Jevon Holland has agreed to a deal with the New York Giants, ending his free agent journey.

Holland’s deal with the Giants will span three years and will pay him $45.3 million, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The contract could be worth as much as $46.8 million and comes with $30.3 million in guarantees.

The 25-year-old’s signing comes after the Miami Dolphins declined to place the franchise tag on him and gave him the opportunity to test the free agent waters after four years in South Beach.

Checking in as the top safety available on the market, Holland figured to be in demand despite coming off what was his worst season in the league. The Dolphins selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, becoming a fixture in the back-end of the Miami defense.

Head coach Mike McDaniel previously didn’t seem optimistic about the team’s chances of bringing Holland back.

‘Jevon has earned the right to go out and test his market,’ McDaniel said via the Sun Sentinel.

The Dolphins’ salary cap situation hasn’t afforded them much flexibility this offseason, which leaves them facing difficult roster decisions going forward.

USA TODAY’s Jacob Camenker also contributed to this report.

In my (very humble) estimation, Sam Darnold was always going to be the prize of free agency in 2025 – and I mean free agency, don’t conflate that with how I regard Myles Garrett, for example.

But that opinion is more a byproduct of how few potentially franchise-changing veterans reach the open market anymore – quarterbacks especially – than a sure-fire belief that the Super Bowl window is now wide open for the Seattle Seahawks, who, per multiple reports, agreed to a three-year, $100.5 million deal ($55 million guaranteed) with Darnold, who’s coming off the first Pro Bowl nod in his highly uneven seven-year career.

But the move does make for some compelling scrutiny, so let’s not waste any time casting the winners and losers of what’s likely to be the most consequential contract in 2025 among players signing deals with new teams:

WINNERS

Sam Darnold

The Seahawks become his fifth employer since the New York Jets traded up to make him the third overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft – but Seattle very much seems like his first bona fide opportunity to be the face of a franchise since the NYJ utterly failed to surround Darnold with even a below-average supporting cast. A three-year commitment is hardly a lifetime contract – especially as “commitments” go in this league – and certainly doesn’t preclude GM John Schneider from investing a high-end draft pick in a developmental quarterback now that he’s amassed five of the top 92 after agreeing to trade QB Geno Smith and WR DK Metcalf in recent days.

But this seems like something close to an optimal situation for Darnold, who reunites with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak after both spent 2023 with the San Francisco 49ers – Kubiak as the passing game coordinator and Darnold as Brock Purdy’s backup, though he had a busy offseason that year as Purdy recovered from elbow surgery. Seattle also isn’t a locale where Darnold will have to consistently affirm his value in front of a harsh media spotlight like New York’s, and he should enjoy a steadily bolstered supporting cast – like better blockers to safeguard his occasionally happy feet – given the way Schneider is stockpiling draft resources while paying well below top dollar for his new QB1.

J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings’ first-round pick in 2024 now has a clear pathway to the job that he might have nailed down last season had he not suffered a season-ending meniscus tear during what was an otherwise scintillating preseason debut in August. All indications are that McCarthy will be ready to take the reins this spring, even if the Vikes sign another Darnold-adjacent insurance plan like, say, Daniel Jones.

Mike Macdonald

The 37-year-old was the NFL’s youngest head coach in 2024 after the Seahawks hired him to replace Pete Carroll, the greatest to ever hold the post in the Pacific Northwest. But even while going 10-7 and missing the playoffs (and the NFC West crown) by virtue of being on the wrong side of the tiebreaker formula, it often seemed like Macdonald was coaching Carroll’s (and Schneider’s) team rather than his own.

But Darnold feels like the exclamation point of an overhaul that saw Smith, Metcalf, (probably) WR Tyler Lockett and several others get one-way tickets out of town as Macdonald and Schneider reimagine a flawed roster that had been geared toward the pass into something more in line with something Macdonald saw work when he was on the Baltimore Ravens’ staff – namely a heavy emphasis on defense and running the ball. And if Darnold spends more time handing off and nursing leads – and maybe throwing the ball closer to 25 times per game than even the 32 he averaged in Minnesota in 2024 – then no one here should be gassing up on Starbucks at midnight in a bid to keep this team on track in what’s shaping up as a rough-and-tumble NFC West.

LOSERS

Sam Darnold

Aside from a negligible decimal point, the biggest payday of his NFL career basically mirrors the three-year, $100 million one 2018 draftmate and former Carolina Panthers teammate Baker Mayfield extracted from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers … last year. The fact that Darnold didn’t elevate into the $40 million bracket of the QB pay scale – which seems eminently reasonable for a 27-year-old Pro Bowl passer theoretically entering his prime – is pretty indicative that the league was still pretty leery of a guy whose bad habits (read: ball security) undermined his obvious potential while with the underpowered Jets and Panthers … and, to a degree, in the Vikings’ pair of season-ending losses in 2024 following their highly unexpected 14-2 start with him in the saddle. Darnold got his bag Monday. But job security? Not so much.

Justin Jefferson

The man is an absolute football freak, so the “loser” label is completely relative to his new circumstances. But with McCarthy apparently about to settle in as the Vikings’ newest starter, “Jets” will be adapting to his third starting quarterback in three seasons after Darnold wound up replacing Kirk Cousins. Jefferson performed (again) at an All-Pro level in 2024, however his 90.2 receiving yards per game were his lowest output since his rookie season in 2020 – well off his production level with Cousins and occasionally leaving him visibly frustrated. That could easily recur in 2025 as Jefferson tries to find a groove with McCarthy in what will effectively be the rookie year for the Michigan product, who may also have to get acclimated to being the offensive centerpiece he never had to be during two years as the Wolverines’ starter.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The emergent talent is not on Jefferson’s level but – again – the “loser” label is (also) completely relative to his new circumstances. Like Darnold, JSN broke though for his first Pro Bowl nod in 2024 after the first-rounder had a middling debut as a rookie in 2023. But given the way this offense already seems to be evolving – which is likely with a much heavier emphasis on the run under Kubiak as Metcalf and Lockett move on – Smith-Njigba, who tied the single-season Seahawks record in 2024 with 100 receptions, may see his production suffer as he faces more double teams and/or better cornerbacks at a time when he’s trying to establish chemistry and timing with Darnold.

Pittsburgh Steelers

For a minute, it appeared as if a team with one quarterback on its roster – Skylar Thompson – was positioning itself for something more than a stopgap solution behind center after agreeing to pay a second-rounder for Metcalf on Sunday night. But the Steelers didn’t get Darnold. They didn’t even manage to re-sign Justin Fields. So it’s either back to the draft drawing board, back to Metcalf’s buddy Russell Wilson, on to Aaron Rodgers … or some other alternative that doesn’t seem likely to fix the festering problem that’s relegated a regular playoff entry under Mike Tomlin as nothing more than a one-and-done non-contender for the better part of a decade.

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At noon ET on Monday, tampering became legal in the NFL.

Despite the class of free agents being perceived as weak by front offices across the league, it didn’t stop a spending spree from teams itching to remake their rosters. For the first time in a long time, rumors were put to bed as the cash was flowing all day long.

With the market now ready to rest for the night, the frenzy will only continue on Tuesday.

