game, saucered a waist-high pass that Bennett chipped in at 3:44 of the first period.

However, with four seconds left in the power play following Tkachuk’s roughing penalty, Guentzel, who led the NHL with 17 man-advantage goals, knotted it at 12:21.

Inside the final minute, Florida retook the lead on Reinhart’s redirection of a shot sent wide by Dmitry Kulikov.

Florida went up 3-1 at 4:41 of the second on a goal by Schmidt, who swooped in for a tally after Eetu Luostarinen battled at the top of the crease with Vasilevskiy. Lightning coach Jon Cooper challenged for goalie interference, but the marker stood.

The failed challenge burned the home side, as Reinhart found Tkachuk wide open in the low slot on the ensuing power play. Tkachuk deked Vasilevskiy twice and fired a shot through his pads for a 4-1 edge just 14 seconds after Schmidt’s tally.

With Vasilevskiy shielded by traffic, Tkachuk struck again for a 5-1 lead when his shot caromed off a skate and slid in at 9:44, but Point cut it to 5-2 at 13:04.

Schmidt’s power-play tally at 5:09 of the third gave Florida its second four-goal lead to lock down a 1-0 series lead.

Panthers vs. Lightning highlights

Panthers vs. Lightning playoff schedule

Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2
Game 2: Thursday, April 24, Panthers at Lightning, 6:30 p.m. ET, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 3: Saturday, April 26, Lightning at Panthers, 1 p.m. ET, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 4: Monday, April 28, Lightning at Panthers, TBD
Game 5: Wednesday, April 30, Panthers at Lightning, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, May 2, Lightning at Panthers, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Panthers at Lightning, TBD (if necessary)

Max Domi scored at 3:09 of overtime, lifting the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Ottawa Senators, 3-2, on Tuesday night and giving the hosts a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Game 3 is Thursday in Ottawa.

Domi scored on a 28-foot wrist shot from the edge of the left circle after taking a backhand pass from Simon Benoit and weaving to his left.

John Tavares had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs. Morgan Rielly also scored and Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves.

Brady Tkachuk and Adam Gaudette scored for the Senators and Linus Ullmark stopped 18 shots.

Toronto opened the first period aggressively and Ullmark was forced to make a save when Pontus Holmberg broke in alone at 1:20.

The pressure paid off when Rielly moved to the edge of the crease and steered home a pass from William Nylander at 3:43.

The Senators reversed the flow when they took four shots on goal during a power play that started at 4:45 but Stolarz was solid.

The Maple Leafs took advantage of their first power play. Tavares scored from the right circle when his shot was deflected by a defender at 8:20 with Toronto’s Matthew Knies hovering on the doorstep. Artem Zub was off for tripping.

Ottawa came out stronger in the second period and took four shots on goal on an early power play.

The Maple Leafs can be vulnerable to the forecheck and the Senators kept them bottled up for stretches in the first half of the second period.

Ottawa broke through on the power play at 15:41 of the second when Tkachuk’s between-the-legs pass from the side of the crease was knocked into the net by Toronto defenseman Brandon Carlo. Nicholas Robertson was off for high-sticking.

Ottawa was gaining confidence and had a 13-3 edge in shots on goal in the second.

The Senators hemmed the Maple Leafs in for nearly a minute midway into the third but could not get a shot on goal. Toronto was effectively clogging the middle of the ice.

A turnover in the Toronto zone helped Ottawa tie the game when Gaudette deflected Tyler Kleven’s shot at 14:47 of the third.

Maple Leafs vs. Senators highlights

Maple Leafs vs. Senators playoff schedule

Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2
Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT)
Game 3: Thursday, April 24, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, ESPN2
Game 4: Saturday, April 26, Maple Leafs at Senators, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6:  Friday, May 1, Maple Leafs at Senators, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Saturday, May 3, Senators at Maple Leafs, TBD (if necessary)

The NBA on Tuesday fined Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards $50,000 “for directing inappropriate language and making an obscene gesture toward a fan.”

This incident happened with 4:33 remaining in the third quarter of Minnesota’s 117-95 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. The Timberwolves were ahead 85-61 and waiting for a timeout to end. Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid were on the sideline near the scorer’s table when Edwards exchanged words with a fan.