Monday saw plenty of the big names come off the board. Quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Justin Fields found their home for 2025 while other top players on defense like Josh Sweat and Milton Williams agreed to terms with their new squads.

The Washington Commanders also continued in win-now mode, swinging a deal for the Texans’ star left tackle, Laremy Tunsil. Trades, signings and more will keep making headlines as we inch closer to the start of the new NFL league year, when everything finally becomes official.

In other words, buckle up because anything can happen.

USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest rumors, updates, news and more from the NFL’s legal tampering period, ahead of NFL free agency on Wednesday. All times are Eastern.

NFL free agency signings, news, rumors

Jets to sign Andre Cisco

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Jets are adding more to their secondary, this time agreeing to a one-year deal worth $10 million with Cisco. New York came into free agency with a need at safety and now Aaron Glenn has one piece to solving his latest defensive puzzle.

Vikings re-sign Byron Murphy Jr.

Date: March 10
Source:Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are keeping one of their own, singing the cornerback to a three-year, $66 million deal. Murphy is coming off his best season as a pro and now cashed in.

Najee Harris to sign with Chargers

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Chargers got the deal done, finding their new running back in Harris on a one-year deal worth up to $9.5 million.

Lions re-sign OL Dan Skipper

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

Made famous for not reporting eligible on a two-point play against the Dallas Cowboys in 2023, Skipper became a beloved figure in Detroit. Whether he did report remains something up for debate and likely driven by fandom, but Detroit will be keeping one of their own on the offensive line.

Saints re-sign Chase Young

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Young has found himself a home in the NFL, re-signing with the Saints on a three-year deal worth $51 million. He’s previously bounced around since being the second overall pick in 2020. He totaled 5.5 sacks for the Saints last year, but is still just 25 years old.

49ers to release FB Kyle Juszczyk

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

One of the last remaining fullbacks in the NFL, Juszczyk has been a key piece in San Francisco’s offense for years. The 33-year-old has spent eight seasons with the 49ers after debuting with the Baltimore Ravens for the first four. Now 12 years into his NFL career, Juszczyk will be looking for a new team, but isn’t ready to hang up the cleats just yet.

Giants add to their OL depth, sign James Hudson III

Date: March 10
Source:NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

The Giants are no strangers to poor play from their offensive line, especially as injuries have taken their toll in recent years. In an effort to avoid that this upcoming season, New York inked the tackle to a two-year deal worth $12 million.

Bengals expected to re-sign DE Joseph Ossai

Date: March 10
Source:NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

A third-round pick in 2021, the 24-year-old is expected to remain with the Bengals on a one-year deal worth $7 million. He recorded five sacks in 17 games for Cincinnati last season.

Colts re-sign Ashton Dulin

Date: March 10
Source:NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Indianapolis is shoring up their receiver depth, re-signing Dulin to a two-year deal worth up to $8.5 million.

Chargers pursuing Najee Harris, hope to close deal

Date: March 10
Source:NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Harris’ days in Pittsburgh appear to be numbered and the running back could be heading west to join the Chargers. Nothing is finalized at this point, but Los Angeles hopes to close the deal and add the durable Harris to the backfield.

Dre Greenlaw signing with Broncos on three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source:NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Broncos continue to poach from the San Francisco 49ers’ defense in free agency, this time with a $35 million deal for the longtime starting linebacker. Greenlaw spent the last six years in San Francisco but missed most of last season after a torn Achilles suffered in Super Bowl 58.

One of Denver’s starting linebackers from last year, Cody Barton, signed with Tennessee. The Broncos fill his spot by signing Greenlaw ahead of his age-28 season.

Darius Slayton staying with Giants on three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Giants are keeping some wide receiver depth around, re-signing wideout Darius Slayton to a three-year, $36 million deal. Slayton should be a viable pass-catching option for whoever is starting for the Giants in 2025.

Vikings to sign former Colts center Ryan Kelly

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Now that they don’t have to pay Sam Darnold, the Vikings are using that additional cash to spend on bolstering their offensive line. They are set to bring in Kelly to center to line in Minnesota.

Tershawn Wharton to sign with Panthers

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

The Panthers have been chasing a defensive tackle addition all day long and finally land one, inking Wharton to a three-year deal worth $54 million.

Teair Tart and the Chargers agree to one-year deal

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Chargers continue adding to their defensive line, this time re-signing Tart to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.

Dolphins to sign former Jets and Broncos QB Zach Wilson

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

After departing the Jets prior to last season, Wilson primarily played the third-string role for the Broncos in 2024. He now returns to the AFC East on a one-year deal with the Dolphins worth $6 million, fully guaranteed. The deal can be worth as much as $10 million, per reports. Wilson figures to slide in as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup for the time being, which puts him on the doorstep of returning to a starting gig.

Rams to release Cooper Kupp if no trade materializes

Date: March 10
Source:ESPN’s Adam Schefter

After the Rams signed Davante Adams, any last glimmer of hope for Kupp remaining in Hollywood seemed to fade. The team previously informed Kupp they would be moving on, but he will now be released if they can’t swing a trade prior to the league’s new year getting underway on Wednesday afternoon.

Browns, Eagles swing deal for Kenny Pickett

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Browns are adding and subtracting from their QB room: In a deal with the Eagles, they’re sending quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick to Philadelphia for former first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Pickett spent just a season with the Eagles as the backup to Jalen Hurts.

Titans ink linebacker Cody Barton to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Tennessee Titans are shoring up the middle of their defense, signing former Broncos linebacker Cody Barton to a three-year deal, per reports. Barton started 14 games for the Broncos and secured 106 tackles in 2024.

Bradley Bozeman staying in Los Angeles

Date: March 10
Source:Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers and center Bradley Bozeman are staying together. Bozeman signed a contract extension to keep him in LA and in front of quarterback Justin Herbert, the team announced.

Charvarius Ward heads to Colts

Date: March 10
Source:USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

The defensive back is making his way to the Indianapolis Colts, as confirmed by USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. Ward is heading to Indianapolis on a three-year deal worth up to $60 million total.

Panthers keep adding to DL, agree to deal with Bobby Brown III

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Carolina is continuing to remodel their defensive line, this time bringing Brown in from the Rams. A fourth-round pick in 2021, the 24-year-old appeared in all 17 games for the Rams last season. He checks in with a three-year deal worth $21 million.

Raiders re-sign Malcolm Koonce

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The 26-year-old Koonce broke out in 2023 with eight sacks before missing the 2024 season with a knee injury. A one-year deal worth $12 million profiles as somewhat of a prove-it year for Koonce, who figures to play opposite Maxx Crosby after the edge rusher just received a big payday.

Packers to sign former Raiders CB Nate Hobbs

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

As Jaire Alexander’s future with the Packers hangs in the balance, Green Bay is adding to their secondary by agreeing to terms with Hobbs. It’s a four-year, $48 million deal for the former Raider, who figures to play a slot cornerback role for the Cheeseheads.

Jaguars continue building OL by agreeing to terms with Robert Hainsey

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Jaguars haven’t been shy in adding to the offensive line today and now secure a familiar face for head coach Liam Coen. A third-round pick in 2021, the 26-year-old Hainsey now likely gets his chance to step into a starting role and serve as a key piece as Coen’s implements a new offense in Jacksonville.

Jets to sign former Ravens CB Brandon Stephens

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

After making their big splash by agreeing to terms with Justin Fields earlier, the Jets are now adding to the secondary by bringing Stephens on board. It fills a spot that opened on the defense after D.J. Reed departed for Detroit at the start of free agency. Aaron Glenn gets a piece in Stephens for his new squad for the price of a three-year deal worth $36 million.

Chargers to sign CB Donte Jackson

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

In an effort to continue building their defense, the Chargers have added Jackson in free agency. A second-round pick in 2018, Jackson played for the Steelers in 2024 after spending six seasons in Carolina. He finished with a career-high five interceptions with Pittsburgh and will now bring a veteran presence to the Chargers’ secondary.

Panthers agree to terms with former Vikings DE Patrick Jones II

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Panthers are bringing in some help along the defensive line, agreeing to terms with Jones. He had seven sacks for Minnesota last season and will now join a front that was in need of some reinforcements in Carolina.

Raiders sign former Commanders S Jeremy Chinn

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

While the Commanders continue to acquire talent, they are bidding farewell to some as well. Chinn heads west to Las Vegas to join the Raiders, inking a two-year, for around $16 million in the desert.

49ers re-sign RB Patrick Taylor Jr.

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The 49ers are locking in some more running back depth in free agency, bringing Taylor back into the fold. Injuries decimated the San Francisco backfield last year and Kyle Shanahan is always in need of more running backs. Taylor has familiarity with the offense, making him a natural fit to return.

Texans trade LT Laremy Tunsil to Commanders for draft picks

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Commanders are making a big splash on the trade market. They acquired veteran left tackle Laremy Tunsil and an unspecified fourth-round pick from the Texans in exchange for 2026 second- and fourth-round picks, and a 2025 third-round pick. The Texans will also acquire a fourth-round pick in the trade.

Tunsil, 30, has started 125 games during his NFL career. He will go from blocking for one talented No. 2 overall pick (C.J. Stroud) to another (Jayden Daniels).

Bengals sign former Packers DL TJ Slaton to two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

Slaton has started 34 games over the last two seasons for the Packers, logging 80 tackles and one sack across those contests. The Bengals gave him a two-year deal worth up to $15.1 million to serve as a quality run-stopper for their team.

Giants signing DL Roy Robertson-Harris to two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

The Giants continue to add to their defense. They are inking Robertson-Harris to a deal worth up to $10 million over two years following his release from the Seahawks.

Robertson-Harris had 20 tackles and two sacks across 17 games with the Seahawks and Jaguars last season.

Packers sign offensive guard Aaron Banks to four-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The 49ers already lost backup offensive tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency earlier in the day. Now, they are losing Banks, their starting left guard, after the Packers signed him to a four-year deal worth up to $77 million.

Banks appeared in 53 games with 43 starts after being a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ 33rd best guard in 2024 among 77 qualified players.

Titans re-sign Sebastian Joseph-Day to one-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Joseph-Day had 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks in his first season with the Titans. Tennessee thought enough of him to bring him back on a one-year deal worth up to $7.5 million.

Grady Jarrett to ink big-money deal with Bears after Falcons release

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Jarrett didn’t take long to find a new home. He is joining the Bears on a three-year, $43.5 million deal as Chicago continues to bolster the trenches.

Jarrett had 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Falcons in 2024, his 10th season with the team.

Jaguars sign former Ravens OL Patrick Mekari

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Mekari was a versatile lineman over his six seasons with the Ravens, playing all over Baltimore’s defensive line before settling in as a starter at left guard in 2024. The Jaguars could look to slot him in at center as they look to replace Mitch Morse following the veteran’s retirement.

Jaguars sign TE Hunter Long to two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

The Jaguars lost Farrell in free agency but are adding a replacement in Long. The former third-round pick of the Miami Dolphins had a career-high seven catches for 60 yards with the Rams in 2024.

Long can make up to $6 million over his two-year deal in Jacksonville. New Jaguars general manager James Gladstone worked in the Rams’ front office so he is familiar with Long’s skill set.

49ers signing former Jaguars TE Luke Farrell

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The 49ers are adding a new tight end to the fold. They agreed to a three-year, $20.25 million deal with Farrell. The contract contains $11 million in guarantees.

Farrell is a strong blocker but had just 12 catches for 67 yards in 2024.

CB Darius Slay signing with Steelers

Date: March 10
Source: Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz

Slay won’t be leaving the state of Pennsylvania after being released by the Eagles. He will be joining forces with the Steelers to provide the team with a strong complement to Joey Porter Jr. on the outside.

Cardinals sign Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat to big-money deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Jonathan Gannon is reuniting with Sweat, who he coached in Philadelphia before becoming Arizona’s head coach in 2023. Sweat led the Eagles with eight sacks in 2024 and notched 2.5 sacks against Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 59.

Sweat will make $76.4 million over four years with $41 million guaranteed.

Former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga to sign with Broncos

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Broncos are adding a playmaking safety to their back end, as they agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $45 million with Hufanga. The contract contains $20 million guaranteed at signing.

Hufanga played just 17 combined games over the last two seasons due to injury but was an All-Pro first teamer in 2022. The USC product has seven career interceptions in 49 games (37 starts).

Jaguars sign WR Dyami Brown to one-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

Brown broke out toward the end of his fourth season with the Commanders. The 2021 third-round pick had 14 catches for 229 yards and a touchdown during Washington’s postseason run, earning him a deal worth up to $12 million over one year from the Jaguars.

Bears to sign former Colts edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Bears needed to add more talent on their defensive line. That’s why they’re signing Odeyingbo to a deal worth $16 million annually with $32 million in guarantees.

Odeyingbo had 16 sacks over his last three seasons with the Colts. He was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of Vanderbilt.

Cam Bynum to ink four-year deal with Colts

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

Bynum blossomed into a quality starter for the Vikings after being a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He will now be joining the Colts to provide new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo with a playmaker in the secondary.

Bynum made 96 tackles and had a career-high three interceptions and 10 pass defenses in 2024.

Justin Fields signs two-year deal with Jets

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

Fields ended up playing just one season for the Steelers. He joined the Jets on a two-year deal worth up to $40 million. The deal comes with $30 million in guarantees.

Fields started six games for the Steelers last season, posting a 4-2 record while completing 65.8% of his passes for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 289 yards and five touchdowns on 62 carries and will bring his dual-threat ability to New York.

Seahawks to sign Sam Darnold to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Darnold is set to sign a three-year deal with the Seahawks worth up to $100.5 million. The contract will come with $55 million in guarantees.

Darnold, 28 in June, completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during the 2024 season with the Vikings. He will replace Geno Smith, who was traded to the Raiders on the eve of free agency for a third-round pick.

Steelers release veteran DT Larry Ogunjobi

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Steelers opened up $7 million in cap space by releasing Ogunjobi ahead of the final year of his contract. Ogunjobi had 41 tackles and 1.5 sacks for the Steelers while starting 12 games in 2025.

Panthers agree to three-year deal with S Tre’von Moehrig

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero

The Panthers missed out on Milton Williams and pivoted to another defensive playmaker. They are giving a three-year deal to former Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig, who will make as much as $60 million and a base value of $51 million on a three-year deal.

Moehrig had 108 tackles and two interceptions for the Raiders last season. He had 297 tackles, three sacks and six interceptions in 66 games (64 starts) over four seasons with Las Vegas.