Edwards has been fined by the league multiple times this season, including a fine for each of his 17 regular-season technical fouls – totaling $622,000, which includes a one-game suspension.

Anthony Edwards fines in 2024-25

Nov. 17: Fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture on the playing court in a game at Sacramento.

Dec. 9: Fined $25,000 for using profane language during a media interview after a game at Golden State.

Dec. 23: Fined $75,000 for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language after a home game.

Dec. 29: Fined $100,000 for using profane language during a live TV interview after a game at Houston.

Jan. 13: Fined $50,000 for making obscene gestures toward a game official during a home game.

Feb. 28: Fined $5,000 and suspended one game for accumulating his 16th technical foul of the season. Each technical foul includes a fine on an escalating penalty scale.

March 1: Fined $35,000 for failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection and throwing the game ball into the spectator stands during a game at the Los Angeles Lakers.

(This story has been updated with additional information.)

They can be underhanded, brutal and merciless. Among those regularly ripping Sanders, the Colorado quarterback and son of Deion Sanders, one man stands apart.

It’s Daniel Kelly, 51, a former pro scout for the New York Jets. Last week, he said he was laying low with his criticism of Sanders. But that day he extended his streak of posting negative tweets about the quarterback to 14 days in a row.  

In some ways, the overall criticism of Sanders has been fair. But in other ways, it’s traversed into the extreme.

Kelly represents the latter. He exemplifies the challenges polarizing players like Sanders encounter on social media from individuals who consider themselves draft experts − but may not have the extensive experience and accountability of high-profile experts like the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah or ESPN’s Louis Riddick.

‘It’s never hating,’ Kelly told USA TODAY Sports. ‘It’s evaluating.’

With Sanders expected to be picked in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Kelly has bestowed on him a ‘100% bust rate.’ He also has labeled Sanders as ‘an immature, passive aggressive hothead’ and ‘NFL practice squad talent with a Hall of Fame name.’ Of Sanders’ character, the former scout wrote ‘he has a suitcase full of red flags.’

In more analytical fashion, Kelly writes Sanders has ‘decent arm strength,’ ‘good behind-the-line-of-scrimmage mobility’ and resets in the pocket. But that he takes too long to throw the ball, presents a medical risk because of a fractured back in 2023 and is prone to fumbling.

The result: Kelly has raised his profile, relished articles being written about his opinions of Sanders and ticked off some notable people.

On March 3, Deion Sanders Jr. wrote on X, ‘Bro just calm yo (expletive) down….’ On April 3, Mel Kiper Jr. tersely dissected one of Kelly’s tweets during ESPN’s ‘First Draft.’ And every day, Kelly said, he gets bombarded with unpleasant messages, including death threats, on his X account, @firstroundmock.

‘My wife can’t believe some of the stuff I’ve showed her,’ Kelly said.

The improbable path

Kelly’s path to the NFL is about as improbable as a sixth-round draft pick becoming the greatest quarterback of all time.

At 17, according to Kelly, he started writing and sending scouting reports to Charley Casserly, then general manager of the NFL’s team in Washington. ‘I remember the name,’ Casserly told USA TODAY Sports.

At 21, according to Kelly, he did an unpaid internship with Tony Dungy, then defensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings. Dungy did not respond to voicemails and text messages from USA TODAY Sports.

At 24, Kelly said, he published an NFL Draft guide and sent copies to every team in the league. The Jets apparently were impressed enough to hire Kelly, who said he was working as a loan officer at the time.

‘I was sitting in the best chair in the National Football League at 24 years old,’ he said.

A 1998 media guide for the Jets lists Kelly as a member of the support staff and working pro personnel. He said he worked with the team until 2002. As evidence, Kelly has shared online photos of a Jets ID badge and a Jets business card identifying him as a Pro Scout.

Lionel Vital, who was a scout with the Jets in 1998 and 1999 and went on to become director of college scouting for the Dallas Cowboys, confirmed Kelly’s time with the Jets.