Patriots signing DT Milton Williams to lucrative contract

Date: March 10
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Williams was rumored to be joining the Panthers earlier in the day. Instead, he will be signing with the Patriots on a deal that will pay him $26 million in average annual value.

Williams had 24 tackles and five sacks in 17 games for the Eagles last season. He played 47.85% of the snaps for Philadelphia but may have a larger role in Mike Vrabel and Terrell Williams’ defense.

CB DJ Reed signing with Lions

Date: March 10
Source: DJ Reed

Reed posted to X (formerly Twitter) to let fans know he was joining the Lions after spending the last three seasons with the Jets.

Reed had 64 tackles and 11 pass defenses for the Jets in 2024. The 5-9, 188-pound cornerback will join forces with Terrion Arnold and Amik Robertson in Detroit’s secondary.

CB Isaiah Rodgers joining Vikings on two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Rodgers spent the 2024 season with the Eagles after missing the 2023 season because of a gambling suspension. He generated 26 tackles and four pass defenses as a backup on Philadelphia’s loaded defense.

Rodgers will now join forces with Brian Flores in Minnesota on a two-year deal worth up to $15 million.

Texans sign Tremon Smith, make him highest-paid core special teamer

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

The Texans are bringing back Smith, who played for the Texans in 2021 and 2022 before playing the last two seasons with the Broncos. Smith agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $7.5 million to return to Houston.

Patriots sign veteran OT Morgan Moses to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

The Patriots started Demontrey Jacobs at right tackle for most of the 2024 NFL season. He graded last among 81 qualified tackles for the season, per Pro Football Focus. Moses will provide the Patriots with an upgrade and comes on a relatively cheap $28.5 million deal over three seasons.

Moses, 34, has played 166 career games with 158 starts while almost exclusively playing at right tackle.

Panthers ‘working to finalize deal’ with Eagles DT Milton Williams

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Panthers spent big on defense ahead of free agency, signing cornerback Jaycee Horn to a $100 million deal. They may further bolster their defense by signing Williams, who starred as an interior pass rusher for the Eagles en route to Super Bowl 59.

Williams had 24 tackles and five sacks with the Eagles. He played as a rotational pass rusher on Philadelphia’s stacked defense but should have a bigger role in Carolina.

CB Carlton Davis inks three-year deal with Patriots

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

The Patriots continue to be active in free agency, adding Davis on a three-year deal with the Patriots worth up to $60 million. The deal comes with $34.5 million in guarantees.

Davis logged 56 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass defenses in 13 games with the Lions last season before a broken jaw ended his season.

Titans agree to terms with OT Dan Moore Jr.

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Titans are plugging one of their biggest holes by signing an offensive tackle. They agreed to terms on a four-year, $82 million deal with former Steelers left tackle Dan Moore, a contract that comes with $50 million guaranteed, $30 million of which will be in the first season.

Moore made 66 starts in his four seasons with the Steelers and graded as Pro Football Focus’ 42nd tackle among 81 qualified players for 2024. The Titans will presumably start him on the left side with 2024 first-round pick J.C. Latham kicking over to right tackle.

Giants sign CB Paulson Adebo from Saints

Date: March 10
Source: CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones

The Giants are adding a top cornerback to the fold. Adebo logged 52 tackles and three interceptions in just seven games for the Saints last season before suffering a broken leg. He has 10 interceptions and 43 pass defenses in 52 career games.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo re-signs with Rams on one-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

Garoppolo spent the 2024 season backing up Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles. He is returning to the team in the same role for the 2025 season after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Rams.

Garoppolo lost his only start last season but completed a respectable 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in limited playing time.

Former Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis signing with Jaguars

Date: March 10
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Lewis spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cowboys before inking a free-agent pact with the Jaguars. Lewis had 71 tackles, one interception and eight pass defenses in 16 games (13 starts) last season.

Patriots sign LB Robert Spillane to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Patriots continue to revamp their defense, adding Spillane to the fold. The 29-year-old had a career-high 158 tackles with the Raiders last season and generated two interceptions and two sacks.

Spillane’s deal will pay him $37 million over three years.

DT Javon Kinlaw gets big-money deal with Washington Commanders

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Adam Peters is reuniting with Kinlaw, as both were with the 49ers when San Francisco selected Kinlaw in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He will get $45 million over three years with $30 million guaranteed as part of the deal.

Kinlaw set career-best marks in tackles (40) and sacks (4.5) with the Jets last season.

WR Braxton Berrios signs one-year deal with Texans

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Texans already added one receiver ahead of free agency in Christian Kirk. They also added Berrios on a one-year deal worth up to $2 million.

Berrios didn’t log a catch on four targets for the Dolphins last year. He played just six games.

BJ Hill returns to Bengals on three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Bengals inked Hill to a three-year deal worth up to $33 million with $16 million in guarantees. He had 56 tackles and three sacks for Cincinnati last season and has averaged four sacks per year across four seasons with the Bengals.

Bears make Drew Dalman second-highest-paid center in NFL

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Bears gave Dalman $42 million over three years with $28 million guaranteed to lock down their center spot. It marks the third major offensive line move by Chicago this offseason, as the Bears already traded for two guards – Jonah Jackson and All-Pro Joe Thuney – to revamp their offensive line.

Caleb Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie, so new coach Ben Johnson is clearly hoping investing in the offensive line will help the 2024 No. 1 pick improve behind better protection.

Chiefs signing OT Jaylon Moore to two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Moore inked a two-year deal worth up to $30 million to serve as the Chiefs’ left tackle in 2025. Moore appeared in 55 games during his four seasons with the 49ers making 12 starts, including a career-high five in 2024. The 27-year-old allowed just one sack and committed no penalties in 271 snaps last season.

Buccaneers re-sign WR Chris Godwin to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Buccaneers aren’t just adding Reddick to the fold. They’re also bringing back Godwin, who has developed into a star receiver for the team after being a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

Godwin, 29, had 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns in seven games last season before suffering a dislocated ankle.

Haason Reddick agrees to one-year deal with Buccaneers

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Buccaneers needed to upgrade their pass rush ahead of the 2025 NFL season. They did so by signing Reddick to a one-year deal worth up to $14 million ($12 million guaranteed).

Reddick had just one sack in 10 games for the Jets last season. He posted at least 11 sacks in four consecutive seasons before that but started slowly in 2024 after missing the early stages of the season while holding out for a new contract.

X (formerly Twitter) down as NFL free agency arrives

Date: March 10

NFL insiders and news-breakers have tended to use X as a way to break news of free agent signings, rumors and trades throughout the website’s history. However, the social media site has been experiencing outages throughout Monday, most recently presenting with a ‘host error’ message on its pages.

As a result, news of the marquee NFL event is being broken on TV channels and alternate social media platforms like BlueSky, as well as news media websites.

Jonathan Allen visiting Vikings on Monday

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter

Allen was released by the Commanders ahead of free agency. The two-time Pro Bowler is set to visit the Vikings on Monday. He overlapped with Kevin O’Connell for three years when Minnesota’s head coach was in Washington.

The Vikings are set to have two starting interior defensive linemen, Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery, be free agents, so Allen could replace one of them should he sign in Minnesota.

Evan Brown re-signs with Cardinals on a two-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network

The Cardinals inked Brown to a deal worth $11.5 million over two years. Brown, 28, started all 17 games last season and finished the campaign as Pro Football Focus’ 30th-ranked guard among 77 qualifiers. He allowed just two penalties and two sacks while playing 1,070 snaps, all at left guard.

OT Braden Smith restructures contract, will remain with Colts

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

Smith was set to have a $19.75 million cap hit in the final year of a four-year, $72 million deal he signed with the Colts in 2021. The two parties reworked that deal, presumably to lower his cap hit for 2025 and allow Indianapolis to keep its starting right tackle.

Smith has appeared in 94 games (92 starts) and graded as Pro Football Focus’ 44th tackle among 81 qualifiers in 2024.

Ben Bredeson re-signs with Buccaneers ahead of NFL free-agency

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Sara Walsh

Offensive lineman Ben Bredeson was set to become an unrestricted free agent but has reached a three-year, $22 million deal to stay with Tampa Bay. He will make $12 million in guarantees.

Khalil Mack re-signs with Chargers ahead of free agency

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Mack was set to be a free agent in 2025. The 34-year-old avoided hitting the open market by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Chargers worth $18 million. The contract is fully guaranteed.

Steelers place second-round tender on RB Jaylen Warren

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

Steelers running back Najee Harris is set to be an unrestricted free agent, but Warren appears to be staying in Pittsburgh. The Steelers placed a second-round tender on the former undrafted free agent. It will be worth $5.346 million and if another team signs Warren to an offer sheet, the Steelers would recoup a second-round selection if he leaves.

Panthers make Jaycee Horn highest-paid DB in NFL history

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport

The Panthers agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with star cornerback Jaycee Horn. He will make $70 million in guarantees as part of the contract and will have an average annual value of $25 million.

Horn had 68 tackles and two sacks in 15 games last season, all career-best marks. He also had one interception and allowed a passer rating of 91.4.

Falcons to release two-time Pro Bowl DT Grady Jarrett

Date: March 10
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport

The Falcons are releasing Jarrett after 10 years in Atlanta. He made two Pro Bowls and racked up 36.5 sacks in 152 contests (137 starts) with the Falcons after being a fifth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft out of Clemson.

Jarrett, 32 in April, had 53 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 17 games last season.

Steelers, Giants, Vikings listed as Aaron Rodgers landing spots

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Schefter appeared on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ Monday morning to provide some updates ahead of free agency. He noted Rodgers’ top options in free agency ‘seem to be’ the Giants and Steelers.

Schefter also reported that Rodgers joining the Vikings was ‘not likely, but not out of the question.’ Minnesota’s interest in Rodgers will depend on whether they can re-sign Sam Darnold, who has been tied to the Seattle Seahawks, or Daniel Jones, in whom the Indianapolis Colts are interested, to serve as veteran depth alongside J.J. McCarthy.

TE Evan Engram visiting Broncos after Jaguars release

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Jaguars released Engram after three seasons with the team. He is already drawing interest in the free-agent market and is set to visit Denver on Monday.

Engram had 47 catches for 365 yards and a touchdown in nine games during the 2024 season. He had 114 catches for 963 yards and four touchdowns the previous season.

No Broncos tight end had more than 19 catches (Lucas Krull) in 2024.

Broncos re-signing DT D.J. Jones to three-year deal

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Jones was set to hit free agency in 2025. The Broncos agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with $26 million in guarantees just before the tampering period opened to keep the veteran on Vance Joseph’s defense.

Jones, 30, had 42 tackles and one sack for the Broncos last season.

Justin Fields waiting to speak to Jets before making decision

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Fields has reportedly been in discussions with the Steelers about re-joining the team in 2025, but the 26-year-old is waiting to see what the Jets offer him before making a decision.

New York’s offer can’t officially come until the legal tampering window opens at Noon ET on Monday, so that will likely leave Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation in flux until then.

Aaron Rodgers ’emerging as QB option’ for Steelers

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Steelers have largely been connected to their free-agent starting quarterbacks from last year, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, ahead of free agency. However, Pittsburgh is ‘are expected to talk and explore a union’ with Rodgers, who is one of the top quarterbacks available on the market.

Rodgers, 41, is coming off a down season but still completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the New York Jets. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers may view the veteran as the best candidate to get a lot out of their offense, which now features wide receiver DK Metcalf as one of its top receivers.

Patriots trade DT Davon Godchaux to Saints for 2026 draft pick

Date: March 10
Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

The Patriots gave Godchaux, a run-stuffing defensive tackle who spent four seasons with the team, permission to explore a trade this offseason. They found a willing partner in the Saints, who surrendered a 2026 seventh-round pick for the 30-year-old veteran.

Godchaux had 67 tackles in 2024. He hasn’t posted a sack since the 2022 NFL season.

Falcons sign Jake Matthews to two-year extension

Date: March 9
Source: NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo

Matthews has been Atlanta’s starting left tackle since the team selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. The Falcons gave him a two-year, $45 million extension with $38 million in guarantees to keep him on board as a key cog in lefty Michael Penix’s protection.

Matthews has made 179 starts in his career and hasn’t missed a game since his rookie season. He has made 178 consecutive regular-season starts.

Steelers acquire WR DK Metcalf in trade with Seahawks

Date: March 9
Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero

Metcalf demanded a trade away from the Seahawks the same day Seattle released veteran receiver Tyler Lockett. It didn’t take long for the Seahawks to find him a new home, as they shipped Metcalf to the Steelers for a second-round pick and a swap of sixth- and seventh-round selections.

Metcalf signed a five-year, $150 million extension as part of the trade. The 27-year-old had 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games last season.

Josh Allen signs record-breaking $330 million deal with Bills

Date: March 9
Source: USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon

Allen won the NFL’s MVP award for 2024 after leading Buffalo to a 13-4 record and making it to the AFC championship game. The Bills handsomely rewarded him with a six-year contract extension that runs through the 2030 NFL season.

Allen’s new deal will be worth up to $330 million, giving the contract an average annual value of $55 million. The deal comes with a record-breaking $250 million in guarantees.

Patriots ink three-year deal with edge rusher Harold Landry

Date: March 9
Source: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero

The Patriots needed to upgrade their pass rush during the 2025 offseason and landed Landry, who played at Boston College and will reunite with Mike Vrabel, who coached him for five years with the Titans. Landry can make up to $48 million with $26 million guaranteed as part of his three-year deal.

Landry, 29 in June, had 71 tackles and nine sacks for the Titans last season. He has 50.5 career sacks in 98 games (79 starts) and graded as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best edge defender against the run among 212 players last season.

Rams sign Davante Adams to two-year contract

Date: March 9
Source: Los Angeles Rams

Adams wanted to head west after being released by the Jets. He got his wish, as he joined the Rams on what ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports is a two-year deal worth up to $46 million.

Adams had 85 catches for 1,063 yard sand eight touchdowns in 14 games split between the Raiders and Jets last season. The 32-year-old will be tasked with complimenting Puka Nacua as a No. 2 receiver and helping to replace Cooper Kupp, who is expected to be released or traded during the offseason.