‘He’d walk in there and he had his opinion, and he’d just stick to it,’ said Vital, who co-hosted a podcast with Kelly last season. ‘He just wouldn’t give up on what he thought, and I know he’s going to tell everybody.’

It was a turbulent four years.

The first month on the job, according to Kelly, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. In early 2001, his daughter Bailey Hope, then 15 months old, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer, Kelly said.

‘It made my cancer look like a walk in the park,’ he said.

He shared a memorial card of his daughter. She died Dec. 25, 2001.

Kelly said he got fired by the Jets about two months later.

‘I believe I had the talent to do this,’ Kelly said, ‘but I was too immature.’

Predictions gone wrong

Jason Brown, a football coach who starred in Netflix’s ‘Last Chance U,’ said of Shedeur Sanders, ‘Let’s be honest, if he’s not Prime’s son, he’s not even a (expletive) third-rounder.’

Dan Sileo, a retired defensive tackle who played one year in the NFL, wrote on X, ‘QB Shedeur Sanders will be an @nfl bust!’

In other words, Kelly isn’t the only one openly blasting Sanders. But it’s come at a price.

Critics have skewered Kelly for some of his past predictions, such as:

‘Tim Tebow…is a future Hall of Fame caliber quarterback.‘

‘Bryce Young has the best potential I’ve ever seen to quickly turnaround a struggling team.‘

‘Spencer Rattler is the next Patrick Mahomes.‘

What Kelly would prefer to highlight:

‘Any GM who is considering (Trey Lance) or takes him in the first round should be fired on the spot.’ 

‘It would be foolish to take (Zach Wilson) in the first round. He will get everybody fired.‘

‘(C.J.) Stroud is a franchise quarterback.‘

Dreaming again

Bill Polian, the retired general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, said he doesn’t know of Kelly or begrudge draft analysts like him. But he says they’re ill-equipped.

‘If someone’s a retired scout, then he has about 45% of the information,’ Polian said, noting that psychological testing and medical evaluations are among information available only to NFL personnel. ‘I just know that they don’t have all the information that I, as a general manager, needed in order to make a judgment.’

Added Polian: ‘Some guy in his grandmother’s basement doesn’t know how to look at film.’

For the record, Kelly said he lives in a townhouse in Key West, Florida, with his wife, Samantha.

‘First two years I was out of football, I didn’t even watch the game,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t, it was too painful…

‘I’m 28 years old. I’m on the backside of my dream.’

But he’s dreaming again, about reclaiming his NFL dream. Says he’s working 17 to 20 hours a day, six to seven days a week while building his business, First Round Mock, and its website he launched in 2022.

‘He grinds,’ said Vital, the former NFL scout.

There’s little time to waste at 51, hoping to get back to the NFL while pumping out scouting reports, more analysis and tweets, many of them pointed and directed at Sanders.

‘Please get help,’ one X user wrote to Kelly, ‘you are clearly hurting about something.’

Jordan Martinook continued to haunt the Devils in the postseason, posting a goal and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes beat New Jersey, 3-1, on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C., to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Newark, N.J.

Martinook has four goals and 13 points in seven career playoff games against New Jersey.

‘I love (the) playoffs; I feel like it brings the best out of me,’ Martinook said.

Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis also scored for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andresen stopped 25 shots.

Jesper Bratt got the goal for the Devils. Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves.

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said, ‘We were able to get to our game early. It’s a great response. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to build on it.’

Carolina, which has held New Jersey to two goals in the series, scored twice in the first six minutes of the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

Gostisbehere tied the game 2:57 into the second when he converted his own rebound. Three minutes later, Martinook’s short-handed goal put the Hurricanes on top. He scored from the left circle off the rush after taking a backhand pass from defenseman Dmitry Orlov in the neutral zone.

Jarvis added an empty-net goal with 37 seconds left.

It could have been worse for the Devils in the second period but defenseman Brett Pesce, a former Hurricane, knocked the puck away from the goal line when it was inches away and cleared another that was heading toward the net.

New Jersey got off to a fast start and took its first lead of the series 3:51 into the game, when Bratt put in the rebound of Erik Haula’s shot off the rush.