NFL free agency: Best available players

Here are some of the best available players who will hit the market this week, per USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon:

Jevon Holland, S
Chris Godwin, WR
D.J. Reed, CB
Stefon Diggs, WR
Khalil Mack, edge
Amari Cooper, WR
Sam Darnold, QB
Josh Sweat, edge
Haason Reddick, edge
Justin Reid, S

Quarterback, offensive tackle, edge rusher — these are the positions that Power Four programs are willing to pay top dollar to acquire in the transfer portal.

A list of this season’s most important transfers is dotted with these three position groups, beginning with Oregon left tackle Isaiah World, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and Missouri edge rusher Damon Wilson II.

Spring football provides the first glimpse at these high-profile newcomers in their new colors. Based on these past few years and how the portal has come to define roster management in the Bowl Subdivision, transfers will compete for All-America status, contend for the Heisman Trophy and shape the 2025 season.

World, Mateer and Wilson top our list of the transfers set for the biggest impact this season:

1. OT Isaiah World, Oregon (Nevada)

The 6-foot-8, 300-pound senior is an upper-level NFL prospect at a premium position. Across three seasons at Nevada, World developed into an elite pass protector who should flourish in Oregon’s explosively physical scheme. The Ducks added another top transfer to the offensive line in former Southern California left guard Emmanuel Pregnon, a second-team all-conference pick who started his college career at Wyoming.

SPRING POWER RANKINGS: Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

2. QB John Mateer, Oklahoma (Washington State)

No single transfer may have a bigger impact on the College Football Playoff race — if you believe in Oklahoma’s defense. Mateer could transform the Sooners’ middling offense along with his former coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who was hired in early December, and turn the Sooners into a legitimate contender in the SEC. Last season, the junior threw for 3,139 yards, ran for 826 yards on 4.6 yards per carry and had 44 combined scores.

3. EDGE Damon Wilson II, Missouri (Georgia)

Wilson saw his role expand last season, his second with the Bulldogs, and the former five-star recruit flashed his deep potential with 22 tackles, six for loss, along with three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles and recoveries. The junior chose Missouri over Ohio State and will slot right into a starting job opposite returning starter Zion Young.

4. DB Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (Purdue)

Buried amid Purdue’s miserable run at the bottom of the Big Ten, Thieneman has played at an All-America level as one of the league’s top defensive backs. The junior had six interceptions as a freshman in 2023 and led the Boilermakers in tackles in each of his two seasons with the program. With two more years of eligibility, Thieneman is expected to solidify the back end of the Ducks’ defense thanks to his ability to play in the box and defend in space.

5. EDGE Patrick Payton, LSU (Florida State)

Payton is a safe and steady addition at edge rusher after putting up solid numbers across three years with the Seminoles, including a team-high 11 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2024. The senior will have more one-on-one opportunities given the talent on the Tigers’ defensive front, including the return of edge rusher Harold Perkins from an ACL tear.

6. WR Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn (Georgia Tech)

Singleton is one transfer capable of transforming Auburn’s offense, along with former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold. Georgia Tech’s leading receiver in each of the past two seasons, Singleton will join sophomore Cam Coleman to give the Tigers a very strong one-two punch to spark the passing game.

7. QB Carson Beck, Miami (Georgia)

Beck is still working his way back from the elbow injury suffered against Texas in last year’s SEC championship game and may not begin full team activities until the summer. Should he make a full recovery, the senior will step into Cam Ward’s shoes and make Miami one of the favorites in the ACC. But even then, Beck will need to button up the turnovers that came to define his final year in Athens.

8. OT Howard Sampson, Texas Tech (North Carolina)

Sampson is a bit of a developmental prospect after starting just one season at UNC, though his arc in 2024 speaks to the junior’s immense potential. With both tackle spots available, look for Sampson to compete with Miami (Ohio) transfer Will Jados at left tackle, with the loser potentially shifting to the right side. Jados was a three-year starter in the MAC and one of the most experienced offensive linemen in the FBS.

9. WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia (Southern California)

Branch will definitely help the Bulldogs at receiver after pulling down 47 grabs for 503 yards in 2024. He’s part of a major offseason influx of talent at the position, including Texas A&M transfer Noah Thomas and four touted incoming freshmen. But where Branch could make his biggest impact is in the return game. The junior was an All-America pick in 2023 after averaging 22.1 yards per punt return with two combined return touchdowns. Last year, the Bulldogs ranked 67th in punt returns and 124th in kickoff returns.

10. WR Dane Key, Nebraska (Kentucky)

Key is a reliable, high-value target who put up strong numbers across three seasons in the SEC despite Kentucky’s often middling quarterback play and will help Nebraska sophomore Dylan Raiola develop into one of the top passers in the Big Ten. He had 47 catches for 715 yards as a junior, accounting for more than a quarter of the Wildcats’ total receptions and nearly a third of the team’s total receiving yardage. Playing with the Cornhuskers reunites Key with former Kentucky receivers coach Dakiel Shorts.

The next time you hear someone, anyone, from college sports complain about a lack of revenue, laugh in their face. 

They’ll have you believe those mean, greedy players have sidetracked an amateur sports world of faithful and loyal do-gooders, and ransacked it for every dollar it’s worth.

If I had $1,000 for every time a college football coach declared the current world of college sports “unsustainable,” I could pay Luka Doncic’s contract extension. 

And speaking of extension, that’s where this story turns to the absurd. Late last week, Oregon decided to extend coach Dan Lanning, who was last seen on the big stage trailing 34-0 in the College Football Playoff Rose Bowl quarterfinal — as the nation’s No.1 ranked team. 

That’s nearly $11 million per over six years for Lanning – and $60.4 million guaranteed – who has lost too many games of significance as a head coach.

I don’t blame Lanning for his agent getting everything he can out of Oregon. I blame Oregon, and the 69 other Power Four schools that include Oregon State and Washington State, who have claimed poverty since the NCAA in 2021 decided to open up a can of NIL and free player movement — at the same damn time. 

(To this day, the dumbest move in a long, long line of dumb NCAA moves).

I blame the entire 70 schools that – are you ready for this? – will make an estimated $7.4 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, and as much as $10.5 billion by 2034-35, according to a declaration filed last week in support of the multi-billion dollar House settlement. 

And still can’t figure out how to pay players without claiming the world is coming to an end. 

SPRING POWER RANKINGS: Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12

LOOKING AHEAD: Our way-too-early college football Top 25 for 2025

Without adding more games to a postseason that already is competing with the NFL for television eyes. Without eating one of its own (RIP, Pac-12), and leaving two others (ACC, Big 12) scrambling for crumbs. 

The NCAA and attorneys representing players are awaiting final approval of the House case settlement – which would officially approve, in essence, pay for play through NIL – from U.S. District Court judge Claudia Wilken. It should come as no surprise that Wilkin will hold a hearing on April 7, which just so happens to coincide with the Final Four national championship game. 

The very tournament the NCAA earns an average of $1.1 billion annually over the course of an eight-year contract with media rights partners CBS and Turner.

You can’t make this up, people.

The declaration filed last week by economics expert Dan Rascher – who has served as the NCAA’s numbers cruncher in just about every antitrust lawsuit against the association – admitted the exorbitant cash flow through the 70 Power conference schools. But here’s where it gets a little tricky, so stay with me. 

The House settlement player pool (see: salary cap) is based on a percentage of eight revenue streams, including but not limited to media rights, ticket sales and bowl/playoff games. But the settlement numbers aren’t based off the entire athletic department revenue.

For example, Texas’ total operating athletic revenue for the 2024 fiscal year was $331.9 million, but its figure for the eight categories used for the pool calculation was $172.1 million. Cincinnati’s pool calculation was $38.8 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, the total of the eight revenue streams from the 70 power conference schools is pooled together, and the players would receive a percentage of that revenue that is expected to be between $20-23 million per school for the first year after the settlement. That number is guaranteed to increase by at least 4% in each of the two years.

The goal of equalizing the number for all schools is to prevent programs like Texas from spend more money on players than smaller programs like Cincinnati. Remember, the $20-23 million is what schools are allowed to spend on players in all the men’s and women’s programs for the use of their NIL — if they choose to.

This takes us all the way back to Lanning and every other coach and assistant coach who signed mega deals this offseason. Steve Sarkisian got a pay raise to $10.8 million annually, and Bill Belichick got $10 million annually to become North Carolina football coach.

Jim Knowles got $3.1 million annually to leave Ohio State and become Penn State’s defensive coordinator, a salary greater than 74 FBS head coaches had last season.

Yet here we go again, coaches and athletic directors and conference commissioners complaining about an “unsustainable” environment in college athletics.

Imagine an association of 70 schools, who have willingly pulled away from the rest of college sports – with a combined budget of $7.4 billion for the academic year – making player salaries the financial boogeyman.

Maybe, just maybe, stop increasing debt service with “facility improvements.” Or if you simply must have new stadiums and arenas and ballparks, and new stand-alone football and basketball facilities because recruits just need that new bling, stop paying coaches to not coach.

Stop paying millions to high school players who have never taken a snap of college football. Stop paying general managers for a job that can (and should) be done by the head coach and athletic director.

Stop paying for a staff of 40, or millions upon millions in recruiting budgets. Stop paying for coaches to take a helicopter to a high school game, so he looks different from every other coach there — to impress a 17-year-old kid.

And college sports has no idea why it finds itself in this predicament.

Lanning is 3-4 vs. rivals Washington and Oregon State, 1-1 in conference championship games and 0-1 in CFP games. And just got $60 million — no matter what happens over the next six seasons.

There’s your unsustainable, everyone. 

And it’s nothing to laugh about.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

INDIANAPOLIS — Have fun with this, selection committee.

Chaos reigned in the major women’s conference tournaments, just as it did in the final weeks of the regular season. Three of the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA’s last projection lost, with Notre Dame not even getting to the ACC title game. Two of the No. 2 seeds also went down. Unranked teams wreaked havoc on the top 25.

It’s glorious! Just glorious. Except for those trying to determine the 68-team tournament field and their seeds, that is.

But this kind of mayhem is further sign of the growth of the women’s game. Gone are the days of one or two schools dominating. There’s at least six teams that can make a legitimate case for winning the national title, and just as many who have serious bracket-busting potential.

So, yeah, ought to be a fun week for the selection committee before the NCAA field is announced Sunday.

Here are the winners and losers from the major conference tournaments: 

WINNERS

Big Ten

USC and UCLA have drawn much of the attention in the Big Ten, and rightfully so. UCLA spent much of the season as the country’s No. 1 team and won the conference tournament Sunday while USC won the regular-season title.

But don’t sleep on the rest of the conference. Particularly the teams in the second tier. The Big Ten could get a dozen teams in the NCAA tournament, and anyone drawing Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska or Indiana is not going to be happy.

“The fact that we have teams that are 10, 11, 12 seeds here who might be a better seed in the national tournament is wild,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after the Trojans held off Indiana 84-79 in the quarterfinals.

Michigan had USC on its heels for much of their semifinal game Saturday night. The Trojans ultimately prevailed, thanks to both Kiki Iriafen’s big third quarter and the Wolverines’ foul trouble, but Michigan showed it can play with anybody.

Iowa has won 10 of its last 13 games, and those three losses were by a total of 11 points and to ranked teams. Indiana gave USC a scare until JuJu Watkins did JuJu things. And Nebraska freshman Britt Prince showed she’s more than ready for the big time, matching her career-high with 24 against UCLA in the quarterfinals.

“The Big Ten has a lot of great teams, and I think just throughout the season we’ve gotten a lot better handling the really good teams. Especially the new additions,” Prince said after the Cornhuskers fell 85-74 in the quarterfinals.

“Being this close to UCLA, they’re one of the top teams in the country, and I think we showed how we can hang with them. I think that’s really important for us, and a big momentum booster heading into the rest of the season.”

Paige Bueckers

It takes a lot to set yourself apart at UConn, but Paige Bueckers has managed to do it.

Bueckers was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big East tournament Monday, making her the first player to win it three times. Bueckers had 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in UConn’s 70-50 win over Creighton.

‘You work entirely for this moment,’ Bueckers said.

Bueckers was the first to win national Player of the Year honors as a freshman, when she also led UConn to the Final Four. Injuries derailed her next two seasons, and she played just 17 games. But she has been outstanding the last two years, leading UConn back to the Final Four last year and putting them in position to make another deep run this year.

‘It was a dream since I was a kid, and it’s been everything I could dream of,’ Bueckers said of her UConn career. ‘I can’t be grateful enough.’

LSU

LSU caught a break when Aneesah Morrow’s injury wasn’t as bad as initially feared.

Morrow couldn’t put weight on her foot and had to be helped off the floor after getting hurt in the third quarter of LSU’s SEC tournament semifinal loss to Texas. But coach Kim Mulkey said afterward that Morrow had aggravated the foot sprain she’s been dealing with the last few weeks.

“She can go for the (NCAA) tournament. Everything is good,’ Mulkey said, adding that Morrow was lobbying the training staff to go back in the game against the Longhorns.

Morrow has often worn a walking boot since spraining her foot in the Feb. 16 game against Texas. But she’s continued to play, and the Tigers need her if they hope to make a run in the NCAA tournament. Morrow is LSU’s top rebounder, with 13.6 boards a game, and the Tigers’ second-leading scorer with 18.5 points a game.

Mulkey also said leading scorer Flau’jae Johnson, who missed the SEC tournament with a shin injury, will be ready for the NCAA tournament. 

Arkansas State and George Mason

What turnarounds Arkansas State and George Mason have made, resulting in first-ever trips to the NCAA tournament for each school.

Arkansas State was picked to finish 13th in the 14-team Sun Belt Conference. But it won 21 games and on Monday upset James Madison in overtime to win the Sun Belt tournament title. James Madison came into the championship game with a 20-game winning streak, including a perfect 18-0 record in conference play.

George Mason was winless in the Atlantic 10 four years ago. On Sunday, the Patriots beat St. Joseph’s to win the conference tournament. It also was George Mason’s 28th win, extending the program’s single-season record.

“We asked these players, four years ago, to believe in something that was nowhere near present,” Patriots coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said, according to The Washington Post.

North Carolina

The whole state is dancing! OK, maybe not the whole state. But a whole lot of it.

There’s still a chance another North Carolina school could to join the party, too. North Carolina A&T won the regular-season Coastal Athletic Association title and is the top seed for this week’s conference tournament.