When Carolina got chances late in the first period, Markstrom made the saves, including one on Jack Roslovic at the left post during a power play.

The Devils were without defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon because of undisclosed injuries sustained in Game 1 on Sunday. They were replaced by Simon Nemec and Dennis Cholowski, who made their Stanley Cup playoff debuts.

Hurricanes vs. Devils highlights

Hurricanes vs. Devils playoff schedule

Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1
Game 3: Friday, April 25, Hurricanes at Devils, 8, TBS, Max
Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Hurricanes at Devils, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
Game 5: Tuesday, April 29, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6: Friday, May 2, Hurricanes at Devils, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, May 4, Devils at Hurricanes, TBD (if necessary)

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is listed as doubtful for Game 2 against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday with a bruised right (shooting) wrist.

Tatum has been diagnosed with a right distal radius bone bruise, the team said in Tuesday’s injury report. Tatum sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 103-86 victory against in Game 1 on Sunday.

It happened with 8:28 left in the fourth quarter and the Celtics ahead 89-73. Tatum dribbled toward the rim and as he tried to dunk, he was fouled by Orlando’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and used his right hand to brace his fall.

Caldwell-Pope was issued a flagrant foul one, and Tatum missed both free throws. He remained in the game, scored seven more points, including a 3-pointer to put Boston ahead 94-76 with 6:28 to play, and took a seat on the bench for the final 74 seconds.

Tatum had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in the victory.

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As of Tuesday morning – two days and change before the 2025 NFL draft commences in Green Bay, Wisconsin – all 32 of the league’s teams own their first-round picks.

Don’t presume that will remain the case.

Yet don’t necessarily expect movement prior to Thursday, either, given the general lack of star power among this year’s incoming college prospects.

“Quarterbacks really drive a lot of pre-draft trades,” says former Giants vice president of player personnel Marc Ross, who’s now an analyst for NFL Network.

“Since there isn’t this great group of quarterbacks, there aren’t these teams doing that now – trading up and (going to) get your guy or trying to secure a place to get a quarterback. And then after the quarterbacks, don’t see a ton of other impact players.”

Still, clubs and general managers will likely get trigger-happy at some point Thursday night. Never during the common draft era (since 1967) have all of the league’s teams used their organic Round 1 selections in a single draft – and the wheels that would keep that streak intact are doubtless already in motion.

“What you do is strategize throughout the week (of the draft) and say, ‘Here’s a group of players that we really like, we have them rated high. If the board starts falling to us, if the draft starts falling to us,’” said Ross, “then you start making moves on draft day. But you talk about all these things prior to the draft.”

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Then it simply becomes a matter of supply and demand, though it seems the league’s personnel bosses generally prefer to trade back.

“You pick up extra choices, I think that’s the way to do it – stockpiling picks, having extra resources, even next year,” longtime ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. told USA TODAY Sports.

“If you have a group of players bunched together, and you feel like you can get one of that group by moving down, you can do it. I’m always an advocate for moving down.’

The personal philosophy of Kiper, who’s covered the draft for more than four decades, is to try and amass 10 to 12 picks – more rolls of the dice that might produce a late-round gem like Tom Brady or Brock Purdy. Conversely, trading up not only strips a team of current or future draft capital, it puts a spotlight on the GM making the deal as well as the player he’s targeting … though that can work out, too – if you climb for, say, Patrick Mahomes instead of Paxton Lynch.

“Trading up – hey, it’s worked for a lot of teams. When you see a guy sliding, go get him – be aggressive and just go get him,” says Kiper, who cites Philadelphia EVP/GM Howie Roseman and Baltimore’s Eric DeCosta as masters of manipulating the board. “Don’t let somebody else just take him.

“Moving up, moving down – when the situation’s right, either way, you’ve got to be aggressive.”

Kiper cites the Bears and Falcons – for different reasons – as teams that could be active Thursday. He also opined that TEs Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Michigan’s Colston Loveland as players who could spark transactions.

NFL mock draft: Projecting where players go in first round

Here are 12 teams to keep an eye on, in terms of movement potential, ahead of Thursday’s first round as well as a few NFL veterans who might also help facilitate a deal:

Cleveland Browns and New York Giants

Two teams very much in the same boat. They select second and third overall, respectively, both in need a new franchise quarterback … yet neither is likely to overdraft one that high given the presence of Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter and Penn State OLB/DE Abdul Carter – both considered among this draft’s few premium talents. However the Browns and Giants are also slotted atop the second round – 33rd and 34th overall, respectively – which means either (or both) can very easily jump back into Round 1, presumably to target a quarterback like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.

New Orleans Saints

They’re in a comparable, if less desirable, position to New York’s and Cleveland’s. The Saints, who initially select ninth overall, also need a quarterback – apparently an even more prominent issue given the sudden deterioration of 34-year-old incumbent Derek Carr’s shoulder. Yet if GM Mickey Loomis passes with his first opportunity, he still owns five subsequent picks between Rounds 2 and 4 with multiple in the third and fourth – meaning he can also feasibly pick a second time Thursday and maybe even skip the Browns and/or Giants if a QB scramble ensues later in the proceedings.

New England Patriots

They would doubtless love it if the Browns or Giants opted for a QB early – meaning Carter or, especially, Hunter and his dual-threat abilities would be sitting there when the Pats pick fourth overall. The talent deficiency in Foxborough makes it unlikely the Patriots would trade out of the fourth spot otherwise – particularly given the need to better support second-year QB Drake Maye, both in terms of weaponry and protection. Yet with four of the top 77 selections, might the Pats come up for another prime blocker or receiver?

Chicago Bears

While no club currently has multiple first-rounders, perhaps no one presently owns more premium ammunition than GM Ryan Poles – he has a pair of early Round 2 slots, 39th and 41st overall, in addition to the No. 10 overall selection. He’s been busy remaking second-year QB Caleb Williams’ supporting cast this offseason and, if nothing else, has the flexibility to continue doing so in a significant manner – whether that’s coming up for a specific player or maybe spinning off one of these picks for a top-shelf choice in 2026.

Seattle Seahawks

They have multi-direction flexibility similar to Chicago’s, GM John Schneider armed with five of the draft’s top 92 slots following the offseason trades of WR DK Metcalf and QB Geno Smith. Seattle needs help in the trenches and might even consider a quarterback despite the recent signing of Sam Darnold … and/or could try to spin some of these assets into future drafts.

Dallas Cowboys

As much flash as this franchise generates and the overexposure it gets, owner (and de facto general manager) Jerry Jones is often pretty conservative during the draft, where “America’s Team” has generally performed rather well in recent years. (Jones, of course, is more inclined to trade his mid-rounders for backup quarterbacks, but that’s a discussion for another time.) Yet coming off a 7-10 season that led to former HC Mike McCarthy’s departure – and another pretty quiet approach to free agency – could Jones get a little nutty later this week, especially as much as the Cowboys have been linked to Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, who played his high school ball near Dallas’ Frisco, Texas, training facility? The Cowboys have 10 picks, though seven come after Round 4. But they might have the ultimate bargaining chip in All-Pro DE Micah Parsons, who’s entering the final year of his contract and is due $24 million in 2025. Just sayin’ … food for thought, especially for a team careening dangerously toward what Jones hates most – irrelevance.

Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders

Each team has five picks – tied for second fewest in this draft – neither with a third-rounder. It’s self-evident why each club might want to add inventory, and Washington’s spot near the back of Round 1 (29th overall) could be especially attractive to clubs desiring to move back in for a quarterback or other player.

Minnesota Vikings

They have the fewest selections (4) of any club this year and aren’t scheduled to participate in Rounds 2 or 4. Yet given how many bodies they added via free agency, it could make sense to part with the 24th overall pick in order to diversify the overall portfolio.

Los Angeles Rams

HC Sean McVay and GM Les Snead have never been afraid of wheeling and dealing, whether it pertains to picks, established veterans or a combination thereof. This year’s second-rounder was spent last year to move up for DE Braden Fiske in Round 2 of the 2024 draft. Yet the Rams, scheduled to pick 26th Thursday, now find themselves as the likely favorites to win the NFC West in 2025 as the 49ers and Seahawks recalibrate. Might that mean Snead and McVay are proactively on the move Thursday?

Philadelphia Eagles

It’s Roseman, y’all. He’ll be playing chess, and his contemporaries know it. Doesn’t mean he won’t find trade partners and/or won’t chase a player like DB Cooper DeJean in the second round and/or a pair of University of Georgia defenders in the first. The defending champs will pick at or near the bottom of the first four rounds but then have their final four selections in Round 5, providing a nice means to consummate prospective negotiations, and could also use TE Dallas Goedert as a carrot.

Players who could be traded during 2025 NFL draft?

Here are 10 veterans who might find themselves on the move, whether as part of draft deals or post-draft cost-cutting measures:

Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander: The two-time Pro Bowler has missed at least 10 games in three of the past four seasons, has occasionally been a locker room distraction and is owed $37 million over the final two years of his contract. Don’t be surprised if the Pack try to replace and displace the 28-year-old.

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews: Will his disastrous performance in last season’s playoff loss at Buffalo also be the three-time Pro Bowler’s final one in a Baltimore uniform? DeCosta has equivocated about Andrews’ future – understandable, to a degree, given he’s owed $11 million in the final year of his contract (a $4 million bonus already paid) – and at a time when fellow TE Isaiah Likely, who’s nearly four years younger, needs an extension of his own.

Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins: Trading their highly compensated backup quarterback would mean $37.5 million in dead cap money this season for Atlanta. The alternative is paying him $27.5 million to sit behind Michael Penix Jr. Seems like there’s some kind of financial and compensatory compromise to find here so Cousins, 36, can play elsewhere. But don’t expect the Falcons to dump him for nothing or eat a ton of cash so he can simply leave.

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne: He had a career-low 812 yards from scrimmage in 2024. He’s due $6.1 million going into the final year of his rookie contract – at a time when the Jags are entering a draft rich in running backs, including Jeanty and Omarion Hampton. Something might have to give here.

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert: He’s owed $15.5 million in the final year of his contract, much of it tied up in a bonus Philly could decline to pay. And similar to Etienne’s situation, a tight end-heavy draft could make Goedert eminently replaceable.

Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson: It’s pretty clear the Bengals don’t want to trade the 2024 sack leader and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up. Of course, they don’t want to pay him what he’s worth, either, given he’s owed a bargain-basement $16 million in the final year of his deal. Doesn’t really seem like Hendrickson, 30, will get moved for anything less than a first-round pick, but stranger things have happened … like the Bengals ponying up for a pair of star wideouts on the same day.

Cowboys DE Micah Parsons: Again, highly improbable Jones lets his best defender get away – especially in a buyer’s market given all the talented edge rushers available in this draft. Still, paying QB Dak Prescott, WR CeeDee Lamb and, apparently, Parsons at or near the top of their positional markets simultaneously is tantamount to salary cap malpractice. But Jones will almost surely commit it – and negotiations with Parsons are in the nascent stages – barring a ridiculous offer for him that would somehow restore Dallas as an immediate contender.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens: You could argue his game and volatility are a little too similar to Metcalf, his new teammate. Yet Pickens’ salary – $3.7 million in the final year of his rookie deal – is completely dissimilar to Metcalf’s bag and might make the sometimes immature 24-year-old enticing trade bait from a team currently scheduled to pick once in the draft’s first 82 spots.

Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey: The seven-time Pro Bowler, 30, is apparently headed toward a mutual divorce with his third NFL team. Ramsey is signed through 2028. However, he doesn’t have any guarantees beyond the upcoming season – a contractual parameter that might make him easier to move if the Fins can find the right dance partner. And while Ramsey is a decade older than this draft’s best corners, none of the young players project to have his lockdown capabilities.

Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams: Three years into his NFL career, he’s developed into quite a deep-strike weapon on the field. Off of it, he continues to have too many missteps – especially for a player who’s the fourth or fifth offensive option overall. And with other extension-eligible players such as DE Aidan Hutchinson slotted for financial priority in Detroit, this could be the ideal time to move a guy who has two years left on his rookie deal, including his fifth-year option.