LOSERS

Notre Dame

Was it really only three weeks ago that the Irish were atop the rankings and in line for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament? My, how times have changed.

Notre Dame skids into the NCAA tournament having lost three of its last five games, including a 61-56 loss to Duke in the ACC tournament semifinals. It was a season-low in points for the Fighting Irish.

“Defensively we’ve been lacking,” coach Niele Ivey said Saturday night. “Just having that intensity defensively is part of the reason for the last three losses, and that’s frustrating because that’s something we work on every day; it’s something we’ve been working towards the entire season.”

Saint Joseph’s

Despite 23 wins in the regular season, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Saint Joseph’s to make the NCAA tournament.

After finishing fourth in the Atlantic-10, with six losses, the Hawks needed to win the conference tournament. They came close, upsetting regular-season champ Richmond in the semifinals. But they lost to George Mason in Sunday’s final, and are projected among the first four teams left out.

Tennessee

Tennessee’s hopes of playing the early rounds at home ended in the SEC tournament.

The Lady Vols were a No. 3 seed in the NCAA’s last projection, which would have meant they’d host first- and second round games. (Unlike in the men’s tournament, which uses neutral sites for all games, the women play first- and second-round games at campus sites.)

But a loss to Georgia at home in the regular-season finale dropped Tennessee out of that group of top four seeds, and it needed to make a run in the SEC tournament to get back in there. That did not happen, with the Lady Vols losing to Vanderbilt in the second round.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Kirk Cousins needs to take a seat on the bench and count his cash.

Sure, that’s counterintuitive for a competitive, 36-year-old quarterback whose clock is ticking to, well, bolster his resume with (maybe) a second career playoff victory.

But facts are facts. A year ago, the Atlanta Falcons christened the NFL’s free agency market by signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract that guaranteed a whopping $100 million. In stripping Cousins of the starting job that now belongs to Michael Penix, Jr., the Falcons are still on the hook for all that money.

Yet they don’t owe him any special favors.

Never mind that Cousins met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank last week and apparently tried to lay the tracks for a ticket out of town.

The answer should be not here, not now. Not for what he’s already cost.

Memo to Falcons: Do what’s best for your team.

Barring a release or a trade, Cousins will become the most expensive backup quarterback in NFL history. That sounds less stunning when you consider in these times, with another record salary cap ($279.2 million), pretty much everything is the most.

Unless Falcons GM Terry Fontenot can get some crazy return in a trade package (yeah, right, at 3 million-to-1 odds), it makes more sense for them to hang on to the demoted quarterback for another year than to cut bait. That’s what’s best for the Falcons right now, even when considering results that saw Cousins tie for the league lead with 16 interceptions in 2024. It’s NFL Moneyball, silly.

Cousins – who faded as last season progressed with less-than-transparent shoulder and elbow injuries in the mix — is already guaranteed $27.5 million for the 2025 season. And if he’s still on the roster at the beginning of next week, he’s due another $10 million. Last year, he was paid $62.5 million. There’s your $100 mil.

If they part ways now with Cousins, they can save $10 million – and count $90 million for one stinking season.

So, $90M for one year or $100M for two years?

With the latter option, at least coach Raheem Morris & Co. will have a layer of insurance for a year against a Penix injury.

Besides, they already made the mistake of overpaying for an aging quarterback with limited mobility, and one coming off a torn Achilles tendon. That money has already been spent. So, the Falcons need to, well, learn from the exchange.

The issue with Cousins hardly compares with the case of Grady Jarrett, the veteran D-tackle who was cut by the Falcons on Monday. Jarrett was entering the final year of a three-year deal that averaged nearly $17 million per year. They’ll take a $4.125 million cap hit for the cut. Maybe if they weren’t so over-invested in Cousins, they wouldn’t had to cut their popular defensive leader. But they were.

Cousins, meanwhile, counts for about 15% against the Falcons’ cap ledger, according to Spotrac.com, while Penix counts for less than 2%. If there’s ever a time to have an expensive backup, it’s while the starting QB is playing on a rookie contract. It’s not like the Falcons can just flip the Cousins money to Penix.

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Still, Cousins, who threw his 16 picks in 14 games (Baker Mayfield, meanwhile, threw his 16 INTs in 17 games and led the Bucs to another NFC South crown), knows there’s still a market for him as a potential starter or even a bridge quarterback. Look at Cleveland, Tennessee, Seattle, Indianapolis and New Orleans as possibilities. With the Falcons’ blessing, Cousins’ crafty agent, Mike McCartney, could surely swing some sort of deal. The Browns, saddled with the Deshaun Watson guaranteed cash ($230 million), would likely salivate for a chance to land Cousins for some basement-bargain price where the Falcons pay the bulk of the contract, ala the break the Steelers got last year when Denver was willing to pay big in ridding themselves of Wilson.

It’s just too bad for Cousins that it doesn’t make sense for the Falcons.

No need for pity. Remember, no one has worked the NFL market over the past decade like Cousins, who has made more than $400 million since his rookie deal paid all of $643,000 over his first four seasons.

He was franchise-tagged twice by Washington (totaling nearly $44 million), landed a fully-guaranteed, three-year, $84 million deal from the Vikings. He re-upped twice over three years in Minnesota ($66 million, $35 million). Then he got his most valuable contract yet from the Falcons, months after tearing at Achilles tendon.

Along the way, Cousins has won just one playoff game in his career and earned a reputation for being magnificently inconsistent.

The Falcons, desperate to become a contender, went with fool’s gold. They thought they were getting a difference-maker and it turned out they missed the playoffs (again) and couldn’t even get a full season from Cousins before turning to Penix.

Now it’s time to grin and bear it with Cousins. And time for Cousins to do likewise.

If not, it would go completely against the grain of his rep. Cousins doesn’t strike me as the type who would create a locker room distraction while serving as Penix’s backup. He’d surely have to swallow some more pride in being the good teammate and ready-in-case-of-emergency backup. But who knows? Maybe he handles it differently this time, having to take a back seat to a young quarterback while his career clock ticks.

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Then again, at this point – and with more than $400 million already earned – it’s not about the money. Maybe it’s about feeling entitled to have another shot, ASAP. Certainly, aging QBs Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson can relate.

It’s striking, though, that Cousins’ deal with the Falcons included a no-trade clause. And now he wants the chance to trade places.

No, this Atlanta saga has not worked out. Shortly after the Cousins signing, the NFL opened an investigation into tampering, which spun out of the quarterback casually mentioning during his introductory press conference that he talked to Falcons staff members before the free agency period officially. Combined with apparent violations that involved fellow free agent signees Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner, it wound up costing Atlanta a fifth-round pick and $250,000 fine, on top of a $50,000 fine for Fontenot.

Then came the shocking move to draft Penix with the eighth pick overall, which Cousins didn’t know until the Falcons were on the clock. Months later, as Cousins fizzled, the Falcons worked the succession plan sooner than first envisioned.

A few weeks ago, Cousins maintained that he played with shoulder and elbow injuries last season. Funny, though, he was listed on the injury report just once, which is probably why Morris publicly pushed back on the quarterback’s claim – which would also subject the Falcons to more NFL scrutiny related to Cousins, this time linked to the injury policy.

Yes, it’s been a mess. And one way or another, it’s not over yet.

Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell